Dire Hunger Monks - STAP Extension?

[JustTim]

What have you done with the Dire Hunger monks?

I would love to hear the different scenarios and/or thoughts from other DMs.This is my current plan:

1. Party needs to level up before hitting the Crimson Fleet (currently at mid-15).
2. DHM (Dire Hunger Monastery/Monks) offer a compelling scenario.

I've thought of something along this lines: The monks are split into three factions since the absence of the UR priests. One faction, headed by the overall Master, wants to remain steadfast in their alliance with the UR priets - loyalty. One faction, headed by a subordinate, wants to ally with the Crimson Fleet and the Seventh Coil, recognizing them as a rising power. The third faction, albeit smaller, headed by another subordinate, wants to ally with the Porphyry House under Tyralandi. Many of the rank-and-file have divided loyalties, some clearly on one side, some in the undecided column. And then enter the PCs!

They have already defeated the Leech at Red Foam Whaling, survived both two assaults by the Yuan-Ti (one at night while they slept on their ship - the Nixie in this case - at the Scuttlecove docks) and one by a band of thugs. They then rescued Harliss (and some others - PC cohorts - how they were introduced) at the Bird Cage and actually have taken it over. They moved from there to the Minting House (courtesy of information from Harliss) but didn't get all of the Yuan-ti (two sorcerors escaped).

Now they intend to meet with Tyralandi (per a previous invite from her after their takeover of the Bird Cage).

So here is what I've thought through:

1. Tyralandi, impressed with their power, wants to use them against the Monastery to either weaken it in general (thus expanding her power base) or to increase the influence of her faction.

2. As the party was at the Minting House ... Tyralandi had her Succubi assistants (three with awful names - I won't even publish here) - take the Nixie's crew hostage and then deliver them to the Monks under the guise of Yuan-ti.

3. Tyralandi will get the PCs interested in the DHM by: informing them of what she has learned about the capture of their crew and letting them know that some artifact is held by them that will really help against the infernal characteristics of the Crimson Fleet (there will be a good magic item, but not what she says ... it will be close to the truth but not right ... and she knows that).

I'm trying to figure out what the Monastery will be like, especially with the factions. And whether they use any bone golems (any such thing), undead or attract undead, or what other challenges might exist besides just the monks.

But it's all up for grabs. I really want to know what you might have done or thought of as well as any suggestions or criticism for my thoughts.

Thanks!

[JustTim]

It also just occurred to me after rereading a post in the Archives on Scuttlecove, that I can add some additional demonic elements to the factions among the Monks. Perhaps some have become cultists (such as Graz'zt for Tyralandi) and so forth. There might also be demons present in some fashion trying to influence the monks through their presence, each representing different demon lords.

[Humble Minion]

I'm not up to SoS yet, but I'd given a fair bit of thought to the Monks.

Firstly, with the monks being LE types who believe in eating sentient beings to gain strength, it'd surely make sense for there to be powerful barghests involved in the Order? In my Scuttlecove there's going to be a handful of epic-level barghests (known as the Godwolves) who I subbed into the city in place of the ur-priests. The Monks are students of barghest philosophy, as such, and seek to emulate their idols (long backstory here involving the Godwolves being involved in the fall of the pantheon worshipped by one of the PCs, and in the diminishment of the Olman gods post-fall, but that's all probably irrelevant here). This might not suit you so well, of course. But advanced and/or templated and/or class-levelled barghests would be a nifty addition to the Monastery. Sort of as spiritual advisors...

Bone golems might indeed be a good addition to the monastery too - surely the monks' leftovers have to go somewhere! A Famine Spirit (I think that's what they're called - the fat ones with the vorpal bite) is a nicely gruesome cannibal undead, but might be too tough (even though their CR is probably too high). Can you have a LE Wendigo? I kinda like the idea of the final apotheosis/perfection/enlightenment of the Dire Hunger monks involving becoming a wendigo, not sure how mechanically possible it is rules-wise.