Another day, another post about wacky hijinx and a request for "What would the messageboards do?"
Today's installment: The body in the box Player Character.
Framework:
During a run through Westcrown's sewers (Bastards of Erebus), one of the PC's discovers a box. A very well crafted, tightly sealed, wooden box.
As an aside, I highly recommend this strategem for amping up the tension of a low level game...the look on the Beloved Spouse's (Kobold chorus: "We love you!") face was PRICELESS at the prospect of a second level fighter running into a Vampire.
Character takes box back to hideout without opening the box. We joke a bit about nails scratching on the inside of the box, etc. To make an already moderately sized story short, it's not a Vampire. But it is a body. At least, on the initial read. At this point, the character is thinking "This person was shipped back home to be brought back to life" the player is thinking "That can't be, because the body in question is wearing a holy symbol and clerical robes of Pharasma") and the GM is thinking "Mwa ha ha ha ha!! That'll teach you to take home boxes from the Wiscrani sewers" with a side of "I'm sure she can spin this into a story/RP xp award")
The PC's go about their business with the box and its contents sealed back up and unattended. During their frolic, the noble scum Sorcerer buys the proverbial farm in a random encounter with a Gelatinous Cube (CR 3?!?!?) in the sewers (they really LOVE the sewers).
We look at each other and begin the earnest discussion of replacement characters. And then the idea strikes.
Party has no cleric.
Body in box is almost certainly a cleric.
Body wasn't all-the-way-dead dead. (Think Princess Bride - Billy Crystal = crazy delicious)
Body wakes up and is actually quite very alive, having been in some sort of GM fiat sort of hibernation coma of a magical or poison induced nature.
A plan comes together.
So, my dear readers, what would YOU do?
The lines already set are as follows:
Body in box, packed tightly in preserving and aromatic herbs.
Female Half-Elf Cleric of Pharasma, level 2 w/ Repose and Healing domains (The writeup is already underway)
Shipping label clearly shows point of origin as Absalom, destination "Cheliax"
Box is in pristine condition.
Box was intercepted by a priestess of Urgathoa, who had Foul Intentions Of The Worst Kind(TM) before buying it herself in a freak Otyugh accident.
Everything else is, as they say, fair game. Hit me with your best shot.
Meanwhile, the Vampire (there has to be a vampire) is waiting impatiently in his sewer lair checking every once in a while to see if there's a box outside which the Urgathoan clerics promised would be delivered.
VAMPIRE: "My bride! My bride! Where is the bride I was promised?"
Cue "Get me a Mail Order Bride...."
Meanwhile, the Vampire (there has to be a vampire) is waiting impatiently in his sewer lair checking every once in a while to see if there's a box outside which the Urgathoan clerics promised would be delivered.
VAMPIRE: "My bride! My bride! Where is the bride I was promised?"
Cue "Get me a Mail Order Bride...."
I like the cut of your jib, Sir.
The AP outlines some potential 'future plot hooks' that one might encounter in the sewer. And it's like you're tuned directly into my wavelength on this.
Case in point, and unmentioned in the OP is the fact that an earlier discovery in the sewers was the exsanguinated corpse of a noble. The PC's remain blithely clueless.
Mine is an evil laugh.
Rather than being an evil cleric that took the box into the sewer, perhaps it was a group of wererats, who were distracted by xxx, and when they came back, the box was gone.
So, now the PCs have a group of wererats and the jilted vampire husband-to-be looking for them.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
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The vampire has already received his bride, was about to do the whole drinky-drinky business when one of his many alarms went of/ a henchman called him away. Since he's not got where he is today by leaving things to chance, he woke her from the extra deep trance, dominated her good-and proper, and put her into a trance before heading off to do his business. He instructed the minions to take her to his most secure base #2 and they got shanghaied on the way.
The vampire has already received his bride, was about to do the whole drinky-drinky business when one of his many alarms went of/ a henchman called him away. Since he's not got where he is today by leaving things to chance, he woke her from the extra deep trance, dominated her good-and proper, and put her into a trance before heading off to do his business. He instructed the minions to take her to his most secure base #2 and they got shanghaied on the way.
This is, again, on my wavelength. I've already outlined that whomsoever hijacked the box was shortly thereafter hijacked themselves.
In other words...
YOU!! Outta my brain!
*giggles uncontrollably*
Rather than being an evil cleric that took the box into the sewer, perhaps it was a group of wererats, who were distracted by xxx, and when they came back, the box was gone.
So, now the PCs have a group of wererats and the jilted vampire husband-to-be looking for them.
Hmmm...wererats you say?
Mmm.... I like the chittery-squeaky, it must be said.
We shall see.
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The cleric was put in the box as a message to the local followers of Pharasma, who were getting a little to uppity in their opinions about the Chelaxian nobility and their "association" with Devils. This particular cleric had preached once to often at a local tavern about the so called evils of the House of Thrune or even House Drovenge. This might give the characters pause before they meddle in the affairs of the nobles.
I would have the cleric insane from her experience in the box. Ranting something horrible about the infernal forces that trapped her.
Hmmm... currently running through said sewers ourselves in my gaming group. DM is running the "slow" progression. Might need to point this out as a method of "padding" for the adventure.
Although... we already have a cleric of pharasma in the party...
Hmmm... currently running through said sewers ourselves in my gaming group. DM is running the "slow" progression. Might need to point this out as a method of "padding" for the adventure.
Although... we already have a cleric of pharasma in the party...
There are a number of wonderful ways to build tension that I've crafted. But, if you're a player I think I'll just say... If the sewers suddenly start becoming cleaner, turn around and run like hell.
Mwa ha ha....
The cleric was put in the box as a message to the local followers of Pharasma, who were getting a little to uppity in their opinions about the Chelaxian nobility and their "association" with Devils. This particular cleric had preached once to often at a local tavern about the so called evils of the House of Thrune or even House Drovenge. This might give the characters pause before they meddle in the affairs of the nobles.
I would have the cleric insane from her experience in the box. Ranting something horrible about the infernal forces that trapped her.
Hmm... if this wasn't becoming a PC, I believe I'd run with this version. As it is, perhaps another encounter.
Thanks for the evil idea!
Hmm... if this wasn't becoming a PC, I believe I'd run with this version. As it is, perhaps another encounter.
Thanks for the evil idea!
Why does that prevent you from making it a PC? Crazy cleric being hunted by the church of Asmodeus sounds like a great character concept to me.
Why does that prevent you from making it a PC? Crazy cleric being hunted by the church of Asmodeus sounds like a great character concept to me.
It doesn't, per se. What does, however, is the fact that I'd already penciled this character in for a nemesis. In the form of a *cough ahem* level cleric of Urgathoa.
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Why does that prevent you from making it a PC? Crazy cleric being hunted by the church of Asmodeus sounds like a great character concept to me.It doesn't, per se. What does, however, is the fact that I'd already penciled this character in for a nemesis. In the form of a *cough ahem* level cleric of Urgathoa.
The poor cleric, dedicated to her Goddess Pharasma, finds herself in a coffin. She once had a scary encounter with a murderous ghoul at an impressionable young age. the ghoul had found its way into the local garbage pile where her friends were playing and killed Tommy the boy she loved so well. The townspeople dealt with the ghoul and poor Tommy was buried. Two days later this poor soon-to-be-cleric of Pharasma found Tommy clawing at her door, wanting her to play spin the bottle. Two days later her parents brought her to the priests of Pharasma for comfort. She grew up under their care and found comfort in their preachings against undeath and the certainty they had in a final repose.
And now she wakes up in a stinking coffin, underground, in what could easily be mistaken for a vault of the dead. Already the experience has clouded her brain. She is certain that she is now undead. All of the promises of Pharasma, all the fears of Tommy scratching at the door, the vision of the ghoul she will become.... Her world collapses around her, there are no certainties, Pharasma has lied to her. Better to embrace the truth, life is death, there is no end.
Better to embrace the truth, life is death, there is no end.
Chilling and wonderfully creepy. Bravo!