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Shhhhh...
Okay. So for those of you DM's who still want to have a bit of fun, let's give the sore a try.
Toss ideas for next week out. If you posted an idea on the last thread could you do me a favor and bump it here for discussion.
Another topic of discussion for next week is how to conclude, if you so desire, the mysterious sore.
I will run the sore this Wednesday in my PA Pathfinder adventure. I know the perfect player to infect and guarantee it will be a hoot.
I will post the results after the game.
For next week I offer...
The Mysterious Benefactor
During the course of the adventure the PC's receive an anonymous letter, package, missive of minor assistance. The method of delivery and type depends on the adventure but has the aura of someone going out of their way to give a little bit of help.
The concept is to have the characters feel slightly indebted and weirded out by someone or something that seems to know more about them then is normally possible.
(For those of you folk who want to interject a bit of literary humor, you can have the benefactor always reference the PC as "pip" =)
I also offer, as a conclusion to the sore, that the sore develops or grows something that ends up being a minor npc. Something that looks up to the PC's as its parent and is, at the same time, odd or repulsive enough to have the PC be embarrassed by the attention (in spite of the fact that the little thing is actually helpful =).
Edit: My error for not including the original sore text =)... Here it is...
A Festering Sore
At some point in the game one of the players discovers a festering sore. While it does not have any game mechanic effects, it is quite ugly and, depending on its location, could also be a tad itchy, a bit malodorous, or so obvious that other NPC’s comment about the sore and its possible origins.
To make matters worse, over the course of the game it changes. It can fester into a boil, ooze, spread, or grow something unpleasant. Overall, it is impervious to magic and seems impossible to get rid of it by any means.
The objective is to give it a tiny mysterious life of its own, then cliffhang the mystery of sore until the next game just to keep the player guessing.
[The Sore] Quaid.....Quaid....Quaid! [/The Sore]
A baby ogre?
Let's see if I grasp the idea of this thread...
As a sore I offer:
Evil gone Good.
A creature(that the PC's think are always evil) helps them out some how, for a price.
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Nothing like a little give and take =).
I'm still in the genesis phase of the conclusion of the sore, but I am aiming for a personification of an STD (I guess you can see where I am going with the sore =). A fine sized beastie. My original visual concept was of a WOW oozling. Other thoughts have been a meatwad type of thing and a fungus thing. Still ify on speech but solid on the loving loyal dog like personality.
Or take some inspiration from Army of Darkness and have it form into a miniature evil twin. :D
Okay, here's my version of "the sore":
In a Planescape game from days gone by, I created a nefarious antagonist named the Toothadder.
The Toothadder is sort of the polar opposite of the Tooth Fairy. Where the tooth fairy takes away your teeth, the Toothadder, well, adds them. He adds teeth. His skin is like drool-slick gums, he creates portals like throats, he's just completely creepy.
So from an encounter with the Toothadder one character was left with a large Orc molar pushing the rest of his teeth out of place. Which is rather painful & unpleasant. He tried to have it pulled, which caused the tooth to move. To his face.
It was a long, arduous process to remove the tooth, but it was eventually accomplished, entirely through roleplaying. The player had a great time with it, and the group was forever horrified about the return of the Toothadder.
Have the 'Sore' talk to him, through verbal speech or telepathy. Either way only he can hear it, like the boil chris gets in 'Family guy' or you could go further down this route and have it grow as in 'How to get a head in advetising'
Nothing like a little give and take =).
I'm still in the genesis phase of the conclusion of the sore, but I am aiming for a personification of an STD (I guess you can see where I am going with the sore =). A fine sized beastie. My original visual concept was of a WOW oozling.
You could make it into a Torble (the ooze familiar from Council of Thieves #1/Player's Guide).
I love the idea of this thread, a communal source of little RP helpful ideas and tricks.
For my part I am starting my first PF game this Sat. and I am starting the characters at 1st lvl. I plan to include a magic ring in the treasure that is mildly cursed (was the plan before I read this thread BTW) and I think I am going to make a ring that shoots Magic Missle's 3/day and however many times it gets used in a day...that is how many "SORES" the user wakes up with on his face the next day. I plan to make them removable by remove curse...but only that instance of them. If left alone they will fade the next morning...but if the ring is used new ones appear.
Should be a fun time for the players to figure out where the sores are coming from and how they keep re-appearing.
Knowing my group it wont take long we have all been playing for a long time (1979 ish) and we are all close friends so no drama will occur like what was detailed in the previous (de-railed)thread.
And I like the "Mysterious Benefactor" idea but I'm going to switch it up a bit with a "Mysterious Antagonist" by having a thief from the town drop contraband into a players pack before they leave town and have the players have to explain how it got there and why they left town with it for their return after the adventure. Should be a fun side story with clearing their names and tracking down the original thief.
My PCs... and all sentient life... just got beaten into a rout by deadly, apocalyptic beasties... so the mysterious benefactor is definately going to get used.
For the sore make it like an intelligent magic item. Give it high intelligence and charisma, and ranks in bluff, diplomacy, and disguise (for acting) Give it telepathy to the wielder that makes him THINK he's hearing words (i.e. he thinks people are talking to him) and illusion spells.
Let me reach into my bag of dastardly (and cheap) GM tricks.
I give you...
Skill Crystal
The individual attuned to this crystal receives a +3 insight bonus to Perception skill checks. Said individual also is afflicted by a –2 (no) insight bonus to Stealth skill checks.
For attuning, I generally make the PC carry the thing around and wear it close to their body for two or three days.
More to come later. I have a big bag.
CJ
Let me reach into my bag of dastardly (and cheap) GM tricks.
I give you...
** spoiler omitted **More to come later. I have a big bag.
CJ
Until the warrior or mage goes for this. But for sneaky characters it would be cruel... although in all honesty the magical crystal is probably going to the mage
More dastardly items...
Black Ironwood Sword
A sword of varnished black ironwood. The sword smells of death and blood. The sword requires a weekly application of alchemical Eversharp oil (10gp per application, or DC20 Craft: Alchemy to manufacture with 5gp worth of materials for 5 applications) or it begins to degrade. When in good condition the sword functions as a +2 bastard sword. When degraded it functions as a -1 club.
Bronze Dagger
A dagger of aged bronze with a hilt of ashwood and pommel of brass. This is a masterwork weapon but not as effective at doing damage. It has a +2 bonus to hit, but only does 1d3 points of damage.
Fools Gold Dust
This battered clay pot contains 5 applications of Fools Gold Dust. Sprinkling 1 application of Fools Gold Dust on a cubic foot of copper or brass will temporarily turn it into gold. Any creature viewing fools gold is entitled to a Will Save [DC15] to determine that it is false. Fools gold remains false for three hours. Casting detect magic upon fools gold will reveal minor alteration magic upon it.
Hmmm...some of these items are truly "dastardly". I need to keep digging in my sack...
CJ
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Sorry, no feedback this week. I had to call the game due to schedule conflicts =(real life getting in the way of gaming... sigh =)...
I will offer one for next week.
One in a Million
The characters, during the course of their next adventure, meet or see a carbon copy of a villain they have already defeated. Is it really the villain? Is it a disguise? Or just a Shot in a million double?
"Fake" stone golem-
After roughly one hour of traveling (preferably at a spot with a view of the PCs former camp) the PCs see a stone statue. (Let them see the stone golem page of the bestiary while this is all occuring) The statue doesn't move. It is firmly anchored to the ground. However, something marks it as unique (preferably glowing eyes, sword, etc.). However, every night, tell the PCs that they see 2 pinpoints of light in the distance (or a glowing sword, etc. (Whatever was glowing on the statue)). But if they travel to the location, they can't find the statue (greater invisibility, teleported away, whatever you want) have it harass the players like this for a while. Then, at some point, let them fight their mysterious follower. (Maybe have it return after a week or so?)
"Fake" stone golem-
After roughly one hour of traveling (preferably at a spot with a view of the PCs former camp) the PCs see a stone statue. (Let them see the stone golem page of the bestiary while this is all occuring) The statue doesn't move. It is firmly anchored to the ground. However, something marks it as unique (preferably glowing eyes, sword, etc.). However, every night, tell the PCs that they see 2 pinpoints of light in the distance (or a glowing sword, etc. (Whatever was glowing on the statue)). But if they travel to the location, they can't find the statue (greater invisibility, teleported away, whatever you want) have it harass the players like this for a while. Then, at some point, let them fight their mysterious follower. (Maybe have it return after a week or so?)
Don't have anything glow until the PCs view the statue.
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The cursed sword of Elnin:
This +2 sword shines perpetually and appears as liquid metal (the finest mithril). Weilding the sword gives a sense of purpose and confidence that what you are doing is good and just. However, the blade is indeed cursed, as any foes slain rise as undead 1d4 rounds later.
The guilt of the blackguard:
This melee weapon appears as having a layer of caked blood along it's striking area and has a +1 with the bane enhancement. That enhancement matches whatever the type of creature is weilding it. Shortly before each slaying, the foe is replaced by a visage of an innocent. (a human fighter is fighting goblins, and each goblin killed resembles a human child as he slays it). the actual corpse of the slain creature appears normal.
The cursed sword of Elnin:
This +2 sword shines perpetually and appears as liquid metal (the finest mithril). Weilding the sword gives a sense of purpose and confidence that what you are doing is good and just. However, the blade is indeed cursed, as any foes slain rise as undead 1d4 rounds later.The guilt of the blackguard:
This melee weapon appears as having a layer of caked blood along it's striking area and has a +1 with the bane enhancement. That enhancement matches whatever the type of creature is weilding it. Shortly before each slaying, the foe is replaced by a visage of an innocent. (a human fighter is fighting goblins, and each goblin killed resembles a human child as he slays it). the actual corpse of the slain creature appears normal.
pure. evil. would love to put one of these in for the paladin
OK Update time.
My game went quite well this weekend and the Sorc. out of the group picked up the cursed Monster Zit causing Magic Missle ring...the players haven't linked the "Sores" to the use of the ring yet...it's funny because my son is playing the Sorc and everyone just thinks I am giving him a hard time about having acne..LOL. They should pick up the connection in the next game..we will see.
As for my "mysterious Antagonist" idea...got foiled by the party Rogues Perception skill...got him busted and just made the party look like good citizens...sigh...maybe next time.