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So, I have been loving Kingmaker. My players are almost done with the 1st installment and as I was looking ahead to River Runs Red and Varnhold Vanishing I realized something was missing. This campaign is more positive than most I run. There is little in the way of mind numbing horror or heeby-geeby inducing events in the story arc. As I love grossing out my players (and keeping them from a good night sleep), I was searching for a place to introduce at least a little of those elements to the story.
First, I needed to identify the best place to put a segment like this. After reading the 1st 5 installments, it seemed obvious that the creepy, empty town in V's Vanishing was my best bet. Spriggans are great villains, and I admit I could just run with them, but I wanted something more...well, Nick Loguish.
Inspiration struck while driving on the interstate. Replace the spriggans with the Graul clan! So, the question is, how to update the clan to PFRPG standards. Should Mammy be a witch? Or, how about a Summoner with an Eidolen that looks like an enormous mutated Ogre toddler with grab and constrict evolutions? I bet they could even have an enormous trollhound as a pet (ol' Yeller?)
So, if anyone likes the idea, lets throw together some ideas and variations on how to update the clan & how they could be used in Varnhold Vanishing.
The 'Ling
So, if anyone likes the idea, lets throw together some ideas and variations on how to update the clan & how they could be used in Varnhold Vanishing.
I had a similar idea a while back, but since I'm not actually running Kingmaker I didn't do anything other than jot down a few bullet-points in my trusty Moleskine.
I was going to replace the dead trapper in the first adventure with one of the Graul boys (though I renamed them the Kreel clan in my notes). When the ogrekin discover their brother-uncle is dead, I was going to have them begin to start trouble for the PCs' burdgeoning kingdom. I placed their farmstead at the far western edge of the northern Narlmarches, a hex west of the frog pool. One of my bullet-points noted that several of the boys enjoyed "breeding and wrestling" with the giant frogs. (Yeah, not sure what I was thinking about there.)
My notes had Mammy being either a witch or a sorcerer with a fey bloodline. Her boys (I had 7 of them -- "The Seven Sons of Mammy Kreel" sounded like a cool western title to me) were mostly warriors with two of them having levels in ranger. Only Mammy was evil (NE). The others were CN, but were devoted to exacting revenge for their dead brother-uncle.
That's about all I had -- sorry if it doesn't help you much with the Varnhold Vanishing!
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HMM is set for 7th level adventurers, while The Varnhold vanishing is also set for 7th level characters.
Personally, I'd swap Mamma to a Witch, lose the big meaty fighter-guy, and then run HMM as is.
Drop "Fort Rannick" wherever there's a good ruin on the map, probably a couple hexes away from Varnhold, itself, and you're all set.
Straight Ogres are easy, just sub out the Bestiary ones. Any Ogre Barbarians as listed can pretty easily be generated via This Here NPC Generator
or just click on the little box below
Ogre (Large Humanoid)
Barbarian level 4 (skill points 8) Barbarian
Hit die: 4d8+4d12+24+4+8(80hp)
Init: -1
Speed: 40
AC: 17 + Hide, + Shield, none
(Dex +-1, Natural +5, size -1, Hide +4, )
AC flat footed :17
AC Touch: 8
Base Attack/Grapple: 7/16
CMB 16 CMD 25
Attack: +15 Greatclub 2d8+12 Crit(20-20)X2
or +5 Javelin 1d8+8 Crit(20-20)X2
Full attack: +15/10 Greatclub 2d8+12
or +5/0 Javelin 1d8+8(range 30)
Space/Reach: 10/10
Special Attacks:
Rage +4 con +4 Str +2 +2 will save -2 AC per day 8
Rage Power Number = 2
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60, Low-light Vision ,
Fast movement Land Movement raised by 10
Trap Sense Reflex save and AC when dealing with traps bonus 1
Uncanny Dodge Retains Dex bonus if flat footed 1
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +1, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 12, Chr 7
Skills: Acrobatics 2, Climb 7, Handle Animal -2, Intimidate 4, Know nature -2, Perception 3, Ride -1, Survival 6, Swim 2,
Languages: Common, Giant
Feats:
Animal Fury Gain an extra bite attack at -5. 1-4 damage + 1/2 str bonus in rage,
Powerful Blow Gain +1 and +1 per 4 levels on damage 1/rage,
Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness
Weapon Focus Greatclub
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
CR: 7
The above has not really been double checked, so you may want to go over the math a bit. It did take about 60 seconds to make, so keep that in mind, as well.
With that, you're set...Mammy the Witch, Big Brother the Barbarian 4, and bunches (or 6) regular old ogres for your PC's horror-pleasure.
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hmm. Well, i wasn't going to drop all of Hook Mountain into Varnhold, just replace the Spriggans with the Grauls. I was figuring on having mammy & her boys living the high life in the empty town. I figure that the boys can trap many parts of the town, and Mammy & her favored sons can move into the same places the spriggans set up camp.
I like the idea of Mammy as a witch. I've actually been foreshadowing the Grauls a little. The dead trapper in Stolen Lands was a Graul cousin. Also, because of the time of year the players finished exploring the greenbelt, Brevoy is waiting until Spring to send out their BPs and settlers. That gives the PCs a few months to track down possible government members. As they need a Magister, They'll hear rumors about Old Beldane and Mammy Graul, the two most famous 'witches' of the 'Belt.
I have already restated Old Beldane as a witch. I'll post her here tomorrow if I have time. I'm trying Mammy as a witch 8 and as a summoner 8 to see which gives me more creepy abilities. The Hexes could be fun, but so could an inbred eidolon.
What do pepople think I should do with Muck (tendrilicus)and Biggun (spider)? Use them? Replace them? Drop them?
If you want more Grauls, I have a few more that Nick made. The ones that were too nasty to publish... :-)
I think we ALL want those; I know I do!
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
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LOL!
It's just the ones Nick posted on sinister ....blimey... almost two years ago. You might have them already, Ernest.
LINK TO POST HERE. NSF... ANYONE!
Oh Lordy, the post-holer. I won't sleep tonight!
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LOL!
It's just the ones Nick posted on sinister ....blimey... almost two years ago. You might have them already, Ernest.
LINK TO POST HERE. NSF... ANYONE!
Oh Lordy, the post-holer. I won't sleep tonight!
Thanks! I think I can make use of these. besides, I heard about those 'cut Grauls' back in the day, but never saw them. pretty cool stuff.
Wow. I just read Nick's extra stuff on the GRauls for the first time.
I have to say, the romance between Sugar and Katra is quite touching. I can just see him stroking her matted clumps of hair as he coos softly to her. Who knew Logue was such a romantic?
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Ok, I looked at d20PFSRD's excellent update of Mammy G, as well as the original source in Hook Mountain. When I reverse engineered her, she was built with a 15 point buy (which is good, putting her on par with the PCs). Here are my conversion notes on making her a witch
Mammy Graul (female ogrekin Witch 8)
Str: 20 (14) 5pts
dex: 4 (8) +2pts
con: 19 (15) 7pts
int: 15 (15) 3pts(both stat increases went here)
wis: 10 (10)
chr: 10 (12) 2pts
15pt total
mutations: thick hide +3 natural armor, morbidly obese -4 Dex
Memorized Spells (4/5/4/3/2)
0- Bleed, Detect Magic, Message, Touch of Fatigue
1- Grease, Mage Armor, Ray of Enfeeblement x3
2- Blindness/deafness, False Life, Spectral hand, Web
3- Lightning bolt, Vampiric Touch x2
4- Black Tentacles, Dimension Door
Hexes:
1- slumber
2- evil eye
4- misfortune
6- flight
8- ward
rat familiar (+2 Fort saves) bonus spells: detect undead, command undead, contagion, animate dead
Overall, I think the change is a plus. Her spell lists stay similar. although I did optimize them slightly for her tactics. The hexes provide some new flavor and tactical flexibility. For example, she now can fly without burning the spell slot & reinstate her flight after a dispel. Warding one of the boys would provide a solid alarm system for her, so that should almost eliminate the chance of catching her off guard. Finally, I know Jason said specific bonus spells were going bye-bye, but working with the Beta rules, the rat gave back much of the undead mojo Mammy G lost when I changed her from necromancer.
Overall, I like the changes. I know that she will outright disgust and terrify my players when they get to Varnhold.
EDIT: full stat block with tactics and combat notes to follow.
I'll have the full Graul clan in my Kingmaker campaign as well. Since my players' characters are coming in post-Council of Thieves, I decided to make the Grauls tiefling ogre-kin with a few extra twists. I was debating upon where to stage them in KM, which the OP so kindly provided for me. ^_^
Statted up for an 11th - 12th level group, however, the Grauls are nasty. I kept Biggun' and Muck, with 8 or so "mook Grauls" - all CR 8 ogrekin - 2 or 3 male heavy hitters and Mammy herself respecc'd as a transmutation specialist wizard. I believe that Mammy - pun intended - weighs in as a 12th level wizard for my group.
LOL!
It's just the ones Nick posted on sinister ....blimey... almost two years ago. You might have them already, Ernest.
LINK TO POST HERE. NSF... ANYONE!
Oh Lordy, the post-holer. I won't sleep tonight!
Ye gods! I'll be seeing them in my nightmares!
You could do up the whole town in evil non humans. Ogres, Orcs, Trolls, Kobolds, Goblins...