Mists of the Mwangi: Mist Tainted Template

[deusvult]

The template is summarized below.

The Mists of Tik Taan:

Any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid who fails their save degenerates into an ape-like proto creature, little more than a brutish animal.
An afflicted creature's intelligence and wisdom are both reduced to 6, and the creature gains +2 strength and dexterity. Additionally the creature becomes immune to fear, gains climb 20, +10 to climb checks, +5 to acrobatics & stealth checks. The creature also gains a slam attack.
The template can be removed by remove curse, break enchantment, or similar magical effects.

What's important is that the mist that causes the affliction is near-omnipresent in the adventure, and NPCs who are afflicted are mindless crazies.

What I'm not sure about is how to handle any PCs who fail their saves, particularly early on before they meet any NPC/monsters. Do they immediately ape out and attack the unaffected PCs? (as the fluff indicates happening between NPCs who were afflicted and unafflicted when the mists came)

That's problematic, especially if most (or god forbid) all of the party succumbs.

However if you instead play the 'PCs are special...' card and just apply the template and otherwise let them keep their characters.. there are quite a few character types that are (strictly statwise) improved and a player may well simply refuse to remove their 'curse' and want to keep the template thru future adventures :D Sure most players will want their PCs to not be ape-things, but what if they come to endear the idea? (not to mention the enhancements it brings) Who's to force them to pay for the remove curse?

The First Encounter:

The first encounter is nothing but a room where you're first exposed to the mist. This is where everyone will either be turned into a proto-ape, or become immune to the effect. Although the template doesn't include these rules, the encounter text here (and in the future with NPCs) all mention that should an afflicted individual become unconsious or negative HP the mists leave them and they become 'cured'. I *assume* a gm is supposed to completely wing this based on how many players make and fail their saves. If all/too many PCs devolve, I *assume* you just let them keep control and play the rest of the adventure as they are. If enough make the save that the GM thinks they can handle the few fails, I *assume* the GM assumes control and makes them fight their partymates as simians- using the slam attacks instead of whatever class abilities they possess. Let the players still in control of their PCs beat the tar of of the fails (hopefully w/o killing them), they become cured, and everyone is immune to the mist for the rest of the adventure... and the encounter #1 becomes a particularly brutal way to bleed healing resources early. But my oh my, if someone DOES die in this encounter, they'll fairly justifiably think this adventure is super lame.

[Deussu]

What happened in our encounter (geez, that's about 3 years ago!) was that one PC went apes*it and started acting violently, thus left the controls to the GM. Without rolls we practically caught that PC and secured with rope. Then punched unconscious. I recall the madness ending once the creature goes unconscious.

Then proceed to the museum with some scarfs or bandanas covering your nose and mouth.

[Auke Teeninga]

There's a Mists of Mwangi spoilerthread you really should read!

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