Just wondering how other FR DM's are altering the Overgod to reflect aspects of the Dead Three. My thoughts were to give it a skull-like head for Bhaal, and skeletal hands for Myrkul. Not sure what to do about Bane and the six arms. Any thoughts?
Just wondering how other FR DM's are altering the Overgod to reflect aspects of the Dead Three. My thoughts were to give it a skull-like head for Bhaal, and skeletal hands for Myrkul. Not sure what to do about Bane and the six arms. Any thoughts?
I'm not collapsing the gods into one Overgod -- I'm keeping the three Deities separate as if the "plan" of the entire thing is to create a triumvirate. I anticipate taking any big foe that is, in the AoW adventures, a representative of a singular Overgod and either splitting it up into 3 slightly less powerful creatures or just making the singular representative only related to one god. I like the idea of keeping the gods/religions different so that I can always choose to have them betray each other, or have the party gain a temporary truce with one, etc., who is afraid the others are trying to screw them over. Having not read too far ahead, I don't know what kind of trouble my idea will get me into, but I figure at the worst I just have to do a lot of stat adjusting. Since the Bane (Hextor), in the FR history as far as I am knowledgeable, is the most powerful (or, at least, the most "established" -- I believe Bhaal & Myrkul are regaining power after their "deaths" during the Time of Troubles) I have chosen to make the Bane-followers a little more organized, a little more numerous, than the others.
Just wondering how other FR DM's are altering the Overgod to reflect aspects of the Dead Three. My thoughts were to give it a skull-like head for Bhaal, and skeletal hands for Myrkul. Not sure what to do about Bane and the six arms. Any thoughts?
I'm not sure that you mean "Overgod". I think you are refering to the Ebon Aspect in 3FoE. If I'm wrong, correct me. I like the idea of changing its appearance to reflect the Faerun gods, but I don't know how much good it can do. Bhaal and Myrkul are both skeletal in appearance, and what to do for Bane? Black gauntlets? Just based on the two deities, players are likely to just assume it's some form of undead. I think that would take away from the intensity of the encounter. I plan to leave it as is, and just make certain the players garner the knowledge that it is an Aspect of the combined deities. I'm pretty sure the players won't be dissappointed that it doesn't resemble the deities closely.
Just wondering how other FR DM's are altering the Overgod to reflect aspects of the Dead Three. My thoughts were to give it a skull-like head for Bhaal, and skeletal hands for Myrkul. Not sure what to do about Bane and the six arms. Any thoughts?I'm not sure that you mean "Overgod". I think you are refering to the Ebon Aspect in 3FoE. If I'm wrong, correct me. I like the idea of changing its appearance to reflect the Faerun gods, but I don't know how much good it can do. Bhaal and Myrkul are both skeletal in appearance, and what to do for Bane? Black gauntlets? Just based on the two deities, players are likely to just assume it's some form of undead. I think that would take away from the intensity of the encounter. I plan to leave it as is, and just make certain the players garner the knowledge that it is an Aspect of the combined deities. I'm pretty sure the players won't be dissappointed that it doesn't resemble the deities closely.
Yes you are right, the Ebon Aspect. I had sort of hoped this would have been addressed in the Overload, since that contained the FR conversion material for Three Faces of Evil, but I couldn't find any references.
If you are not changing the Ebon Aspect's abilities or powers, the creature's appearance is simply cosmetic. If you wanted to be truly warped why not make the aspect a bizarre fusion of the three gods. Give it six arms (two for each god), and three heads (one for each god). The rest of the aspect could be partly skeletal, partly wrapped in shadow, and partly wrapped in a shroud of oppression. If your keeping the abilities the same, the rest of the aspect is just cosmetic.
If you are not changing the Ebon Aspect's abilities or powers, the creature's appearance is simply cosmetic. If you wanted to be truly warped why not make the aspect a bizarre fusion of the three gods. Give it six arms (two for each god), and three heads (one for each god). The rest of the aspect could be partly skeletal, partly wrapped in shadow, and partly wrapped in a shroud of oppression. If your keeping the abilities the same, the rest of the aspect is just cosmetic.
Well, it's the cosmetic that really nags at me. Why would an FR Ebon Aspect be missing hands? Why would it have six arms? Etc...
You're idea is not a bad one...three headed, six armed Demogorgon type, or athach-style with three arms.
I think it's addressed in the conversion notes given in the Age of Worms Overload PDF.
I don't know much about Forgotten Realms, but Assuming the 3 gods it represents have 2 hands each, the EA shouldn't be missing any.
Well, it's the cosmetic that really nags at me. Why would an FR Ebon Aspect be missing hands?
Yeah, I made it with six, but still only three claw attacks. Party faced it tonight. It killed one PC in one full-attack action.
I've made some serious changes to my Aspect of Overgod...
Actualy the raw cruch stats are exactly the same except the god based special powers and more importantly the visual impact of the aspect have changed.
So the main attack is now the beastie's right hand- the other 3 are it's horns, off hand and various body spikes/ feet etc. yes I know the bonuses would be slightly different but the end result from the player's perspective will be the same.
Visualy the aspect is now large 8ft+ withered corpse. It's head and long bones (forearms, shins etc) are bare bone, burnt black in places, it's torso is maggot ridden, the flesh of the torso, hands and feet has a greenish cast and the extremeities are burnt. A cloud of oily darkness plumes off the torso and spreads across the ground around the aspect (think chaos demon from world of warcraft) The fists (2 arms only) are still fleshy, if withered and with talon like nails. Spine, elbows, knees, heels and back of skull all have horns or bony spurs. Finaly, when the aspect is in motion (after it's 10 minute emergence) a splattery mist of blood sprays from it's mouth /ear-holes /neck /upper chest (no lower jaw?) and follows it's head and upper torso like a halo...
hmmm, bit complex.. guess I might have to draw it. Lots of hints as to the 3 component gods.
The supernatural abilities I have changed to the following:
Grasp of Bane- the off hand clenched as a move equivalent action produces a fear spell as clenched and held aloft. Green rays spring from the clench fist in a cone as per the spell DC 19.[lv 10] (could make ranged touch attacks for the rays in a 30ft. cone if feeling generous)
Myrkul's Murk- the black cloud that surrounds the aspect spontaneously creates zombies under the aspect's control as it passes over dead bodies. Whilst the aspect survives they have +4 turn resistance, +4 str, and +2 hp/die. (i am going to give the PC's fear saves DC 12 [lv 1] when attacked by old dead party members)
Bhaal's Wroth Halo- Whilst adjacent to the aspect the living are susceptible to a gaze attack [DC 19 will save] or enter "futile rage"- a murderous state where the subject thrashes ineffectualy taking -4 AC, +2 to hit. If the subject has no weapon in hand there is a 50% chance it will attack unarmed (provoking AoO as per normal) and any other action (spell casting, tumble checks, search etc) requires a DC 19 save every round. The subject conducts full atack actions, attacking adjacent targets randomly...
If it causes too much greif I might have it lose powers as it drops groups of 25 HP. It could be a disaster once it get's into the mine population with the instant zombie murk...
That's what happens when you spend all your time trying to think how to adapt the "overgod" to Forgotten. You get pissed off and kill one of the pcs' with a full attack. If you want to "transform" the overgod to FR and dont' want to waste time on its appearance just say to yous players that the overgod has the symbol of the 3 evil deities on his chest.(they will probably notice that he is a "fusion" of the 3).
That's what happens when you spend all your time trying to think how to adapt the "overgod" to Forgotten. You get pissed off and kill one of the pcs' with a full attack. If you want to "transform" the overgod to FR and dont' want to waste time on its appearance just say to yous players that the overgod has the symbol of the 3 evil deities on his chest.(they will probably notice that he is a "fusion" of the 3).
It wasn't a matter of being pissed off. The PC in question, who was not meant to be a front-line melee type, decided to be heroic and close to the Ebon Aspect, when none of the other PC's were there to cover him. Bad decision...bad outcome.
ok. Now why would a non melle fighter get close to a huge beast with six arms?...everyone is suicidal these days