Hello, I am currently working on the second part of a campaign. My group has expressed interest in building a kingdom, so using the book of river nations by john brazer i'm filling in a map. One of the placed encounters is at a grave knights keep.
While creating him I considered how they would deal with it. Now the armor is basically his phylacterary and if they fail the knowledge check they wouldnt know he regenerates in a few days. Assuming one of the plate wearers takes and tries wearing his armor, what happens?
What are some ways i can handle this, because knowing my players i'm pretty sure the above is how the situation will play out.
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I would impose a negative level if its a good aligned character that wears it. Since the grave knight is evil that would make his armor evil aligned. Possibly even treat it as a cursed item if you want to be mean.
Depending on your roll of 1d10 days, Its a slow process to regen his body. I'd have to believe that the wearer would notice flesh growing out of his armor. Now if they leave the armor in a bag of holding or something, could be fun for them when they go to bring the armor out and boom the grave knight pops out.
The other option is to have the grave knight regen all at once when the time is up, have him pop up when the armor is off for the night. This would be even worse especially if said plate wearer already sold his old armor off in lue of the new armor.
Negative levels would be a good idea. Perhaps a curse or a ghoul-fever-like disease?
From here:http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/graveknigh t-cr-2
In death, the graveknight's life force lingers on in its armor, not its corpse, in much the same way that a lich's essence is bound within a phylactery. Unless every part of a graveknight's armor is ruined along with its body, a graveknight can rejuvenate after it is destroyed. A typical suit of full plate graveknight armor has hardness 10 and 45 hit points, though armor with enhancements or made of special materials proves more difficult to destroy. Merely breaking a graveknight's armor does not destroy it; it must be ruined, such as by being disintegrated, taken to the Positive Energy Plane, or thrown into the heart of a volcano.
Note: The following information has been added from other sources (see Section 15: Copyright Notice for details.)
Anyone who treats a graveknight’s armor as simply battle spoils risks both body and soul. Graveknights rejuvenate when destroyed. Their bodies literally grow back, with tendrils of undead flesh coiling out from recesses in their armor like gruesome creepers, unless opponents take pains to also obliterate the armor. These unholy strands have no objection to infesting a living host instead of producing a new body for their master.
People who claim a graveknight’s armor rarely recognize the threat until too late, as part of the magic of the rejuvenation makes wearers oblivious to the invasion of their own bodies. When they take the armor off to sleep, they overlook the puncture marks and deep fissures upon their skin. Some sinister instinct also causes them to conceal these wounds from their companions. Only the particularly observant (and a DC 25 Perception check) perceive the peril in time help their friend cast aside the armor.
Once the rejuvenation period ends 1d10 days later, the wearer must make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the graveknight’s HD + the graveknight’s Cha modifier) each day to avoid transforming into the original graveknight. This transformation consumes mind as well as body, immediately slaying the victim and utterly destroying the body.
To wear graveknight armor safely, its new owner must cleanse it of evil and forever sever its connection to its undead master. This cleansing requires the casting of three different spells in rapid succession. Two are always break enchantment and holy word. The third varies with each graveknight and relates back to the unique circumstances surrounding its first death and return. Figuring out the correct spell usually entails a great deal of research and careful thought. And of course, while this detective work is happening, the armor continues to steadily regenerate the graveknight.
wow thanks for the replies, some very good advice. i've thought of the graveknights regeneration during the night while they camp. that would be the definitely be a rude wake up haha.
also thanks lobolusk that srd entry is almost exactly what im looking for. the book doesnt really have alot to say aobut what would happen.
i think i'll mix the two options together if they do take the armor.