When my PCs encountered the alchemikal zombies in Vorkstag & Grine's factory, they noticed that they did not move like regular zombies and that they seemed to have some intelligence behind their eyes. So, they tried to engage the zombies in dialogue. At first, the zombies just attacked, but when the cleric's channeling killed one (who was already injured) and almost killed the other, the surviving zombie stopped attacking and talked.
It occurred to me that, even though the module says the zombies are evil, they actually have a sympathetic story -- monks presumably captured by Vorkstag and killed then reanimated by an alchemical process. They are trying to hold onto the remaining scraps of their humanity by regular access Vorkstag's serum.
So, I decided the zombie was not really evil. He told the party everything he knew about V&G's operation (which wasn't much) and the party agreed to deliver the remaining serum to him. In fact, the party is quite sympathetic and wants to find someway to reverse the process. I'm not sure whether that is really possible, but I'm thinking that the party could get information that Caromac is a skilled alchemist who might be able to help. That would add another angle to Caromac's role in the story. In the meantime, the zombie monk could stay with the Crooked Kin (the PCs and the Kin have formed a strong alliance and mutual sympathy for outcasts such as The Beast, and this could be extended to the monk).
This may be too much of a stretch, but I'm wondering if maybe Adrissant or the Way stole a book from a monastery and monks were sent out to investigate the theft. Maybe these two got too close and the Way got Vorkstag to take them out (I've left indications that Vorkstag and Vrood have done a lot of business -- for example, all those corpses floating in the basement were supposed to be for the Way).
Anyhow, I'd be curious to hear any reactions or ideas you have on where I could take this.
I'm sure Caromarc could figure out a way to un-zombie the monk, but a zombie is an animated corpse. Deanimating it would just revert it back to a corpse. Of course, as the GM, you can have it bring the monk back to life if you want. Or perhaps a concoction made my Caromarc to allow the monk to control his urge to eat brains and stave off the slow decay of a zombie.
The monks could just be a lucky find by V&G when they went gathering bodies; they found some obviously combat capable bodies and animated them as guards (sure beats the normal type of body they find, which I imagine are generally drunks and homeless and sick).
You don't always need to tie everything back to the Whispering Way. I think it is creepier to have V&G be just evil body-sellers that provide corpses to anyone with money (I don't think all those bodies were for Vrood, though he was a major buyer, but I could be misremembering). It shows that there are many evil groups out there and taking down the Whispering Way, while a good plan, won't end all the evil infesting the area.
Not to squash creativity, of course. Here are some ideas that have come to me (you can combined them to get different flavors):
The bodies of the monks were found by V&G washed up down river of the castle. V&G have no idea, but the monks were working for the Whispering Way (by choice or coercion; see below) and died trying to break into Caromarc (knocked off the bridge by the Air Elemental). Now they regret helping Vrood and want to get back at him by giving the players useful information about his plans or something.
The monks were travelers escorting an older monk who was kidnapped. Vrood tried to grab the seasage effigy using the monks first but they failed and died. He gave the bodies to V&G to get rid of them. The captured monk needs to be rescued from Schloss Caromarc.
The monks were sent to recover an item from Vrood; some historical scroll from the time of Tar Baphon that details a ritual to contact him. Vrood wants to use it to bypass AA and the others and serve TB directly. The scroll needs to be recovered before Vrood can ask TB for more power (or perhaps the players will see a bit internal conflict as a fun thing and let Vrood make a power play at the Stairway, then see AA or another from module 6 beat him down).
Just some thoughts. The first idea has the benefit of letting you warn the players about the Air Elemental. The second is a nice side quest. The third is a longer view as it works into the end of book 3.
Thanks! A few thoughts:
- I'm responsible for the confusion, but it may make a difference that this is a Chymickal Zombie and not an alchemical zombie. I'm not sure you could create a Chymickal Zombie that retained all its feats, etc. by alchemically animating a corpse (normally alchemical zombies don't retain their feats). It seems more logical to me that you'd create a Chymickal Zombie by starting with a live subject and leaching away its life while preserving its brain. But maybe I'm seeing a distinction that isn't there.
- I don't think a a Chymickal Zombie necessarily has an urge to eat humanoids, brains or otherwise. A brain-eating zombie is a variant, and a Chymickal Zombie still retains full brain functioning. It seems to me such a zombie could eat anything, and maintain whatever morality and alignment corresponds with its previous form.
- I was thinking that Caromac could easily provide the serum to maintain the Chymickal Zombie's brain, not that he could restore it to life (although he may find it to be an interesting challenge). Perhaos the zombie might then stay on at the Schloss as a guard.
- I hear you on not tying everything in with the WW, but a big issue with TOTB is the lack of the WW tie-in, so that's where my motivation comes from. By the way, the module doesn't state why there are a huge number of preserved corpses in the basement, which is a significant oversight from story perspective. It wouldn't be cost effective to maintain all those corpses to satisfy ordinary demand, so the WW tie-in works best I think.
- Thanks for your storyline ideas. Some neat ones. I need to give it more thought!
Agreed. I think the concern I have seen repeatedly on the boards is that it isn't really apparent to the party why they should get involved in The Beast's defense and especially why to go through the challenge of the Schloss, since there aren't really any hints of the WW connection. My party has been willing to go along, but I have wanted to ad more WW tie ins just to make the whole story feel more coherent and focused on the WW.
My general advice for TotB is that if your party gives you any kind of opening for a reason to go to talk to Caromarc, you take it and run (while making it look like you intended this all along, heh).
So by that point of view, use the monk to push your players to the castle regardless of any WW tie-in. Usually the issue is by the end of the trial, the players want to run off and look for Vrood but they first need to go into the castle and clear out that place. So the weak point is the motivation, thus you should do whatever it takes to get them in there.