This is full of spoilers, be warned!
In last night's session our witch character was killed - as in -50hps killed - dead-dead. The story was pretty cool.
The group had taken on Acretia and her wights and pretty easily handled them. So easily in fact that I wanted them to be resource drained some more. I had the demon wolves and their pack lord show up and charge the armory (the PCs and the wights had been fighting out in the town square). The pack lord ate the heart inside for a few rounds like the demon wolves held the PCs off. A pretty intense fight ensued (my particular party found these wolves considerably harder than the dread wight monk and her wights). In the end the witch ran up into combat to heal our front line fighter magus and expected to run out next round. Except our psion character teleported the magus to him, leaving the witch in the middle of the fray by herself. She was summarily critted by the pack lord (he hit on all 3 attacks, 1 of which was a huge 37point crit) and she went down hard.
Yes, I know, dumb move by the psion but a good lesson.
OK so here's where I'm going with this.
That witch character's story was that she was the daughter of Professor Lorrimor - long lost sort of thing. So she's a sister to Kendra (who is still alive IMC). I'm wondering if I can do anything interesting here with the witch with respect to the Carrion Crown. There's threads on these boards about the Lorrimor bloodline being required for the CC; some DMs have talked about replacing the 5th module (I think it's a vampire) with Kendra . . . perhaps I can do this with the dead witch?
Maybe Vrood (who has not been encountered yet IMC) could raise her as an undead? Perhaps he could use a scroll of resurrection on her (my player will not play this witch anymore, not implying that).
Anyway, just shooting from the hip here looking for some clever ideas from my fellow DMs.
Thanks!
Depends on what the party does with the body.
You could have Lucimar come by later to investigate Vrood's death and find the witch's corpse. I'd be very surprised if the witch would accept a raise dead or resurrection from the Whispering Way, but nothing stops them from using a Create Undead or other such spell on her.
The guy who gets grabbed at the end of book is a nobleman ally who's introduced at the beginning of book 5. Yeah, I'm making Kendra the target instead of him.
IMC Kendra is now engaged to AA. I have re-outlined a lot of Ashes as the "investigate vampire murders to eventually find out you missed the Whispering Way" did not work for me.
Anyway, on topic, like Zhangar says it would depend on the disposition of the body. Also, since the party has not yet encountered Vrood, have the Dark Riders even left yet? Perhaps the rider bound for Caliphas could abscond with the corpse to be used in the Carrion Crown formula.
As far as resurrection goes, AA could pay someone else to do it if you think the character would have an issue being raised by AA. Any hey, the player no longer has control. Not that as a GM you should force the issue, but who is to say that the witch does not want to live again? How old was she? You see where I am going....this is potentially a really cool way to use the witch as a villain in the future. She could become a really nasty enemy if made undead by AA or one of his more powerful allies. I wouldn't waste her on Vrood. Imagine your players reaction when they encounter her in Gallowspire...
Great point about the dark riders. This also might provide some sort of hook to get the characters chasing the Way. I'm guessing the players will burn the body - there was the classic witch "burn her" joke. Might have to have the riders try and get the body from them - will be a challenge not to be too heavy handed / rail-roaded about it.
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Great point about the dark riders. This also might provide some sort of hook to get the characters chasing the Way. I'm guessing the players will burn the body - there was the classic witch "burn her" joke. Might have to have the riders try and get the body from them - will be a challenge not to be too heavy handed / rail-roaded about it.
If they burn the body, have the players make a few perception and survival rolls, for seemingly no particular reason. If they fail any of them, they accidentally leave enough of the body unburned to allow a resurrection spell to still work - remember, it even works on a disintegrate victim, so they'll have to be really thorough with their burning!
Or if you'd prefer, have her spontaneously return as a ghost, wight, or anything you like. There's enough crazy necromantic energy in Feldgrau to justify whatever sort of undead hijinks you can think up!