Anyone used the Id Portrait in a game?

[long john silver]

The Id Portrait is an interesting minor artifact that I would like to use in a campaign.

Basically, the BBEG is in the Portrait and uses the alter egos to further various plans and the PCs have to deal with those without knowing all these people are controlled by one individual.

I'm guessing the vilain is expelled after X days equal to his HD-1 when all the alter egos die, but he can just get back in the Portrait and a fresh batch of alter egos are created. If well done, dead alter egos are hidden or destroyed, this can go on for years.

Should the vilain age when in the Portrait? He will mad from the fracturing of his mind, so he won't be aware of the existence of all of his alter egos, which opens up interesting avenues.

Any advice, observations or modifications to suggest?

[Grollub]

The thought I had , was what happens when someone uses the portrait.. but then 1 or more of the "replicants" gets petrified or such.. that they aren't "dead" but still around so the original person is trapped.

[Kobold Catgirl]

If he's not fully aware of the alter egos, maybe they aren't fully aware of him. Maybe each ego has something in common (an earing, odd-colored eyes) that makes the party think they're united, and the party eventually notices the egos all tend to gravitate towards the mansion/museum where the portrait is located.

[santherus]

How is the BBEG dealing with the Permanent Charisma Loss incurred from using the portrait? I'm supposing that a Heal/Wish/Miracle won't be able to cure that sort of problem as its a loss rather than damage/drain...

[RaizielDragon]

Is Vigo?

[aylatrigger]

Lich King Bard.

I made a High Priest Lich King Bard and got this as his divine minor artifact.

10+ 20th level liches of various skills.

Plus he has enough undead followers (and in his case, the goddess he follows and her followers) to protect the portrait. Also fake portraits work wonders for confusing informed adventurers!

Also Lich King Bard Band. They do great performances and really boost the morale, PR, and worshipers.

[blahpers]

santherus wrote:

How is the BBEG dealing with the Permanent Charisma Loss incurred from using the portrait? I'm supposing that a Heal/Wish/Miracle won't be able to cure that sort of problem as its a loss rather than damage/drain...

Miracle/wish is enough by inference from the description.

[Meraki]

Check out the module Gallery of Evil; it features an id portrait being used by the main villain as a sort of escape route (he wants one of his alter egos to take the fall for his crimes). I ran it, and it was a good time. It's one of the older 3.5 modules.

I don't think you age while you're in the portrait, but I could be wrong about that. Having him be unaware of the alter egos definitely opens up some neat mystery avenues for the party. Maybe they're trying to find one of them for some reason, end up finding a different one, and realize there's a bunch of these guys running around?