So the party will be APL 2, attending a ball, and then get lured to the nobles' family crypt. Said crypt is at the heart of a grove and in an ultimate FU to the fey the nobles hollowed out the inside of a gargantuan tree and then filled it up with a circular chamber as the entry vault; the remainder of the dungeon will be in crypts below the tree's roots.
I have this concept of an evil fey presence trapped in the crypts by a bunch of cold iron throughout the place. The family is secretly debased and using the crypts for necromancy. I just can't get over the hump of what the party would encounter there, what threats it might offer. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
Skeletal/zombie gremlins?
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So the party will be APL 2, attending a ball, and then get lured to the nobles' family crypt. Said crypt is at the heart of a grove and in an ultimate FU to the fey the nobles hollowed out the inside of a gargantuan tree and then filled it up with a circular chamber as the entry vault; the remainder of the dungeon will be in crypts below the tree's roots.
I have this concept of an evil fey presence trapped in the crypts by a bunch of cold iron throughout the place. The family is secretly debased and using the crypts for necromancy. I just can't get over the hump of what the party would encounter there, what threats it might offer. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
That sounds awesome; what you described has a Lovecraftian air to it.
Not sure if this idea will help, but maybe that noble family has an ancient family heirloom or "artifact" that has finally driven that fey creature mad due to its evil and corrupting influence over the years...decades? The source of the influence could be the Macguffin the party has to find and remove to help set things right. The crypt should have your basic undead encounters for that APL but sprinkle in some family lore, let the party get a real idea how debased and treacherous that noble family truly is. You could also throw in one of the nobles who is a lesser Priest of an ancient order of necromancers that could be your final encounter.
Once everything is said and done, for the moment, the players now have an heirloom of evil power and a possible way to expose an old family for what it really is. Does the removal of the item restore the fey to normal? Would they have to kill the creature? Would this start a possible extended antagonistic approach by the family to the players?
I got carried away, lol, my apologies. I hope some of my ranting was helpful to you :)
@ NM: rant on sir, this is a great start. The PCs are tricked in by a girl. They begin the adventure at the noble's annual ball which is held on the near side of the family graveyard. Suddenly a pretty girl appears, uses a suggestion spell to get a male PC to chase her and she darts off for the open vault. I toyed with making it either a fey luring the heroes like lambs to the slaughter OR making her a ghost trying to get them to cleanse the tomb.
The madness of the Fey: there's a powerful fey creature that was physically pinned by a spike of cold iron; this spike is the absolute base of the collumn around which a spiral staircase is built. The collumn descends three floors but there is only mundane access to one.
So I like what you're saying; the standard blah-undead could be some random threats left behind by the debased nobles. But after the party gets in, explores around...they should get a real sense of just how much this family HATES the fey. Once they get access to the lower halls beneath the main crypt, the party will find some fey driven to a crazed frenzy by the one imprisoned here.
Monsters: perhaps I can re-skin some aberrations or add the Debased Fey template to some standard fey. Undead would be skeletons/zombies with some templates. Isn't there a fey or 2 out there that's all about undeath?
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@ NM: rant on sir, this is a great start. The PCs are tricked in by a girl. They begin the adventure at the noble's annual ball which is held on the near side of the family graveyard. Suddenly a pretty girl appears, uses a suggestion spell to get a male PC to chase her and she darts off for the open vault. I toyed with making it either a fey luring the heroes like lambs to the slaughter OR making her a ghost trying to get them to cleanse the tomb.
The madness of the Fey: there's a powerful fey creature that was physically pinned by a spike of cold iron; this spike is the absolute base of the collumn around which a spiral staircase is built. The collumn descends three floors but there is only mundane access to one.
So I like what you're saying; the standard blah-undead could be some random threats left behind by the debased nobles. But after the party gets in, explores around...they should get a real sense of just how much this family HATES the fey. Once they get access to the lower halls beneath the main crypt, the party will find some fey driven to a crazed frenzy by the one imprisoned here.
Monsters: perhaps I can re-skin some aberrations or add the Debased Fey template to some standard fey. Undead would be skeletons/zombies with some templates. Isn't there a fey or 2 out there that's all about undeath?
As far as which fey are most closely associated with undeath, i can't be sure. My knowledge of PF fey is.....limited to the Beastiery 1 book i got maybe 3 days ago, lol.
If you have a good idea about the history between this family and the fey, then you have a GREAT opportunity for an ongoing story.
If you don't have a good idea about the history between the family and the fey, you STILL have a great opportunity.
Maybe there is a special quality about certain fey that magnifies or enhances their Necromantic rituals, or maybe they picked that specific grove because of x or y reason that magnifies their power in some fashion and they need to keep from killing the fey or lose the power amplifying qualities of the grove. Many possibilities here my friend.
Who knows, this fey could have been the original occupant from years, decades or centuries? ago that allowed a family of seemingly benign magic users use of her grove for some rituals, but then the families true colors came out and betrayed the fey.
In short, your idea is fantastic, again, start dropping some family lore in places, build on the history for the PC's and just run with it.
I think I may have inadvertently created a megadungeon. When I began this idea I was thinking "what's a good interlude between plot-based adventures?" and I conceived a ghost luring the PCs into an open vault for a bit of "find what killed me, kill it, and lay my bones to rest." I could still go that way but I've got some other ideas too.
Fey: the nobles of Von Kryptevar have a deep and abiding hatred for these creatures. They sought out and defiled a fey grove for the site of their estate in the early days of the town of Inderwick. As such they have attracted many woodland enemies over time. They have used fell magics to trap and enslave some of these things in the vaults beneath the grove.
A uniquely gifted and savage redcap prowls a labyrinthine section of the lower halls; he is fed occasional victims by the sadistic Von Kryptevaran which he then delivers for their experiments when he's done with their corpses. Still other debased brownies, sprites and fauns, starved for so long with no access to the wilds and fed by the torment of the presence trapped within the walls, have been degraded to a horrifying level of evil.
Undead: the family holds sham burials to appease the Pharasmin and inducts only some of its descendants into these orgies of necromancy in order to keep the clerics at bay. However right under the nose of the clergy Von Kryptevaran nobles have excelled in the black arts and alchemy. They have amassed a several skeletons, the bones ablaze with eldritch fire so as to threaten the otherwise resilient fey who may appear within the lower halls. As well they have perfected a way of bonding cold iron to the liviing flesh of their future zombies for they are keenly aware their immortal enemies cannot abide it's touch. Though the process is supremely torturous they've found that the corpses, once reanimated, retain the metal without rejection.
Still other bizare experiments and flukes of unbridled sadism and debauchery have resulted in terrifying creatures of some sentience and unliving power. These are aided by the Gore Fonts; fixtures throughout the lower halls providing a revolting refreshment for these horrors. Ironically the cast off from these has also sustained the fey power trapped in the bowels of the crypt but has also tainted it forever.
Aberrations: not every creature the Von Kryptevar nobles defile is humanoid. Captured fey, fey-tainted beasts and others are dragged here for sport and amusement. Many are blessed with destruction outright but over the decades some have survived. The warping energies of the First World mingle with the nobles' necromantic alchemy and wanton wickedness to create forms of otherworldly horror. These are then released to roam free, there to provide yet more humor for the reprehensible Von Kryptevaran.
So what began as a simple, 15 room interlude has become my own personal Maure Castle. I really don't know where any of it came from. Any other suggestions would be great.
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I think I may have inadvertently created a megadungeon. When I began this idea I was thinking "what's a good interlude between plot-based adventures?" and I conceived a ghost luring the PCs into an open vault for a bit of "find what killed me, kill it, and lay my bones to rest." I could still go that way but I've got some other ideas too.
Fey: the nobles of Von Kryptevar have a deep and abiding hatred for these creatures. They sought out and defiled a fey grove for the site of their estate in the early days of the town of Inderwick. As such they have attracted many woodland enemies over time. They have used fell magics to trap and enslave some of these things in the vaults beneath the grove.
A uniquely gifted and savage redcap prowls a labyrinthine section of the lower halls; he is fed occasional victims by the sadistic Von Kryptevaran which he then delivers for their experiments when he's done with their corpses. Still other debased brownies, sprites and fauns, starved for so long with no access to the wilds and fed by the torment of the presence trapped within the walls, have been degraded to a horrifying level of evil.
Undead: the family holds sham burials to appease the Pharasmin and inducts only some of its descendants into these orgies of necromancy in order to keep the clerics at bay. However right under the nose of the clergy Von Kryptevaran nobles have excelled in the black arts and alchemy. They have amassed a several skeletons, the bones ablaze with eldritch fire so as to threaten the otherwise resilient fey who may appear within the lower halls. As well they have perfected a way of bonding cold iron to the liviing flesh of their future zombies for they are keenly aware their immortal enemies cannot abide it's touch. Though the process is supremely torturous they've found that the corpses, once reanimated, retain the metal without rejection.
Still other bizare experiments and flukes of unbridled sadism and debauchery have resulted in terrifying creatures of some sentience and unliving...
LOL, any more suggestions and i may do more harm than good. Wow, sounds like you have a lot going on in the crypts and thats great. A crypt experience does not have to be a one night deal and if this family turns into recurring antagonists because of player interference then so much the better :)
It sounds like you have the feel and the kind of delivery you need to so the players feel that this is MUCH more than what it seems and that is as it should be.
You might try to incorporate one or two, depending on the true scope of the crypts, safe areas. Those remaining spots within the crypt that still has some semblence of goodly power that the PC's can use to rest. Other than that my friend, i think you have it fairly wrapped up nicely.
If this was only meant as a brief problem and not a direct part of the main plot, then i would ask, is it possible that they can be interwoven somehow?
So here's what I'm thinking: since they're so low level and the players aren't really dungeon hackers without serious dramatic cause, they will be suckered into the first couple levels with some minor vignette - some random fey lures them in under the pretense of solving a murder mystery or something.
However, after completing the first hack, the PCs will find themselves drawn back in. Maybe there will be some nagging clues or more evidence will come to light; perhaps the family becomes a dangerous enemy; perhaps the church or more fey contact the party for further aid.
Bottom line - their first foray will be just a taste of the megadungeon beneath the town of Inderwick (cause really, what major PF settlement DOESN'T have a megadungeon under it?) just waiting to be dealt with. The difference this time though is that, instead of it being a ruin or some abandoned site where the loot is free game, some of the treasure and fixtures are the property of the Von Kryptevaran. When the party comes out they'll have to DEAL with the nobles of the house and explain themselves to the powers that be.
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I can see that, make it a to be continued type of dungeon so it won't take away too much time from the main story arc.
So they find that they will need to press further into what they thought was a minor crypt as clues to something much more sinister come to light. I love it.
Are you planning on a final confrontation with the top echelons of the family of necromancers at some point or is that still up in the air?
Yeah, so the main plot of the lower levels is a local one:
Level 1/Adventure 1: the PCs meet while putting a stop to a spontaneous attack at sundown. A hideous brute (thawn) and a swarm of rats leapt out of the shadows into the market square taking out an old woman's apple cart. While dealing with the rats the party lost the brute and the old woman as well.
A local adventurer's guild type agent spotted the action and was impressed w/the party, so he invites them to a party at the guild. From here they encounter a modified, combined version of PFS First Steps: Dungeon Delve and Master of the Fallen Fortress as a sort of interlude.
Level 1/Adventure 2: the PCs come back to town and look into some rumors they heard about rats when at the adventurer's guild party. They follow their info to a haunted house; on the grounds they find the rats and the trails lead under the foundation and down into the sewers where they also find some local ratfolk thieves. Weird thing is that when the PCs kill the rats they turn into teenagers.
Clues suggest that the thieves are the same ones who robbed a prominent book dealer on the other side of town. The thieves made off with a significant amount of gold but only one book; an old copy of local folklore and fairy tales. Also the rogues' clothes and gear suggest frequent trips into the nearby Beldam Bogs and there is a missive from someone named "S".
Level 2/Adventure 1: this is the interlude to the crypt. The adventure will be completely off the main plot which is this; there's a girl named Shara, nicknamed Shara "mooncrazed" by her bullies. Shara ran into the bogs a month ago and has been reborn as a wererat/adept. She picked up a bunch of apples of Baleful Polymorph from an agent of her Patron but now in return she owes this agent 7 lockets of the fairest beauty.
She's using the loot from the ratfolk rogues' heist to so about buying young girls looks. After she gets a victim to agree to the deal she pays them, hands them an evil apple and bids them wear a locket. They fall into a deep sleep and awake as hideous thawns, driven half-mad by their own ugliness (the brute at the beginning). The victims are drawn to the haunted house and there they are complelled to hand over their lockets (containing the beauty) which is then carted off into the Beldam by the rogues.
So level 2/Adventure 2 and on to the end sees the party putting all the clues together, getting on the trail of Shara, and along the way learning that she's just an innocent seduced by the dark powers of the Beldam Bogs. They can either try to redeem her or destroy her; either way her defeat is what gets them to 4th level.
So 4-7 I didn't really have a main plot idea for yet. It could be that, since the party sparked some questions about the Von Kryptevaran they've now made the top of the nobles' hit list. These 4 levels then could be some interludes leading back into the lower halls below the crypts and eventually a confrontation with these nobles.
As an adventure hook, one of the nobles can approach the PCs claiming to have just bought a very expensive barrel of wine, which is stored in the basement (crypt), but needs the opinion of the PCs on it's quality.
Dot.
How do games with megadungeons usually work? Do you make multiple forays or just get stuck down there the whole campaign? This was always my problem with Undermountain was that finding the way back out again was always so prohibitive.
Anyway that's what I'm running into with my current players. They all like dungeons and action scenes but they also enjoy a good BS session roleplaying with NPCs. They're all very plot-driven as well; none of my current players (with maybe one exception) would explore an ancient ruin simply b/cause it's there.
So yes I like the Von Kryptevar dungeon but I don't know how much play I'll actually get out of it unless handled right. Since this isn't the ADVICE forum, I guess I'll ask for SUGGESTIONS on how to keep a megadungeon vital, in the game and worth re-visiting multiple times throughout the course of a campaign.
Mine: The Group tends to make multiple Probing Missions then they prep for everything and then they make a massive excursion deep into the Bowels of the Dungeon.
Some ideas on how to make players interested in revisiting a megadungeon
1. Mysterious dormant aspects. In the main chamber, the PCs discover a number of side chambers that house statues of dragons/genies/naga but nothing else of interest. The players explore orher areas of the dungeon, find out they need to search for another item in another location, and leave. When they return with the item, it "activates" the statues, which necome hostile golems the players defeat, and when they do, the players discover secret areas of the dungeon that the statues were blocking.
2. An eathquake drastically alters the form of the dungeon. Some paths are familiar, but they are mow intersperced with new ravines, natural caverns, rubble, and hidden chambers that are now open
3. Strong magic causes the gravity in the dungeom to reverse, which has the players climbing and sliding to get to new and familiar areas.
@ the bono mummy: I like #1 a lot. I'm stealing that and running with it in multiple directions.
Firstly there will be a dormant aspect such as you suggest. I'm envisioning the console RPGs I've played where you're in a room and pull a lever; suddenly it cut-scenes to a previous chamber and a seemingly broken piece of machinery hums to life or something. So as the party explores there will be aspects that connect to one another in a variety of ways.
Secondly...why dormant? The unique bit about this dungeon is that the owners/rulers of it are right there in town, living just a few hundred yards from the main entry. What if they have a korred trapped in one of the fey areas? Korreds have stone shape after all; that plus some unliving labor and a few spells might mean a whole different layout when the party comes back.
If I mix these in together they should keep the party just interested enough to mount a few different expeditions.
The other way I intend to keep it from getting stale is that I won't keep them perpetually going there. Just like their first foray into this crypt will be an interlude between main plot adventures, I can then pepper in some other side treks between trips to the megadungeon.
Mine I am going to have Quantium Golems that are dormant until my players activate the switch to advance through the Cavern that runs in the middle of the dungeon.
Then they have to fight the Twin Golems.