Heh. Not my group. But they DID capture Lyrie, Tsuto and Nualia... and let Ripnugget live (unconscious but with a warchanter who negotiated his remaining alive). (Orik also was allowed to flee, with all of his belongings, and I plan on him joining the rangers at the fort.) So I had fun. Heh heh heh. After he was healed up, Ripnugget proceeded to strip Thistletop of everything he could (though one goblin got et by the shadows, meaning there were four waiting for the PCs along with a corpse in the room and thus the secret door wasn't found) and left.
When the PCs returned to kill Mal and the hermit crab (they dragged THAT back to town to have the largest crab bake around) Ripnugget and the remaining goblins (including the ten goblins from another tribe that were never run into in the hedge maze) proceeded to launch a raid on the town to free Nualia and crew. They succeeded.
The PCs returned to see smoke rising from Sandpoint... rushed into town (I was kind and didn't have their treasure stolen) and witnessed Hemlock locked in combat with Ripnugget... decapitating the goblin chief before being brought low by the goblin chanter's arrows... who in turn was cut down by a vengeful guard. A quick Channel Energy saved two unconscious guards and Hemlock. But the three prisoners were out.
I'm not sure whether I should have them encounter Nualia and crew in Magnimar or later; they only have goblin equipment right now, so they'd not be a viable danger to the PCs. (Also, Nualia's unconscious.)
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Well, Tangent, I can see that NPC group's got some serious problems. Lyrie was in it for the money mostly, but she developed feelings for Tsuto. He's still around, so she'd probably try to steal him away from Nualia. Tsuto's only got eyes for Nualia, though, and it's entirely possible that he'd try to dissuade her from continuing down the path she's on. He's all for Sandpoint being razed to the ground, but he's not so certain about the depths she's willing to go to. Nualia, though, wants to purge herself of her celestial taint first, and get her revenge on Sandpoint a close second, so it's unlikely he'd be able to talk her out of that. She's also (presumably) lost her adoptive father's bones, so she's unable to continue her dark progression towards the Abyss.
And who caused this reversal of fortunes, when she was so close to having everything she ever wanted? That's right, the PCs. I can definitely see her obsessing over how to best destroy them, and hurt them in the places they'd feel the most. She's shown she has no problem working with long-term plans, so I'd have her lick her wounds in Magnimar for awhile. I don't have my book handy, but I think I recall reading that Xanesha set her on the path to her damnation, so Nualia might go back there to reequip and start making new plans. The difference now is that she knows the people who beat her, and will start to plan against them specifically.
Now, the problem is that the three of them are only working together because two of them lust after someone that isn't interested in them, and the third is only interested in removing her aasimar heritage from her blood. If they met with the PCs again, the PCs might be able to convince Lyrie or Tsuto to give up on Nualia - difficult in Tsuto's case, but not impossible. As long as Nualia's alive, though, she will not stop coming after these people - and if they leave her alive long enough, she might just succeed in her plan to become a true demon. Which would be an awesome showdown indeed!
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Oh,that's just it. I DO plan on having them run into Nualia again. I'll probably even include Lyrie and Tsuto... and have all three leveled up to be a viable threat. This may include Nualia having achieved demonhood.
The question is? What kind of demon? Succubus seems too obvious. Now, a Marilith would be something truly nasty and a fun encounter for them to run across after they've gained ten levels or so only to have this white-haired snake-bodied demon going after them. But I've no idea what Nualia could pull off to manage THAT level of demonic ascension.
Of course, that "ascension" could very well drive Tsuto permanently into Lyrie's arms and even result in their fight with the PCs being half-hearted... with Lyrie possibly offering information on Nualia should they spare Tsuto if she begs them.
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Alu-demon, if you want to keep her recognizably female? Horned demon, if you want to go further afield? I think it all depends on how far in the future you want Nualia and Co. to show back up.
Of course, the real question becomes "when does Lyrie give up on Tsuto?" I get the feeling from the text that she's more interested in him physically than emotionally, and while she'd be pissed that the PCs killed the guy she wanted to sleep with, I don't see them as tragic lovers destined to be kept apart. I see Tsuto being far more devoted to Nualia, even despite her mad scheme, given that the two of them grew up together, and have their shared hatred of Sandpoint. They've actually got things in common, unlike Lyrie/Tsuto. It's an workplace romance - it's just that the workplace happens to be the Legion of Doom.
Nualia's descension could shake Tsuto out of his devotion, but would Lyrie still be there? Tough call. At some point, I see her saying "to heck with this, that chick be crazy!"
I suppose a half-demon would also work. In fact, it could work for her being an intermittent foe who levels up in cleric that attacks them but makes sure she has a way out... thus becoming a persistent thorn in their sides.
You do have a point about Lyrie. There's one possible reason for her to remain: she wants revenge on the PCs for spoiling her research and they keep just futzing through all these Thassilonian ruins while she works hand and loses out (in her opinion).
One thing I do intend to do with Nualia is have her keep her hair and eyes throughout everything. In fact, I was even thinking that once she starts turning, it becomes supernatural and refuses to be destroyed. If she cuts her hair short? Grows back quickly like that scene in "Interview with a Vampire" with the child vamp.
Tsuto and Lyrie will have a chance for redemption. Perhaps. But Nualia is going to be damned.
** spoiler omitted **
This is going to be after book 2 and before book 3. I plan to have Koruvus be a CR 8 encounter, but I need some advice on how to progress him. Its a bit harder for me because of his "uniqueness".
I was thinking progressing further in fighter, maybe dipping into ranger or barbarian. Give him a greataxe and a handaxe and maybe some hide armor.
-Should I be upping his Fast Healing to 2 or 3?
-Should the potency of his breath go up? maybe Ability Focus?
-The party, through donations & Parlays & the destruction of all evil aura items, has missed out on 15,096 gold in stuff. Should I give Korovus some fun toys?
Give him some odd weapons (that might have been found on travelers), and anything else you want.
I'd suggest Ranger since you can justify having favored enemy (party races). Barb works well too. Ability focus (breath) is lovely.Have Fun!