Need a bit of advice...
My group is currently in TLD, have negotiated 'something' (they're not actually sure what) with Emraag, and failed in their attempt to talk their way pass the Troglodytes.
This then involved them freeing Irgzid and Jakara, but getting into another fight with the Troglodyte priests, where they have succeeded in beating enough of the tribe to convince the remaining to leave them alone. They've subsequently healed Jakara and plan on meeting him in Farshore later.
Irgzid has (as per the book) agreed to escort the PC's below, however met an unfortunate end to the elder black pudding.
As the party feel that they're not best equipped to be traversing the underdark (no-one is a tracker and a series of poor survival checks has gotten them struggling to work out which way they should be going, but they have been leaving a trail to find their way back), they've come up with the idea of getting the Heretic raised.
The cheapest way to do this is to meet up with a (ex PC) druid, who they scry'ed in Tarantoa and get a reincarnate. We left the session at the point the druid was casting reincarnate.
So, my question is... do you think that Irgzid would want to return? and if so, what would his reaction be if he returned as a different race?
I'm thinking that he's got unfinished business to deal with, but if he's moved on to the afterlife, would he care anymore?
You could let him return because in the afterlife he discovered that even his god Laogzed does not care. His race is dying out because of Demogorgon. The PCs are the only ones who can probably avert the end of his people, if he is only there to point them in the right direction.
He need not necessary know he will be coming back as another race when he agrees to come back. It makes for fun roleplay when he discovers this afterwards.
Thanks Luna... that's a good idea.
I'll have Irgzid return and be fairly despondant, he's met his god who doesn't care about him or his people. He know's they've been led astray but he doesn't know by who or what.
Irgzid returned as the only lead he has is the vision of the prophet (from N'glothnoru), but he's not sure that vision was from Laogzed himself anymore. His curiousity alone has brought him back, seeing him return potentially in another race will be fun
I'm going to have him have found out that the Shadow Pearl production is linked to both above and below the island, and that he can inform the PCs to the number of pearls that have been produced (don't know the exact figures, stumped for approx 45).
Longer term goals for him, I don't know yet. The worlds been turned upside down for him, how he survives the next few sessions will mean a lot to what he does next
Just let this depend on the PC's actions. They might surprise you. Mine do so all the time, so when I plan these things in advance, they never turn out the way I expect them to.
Well, Irgzid come back as a human, was largely upset to start with (which most of the party throught he was being a bit wet as he'd changed race) due to the fact that Laogzed had abandoned his clan, but decided that he would go along with the PCs to sate his own curiousity to what his vision really was.
After heading down, avoiding the roper (as they didn't want to throw it a slave), visiting Barbas and learning more about the aboleths, they finally made it to N'glothnoru.
Before N'glothnoru had time to weigh the party up and cast his prophet vision, the party spied the glyph, and somehow determined that it was connected to 'bad things happening when crossing the room' (I love how my group puts these crazy ideas in their own heads).
So, as the prophet appeared (N'glothnoru didn't recognise Irgzid in human form) and started to preach to them about Laogzed will guide the PCs into destroying the Lords of Dread, the party mage dispelled the glyph.
Brilliant! :)
Three rounds later, Irgzid, the party Oracle and Rogue all have been dominated and are off to Golismorga to destroy Tlalocs Tear...!
I love this game sometimes
Even better... the party have vowed to returning Irgzid to Troglodyte status...
Why? I don't know!
That is just great! Sometimes this happens, and the players do exactly what you want. Just never let them know that they do :-)