Here's the deal: I'm currently GM:ing a fairly inexperienced, 4-man party in a homebrewed setting. The group is heading towards an enchanted island, which has been sunken deep under the sea for a long time. The island is covered with still living, oversized corals, weeds and such - basically an underwater area without the impractility of being actually under water.
While I would be completely OK by just throwing in some Sahuagin, merfolk, giant enemy crabs and whatnot, I'd like to make the Risen Island somehow a bit more "special". Something interesting, but nothing too complicated for my newbie players and me, a newbie pathfinder-GM (I've run numerous homebrewed rpg's with some VERY loose rules before, and thus I tend to be better in storytelling than understanding maths and/or mechanics).
So I came up with this idea: what if the island's magic allows the local fish to live and move on the island as if it were still under water? Basically, as long as they are within a certain radius from the center of the island, they are treated as if they were in their natural environment, while all outsiders visiting the island are unaffected by this magic? Flying sharks and floating squids ahoy!
This could be limited so that the island's magic is most effective in darkness, allowing the fish to "fly" only by night (well, the deep sea is dark and... so is this magic!), allowing the party to take shelter in caverns and coral reefs to get some rest and to avoid being spotted by the big ones.
I'm just wondering if this little gimmick would completely screw the game balance and make the encounters too difficult to calculate. Any thoughts on this? And if this method wouldn't work, what other ways there are to spice things up a bit?
The party's average character level is 2 (expected to hit Lvl 3 soon). It includes a beastmaster druid (luckily her choice of pet happens to be an amphibious giant frog!), a skillmonkey rogue, a sorcerer (who plans to take a dip in fighter and/or become a dragon disciple to avoid sucking in melee), and a monk as the main melee character.
Thanks in advance for anyone who cares to reply!
Hmm. How big is the island?
You might want to consider what causes the island to rise and sink as it does. This could, in turn, give you the extra 'spice' you want.
Some possibilities:
1) The rising and sinking are triggered by an entity. Said entity resides on the island (or is the island) and uses it to lure the curious to their doom. It feeds on those who come to investigate, and everything that looks like part of the undersea terrain is really part of its body. If the entity is separate, it could use the island to transform folks that venture there, feeding off of one or more stats and/or trying to make them into mindless worshipers/followers or similar.
2) The rising and sinking are triggered by an artifact or relic or magical entity. This magical item/entity was imprisoned there long ago and deliberately sunken but every once in a while it gathers enough energy to cause the island to rise, waiting for the ones who will free it once more.
3) The rising and sinking are caused by some unspecified natural phenomena. The island, however, is enchanted to turn anyone that stays there too long into some sort of aquatic being. Further, the island is now so overgrown that it acts like a maze once you're too far in so escape becomes increasingly difficult. Any aquatic beings already living there are granted the ability to breathe air for as long as the island is above water.
4) The island rises and sinks due to supernatural means. This is about as magical as the island gets. Things on the island are protected so they can survive air, but most fish and sea life have fled. Somewhere on the island is a treasure, but along the way are creatures of the deep that didn't leave as well as some beings that don't like intruders.
Thoughts?
Hmm. How big is the island?
You might want to consider what causes the island to rise and sink as it does. This could, in turn, give you the extra 'spice' you want.
Some possibilities:
1) The rising and sinking are triggered by an entity. Said entity resides on the island (or is the island) and uses it to lure the curious to their doom. It feeds on those who come to investigate, and everything that looks like part of the undersea terrain is really part of its body. If the entity is separate, it could use the island to transform folks that venture there, feeding off of one or more stats and/or trying to make them into mindless worshipers/followers or similar.
2) The rising and sinking are triggered by an artifact or relic or magical entity. This magical item/entity was imprisoned there long ago and deliberately sunken but every once in a while it gathers enough energy to cause the island to rise, waiting for the ones who will free it once more.
3) The rising and sinking are caused by some unspecified natural phenomena. The island, however, is enchanted to turn anyone that stays there too long into some sort of aquatic being. Further, the island is now so overgrown that it acts like a maze once you're too far in so escape becomes increasingly difficult. Any aquatic beings already living there are granted the ability to breathe air for as long as the island is above water.
4) The island rises and sinks due to supernatural means. This is about as magical as the island gets. Things on the island are protected so they can survive air, but most fish and sea life have fled. Somewhere on the island is a treasure, but along the way are creatures of the deep that didn't leave as well as some beings that don't like intruders.
Thoughts?
I was thinking something on the lines of #2 (the players have an unknown dark artifact in their possession, which could be used to either free the entity on the island, or force it back to the depths) but #3 sounds actually pretty cool. Basically, if my players fail their quest, they slowly turn into some grotesque fishmen? (evil grin)
When these two are combined, it becomes like this: Maybe the aquatic beings on the island used to be ordinary people. The more one spends time on the island, the higher the risk of gradually turning into one. Once complete, the effects are difficult to reverse, and the entity that causes this transformation gains some measure control over the transformed creature, forcing it to serve the entity.
This would actually explain why the entity was driven to the depths in the first place - something so sinister and manipulative had to be "sealed away" somehow by those who originally defeated it. With nothing else to work with, it started to manipulate the underwater life, corrupting a horde of aquatic creatures and gathered enough power to make the island rise.
Hmm. How big is the island?
You might want to consider what causes the island to rise and sink as it does. This could, in turn, give you the extra 'spice' you want.
Some possibilities:
1) The rising and sinking are triggered by an entity. Said entity resides on the island (or is the island) and uses it to lure the curious to their doom. It feeds on those who come to investigate, and everything that looks like part of the undersea terrain is really part of its body. If the entity is separate, it could use the island to transform folks that venture there, feeding off of one or more stats and/or trying to make them into mindless worshipers/followers or similar.
2) The rising and sinking are triggered by an artifact or relic or magical entity. This magical item/entity was imprisoned there long ago and deliberately sunken but every once in a while it gathers enough energy to cause the island to rise, waiting for the ones who will free it once more.
3) The rising and sinking are caused by some unspecified natural phenomena. The island, however, is enchanted to turn anyone that stays there too long into some sort of aquatic being. Further, the island is now so overgrown that it acts like a maze once you're too far in so escape becomes increasingly difficult. Any aquatic beings already living there are granted the ability to breathe air for as long as the island is above water.
4) The island rises and sinks due to supernatural means. This is about as magical as the island gets. Things on the island are protected so they can survive air, but most fish and sea life have fled. Somewhere on the island is a treasure, but along the way are creatures of the deep that didn't leave as well as some beings that don't like intruders.
Thoughts?
About the size of the island: It is around 3 squaremiles wide when first seen, but it keeps slowly rising more and more, revealing extra land and thus "growing". Additionally, the core island is behind a cluster of smaller micro-islands that make getting there on a ship a bit difficult, but some of these mini-islands also have long cavern entrances in them, some possibly connecting to the main island. A hook for a dungeon crawl :)
I was thinking something on the lines of #2 (the players have an unknown dark artifact in their possession, which could be used to either free the entity on the island, or force it back to the depths) but #3 sounds actually pretty cool. Basically, if my players fail their quest, they slowly turn into some grotesque fishmen? (evil grin)
Yep, if you've ever seen the second or third Pirate's of the Caribbean movie, the crew in it could be what they turn into.
When these two are combined, it becomes like this: Maybe the aquatic beings on the island used to be ordinary people. The more one spends time on the island, the higher the risk of gradually turning into one. Once complete, the effects are difficult to reverse, and the entity that causes this transformation gains some measure control over the transformed creature, forcing it to serve the entity.
That makes sense. Perhaps the entity once controlled a far more vast area, but was defeated and sealed to the island. It now awaits the day when the magical artifact(s) that can free it are brought to the island. Perhaps it sends followers that are not too far changed physically to the surface world to search. In the meantime, the adventurers are charged with bringing some other artifact to the island - the artifact that will sink the island again. That artifact would likely protect the bearer from the effects and influences of the evil entity.
If you want to be particularly nasty about it, the mental affects could come first, with people seeing the island as beautiful and as a good place to make a home. This later translates into obedience to the island entity (who could appear quite nice - until it reveals its true nature). This way, if there is an artifact to free the entity nearby, the physical changes won't occur so fast that anyone that leaves would stick out but the person would be under the thrall of the entity.
You might want to put some time element for both the physical and mental tfs. Perhaps the island only stays above the water a certain amount of time (say two weeks). This would give enough time for the entity to lure folks to the island and have them return to find the artifact to free it, while also giving the adventurers a clear limit on the time the have to defeat the entity and rescue those its already enthralled.
Of course, all physical and mental changes are complete by the time the island sinks again and it would likely take a very powerful remove curse to reverse them (if not a wish or miracle) or even an artifact.
Thoughts?
I was thinking that the idea of the island rising and sinking could be due to a natural, unrelated phenomenon. something like the island is actually mud on the back of a giant sea turtle that floats to the surface to breathe and warm up during the day and sinks at night to protect itself from cold and aerial night predators.
I think some of your excitement will come from the difficulty of fighting / moving / existing under actual seawater.
I actually considered this explanation, but as soon as the players heard of the island they basically said "It better not be one of those living islands on the back of a sea monster!". While I like the idea, they would probably be disappointed if they were proven right in this case, and I personally like to surprise people.
There will definitely be some underwater combat - the island has been under the sea so long that there are guaranteed to be places on it that are still very much filled with water, like caves and tunnels. Naturally, some of these caves are vital for finding out the secret of the island - and filled with nasty fish monsters!
I was thinking something on the lines of #2 (the players have an unknown dark artifact in their possession, which could be used to either free the entity on the island, or force it back to the depths) but #3 sounds actually pretty cool. Basically, if my players fail their quest, they slowly turn into some grotesque fishmen? (evil grin)Yep, if you've ever seen the second or third Pirate's of the Caribbean movie, the crew in it could be what they turn into.
When these two are combined, it becomes like this: Maybe the aquatic beings on the island used to be ordinary people. The more one spends time on the island, the higher the risk of gradually turning into one. Once complete, the effects are difficult to reverse, and the entity that causes this transformation gains some measure control over the transformed creature, forcing it to serve the entity.That makes sense. Perhaps the entity once controlled a far more vast area, but was defeated and sealed to the island. It now awaits the day when the magical artifact(s) that can free it are brought to the island. Perhaps it sends followers that are not too far changed physically to the surface world to search. In the meantime, the adventurers are charged with bringing some other artifact to the island - the artifact that will sink the island again. That artifact would likely protect the bearer from the effects and influences of the evil entity.
If you want to be particularly nasty about it, the mental affects could come first, with people seeing the island as beautiful and as a good place to make a home. This later translates into obedience to the island entity (who could appear quite nice - until it reveals its true nature). This way, if there is an artifact to free the entity nearby, the physical changes won't occur so fast that anyone that leaves would stick out but the person would be under the thrall of the entity.
You might want to put some time element for both the physical...
How deliciously slimy. Definitely going to use some variation of this approach - maybe some of its servants are not as repulsive as others, maybe even hiding those that are less fortunate with their mutations in the deeper parts of the island. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts on this matter, I will definitely let this set the tone for the rest of the campaign!
(Funny coincidence - my homebrewed mythos actually includes a naga-like race that has been hinted to have a similar thing going on nation-wide, but with far milder effects. Thankfully none of the partymembers belong to that race, and they haven't been excatly central to the plot, so I can easily make these some evil variation without them hopefully noticing this too soon!)
How deliciously slimy. Definitely going to use some variation of this approach - maybe some of its servants are not as repulsive as others, maybe even hiding those that are less fortunate with their mutations in the deeper parts of the island. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts on this matter, I will definitely let this set the tone for the rest of the campaign!
(Funny coincidence - my homebrewed mythos actually includes a naga-like race that has been hinted to have a similar thing going on nation-wide, but with far milder effects. Thankfully none of the partymembers belong to that race, and they haven't been excatly central to the plot, so I can easily make these some evil variation without them hopefully noticing this too soon!)
Perhaps you can connect them as a way of foreshadowing. Maybe this entity is some left-over from the naga's history: something evil and powerful that controlled those living near it. A few were able to break free of or were never under the thrall of this entity and so created the way to bind and seal the thing (killing it directly probably wasn't possible at the time, though it may have been developed later - perhaps something that will turn up much later on in the campaign). Right now the best the PCs can do is reseal it and try to save as many of the afflicted as possible.
I'm not sure what your plans might be with the naga-like race, but perhaps someone is rediscovering lost Dark Arts that brought about this entity? This way, when the PCs encounter this race and hear about what's going on they could make the link.
As for critters, maybe what they turn into is a sea snake or moray eel-like naga?
Thoughts?
How deliciously slimy. Definitely going to use some variation of this approach - maybe some of its servants are not as repulsive as others, maybe even hiding those that are less fortunate with their mutations in the deeper parts of the island. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts on this matter, I will definitely let this set the tone for the rest of the campaign!
(Funny coincidence - my homebrewed mythos actually includes a naga-like race that has been hinted to have a similar thing going on nation-wide, but with far milder effects. Thankfully none of the partymembers belong to that race, and they haven't been excatly central to the plot, so I can easily make these some evil variation without them hopefully noticing this too soon!)
Perhaps you can connect them as a way of foreshadowing. Maybe this entity is some left-over from the naga's history: something evil and powerful that controlled those living near it. A few were able to break free of or were never under the thrall of this entity and so created the way to bind and seal the thing (killing it directly probably wasn't possible at the time, though it may have been developed later - perhaps something that will turn up much later on in the campaign). Right now the best the PCs can do is reseal it and try to save as many of the afflicted as possible.
I'm not sure what your plans might be with the naga-like race, but perhaps someone is rediscovering lost Dark Arts that brought about this entity? This way, when the PCs encounter this race and hear about what's going on they could make the link.
As for critters, maybe what they turn into is a sea snake or moray eel-like naga?
Thoughts?
(Sorry for the delay in answering, had to sleep a bit to regain my spells per day)
Yeah, that's precisely what I intend to do. The entity could be a long lost and forgotten evil deity, related to the eastern snake-goddess. It mutates people under its influence to half-human, half-sea serpent naga, and can subconsciously order them to act according to it's will. That is, the naga do not fully understand WHY they act like they do, they only do it because they MUST. In other words, the deity has no (or very few) true followers, the naga are its unwitting slaves.
It was once defeated by the combined efforts of multiple powerful adventurers working for their own gods, and bound to a magical construct in the island's core. The artifact which the party found in their earlier encounter could be a part of the sealing construct (it resembles a blackened steel nail, or screw).
When the creature started to regain its power, the screw loosened and fell off. Then, one of the more degenerate serpent-men in the island's caverns picked it up. The poor simpleton lost it while swimming in the sea, and it was swallowed by a shark. The artifact eventually found its way to the main land.
The "black screw" is enchanted to find its way to the nearest warm-blooded person and to instruct it how to get it to back where it belongs. Unfortunately, it was originally forged 2000 years ago by a cleric of a now fallen god, who became corrupted and evil roughly 100 years ago. As a result, the artifact is torn between its original purpose and the dark god's new will, making it cursed and dangerously unstable (it has already shown some of its darker abilities, unnerving the party quite a bit). It can be used either to send the island back to the depths of the sea, or to completely free the deity as a powerful new ally for the dark god (many gods in this setting are like scheming politicians...) Naturally, the decision is up to the players.
Whoa, this is starting to sound pretty much ready. Now I just design the island's people and their culture, while hoping that none of my players will take any peeks to this thread for spoilers!
Pre-existing rules for the naga-race are probably enough, with some minor changes. The heavily mutated ones could be treated as re-flavored sahuagin.
Ok, seems like i found something pretty useful for this: the literal serpentfolk. They even have a "degenerate" variant!
http://paizo.com/PRD/additionalMonsters/serpentfolk.html
Probably going to use these rules as a basis and the reflavored sahuagin as "workers".
Ok, seems like i found something pretty useful for this: the literal serpentfolk. They even have a "degenerate" variant!
http://paizo.com/PRD/additionalMonsters/serpentfolk.html
Probably going to use these rules as a basis and the reflavored sahuagin as "workers".
Cool! Sounds like you've pretty much got everything together! I hope this works out for you!