I think my players got a little tired of brute-forcing their way through Thistletop, and they haven't even explored the 3rd level yet (Nualia was alerted the first time they came, and was nabbed trying to sacrifice Orin to Lamashtu during their second visit).
So, in terms of combat on floor 3, there's 3 spots
1. the giant crab. this is cool. it can stay.
2. the shadows. meh. I find it hard to believe that Team Nualia didn't trigger this one when they explored the dungeon, or the Lamashtu cultists before her, or whatever.
3. the barghest. the toughie.
Sure, my PCs are now 4th level, and they could probably give the greater barghest a run for its money if it came to it, but I was thinking of something different.
The barghest attempts to barter for its freedom, saying it will leave the material plane forever (a lie), and leave whatever treasure might be in its lair (the candles and the ring, although it won't spell it out) if only someone would cross the barrier and let the barghest possess them in order to get out of it.
So, hilariousness can ensue, because one of my PCs is hell-bent on being as greedy as possible.
What I need a little help with is some fun crunch to go along with 'possession by barghest'. Here's my thoughts.
a) the player has to willingly get possessed.
b) if the player backs out at the last minute, the barghest will try to kill the PC (and will lie in case this question is asked)
c) the possession works like an 'intelligent item', that will attempt an ego contest with the player, if the player doesn't immediately walk back across the holding line. We'll set the barghest's 'ego' at 18, which is the save for its Will-based spell-like abilities.
d) if the player actually goes through with it, the following things happen
1. The player learns that evil is real, and that they performed a captial-E evil act, and their alignment goes one step towards evil.
2. The player learns that sin is power (even though the barghest is not a demon), and he gets a pile of sin points. I was thinking of 5 points of greed, but the barghest was bound to the Material Plane in the service of Wrath, and the barghest itself is a creature of Gluttony. I'm having a hard time picking which sin points to give. Maybe 3 of each?
3. The player learns ancient Thassilonian (nobody in the party has this, and my hope is one day to tempt this player into becoming the next Runelord of Greed).
4. The barghest dis-possesses the player upon leaving the bound zone, and tries to run away, rather than bamfing to the Lower Planes. Possibly, a fight may ensue.
What do you all think?
