Ok so I want to make a city for my players to visit and probably spend a lot of time in it is a city that involved vampires, undead (hence cheesy pun), werewolves (or any kind of were), and goblins (working force/slaves)
What I need help with:
How can undead function in a city(as I thought they were unintelligent)
What makes goblins be workforce are they slaves or just there to side with the bigger guys?
This city will be ran by a council of with one representative of each race need to build them
Any city stats block ideas would help
For the council I was thinking a undead Paladin lol
but I was thinking vampires are first in command followed by the werewolves and maybe a lich (can't think of a different undead controlling high lvl undead) and maybe a goblin king.
So maybe a anti paladin vampire? A fighter werewolf (not sure what else a werewolf would be) a wizard lich (duh) and a bard goblin (with the maybe the sea dog archetype or maybe scald) why because never seen a goblin bard
Just ideas off top of my head if anyone has any other thoughts please share with the class lol
Why don't you try a something a little off kilter with your lich. Any spell caster of caster level 11 and the craft wonderous item feat qualifies for a lich. So you can have an anti paladin lich, a ranger lich, summoner lich, a magus lich, etc.
(Now I have to make a magus lich...)
Why don't you try a something a little off kilter with your lich. Any spell caster of caster level 11 and the craft wonderous item feat qualifies for a lich. So you can have an anti paladin lich, a ranger lich, summoner lich, a magus lich, etc.
(Now I have to make a magus lich...)
I would love to do the I usual but I thought most people do wizard liches
i'm curious how a ranger lich would work or a summoners lich
And wouldn't a bard and a witch work too
Edit: that being said a dirge bard or the skald bard (buncha zombies raging)
Edit edit: a unholy cleric would work to right? Then can heal any undead
Yes to all. Any PC/NPC character that is caster level 11 and has craft wonderous item feat qualifies. Thats all of the spell casters and the alchemist (IIRC about the alchemist).
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Ghouls and Ghasts can probably be most of the inhabitants. Zombies and various mindless undead can be the workforce. Vampires and Liches are on the top of the food chain, probably the ones part of the council. Ghosts, wraiths etc could be part of the council as well but most likely they would be imprisoned or used to extract information, a lot of time ghosts and wraiths have anger issues.
Ghouls and Ghasts are basically people, except that they like to feed on dead bodies/cadavers etc...in an undead city, it's probably not too hard with zombies buffet.
Geb may give your some inspiration.
Skimmed it looks good i'll look more in depth later
Yes to all. Any PC/NPC character that is caster level 11 and has craft wonderous item feat qualifies. Thats all of the spell casters and the alchemist (IIRC about the alchemist).
alchemist would be fun a Vivesectionist ours that's the one i'm thinking of
Edit: or go the bomber one and make zombie suicide bombers
Ghouls and Ghasts can probably be most of the inhabitants. Zombies and various mindless undead can be the workforce. Vampires and Liches are on the top of the food chain, probably the ones part of the council. Ghosts, wraiths etc could be part of the council as well but most likely they would be imprisoned or used to extract information, a lot of time ghosts and wraiths have anger issues.
Ghouls and Ghasts are basically people, except that they like to feed on dead bodies/cadavers etc...in an undead city, it's probably not too hard with zombies buffet.
With many dead bodies Round diseases will be through the roof how can we cut that down
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Goblins are very filthy in general and live in dump and various disgusting and diseases filled environment, generally it wouldn't be a problem to them that much. Plus a goblin life is relatively short and if they are used as a work force...the undead wouldn't care. They reproduce very fast and have almost no care for their own lives.
Now in case of pcs actually coming to visit or the living in general, maybe they would simply have cleaner quarters of the undercity where they can trade with the livings. If the livings want to go into the bad quarters of the undercity, it would be at their own peril.
Goblins are very filthy in general and live in dump and various disgusting and diseases filled environment, generally it wouldn't be a problem to them that much. Plus a goblin life is relatively short and if they are used as a work force...the undead wouldn't care. They reproduce very fast and have almost no care for their own lives.
Now in case of pcs actually coming to visit or the living in general, maybe they would simply have cleaner quarters of the undercity where they can trade with the livings. If the livings want to go into the bad quarters of the undercity, it would be at their own peril.
One of pcs is a vampire the other is a lich
One of pcs is a vampire the other is a lichGoblins are very filthy in general and live in dump and various disgusting and diseases filled environment, generally it wouldn't be a problem to them that much. Plus a goblin life is relatively short and if they are used as a work force...the undead wouldn't care. They reproduce very fast and have almost no care for their own lives.
Now in case of pcs actually coming to visit or the living in general, maybe they would simply have cleaner quarters of the undercity where they can trade with the livings. If the livings want to go into the bad quarters of the undercity, it would be at their own peril.
And the goblins are going to be used as a food source for a army of vampires :)
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In 3.5 Libris Mortis there was a skeletal undead that could gain levels called a Necropolitan. It was like a cheap version of lichdom without all the cool magic powers. There was also a template for binding magic spells into undead called a Spellstitched undead. I've used both to great effect in urban settings.
But you're looking for something more.
Behold the City of Raveneszke
In the waning years of the old empire the corrupt and decadent Karnossov nobles erected walls around a necropolis. Having survived generations under the curse of Lycanthropy many had learned to control and harness their darker gifts. These penultimate hunters felt a kinship to the vampire lords and ghoul kings of their forebears and together they endeavored to preserve their urbane society.
The necropolis was sieged during the Second Crusade and many of the righteous knights of the Dunevain foolishly thought that upon invading the inner streets and burning many of the nobles that their spoils lay before them. No sooner had they gained the courts and streets than the crypts flew open and the armies of the Thane of the North were little more than sheep trapped for the slaughter.
But not all died that day. Accords were made, bargains struck and grace was stolen en masse. The fallen were re-born in many undead forms to make a place for themselves here.
So Raveneszke, the City of Hungers was born
There are dozens of wards now as the grave-bound citizens have spilled out into the countryside. Inevitably the Karnossov sought out the many hags and evil fey who had cheated them so cruelly and visited the curse of the Changing Blood upon them. For their sins the witches were made to pay and the goblins, so long in servitude to the hags and spirits of the eldritch forests were lashed to the yoke of Raveneszke.
You see many of these lycanthropes are still mortal, after a fashion. They must therefore live out mortal lives and thus they require mortal servants in their stead. These old nobles have divvied up many of the outlying districts into estates befitting their status with fields, gardens and woodlots beyond; space for their Wild Hunts. 7 such districts outly the city's hinterlands like hamlets to themselves populated not only by goblin slaves but also mortal peasants as well.
As one travels inward to the older necropolis the dead vastly outnumber the living. These are not mindless zombies nor feral ghouls, though these savages certainly have a presence in Raveneszke. Rather, these are the homes of the Necropolitique; nobles in their own right and the undead remains of powerful, sentient beings who have sought eternal life here after a fashion. Six districts comprised of towers, mausoleums, crypts and sepulchers line the streets here with twice as many below-ground. The alderfolk here are intelligent, scheming and thoroughly undead. Urbane vampires, sophisticated ghats, even a small sect of wights hewing to a profane cult of Urgothoa hearkening back to her first days as a demigod.
Though the city is a blight on all the civilized lands of Karnoss it is tolerated by most; venerated by some. The City of Hungers is a wealthy port along the ancient shores of the Old Provinces in the heart of Agonoszk. In Raveneszke all things are for sale and little taboo is left unbroken. For this reason mortals and the living flock here for trade, commerce and vice. Magic is a powerful and accessible commodity as well; the Univardoch Necmagnock is only the most public source of training among the darkened streets of the city.
And for its part Raveneszke is no longer so publicly contemptuous of its neighbors. As a free city the noble lords and ladies long ago abandoned whole-scale plans to reclaim the fallen glory of the old empire. To be certain many individual nobles may still hold this goal in their scheming minds, but it is quietly pursued through diplomacy and subtrefuge.
But it is not known as the City of Hungers for nothing.
All the permanent residents of Raveneszke are monsters; of that there can be no doubt. As such their appetites range from disturbing to obscene and are NEVER satisfied. The city itself seems to consume the life and the living. Tourists routinely go missing; slaver bands of mortals and undead range out by night to capture prey and victims; the Wild Hunts of the lycanthropic nobles and their kinfolk often spill over into the general countryside. For this reason the coffers of the city never seem to stay full as they are constantly paying out restitution, bribes and mercenary wages to compensate for it's needs.
To date all attempts at wholesale breeding viable foodstuffs have failed. The rulers of Raveneske blame themselves for allowing free will to creep into too many of their citizens. Still many of the individual nobles keep their own private reserves of "delicacies" in case the markets wane.
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In 3.5 Libris Mortis there was a skeletal undead that could gain levels called a Necropolitan. It was like a cheap version of lichdom without all the cool magic powers. There was also a template for binding magic spells into undead called a Spellstitched undead. I've used both to great effect in urban settings.
But you're looking for something more.
Magic of Faerun had a low powered template called the Crypt Spawn which I quite liked as a good way to allow undead PCs. It granted the undead type, a scaling natural armor bonus, +4 intimidate, and +2 turn resistance. It was LA+1. It was a pretty good and not gamebreaking option for the "Undead PC".
Magic of Faerun had a low powered template called the Crypt Spawn which I quite liked as a good way to allow undead PCs. It granted the undead type, a scaling natural armor bonus, +4 intimidate, and +2 turn resistance. It was LA+1. It was a pretty good and not gamebreaking option for the "Undead PC".In 3.5 Libris Mortis there was a skeletal undead that could gain levels called a Necropolitan. It was like a cheap version of lichdom without all the cool magic powers. There was also a template for binding magic spells into undead called a Spellstitched undead. I've used both to great effect in urban settings.
But you're looking for something more.
All three are great ideas and will work I just gotta find the three and figure out which one works better for a city
@Mark hoover
That is awesome lol is this from a ap or something if not how do you come up with these lol
BTW: Crypt Spawn were typically created by the 7th level cleric (Bane) spell "Undeath after Death", which was basically "Contingency (Death): Reanimate as Undead."
Awesome thank you would you happen to know how to find said crypt spawn with out the book or whatever is needed
Goblins are very filthy in general and live in dump and various disgusting and diseases filled environment, generally it wouldn't be a problem to them that much. Plus a goblin life is relatively short and if they are used as a work force...the undead wouldn't care. They reproduce very fast and have almost no care for their own lives.
Now in case of pcs actually coming to visit or the living in general, maybe they would simply have cleaner quarters of the undercity where they can trade with the livings. If the livings want to go into the bad quarters of the undercity, it would be at their own peril.
I realized zombie goblins the population just went through the roof if the whole town the dead are coming to life
Goblin reproduce fast+goblins dying fast=lots of undead+undead not dying=too much undeads
Goblin vampires :)be a sight to see
Even funnier to think of gripplis(frog) vampires
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Just came up w/that on my own Double C. You wanted details; above is the fluff. Crunch wise, what sources are we allowed to use for the statblock and how big do you want it?
I'm thinking if it's as big as it is in my head (Metropolis/roughly 80K population including the zombie/goblin/mortal slaves) then each "district" could be sort of it's own little town divided further into wards. For example:
Fluff: This area of hinterlands on the south end of Raveneszke is both wild and civil at once. Founded by Ghehardt Von Lupinoszk before the fall of ancient Karnoss, the blood of werewolves has dominated this ward since. Like most of the "were-districts" an ordnance has been passed here against silver though unlike many other regions of Raveneszk it is fiercely and brutally enforced by the police of the district, the Canin Guard.
The Moonhowl resembles an ancient Karnossov plantation town; the noble estate is built into the super-structure of the wall with secondary walls dividing the wards of the district. There are trees and wilds allowed to grow as they will, hemmed only by the scattered houses of the wealthy on the eastern reach of the district, known as the Gnarley Ward of Moonhowl. Along the cobbled lanes are 2 compact wards of peasant slaves and farmers. The Wellstone Ward features a plaza along the street surrounding a deep well serving as the source of the district's water. Meanwhile the least of the werewolves' servants dwell in cramped half-timber hovels and crofts astride the district's north gate; it is ironically named the Freestride Gate Ward.
Crunch: Moonhowl District/Small Town
Alignment: CE
Government: Overlord
Population: 1230 (1100 human [some lycanthrope: werewolf], 90 half-elf, 25 goblin, 15 other)
Qualities: Rumormongering Citizens, Tourist Attraction
Notable Personas: Yannov Von Lupinoszk, Lord of Moonhowl (CE human [natural lycanthrope: werewolf] Male Fighter 6/Aristocrat 8); Ismelda Fane, leader of the Wellsworn Coven (NE human female witch 9); Brivor The Axe, Executioner of the Canin Guard (NG human [afflicted lycanthrope: werewolf] male fighter 5)
Tourist Attraction: the well giving Wellstone Ward its name is particularly infamous among adventurers, scoundrels, sellswords and fiends. With the right enchantements and incantations it can transport those descending into its waters to the vast dungeons deep below the city known as Neverdawn. The Coven of the Wellsworn were bound to the fey-blessed vessel long before the city rose here; it is said they do penance for sins against the First World. The agents of the coven are afflicted with a terrible curse no known magic can cure which irrevocably transforms them to trees if they do not drink from the well once/week. However the crones of the coven were dominated by the first Von Lupinoszk and now sell passage to Neverdawn as well as other bottled magics; they then pass most of their earnings on to the noble house.
Industry: the main business of the district is in servitude to the well and the lord here. As such there are many cottage businesses where small goods are produced. However of note in Freestride Gate are the following:
Redfletch Bowyers: a workhouse of a dozen apprentice fletchers presided over by Master Gavin Redfletch (CE human male expert 5). The conniving master is fat, bald and proud, yet he has earned a small measure of respect in the community. The Redfletch family has existed for 3 generations as premier bowyers and serve the Von Lupinoszk house directly producing the missiles and bows used in some of their Wild Hunts. Though the prices may sometimes be higher than most adventurers are willing to pay, Redfletch guarantees quality and delivers every time.
Gannemeade's Sips: flasks, cups, horns and ewers for every occasion crafted by Sillimena (N aranea female expert 2). The shop began some time ago but fell into disrepair serving as little more than a haunt for spiders. In fact an ettercap was slain here by the Canin Guard not but a year past. Mere days after the incident Sillimena, a stranger with the attentions of the lord, arrived in Moonhowl and purchased the derelict building. Now that she has restored it the lady employs several servants at the pleasure of the noble house sculpting and crafting beautiful works of art. Sillimena's tankards often have arachnid motifs believed by most to be an homage to the once-decrepit nature of the place. Secretly the shapeshifter keeps her nature hidden to all but the Wellstone Coven whom she pays for protection; in return she creates many poisons for the hags. She has been known on occasion to sell these to adventurers as well and it is a well known fact that the lady has since spurned Lord Von Lupinoszk in favor of the Canin Guard's executioner.
Burnswindle's Pub: despite the dour nature of Raveneszke and even Moonhowl District, the city teems with pubs, meadhalls, groghouses and brothels of all kinds. However there are none quite like Burnswindle's. After fire gutted several homes in the cramped, narrow lanes of Freestride Gate the goblins responsible were hanged, save one. Burnswindle, a lascivious goblin harridan (NE goblin female rogue 6/sorcerer 4) pulled off the charm of the century, somehow seducing the noble lord to spare her meager life. The pub bearing her name is a ramshackle structure stitched from the bones of 3 other former houses. The place is rowdy and caters to any willing to enter. Burnswindle keeps a stable of courtiers of several races including her own, to serve and service her clientele in the upper rooms. Never one to pass up a coin however she also dug out a sub-basement for the stabling of animals and allows short and long-term rental of the rooms here to travelers and adventurers. The grog is weak, the company dangerous and the building itself should be condemned, yet Mistress Burnswindle's charms and wiles keep the place standing (in more ways than one).
Rumors: most folk work the fields and woodlots of the lord or the gardens of the estates by day; by night they are permitted to unwind in one of many pubs and halls provided they have the coin to pay. The people of Moonhowl then are notorious for their rumormongering. Adventurers in the taverns by night are apt to hear some of the following:
1. Brivor is the bastard son of Ismelda and the lord; only the curse of lycanthropy keeps him alive
2. The Executioner has a conscience and forments rebellion against the Von Lupinoszks
3. A recent Wild Hunt saw Lord Yannov consume the damphir niece of Dread Lord Halcyon
4. Dark forces in Neverdawn seek to ally with the Wellsworn Coven for an invasion
5. The woodlots of our lord south of town are haunted by dark-hearted fey
6. Burnswindle's Pub has been frequented by Lord Yannov and his attendant nobles of late, though they revel in disguise
7. Do not wander the streets by night for the Canin Guard is likely to make a meal of you
8. Strange vermin tracks have been seen throughout Freestride Gate
9. 3 men were caught and hanged in Freestride Gate for smuggling in Wolfsbane; despite days of torture all the Canin Guard was able to glean was that the dread root was bound for a lady in Moonhowl.
10. Several have reported seeing a pair of ghostly antlers bounding through the wild gardens amid the morning mists, but none have yet found the source.
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BTW: Crypt Spawn were typically created by the 7th level cleric (Bane) spell "Undeath after Death", which was basically "Contingency (Death): Reanimate as Undead."Awesome thank you would you happen to know how to find said crypt spawn with out the book or whatever is needed
The Crypt Spawn were a 3e template.
Undeath After Death Here's the spell that made it, as a sort of guideline. I'm going to assume you're not going to be playing in Faerun, or using 3e Cleric domains for that matter, but this gives you some idea where to place the spell in spell level, if you include it.
You can find a copy of the template Here, it seems to match up with the version I have in my book. As mentioned though, it's for 3.x.
For a pathfinder version, I'd drop the HD Changes, and drop the level adjust. The Undead type isn't as good as it used to be. They'll be a little bit stronger than a base creature due to the natural armor, as they will likely opt out of an amulet of natural armor, and will spend the money on other things instead.
Other Intelligent undead you might find interesting are the Curst and Revenant which are stronger than a Crypt Spawn, and have a few more abilities. You *MIGHT* have an undead society with a bunch of Curst (you'd need to come up with a less expensive way to make them) but a society of Revenants wouldn't work out so well.
And again, you'd have to change them from 3.x undead to Pathfinder undead.
Just came up w/that on my own Double C. You wanted details; above is the fluff. Crunch wise, what sources are we allowed to use for the statblock and how big do you want it?
I'm thinking if it's as big as it is in my head (Metropolis/roughly 80K population including the zombie/goblin/mortal slaves) then each "district" could be sort of it's own little town divided further into wards. For example:
** spoiler omitted **...
most likely it is as big as you think I was thinking it would be similar to most large cities now a days ...
Let's look at denver for example denver is major city then there is thornton arvada aurora commerce and so one that's what I was thinkingthe outside is fairly normal (at least by day maybe were people trade district) and further inside you go worse off (like more gloom and soon and dead people walking)
I definitely like the district the moon howl it sounds awesome and if we were to go with other were would it still work (most likely leave it wolves but was thinking some others thrown in would be fun) ...
Oh and a arena of sorts where wolves and vampires and liches can duke it out for sport training or if they just wanna settle an argument be cool
I would keep them on thier toes so to speak with out constant hints)
Thoughts?
The Crypt Spawn.BTW: Crypt Spawn were typically created by the 7th level cleric (Bane) spell "Undeath after Death", which was basically "Contingency (Death): Reanimate as Undead."Awesome thank you would you happen to know how to find said crypt spawn with out the book or whatever is needed
Thanks i'll look at then when I can (phone doesn't like me)
Yes to all. Any PC/NPC character that is caster level 11 and has craft wonderous item feat qualifies. Thats all of the spell casters and the alchemist (IIRC about the alchemist).alchemist would be fun a Vivesectionist ours that's the one i'm thinking of
Edit: or go the bomber one and make zombie suicide bombers
The Alchemist doesn't actually work because they don't actually have a caster level unless DM magic.
The Alchemist doesn't actually work because they don't actually have a caster level unless DM magic.Yes to all. Any PC/NPC character that is caster level 11 and has craft wonderous item feat qualifies. Thats all of the spell casters and the alchemist (IIRC about the alchemist).alchemist would be fun a Vivesectionist ours that's the one i'm thinking of
Edit: or go the bomber one and make zombie suicide bombers
Well than that sucks lol
Might do that sounds fun
So next though how many undead per holy ratio are needed in a war
What I mean is how many undead does it take to balance out against paladins clerics and the like
Edit:horrible spelling has been fixed
I know it is having raided it quiet often but I am not actually going to use that for the name
So next though how many undead per holy ratio are needed in a war
What I mean is how many undead does it take to balance out against paladins clerics and the likeEdit:horrible spelling has been fixed
Still curious
Y'know what else might be kind of cool, depending on the age/maturity level of the players? Districts or wards of the city based on famous myth villains.
You could have a district of the created - a massive castle of gothic spires around cobblestone streets where a college of alchemy sponsors research in the golem works
Then there's a district of hinterlands around the city's outskirts. Like the Moonhowl, each of these is dedicated to a different were-creature. Each of these would look like quaint Bavarian or Hungarian villages with cobbled lanes leading to the inner districts, yet they are surrounded by pine-forested mountain peaks.
As you work inwards the districts grow more gloomy. Another one, also surrounded by a castle, is shrouded in perpetual fog which hides swarms of bats. This is of course the district of the vampires.
Now above the whole city, interconnecting the rooftops could be an overcity district of sorts. This would be the district of the gargoyles; perhaps the Tengu might dwell there as well.
At the heart of the city of course would be an enormous necropolis. Within these streets the dead rise eternally and a powerful lich rules over them all. Most of these undead are mindless and are leased out to other wards as servants and such while other intelligent undead are active members of the district or the city; either in trades of government.
Now of course BENEATH this city must be an entirely different city. Wererats and their ruler; mindless undead; slimes and monsters. All of these classic villains may have carved out a niche for themselves.
Also, depending on the flavor of the game, you might have some contradictions in the city to keep the party interested. A few of the undead, even the powerful ones, are in fact good in alignment and seek to aid righteous causes. Perhaps some of the natural lycanthropes actively pursue non-violent governance or alliance with mortals. You might even have a certain alchemist trying to use his powers to perfect a more virtuous and perfect human even though his formula turns him into a monster.
What say you?
@mark hoover:
That would be interesting but seems like alot of work what I was thinking for now run a simple 4 district tow when my players first get there a real dump (even for undead)
So undercity a hovel compared to capitol city
Who hires the pcs to scout out the undercity
Now pcs are relatively evil so they say i'm tired of these pompous paladins and eccentric clerics
The lich and vampire overlords offer them power of they join their side (werelion offers too but my players want lich and vamp)
So they take the deal the undercity tells the pcs to I form the capitol that there are too many I dead to deal with the capitol launched the holy crusade and nearly wipes out the big 4 (a shield fighter goblin a antipaladin vampire a bomb crazy alchemist lich reanimater and a twf fighter werelion)
But the pcs save them
The big 4 leaders and the pcs save as many undead citizens (some fresh undead holy people) as they can and the go start a even bigger city
Why because it's sounds good rp and combat but also gives me time to write out bigger better city for future of this campaign and next*
*The pcs of this one becoming evil next campaign we will run good chars that have been born in the tyranny of the pcs old chars so thier new chars set out to free them all (sounded fun players thought it would be cool)
Maybe it's originally ran by a wanna be necrolord (fail of one) that's why they almost get defeated then pcs go and recruit two undead of legends (a vampire and lich the pcs have met) they also recruit the goblin prince they met and a werelion king with these four elder "kings" they defeat the holy crusade (for now) and rebuild thier empire of unholy might
Anyone have anymore thoughts?