My party is going to meet the mythic version of Guardian of the Elk soon (you can find his stats here)
So, after the defeat of the bear-guardian, they will have their ascension to the first mythic tier. Here is where I need your advice.
First the Party composition:
- Johanna Bear a CN Female Half-elf Oracle of Nature.
She is the probable future ruler, a bastard of the Medvyed, and a worshiper of Pharasma since the death of both her parents.
- Graydrone a NG Half Elf Summoner.
He is a orphan half-elf of a very rich family from Silverhall. He also had a love story with Elanna Lebeda in his teenage years. He is a pharasmin too since the death of both his parents.
- Fenir Al'Meara a NG Female Catfolk Ranger.
The Al'Meara are a catfolk tribe of Erastil worshiper who moved north to Brevoy to fulfill an ancient prophecy. The tribe was exiled from New Stetven in the last Rogarvian's year.
About their ascension, I initially thought the Erastil's herald (the Grim White Stag) coming in the Temple, but since only one of the three PCs worships Old Deadeye I don't like this idea anymore.
I want them meet some minor servant of both Erastil and Pharasma, not the first Heralds, but have no idea of which one servant each god will send to gift the PCs with a mythic spark of power.
Also I need a little advice about the reason for the two gods to involve in. Pharasma it's ok, since she has also the Prophet aspect, so she want them to fulfill the prophecy of N.
But what about Erastil? He only wants the Stolen Lands back to his cult? I don't think this could be the only reason to have him involved.
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That's a great prophecy Pennywit! I really like it. However we play in italian language, so I'll need to translate for using in mine campaign. That's not simple, because a prophecy without metric rhymes it's not a prophecy, and italian musicality it's so different from the english one.
By the way I'm starting to think about an encounter where both gods will send an emissary.
Pharasma could send a Vanth psychopomp to deliver the gift, and to take the old priest soul. I know it's not an ordinary servant for her, but it could fit since vanths are also known as angels of death.
Erastil could send Blackfeather, his shape-shifting archer eagle-man.
So both emissaries will be black feathered.
When the bear is slain, it makes an almost human-sounding sigh of relief, then collapses in on itself, transforming first into an incredibly old human man with a look of peace in his eyes, and then a moment later crumbling into a skeleton and thence to dust. At this moment, the entire shrine seems to grow more vibrant and colorful...
You can fill the divine energy all around you, and you see some black feathers falling from the sky upon you.
You see two winged humanoid figure coming down from the sky, one is a black skeleton with ravenlike wings and a mask resembling a vulture's skull, the other one resemble a majestic black eagle, holding a longbow filled of divine energy.
Both landed near the dust of the former bear. A spiral symbol appears upon the ravenlike creature, and a the erastil's bow symbol appears upon the eagle-like creature.
Between them you could now see a ghost-like image of the old human.
The vanth to Graydrone: "Our Lady of Gentle Repose send his gift for you, Graydrone. In the death, in the birth, and in the prophecy you will serve Her."
Blackfeather: "The Old Hunter send his gift for you, Fenir of the Al'Meara. In the family, in the community, and in the prophecy you will serve Him."
both the vanth and Blackfeather: "They send their gift for you too, Johanna...
The vanth: "... in the death, in the birth..."
Blackfeather: "... in the family, in the community..."
together again: "... and in the prophecy you will serve Them."
Blackfeather (looking to the priest's soul): "Let's thank your saviours, fallen priest, thanks them all."
[here they can interact with the priest soul so they can learn his story, but not too long]
When it's time the Vanth will say: "Now it's time to go. Too long you have escaped your mortal fate."
Both the emissaries take the soul's hand, and then take off singing a song:
[here is the prophecy, inspired by yours, that I'll write down in italian metric rhymes.]
While they fly away black feathers will falls covering the party.
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I love the way GMs can collaborate on this board.
Absolutely!
You can find help, you can find ideas that, even if don't fit your personal style or campaign, could inspire you other ideas.
Coming back on topic, did someone know if there are stats for Blackfeather somewhere?
There could be the "crazy" possibility that mine party decide to attack the two flying creatures when they are coming down.
I don't know of any stats for Blackfeather. OTOH, if somebody's going to attack the emissary of a goddess, I might go with, "Pharasma smites you. Roll a new character."
I know it's the easy way, something like "the divine energy around you change to a negative channel energy of a 20th level cleric..." But I like to have the gods not directly act in mine games, even when they are relevant for the plot as in this case. IMO a supernatural servitor can handle a group of adventurers by himself.
So, I'm going to make some stats for Blackfeather maybe inspired by the Avoral Agathion from the Bestiary 3 and the Animal Lord template. It could also be useful to have him with stats because:
The following creatures are well known supernatural servitors of Erastil, suitable for conjuring with planar ally or similar spells; given that most of his priests are low-level, some of these have been known to appear in response to summon monster or summon nature’s ally spells as well.
I'll post it soon.
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Here it is, my build for Blackfeather the Servant of Erastil.
I took an Avoral agathion as a base creature, add some feature from the Animal Lord template, replaced some spell-like abilities and the aura of fear with the paladin's auga of courage and more erastilian spells.
Able to take the form of a man, an eagle, or an eagle-man hybrid, this fierce archer is a skilled marksman who only hunts for sustenance or to defend the innocent. Often he is content to perch on a rooftop, silently watching over a village when strangers appear just in case there is trouble.
Blackfeather (hybrid form) CR 9
XP: 6400
LG Medium outsider (extraplanar, good, lawful, shapechanger)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, low-light vision, see invisibility, true seeing; Perception +23
Aura aura of courage (20 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 18 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural)
HP 94 (9d10+45)
Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +6;
DR 10/evil and silver; Immune electricity, fear, petrification; SR 20; Resist cold 10, sonic 10
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (good)
Melee 2 talons +12 (1d6+3), bite +12 (1d6+3)
Ranged +3 holy composite longbow +19/+14 (1d8+6/x3)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks lay on hands (4d6, 7/day), raptor dive
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)
Constant-Detect Magic, See Invisibility, Speak With Animals
At will-Aid, Deadeye's Arrow, Deadeye's Lore, Dispel Magic, Hold Person (DC 16), Light, Magic Circle Against Evil (self only), Neutralize Poison
3/day-Cure Serious Wound, Remove Disease
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
Base Atk +9; CMB 12; CMD 29
Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (Longbow)
Skills Diplomacy +7, Fly +22, Handle Animal +9, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (any one) +14, Perception +23, Ride +7, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +18, Survival +7 Racial Modifiers Perception +8
Languages Celestial, Druidic, Sylvan; speak with animals, truespeech
SQ change shape (eagle or human only; shapechange)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
True Seeing (Su) This ability works like the spell (caster level 14th), except it only affects the avoral, the avoral must concentrate for 1 full round before it takes effect, and it remains as long as the avoral concentrates.
Lay on Hands (Su) Blackfeather can use lay on hands as a 9th-level paladin.
Raptor's Dive (Ex) Blackfeatger deals double damage with any charge that starts 10 or more feet above its target.
What I did for my players was change the owlbear at the end of the second book to the first owlbear out of the Mythic Adventures book, and ascend that way. My reasoning is that the first owlbear is a creature of the first world and sent by Nyrissa to disrupt the PCs kingdom. It that's a bit though it can be given a template to weaken it or even just the sickened condition to represent its disorientation at just having arrived somewhere strange.
Yes the First Owlbear will probably be a replacement for the Giant Owlbear, and the last Mythic Trail to achieve Tier 3 in mine campaign.
I want them to be mythic since the Stolen Land, because also the Stag Lord will be a Mythic Champion of Nyrissa.
So, my players befriended Perlivash and Tyg in the last session, and learned the location of the Temple from their fey friends, but decide to go back to Oleg, looking for Jhod Kavken, because they want to bring him with them to the temple. Any advice? Since they are only 3 pcs I'm thinking of letting them have the cleric npc as a backup healer, but he will not ascend to Mythic, of course.
I say ... let Jhod watch all of it.
According to his backstory, Jhod Kavken came to the Stolen Lands because he is looking for redemption after screwing up a werewolf case in his old home town. So ... he comes to the stolen lands. He dreams about the lost Temple of Erastil. He helps the heroes go to the Temple of Erastil. He helps them defeat the bear. (Bonus points if his help is essential to the fight).
Hungry for redemption, Jhod Kavken has done everything that Erastil has asked of him in the Stolen Lands ... and Erastil will choose somebody else to be his champion. Plant that seed .... and let it fester.
I'm thinking of a less drastic situation for the future, since he is Neutral Good as the majority of the PCs.
1) Jhod is an obvious worshipper of Erastil, so the Guardian will focus on him first (charging him directly, maybe killing him? No problem, see below...)2) So the 3 PCs will have to deal with the Guardian, gaining a couple of round before he will focus on them... (the catfolk ranger pc is another Erastil's worshipper, so she will be the second target)
3) When they finally will (hopefully) kill the guardian, they will have their ascension as reported above, with Blackfeather curing/resurrecting Kavken, saing the Old Hunter is now pleased of him, and want him to aid the party in their future mission, but primarly Old Deadeye wants him to rebuild the temple so Erastil's faith could spread in the Stolen Lands again.
First Owlbear wasn't too bad, the only thing that threw them for a loop was the flying. He isn't too incredibly powerful for his CR, and given a party of 5 they had no problem taking him down.
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So, the game session at the Temple of Elk is coming.
Dal suo trono la Grigia Dama / From his throne the Gray dame
d'ogni fato vede la trama / sees the weaves of every fate
non importa se mortale o dio / It doesn't matter if it's a mortal or a god
al destino tutti pagano il fio. / To the destiny all must pay the price.
Ferro forgian a settentrione / Iron is being forged in the North
scorre il sangue del dragone / the blood of the dragon will flow
ma sulle rive della zanna / but in the tusk's shore
un potere gli uomini inganna / a power tricks the mans.
Un re quieto regna ad ostro / A quiet king rules in the South
un guerriero ben nascosto / a very hidden warrior
che i giganti ha incatenato / who chained the giants
con il fuoco ed il suo fato. / with the fire and his fate.
Poi si desterà a levante / Then in the Est will wake up
un sol occhio osservante / one observant eye
custodisce un perduto potere / who is guarding a lost power
che è obliato da molte ere. / which have been forget for many eras.
Più lontano nel ponente / More far in the West
la leggenda è potente / the legend is powerful.
non crediate sia un plebeo / Don't think is a plebeian
chi lì regna tersicoreo. / who there is dancing and ruling.
Ma su tutti mortale trama / But above them, deadly,
l'ombra verde più sovrana / the most sovereign green shadow plots
la passione del suo cuore / the passion of his heart
ha perduto per amore / she lost for love.
Sorgeranno castelli e regni / Castles and kingdoms will rise
che dell'ora saranno i segni / marking the proper time
compirassi allor la profezia / when the profecy will accomplish
delle rubate terre la razzia. / of the Stolen Lands' theft.
Dal suo trono la Grigia Dama / From his throne the Gray dame
d'ogni fato vede la trama / sees the weaves of every fate
nessun esser mai le sfuggirà / no being could escape her
al giudizio tutti giungeran. / to the judgment all will arrive.
Thanks. If I have enough time I'll record it and have mine players listen it as a song.
Tomorrow will be the day of the Mythic Trial at the Temple of the Elk... Will mine party survive the challenge of the Mythic Guardian and gain their first Mythic Tier? Will it be a TPK?
Let the dice roll, and the fate come to an end... or a new beginning.
How to ascend... like a fish out of water:
The party went back to Oleg searching for Jhod Kavken, they want to bring the priest with them to face the Guardian Bear their new fey friends (Perlivash and Tig) told them there is in the Temple.
They were not able to persuade him to join their expedition, but they recruit a hunter they met few days before in the forest: Aleksander
They knew nothing about him, only suspecting he his some kind of noble because of his manners. They still don't know that he is a Medvyed, and a Paladin of Erastil.
They fought the Guardian who in the first round annihilated the Graydrone's Eidolon, then he nearly killed Johanna's animal companion (Maximus the horse... yes, it's a Tangled citation), and reduced to half hit points the Paladin NPC.
Then, in a row of multiple failures (low dice or because the Erastil's curse penalty) the Guardian was not able to hit anything else...
So they defeat him, and met the two emissaries of their gods.
They have given the gift (the first mythic tier) to all the 3 PCs, but not to Aleksander who was not supposed to ascend (so I immediately decided he was under some kind of redemption quest since he didn't use any of his special powers during the fight, and Blackfeather said him that "The Old Deadeye is now pleased of you, your prayer have been answered"
The party questioned the Old Priest soul to learn his story, they also asked about the gift, and Blackfeather said it was a Spark of divinity.
Johanna, of course, failed the Kn Religion check for knowing what it was, but had a good bluff check pretending she instead knowed it.
The emissaries and the soul took off, and they listened the Black Feathers Prophecy.
When they were alone they noticed Aleksander was healing himself with his Lay on Hands, and understood he is a Paladin, but in the end they didn't understand what has happened to them (the Ascension) until they asked him (and he got a lucky Kn Religion check, of course).
--- "mythic" quotations ---
Johanna bluffing about the Mythic Powers: "Yes, yes, I know how it works..."
Fenir's player (mine girlfriend) when realizing that the beautiful PNG Aleksander she dreamed about a possible romantic interaction is a Paladin: "Oh no! he is a Paladin! That disappoints all mine hormones! " (She had only saw stereotypical PCs of that class that we use to call "Lawful Stupid" in her gamer's career)
Graydrone's Player after realizing that they have to fulfill a prophecy but didn't realizing that the prophecy was already been told to them the minutes before:
"So, when are we going to have our prophecy?"
GM (me): Facepalm!
Johanna when realizing that the waters in the pool grant the effects of a cure light wound spell:
"We could bath inside to heal!"
--- "mythic" quotations --- part 2
After discovering the Barbarian Cairn:
Fenir: "We can't dig up the body, Pharasma will not like this"
Johanna: "Graydrone can, because he is pharasmythic!" (joking about the term pharasmin and refering to the fact that he is the mythic guardian elected directly by the Vanth of Pharasma)