DM needs help from other Creative DM's

[Brian Turner 355]

This contains Curse of the Crimson Throne spoilers do not read if you are not a DM.:

I am running Curse of the Crimson Throne Anniversary edition and I have a player that plays a Cleric and he has confided in me that he would like to play with a Griffon as a companion that is fighting trained. Now after reading the Griffon entry in the bestiary i know it takes six weeks to get a Griffon Trained. and I have noticed that so far Crimson Thrones is very time sensitive. Now they are investigating the Blood Veil. Now my idea is for him to find one in his travels perhaps trapped in a dungeon or perhaps its previous rider died in the plague and it wants revenge. Unfortunately I have never run Crimson Throne all the way through so i dont know where i would stick the Griffon to be found. Please all help is appreciated. Thanks.

P.S. I was thinking that perhaps he can strike a bargain with the Griffon with the help of Speak with Animals potion (with it being altered for Magical Beasts) Perhaps the Griffon can be found in the were rat sewer in the cage instead of the Otyugh? Thanks for the help again.

[rkotitan]

Other Option:

Ask him if a Hippogriff is ok. Given that Sable Company all ride them it might not be hard to put a young one somewhere in the city.

In fact there is a PFS scenario called Portent's Peril which is located in Korvosa where the party comes across a young hippogriff during the course of the investigation.

You might be able to up the level or if by chance they happen to be still level 5 play it at the highest tier.

[Skeld]

Spoiler:

While some parts of CotCT are time sensitive, other parts are not. You can punt the inclusion of a griffin until such a time as the characters have some downtime.

Also, rkotitan ninja'd me on the hippogriff suggestion.

-Skeld

[Brian Turner 355]

rkotitan wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

I tried that but he is dead set on having a Griffon because it can understand common.

[Skeld]

Brian Turner 355 wrote:

rkotitan wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

I tried that but he is dead set on having a Griffon because it can understand common.

Is that the only stumbling block? Tell him that you'll allow the hippogriff to understand Common, just as a griffin would and see if he agrees to that.

Remember that the griffin is a CR4 creature and the hippogriff is CR2. I have to wonder if their relative power levels play into his thinking at all.

-Skeld

[Brian Turner 355]

Yea im gonna run that past him and if he still wants the griffon than i might make some alterations so that its not too over powering at first. Possible give it an injury that causesits pounce and rake not too work but cant be healed by magic only by time.

[Lakesidefantasy]

Is he playing a cleric of Abadar by any chance?

In my game I have a player playing a cleric of Abadar. Every once in awhile "Old Cob" shows up to give this cleric a ride as a favor from Abadar. Cobblhoof is a celestial hippogriff who wears a mithral breastplate and is battle trained. He understands common, celestial, and several other languages but "he doesn’t appreciate 'youngsters' talking down to him or treating him like a mere beast".

You can find information about Cobblhoof in the chapter on Abadar in Seven Days to the Grave.

I am fully ready to present my player Cobblehoof as an animal companion or cohort if he wants to take the requisite classes or feats.

I've even created a stat block for him if it's ever needed.

COBBLEHOOF CR 2:

Celestial hippogriff
LN Large magical beast
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, –1 size)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5; SR 7
Hit Dice 3d10+6; hp 22

OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 100 ft. (average)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d6+2) and 2 claws +4 (1d4+2)

STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 9
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Dodge, Wingover
Skills (armor -0); Acrobatics +6, Fly +8, Linguistics +3, Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal
Gear mithral agile breastplate barding, exotic military saddle

SPECIAL
Smite Evil 1/day as a swift action add Cha bonus to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD against evil foes; smite persists until target is dead or the celestial creature rests.

[Brian Turner 355]

Awesome idea thanks