So, my PCs encountered a representative of a seelie court and struck a bargain with her. One PC, a human swashbuckler, managed to squeeze out an additional perk from the fey. The swashbuckler had previously been cursed and will rise as an undead in the event of his death. The fey representative promised to break this curse 'in due time'.
I have a couple of ideas on how the fey will break the curse. Fey, being chaotic and strange, will obviously not settle for a simple Remove Curse spell (and the PC, seeing as the fey will fix everything, hasn't opted to pay a spellcaster for the spell either).
One of these ideas I have involve a duel. A fey fencer challenges the swashbuckler on a duel, and if the later wins, the curse is lifted. I could need some help with making this duel work.
I've glanced at Ultimate Combat's rules for duels, but wonder if it's worth adopting an entire, new rules subsystem for just a single event.
As for the fey fencer, I'm considering basing it on either an Atomie or Liminal Sprite. The Atomie is already fencer-themed, but it's abilities doesn't really benefit it this time (Reduce Person on a Swashbuckler isn't a debuff). The Liminal Sprite is generally awesome and I was planing on utilizing one soon anyway, but it might make a worse chassis for my fencer. I might combine the two somehow (there's an amlgam creature template).
Anyway, I thought I'd tack on a few class levels on this fey, to make it on par with my 4th level swashbuckler PC. The fey fencer is, in a way, a fey counterpart to the PC, so straight swashbuckler levels can work. But I might need something else. The biggest problem, I think, for the fey fencer is its tiny or diminutive size - i.e. zero reach. Are there any archetypes or other abilities I might explore to meditate this? Anything else I should have in mind?
A zero reach swashbuckler is screaming for the mouser archetype.
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If I were a capricious fey lord, this is what I'd do:
Use my fantastical fey lordly power to change the PC in question into a fey creature and transport them to the first world. Fey creatures that "die" on the first world are absorbed into the material of the plane and are recreated at a later time and place. In effect, fey creatures never stay dead on the first world. Fey that die on any other plane stay dead as normal, and, in the case of your PC, would cause them to rise as an undead.
So that PC would die and be reborn, but only as long as he/she stayed on the first world plane.
When the PC is unsatisfied with this course (as I'm sure the PC doesn't want to be stuck in the first world forever) he could bargain with the lord again, where the lord has the PC duel his champion to have the curse well and truly removed and be made humanoid again. However, the duel should embarrass the PC in some way. Methinks a pixie with irresistible dance spell-like ability and swashbuckler levels. Or, stick with the atomie and use its shrink item spell-like to shrink the swashbuckler's rapier (have a magically inclined PC on the sidelines tell the swashbuckler that throwing the rapier onto the ground will end the spell).
A zero reach swashbuckler is screaming for the mouser archetype.
You're right, that looks like a good archetype for my goals. Anything a Mouser needs, another archetype (Inspired Blade perhaps), any feat except the bog-standard Fencing Grace (or similar) that's important?
I'm noting that Mouser gains its most important deed at 1st level. Could a multiclass be relevant? Urban Barbarian, Urban Bloodrager, Magus (maybe that Eldritch one which gives Cha as spell stat)? While I want a viable build, it would be fun if it's a bit cool and strange too.
If I were a capricious fey lord, this is what I'd do:
Use my fantastical fey lordly power to change the PC in question into a fey creature and transport them to the first world. Fey creatures that "die" on the first world are absorbed into the material of the plane and are recreated at a later time and place. In effect, fey creatures never stay dead on the first world. Fey that die on any other plane stay dead as normal, and, in the case of your PC, would cause them to rise as an undead.
So that PC would die and be reborn, but only as long as he/she stayed on the first world plane.
Not a bad idea! I'll keep it in mind.