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The evil boss in WotW runs the evil PCs through a gauntlet of tests. He's Lawful Evil and he wants them to pass if they're competent, so he plays it fair... ish. The original module has a test dungeon; I've made some additions and changes.
This room has four tall glass cabinets. Each one has a word in Infernal written on it. An imp greets the PCs and tells them that they should choose a party representative, who must open one (1) cabinet. Once one is opened, the others will disappear.
Pride: Nothing but a mirror reflecting the PC.
Wrath: A horned, hooved creature that smolders and smokes. "I am of the city of brass, now bound to serve! Free me, and I will destroy your enemies! I will serve you for a year and day, to smash and burn! Crush, burn, kill! Smash! Burn! AAARGH!"
Envy: A featureless shadowy outline of a humanoid. It hisses in a sibilant voice, "I am of the shadow plane, now bound to serve. I will infiltrate and destroy your enemies. I will bring them low, and then bring their wealth and possessions back to you. Free me. Free me, and I will lurk and kill and serve you for a year and a day."
Lust: A scantily clad young human figure changes shape to match the preferences of the party rep. "I was fey. Now I am bound to serve, which... seems like fun, actually. I can change my shape, and I can give you the same power. We'll have some good times, baby. You and me. A year and a day."
The imp tells you that the creatures in the cabinets aren't allowed to communicate anything more than this. (So you don't get an extended interview with lots of chances to make Sense Motive checks.)
Thoughts? If you were a player, how might you respond to this?
Doug M.
Can they or at least one of them read infernal? Given this information only I'd choose pride and smash the mirror. The rest seems more dangerous to my health.
Two of them can read infernal, so that's not an issue.
Anyone else?
Doug M.
Would they gain any more info using knowledge skills? Local to know what kind of guy the boss is or nature for the fey etc. ? Seems like a place to use a knowledge check.
*Thelith wrote: Would they gain any more info using knowledge skills? Local to know what kind of guy the boss is or nature for the fey etc. ? Seems like a place to use a knowledge check. Knowledge checks could be used, albeit at -2 because interaction is limited. Assuming for arguments' sake that Knowledge checks don't give anything (they might and they might not, but let's say they don't), then what?
Doug M.
Me?
It would depend on the character, but I'd be strongly inclined to just walk away from the test entirely. Nothing good comes of trying to get evil outsiders to serve you. (I suppose if I have to open one of them, it would be Pride. Less chance of a mishap. Be self-reliant and all that.)
Though I think my old WotW character Bernald would do Envy in a heartbeat (see what I mean about character having an impact.)
I leave the room and open another cabinet someplace else that I know isn't magical in any way.
The imp never said I couldn't leave the room and didn't say it had to be one of those cabinets.
Better the devil you know then the one you don't.
I'd rather have nothing, than something I don't understand trying to kill me.
It would depend on the character, really. I could imagine a would-be devil binder wanting to try and control the Wrath creature, or a low-WIS impulse-driven character wanting the fey.
As a player? Eh.... I'd pass. As a few of my characters, though, I would take the risk.
Well, the room is part of a test, so leaving isn't an option. To pass the room, you have to open one door. Lateral thinking / crazy solutions aren't forbidden (if you can pull it off), but just walking away isn't on the table.
Doug M.
I suspect you're talking about
If so, what is the lesson the group is supposed to learn, and what room is this replacing?
I'm going to assume the room flows something like this in gameplay:
Party enters the room, and you describe what they see. The four cabinets, each with one of the words written in Infernal: Pride, Wrath, Envy, and Lust. The Imp appears, and says his piece. The players choose their representative, and then the representative chooses their cabinet. At that point, the other three cabinets disappear, and once the chosen cabinet is opened, the creature inside makes their offer - or the PC admires how pretty they are in the mirror.
Once the cabinet is open, does the PC have to free the creature inside to continue, or can they refuse to free the creature and shut the door? If the PC is, say, a worshipper of Asmodeus (possibly a cleric with the Asmodean Advocate archetype), can they sign the creature to another contract, one that ensures they have control of it, and for possibly longer, in exchange for freedom?
I have a PC in a Way of the Wicked game here on the boards. What he would have done, if he'd been chosen party representative, is probably pick the Wrath cabinet, and then free the creature inside. If the point of the lesson is "Some will say anything to be free from their imprisonment" or something like that, then he'd probably refuse to free the creature and shut the door - if that's allowed.
whats the point of this test?
Phntm888 wrote: I suspect you're talking about ** spoiler omitted ** Phntm 888, you're correct -- that's what I'm talking about. I've pretty completely rewritten and expanded that part of the module. I've kept maybe two rooms the same. (The last one, and the one with the squire.) The others are now a mix of combat and puzzles. Most of the time it's possible to avoid combat or gain an advantage if the players are clever.
Quote: Party enters the room, and you describe what they see. The four cabinets, each with one of the words written in Infernal: Pride, Wrath, Envy, and Lust. The Imp appears, and says his piece. The players choose their representative, and then the representative chooses their cabinet. At that point, the other three cabinets disappear, and once the chosen cabinet is opened, the creature inside makes their offer - or the PC admires how pretty they are in the mirror. You can't exit the room until you've opened a cabinet. Either there's a key inside, or you pass through the cabinet to reach the exit. (Hm, "key inside" is probably simpler.)
As to the lesson, there's an inscription on the door as you enter: "What the weak call sins, we know as strengths and virtues. But not all virtues are equal."
Doug M.
So, to confirm, the players do not know what's inside a cabinet until it's opened, correct? The only clue they have is the writing on the door?
Saldiven wrote: So, to confirm, the players do not know what's inside a cabinet until it's opened, correct? The only clue they have is the writing on the door? They see the creatures, and each creature gets its little fixed speech.
Doug M.
Were I going through the trials again, and I found this room, I'd look for the 3 missing cabinets.
I liked the boulder chase sequence...
Can the PCs ask the imp more questions? Like, who exactly are they bound to serve, who is considered "your enemy" and who decides that?
Also I would use detect magic on all of the cabinets, especially the mirror.
I would want to see the contract that binds these creatures. Surely there must be one, how can you trust anyone if there are no binding contracts signed by all parties involved?
Sins personified sounds much too like demons to me. Especially Lust and Wrath seem too chaotic so that leaves Envy if the contract is solid. I would use Profession (Barrister) or (Scribe) to check it out.
If there is no way to affirm the subservient status of the creatures, I would consult the group to choose a creature we would be most confident in taking down should it prove hostile.
Somehow I think that Pride would be the correct answer though...
I've always felt the opposite, regarding the seven sins. They're putting evil into boxes, which I've always thought fit Devils and the Hells to a Tee. But the 4/7 feels like a clue the PCs should be reacting to.
Is there a hint for this room like there is for the others?
I think that demons represent the ultimate personification of mortal sin due to a few passages in the Book of The Damned Vol 2.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/demon/ wrote:
"In essence, demons are the ultimate “evolution” of sins born of mortal choice, a final scourge upon existence and a necessary price to pay for free will."
"While the demon lords are unique and individualistic, the demons themselves are shaped and formed by the constants of sin. When a soul filled with sin comes to the Abyss and makes its transformation into a full-fledged demon, that transformation, like water, follows the path of least resistance—the results of these transformations almost always manifest as one of the known races of demon."
WagnerSika wrote: I liked the boulder chase sequence... Oh, we're definitely doing that again. I think this room will come immediately after.
(I ripped out the shadow + vampiric mist room, because it took way too long and ultimately didn't have a lesson beyond "you can kill some monsters with fire".)
Doug M.
Okay so the party selected Pride (the correct answer) without a moment's hesitation.
The other three were demons: succubus, shadow, and brimorak. Since the PCs are level 2, the demons won't kill them outright, but they're allowed to beat hell out of them (and, in the case of the succubus, drain a level). The lesson, of course, is that Pride is the cardinal sin -- the one that should command and be chosen above all others.
Doug M.
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