Ideas for a fun, original curse [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ideas for a fun, original curse [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Maxxim
06-21-07, 06:50 PM Here is the situation in my campaign:

The PCs, level 3, raided the tomb of a mummy and killed it. The mummy had a golden throne. It is actually a thin layer of gold, so not much worth there, but they are excited and have said a few times they are coming back for what they think is a very expensive, game breaking amount of gold (essentially, they think I messed up and want to take advantage).

The story on this mummy is that he was an ancient king who went crazy, killed a ton of people, then mummified himself. He was then caught and put in this tomb, along with the throne he had from when he was a king, and an evil looking black sword (just a +1 longsword right now).

I am thinking of putting some sort of curse on the throne to make for some interesting events if they try to take it.

I was thinking maybe that whoever actually tries to possess the throne is turned evil (as a helmet of opposite alignment, but always chaotic evil), and slowly goes crazy with an overwhelming need to kill and maim. He protects the throne at all costs.

Then again, it might just mess things up for the PCs and ruin the campaign.

Anyone have any good ideas for an original curse laid on the throne that could provide some fun, but won't be so bad as to completely trash the game? I'm also trying to find a way to tie the mummy king's sword into it, but that's not too important.
Kesuk2k5
06-22-07, 07:14 AM Here's an idea:

If the PCs remove the throne, roll each party member's Will save at the start of a new week. On a failure, the relevant character has a nightmare (as the spell; caster level 9th and DC 17) a total of 1d4 nights during that week. The nightmare involves either the mummy himself appearing, or visions of desert-swallowed cities, locusts, being trapped in catacombs, being strangled by unseen hands, or something equally themed to the mummy. On a successful save, they have a similar nightmare only one night that week and upon waking are shaken for 1 hour.

If the PCs return the throne having left it alone, the curse ends. If they have dismantled it and made profit from selling the throne or its plating, the curse continues until they find an adventure-based way to remove it and put the mummy's spirit to rest.
Maxxim
06-22-07, 12:28 PM I like that. It's going to potentially bug them for awhile, but it's not going to mess things up in a bigger way (which my original idea had a good chance of doing).

Thanks!
Delfedd
06-23-07, 09:56 PM Also, the dismantled throne can become a potent hook. Say you want the PCs to go to a town to save it from frost giants. They are looking for the left arm of the throne. A merchant in the town has bought it, however, when they arrive they discover the merchant is dead and the throne piece stolen.

Also, if you want this to have a certain Pirates of the caribbean feel, you might want to decide to make it gold. Not pure gold... but mostly gold. Tempt the players even further with it.

With the nightmare thing, if the players fail say... five consecutive saving throws, the players chase after the mummy, strangle him, stab him, cast a potent spell on him or something along those lines. The mummy vanishes into sand, laughing as it dies. The next morning, the player finds his hands twisted into claws, his sword bloodied, or his spell components missing. A townsperson is found dead in the same way that the adventurer killed the mummy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Maxxim 06-21-07, 06:50 PM	Here is the situation in my campaign: The PCs, level 3, raided the tomb of a mummy and killed it. The mummy had a golden throne. It is actually a thin layer of gold, so not much worth there, but they are excited and have said a few times they are coming back for what they think is a very expensive, game breaking amount of gold (essentially, they think I messed up and want to take advantage). The story on this mummy is that he was an ancient king who went crazy, killed a ton of people, then mummified himself. He was then caught and put in this tomb, along with the throne he had from when he was a king, and an evil looking black sword (just a +1 longsword right now). I am thinking of putting some sort of curse on the throne to make for some interesting events if they try to take it. I was thinking maybe that whoever actually tries to possess the throne is turned evil (as a helmet of opposite alignment, but always chaotic evil), and slowly goes crazy with an overwhelming need to kill and maim. He protects the throne at all costs. Then again, it might just mess things up for the PCs and ruin the campaign. Anyone have any good ideas for an original curse laid on the throne that could provide some fun, but won't be so bad as to completely trash the game? I'm also trying to find a way to tie the mummy king's sword into it, but that's not too important.
Kesuk2k5 06-22-07, 07:14 AM	Here's an idea: If the PCs remove the throne, roll each party member's Will save at the start of a new week. On a failure, the relevant character has a nightmare (as the spell; caster level 9th and DC 17) a total of 1d4 nights during that week. The nightmare involves either the mummy himself appearing, or visions of desert-swallowed cities, locusts, being trapped in catacombs, being strangled by unseen hands, or something equally themed to the mummy. On a successful save, they have a similar nightmare only one night that week and upon waking are shaken for 1 hour. If the PCs return the throne having left it alone, the curse ends. If they have dismantled it and made profit from selling the throne or its plating, the curse continues until they find an adventure-based way to remove it and put the mummy's spirit to rest.
Maxxim 06-22-07, 12:28 PM	I like that. It's going to potentially bug them for awhile, but it's not going to mess things up in a bigger way (which my original idea had a good chance of doing). Thanks!
Delfedd 06-23-07, 09:56 PM	Also, the dismantled throne can become a potent hook. Say you want the PCs to go to a town to save it from frost giants. They are looking for the left arm of the throne. A merchant in the town has bought it, however, when they arrive they discover the merchant is dead and the throne piece stolen. Also, if you want this to have a certain Pirates of the caribbean feel, you might want to decide to make it gold. Not pure gold... but mostly gold. Tempt the players even further with it. With the nightmare thing, if the players fail say... five consecutive saving throws, the players chase after the mummy, strangle him, stab him, cast a potent spell on him or something along those lines. The mummy vanishes into sand, laughing as it dies. The next morning, the player finds his hands twisted into claws, his sword bloodied, or his spell components missing. A townsperson is found dead in the same way that the adventurer killed the mummy.