Fear of death [Archive] - Wizards Community

Fear of death [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
CrimsonEric
01-24-07, 07:21 PM Hoping you guys can help me out with a rules-compatible character idea: A character of mine recently met with an untimely death. He was abandoned by his fellows and left to rot in the sun. The parties reoccurring enemy purloined his corpse and brought him back to life, allowing him a second chance under the condition that he 'off' the rest of the party. He was a third level rouge at the time, and is now tenth level and has completed his task. My request of you is to help me come up with a plausible way for a non caster to quest after the secrets of eternal life. I don't much want to multi-class to a caster because the classes just done suit him. That being said, neither does death. He's been through it once and didn't like what it had in store for him. The best idea I've had thus far is either a carefully worded wish spell or tracking down and paying a vampire to infect him AND allow him to be free. Are there any items or artifacts in existence that might help? Anything you can think of would help me get passed this writers block and get back on track.

Thanks.
WhrenKehrsyn
01-24-07, 10:04 PM Potions of longetivity.

Or are those not in 3e?

EDIT: Giving up the adventurers life is probably a good start too, it has a high mortality rate
CrimsonEric
01-24-07, 10:18 PM But if he dosent keep adventuring and just sits and waits for death to come, death still comes. At least if he is off making steps toward his dream of immortality he is being proactive. Its the idea of death that he wants to avoid, not early death or violent death. Just death.
WhrenKehrsyn
01-25-07, 12:15 AM Heh, I understand that. Like I said, potions of longetivity. They increase ones lifespan. I dont know if they have been updated to 3e though. They very well could no longer exist in the current edition.

Its true though, the less he places himself in danger the less likely he is to meet a sudden end. Adveturers risk death in every thing they do. The danger to, say a librarian, isnt quite as high as the danger an adventurer. If he truly wants to escape death hell find a means of immortality (idealy a means that isnt dangerous to him, and if it is likely would contract out if possible), and do everything possible to stay out of further danger.

As it stands in D&D if he doesnt want to take caster levels hes limited to magical life extending items or locales, and thats it. Aside from potions of longetivity and possibly a Ring of Three Wishes (be careful with that one though) I cant think of any items that have that effect, nor locations. Your DM will have to come up with those himself I think.

Really though I would think hed make a better quest giving NPC at this point because why go risk the very death he wants to avoid collecting the item when he can hire someone to do it for him while he sits comfortably far from danger?

The vampire idea is a good one if you can find a willing vampire, and one that isnt going to let him live simply to have another slave. Wish is an option but because of the high level and an exp cost to cast its unlikely hell find someone willing to cast it for him, so youre back to gaining caster levels yourself.

EDIT: I believe there is a feat in the Epic Level Handbook that allows you to extend your lifespan by a percent of your base races maximum lifespan or something to that effect. You would have to pump a lot of your feats into that though to be immortal, not to mention youll need to be 21+ level to take it at all.
Fithero
01-25-07, 01:00 AM Have him become an elan... he will loose all his levels and most of his personality... but he will be immortal! (in the sence that he wont die of age... a sword will still put an end to him though)

Perhaps you could have your mind removed before the process... and put back in afterward... thats a possible way of avoiding the memory wipe.

Do all that or just become a god... either or :D

Peace
CrimsonEric
01-25-07, 01:31 AM He is a LE Halfling Rogue5/Assassin5, and heavily religious. He was CG before his death, dying heroically to save a princess he single handedly snuck into the barons seventh story window to rescue.

He scaled the outside of the keep while the rest of the party walked in the front door. Cut through the Barons window with his masterwork infiltration kit (a custom item that allows for glass cutting and the like) and got the girl and a whole ton of ill gotten tax money out the window and down the first two tiers outside when he was assailed by what the party doubled "Sword Guy". A hitherto unnamed weapon master of the keep who was a bit put out by his thievery. I wish I could say the battle was hard fought, but my little third level rouge just wanted to get the infant princess down to ground level. To that end he spent precious time giving her his last potion of feather fall allowing her to jump to the ground and relative safety before turning on his assailant without a single member of his party willing to stop running long enough to help him. The thief managed a few blows before being knocked unconscious and then dropping thirty feet off the wall to the ground, landing him at -11 hit points and flinging him into the cold embrace of death. His companions and so called 'friends' left him to rot in the sun, choosing instead to take the purloined gold and the toddler princess and leave Mr. Brandoberis Blueleaf for the wolves. The wolves, however, did not take him. A reoccurring villain (Willinthur) did and resurrected him in exchange for loyalty and the lives of those who turned their backs on him. Brando, twisted by feelings of loss and betrayal took Wilinthur up on his offer and over time slew his former friends, eventually becoming a renowned killer for hire. Now, though, after seeing what death had in store for him he has no wish to go back among those forsaken ranks. Swearing his soul to the God Vecna, Brandoberis Blueleaf walks a dark path with a misleading smile on his face and a loveable disposition hiding his true nature from any who would suspect him. His debt paid to the man who resurrected him and that man disposed of (Brando eventually killed him too, destroying any link that may have tied him to the crimes) Brando is free to roam the world, seeking knowledge enough and power enough in order to forever free himself from the specter of death.

It occurred to me that he may somehow strike up a deal with Vecna to meet his desired goal. I have talked to my DM about it and hes pretty flexible. What kind of deal would a less than epic character have to make with a God to a) gain his attention, and b) be granted such a gift (or curse, depending on your point of view)
Sikyanakotik
01-25-07, 11:11 AM You could simply hear of and decide to seek some legendary artifact said to grant immortality. Whether said artifact actually exists, or is attainable, is mostly irrelevent. It fits well with the larceny as well, especially if it's rumoured to be secreted in some ancient, trap-filled dungeon.
Adrez Nesnsid
03-03-07, 03:22 PM You could simply hear of and decide to seek some legendary artifact said to grant immortality. Whether said artifact actually exists, or is attainable, is mostly irrelevent. It fits well with the larceny as well, especially if it's rumoured to be secreted in some ancient, trap-filled dungeon.

There's an article somewhere on the D&D website that stats out an artifact similar to Dorian Gray's portrait (from the horror novel The Picture of Dorian Grey), I think that its in one of the Fey Feature articles for some reason...

oh, and don't forget there's always undeath (and/or deathlessness) or clones or being turned into a construct to try. OH, and also the Alienist PrC from the Complete Arcane offers a version of the "Timeless Body" ability wherein the character, in addition to not taking aging penalties, also never dies from old age (However, the ability description does stipulate that around thetime when they otherwise would have died from old age, powerful (ie, significantly more powerful that the character in question) beings from the Far Realm and/or the Abyss come to abduct the character to their home plane. Additionally, the Beloved of Valarin Prestige Class from the BoED slows a character's aging process to the point where they are effectively immortal. Additionally, the Reincarnate spells reset a character's age to young adulthood, and so could thus be used to get around the maximum age issue.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CrimsonEric 01-24-07, 07:21 PM	Hoping you guys can help me out with a rules-compatible character idea: A character of mine recently met with an untimely death. He was abandoned by his fellows and left to rot in the sun. The parties reoccurring enemy purloined his corpse and brought him back to life, allowing him a second chance under the condition that he 'off' the rest of the party. He was a third level rouge at the time, and is now tenth level and has completed his task. My request of you is to help me come up with a plausible way for a non caster to quest after the secrets of eternal life. I don't much want to multi-class to a caster because the classes just done suit him. That being said, neither does death. He's been through it once and didn't like what it had in store for him. The best idea I've had thus far is either a carefully worded wish spell or tracking down and paying a vampire to infect him AND allow him to be free. Are there any items or artifacts in existence that might help? Anything you can think of would help me get passed this writers block and get back on track. Thanks.
WhrenKehrsyn 01-24-07, 10:04 PM	Potions of longetivity. Or are those not in 3e? EDIT: Giving up the adventurers life is probably a good start too, it has a high mortality rate
CrimsonEric 01-24-07, 10:18 PM	But if he dosent keep adventuring and just sits and waits for death to come, death still comes. At least if he is off making steps toward his dream of immortality he is being proactive. Its the idea of death that he wants to avoid, not early death or violent death. Just death.
WhrenKehrsyn 01-25-07, 12:15 AM	Heh, I understand that. Like I said, potions of longetivity. They increase ones lifespan. I dont know if they have been updated to 3e though. They very well could no longer exist in the current edition. Its true though, the less he places himself in danger the less likely he is to meet a sudden end. Adveturers risk death in every thing they do. The danger to, say a librarian, isnt quite as high as the danger an adventurer. If he truly wants to escape death hell find a means of immortality (idealy a means that isnt dangerous to him, and if it is likely would contract out if possible), and do everything possible to stay out of further danger. As it stands in D&D if he doesnt want to take caster levels hes limited to magical life extending items or locales, and thats it. Aside from potions of longetivity and possibly a Ring of Three Wishes (be careful with that one though) I cant think of any items that have that effect, nor locations. Your DM will have to come up with those himself I think. Really though I would think hed make a better quest giving NPC at this point because why go risk the very death he wants to avoid collecting the item when he can hire someone to do it for him while he sits comfortably far from danger? The vampire idea is a good one if you can find a willing vampire, and one that isnt going to let him live simply to have another slave. Wish is an option but because of the high level and an exp cost to cast its unlikely hell find someone willing to cast it for him, so youre back to gaining caster levels yourself. EDIT: I believe there is a feat in the Epic Level Handbook that allows you to extend your lifespan by a percent of your base races maximum lifespan or something to that effect. You would have to pump a lot of your feats into that though to be immortal, not to mention youll need to be 21+ level to take it at all.
Fithero 01-25-07, 01:00 AM	Have him become an elan... he will loose all his levels and most of his personality... but he will be immortal! (in the sence that he wont die of age... a sword will still put an end to him though) Perhaps you could have your mind removed before the process... and put back in afterward... thats a possible way of avoiding the memory wipe. Do all that or just become a god... either or :D Peace
CrimsonEric 01-25-07, 01:31 AM	He is a LE Halfling Rogue5/Assassin5, and heavily religious. He was CG before his death, dying heroically to save a princess he single handedly snuck into the barons seventh story window to rescue. He scaled the outside of the keep while the rest of the party walked in the front door. Cut through the Barons window with his masterwork infiltration kit (a custom item that allows for glass cutting and the like) and got the girl and a whole ton of ill gotten tax money out the window and down the first two tiers outside when he was assailed by what the party doubled "Sword Guy". A hitherto unnamed weapon master of the keep who was a bit put out by his thievery. I wish I could say the battle was hard fought, but my little third level rouge just wanted to get the infant princess down to ground level. To that end he spent precious time giving her his last potion of feather fall allowing her to jump to the ground and relative safety before turning on his assailant without a single member of his party willing to stop running long enough to help him. The thief managed a few blows before being knocked unconscious and then dropping thirty feet off the wall to the ground, landing him at -11 hit points and flinging him into the cold embrace of death. His companions and so called 'friends' left him to rot in the sun, choosing instead to take the purloined gold and the toddler princess and leave Mr. Brandoberis Blueleaf for the wolves. The wolves, however, did not take him. A reoccurring villain (Willinthur) did and resurrected him in exchange for loyalty and the lives of those who turned their backs on him. Brando, twisted by feelings of loss and betrayal took Wilinthur up on his offer and over time slew his former friends, eventually becoming a renowned killer for hire. Now, though, after seeing what death had in store for him he has no wish to go back among those forsaken ranks. Swearing his soul to the God Vecna, Brandoberis Blueleaf walks a dark path with a misleading smile on his face and a loveable disposition hiding his true nature from any who would suspect him. His debt paid to the man who resurrected him and that man disposed of (Brando eventually killed him too, destroying any link that may have tied him to the crimes) Brando is free to roam the world, seeking knowledge enough and power enough in order to forever free himself from the specter of death. It occurred to me that he may somehow strike up a deal with Vecna to meet his desired goal. I have talked to my DM about it and hes pretty flexible. What kind of deal would a less than epic character have to make with a God to a) gain his attention, and b) be granted such a gift (or curse, depending on your point of view)
Sikyanakotik 01-25-07, 11:11 AM	You could simply hear of and decide to seek some legendary artifact said to grant immortality. Whether said artifact actually exists, or is attainable, is mostly irrelevent. It fits well with the larceny as well, especially if it's rumoured to be secreted in some ancient, trap-filled dungeon.
Adrez Nesnsid 03-03-07, 03:22 PM	You could simply hear of and decide to seek some legendary artifact said to grant immortality. Whether said artifact actually exists, or is attainable, is mostly irrelevent. It fits well with the larceny as well, especially if it's rumoured to be secreted in some ancient, trap-filled dungeon. There's an article somewhere on the D&D website that stats out an artifact similar to Dorian Gray's portrait (from the horror novel The Picture of Dorian Grey), I think that its in one of the Fey Feature articles for some reason... oh, and don't forget there's always undeath (and/or deathlessness) or clones or being turned into a construct to try. OH, and also the Alienist PrC from the Complete Arcane offers a version of the "Timeless Body" ability wherein the character, in addition to not taking aging penalties, also never dies from old age (However, the ability description does stipulate that around thetime when they otherwise would have died from old age, powerful (ie, significantly more powerful that the character in question) beings from the Far Realm and/or the Abyss come to abduct the character to their home plane. Additionally, the Beloved of Valarin Prestige Class from the BoED slows a character's aging process to the point where they are effectively immortal. Additionally, the Reincarnate spells reset a character's age to young adulthood, and so could thus be used to get around the maximum age issue.