Methods of Execution.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Methods of Execution.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Metatron777
04-23-05, 12:23 PM Hi everyone and I turst that all of your are having a most wonderful day.

I'm trying to think up some ideas for a couple of Eberron campaigns that deal with the stuff that happens behind the scenes such as the dragons and their plans. I have one major npc who is a member of the Chamber and sorta "cleans messes up" and "removes" potential individuals from hampering the prophercy.

I am bascially looking for ways in which he has his prey executed in the most gruesome way or even how the dragons have half-dragon abominations destroyed...Does anybody have any suggestions?

I already checked out some of the methods in Book of Vile Darkness, but i'm looking for some real cruelty here..

Thank you and i hope you all have a wonderful day...
Gurv
04-23-05, 03:26 PM I am bascially looking for ways in which he has his prey executed in the most gruesome way or even how the dragons have half-dragon abominations destroyed...Does anybody have any suggestions?Why does this NPC do it in the most gruesome manner possible? Knowing his motivation would help devise some methods.
Malicant
04-23-05, 03:41 PM 'cleans messes up' and 'most gruesome way' seem to contradict each other. But if he's a dragon himself, fire or acid breath are pretty final solutions. If he isn't maybe he uses equivalent spells to get rid of nuisances. If not, ye good olde assassine methods are always a good choice. Kill in sleep, poison usage, putting poisonous vermin into bed...

Perhaps you really should describe that npc better. Motivation, goals, superiors, that kind of stuff.
Metatron777
04-23-05, 08:59 PM Well he happens to serve both the Chamber and the church of the silver flame

He is used to do things that would be extremely hard for a person to do...Such as killing anything, regardless of age or innocence...This is the result of a mental imbalance that he has and has been classified as some kind of deranged schizo/madman.

His favorite prey to hunt down and butcher are half dragons for they are abominations in the eyes of the soverign host(at least that what he thinks)...

This is due to the fact that is heavily religious and believes that by butchering the "heretics" in the most grusome way will condem their soul to the vilest fate in the afterlife(like forever being tortured by arch fiends or whatever)

He does this so that by condeming these heretics and abominations to eternal suffering, he hopes to find rest from the demonic voices(his shizo mental imbalances) that torment him.

He can appear to be the most gentlest person you have ever met but then all of a sudden become very cold...He acts as if he has no soul at times...

Two methods of executions he has performed in the past:

Using a dull knife he removed the victim's heart, used magic to somehow keep the victim alive, and then set her body on fire....Sometimes the spell wears off and other times the victim is burning for several days...still alive and feeling the pain..

Then another time he performed surgery on one victim and started to remove body parts one by one..Again the same spell would be used to sustain the victim but then he makes the victim look through his eyes. This allows the victim to witness what he is doing to the body...They still feel pain during this whole time.....

Perhaps most grusome way is the wrong word....He executes them in a sense where they will feel pain and suffering to the extreme...

He does have a knack for performing these "holy executions" and hiding the bodies in very well hidden spots....so far none of the bodies of his victims have been found....

If he burns the bodies its in a place where it is natural for something to be burning...Like in the center of a huge refinery...that way they couldn't hear the screams of the victims due to the machinery or notice smoke, since the smoke would be near vents...(i guess this part makes sense, trying to think up of an example)

how's that?
My Lego
04-25-05, 01:25 PM This post would maybe get more responces on the Vile Darkness boards. :whatsthis

But anyway, the question is if you want to convey magic induced cruelty or more "mundane" cruelty? The less fantastic scenes tend to hit your players a lot harder. Knowing your players is a key word here.

For mundane nastieness try medival execution methods...
Lurkalot
05-07-05, 04:07 PM Definitely agree with Lego that more realistic scenes usually hit harder. I don't want this to come across critically but perhaps you just need more realism in your games?

Any manner of murder is hideous. Consider what it must be like to be drowned - your head forced under the water, wanting to breathe and unable. Imagine the water in your lungs. A player can usually relate to this better than fantastic tortures. One of the most brutal scenes I've ever run was in a Vampire game where the PCs witnessed someone being beaten to death - pretty much just punched into unconciousness and then more. It was horrible for all of us and difficult for the players who were hidden and too afraid to intervene.
Rechan
05-07-05, 08:33 PM Here's something from one of the FR books.

Take some barb wire, or razor wire, and wrap the individual in it tight. Or alternatively, construct an interweaving web of razorwire around them.

Cast Tasha's Uncontrollable Dancing.

Mop up afterwards.
The_Fan
05-07-05, 08:52 PM Yeah, I think the more mundane executions are the most brutal. Also, a botched execution is generally worse:

For instance, have someone being hung, but they were too light for their neck to break. So they dangle helplessly at the end of a rope, clawing at their neck, futily trying to releave the pressure. In the olden days, they'd actually cut it, bring him back up, put some weights on him, and do it again. It was just considered too cruel to have someone die by strangulation.

You could have death by firing squad. A bunch of archers line up with their longbows and shoot a bound target. If the victim's high enough level, it may take them several shots.

Headsmen were rarely pros. More often they were some big drunk they picked up at the bar and gave him a dull axe. One clean blow? Nah. More likely he'd have to give it a few whacks, may even take a piece of the skull off first.

I'm sure you can use your imagination on botched executions.
Uller999
05-07-05, 10:05 PM I always found that anything involving people melting was really gross. It always freaked my players out to have a person getting disolved in acid described and the scene from Transformers the movie where Windbreaker and some other random bot are being melted in Unicron's stomach acid and are shrieking and crying, well I always thought that whole thing was scary. So I'm pro melting.
yossarius
05-10-05, 01:00 PM The thing is, do you want the executions to be horrible for those being executed, or for those watching? I think you'll find that any method is much more of one than the other. In any case, any non-swift, non-painless form on execution can be horrible. It's all a matter of how you describe it to the players. The longer you drag it out, and the more you relate it to your players' own personal experiences, the more horrible it is likely to come across.
Blindside
05-10-05, 02:03 PM You want some ingenious ways to kill someone with an interesting twist? Go rent SAW and watch it.... lets just say... many interesting ways to have someone off themselves.
Acceptableloss
05-10-05, 04:19 PM It always freaked my players out to have a person getting disolved in acid described and the scene from Transformers the movie where Windbreaker and some other random bot are being melted in Unicron's stomach acid and are shrieking and crying, well I always thought that whole thing was scary. So I'm pro melting.

That movie was seriously disturbing to see as a kid. So many of the transformers just get horribly killed, which is even worse when you own their action figure. In the first scene the Decepticons blow away like four major Transformer characters. (I can't remember their names...can you?)

My personal favorite part of that movie was, "Spare me this mockery of justice!" right before they dump the guy into the pool of robotic sharks. Good times.

On the horrible death scene thing: I was thinking of having a big nasty troll npc kill a guy in front of the PCs by holding him in one big troll hand by the legs and swinging him face first into a stone floor. I imagine that would make some sort of wet meaty thud sound.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Metatron777 04-23-05, 12:23 PM	Hi everyone and I turst that all of your are having a most wonderful day. I'm trying to think up some ideas for a couple of Eberron campaigns that deal with the stuff that happens behind the scenes such as the dragons and their plans. I have one major npc who is a member of the Chamber and sorta "cleans messes up" and "removes" potential individuals from hampering the prophercy. I am bascially looking for ways in which he has his prey executed in the most gruesome way or even how the dragons have half-dragon abominations destroyed...Does anybody have any suggestions? I already checked out some of the methods in Book of Vile Darkness, but i'm looking for some real cruelty here.. Thank you and i hope you all have a wonderful day...
Gurv 04-23-05, 03:26 PM	I am bascially looking for ways in which he has his prey executed in the most gruesome way or even how the dragons have half-dragon abominations destroyed...Does anybody have any suggestions?Why does this NPC do it in the most gruesome manner possible? Knowing his motivation would help devise some methods.
Malicant 04-23-05, 03:41 PM	'cleans messes up' and 'most gruesome way' seem to contradict each other. But if he's a dragon himself, fire or acid breath are pretty final solutions. If he isn't maybe he uses equivalent spells to get rid of nuisances. If not, ye good olde assassine methods are always a good choice. Kill in sleep, poison usage, putting poisonous vermin into bed... Perhaps you really should describe that npc better. Motivation, goals, superiors, that kind of stuff.
Metatron777 04-23-05, 08:59 PM	Well he happens to serve both the Chamber and the church of the silver flame He is used to do things that would be extremely hard for a person to do...Such as killing anything, regardless of age or innocence...This is the result of a mental imbalance that he has and has been classified as some kind of deranged schizo/madman. His favorite prey to hunt down and butcher are half dragons for they are abominations in the eyes of the soverign host(at least that what he thinks)... This is due to the fact that is heavily religious and believes that by butchering the "heretics" in the most grusome way will condem their soul to the vilest fate in the afterlife(like forever being tortured by arch fiends or whatever) He does this so that by condeming these heretics and abominations to eternal suffering, he hopes to find rest from the demonic voices(his shizo mental imbalances) that torment him. He can appear to be the most gentlest person you have ever met but then all of a sudden become very cold...He acts as if he has no soul at times... Two methods of executions he has performed in the past: Using a dull knife he removed the victim's heart, used magic to somehow keep the victim alive, and then set her body on fire....Sometimes the spell wears off and other times the victim is burning for several days...still alive and feeling the pain.. Then another time he performed surgery on one victim and started to remove body parts one by one..Again the same spell would be used to sustain the victim but then he makes the victim look through his eyes. This allows the victim to witness what he is doing to the body...They still feel pain during this whole time..... Perhaps most grusome way is the wrong word....He executes them in a sense where they will feel pain and suffering to the extreme... He does have a knack for performing these "holy executions" and hiding the bodies in very well hidden spots....so far none of the bodies of his victims have been found.... If he burns the bodies its in a place where it is natural for something to be burning...Like in the center of a huge refinery...that way they couldn't hear the screams of the victims due to the machinery or notice smoke, since the smoke would be near vents...(i guess this part makes sense, trying to think up of an example) how's that?
My Lego 04-25-05, 01:25 PM	This post would maybe get more responces on the Vile Darkness boards. :whatsthis But anyway, the question is if you want to convey magic induced cruelty or more "mundane" cruelty? The less fantastic scenes tend to hit your players a lot harder. Knowing your players is a key word here. For mundane nastieness try medival execution methods...
Lurkalot 05-07-05, 04:07 PM	Definitely agree with Lego that more realistic scenes usually hit harder. I don't want this to come across critically but perhaps you just need more realism in your games? Any manner of murder is hideous. Consider what it must be like to be drowned - your head forced under the water, wanting to breathe and unable. Imagine the water in your lungs. A player can usually relate to this better than fantastic tortures. One of the most brutal scenes I've ever run was in a Vampire game where the PCs witnessed someone being beaten to death - pretty much just punched into unconciousness and then more. It was horrible for all of us and difficult for the players who were hidden and too afraid to intervene.
Rechan 05-07-05, 08:33 PM	Here's something from one of the FR books. Take some barb wire, or razor wire, and wrap the individual in it tight. Or alternatively, construct an interweaving web of razorwire around them. Cast Tasha's Uncontrollable Dancing. Mop up afterwards.
The_Fan 05-07-05, 08:52 PM	Yeah, I think the more mundane executions are the most brutal. Also, a botched execution is generally worse: For instance, have someone being hung, but they were too light for their neck to break. So they dangle helplessly at the end of a rope, clawing at their neck, futily trying to releave the pressure. In the olden days, they'd actually cut it, bring him back up, put some weights on him, and do it again. It was just considered too cruel to have someone die by strangulation. You could have death by firing squad. A bunch of archers line up with their longbows and shoot a bound target. If the victim's high enough level, it may take them several shots. Headsmen were rarely pros. More often they were some big drunk they picked up at the bar and gave him a dull axe. One clean blow? Nah. More likely he'd have to give it a few whacks, may even take a piece of the skull off first. I'm sure you can use your imagination on botched executions.
Uller999 05-07-05, 10:05 PM	I always found that anything involving people melting was really gross. It always freaked my players out to have a person getting disolved in acid described and the scene from Transformers the movie where Windbreaker and some other random bot are being melted in Unicron's stomach acid and are shrieking and crying, well I always thought that whole thing was scary. So I'm pro melting.
yossarius 05-10-05, 01:00 PM	The thing is, do you want the executions to be horrible for those being executed, or for those watching? I think you'll find that any method is much more of one than the other. In any case, any non-swift, non-painless form on execution can be horrible. It's all a matter of how you describe it to the players. The longer you drag it out, and the more you relate it to your players' own personal experiences, the more horrible it is likely to come across.
Blindside 05-10-05, 02:03 PM	You want some ingenious ways to kill someone with an interesting twist? Go rent SAW and watch it.... lets just say... many interesting ways to have someone off themselves.
Acceptableloss 05-10-05, 04:19 PM	It always freaked my players out to have a person getting disolved in acid described and the scene from Transformers the movie where Windbreaker and some other random bot are being melted in Unicron's stomach acid and are shrieking and crying, well I always thought that whole thing was scary. So I'm pro melting. That movie was seriously disturbing to see as a kid. So many of the transformers just get horribly killed, which is even worse when you own their action figure. In the first scene the Decepticons blow away like four major Transformer characters. (I can't remember their names...can you?) My personal favorite part of that movie was, "Spare me this mockery of justice!" right before they dump the guy into the pool of robotic sharks. Good times. On the horrible death scene thing: I was thinking of having a big nasty troll npc kill a guy in front of the PCs by holding him in one big troll hand by the legs and swinging him face first into a stone floor. I imagine that would make some sort of wet meaty thud sound.