Need help planning endgame scenario [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need help planning endgame scenario [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BenjaminBinder
03-24-05, 06:59 PM Planning a campaign for my college gaming group next Fall, and I've hit some snags. Quick plot summary: a cult that worships the shadow-creatures of Mabar sneaks two amulets into Sharn that contain the ethereal forms of two shadow mastiffs (or possibly vorrs) with the possession ability. In a scenario similar to Ghostbusters, the shadow mastiffs possess two hapless innocents and come together at a hidden shrine in one of Sharn's towers. They then use their inherent powers as creatures of Mabar to open a gate that will allow a powerful yugoloth lord to enter the Prime Material Plane.

Problem #1: When the PCs arrive to stop the ceremony, I want the possessed humanoids to actually transform into shadow mastiffs, just like the scene in Ghostbusters. Trouble is, there's no rules for this, and I have no idea what adding this ability will do to the CR. I want to make the scenario fair for the PCs, who should be level 6 or 7 at this point. It also seems that the rules on possession in the ECS don't say how PCs can force a possessing fiend out of a victim's body.

Problem #2: After the PCs defeat the shadow mastiffs, they have to deal with the gate. The gate takes several minutes to open, enough time for the fight with a little to spare on figuring out the puzzle. In front of the gate is an altar with a basin, and from within the gate, again similar to Ghostbusters, a horrible voice cries out, asking the PCs to choose the form that their destructor will take. Whatever the PCs put in the basin, the yugoloth lord will turn into that thing and begin destroying Sharn. If they put in a banana peel, it'll turn into a giant, yellow-skinned, four-armed monstrosity. Ideally for this climactic scene, there should be one thing that the PCs can put in the basin that will destroy the yugoloth and make the gate close. Probably something very silly or something mundane. Any ideas what it could be?
RadicalTaoist
03-24-05, 07:50 PM Throw a changeling in.;)
Alextroy
03-24-05, 08:08 PM Your answer to the first question is to insert one Eldritch Machine into the scene. The machine allows the possessing shadow mastiffs to transform their victims bodies, or maybe swap them with their real bodies back on Mabar. The heroes can either defeat or banish the Shadow Mastiffs, which can then return the victims bodies to Eberron (unharmed if you like, or dead if you are cruel).

Heck, you can link the machine to the ritual they are using to open the portal to Mabar, which explains why it was not used earlier.

Alextroy
KP91
03-24-05, 08:31 PM My answer to your second question would be make it a holy item, or flametouched iron. Holy Symbol because Yogloths are evil, or flametouched iron because The Silver Flame destroys outsiders. If you have Complete Arcane, then starmetal works too.
BenjaminBinder
03-25-05, 11:45 AM Aha, yes. The eldtrich machine could be confingured to generate an effect similar to baleful transposition, switching the bodies of the possessed humans with the bodies of the shadow mastiffs on Mabar. Since the mastiffs would be in their original bodies, they would die when slain, and I wouldn't have to worry about them possessing anybody else. I probably wouldn't even need to factor their possession ability into their CR.

Hmm, it's a shame that yugoloths don't have a "classic" substance that can harm them. If it was a demon-lord, it would be a no-brainer for the PCs: simply throw in some cold iron. For a holy or flametouched item, they'd have to do some research before the encounter and probably make a deal with some NPCs, which kind of takes away from the "moment" when they solve the puzzle.
law
03-25-05, 11:51 AM You could alwasy change the yugoloths DR for your game (picking a metal). Just something rare and not common on construct DR. Like star metal, flame touchet iron, or something. That or you could say a vial a holy water into it to do the job.
KP91
03-25-05, 11:51 AM Starmetal from Complete Arcane deals 1d6 extra damage to Outsiders.

Wait I thought of something. How about a bane weapon? Especially if you have a party artificer.
Vharuck
03-25-05, 01:46 PM The answer to the first question is: you don't need a reason. You're the DM. Ever play Baldur's Gate 2? Remember the circus with the illusionist gnome who made everything appear completely different within a few seconds? Really hard in game terms. But nobody cared about game terms. Just say it happens, and it will.

As for the second, I too think it should be a holy item.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BenjaminBinder 03-24-05, 06:59 PM	Planning a campaign for my college gaming group next Fall, and I've hit some snags. Quick plot summary: a cult that worships the shadow-creatures of Mabar sneaks two amulets into Sharn that contain the ethereal forms of two shadow mastiffs (or possibly vorrs) with the possession ability. In a scenario similar to Ghostbusters, the shadow mastiffs possess two hapless innocents and come together at a hidden shrine in one of Sharn's towers. They then use their inherent powers as creatures of Mabar to open a gate that will allow a powerful yugoloth lord to enter the Prime Material Plane. Problem #1: When the PCs arrive to stop the ceremony, I want the possessed humanoids to actually transform into shadow mastiffs, just like the scene in Ghostbusters. Trouble is, there's no rules for this, and I have no idea what adding this ability will do to the CR. I want to make the scenario fair for the PCs, who should be level 6 or 7 at this point. It also seems that the rules on possession in the ECS don't say how PCs can force a possessing fiend out of a victim's body. Problem #2: After the PCs defeat the shadow mastiffs, they have to deal with the gate. The gate takes several minutes to open, enough time for the fight with a little to spare on figuring out the puzzle. In front of the gate is an altar with a basin, and from within the gate, again similar to Ghostbusters, a horrible voice cries out, asking the PCs to choose the form that their destructor will take. Whatever the PCs put in the basin, the yugoloth lord will turn into that thing and begin destroying Sharn. If they put in a banana peel, it'll turn into a giant, yellow-skinned, four-armed monstrosity. Ideally for this climactic scene, there should be one thing that the PCs can put in the basin that will destroy the yugoloth and make the gate close. Probably something very silly or something mundane. Any ideas what it could be?
RadicalTaoist 03-24-05, 07:50 PM	Throw a changeling in.;)
Alextroy 03-24-05, 08:08 PM	Your answer to the first question is to insert one Eldritch Machine into the scene. The machine allows the possessing shadow mastiffs to transform their victims bodies, or maybe swap them with their real bodies back on Mabar. The heroes can either defeat or banish the Shadow Mastiffs, which can then return the victims bodies to Eberron (unharmed if you like, or dead if you are cruel). Heck, you can link the machine to the ritual they are using to open the portal to Mabar, which explains why it was not used earlier. Alextroy
KP91 03-24-05, 08:31 PM	My answer to your second question would be make it a holy item, or flametouched iron. Holy Symbol because Yogloths are evil, or flametouched iron because The Silver Flame destroys outsiders. If you have Complete Arcane, then starmetal works too.
BenjaminBinder 03-25-05, 11:45 AM	Aha, yes. The eldtrich machine could be confingured to generate an effect similar to baleful transposition, switching the bodies of the possessed humans with the bodies of the shadow mastiffs on Mabar. Since the mastiffs would be in their original bodies, they would die when slain, and I wouldn't have to worry about them possessing anybody else. I probably wouldn't even need to factor their possession ability into their CR. Hmm, it's a shame that yugoloths don't have a "classic" substance that can harm them. If it was a demon-lord, it would be a no-brainer for the PCs: simply throw in some cold iron. For a holy or flametouched item, they'd have to do some research before the encounter and probably make a deal with some NPCs, which kind of takes away from the "moment" when they solve the puzzle.
law 03-25-05, 11:51 AM	You could alwasy change the yugoloths DR for your game (picking a metal). Just something rare and not common on construct DR. Like star metal, flame touchet iron, or something. That or you could say a vial a holy water into it to do the job.
KP91 03-25-05, 11:51 AM	Starmetal from Complete Arcane deals 1d6 extra damage to Outsiders. Wait I thought of something. How about a bane weapon? Especially if you have a party artificer.
Vharuck 03-25-05, 01:46 PM	The answer to the first question is: you don't need a reason. You're the DM. Ever play Baldur's Gate 2? Remember the circus with the illusionist gnome who made everything appear completely different within a few seconds? Really hard in game terms. But nobody cared about game terms. Just say it happens, and it will. As for the second, I too think it should be a holy item.