Enthralling epic monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Enthralling epic monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Morgengrauen
06-15-07, 05:01 AM Which enthralling monsters do you use in your campaign?

Are there exciting stories around a special monster?

I find it hard in an epic level campaign just to throw "normal" monsters without background story in the game.
rob_douglas
06-17-07, 12:04 AM Interesting question. I agree. IMC, Epic monsters need to be placed carefully, as there is not a huge amount of epic stuff going around. So far I have selected creatures with backstories, for specific reasons.

I placed 2 Hunefers in the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, in place of mummies detailed in the module. They are a long lost king and queen of the ancient suel, who still believe themselves to be worshipped as gods - fueling their power. They can see into the past, and see across the distance to their old kingdom. I have 2 uses for them: They were captured by Zagyg to help him perfect the techniques he eventually used to entrap the demigods that resulted in his ascension, and the technique was copied from Iuz, who did the same in the Soul Husks - where more Hunefer "sleep". They are also able to tell the PCs about things that are/were happening in the past that might help them with other tasks - as soon as they get the Hunefers to stop treating them like inferior beings.

I also use the LeShay for the Sentinels of the Adri forest, coldwood region, guarding Durnukarian's doom - preventing all entry.

I presume that certain primeval gods or proto-gods were really Elder Titans, and will use those as specific entities when needed.

I have a lot of NPCs that will show up as Epics, each uniquely built with a personality, generally based on published characters in Greyhawk.

I have used the Infernal from the ELH adventure Kerleth's Tower.

I used a Tayellah in the Cat Lord's domain - it was a rogue cat creature that he could not capture or control, so the party was sent to do so. The backstory was that the creature accidentally got itself sucked into that domain through a planar rift. All it wants is to go home and see more of its kind, but no one knows where that is. The party didn't want to give him over to the Cat Lord for fear he would try to control it - but they had to admit they also couldn't care for a Tayellah on their world....

I have used Mithral Golems. They should be somewhere important, but don't have a major backstory.

I may use an Elder Treant to help stop people from getting into Darnakurian's Doom. I will use Glooms as assassins soon, and Winterwights when I run Return to the Tomb of Horrors - enhanced to Epic levels.

I also have 2 stone collossi that form the basis for Lerrek's Towers. Lerrek is a powerful Lich serving Hextor, and the two collossi stand atop the entrance to his dungeons - wherein lies the body of a long-dead paladin as a focus for a powerful evil epic spell (as yet undetailed) and the key to recovering his intelligent epic holy avenger sword (with extras) that was given to the Githyanki queen, then lost to a githyanki rebel who now holds it. The Collossi don't have any particular backstory either - but Lerrek does. He won't side with Iuz, or interact with the world. Hasn't for a century (long casting time on that spell - bigtime mitigation.... ;))

Is that what you were asking?

ROB
Avatar of Kokusho
06-17-07, 08:18 AM In a world where we had to find shards composed of the elemental places themselves, there were primal elemental guardians. Not nice, I tell you. Then there was the infernal assassin....you know, it's really not nice to send an infernal after a spellcaster...
Majuba
06-20-07, 05:51 PM I've used an Elder Titan as the long dormant King of the Vigiliers, a race of titans converted/enslaved on the outer planes to serve a lawful/evil empire.

The party had to pass through portals that brought them into his past. First as a child (only about normal titan size), where they were playmates, and witness to the death of his parents. Then to his adulthood, leading his people against the evil "Beryls" and treachery in his court. Forward to the end of the war, on the eve of success, his queen slain and his army surrounded, where the leader of the Beryls forced his unconditional surrender.

Finally they arrive in his present, long sitting on his throne in deep thought - merely awakening him from his statue-like state was a challenge.

I've used Anaxims to great effect - particularly when one party member tried to send one back to Hephaestus, who didn't like being reminded of his failed children.

Additionally I've used an Infernal (fun for a Damnation spell), a Phane (from Quicksilver Hourglass - useful), an almost-demi-lich (ancient pharaoh), Devastation Insects (ultimate shock troops and transports), advanced dragons (of course), Glooms (Quicksilver), a Hunefer (abandoned Queen to the demi-lich pharaoh), a Sirrush (nice tough early epic encounter), and a White and Black Slaad (guardians to a pact with Chaos).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Morgengrauen 06-15-07, 05:01 AM	Which enthralling monsters do you use in your campaign? Are there exciting stories around a special monster? I find it hard in an epic level campaign just to throw "normal" monsters without background story in the game.
rob_douglas 06-17-07, 12:04 AM	Interesting question. I agree. IMC, Epic monsters need to be placed carefully, as there is not a huge amount of epic stuff going around. So far I have selected creatures with backstories, for specific reasons. I placed 2 Hunefers in the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, in place of mummies detailed in the module. They are a long lost king and queen of the ancient suel, who still believe themselves to be worshipped as gods - fueling their power. They can see into the past, and see across the distance to their old kingdom. I have 2 uses for them: They were captured by Zagyg to help him perfect the techniques he eventually used to entrap the demigods that resulted in his ascension, and the technique was copied from Iuz, who did the same in the Soul Husks - where more Hunefer "sleep". They are also able to tell the PCs about things that are/were happening in the past that might help them with other tasks - as soon as they get the Hunefers to stop treating them like inferior beings. I also use the LeShay for the Sentinels of the Adri forest, coldwood region, guarding Durnukarian's doom - preventing all entry. I presume that certain primeval gods or proto-gods were really Elder Titans, and will use those as specific entities when needed. I have a lot of NPCs that will show up as Epics, each uniquely built with a personality, generally based on published characters in Greyhawk. I have used the Infernal from the ELH adventure Kerleth's Tower. I used a Tayellah in the Cat Lord's domain - it was a rogue cat creature that he could not capture or control, so the party was sent to do so. The backstory was that the creature accidentally got itself sucked into that domain through a planar rift. All it wants is to go home and see more of its kind, but no one knows where that is. The party didn't want to give him over to the Cat Lord for fear he would try to control it - but they had to admit they also couldn't care for a Tayellah on their world.... I have used Mithral Golems. They should be somewhere important, but don't have a major backstory. I may use an Elder Treant to help stop people from getting into Darnakurian's Doom. I will use Glooms as assassins soon, and Winterwights when I run Return to the Tomb of Horrors - enhanced to Epic levels. I also have 2 stone collossi that form the basis for Lerrek's Towers. Lerrek is a powerful Lich serving Hextor, and the two collossi stand atop the entrance to his dungeons - wherein lies the body of a long-dead paladin as a focus for a powerful evil epic spell (as yet undetailed) and the key to recovering his intelligent epic holy avenger sword (with extras) that was given to the Githyanki queen, then lost to a githyanki rebel who now holds it. The Collossi don't have any particular backstory either - but Lerrek does. He won't side with Iuz, or interact with the world. Hasn't for a century (long casting time on that spell - bigtime mitigation.... ;)) Is that what you were asking? ROB
Avatar of Kokusho 06-17-07, 08:18 AM	In a world where we had to find shards composed of the elemental places themselves, there were primal elemental guardians. Not nice, I tell you. Then there was the infernal assassin....you know, it's really not nice to send an infernal after a spellcaster...
Majuba 06-20-07, 05:51 PM	I've used an Elder Titan as the long dormant King of the Vigiliers, a race of titans converted/enslaved on the outer planes to serve a lawful/evil empire. The party had to pass through portals that brought them into his past. First as a child (only about normal titan size), where they were playmates, and witness to the death of his parents. Then to his adulthood, leading his people against the evil "Beryls" and treachery in his court. Forward to the end of the war, on the eve of success, his queen slain and his army surrounded, where the leader of the Beryls forced his unconditional surrender. Finally they arrive in his present, long sitting on his throne in deep thought - merely awakening him from his statue-like state was a challenge. I've used Anaxims to great effect - particularly when one party member tried to send one back to Hephaestus, who didn't like being reminded of his failed children. Additionally I've used an Infernal (fun for a Damnation spell), a Phane (from Quicksilver Hourglass - useful), an almost-demi-lich (ancient pharaoh), Devastation Insects (ultimate shock troops and transports), advanced dragons (of course), Glooms (Quicksilver), a Hunefer (abandoned Queen to the demi-lich pharaoh), a Sirrush (nice tough early epic encounter), and a White and Black Slaad (guardians to a pact with Chaos).