Booby-trapped bodies [Archive] - Wizards Community

Booby-trapped bodies [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Steely Glint
10-18-05, 10:31 PM So I'm thinking of having a little side quest in which the players investigate a series of murders. The twist is that the serial killer enjoys trapping the bodies of the people he kills in order to mess with them. I'm looking for some ideas for what kind of traps could be used. The trapmaker has money and access to magic.

I don't intend to force the players to set off the traps, but I would like to set up the situation so that they get hit by at least three of them. What I'd like to do is use traps in the first few scenes that they don't even realize are traps (the body infected with a disease or a time delayed poison, some sort of curse that doesn't take effect until a day later) then have a few obvious traps that still require them to be non-paranoid to affect them (explosive runes or similar magic, a mechanical trap of some kind, maybe tiny poisonous creatures hidden in the body), and finally very aggressive traps that only require them to be near the bodies (body animates as a wight or similar undead, summons creatures that attack).

There are my initial ideas, I'd appreciate anything you guys can come up with as well as general suggestions.
Phist
10-19-05, 01:13 AM These are all assuming that they are going to have to look the body over a bit for investigation purposes:
1. Replace the ID in his wallet with explosive runes.
2. Smear the body with contact poison
3. Cover a coin in his wallet with contact poison (Come on, would any adventurer pass up gold from a dead body?)
4. Have a compressed cloud of gas poison in the man's satchel/bag/purse/backpack. They open it up, and everyone in the block is gonna be feeling it.
5. Animate the corpse.
Bayne
10-19-05, 01:34 AM I like the idea of a disease as they migth not even think it's a trap when they find out, just incredibly bad luck on their part caused by medevil hygene.
MachinaDeus
10-19-05, 02:57 AM The trapmaker has money and access to magic.

You might consider looking into the Craft Contingent Spell feat from the Complete Arcane(pg. 77, with more information on pg. 139), although it might take just a little bit of bending the rules if you follow it *exactly* as written.

Or there is always Gem Magic(Magic of Faerun pg. 14)

Or Inscribe Rune(FRCS pg. 36)
Fixxxer
10-19-05, 03:29 AM How about a noxious gas that nausiates (and potentially hurts or kills) anyone that breathes it in? The trick with this particular setup is that the gas is inside the victim's stomach. Once the body is either cut open or the belly is pressed, the gas escapes (via the wound or mouth, respectively). This could be a good "first" trap, as it probably won't come into play with the PCs, but establishes the killer's M.O. when a coronoer or medical examiner ends up dead.

To throw a bit of insult to top the injury, have a magically scribed letter to the investigators show up a day after the body is found (giving plenty of time for the trap to be set off) that says something like "Ha ha, gotcha, suckers!"
Chaos_Descending
10-19-05, 09:51 AM Please don't tell me you'll be pullinga page from Order of the Stick and have them find a note on him saying "I prepared explosive runes today"

Which activates the spell...

Example (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=92)
Bane
10-19-05, 10:16 AM I like the idea of diseases as traps. I would also suggest planting several centipedes/spiders/vermin in the dead guy, so when someone tries to move the body, poisonous vermin swarm out to protect their home.
Steely Glint
10-19-05, 06:09 PM Thanks for the input everyone. I like the idea of someone else being the victim of one of the traps, whether its a coroner (or whatever the medieval term for that is) or possibly a thief attempting to loot the corpse. The game is mostly core, so I won't be including things as significant as gem magic or craft contingent spell.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to use explosive runes for one trap and a swarm of things for another. I was thinking of leaving a note (paper or cut into flesh?) with each victim that gives a clue to the location of the next victim, like the serial killer RDK from an episode of Law & Order (based on the real world serial killer BTK I think). Anyway, this will help make it more likely that my players will actually read the notes left on the bodies... and get a face full of explosive runes.

Having mentioned a thief looting the body before the PCs get there, I was thinking that would be an interesting side-sidequest. If they want to succeed, they have to hunt down this guy who inadvertently stole the next clue... and he of course is under the lingering effects of that body's trap. Does anyone have any additional ideas or comments?

P.S. I'm considering having a female victim with a literal "booby trap." On a scale of 1-10 rate how tasteless that is (with 10 being the most tasteless). I figure a twisted serial killer would have a twisted sense of humor.
HamHam
10-19-05, 06:25 PM Please don't tell me you'll be pullinga page from Order of the Stick and have them find a note on him saying "I prepared explosive runes today"

Which activates the spell...

If I ever play a Wizard, I swear I will do that at least once.
Keenath
10-19-05, 06:30 PM Perhaps a little obvious, but the simplest trap is a packet of poison gas or alchemical solution, pressurized, with his bodyweight holding the cap on. Move the body, the cap lifts, and the fluid or gas sprays out on the unlucky player.

Alchemical fire works well for this at low levels, because then you have the players making saves to avoid catching fire.
OamuTheMonk
10-19-05, 06:34 PM ...in my campaign who use a device called a Holocaust Harness. It's a Bandolier-like harness that holds specially-rigged canisters of Alchemist's fire (though it could just as easily be acid, or inhaled poison, or whatever). The harness is worn under clothing, and has wires connected to the Ninja's mask. Assuming he is killed (as is wont to happen to Ninja), removing his mask will set off the charges, spraying everyone within 5' with the alchemical payload (and burning the body as well).
da beast
10-19-05, 06:38 PM The DMGII has some. Here are some of my own: Arrows shoved in after the death of the person that are covered in posion on the shaft, Put some of the light sensitive explosive fungus stuff in their belly :P, cant think of much more right now...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Steely Glint 10-18-05, 10:31 PM	So I'm thinking of having a little side quest in which the players investigate a series of murders. The twist is that the serial killer enjoys trapping the bodies of the people he kills in order to mess with them. I'm looking for some ideas for what kind of traps could be used. The trapmaker has money and access to magic. I don't intend to force the players to set off the traps, but I would like to set up the situation so that they get hit by at least three of them. What I'd like to do is use traps in the first few scenes that they don't even realize are traps (the body infected with a disease or a time delayed poison, some sort of curse that doesn't take effect until a day later) then have a few obvious traps that still require them to be non-paranoid to affect them (explosive runes or similar magic, a mechanical trap of some kind, maybe tiny poisonous creatures hidden in the body), and finally very aggressive traps that only require them to be near the bodies (body animates as a wight or similar undead, summons creatures that attack). There are my initial ideas, I'd appreciate anything you guys can come up with as well as general suggestions.
Phist 10-19-05, 01:13 AM	These are all assuming that they are going to have to look the body over a bit for investigation purposes: 1. Replace the ID in his wallet with explosive runes. 2. Smear the body with contact poison 3. Cover a coin in his wallet with contact poison (Come on, would any adventurer pass up gold from a dead body?) 4. Have a compressed cloud of gas poison in the man's satchel/bag/purse/backpack. They open it up, and everyone in the block is gonna be feeling it. 5. Animate the corpse.
Bayne 10-19-05, 01:34 AM	I like the idea of a disease as they migth not even think it's a trap when they find out, just incredibly bad luck on their part caused by medevil hygene.
MachinaDeus 10-19-05, 02:57 AM	The trapmaker has money and access to magic. You might consider looking into the Craft Contingent Spell feat from the Complete Arcane(pg. 77, with more information on pg. 139), although it might take just a little bit of bending the rules if you follow it exactly as written. Or there is always Gem Magic(Magic of Faerun pg. 14) Or Inscribe Rune(FRCS pg. 36)
Fixxxer 10-19-05, 03:29 AM	How about a noxious gas that nausiates (and potentially hurts or kills) anyone that breathes it in? The trick with this particular setup is that the gas is inside the victim's stomach. Once the body is either cut open or the belly is pressed, the gas escapes (via the wound or mouth, respectively). This could be a good "first" trap, as it probably won't come into play with the PCs, but establishes the killer's M.O. when a coronoer or medical examiner ends up dead. To throw a bit of insult to top the injury, have a magically scribed letter to the investigators show up a day after the body is found (giving plenty of time for the trap to be set off) that says something like "Ha ha, gotcha, suckers!"
Chaos_Descending 10-19-05, 09:51 AM	Please don't tell me you'll be pullinga page from Order of the Stick and have them find a note on him saying "I prepared explosive runes today" Which activates the spell... Example (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=92)
Bane 10-19-05, 10:16 AM	I like the idea of diseases as traps. I would also suggest planting several centipedes/spiders/vermin in the dead guy, so when someone tries to move the body, poisonous vermin swarm out to protect their home.
Steely Glint 10-19-05, 06:09 PM	Thanks for the input everyone. I like the idea of someone else being the victim of one of the traps, whether its a coroner (or whatever the medieval term for that is) or possibly a thief attempting to loot the corpse. The game is mostly core, so I won't be including things as significant as gem magic or craft contingent spell. I'm pretty sure I'm going to use explosive runes for one trap and a swarm of things for another. I was thinking of leaving a note (paper or cut into flesh?) with each victim that gives a clue to the location of the next victim, like the serial killer RDK from an episode of Law & Order (based on the real world serial killer BTK I think). Anyway, this will help make it more likely that my players will actually read the notes left on the bodies... and get a face full of explosive runes. Having mentioned a thief looting the body before the PCs get there, I was thinking that would be an interesting side-sidequest. If they want to succeed, they have to hunt down this guy who inadvertently stole the next clue... and he of course is under the lingering effects of that body's trap. Does anyone have any additional ideas or comments? P.S. I'm considering having a female victim with a literal "booby trap." On a scale of 1-10 rate how tasteless that is (with 10 being the most tasteless). I figure a twisted serial killer would have a twisted sense of humor.
HamHam 10-19-05, 06:25 PM	Please don't tell me you'll be pullinga page from Order of the Stick and have them find a note on him saying "I prepared explosive runes today" Which activates the spell... If I ever play a Wizard, I swear I will do that at least once.
Keenath 10-19-05, 06:30 PM	Perhaps a little obvious, but the simplest trap is a packet of poison gas or alchemical solution, pressurized, with his bodyweight holding the cap on. Move the body, the cap lifts, and the fluid or gas sprays out on the unlucky player. Alchemical fire works well for this at low levels, because then you have the players making saves to avoid catching fire.
OamuTheMonk 10-19-05, 06:34 PM	...in my campaign who use a device called a Holocaust Harness. It's a Bandolier-like harness that holds specially-rigged canisters of Alchemist's fire (though it could just as easily be acid, or inhaled poison, or whatever). The harness is worn under clothing, and has wires connected to the Ninja's mask. Assuming he is killed (as is wont to happen to Ninja), removing his mask will set off the charges, spraying everyone within 5' with the alchemical payload (and burning the body as well).
da beast 10-19-05, 06:38 PM	The DMGII has some. Here are some of my own: Arrows shoved in after the death of the person that are covered in posion on the shaft, Put some of the light sensitive explosive fungus stuff in their belly :P, cant think of much more right now...