I'm working on an adventure location set at an abandoned observatory on top of a 1200 foot mesa. My characters should be level 5 when they get here, and I'm planning to use the location to get them up to level 9 or 10.
The observatory is centered around a huge crystal formation that can control the local weather (though the players don't know that). The crystal was primarily used by the astronomers to create clear weather for their obsrvations, but they inadvertantly attracted the notice of a Great Old One slumbering in deep space. The minions of the GOO began "haunting" the observatory -- appearing as apparitions, mind-controlling the astronomers and driving them insane, and other sorts of mischief. Eventually all the astronomers were driven insane or killed, and the observatory was abandoned.
Recently a warlock (level 16/17) has been sent by the now-stirring GOO to re-establish the observatory and wake the GOO from its slumber. The warlock has a number of humanoid cultists and followers, but I'd like some help coming up with other monsters that fit the theme.
Right now, I'm most likely to re-skin some MM creatures, and I'd be happy for you to give me some ideas along those lines; don't feel the need to make new stat blocks from scratch. I'd also love to hear any ideas for abilities or powers that could be given to the reskinned monsters that would have the right flavor. I'd especially like monsters in the CR 3-8 range.
Here are some creatures that I know I'll be using so far:
- "Arch mage", but redone as a warlock
- Spectre, but not undead and reskinned as a sideareal spirit
- Banshee, but not undead, as a beautiful but alien searcher/researcher
- Helmed Horrow, but as an animated bunch of astronomy gear
- Mind flayer, probably not reskinned at all. But I'm not sure how to use these effectively in combat. Any tips?
Tip for mindflayer use in combat. Group them up with other burlier monsters who can front line for them.
Use mind blast right off the bat , make the pcs roll for each one seperately if hit by muliple. Grapple and go for extract brain right off the bat. These guys go for the kill.
If a pc who has deadly melee attacks reaches a mindflayer consider him using the dodge action to buy time for his allies to work down the weaker Pcs.
And if you really want to spice things up, throw a mind flayer arcanist in there. That will make things alot tougher.
What im confused by is you say u want this location to take them from level 5 to 9. That would take, like literally dozens of appropriate level encounters. Could you please give more information on the specific encounter u want help with.
But a list of monsters who might suit -Grell, minotaur. Slaadi. Gibbering mouther.
INtellect devourer. Nothic. The various oozes. Otyugh. RE skin the xorn. The various Yuanti, and possible a yuanti cult.
Make sure that you give them places safe enough for all the needed long rest.
I get the sense that this is just more then a regular observitory, but might be a huge magical enclave. or atleast it was. IF your going for a mega-duengon crawl feel, you have to make sure your PC's have that ability to get to a safe haven. A room being haunted by one of the few Researchers/wizards that resisted all those years ago. Hell, he could even be the hook for why the adventures are coming to it in the first place. The ghost comes to get help from powerful people (your level 5 players), There you go.
Look up the "Creepy Forest" thread further down these boards and work some of the ideas into the approach region, if your PCs aren't XP'ed enough before they get to the tower.
A building next to a cliff is just asking for a flying or hovering enemy to (try to) toss victims over the edge, then scavenge their kill from the rocks below. Re-skin the Aaracockra and/or find something with a strong Push attack.
GOO pretty much leads to Abberations wandering in the vicinity. The 3.5 Book of Aberrations may inspire you as to what the GOO itself might be up to. (May be available in a Public Library's storage if you just want to browse for a bit.) Aboleths and Mind Flayers rather than Beholders make deeper plans.
As noted above, a few safe places for Rest. Temple of Elemental Evil had a Good-blessed room just in the middle of a long hallway for no apparent reason; you need not be so blatant. But if the area has a "lair effect" that everything is slimy and damp, then a clean dry room with a Druid-based Preserve Nature spell plus a long-dead corpse - the frightened and starved Druid - can indicate a temporary safety. Especially good if the door to the hallway is locked shut (so nothing has any reason to get in) and the PCs picked the lock.
I love beholders, but they're just too strong for a level 5-10 adventure. I'll check out some other aberrations.
cowleymen wrote:
Zombie beholders are not too strong Cr 5.
Plus spectators.
Use monsters that are aberations, or look like them (yocholol demon for example).
For whatever reason, the various aberrations aren't exciting me. I want more ghost-like, alien, non-undead, spooky powers and apparitions. Vague enough?
For example, I'm thinking of re-skinning a Spirit Naga as a shimmering curtain of darkness that hovers around the ceiling of the library (think: aurora borealis of darkness).
As I think about it, I'm mostly interested in hearing some cool ideas for appearance and fluff 
The MM contains a zillion monsters that can easily be reskinned to fit my theme
I have run an adventure that was somewhat similar. I don't know the area well, but reskinned spiders and rat swarms to be crystaline spiders that mirror the material of the the crystal formation. maybe have areas closes to the crystal formation under gone a similar process. Approaching a quiet lifeless area and suddenly seeing the movement of Thousands of tiny crystal spiders attempting to washing over the PC will be pretty daunting without having to be very dangerous.