Playing the Undying - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Playing the Undying

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
The_White_Sorcerer
Jul 27, 2009 3:26:15 Had this weird idea about playing an elf revenant as a member of the Undying Court. Discuss.
#2
Cyber-Dave
Jul 27, 2009 10:01:16 I had the same idea. It sounds neat. One thing about it struck me as difficult to overcome: only the best of the elves are transformed into members of the undying. For this reason, undying might make a better epic destiny than a starting race.
#3
Alas
Jul 27, 2009 10:35:04
I had the same idea. It sounds neat. One thing about it struck me as difficult to overcome: only the best of the elves are transformed into members of the undying. For this reason, undying might make a better epic destiny than a starting race.

This issue ties into a similar thread on these boards-- the problem of handling low-level "famous" characters. How could a member of the Undying Court, or just an undying, be 1st level? And why would they be adventuring outside of Aerenal?

One way to treat it would be the Jaela method: while inside the limits of Shae Mordai, the character is part of the epic collective but also an NPC. Out on the road, the character is just a revenant elf, with a power level more appropriate to an individual. This undying travels at the Court's command, serving as their eyes and hands in the field (especially appropriate for divine characters with a mission).

Another way to treat it is the elan explanation: in being chosen for the transformation, the character has been "reset" to 1st level. The time spent adventuring with a PC party is just a warm-up period as the new-made undying works the kinks out. For a body as ancient as the Undying Court, a full adventuring career is a negligible amount of time. When the character reaches epic level, the real work begins.

Something to keep in mind is that an individual undying's presence doesn't have to be that disruptive. Their religious significance is most important to Aereni elves, slightly less important to Valenar elves, and a bit obscure to most of the inhabitants of Khorvaire. In most social encounters, the undying will be just one more creepy/spooky elf in the post-war weirdness. Of course, I'd still recommend that the player, party, and DM collaborate to make the undying's presence in the campaign plausible, playable, and significant.
#4
josephkell
Jul 28, 2009 18:05:56 weren't there undying soldiers in the 3.5 setting?

They were like CR 5? 7? I think.

I think it could work. The biggest question is "why is an undying soldier adventuring and not at home guarding the council?"
#5
bobiago
Jul 28, 2009 20:29:27 Undying Councilors were CR 9, which was high for an NPC in 3berron.

I like the flavor text, "leathery skin stretched tight over its face" but I don't think the artwork ever does them justice. They shouldn't look undead, IMO. They should look unnatural, sure, but they should retain an element of their beauty. I try to imagine what it would be like if you were thousands of years old, but had had five hundred facelifts.
#6
josephkell
Jul 28, 2009 20:56:47
Undying Councilors were CR 9, which was high for an NPC in 3berron.

That's nice, I was talking about the CR 2 Undying Soldiers.
#7
nnjguy
Jul 28, 2009 21:27:36 They didn't stat them for this edition, or did I miss something? Are you playing them as normal undead with different fluff or making something up? Are they vulnerable to necrotic damage and resistant to radiant? Are they similar to the Archlich PP in Arcane Power in that they are associated with necrotic energy but have an affiliation to radian energy when dealing with evil undead? I wasnt making an Undying but this was something I was curious about.
#8
josephkell
Jul 28, 2009 22:26:45
They didn't stat them for this edition, or did I miss something? Are you playing them as normal undead with different fluff or making something up? Are they vulnerable to necrotic damage and resistant to radiant? Are they similar to the Archlich PP in Arcane Power in that they are associated with necrotic energy but have an affiliation to radian energy when dealing with evil undead? I wasnt making an Undying but this was something I was curious about.

Deathless are now just (rightfully) undead with "person" alignments (i.e. lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, or chaotic evil).

The whole reason they weren't undead in 3rd ed is because turning was too much a part of clerics.
#9
ambulacetus
Jul 28, 2009 22:41:04 Undying may be the best of the elves, but that doesn't mean they need to be the most powerful warriors and spell casters. I could easily see the court inducting a brilliant musician, skilled poet, or great sculptor. Such a character could excel at their chosen field while not being a particularly powerful adventurer - say level 1.

The undying court is also said to be one of the few organizations with enough knowledge and time to truly study and manipulate the draconic prophesy. This could be a hook for how your character got started adventuring (and another reason why a low level PC made it into the court).

Maybe the first step in a chain of events the court wanted to unfold involved having a particular elf become undying and achieve some task. Maybe you were inducted into the court for your great artistic ability, but suddenly handed a sword or bow and shoved on the next boat to Khorvaire with vague instructions. Or maybe you died in an accident and "woke up" one day as an undying with no knowledge of what you possibly did to deserve it. As before you are given instructions and exiled from Aerenal until you complete them.
#10
angelus_obscura
Jul 29, 2009 0:48:23
I think it could work. The biggest question is "why is an undying soldier adventuring and not at home guarding the council?"

Could be that the borg drone ... errr ... I mean undying soldier was severed from its collective ... errr yes, and rediscovered his/her individuality errr, zest for life?

idk ;)

Btw, I just thought of how the Undying Court would sound like when they spoke and they came off like the Borg. The council members are cocooned in their alcoves with a single spectral entity speaking in a voice of all.

"We are the Undying. Lower your pride and surrender your soul. We will add your trophies and past glories among our own. Your body will atrophy to reflect us. Resistance is futile." :P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 The_White_Sorcerer Jul 27, 2009 3:26:15	Had this weird idea about playing an elf revenant as a member of the Undying Court. Discuss.
#2 Cyber-Dave Jul 27, 2009 10:01:16	I had the same idea. It sounds neat. One thing about it struck me as difficult to overcome: only the best of the elves are transformed into members of the undying. For this reason, undying might make a better epic destiny than a starting race.
#3 Alas Jul 27, 2009 10:35:04	I had the same idea. It sounds neat. One thing about it struck me as difficult to overcome: only the best of the elves are transformed into members of the undying. For this reason, undying might make a better epic destiny than a starting race. This issue ties into a similar thread on these boards-- the problem of handling low-level "famous" characters. How could a member of the Undying Court, or just an undying, be 1st level? And why would they be adventuring outside of Aerenal? One way to treat it would be the Jaela method: while inside the limits of Shae Mordai, the character is part of the epic collective but also an NPC. Out on the road, the character is just a revenant elf, with a power level more appropriate to an individual. This undying travels at the Court's command, serving as their eyes and hands in the field (especially appropriate for divine characters with a mission). Another way to treat it is the elan explanation: in being chosen for the transformation, the character has been "reset" to 1st level. The time spent adventuring with a PC party is just a warm-up period as the new-made undying works the kinks out. For a body as ancient as the Undying Court, a full adventuring career is a negligible amount of time. When the character reaches epic level, the real work begins. Something to keep in mind is that an individual undying's presence doesn't have to be that disruptive. Their religious significance is most important to Aereni elves, slightly less important to Valenar elves, and a bit obscure to most of the inhabitants of Khorvaire. In most social encounters, the undying will be just one more creepy/spooky elf in the post-war weirdness. Of course, I'd still recommend that the player, party, and DM collaborate to make the undying's presence in the campaign plausible, playable, and significant.
#4 josephkell Jul 28, 2009 18:05:56	weren't there undying soldiers in the 3.5 setting? They were like CR 5? 7? I think. I think it could work. The biggest question is "why is an undying soldier adventuring and not at home guarding the council?"
#5 bobiago Jul 28, 2009 20:29:27	Undying Councilors were CR 9, which was high for an NPC in 3berron. I like the flavor text, "leathery skin stretched tight over its face" but I don't think the artwork ever does them justice. They shouldn't look undead, IMO. They should look unnatural, sure, but they should retain an element of their beauty. I try to imagine what it would be like if you were thousands of years old, but had had five hundred facelifts.
#6 josephkell Jul 28, 2009 20:56:47	Undying Councilors were CR 9, which was high for an NPC in 3berron. That's nice, I was talking about the CR 2 Undying Soldiers.
#7 nnjguy Jul 28, 2009 21:27:36	They didn't stat them for this edition, or did I miss something? Are you playing them as normal undead with different fluff or making something up? Are they vulnerable to necrotic damage and resistant to radiant? Are they similar to the Archlich PP in Arcane Power in that they are associated with necrotic energy but have an affiliation to radian energy when dealing with evil undead? I wasnt making an Undying but this was something I was curious about.
#8 josephkell Jul 28, 2009 22:26:45	They didn't stat them for this edition, or did I miss something? Are you playing them as normal undead with different fluff or making something up? Are they vulnerable to necrotic damage and resistant to radiant? Are they similar to the Archlich PP in Arcane Power in that they are associated with necrotic energy but have an affiliation to radian energy when dealing with evil undead? I wasnt making an Undying but this was something I was curious about. Deathless are now just (rightfully) undead with "person" alignments (i.e. lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, or chaotic evil). The whole reason they weren't undead in 3rd ed is because turning was too much a part of clerics.
#9 ambulacetus Jul 28, 2009 22:41:04	Undying may be the best of the elves, but that doesn't mean they need to be the most powerful warriors and spell casters. I could easily see the court inducting a brilliant musician, skilled poet, or great sculptor. Such a character could excel at their chosen field while not being a particularly powerful adventurer - say level 1. The undying court is also said to be one of the few organizations with enough knowledge and time to truly study and manipulate the draconic prophesy. This could be a hook for how your character got started adventuring (and another reason why a low level PC made it into the court). Maybe the first step in a chain of events the court wanted to unfold involved having a particular elf become undying and achieve some task. Maybe you were inducted into the court for your great artistic ability, but suddenly handed a sword or bow and shoved on the next boat to Khorvaire with vague instructions. Or maybe you died in an accident and "woke up" one day as an undying with no knowledge of what you possibly did to deserve it. As before you are given instructions and exiled from Aerenal until you complete them.
#10 angelus_obscura Jul 29, 2009 0:48:23	I think it could work. The biggest question is "why is an undying soldier adventuring and not at home guarding the council?" Could be that the borg drone ... errr ... I mean undying soldier was severed from its collective ... errr yes, and rediscovered his/her individuality errr, zest for life? idk ;) Btw, I just thought of how the Undying Court would sound like when they spoke and they came off like the Borg. The council members are cocooned in their alcoves with a single spectral entity speaking in a voice of all. "We are the Undying. Lower your pride and surrender your soul. We will add your trophies and past glories among our own. Your body will atrophy to reflect us. Resistance is futile." :P