Destroying a phylactery - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Destroying a phylactery

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
lifat
Aug 18, 2008 15:19:45 Hi guys.
Before hand let me just apologize in advance if I have missed a thread about this very subject or if I misunderstood and posted my thread in the wrong forum. I did try for half an hour to find a thread adressing this and a forum better suited... But all I found was this place. Now lets get on with my post.

I am currently running a 3.5 ed. game. It is actually the "red hand of doom" plot from a few years back.
The players has come to second part of the adventure in where they find a phylactery from the ghostlord (a lich from the plot). Now. My PCs are lvl 7 and as such has access to divination. Now... I know that for the next session the spell will be cast on how to destroy the phylactery because I know my players.

Now this has caught me in a bit of a mess.
I don't actually know how you destroy a phylactery under normal rules. And I'm not sure I want to follow normal rules on such a thing.
I'd love guidance on how to possibly turn this into a plot that wouldn't be solvable right away but in fact would need an adventure on its own. I also would like some guidance on how to give a response on the divination that will hint at how to destroy it but at the same time not be too obvious and still make it obvious that this might not be within their reach just yet.
The not solvable right away part would be to make sure they get to finish "Red Hand of Doom" before they set out on this new adventure.

Info... Plot is set in Living Greyhawk. The cleric casting the spell is a boccob follower. The players a fairly smart and usually solves a puzzle right away.
They have access to lvl 3 spells and below from npc's and they have 2 clerics and a duskblade as spellcasters... oh yeah... and a dragon shaman. Highest priest caster lvl is 7th (will be 10-11 when "red hand of doom" ends)

Any ideas on plots would be appreciated and any ideas on the answer to the divination spell doubly so. :P

thanks in advance.
Lifat
The DM of a bunch of gamers that are too clever for their own good :D
#2
bleedingstar
Aug 18, 2008 18:32:25 There is a spell I think that it is called shatter? or somthing like that.... But I am prety sure that the red hand of doom warns to not have the pcs fight the litch in that game..cause he is well a bad a$$, and that there is a actual tpk warning if they do so.
But to answer you ? I am really sure that Shatter works, or a good strike with a warhammer and a high strength. BUT if it is destroyed that way I am pretty sure that there are reprocusions, the hammer is destroyed or somthing.
AT leat that is what I would do, along with turning the pcs hair white. lol!
#3
lifat
Aug 18, 2008 22:14:57 Okay. So that would be saying that the phylactery is just as vulnerable as the item that holds the phylactery. meh. Tbh I don't find that exciting at all.
I want the destruction of a phylactery to be special. I'd like it to be a plot in itself to destroy it.
I was considering making it as easy as you describe with a tweak that required the phylactery to be destroyed at place of its making.
I think I will make some other way to destroy it too... Not sure what though. Will let you know when I find out.
#4
bleedingstar
Aug 19, 2008 0:45:54 The most intresting way that I have experianced destroying a phylactery is...... the phylactery was actually split into several pieces so the litch just kept coming back and the we kept destroying his gems.
#5
viatos
Aug 19, 2008 3:38:08 Let me see if I can help. Keep in mind I have no idea how phylacteries really work either, but my players have encountered a good half dozen liches (mind you, only killed two and a couple others weren't enemies) so I've got some experience.

Where in the world is Carmen Sandi - er, the lich's phylactery?

Where indeed? A fortress that is itself one gigantic, ridiculous trap, on an island in the Astral Sea requiring various items to get into it? (for example, the skulls of a red, blue, and purple dragon...finding that purple dragon should be tricky enough) Perhaps it's in pieces: each piece has been given to the kings of a different warring kingdom as dynasty heirlooms, and each king requires a different service...against the other kingdoms. Juggle skill challenges, espionage, and tactical warfare as your players try to make everyone happy without getting themselves executed!

Phylacterus Unconventilia

The classic example, which I stole from somewhere, is the lich's phylactery was actually an enormous spider-shaped iron golem (the lich was a drow who lived deep in the Underdark, the spider-golem roamed the service world). They had to go back up, search throughout the world for rumors of it, track it, fight its entourage, fight it.

Another one (mine) is the phylactery is beyond bizarre - a random innocent human child has been imbued with their soul through some strange alternate ritual. The players COULD destroy the phylactery...but come on. She's 11, and wants to show you her teddy she made herself. They have to go on a quest to obtain the necessary items to get a soul out of a child, find a cleric of high enough level and favorable deity, protect him while he works the ritual...maybe the child's soul gets popped out by accident, and they have to deal with the devilchild from the Exorcist until the cleric can get it right.

Phylacteries, done right, are unforgettable and tons of fun. Even if it's just a short dungeon with some cool traps, never leave it up to "you hit it with a hammer. It breaks. 30,180 XP each."

Edit: Oh, and this should be in the DM Advice forum.
#6
Panartias
Aug 20, 2008 11:39:44 If I understood you right, the party is already in possession of the phylactery and they know what it is?!

Have you decided, what kind of item it is - a peace of jewelry, a magical sword or ring....
Is it easy to transport?!

Since the (low level) Party could acquire the phylactery it is probably enchanted to be very hard to destroy - and this fits well your plan, to make the destruction an adventure in its own right.

You could borrow from Lord of the Rings - the one ring was kind of Sauron's phylaktery...
...hard to destroy and and a very desirable magical item.

It can be argued, whether the destruction of the phylactery destroys the litch or just leaves him without the possibility to regenerate automatically when his undead body is destroyed.

I would advice against a phylactery in many peaces or multiple phylactery's even when it has been done before (Lord V... in Harry Potter)

But you can require several combined Elements: "This Phylactery can only be destroyed by a faithful dwarfen- cleric wilding the Hammer of Karras, on a forge heated by a venerable dragon!"
Perhaps word it a little more mysterious: Heated by the hottest Flames this evil could be crushed by one of the bearded people with the holy hammer...

Something like this should be hard enough and provide a few adventures: (finding the lost Hammer, finding and bribing a mighty dragon and convincing the stubborn Dwarf to do the work, risking his life, the holy hammer and collaborating with the feared and hated dragon)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lifat Aug 18, 2008 15:19:45	Hi guys. Before hand let me just apologize in advance if I have missed a thread about this very subject or if I misunderstood and posted my thread in the wrong forum. I did try for half an hour to find a thread adressing this and a forum better suited... But all I found was this place. Now lets get on with my post. I am currently running a 3.5 ed. game. It is actually the "red hand of doom" plot from a few years back. The players has come to second part of the adventure in where they find a phylactery from the ghostlord (a lich from the plot). Now. My PCs are lvl 7 and as such has access to divination. Now... I know that for the next session the spell will be cast on how to destroy the phylactery because I know my players. Now this has caught me in a bit of a mess. I don't actually know how you destroy a phylactery under normal rules. And I'm not sure I want to follow normal rules on such a thing. I'd love guidance on how to possibly turn this into a plot that wouldn't be solvable right away but in fact would need an adventure on its own. I also would like some guidance on how to give a response on the divination that will hint at how to destroy it but at the same time not be too obvious and still make it obvious that this might not be within their reach just yet. The not solvable right away part would be to make sure they get to finish "Red Hand of Doom" before they set out on this new adventure. Info... Plot is set in Living Greyhawk. The cleric casting the spell is a boccob follower. The players a fairly smart and usually solves a puzzle right away. They have access to lvl 3 spells and below from npc's and they have 2 clerics and a duskblade as spellcasters... oh yeah... and a dragon shaman. Highest priest caster lvl is 7th (will be 10-11 when "red hand of doom" ends) Any ideas on plots would be appreciated and any ideas on the answer to the divination spell doubly so. :P thanks in advance. Lifat The DM of a bunch of gamers that are too clever for their own good :D
#2 bleedingstar Aug 18, 2008 18:32:25	There is a spell I think that it is called shatter? or somthing like that.... But I am prety sure that the red hand of doom warns to not have the pcs fight the litch in that game..cause he is well a bad a$$, and that there is a actual tpk warning if they do so. But to answer you ? I am really sure that Shatter works, or a good strike with a warhammer and a high strength. BUT if it is destroyed that way I am pretty sure that there are reprocusions, the hammer is destroyed or somthing. AT leat that is what I would do, along with turning the pcs hair white. lol!
#3 lifat Aug 18, 2008 22:14:57	Okay. So that would be saying that the phylactery is just as vulnerable as the item that holds the phylactery. meh. Tbh I don't find that exciting at all. I want the destruction of a phylactery to be special. I'd like it to be a plot in itself to destroy it. I was considering making it as easy as you describe with a tweak that required the phylactery to be destroyed at place of its making. I think I will make some other way to destroy it too... Not sure what though. Will let you know when I find out.
#4 bleedingstar Aug 19, 2008 0:45:54	The most intresting way that I have experianced destroying a phylactery is...... the phylactery was actually split into several pieces so the litch just kept coming back and the we kept destroying his gems.
#5 viatos Aug 19, 2008 3:38:08	Let me see if I can help. Keep in mind I have no idea how phylacteries really work either, but my players have encountered a good half dozen liches (mind you, only killed two and a couple others weren't enemies) so I've got some experience. Where in the world is Carmen Sandi - er, the lich's phylactery? Where indeed? A fortress that is itself one gigantic, ridiculous trap, on an island in the Astral Sea requiring various items to get into it? (for example, the skulls of a red, blue, and purple dragon...finding that purple dragon should be tricky enough) Perhaps it's in pieces: each piece has been given to the kings of a different warring kingdom as dynasty heirlooms, and each king requires a different service...against the other kingdoms. Juggle skill challenges, espionage, and tactical warfare as your players try to make everyone happy without getting themselves executed! Phylacterus Unconventilia The classic example, which I stole from somewhere, is the lich's phylactery was actually an enormous spider-shaped iron golem (the lich was a drow who lived deep in the Underdark, the spider-golem roamed the service world). They had to go back up, search throughout the world for rumors of it, track it, fight its entourage, fight it. Another one (mine) is the phylactery is beyond bizarre - a random innocent human child has been imbued with their soul through some strange alternate ritual. The players COULD destroy the phylactery...but come on. She's 11, and wants to show you her teddy she made herself. They have to go on a quest to obtain the necessary items to get a soul out of a child, find a cleric of high enough level and favorable deity, protect him while he works the ritual...maybe the child's soul gets popped out by accident, and they have to deal with the devilchild from the Exorcist until the cleric can get it right. Phylacteries, done right, are unforgettable and tons of fun. Even if it's just a short dungeon with some cool traps, never leave it up to "you hit it with a hammer. It breaks. 30,180 XP each." Edit: Oh, and this should be in the DM Advice forum.
#6 Panartias Aug 20, 2008 11:39:44	If I understood you right, the party is already in possession of the phylactery and they know what it is?! Have you decided, what kind of item it is - a peace of jewelry, a magical sword or ring.... Is it easy to transport?! Since the (low level) Party could acquire the phylactery it is probably enchanted to be very hard to destroy - and this fits well your plan, to make the destruction an adventure in its own right. You could borrow from Lord of the Rings - the one ring was kind of Sauron's phylaktery... ...hard to destroy and and a very desirable magical item. It can be argued, whether the destruction of the phylactery destroys the litch or just leaves him without the possibility to regenerate automatically when his undead body is destroyed. I would advice against a phylactery in many peaces or multiple phylactery's even when it has been done before (Lord V... in Harry Potter) But you can require several combined Elements: "This Phylactery can only be destroyed by a faithful dwarfen- cleric wilding the Hammer of Karras, on a forge heated by a venerable dragon!" Perhaps word it a little more mysterious: Heated by the hottest Flames this evil could be crushed by one of the bearded people with the holy hammer... Something like this should be hard enough and provide a few adventures: (finding the lost Hammer, finding and bribing a mighty dragon and convincing the stubborn Dwarf to do the work, risking his life, the holy hammer and collaborating with the feared and hated dragon)