I am running an Eberron campaign, and to continue it with the same characters in a new direction I was going to have a player character be very slowly turning into a lich from backlash of magic. The liching process would be starting with the first three fingers of her hand.
These ending modules would have the rest of the companion (party of players) trying to find a cure and that would end their time in Eberron around lvl 20. Do any of you think it unfair that I'd basically be turning a player into a lich if they can't get a hold of a cure in time. The characters are all going to be retired when they reach lvl 20 anyway. Just thought I'd ask some feedback and see if this is to cruel to do to a player character (especially one new to the game).
I don't think that it's too evil or anything. If it's possible to be cured and you give them a chance to be saved so they can still play their character as they slowly change that'd be cool, and give the player a chance to roleplay someone who's slowly changing into a lich, which I think is super cool.
What level is the group? What would you do if the player decided they want to make a phylactery instead of finding a cure? (That's what some gamers I know would try to do)
The group is all around level 8 at the moment; but should be about level 15-16 when this happens to one of them, because of actions they take in the current campaign. The Lich Hand thing and finding a cure I thought would be a spinoff of the original campaign to end things with.
First of all I would say that they could not make one; since they have no skill or experience with crafting items or spells of necromancy. If they came across a book on phylactery I suppose I would allow it if they shifted their alignment out of chaotic good or chaotic neutral and that they had to multi-class as a necromancer.
I have no problems with running an evil campaign; but doing this would put them into conflict with another player's character; as he is an Aerenal elf. So I doubt with that party make up they'd want to become a lich; because the minute the cursed person tried it the elf would attack without mercy.
Does becoming a lich automatically make them evil as well? I know in Forgotten Realms there were special elven liches called 'Baelnorns' that were good. Turning attempts would rebuke them instead, and evil clerics rebuke attempts would act as turning (3.x mechanics).
What if they were turned into a lich but maintained their personality, more or less? They have to deal with being untrusted and basically marked for death, but that could make for a good anti-hero role. From what I understand, normally only the truly evil become standard liches, because the rituals required to become one involve despicable and depraved acts. Crossing the Moral Event Horizon in tvtropes terminology.
Does becoming a lich automatically make them evil as well? I know in Forgotten Realms there were special elven liches called 'Baelnorns' that were good. Turning attempts would rebuke them instead, and evil clerics rebuke attempts would act as turning (3.x mechanics).
What if they were turned into a lich but maintained their personality, more or less? They have to deal with being untrusted and basically marked for death, but that could make for a good anti-hero role. From what I understand, normally only the truly evil become standard liches, because the rituals required to become one involve despicable and depraved acts. Crossing the Moral Event Horizon in tvtropes terminology.
No, I'd not automatically turn the player evil....what I meant was that if the player choose to become undead rather then try to find a cure that's kind of evil, I think so the alignment would have to shift. Doesn't mean that the character in future wouldn't be able to shift out of evil (that is if I didn't have the player retire the characters at 20, like the others are going to do. 20 levels worth of adventure I think is good run so things don't get boring and then they can create some new characters for new adventures. :D
I don't know if electing to stay undead is EVIL; it depends on context. I know very little about Eberron, so forgive my ignorance, but isn't there some kind of unaligned god of Undeath? The Blood of Vohl or something?
What if they stayed undead to protect a certain place, or prevent the escape of some sort of evil creature? An eternal guardian, protecting the innocent from the same horrors their wards see them as...
I don't know if electing to stay undead is EVIL; it depends on context.
What if they stayed undead to protect a certain place, or prevent the escape of some sort of evil creature? An eternal guardian, protecting the innocent from the same horrors their wards see them as...
Getting a little bit away from my original question I first posted whether it would be cruel to do that to a player or not so this isn't really relevent to the question I initially asked. But they are not turning into a lich by choice originally so there is nothing for them to protect. It would be an evil and selfish act of extending one's life beyond normal means by choice rather then seeking a cure and living normally. And before you ask..the whole rest of campaign is finding the cure (which exists for this strain of magical disease or at least it exists in my verison, since it's me creating the module.)
But to assuage your fears in a campaign I'd run on that matter of doing it for good..if they did do it for a good reason (and it would have to be pretty impressively selfless) they would keep a good or unaligned/neutral alignment without any points put towards a shift.
Well, given your responses about the situation, and how you plan to handle it, I would say that this is definitely NOT overly cruel or anything of the sort. Just make sure the player finds out within a session or two of contracting it that there is a cure out there somewhere, and let them do as they will with that.
Good luck with the campaign. 