Author Topic: Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)  (Read 2070 times)

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CountArioch

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Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)
« on: August 01, 2008, 03:39:05 AM »
Anyone who doesn't want to be overtly spoiled about the Caslte Ravenloft module, stop reading right now.


....



Alright, that's enough warning. 

Here's the deal.  My group has kicked the shit out of Strahd.  However, they did so without consecrating the fanes, or defeating all of the powerful NPC's.  They want to continue, so I took the two most powerful NPC's and have them fight over Barovia now.

The Necromancer:  She was actually killed by the PCs, but they left the body there for three game-days without touching it.  My rule is any corpse that lies unattended for more than 5 minutes is the DM's property.  So, I brought her back as a templated Morhg.  I also ruled that the crossover to undeath was extreme enough to warrant a rebuild, and I rebuilt her as a necromancer that doesn't break the laws of physics by sucking and blowing at the same time.  (She is now a single-classed uttercold assault necromancer.)  She rules the lower part of the castle, and has a strong defense around the Dayheart until she can figure out a way to move it.

Khyristryx:  The players fought her once, but she was driven off (She wasn't defending the devil trees at the time, long story).  She survived, and is now lording over the upper parts of the castle.  I also changed her a bit, I kept the changed up SLA's, but I exchanged some of her hit dice for warlock levels. 

In both cases, their CR has been upped using the rules in Exemplars of Evil for increasing the levels of recurring villains.


I then divided up the NPCs.  Anyone undead is now under control of the Necromancer whether they want to be or not, and the living contingent of Strahd's minions are serving Khyristryx.


Right now in the game, The Necromancer is winning.  She has bound herself to the swamp and mountain fanes, and the land of Barovia has been twisted as a result.  (Strahd was a right prick, don't get me wrong.  But he still had a use for the living, even if it was to feed from.  The Necromancer just wants to reduce the world to ashes, and as a result Barovia has become a worse place.)

The only remaining point of light in the area is the Forest Fane, where Madam Eva and the Vistani are holed up at the moment.

Anyway, I am brainstorming legitimately unsettling encounters to throw at the players to represent that Barovia is now much, much worse for the wear after killing Strahd.  I'm currently ganking stuff from Heroes of Horror, but that will run out eventually.

So far, the only line that I won't cross is rape.  I don't like to even have sex in my game if I can possibly avoid it, I'm not going to have any rape themes in the game.  Laugh at me if you must, I don't care.

I'm going for more of a Silent-Hill type horror, rather than 80's slasher movie theme as well.
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Re: Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2008, 04:35:31 AM »
I'll throw a recommendation your way.

What you have on your hands is a very good set-up for a Zombiegeddon campaign.

Not sure if you or your players would be interested but you definitely have the fuel for it.

Another way you could go is by having all the crops and cattle die off.  People start to starve and eventually they are going to turn on each other as cannibals for sheer survival.

Just some food for thought  ;)

Kuroimaken

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Re: Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2008, 07:52:51 PM »
With famine, comes pestilence. Death is already quite prevalent there. See a theme yet?

In case you don't: you could always spice up things by getting the four Riders of the Apocalypse to make an appearance.

Alternatively, make them feel it in their own characters' skin. Have some of them contract disease or starve half to death. Be graphic with the details -- nothing sets the record better for them than describing the look of a leper's living yet rotting flesh.

Also, consider this: lots of people dying in agony, pain and anger can make for a lot of ghosts. Think about using those.

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CountArioch

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Re: Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2008, 02:25:23 AM »
Well, two of the characters have acquired some taint, so they're feeling some effects of the area.

I dislike abramaic concepts in my games, so I don't know if the four horseman would be appropriate.  However, the disease idea sounds good.
She hasn't come to crush your bones, nor tear your flesh
She has come to steal your sanity with just one glance

Sacrapos - At First Glance, Eluveitie

emissary666

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Re: Brainstorming (Warning! EtCR spoilers included!)
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2008, 01:06:17 PM »
If you want to be like silent hill, you need only do one thing. Have enough fog that you can't see an inch. Then, have twisted mockeries of life come after them. Then throw in the PCs shifting from a dark, monster infested world, and the normal one. Finally, apply the rest of your setting.
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