Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)

[Trip]

I have not had a chance to read much past the second page of this yet, but felt a bit compelled to reply. A lot of great and evil idea's here! Back in the beginning there was a lot of talk about undead, so I figured I would add in a quick bit.

I recently ran adventure where the PC's were heading through some pretty big caves and had a run in with some cave trolls. This was more of a setup, as later on they learned that they were actually tracking down an annoying goblin shaman that was giving them a bit of grief.

The shaman was actually a necromancer in most cases, and was able to gather up a few trolls that died to more "natural" causes, rather than hacked into pieces, or flamed to death.
He "dissected" the trolls insides, actually creating a hollowed shell, the filled it with high amounts of oil and flasks of alchemists fire. Really a dangerous job. But in the end he had 3 of these fellows. Using a bit of magic he animated the corpses as simple zombies, and posted them along one tunnel, each of them along a small cliff a bit higher than the PC's. As the PC's happened by, the zombie trolls would leap from their purches down onto the PC's. Creating a rather large inferno of alchemists fire and oil.

Alternatively, in another campaign I used the same basic idea and had a human body that was filled with oil, tied to the cieiling in a crypt. The necromancer knew the cleric PC was highly against undead, and looked to end their suffering at every cost. So he loaded the human corpse up with oil & alchemist. fire. Then tied it to the cieling. When the PC's entered (through a small trapdoor in one corner) I mentioned the heavy smell of oil so they quickly doused the torches. The cleric, spotting the agonized human tied to the cieling quickly shot an arrow through it, hiting the alchemist fire, and setting the whole thing into a nice little explosion, with a big glob of flaming oil raining down. Imagine five people in a small 15' / 15' room, with fire raining down, and only a tiny trap door in one corner to escape from . . .

 

[Piratecat]

Cave jelly shadow dragon abomination spider thingy!

Wow, cool - and thank you for the mention of City of the Spider Queen. I'll go see.

Design brainstorming time! The ghouls are using a ritual and ghoulomancy (tm) to create another big necromantic construct. They aren't done yet. I want something cool, something that will creep out the PCs even if it isn't completed - but I'm blanking on ideas. Can you please help?

Things to keep in mind:

- it's deep underground, and should probably serve to transport undead or burrow holes for them through rock
- I've recently "done" dragons, oozes, beetles, and worms.

Any ideas?

 

[Samnell]

How about an umber hulk collossus? Same general body plan as an umber hulk, maybe similar general powers, but freakin' huge and made of bodies. Only thing is it's kind the necropede's second coming.

Hmmm...Heads. Lots of heads. All kinds of heads. Together. They eat their way through the rock (or disintegrate or whatever) and they come in a hollow sphere shape so they double as an undead army carrying case.

EDIT: Getting more into the head image...they could all be slavering and gibbering while they do it.

Maybe parts of heads to make up the giant head. The eyes are huge swarms of peering, lidless eyes swimming in glistening goo, all swiveling independently of each other...

 

[DoctorB]

How about giant ghoulish versions of one or more of the Defenders (Valendo? Nolin [I have a great picture of the ghouls setting themselves on fire at the top to simulate the hair]?). This could be presented by the Puppeteer as a way to show his respect for them.

 

[Capellan]

This may be a little "off the wall", but how about a giant fish?

Take one of the ugly critters from the pic below (it's an Angler Fish, for the record), blow it up to Gargantuan size, and give its spines/feelers the supernatural ability to turn solid rock to water (like an improved rock to mud). Such a beast would be filled with scores of ghouls, ready to come pouring out as soon as the angler fish burst out of the rock and into an enemy-held cavern. The ghouls would literally travel inside the fish, since it wouldn't have a digestive system, and would rush out of it's mouth and gills to attack.

The fish itself is visually disturbing (always a Good Thing), and its many spines would make it hard to hurt in melee without being injured yourself.

Plus, if the ghouls get it mobile, you have the fun of dumping the Defenders into an underwater battle. They've surely got the magic to overcome that inconvenience, but it might put them off their game for a round or two.

The ghouls of course, don't need to breathe, so would be reasonably 'at home' underwater, though slowed.

 

[Benben]

Addressing the trooptransport.

Ghouls as an underdark race would benefit greatly by being incorpreal.

They might be able to bypass this by using the abilities of a creature already able to pass through rock and stone.

If you allow outsiders to become ghouls then I would suggest using xorn.

True Ghoul Xorns would make great shocktroops.

True Ghoul Warbeast Xorns who swallow their riders and then pass through stone spitting their riders onto enemies would also work well.

A Titanic True Ghoul Warbeast Xorn would be an aircraft carrier level troop transport. Able to ferry huge numbers of troops in its carved out innards and able to bypass the hindering aspects of underdark travel.

 

[Kaodi]

Crazy Idea.

I was thinking, if I were to take my earlier idea of having a corroded construct, like a spider, make it whatever size will fit where the battle is going to take place, infuse it with a negative energon or whatever the equivalent of a negative energy elemental is, open up a gate to the negative energy plane in its belly which the troops can pour forth from its belly. It could spin negative energy webs that are strong and drain hit poits every round, and secrete venom that grows into goo undead which could possibly eat enemies from the inside out, and take over their bodies.

This may be a little overdone, and already done, and all that stuff... but I think at least the idea of a walking planar gate would be good.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

There's a thing called a Necromantic Golem in Creature Collection I, under the Carnival Crewe.

It's a huge (long) undead construct with 2 large arms, 4 small arms, and could easily be adapted with other abilities to make it truly fearsome (under its description, it mentions the version described is just an 'average' golem). Furthermore, the example has compartments for 4 creatures, but I imagine if you increase its size to gargantuan or even colossal it'l have alot more room for several nasty surprises...

I agree that incorperability, for perhaps 1 hr. a day would be a good ability for the ghouls, and perhaps they might find use of other creatures (like a roper hidden in a compartment at the top, it can spring forth when needed with its 50 ft. reach )

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Kinda unimaginative, but I boosted the Necromantic Golem a bit from its original stats, although I'm not too good at monster creation. I hope you like it.

Adapted Necromantic Golem
Gargantuan (Long) Undead Construct
HD 27d12 (175)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 120 ft. Burrow 60 ft.
AC 24 (-4 size, +18 natural armor)
Attacks: 2 large arms +25 melee; 6 small arms +19
Damage: Large arms 2d10+12; small arms by weapon type +6
Face/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Banshee's Scream
Special Qualities: Hardness 10, Magic Immunity, Incorperability, Undead Construct
Saves:
Abilities: Str 35, Dex 6, Con -, Int -, Wis 4, Cha -
Challenge Rating: 15

Compartments: A Necromantic Golem has an inner storage compartment which can carry up to 16 small humanoids, 8 medium humanoids, or 4 large humanoids or any combination there of. Furthermore, it has a storage compartment in its 'head' and it's 'chest' which can carry 2 medium creatures or 1 large creatures. Usually a cleric of some sort remains protected within its chest compartment, healing the golem with inflict spells while it fights. The compartment door of the Golem can be specifically targeted, its strength being that of a door made of stone, usually this is hard though as it is often arcane locked.

Banshee's Scream: The Necromantic Golem's breath weapon, appropriately nicknamed the Banshee's Scream can be used once every 1d4+1 rounds, dealing 15d6 sonic damage in a 60 ft. cone. This is usually used to collapse walls and other blockades in its way.
Magic Immunity: The Necromantic Golem is immune to all spell-like and supernatural abilities except for the following; It is not immune to its own incorperability, it takes appropriate damage for cure spells and heals damage normally from inflict spells.
Incorperability: For up to 1 hour per day, a Necromantic Golem and all its contents can go incorpereal (this hour need not be used continuously).

Edit-Undead Construct from Creature Collection 1 is basically a combination of both types, but its immune to the fear from turning, but not the destruction effect.

-Things I changed: from DR 5/+1 to Hardness 10, SR 8 to magical immunity of golem (and it used to be immune to cure/inflict spells too), increased size and stats, added 2 extra arms and more compartments, gave it banshee's scream, incorperability, and extra movement forms.


It can look like whatever the ghouls want, perhaps like other posters said, a monument to Nolin or Velendo . A roper in its head compartment would be interesting as I said in my previous post, and a ghoul cleric in its chest compartment to heal it. Perhaps there could be arrow slots for those inside to attack with (3/4 cover?), not sure how many creatures could realistically fit inside, but that's my take, adapt it as you like if you want to use it.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Gah, double post