I need a "Xavier" for my group

[Maggan]

Hey all!

On tuesday I'm gonna move out of my comfort zone of running WFRP and Call of Cthulhu, and for the first time DM D&D4e, by popular demand from my group.

I have some hopes of pulling off a good game, and to make it easy for me to prepare and keep things moving, I've chosen to run Dungeon Delve.

To this, I am attaching a common plot whereby the PCs are recruited by a mysterious entity, sort of like Xavier of X-men fame, and welded into a potent force for good or evil (I haven't decided yet).

So, does anyone have any good Xavier suggestions? A mad archmage? A cardinal of Pelor? A vampire lord?

Thanks for all help!

/Magnus

 

[Charwoman Gene]

How about a bearded old man? Slightly mysterious about his power level, but slightly kooky. Just to be wacky, try having them meet him someplace offbeat like a tavern.

In seriousness, be careful with this. Make sure there is a reason your mentor dude can't solve the problems himself. Like a ritualist who can't perform imn combat or something. Otherwise you have the Elminster problem.

 

[Byronic]

You can a hybrid Starlock/Illusionist for partially fate (from the starlock, good for finding out what will happen) and Illusionalist to simulate mindbending powers.

Whatever way you do it making him a hyped up Elite or perhaps even a Solo might be nice You can design his powers to fit whatever you want for him. think especially on things that you plan on him using. For example does he need a way to predict whats going to happen (to end them away on things)? Do you want some way for him to communicate?

Anyway, some thought or magic user is best since it's easy to explain things. To steal a plot, he could be kin to an oracle type character (perhaps the enemy of the plot) and while he can't tell the future he can eavesdrop on the oracle. If you're going to make him evil then maybe the Oracle is good and he's bad. Either way the oracle can't stop him from intruding into his visions. Perhaps your character can walk in dreams

 

[Protagonist]

I definetly suggest making him more of a political figure, spiritual leader or lorekeeper than a fighter, wizard or similiar being of (combat) power - that's what the PC are for. Unless you plan on him begin killed off soon or even turn evil later on for the PCs to fight, then starting with a mage/dragon/genie etc might work better.

 

[Frostmarrow]

I like Jaela Daran Keeper of the Sacred Flame in Eberron. She's just a little girl but somehow the nexus of an entire religion. She's probably inspired by Alia of the Knife in the Dune-books. I like that.

 

[Maggan]

In seriousness, be careful with this. Make sure there is a reason your mentor dude can't solve the problems himself. Like a ritualist who can't perform imn combat or something. Otherwise you have the Elminster problem.

Good advice, I haven't really thought about that aspect yet.

For example does he need a way to predict whats going to happen (to end them away on things)? Do you want some way for him to communicate?

I want him or her to be able to pop up between adventures, and then send the PCs to far flung corners of the world. Some sort of teleport plot device, is what I'm thinking.

Perhaps your character can walk in dreams

Uh, yeah, that's not a bad idea! Putting the different delves in a dreamscape, having them being different dreams dreamt by ancient monster or something like that. I'll have to think a bit more about this one!

Great idea!

Unless you plan on him begin killed off soon or even turn evil later on for the PCs to fight, then starting with a mage/dragon/genie etc might work better.

A dragon or a genie would be cool. A genie trapped in a bottle who needs the PCs to perform a series of tasks to be released maybe? Or a dragon who needs help defeting his ancient enemy, who happens to be the end boss of the Dungeon Delve book?

Food for thought, for sure.

/M

 

[malraux]

One of the PCs finds a compass. Instead of it pointing north, it pointed to the next member of the party,then the next, etc. till the party was established. Then it pointed to the location of the first delve, second etc. At each location, they find a different item. Who knows what the items will assemble themselves into? This buys you a bit of time to decide if the thing in question is good or evil, while also not raising the question of why this plot hook generator isn't dealing with these problems himself. Unless you specifically want to raise those questions.

 

[Asmor]

The tavern wench.

Unexpected and original. Well-connected, able to hide in plain sight, able to meet with the PCs without it seeming suspicious.

The PCs get a note saying, "Go to the Braying Donkey. Ask for, 'A flagon of ale, and make it snappy!'"

When they do, the ale has a small tube in it with a note rolled up inside with the adventure hook. The PCs probably won't even realize at this point that the wench is their benefactor, though they may suspect she's complicit.

 

[Bumbles]

So, does anyone have any good Xavier suggestions? A mad archmage? A cardinal of Pelor? A vampire lord?

Well, the best way to do one is to have the characters your players have chosen in mind. Here's my advice though, don't introduce the NPC at the beginning. Have them meet the NPC somehow. Put a prisoner in one of the early dungeons. Some notes, or a fancy item that's valuable, not powerful. Heck, have them rescue a lost puppy if you want. Let the players decide how they got together, then find some way to drop a hint in their path, or better yet, drop a bunch of hints, if they follow one, then put your NPC in place.

 

[Rel]

And old crone who seems to have seer-like knowledge of the locations and layouts of nearby adventure sites.

It's actually because she is the last surviving member of a band of heroes from a couple generations past. Those heroes struck a bargain with powerful forces to keep some ancient evil at bay so long as at least one of them still lived to make some sort of sacrifice/tribute to these forces.

The (human) crone always figured that it would be the Elf Wizard or Dwarven Rogue's job to deal with with things since they would outlive her by a wide margin. That was until a couple of months ago when somebody murdered the Dwarf and then the Elf.

She is now worried for her own safety but also needs to throw together a new generation of heroes who can stand against the ancient evil their pact has kept at bay all these years.