demonsquidgod
Explorer
I'm running a much modifed 5e update of Village of Hommlet now and will soon be transitioning into PotA. It's got some neat stuff but the Four Prophets and their cults aren't well defined. Once you get past the Haunted Forts section they're all pretty much mustache twirling villains who are evil for the sake of being evil. I like the idea of all of the cult's trying to recruit the party to take down their rivals but do so they should have a compelling pitch. One thing I'm going to change is to give each of the cult's a distinct and understandable ideology. I'm also definitely changing their names.
Here's what I've got so far. Let me know what you think. I'd love critiques and suggestions.
If you're my players in the Challengers of IX (bjorn, ibala, tway, blurgh) then stop readiing now.
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Prophet Of Eternal Purity
an ancient order of Wildfire Druids, instead of just cultists posing as druids,
now become primitivist earth first style revolutionaries
hate the rich and powerful, believe that civilization is inherently corrupt and destructive
reducing the world to stone age tech and tribal life will be better for the working class
their slaves will all be wealthy nobles and merchant lords who were kidnapped and forced into servitude as punishment
led by Vanifer the Purifier
Prophet of Rising Tide
the Reavers as an alliance of criminals, organized crime, and wealthy merchants
cruel and selfish capitalist exploiters, utterly pragmatic and amoral
only interested in wealth and power, will let the poor and weak die as the world drowns
“float above the flood or by crushed by its waves”
gonna give them more Walrus stuff, like in the concept art. Might make Grimjaw a were-walrus
led Shatterkeel the Destroyer,
Prophet of the Enduring Stone
survivalists, believe a future cosmic war is inevitable and that civilization will fall
want to ride out the apocalypse in underground citadels, ala the Vaults from Fallout
defense is the best offence, use your opponent's energy against them
Have the monastery folks be NPC Monks that use a judo-like style and meditate a lot
also utterly pragmatic and amoral but in an unemotionally cool logical type way
This version of Marlos intentionally got himself turned into a medusa so he can turn his minions into statues and then bring them back via Stone to Flesh once the world has recovered
Marlos the Preserver
Prophet of the Howling Heroes
anarchistic free spirits, bon vivants, think flying is cool
believes that the power of Air can help them defend their families
“together we can rise above”
want to bring democracy and self rule to the people
genuinely mean well but are being manipulated and lied to by Yan C Bin
probably just make Aerisi an Avariel
gonna try hard to have the PCs accept them as allies, might have Yancy there be posing as Chan but I worry that might feel too The DM is Lying to Me instead of an npc is lying to the party
Aerisi the Liberator
I’m also introducing Elemental Keys, one held by each Haunted Fort, which must be united to lift the wards preventing easy (non teleport/summoning) travel from the surface to the Elemental Temples and from the temples to the Nodes, as well as an entirely new fifth faction of mutated flesh-warping Tharizdun cultists who controls the Fane of the Eye and now have their own Temple of Utter Darkness.
I’m also changing the end game so the Elder Eye’s goal isn’t just to summon one of the Elder Elementals of Evil but corrupt with Abyssal energy to turn it into a Demon Lord. The idea is that by having the cults fight against each other they other Elder Elementals will be too antagonistic to come to their fellow’s aid eventually leading to the elemental planes being overrun by demons and turning into the new, much more powerful, abyss that will consume the entire cosmos. I’m really not sure what the Elder Eye’s end game is as written or why they cults wouldn’t be working together.
Here's what I've got so far. Let me know what you think. I'd love critiques and suggestions.
If you're my players in the Challengers of IX (bjorn, ibala, tway, blurgh) then stop readiing now.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Prophet Of Eternal Purity
an ancient order of Wildfire Druids, instead of just cultists posing as druids,
now become primitivist earth first style revolutionaries
hate the rich and powerful, believe that civilization is inherently corrupt and destructive
reducing the world to stone age tech and tribal life will be better for the working class
their slaves will all be wealthy nobles and merchant lords who were kidnapped and forced into servitude as punishment
led by Vanifer the Purifier
Prophet of Rising Tide
the Reavers as an alliance of criminals, organized crime, and wealthy merchants
cruel and selfish capitalist exploiters, utterly pragmatic and amoral
only interested in wealth and power, will let the poor and weak die as the world drowns
“float above the flood or by crushed by its waves”
gonna give them more Walrus stuff, like in the concept art. Might make Grimjaw a were-walrus
led Shatterkeel the Destroyer,
Prophet of the Enduring Stone
survivalists, believe a future cosmic war is inevitable and that civilization will fall
want to ride out the apocalypse in underground citadels, ala the Vaults from Fallout
defense is the best offence, use your opponent's energy against them
Have the monastery folks be NPC Monks that use a judo-like style and meditate a lot
also utterly pragmatic and amoral but in an unemotionally cool logical type way
This version of Marlos intentionally got himself turned into a medusa so he can turn his minions into statues and then bring them back via Stone to Flesh once the world has recovered
Marlos the Preserver
Prophet of the Howling Heroes
anarchistic free spirits, bon vivants, think flying is cool
believes that the power of Air can help them defend their families
“together we can rise above”
want to bring democracy and self rule to the people
genuinely mean well but are being manipulated and lied to by Yan C Bin
probably just make Aerisi an Avariel
gonna try hard to have the PCs accept them as allies, might have Yancy there be posing as Chan but I worry that might feel too The DM is Lying to Me instead of an npc is lying to the party
Aerisi the Liberator
I’m also introducing Elemental Keys, one held by each Haunted Fort, which must be united to lift the wards preventing easy (non teleport/summoning) travel from the surface to the Elemental Temples and from the temples to the Nodes, as well as an entirely new fifth faction of mutated flesh-warping Tharizdun cultists who controls the Fane of the Eye and now have their own Temple of Utter Darkness.
I’m also changing the end game so the Elder Eye’s goal isn’t just to summon one of the Elder Elementals of Evil but corrupt with Abyssal energy to turn it into a Demon Lord. The idea is that by having the cults fight against each other they other Elder Elementals will be too antagonistic to come to their fellow’s aid eventually leading to the elemental planes being overrun by demons and turning into the new, much more powerful, abyss that will consume the entire cosmos. I’m really not sure what the Elder Eye’s end game is as written or why they cults wouldn’t be working together.
