"Millionaire occult collector"? You definitely have my interest. Care to share some background? (Without spoiling anything for your players, of course.)
Well, none of the players from my Shadow Chasers game post or even lurk here (except maybe Fulffaderm) so there's no harm in giving you some background. But remember,
you asked for it!
In Shadow Chasers, the Occultist advanced class eventually gets an ability to "find" a magic item that he has been searching for (in lost crypts, E-bay, etc...) every couple of levels or so.
The player just needs to beat a certain DC to find it at that level, but I don't allow such ease of acquisition in my game. The player has to roleplay out finding the item, often dragging the group into serious trouble with him.
Anyway, this time the player asked to fin a device that would boost the psychic powers of the Battle Mind in the group (the Occultist is a team player). The item, The Idol og Yog, is in the possession of billionaire occult collector, Prescott Travers.
The Occultist player will be able to dig up knowledge of Travers' compund and considerable defenses. (the hand out I need to assemble)
But assuming they move in to "borrow" the item (I know my players, this is highly likely) they will find the mansion a smoking ruin, with it's defenses snmashed and most of it's staff dead.
The survivors in the mansion will be terrified at the sight of the heroes. The idol of Yog is gone, though they will find an item that will enhance the Battle Mind somewhat.
This is where it gets really wierd. You see, we are wrapping up the last two sessions of "Season Two" of Shadow Chasers (I organize it like a tv show). After the Chasers save the world from Ultimate Evil (tm) this season, we will begin Season Three.
Season Three will consist of me taking everyone's characters and handing them characters that are similar to their originals, but also different in several keys ways (added levels of soldier, for example, or spells themed to combat instead of investigation).
These characters live in a desolate post-apocalyptic world ruled by Elder Beings from the Cthullhu mythos. They will fight a daily battle for survival against overwhelming odds. All around them, humanity will be enslaved and eaten on a regular basis. I will give them absolutely no explanation for the switch. As far as their characters are concerned, this is the way things have always been.
After three games or so, a Traveller from an alternate dimension/timeline appears to them (another PC who had to leave the game last month). He explains how this reality came into being when the heroes obtained the Idol of Yog. This item awakened the latent demonic psychic powers in the Occultist PC, causing him to become insanely powerful and evil. (this has already been foreshadowed, long story)
This Demonic Occultist goes on to enslave the world with his Chthullhu mythos allies. The heroes know that they can't defeat this guy (their former friend) but the Traveller from the other timeline offers them a way to travel back in time to a time just before he finds the Idol.
If they can destroy the Idol before the Occultist gets it, this horrible future can be averted.
So, presumably, they travel back in time to the mansion. This time, in Season Three, we play out the assault on the mansion. But these "heroes" are from a very grim and dangerous future. They don't have the same morality as the real Shadow Chasers. They are likely to blow up the mansion real good and kill any guards. This leads to any survivors being terrified of people who look like the future heroes. This brings us back to the cureent episode in Season Two.
Pretty confusing, huh? Sorry, it makes more sense to play it out.
Anyway, thanks for the links. Good stuff. I am already cutting and pasting...
-Tom
