DM with a vengence
First Post
Tone down detect evil, make it only detect absolute baddies, creature that were born evil and can never be redeemed, such as demons, or possibly orcs. An unfriendly taxe collector wouldn't be evil.
First Adventure: Help Me Puzzle It Together [Long]
- Thread starter Xarlen
- Start date
Well, the thing about that is, I don't do 'Born Evil'. Only things that are strictly alignment fixated are unintelligent things (ergo nature), Outsiders of paticular planes, and evil magical items. There was something else, so I can't remember...
As someone put it in the Assassin thread, Cosmological Evil.
I may do the Detect Evil like a 'feeling' instead of a 'He glows black'.
But first, I want to take a look at Quint. Pal.
As someone put it in the Assassin thread, Cosmological Evil.
I may do the Detect Evil like a 'feeling' instead of a 'He glows black'.
But first, I want to take a look at Quint. Pal.
green slime
First Post
Reread the detect evil spell. It only detects "Cosmogical Evil", not minor evil. A small time crook is not "Evil" with a capital E.
As an aside:
Even if you allow him to detect simple thieves, it is also unlikely that the Paladin is going to go round detecting every single member of town, the town guard, the mayor, all the representatives of his church, without someone getting irritated. What is the paladin going to do to all the minor evils in town? No time for glorious adventure. Repressing all those people (no-one is going to want to meet the paladin, they'll be terrified of being thrown into prison or worse for their evil thoughts about the neighbours cat...)
Meanwhile, back on the ranch:
Alternatively, the NPC could be neccessary for the party to succeed in their goal and the church could stipulate that he must be looked after (an important crown witness against organised crime), and thus enjoy a certain amount of immunity to any threats the party may wish to make. This has the added advantage that you can make him as despicable as you like, while still requiring the players to take care of him.
It also opens up the threat of assassination attempts, bribery attempts, kidnapping of relatives, and a whole barrel of associated "goodness".
As an aside:
Even if you allow him to detect simple thieves, it is also unlikely that the Paladin is going to go round detecting every single member of town, the town guard, the mayor, all the representatives of his church, without someone getting irritated. What is the paladin going to do to all the minor evils in town? No time for glorious adventure. Repressing all those people (no-one is going to want to meet the paladin, they'll be terrified of being thrown into prison or worse for their evil thoughts about the neighbours cat...)
Meanwhile, back on the ranch:
Alternatively, the NPC could be neccessary for the party to succeed in their goal and the church could stipulate that he must be looked after (an important crown witness against organised crime), and thus enjoy a certain amount of immunity to any threats the party may wish to make. This has the added advantage that you can make him as despicable as you like, while still requiring the players to take care of him.
It also opens up the threat of assassination attempts, bribery attempts, kidnapping of relatives, and a whole barrel of associated "goodness".
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Hmm. I had had the idea of having him come along because of alterier motives (Someone sending him to check this out, wanting whatever is doing this, happens to stumble upon the party and offers to join up, then the Item O' Evil starts whispering to him, urging him).
If I hooked him up with the party At The Very Start, that poses as a problem because he'd be 4th or 5th level, and this is a 1st level party. So combat would be waay tilted.
Not to mention, the party is just 'going to see what's causing all the bad nightmare stuff'. Why would they send a witness to organized crime along with them?
I'm thinking this is more of a small to medium town, as opposed to a city. Organized crime is minimal.
If I hooked him up with the party At The Very Start, that poses as a problem because he'd be 4th or 5th level, and this is a 1st level party. So combat would be waay tilted.
Not to mention, the party is just 'going to see what's causing all the bad nightmare stuff'. Why would they send a witness to organized crime along with them?
I'm thinking this is more of a small to medium town, as opposed to a city. Organized crime is minimal.
green slime
First Post
He doesn't need to be 4th to 5th level to start with. He could start at a lower level, surely, or perhaps restrained in some form or manner. Neither does he have to be with the party at the Very Start.
Ever heard of the Witness Protection Programme? Perhaps that is why he is stuck out in this minor town on the edge of the universe (whatever). The very fact that organized crime is minimal in this area makes it an excellent place to put someone in the WPP.
Why would they want to take a witness to organized crime along with them? Because they have no choice, obviously. The local Cleric gets zonked on the head, the stooge is the only one who hears evil whisperings, they daren't let him go, there isn't anyone else they trust to take care of him (you could have previously have the town guards glower at the stooge, threatening him, wanting to kill him on the spot), thus it is perfectly clear that leaving their charge behind isn't a safe option.
Combine it with something that lets the Skeleton-to-be provide them insights on the source of the bad nightmare stuff (He hears the whispers even while awake after all). Obviously the Nasty dude also suffers during this whole episode, having headaches, not sleeping, conflicting emotions the whole works.
Just some ideas for you.
I don't think i'd have the guy around from day one, at least not as a prisoner. Perhaps he is just a minor courier or shady burgler, a distant friend of theirs. Have him then disappear for a couple of weeks, then turn up in the Witness Protection Programme, after being involved in some fantastical coup attempt or some such.
Ever heard of the Witness Protection Programme? Perhaps that is why he is stuck out in this minor town on the edge of the universe (whatever). The very fact that organized crime is minimal in this area makes it an excellent place to put someone in the WPP.
Why would they want to take a witness to organized crime along with them? Because they have no choice, obviously. The local Cleric gets zonked on the head, the stooge is the only one who hears evil whisperings, they daren't let him go, there isn't anyone else they trust to take care of him (you could have previously have the town guards glower at the stooge, threatening him, wanting to kill him on the spot), thus it is perfectly clear that leaving their charge behind isn't a safe option.
Combine it with something that lets the Skeleton-to-be provide them insights on the source of the bad nightmare stuff (He hears the whispers even while awake after all). Obviously the Nasty dude also suffers during this whole episode, having headaches, not sleeping, conflicting emotions the whole works.
Just some ideas for you.
I don't think i'd have the guy around from day one, at least not as a prisoner. Perhaps he is just a minor courier or shady burgler, a distant friend of theirs. Have him then disappear for a couple of weeks, then turn up in the Witness Protection Programme, after being involved in some fantastical coup attempt or some such.
Well, day one is going to be them getting sent out to investigate. So he Would be with them from day one.
And, seeing as he will be returnning in the next adventure or two, there's no reason HOW he could jump levels so fast. The reason he'd be 4th or 5th level is because the last fight with him should be Tough, he'd be higher above their level and it'd be hard to deal with. And when he comes around, he's still going to be a powerful threat, so he Needs those levels.
And I plan on dropping hints to All the PCs. As well as toss an Unorthodox oracle at them.
And, seeing as he will be returnning in the next adventure or two, there's no reason HOW he could jump levels so fast. The reason he'd be 4th or 5th level is because the last fight with him should be Tough, he'd be higher above their level and it'd be hard to deal with. And when he comes around, he's still going to be a powerful threat, so he Needs those levels.
And I plan on dropping hints to All the PCs. As well as toss an Unorthodox oracle at them.
Guillaume
Julie and I miss her
I don't know enough about the cosmology you are using to know if this would help, but...
In my campaign, the Church, although good overall, has some evil elements in it. Most of these evil individuals gravitate around its Order of the Inquisition. If your church has a similar organisation, he could be a member. In this effect, he is both a colleague and a superior to certain members of the party, therefore partly untouchable.
Just an idea.
Guillaume
In my campaign, the Church, although good overall, has some evil elements in it. Most of these evil individuals gravitate around its Order of the Inquisition. If your church has a similar organisation, he could be a member. In this effect, he is both a colleague and a superior to certain members of the party, therefore partly untouchable.
Just an idea.
Guillaume
I don't exactly have a Cosmology yet... The PCs' church isn't the Only religious organization.
But that still puts me in the situation where he's a higher level, and thus will get into combat, and thus raise the overall danger emensely. Because he *will* be a Fighter/Rogue, and will be trained.
Unless he purely refuses to, only when he Must; the PCs are his guards. Let them do it.
I imagine on the way to The Big Evil Thingie, the PCs must stop at a shrine or little country chapel, where they'll have him handed to them.
Now I just need to figure what the PCs come in contact with, while on the way... Hrm. For example, how they link up with the Mage. Other challanges, like threats (But not huge ones). Hmm.
But that still puts me in the situation where he's a higher level, and thus will get into combat, and thus raise the overall danger emensely. Because he *will* be a Fighter/Rogue, and will be trained.
Unless he purely refuses to, only when he Must; the PCs are his guards. Let them do it.
I imagine on the way to The Big Evil Thingie, the PCs must stop at a shrine or little country chapel, where they'll have him handed to them.
Now I just need to figure what the PCs come in contact with, while on the way... Hrm. For example, how they link up with the Mage. Other challanges, like threats (But not huge ones). Hmm.
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