GM seeking monster for long term relationship...

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'm looking for some help with some bad guys:

These guys are known as 'The Masters' - long ago they used to control a mostly human empire - something along the lines of the Roman empire... they were gotten rid of, vanished or went on holiday. Now they're back for more non-cliche EVIL(tm).

They should be humanoid - in that at least they'll pass for a human - if they're wearing a lot of robes, from a distance, etc.

They ought to be scary ~ CR 8 as a starting point. And the sort of things no-one in their right mind would mess with.

Now, I know what you're thinking: That sounds like good old mind flayers!

And that was my first thought... However, I'd like to have something that a group of long time players don't go - that's an X, I need to do Y and Z when fighting them. A mind flayer is iconic and those head tentacles are very distinctive.

I'd also like them to be Egyptian flavoured. Pyramids, mummies and all.

Has anyone got any ideas?

 

[Bagpuss]

Check out the High Gorgons in Creature Collection 1 for Scarred Lands, sounds like just the thing.

 

[Wippit Guud]

My vote is for Bodak's... who the heck ever uses a bodak for anything? Just take a DM liberty and increase their INT to 10 or 12, and let them start gaining levels as the CR requirement increases.

Just remember, they want to hide what they are, so stay away from using the death gaze unless absolutely necessary. They're wrapped in cloaks and such to stave off the sunlight that damages them. Get them some bluff ranks so they can 'fake' taking damage that their DRs and resistance would negate.

"Bodaks are the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil." Maybe they were gotten rid of in a bad way... ever see John Carpenter's Vampires? When Exorcisms Go Bad... they tend to come back a little more powerful.

 

[Shin Okada]

How about Yuan-Ti? Purebloods look almost like ordinary human. Keep their higher ranked ones behind curtain.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Thanks - Bodak is an interesting thought - I've certainly never used them... I like the idea of someone destroying their race with powerful curse/magic/maguffin... and it got worse - turned them into Bodaks.

Havn't got my monster manual to hand - are Yuan-Ti purebloods much the same as humans or just look like them?



Was considering masking the things up. But as soon as they died the game would be up...

 

[andargor]

Humanoid? Pass for human? Badass?

Well, if you REALLY want to take a tangent, check out the Stargate RPG (d20). Stick in those gua'uld...

Andargor

 

[Shin Okada]

Yuan-Ti purebloods look very simular to normal human but have small different points such as forked tongue and pointed teeth. There are "Tainted ones" also. They were humans but mutated by injecting special Yuan-Ti poison to get some of their features. They still look almost exactly like normal humans. And they are used as minions and spies by true Yuan-Ti. "Tainted ones" are in Monster of Faelun.

 

[Shin Okada]

Oops. Just a careless mistake.

 

[Enkhidu]

Try this:

Make them mechanically mind flayers, and then remove the cthulu-esque face tentacles. In fact, make them faceless.

Oooh, faceless Master never seen without their ceremonial robes and cowls...

/me goes off to write that down.

 

[Otterscrubber]

What about Ogre Mages? I know they are large but they can polymorph and/or go invis. With a little GM wand waving you can make them polymorph all the time to achieve your human appearance as needed. They are tough, mean and smart. Not sure how you will fit them into Egyptian background but sounds like you are going to have to get creative with any creature you come up with unless it is humans or aligators (excuse me, crocodiles).