Help with a new campaign setup

[just__al]

I'm starting a campaign in about 2 months where 4 of the characters are monsters (Frost Giant, Pixie, Centaur, and something yet to be determined). My thoughts were that the other 4 characters who are human and elves, are going to be escorting a wizard who hired them as backup and they happen upon an evil wizard or cleric that is has been controlling the monsters for some time.

I'm looking for a way to have the evil caster be as low level as possible while having had the monster characters under his thrall completely for possibly a few months.

The monster characters are all level one using the Savage Species rules.

The goal is to have the campaign open with this battle and have the monster characters freed so they have a reason to join up with the non-monsters. Oh, I rarely do this but, I'm probably going to fudge a roll or two to make sure the friendly caster dies, he's just background anyway...

any suggestions? I'm going to start trying to figure this out when I get home, but I'm sitting here at work without any books.

 

[LokiDR]

This depends solely on how much control you are consider "enthralled". For spells, obviously there is charm monster. You can recast the spell time and again. You can do that with a 7th level enchanter, duration 1 day/level.

Suggestion makes for a decent substitute at 3rd level spell, 5th level caster. Suggest them out of their home towns, then lead them away. By the time it wears off, they have no place to go.

Lesser Geas is higher level, but could prove more effective. Of course, that doesn't wear off so well when the evil wizard is dead.

If the monsters are lower level, the wizard could just threaten them in line. Fireballs are scary to ECL2 characters. You could give the lower-level wizard an item that casts charm monster that gives negative levels to non-evil characters.

Those are the best I can come up with on short notice. Ask if you need more.

 

[Murrdox]

I'd say Charm Monster is good.

You could also use Dominate Monster. Even though it is a level 9 spell, he could be low level, and have had one of his powerful wizard allies scribe the scrolls for him. He has a chance at failing to cast them successfully, but they last for days at a time.

You could also have some original magical item that allowed him to use Dominate Monster. Probably something with charges on it, since I doubt you want your PCs abusing it when they kill the wizard and take it from him!

 

[kigmatzomat]

Alternately, chuckles could be a top notch alchemist who has developed a unique slow acting poison. He tested it out on the non-Man PCs & their families by introducing it in the water supply. Then he selectively gave out the antidote to determine effectiveness. So far, the PCs are the only ones that have survived.

The BBEG took the survivors back to his lair for further testing & as slave labor. Their food is alternately doped with toxin and antitoxin in varying levels, but they can't tell which. They might be able to live if they snuck off, but probably not. At least one or two NPCs tried it and died.

Now neutralize poison will be able to free them. I'm guessing with a Frost Giant PC you'll have at least one character that can either cast it or has a neutralize wand or scroll.

 

[just__al]

Alternately, chuckles could be a top notch alchemist who has developed a unique slow acting poison. He tested it out on the non-Man PCs & their families by introducing it in the water supply. Then he selectively gave out the antidote to determine effectiveness. So far, the PCs are the only ones that have survived.

The BBEG took the survivors back to his lair for further testing & as slave labor. Their food is alternately doped with toxin and antitoxin in varying levels, but they can't tell which. They might be able to live if they snuck off, but probably not. At least one or two NPCs tried it and died.

Now neutralize poison will be able to free them. I'm guessing with a Frost Giant PC you'll have at least one character that can either cast it or has a neutralize wand or scroll.

Actually they are all first level characters using the Savage Species rules. Maybe if the wizard they are with doesn't die he could help them...

 

[kigmatzomat]

Actually they are all first level characters using the Savage Species rules. Maybe if the wizard they are with doesn't die he could help them...

Or the other PCs have some of the antidote, either from ambushing some of the BBEG's other troops or from another alchemist that was aware of the monstrous villages that had been poisoned and was trying to prevent more deaths.

 

[LokiDR]

Evil wizard is using poison to control the monstrous PCs, and killing villages, first monsterous ones, then standard races. His long time enemy, the "Good Wizard", has developed an antidote and preventative syrum. The good wizard is now on his way to distribute it to several village water supplies (since it is harmless on it's own.) Evil wizard has found this out and is going to use the monsters he has gotten control of to kill the good wizard. Good wizard, not being stupid, has hired the standard race PCs for protection for just this case.

Evil side meets up with good side. The wizards start the battle, more or less ignoring the PCs because they are each focused on how much they dislike the other. Either side may have the antidote. The good wizard would clearly label his.

Future adventures: the two wizards have several plots to harm the other, which the PCs can stumble onto as they go. This would remind them why they are together.

Hows that?

 

[just__al]

Evil wizard is using poison to control the monstrous PCs, and killing villages, first monsterous ones, then standard races. His long time enemy, the "Good Wizard", has developed an antidote and preventative syrum. The good wizard is now on his way to distribute it to several village water supplies (since it is harmless on it's own.) Evil wizard has found this out and is going to use the monsters he has gotten control of to kill the good wizard. Good wizard, not being stupid, has hired the standard race PCs for protection for just this case.

Evil side meets up with good side. The wizards start the battle, more or less ignoring the PCs because they are each focused on how much they dislike the other. Either side may have the antidote. The good wizard would clearly label his.

Future adventures: the two wizards have several plots to harm the other, which the PCs can stumble onto as they go. This would remind them why they are together.

Hows that?

Excellent! It sounds like something I could definately use.

Thanks.....