Graf
Explorer
Thought I'd scratch pad out some new ideas...
[sblock=The Trade Lord]
A roving bugbear trader large size, who somehow came out of everything alright, and more or less immortal. His he calls himself the Trade Lord and plans on becoming a new god of trade. Which is crazy talk but are you going to tell that to a ten foot tall immortal bugbear? Actually he has a chance, he's one of the few creatures who wanders about unmolested, and has quite the reputation. His over-sized magical bags of holding bulge with magical items, all demonic in origin. He'd be very keen on non-demonic magic items.
He's realized that becoming a god of trade is tough in a world without much trading though.... He's crafty, but scrupulously honest in his dealings. And not tremendously smart (or at least, years of walking the wilderness have not stimulated him much). He doesn't appreciate the value of "intangibles" and isn't aware that most people trade with him primarily for the information he freely shares.
He's a light rp encounter and/or an option to trade for different magical items and/or for the PCs to find out that basically all items that exist are demonic now.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Autonomous - the city of the forge] -- (from a WF character I'm playing in the Lost game).
Run by warforged (called forged men or forged servants) this place is ostensibly the closest thing to civilization that the world has. Most of the older forged were servants of humans, it was a fad among the ultra-rich of the city to have a loyal servant created who would exist for generations, loyal, attentive, a living memory of the glory of the house. The fad took on a life of its own (so to speak) when part of the Last Oath abruptly shore the humans of their memories. Some of the forged secretly struck bargains to exempt themselves in exchange for delivering the city to the demons.
In return they got a creation creche of their own. But the betrayal of their old masters and the souls they damned haunt them. While the first generation were often warriors the newer ranks are bureaucrats who delight in the creation of ever more complex rules that the remaining humans are forced to follow.
They've made great inroads in the creation of defensive constructs, powered by the creche, but there are limitations. (the creche can only support an absolute number of creatures, which is large but finite), and the range is limited.
There are close to 130 (or 500?) warforged in the city and with the creche supporting so many constructs only one new living construct can be created in a year. There were 30 forged originally and roughly 1 has been created a year. Each new warforged is work of art with forged and one or two lucky human master craftsmen working on the final body. The creche could probably produce 10 times that number a year (or more) but the city would be defenseless. Each forged, eschewing names, is called by a number, save for the original 30 who have titles.
The city fulfills two campaign roles. It's a place with humans (subjugated but still) and it's a potential ally/enemy (with a secret danger, the forged would probably welcome the party initially but would be very fearful that their rule would be interrupted and/or the humans would punish them for their betrayal of their old masters or for serving the demons.)
If the party draws close it's possible that one of the production models (several models are prepped every year) to spontaneously animate with a heroic soul.
[/sblock]
The Forest of the Fleshweaver (ripped off from KB's Forest of Flesh
He's a divine caster, a sort of ur-priest who's got a bit of the god of magic in a bottle (maybe pro-Ioun, who Quinn once worshiped?). His power source is divine but his actual powers are all arcane.
[sblock=The City of Monsters]
Ruled by "the Medusa". A beautiful woman who was turned into a hideous creature as punishment for turning the eye of the husband of a jelous goddess. The fact that nobody remembers the god annoys her no end. She does, but she takes a perverse pleasure now in the fact that he's been forgotten and that she rules what is probably the most civilized nation.
Not that it says much. Humans are forbidden on pain of death unless their tongues have been removed. Recently, realizing that her attempts to build a functioning society (she was smart as well as beautiful and the years have only honed her wits) will go more smoothly if she can tap into something from the past (some cultural tradition) she's begun to quietly try to get her brighter servants (her daughters really) to gather up cultural information. The PCs offer an attractive option once she finds out about them. Of course showing signs of favoritism toward humans would enrage many in the city.
She is -the- Medusa, an epic level creature the sight of whom kills (heroic souls are only weakened, like an aura with sight range). She's given birth to a race of daughters (NO MEN) whose gaze turn to stone instantly (unless you're a PC then you get to save as usual). She trades with the demons, her city is very defensible but poorly provisioned and most of the monsters who dwelled their in the past aren't suited to farm and tend to abuse their slaves when they're board.
She's tried to encourage the formation of mercenary companies who serve the demonic city, which has had some success; but the demons often put the monsters in the worst positions. In fact the vampires have turned some monsters and sent them back to the city to stir up unrest.
but avoids the elves.
Another city, change to trade, look for culture. This time a matriarchy (the city itself is more than 65% female, since they drive off aggressive males) that's more apparently hostile than Autonomous but actually has the potential to be a lot more friendly.).
The Beautiful Queen is a sort of tyrant at the top but is actually desperately trying to develop a democracy. She creates a council, but it's filled with monsters with evil tendencies, so she stops their excesses, which just makes them more popular. She is often pregnant but never through relations. The truth is that she has a fertitlity artifact (it's all daughters because the artifact is from a goddess). She's managed to keep the artifact from moving on, but it's gotten very very hostile and is affecting the already poor yields. And monsters? Not really the most educated.
Her elder daughters (like her) have the lower bodies of serpents (though she has multiple tails, and heads and many arms). The remains of the fertilitiy artifacts power mean that they can mate and breed true with almost anyone who catches their eye.
Their children (they do mate, though non-marry in deference to their mother's loathing of men) are usually normal medusa (legs etc).
The scaled ones have a small embassy; and have converted/corrupted a few daughters. She has a bit of a blind spot with regard to them, as they're they closest thing she has to potential arcane magic. She's even allowed a kobold wild mage or two into her court; one of her favorite daughters is currently studying with them.
The PCs should encounter normal medusa patrols at some point, possibly trying to steal arcane magic and/or kidnap apparently knowledgeable humans (like Quinn?)[/sblock]
[sblock=The Trade Lord]
A roving bugbear trader large size, who somehow came out of everything alright, and more or less immortal. His he calls himself the Trade Lord and plans on becoming a new god of trade. Which is crazy talk but are you going to tell that to a ten foot tall immortal bugbear? Actually he has a chance, he's one of the few creatures who wanders about unmolested, and has quite the reputation. His over-sized magical bags of holding bulge with magical items, all demonic in origin. He'd be very keen on non-demonic magic items.
He's realized that becoming a god of trade is tough in a world without much trading though.... He's crafty, but scrupulously honest in his dealings. And not tremendously smart (or at least, years of walking the wilderness have not stimulated him much). He doesn't appreciate the value of "intangibles" and isn't aware that most people trade with him primarily for the information he freely shares.
He's a light rp encounter and/or an option to trade for different magical items and/or for the PCs to find out that basically all items that exist are demonic now.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Autonomous - the city of the forge] -- (from a WF character I'm playing in the Lost game).
Run by warforged (called forged men or forged servants) this place is ostensibly the closest thing to civilization that the world has. Most of the older forged were servants of humans, it was a fad among the ultra-rich of the city to have a loyal servant created who would exist for generations, loyal, attentive, a living memory of the glory of the house. The fad took on a life of its own (so to speak) when part of the Last Oath abruptly shore the humans of their memories. Some of the forged secretly struck bargains to exempt themselves in exchange for delivering the city to the demons.
In return they got a creation creche of their own. But the betrayal of their old masters and the souls they damned haunt them. While the first generation were often warriors the newer ranks are bureaucrats who delight in the creation of ever more complex rules that the remaining humans are forced to follow.
They've made great inroads in the creation of defensive constructs, powered by the creche, but there are limitations. (the creche can only support an absolute number of creatures, which is large but finite), and the range is limited.
There are close to 130 (or 500?) warforged in the city and with the creche supporting so many constructs only one new living construct can be created in a year. There were 30 forged originally and roughly 1 has been created a year. Each new warforged is work of art with forged and one or two lucky human master craftsmen working on the final body. The creche could probably produce 10 times that number a year (or more) but the city would be defenseless. Each forged, eschewing names, is called by a number, save for the original 30 who have titles.
The city fulfills two campaign roles. It's a place with humans (subjugated but still) and it's a potential ally/enemy (with a secret danger, the forged would probably welcome the party initially but would be very fearful that their rule would be interrupted and/or the humans would punish them for their betrayal of their old masters or for serving the demons.)
If the party draws close it's possible that one of the production models (several models are prepped every year) to spontaneously animate with a heroic soul.
[/sblock]
The Forest of the Fleshweaver (ripped off from KB's Forest of Flesh
He's a divine caster, a sort of ur-priest who's got a bit of the god of magic in a bottle (maybe pro-Ioun, who Quinn once worshiped?). His power source is divine but his actual powers are all arcane.
[sblock=The City of Monsters]
Ruled by "the Medusa". A beautiful woman who was turned into a hideous creature as punishment for turning the eye of the husband of a jelous goddess. The fact that nobody remembers the god annoys her no end. She does, but she takes a perverse pleasure now in the fact that he's been forgotten and that she rules what is probably the most civilized nation.
Not that it says much. Humans are forbidden on pain of death unless their tongues have been removed. Recently, realizing that her attempts to build a functioning society (she was smart as well as beautiful and the years have only honed her wits) will go more smoothly if she can tap into something from the past (some cultural tradition) she's begun to quietly try to get her brighter servants (her daughters really) to gather up cultural information. The PCs offer an attractive option once she finds out about them. Of course showing signs of favoritism toward humans would enrage many in the city.
She is -the- Medusa, an epic level creature the sight of whom kills (heroic souls are only weakened, like an aura with sight range). She's given birth to a race of daughters (NO MEN) whose gaze turn to stone instantly (unless you're a PC then you get to save as usual). She trades with the demons, her city is very defensible but poorly provisioned and most of the monsters who dwelled their in the past aren't suited to farm and tend to abuse their slaves when they're board.
She's tried to encourage the formation of mercenary companies who serve the demonic city, which has had some success; but the demons often put the monsters in the worst positions. In fact the vampires have turned some monsters and sent them back to the city to stir up unrest.
but avoids the elves.
Another city, change to trade, look for culture. This time a matriarchy (the city itself is more than 65% female, since they drive off aggressive males) that's more apparently hostile than Autonomous but actually has the potential to be a lot more friendly.).
The Beautiful Queen is a sort of tyrant at the top but is actually desperately trying to develop a democracy. She creates a council, but it's filled with monsters with evil tendencies, so she stops their excesses, which just makes them more popular. She is often pregnant but never through relations. The truth is that she has a fertitlity artifact (it's all daughters because the artifact is from a goddess). She's managed to keep the artifact from moving on, but it's gotten very very hostile and is affecting the already poor yields. And monsters? Not really the most educated.
Her elder daughters (like her) have the lower bodies of serpents (though she has multiple tails, and heads and many arms). The remains of the fertilitiy artifacts power mean that they can mate and breed true with almost anyone who catches their eye.
Their children (they do mate, though non-marry in deference to their mother's loathing of men) are usually normal medusa (legs etc).
The scaled ones have a small embassy; and have converted/corrupted a few daughters. She has a bit of a blind spot with regard to them, as they're they closest thing she has to potential arcane magic. She's even allowed a kobold wild mage or two into her court; one of her favorite daughters is currently studying with them.
The PCs should encounter normal medusa patrols at some point, possibly trying to steal arcane magic and/or kidnap apparently knowledgeable humans (like Quinn?)[/sblock]
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Maul(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Burst 1 Trigger: An adjacent ally is hit by a melee or a ranged attack Effect: It is hit by the attack instead.
Demonic Dessication (standard; at-will) ✦ Arcana, Necrotic
