Need a few interesting locales and gaurdians (new idea! Please give feedback)

[James McMurray]

Edit: The new idea is appended to the end of the thread to keep it closer to its replies

Hi!

In my campaign (set in Greyhawk) I have a backstory that involves a divine cycle every 2,000 years. The current pantheon (the Greyhawk gods) will soon be stepping down for new replacements that are currently being chosen. The party will be given the opportunity to quest for divine status, and if they choose to do so, they'll be opposed by other questers and earthly powers.

Additionally, a god (some may remember Raffi from my Story Hour threads an eternity ago) is attempting to cheat the system in a manner that will allow him to retain his godhood. He tricked Vecna into believing that his Divine Spark had been stolen. He actually gave a part of that Spark to Vecna, resulting in Vecna's current divine status. A portion of his remaining essence has been secreted awy in several individuals across the planet, many of whom will be questers in this cycle, and one of which will be a party member.

Raffi has a sense of where his sparks are, and may be drawn to aid the individuals who have a shard of him inside them. However, in order to fully maintain his secrec, he can only do so in extremely limited fashion and he hasn't even told himself where those sparks are. Trust the God of Secrets to keep a secret from himself.

Anyway, enough backstory...

At the start of the current cycle the Gods locked away the upper limits of the powers of mortal man. They put into place a barrier of sorts which would prevent people from attaining their ultimate potential, and thus prevented there from being true rivals to their newfound power. The in game effect of this was to prevent anyone from going beyond 20th level.

Recently (200 years or thereabouts) the gods have begun allowing this power to trickle out, in order to enhance their champions for the upcoming battles. This power has been placed across the multiverse in several pools. Each pool is tied to a single quality of the human spirit: Glory, Love, Vengeance, Deceitfulness, etc.

The party has bathed in one of these pools (the pool of glory found during my previous story hour posts). Since then they have noticed a dull golden glow around themselves which none can see. They have also found out that other pools exist and have met a woman with a blue glow (the pool of Love). They are currently working with her to find a third pool, and then they will trade locations.

In fact, in the city of Union (from the ELH) the pools have become a bit of a commodity of trade. Locations among Bathers are often traded, although many hold their secrets dear to them, and others may attempt to wrest control of a pool if they think they can have its powers for themselves.

I know that my party will be hunting down at least one more pool, and will be returning with their new friend to the pool they've already been to. My questions:

1) Does anybody have some good ideas regarding what could be currently (or even previously) in residence near the pool of love?

It must be something capable of challenging a 22nd level party. If it is not a new arrival, it must have been snuck past by the rogue who has bathed in the pool.

2) What could have recently taken up recedence at the Pool of Glory?

This pool is situated in a crumbling city in the Negative Material plane. A vastly powerful abomination roams that city, so whatever gaurds the pool must be capable of either driving it away or avoiding it. This particular abomination regenerates all damage not dealt by weapons forged in a dream, if that helps to spark creative urges.

3) What 1-3 other pools and gaurdians could be the party track down, and what benefit could those pools grant?

The Pool of Glory gave immunity to fear. The Pool of Love gives immunity to hopelessness. The Pool of Vengeance (once the party finds it) will cause all those who damage the bather to immediately suffer 3 points of damage themselves.

Thanks a lot folks!

 

[Joshua Randall]

James, I'll try to post something creative tomorrow, but for now let me say that your ideas rock the house. More, more!

And please give my regards to any of the survivors of Acererak's Tomb.

Oh wait. There weren't any.

 

[Terry Edwards]

A quick suggestion to your first query if I may.

If you have access to the MM2 a jahi (pg 130) would make a fine guardian of the pool of love. Of course to challenge a party of 22nd-level you'll need to have the undead critter possess a powerful host (and advance it through HD or levels) and build up a significant cult. Storywise the jahi is a creature of unfulfilled desires seeking to experience the ultimate excess of love. It has worked long and hard to find the pool of love and had begun a lustful cult of twisted, misinterpreted love. The debauchery is sickening but the jahi has never been so pleased and fancies itself as the god (or future god) of love. The jahi is protective of the pool but seeks to expand its base of dominated worshippers who would also willingly relay the locations of any other pools...

just the first idea that came to mind.

 

[Joshua Randall]

An idea for the Pool of Vengeance...

Take the revenant (template from FRCS) and apply it to something uber, so it's a challenge to your APL 22.

As for the pool iteself... instead of a normal pool, let it be a massive pool of liquid nitrogen (or D&D equivalent). Combine the effects of extreme cold and acid from the core rules, and don't forget the "fumes from most acids are inhaled poisons" part. I would also ramp up the environmental effects so the PCs are taking damage every round, gradually wearing them down as they fight the guardians.

Remember than the revenant isn't affected by any of this.

You might also sprinkle around some burly constructs that are equally immune to anything except total immersion in the liquid nitrogen. An Inevitable (Marut, CR 15, can be advanced to Huge, 29-45 HD) could arrive to take down the revenant (who is cheating death) and then decide to alter his programming to go after the PCs instead (who will be cheating death on a much more massive scale by becoming gods).

You could also spice things up by having some ice para-elementals living in the pool. (Not sure if these monsters made the journey to 3e, but you could adapt them from 1e/2e.)

There is also the Ice Golem in Dungeon #87.

Once the PCs defeat the guardians, they are then faced with the problem of how to safely store the liquid nitrogen of the pool. And once they solve that problem, they have to figure out a way to drink the liquid without freezing their internal organs.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Another possibility for the pool of love.

Bare bones synopsis: Long ago, a dryad was mystically bound to a mighty oak. The local treant first befriended her, then fell in love with her. When orcs (or whatever) slew her tree, the treant appealed to the gods, asking that he take the place of the slain oak. The two have since traveled far and wide, acquiring great abilities (she's a powerful sorceress, he's a powerful druid).

Reasons why they are at the pool include:
1. While the treant loves the dryad, she does not love him. He hopes that visiting the pool of love will change that.
2. They sense the power of the pool and have come to defend it, to prevent others from mis-using its power.
3. They have some plan for using the power of the pool - perhaps to awaken the trees of all the dryads in the forest/world, giving them the same freedom to move about as this pair.
4. One of the gods has demanded some service from them, related to the pool, in payment for granting the treant's request so long ago.

 

[James McMurray]

Terry: good idea. I was about to run with it until Sir Whiskers posted his idea. If the party ges after a fourth pool at some point, that'll get used.

Sir Whiskers: I really like that idea and the backstory behind it. I'll have to make them tough enough that they can pose a true challenge to the party, but their true purpose will be to ensure that no one who does not deserve to bathe in the pool is allowed to. If the various party members can manage to adequately answer the question "Why do you deserve to bathe in the Pool of Love" they will be allowed past. Otherise they'll have a tough fight on their hands.

Joshua: I already have the location of the Pool of Vengeance. It is located deep in the heart of a duergar stronghold (part of the Bloodstone series). The module already had a temple with a magical pool in it, so it was easy to swap out. I will have to use that idea if the party manages to hunt down the Pool of Hatred.

 

[James McMurray]

Pool of Time

I've had an idea rolling around in my head that involved converting the characters to OD&D for a single adventure and sending them back in time. The Pool of Time gives me that chance.

I have an adventure called Sabre River written for the Companion set of D&D (levels 18+). The quest for the pool of time could involve going back and doing that adventure. Luckily enough, the adventure even deals with a magical water source (conveniently enough named the Sabre River ).

What do folks think of this idea?

Note that the adventure in question has some roleplaying, but is mostly a dungeon crawl with a mystery attached. I think my players would enjoy the adventure type. Plus the throwback to an older ruleset would definitely cement in their minds the idea that they went back in time.

To give credit where it is due, I don't believe this is an original idea. I know it has been discussed on another thread before (either here or on another board I frequent). Its unlikely that it was actually me who first brought the idea forth. If anyone with the search capabliity wants to find it (I'm pretty sure it was here at Enworld, I'll be happy to let my players know who to blame / thank.

 

[James McMurray]

just a self-serving bump in the hopes of catching the European / American nighttime crowd

 

[Joshua Randall]

I would push my own mother out of the way to get into that game, James. Sweeeeeeeet!

But only if I could play my first ever D&D character, Fredrick the Dwarf.

Speaking of time-related adventuring, did your RttToH party ever interacts with A's Weight of the Wait spell? That could be a seriously nasty thing to spring on them if they're not already aware of it.

 

[James McMurray]

They saw the complete lack of motion in the firelight and immediately deduced "trap." The rogue poked his head into the room, but didn't go in far enough to activate the spell.