Shadowchasers GMs- What monster villains...

[Moe Ronalds]

Have you used or planned to use that you think worked out pretty well? I'm interested in seeing what sort of monsters work in a modern setting.

For the campaign I'm planning, the monster of the first adventure will be (MY PLAYERS STAY OUT)






a variation on a formian taskmaster (since it's shadowchasers, I've made them lawful evil and more nazi-like). I hope he works out well, I plan for him to be a reoccuring villain, constantly preaching about bringing the wonders of the formian hive to the chaotic, disgusting masses, etc...

So what about the rest of you? What creatures/villains have you concocted that you're especially proud of?

 

[afeldspar]

hive mentality

a variation on a formian taskmaster (since it's shadowchasers, I've made them lawful evil and more nazi-like). I hope he works out well, I plan for him to be a reoccuring villain, constantly preaching about bringing the wonders of the formian hive to the chaotic, disgusting masses, etc...

Have you read Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert? Good for a chilling example of hive mentality.

afeldspar

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Have you used or planned to use that you think worked out pretty well? I'm interested in seeing what sort of monsters work in a modern setting.

For the campaign I'm planning, the monster of the first adventure will be (MY PLAYERS STAY OUT)






a variation on a formian taskmaster (since it's shadowchasers, I've made them lawful evil and more nazi-like). I hope he works out well, I plan for him to be a reoccuring villain, constantly preaching about bringing the wonders of the formian hive to the chaotic, disgusting masses, etc...

So what about the rest of you? What creatures/villains have you concocted that you're especially proud of?

If you fear your players reading here: Consider editing your post and add the [*spoiler] [*/spoiler] tag around your idea. (just remove the *). To see spoiler text, mark it.

Spoiler

I used or planned to use Lawful neutral Formians in my Space Experiences Campaign. Remember that Myrmachs stamp out any chaotic creature - this includes Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Good.
The formians might want to conquer the world not (only) for their own benefit, but because it is their view of the universe that the only succesfuly way to exist is in a perfect, lawful society. If that is not enough: Add a reason why they might have a lawful right to conquer the world - maybe a very old contract.

Other races:
Shadowchasers is the setting that looks a bit like Buffy, right?
I remember a nice Buffy episode, I believe the name was "Hush", maybe you know it. There were creatures that caused the whole city to become silenced (nobody could talk or cause sound). They didn`t walk, but levitated, while still having legs and so. I believe they were interesting in the hearts of a few certain victims. There great weakness was sound. With a few adaptions to both story and creature, Mind Flayers might fit that perfectly. Even if you use another story, Mind Flayers are always creepy villains.

For a higher level threat, a Rakasha might be great (The Dragonstar Campaign Setting uses a Rakasha as the main force behind the criminal organization Black Hole, and I liked the idea.).
Yuan Tis might also be interesting villains.

Spoiler

Though I am currently developing an AU Campagin, so I might not be able to use it in a while, but: I still have an adventure idea with a Yuan Ti - a Yuan Ti controlling a shadow depot.

 

[Gospog]

I am actually in the midst of GMing a monthly Shadow Chasers campaign right now. As none of my players read these boards, I'll throw out a few of my ideas so far, both used and un-used.

Feedback on any of them would be cool.

The first game was thier introduction to Shadow, so they got jumped by some skateboarding goblin punks. The ruckus they made dispatching the goblins brought the attention of a nearby troll police officer (whom they wisely fled).

Later in the game, they faced some Gnolls after the same articfact as they (at the Rosacrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose). The gnolls got the artifact, and tracking them to thier lair meant facing thier Fiendish Gnoll leader, more Gnoll bruisers, and two demonic hyenas.

The end of the game introduced an undead knight who showed up, threw a Buik at them, and started advancing on the group. They wisely fled and escaped him as well.

In the second game, the heroes had to solve a rash of dissapearing students. Goblins were being smuggled into our world by an unscupulous mage, who used the dimensional instability of the Bermuda Triangle to "bring them over" into airplanes flying back from Bermuda. (this happened over school vacation, hence the missing students)

The goblins would then follow a randomly selected family home, killing them and "setting up house" where they lived. The mage, meanwhile, ran a travel agency and used Charm Person constantly to sell a ton of trips to Bermuda.
Two final monsters used were the orc bodyguard of the mage, and the dog that guarded the travel agency at night. The dog wasn't a monster, but I gave it glowing red eyes, just to freak the players out.

My next game has them trying to find out why several guys have been injured right before the harvest dance. It turns out that the culprits are dopplegangers (teenaged) who are hard up for dates. They're taking out these dudes so they can show up looking like them, and steal thier dates to the dance.

The best part is, the Player Charatcers get attacked by four Samuel Jacksons holding baseball bats painted purple. As they pull them out, they make really bad lightsaber noises. One of the attack victims is attacked by four Jackie Chans, another by four Scooby Do's. I can't wait! I mean, the bad guys are total dorks, but they're doppleganger dorks. They can be any geek idol they want.

The following game will be my "Halloween themed" game. Unless they can talk thier way out of a frame for murder real fast-like, they will face a crew of creepy circus performers. From there, they will track thier quarry to a real live (dead?) haunted house! It ought to be cool.

Anyway, the thing I love about Shadow Chasers is that monsters are "obscured by Shadow". The creepiest crawly in the Monster Manual (or Menace Manual) becomes a "dude with bad skin" when viewed by the police or a school teacher.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

Gospog, I like the idea of Doppleganger dorks. Sounds like it'll be great for some comic relief. The Halloween adventure idea also sounds interesting, but you may want to set up some sort of back up adventure as well, in case the PCs DO manage to talk their way out of murder.

 

[Gospog]

Posted by Moe Ronalds:

but you may want to set up some sort of back up adventure as well, in case the PCs DO manage to talk their way out of murder

Actually, this in only one small part ofthe adventure. If anything, if they talk thier way out of this part without fighting, I will be very proud ofthem!

I'm trying to challenge myself to give my players more non-combat options in games. I find that I reward combat the most, as a solution to problems. I think it might be fun to change that, and I have great players, so why not try?

Anyway, the real crux of the adventure is tracking down the real murderer, and getting a mysterious package from him (actually, it's Excalibur, but that doesn't matter too much for a few games). Unfortunately, the murderer is a monster, and the steets of Halloween night provide perfect cover. He ends up hiding in the real haunted house, and that's when the real fun begins!

Thanks for the feedback, by the way, you totally made me think about why I'm doing the stuff I have planned. Nice!