What does a horrible monster want?

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Thanks guys, more really cool ideas!

Stereroo - That's the classic. Love that kind of beast. Unfortunately what my last monster was like. Although we've had a good few bad things since then, I figured a somewhat different motivation would be needed for this one... Mix things up and all that.


Tinner - Titans have also seen recent use in our games. Played in some WW2 mecha game with this group. Plot involved nazis trying to turn a dormant titan into some uber mecha 'o doom...

A very good point about people/horrible things, made me wonder before as well. It did cross my mind to make it look rather angelic but sinister underneath - somewhat the B5 vorlons. I did see something in a book (can't recall what) that I'm going to sincerely flatter: The thing never shows itself, always lurks in total darkness. Has a very silky persuasive (albeit creepy) voice. Their version knew many secrets. Figure it fits well with the sun god idea?


The Shaman and eris404... Those two ideas could mesh together nicely. Breeding time. It needs a mate. Then there'd be all kinds of horrible larval kids to deal with. Also like the idea of bestial larvae with animal instincts.

Not sure where to slip this idea into the plot. One or both groups could try to acquire the mate. Perhaps far less powerful and trapped in a different location. Possibly very different to the AEB, even a particular human with something unusual about them? The breeding might be able to happen at a distance... through some kind of ritual. Could even deal with that plotline before the AEB gets out? Might make a nice reveal - You dealt with the kids. They were tough... and now you've gone mada their momma mad!

VirgilCaine - now that made me giggle.

 

[Goodsport]

Is the monster really horrible or is it just misunderstood?


-G

 

[Barak]

And.. Sometimes, especially after a millenia or so of imprisonment, monsters are just crazy. And have no goals other than to destroy as much crap as they possibly can.

"But Barak! That's boring!"

Well... Perhaps. But it's also realistic. And it does make those enemies with concrete, planned, sensical goals that much more interesting.

Of course, with a "pure destruction" goal, it's much better to have the monster really, really powerful. And to have the heroes' goal to -stop- it from being liberated, instead of killing it once it is.

Perhaps having some weaker, but just as crazy monsters imprisoned in the way to the big guy would make that fun, and clear.

"Wee.. Guys, that thing was -tough-. Joe and Jack died. Good thing we could get them raised."
Sage: "Err.. Adventurers? That was a baby. The real enemy is still, thankfully, currently imprisoned."

 

[Zog]

It wants to stop being a Ancient Bad Guy of Unspeakable Evil. But it is just so HUNGRY and it needs to Feed! Imprisoned so long, some manner of Sainly Martyr's soul which was eat has worn away at the Evil. Of course, its very existance still warps the world around it, and it is more than a little insane with hunger.

But- once it dines on some souls, it gains more control, and thus can withdraw, *not* destroying the world. So, the catch is, it really *is* loose - but locked itself up, to protect the world from itself. It could get loose, if it was sane - but it is insane with hunger. And there is a delicate balance point where it has eaten enough to remember how to get out, but not enough to remeber its conscience.

And of course the cultists do not know/understand the whole 'not destroying the world' thing.


Just for something different....

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Take the (Mayan?) idea of Cycles of Time - the whole Age of Aquarius kind of thing. The Evil Beasty wants to ensure that the next Cycle is a Cycle that favors him. Possibly, the time between cycles is the only time that he can be released...

 

[Conaill]

I did see something in a book (can't recall what) that I'm going to sincerely flatter: The thing never shows itself, always lurks in total darkness.

Ooh, ooh... is this the one that walks around under a pink umbrella when ever it has to get out in the sun?

 

[Chiaroscuro23]

An interesting idea for the cleric would be that it wasn't purely lust in and of itself, but lust for a single person, a beautiful women he wanted ever since he saw her. However, she was married to someone else and pushed away his advances. His lust drove him into raping her and thus began his long fall from grace. This woman, during this time when he created the cult, etc., was killed, but before she could go to heaven, the creature stole her soul. He doesn't use it any, but keeps it just in case he needs to use her soul against the cleric.

The object of lust definitely needs to play a role in the game. I would not include rape as a part of my game unless I knew players were comfortable with it, though. If the cleric captured her soul, perhaps the Cthulhu larva didn't steal it yet, but the cleric has it/still trying to talk her into it.

And: her sould can occasionally escape and thereby interact with the PCs in mysterious prophet mode.

Or: the cleric, still obsessed, is seeking to create a new body for his lost lust, so she can be his underworld queen. This involves standard nasty body-snatching/necromancy stuff, and brings in the local wizard's guild in some way (maybe gets the PCs involved?)

Or: one of the PCs (or their family members) is the spitting image of the woman (a daughter? A split soul who was partially reincarnated?) and thus the cleric obsesses over her, too, drawing them into the plot.

Also: I'd add at least one more organization who is vaguely interested in this. Maybe a good aligned temple or monastery or something, who has been tasked since time immemorial to watch the City and guard against the return of the Beast. (good PrC territory. Arrange this org to be a good fit for one of your PCs) but they have something wrong with them, too, that makes them more than just allies. Maybe they're willing to sacrifice innocents (the whole city? The whole world?) to keep the Beast imprisoned. They clash with the heros at first, trying to keep the secret hidden.


Sounds like a good set-up. Good luck with it.

-C.