In an evil game set in Greyhawk, my 7th level rogue/8th level disciple of Baalzebul gutted a 1st level commoner servant who had failed him.
OK, it's a little more involved than that; several months ago, we gained the services of a bagpipe playing bard named Angus. Angus came complete with ridiculous Scottish accent, kilt, and a moral viewpoint that nicely contrasted with the rest of us Book of Vile Darkness-based PC's. We got him from Ivid the Mad, undead Overking of the Great Kingdom, who was just about to put him into the Wailing Column in Rauxes, a punishment worse than death. Basically, you get put in the column, and you suffer endless torments.
Later, after performing some services for the Overking, we came into the possession of several powerful and dangerous items, including a certain Deck of cards. This being an old-school Greyhawk game, we all eagerly drew an allotment. My PC, for example, got practically rained on with gems and jewels. We avoided almost all negative effects. We offered Angus, our NPC, a chance at a draw.
He drew The Void.
So now we have a practically comotose, soulless bard-body. At least the bagpipe playing stopped. After a few cracks about hanging a "For Rent" sign on him, we moved on, dragging Angus behind us.
We arrived in Rel Astra, just in time to be beseiged by forces of the Overking, attempting to wipe it off the map. I make handy use of a captured Holy Avenger, making use of a high Use Magic Item skill (nothing like being Lawful Evil and still getting the benefits of a Holy Avenger).
We were offered a deal by Drax, the Animus Lord of Rel Astra. Bring him the Overking, alive, so that he could torture him before killing him for having made Drax into an undead thing (Ivid had made many of his nobles into Animuses, a lich-like undead). Being evil, we turned on our former patron the Overking like a brand new Ferrari.
The seige ended in our favor largely because the forces attacking Rel Astra had to retreat to defend Rauxes, which was under attack from another direction (Lord Kargoth, leader of the Death Knights, as it turns out). We make for Rauxes post haste, and my PC leaves Angus in his chambers, after hiring a servant to look after him. You know, change his diapers, bathe him, that sort of thing. I pay him well.
In Rauxes, we find the city is sacked. Kargoth is gone, and the Palace is empty of all but zombies and demons. We find the Overking, however.
Trapped within the Wailing Column.
We figure out that people are trapped in the column at the bottom and can be released at the top. The column is no doubt evil. I take the Holy Avenger and jab it into the tip of the column. It pops open like a bottle of cheap bubbly. People starting flying out and dropping in the plaza 80 feet below with sickening thuds.
(Vincent, our party's Imp PC, starts singing, "It's Raining Men.")
The Overking comes flying out last, as he was the most recent imprisoned. We grab him before he hits the ground, and Vincent gets to him and asks "Are you OK? Do you need any help?"
Ivid responds, "You have already helped me," quite sincerely, apparently.
And promptly dies.
OK, we're screwed. We don't have anything to give Drax. Our visions of riches, magic, titles and lands go up in smoke.
Diamanda, our cleric suggests that perhaps we can Ressurect him. After all, that will work even on creatures that were previously undead. It's worth a shot, but first we decide to do a Commune to figure out if it wll work, and how some of our various patrons will react to such a thing. We retire to our mage's chambers in our Inn in Rel Astra.
Long story short - the Ressurect won't work on the Overking because that's not the Overking.
Huh?
What we figure out is that the Overking had a spell effect somewhat like Clone that took effect as he died. His soul was transferred into another body - but where? We go through all the possibilities. Another Animus? Someone who can't fight it would be ideal, we decide. is it any one we know, we wonder?
Then it hits me.
The other players look at me as I groan, and hit my head on the table.
"There's only one body hanging around here with a 'For Rent' sign on him," I say.
We rush over to my rooms in the same Inn. Angus is gone. The servant is there, counting his (my!) gold.
He says, "Oh, Angus? He got all better, picked up his things, and left a few hours ago. He asked me to thank you again for all your help."
Me to the DM: "Quickdraw. Thrust."
DM (as servant): "Gurgle." Thud.
And that's why my 15th level PC killed the 1st level commoner.
And that's why we have a bagpipe-playing, Scottish accent-having, insane OVerking in our version of Greyhawk.
