Post by Vulash on Dec 10, 2015 21:16:28 GMT
I have an idea for an encounter I'm going to run on this coming Tuesday, but I thought I would utilize this resource in an experiment to see if this group could help improve it!
Relevant background information: My world is ransacked by storms that roll in in blackness. These storms manifest fears and nightmares in the form of demonic creatures. This leads to a whole list of ramifications for the world, the nation, and the history of WHY - but that would take too long. The point is: Picture the demons from The Coldfire Trilogy with the mist and how all of that works - it's a similar concept except amplified and only when these storms roll through. Usually, these demons will dissipate after a time as they aren't brought here with enough power to remain on the plane. Also, the humans have developed multiple ways to combat them and "clean up" after a storm hits. However, occasionally a powerful one makes it all the way through and persists. In the larger cities, this is again kin to The Coldfire Trilogy with the demons running the opium dens to feed on emotions, but more covert as they are actively hunted.
Okay, so a few weeks ago, after a major battle and finding out one of the PC's brothers had died (who was also best friend to another PC), my PCs were hit by a storm. Given their raw emotions they spawned one of these potentially more powerful demons. Since they so quickly dispatched the lesser demons during the storm, the other presence slipped away in the shadows (They just felt a presence). So he's been roaming around the past few weeks gaining power. He feeds off of sorrow.
I plan for a return of this demon next week now that the PCs have just returned to town from another mission. This demon isn't powerful in the sense of standing toe to toe with heroes (although he can a bit), so I don't want the combat to be too direct.
I've built this guy from scratch - so there is plenty of flexibility on what he can do. As of now I've envisioned him as someone that can cast phantasmal killer quite often, a group version on a limited basis, and move from shadow to shadow. He has some other abilities that don't matter for the design. He feeds on sorrow - so I think that damage done by PK will heal him. He doesn't have that many HP though. Maybe it gives him temporary HP? Regardless, he'll open by hitting the entire tavern - I'll probably alter the group version so that it does a little less damage, or lowers something else. I don't want it outright killing all non-heroes, that's too powerful and defeats the purpose of creating more sorrow.
The thing is he won't be doing this from out in the open. The PCs will be chatting in the tavern, and suddenly people will be screaming and/or they'll be seeing their own nightmarish creatures and won't even realize it isn't real. From here, most likely multiple groups within the town will be investigating and hunting this guy. So there will be some investigating and people following shadows - and chasing in the dark, that type of thing. That's the part I want to make cool without railroading. I can wing it as is, but I'm hoping for some creative ideas.
Basically, how can I make this guy attack and feed off people - then retreat, but do so in a suspenseful way that gives the PCs a valid chance of catching him. Or perhaps even almost catching him and him slipping away again. They can ultimately win here, because this doesn't have to be a recurring villain - although if it works out that way cool.
Other complications: There is actually a demon hunter in the town (Templar) that works for the church. He's hunting a SEPARATE demon that has fled to this area. This demon feeds off fear. He's basically built after The Predator, but when he kills he skins the body. He's probably not in the town, but it's possible that the two have teamed up. It's also just as possible they aren't working together, and that is a different encounter in the future (or the Demon Hunter takes care of him at some point - I try to keep my world fluid and not have the PCs solve everything).
For reference: It's a frontier town modeled loosely after Deadwood but set in fantasy times and slightly larger.
Relevant background information: My world is ransacked by storms that roll in in blackness. These storms manifest fears and nightmares in the form of demonic creatures. This leads to a whole list of ramifications for the world, the nation, and the history of WHY - but that would take too long. The point is: Picture the demons from The Coldfire Trilogy with the mist and how all of that works - it's a similar concept except amplified and only when these storms roll through. Usually, these demons will dissipate after a time as they aren't brought here with enough power to remain on the plane. Also, the humans have developed multiple ways to combat them and "clean up" after a storm hits. However, occasionally a powerful one makes it all the way through and persists. In the larger cities, this is again kin to The Coldfire Trilogy with the demons running the opium dens to feed on emotions, but more covert as they are actively hunted.
Okay, so a few weeks ago, after a major battle and finding out one of the PC's brothers had died (who was also best friend to another PC), my PCs were hit by a storm. Given their raw emotions they spawned one of these potentially more powerful demons. Since they so quickly dispatched the lesser demons during the storm, the other presence slipped away in the shadows (They just felt a presence). So he's been roaming around the past few weeks gaining power. He feeds off of sorrow.
I plan for a return of this demon next week now that the PCs have just returned to town from another mission. This demon isn't powerful in the sense of standing toe to toe with heroes (although he can a bit), so I don't want the combat to be too direct.
I've built this guy from scratch - so there is plenty of flexibility on what he can do. As of now I've envisioned him as someone that can cast phantasmal killer quite often, a group version on a limited basis, and move from shadow to shadow. He has some other abilities that don't matter for the design. He feeds on sorrow - so I think that damage done by PK will heal him. He doesn't have that many HP though. Maybe it gives him temporary HP? Regardless, he'll open by hitting the entire tavern - I'll probably alter the group version so that it does a little less damage, or lowers something else. I don't want it outright killing all non-heroes, that's too powerful and defeats the purpose of creating more sorrow.
The thing is he won't be doing this from out in the open. The PCs will be chatting in the tavern, and suddenly people will be screaming and/or they'll be seeing their own nightmarish creatures and won't even realize it isn't real. From here, most likely multiple groups within the town will be investigating and hunting this guy. So there will be some investigating and people following shadows - and chasing in the dark, that type of thing. That's the part I want to make cool without railroading. I can wing it as is, but I'm hoping for some creative ideas.
Basically, how can I make this guy attack and feed off people - then retreat, but do so in a suspenseful way that gives the PCs a valid chance of catching him. Or perhaps even almost catching him and him slipping away again. They can ultimately win here, because this doesn't have to be a recurring villain - although if it works out that way cool.
Other complications: There is actually a demon hunter in the town (Templar) that works for the church. He's hunting a SEPARATE demon that has fled to this area. This demon feeds off fear. He's basically built after The Predator, but when he kills he skins the body. He's probably not in the town, but it's possible that the two have teamed up. It's also just as possible they aren't working together, and that is a different encounter in the future (or the Demon Hunter takes care of him at some point - I try to keep my world fluid and not have the PCs solve everything).
For reference: It's a frontier town modeled loosely after Deadwood but set in fantasy times and slightly larger.
