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NeverSleep
2012-02-27, 12:58 PM
Need major help constructing this encounter asap. The characters know that they will be facing something called "The Dweller", and that it occupies a cave on a small island with Swiss cheese walls... and, that it breathes like a dragon. There are no dragons in the setting at the moment, but they may re-appear as a plot tool.

So I need help constructing the monster itself, and I was also thinking to send the PC's to an island where the inhabitants have knowledge of the dweller, but they actually worship it/him/her.

The setting is homebrew epic E6. Major artifacts are allowing them to level past 6. The first of such will be in the cave of the dweller. This is meant to be an epic challange.

They are currently level 6 with around 52k in gear, and 4 extra feats. A scout, straight cleric, and an ubercharger. They are supposed to be epic, so I'm cool with the ubercharging abuse, as long as he doesn't outshine to much.

The basic idea of the monster came from a dragonlance novel, I can't remember the exact name of the characters but it may have been Kaz and "?". One internet goes to whomever can identify the beast/novel in question.

I have some ideas, but I'd like to start with an open forum as to invite as many new ideas as possible. The only ideas I'm stuck on, is that he should be massive, and the fight should stretch over multiple encounters.

Thanks!

Sgt. Cookie
2012-02-27, 01:03 PM
My first thought is a snake-like monster. The "Swiss cheese walls" could easily be explained as a way for the Dweller to move around.

The breath attack could be acid, probably as a small cone. Would explain how the monster can carve through solid rock.

Knight13
2012-02-27, 01:24 PM
I remember that book (it was indeed a Kaz book) and the monster. It was some sort of dragon variant that was built like a Chinese dragon, with the really long, serpentine body, and it kept tormenting Kaz by blasting fire through the tunnels while he was trying to navigate them.

I don't remember what it was called though, I'll try to find out.

NeverSleep
2012-02-27, 03:34 PM
You are well on your way to an internet Sir Knight13.

So....

Could be really scary if he had telepathic or psionic powers.

If the walls are built right, he could be a character stealer. Combine this with the mental powers, we could do a "christmas Carol" like set of scenes with the character(s) being guided by the dweller.

Maybe they don't fight him, maybe he's more of the testing type.

How big are we really talking? Maybe it takes him two turns to get turned around to face the opponent again to make another pass with the fire/acid breath.

Are the walls full of endless tunnels, or is the whole area filled with Swiss cheese rock formations, turning the whole area into difficult terrain for the PCs?

Thoughts? Additions?

NeverSleep
2012-02-28, 10:25 AM
I like the Chinese dragon body style, and continuous Swiss cheese rock formations. I'm thinking that he should have multiple forms though. One long Chinese dragon body for slithering through the tunnels while using a powerfull double set of appendages to pull/climb through the intended path.

The other form would be a more sloth-like form where he truly has girth. More like a jabba the hut sort of deal. He would sleep in this form. Movement limited, and predictable because of massive sound. The appendages would be even larger and more powerful here.

What do you guys think for stats here?

NeverSleep
2012-03-07, 03:18 PM
I did end up having the party wind up on an island conataining the fanatical worshippers of the Dweller. They ended up in a fight with them because they were hunting game on the island. The dweller people took hostages in retribution.

That was before they knew they were on the right island.

Now they will have to appologize for killing hundreds of people(the battle was epic scale) or find some other way to get more info about the dweller.

Still looking for input on the dweller's attributes, as none have been revealed yet.