Cyclops08
2019-10-26, 10:30 AM
I only plan a brief scenario with her at first level because I want her to survive and become a looming threat to the PC's world (or at least the local area).
Mad Marion was never a pleasant woman, She had no friends at all and that is the way she liked it (or so she said). When her husband died in a war, she went mad, demanding people give things to her, work for her, etc. Her neighbors shunned her as a result.
Marion's connections to humanity were slipping every day. She felt alone and knew she would starve in the coming winter because everyone else hated her for inexplicable reasons.
Stumbling in a graveyard looking for shelter she met a strange man.He was from the world of shadow. She sold her soul for "friends" who would never forsake her and obey without question. The man gave her a book and advised her to learn a certain spell.
Now Mad Marion had power! She could cast Animate Dead 3 times a day. Skeletons will arise from the ground and obey her every whim. Marion will never lose control and has the potential to raise an obedient army, even at her very low level. Seriously, there is NO upper limit to the numbers she can accumulate.
If she goes to a battlefield, the dead will arise even if their bones are mere powder. Further they will be armed and armored exactly as when they fell (The metal will not even be rusted).
~~If she uses her animate dead only once a day, she can make a single skeleton with fighter levels equal to her level (she hasn't figured that out yet.)
------------------------------------------
In the first adventure I intend to have one player (a paladin?) witness a cinematic event. He will hear a woman wailing in despair. He will see a woman running into a mausoleum. He pursues her down the stairs to hear a conversation.
Man: It is time Marion. You have learned your spell. Return the book.
Woman: (wails) Nooooo! I sold my soul for this book.
Man: That is not correct. You sold your soul for one spell, you have learned three. Return the book.
Woman: (collapses) But there is so much to learn! I will pay for the book!
Man: I already have your soul. You have nothing left to offer.
~~if the player rounds the corner he will see a skeleton dressed in a tailored suit holding a book bound in what could only be human skin.
The skeleton stands on the other side of an open grave. The woman's back is to him.
Woman: What will I do?
Man: You have your "friends." Go and live your life. Our bargain is complete.
Woman: (wails) Noooooooo! (she flees the chamber through another passage).
The skeleton will notice the PC, but will jump into the open grave and disappear if attacked (the grave is a portal to the shadow realm and will close before the player can enter). He will talk if addressed. he will not offer the book for sale. The book is a book of power and is this world's version of the Necronomicon. The conversation will be short but polite, and then he will jump into the grave and disappear.
The woman will be long gone by the time the PC leaves. The book is an artifact of evil and the PCs will eventually need to destroy it.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't figured out Marion's other two spells yet but she can only cast them once a day and they should be totally off the wall Horror genre necromancer type spells. Certainly not appropriate to her first level.
Her ordeal has awoken in her a class level and she will remain at level with the PC's. I am thinking either a Divine Soul Sorcerer or a warlock with the Undying patron.
Marion is Mad and her isolation from humanity burns her and drives a wedge between her and any concern for human life. Her personal torments are primarily self inflicted, but contact with a cursed artifact doesn't help much either.
Marion is not bright enough to be a master villain and will welcome a chance to work for a true mastermind. at low levels the players will have side quests involving her but she will get away at the first opportunity. She will eventually get her hands on the book again, and the players will need to kill her to get the Necronomicon and destroy it once and for all.
**********************************
So that is the character. What would you do with her?
Anyone is free to use her. she will certainly become more powerful with time.
I do like the idea of mixing leveled skellys with the base models. One will go down with a single swing, while another takes multiple hits to go down.
Mad Marion was never a pleasant woman, She had no friends at all and that is the way she liked it (or so she said). When her husband died in a war, she went mad, demanding people give things to her, work for her, etc. Her neighbors shunned her as a result.
Marion's connections to humanity were slipping every day. She felt alone and knew she would starve in the coming winter because everyone else hated her for inexplicable reasons.
Stumbling in a graveyard looking for shelter she met a strange man.He was from the world of shadow. She sold her soul for "friends" who would never forsake her and obey without question. The man gave her a book and advised her to learn a certain spell.
Now Mad Marion had power! She could cast Animate Dead 3 times a day. Skeletons will arise from the ground and obey her every whim. Marion will never lose control and has the potential to raise an obedient army, even at her very low level. Seriously, there is NO upper limit to the numbers she can accumulate.
If she goes to a battlefield, the dead will arise even if their bones are mere powder. Further they will be armed and armored exactly as when they fell (The metal will not even be rusted).
~~If she uses her animate dead only once a day, she can make a single skeleton with fighter levels equal to her level (she hasn't figured that out yet.)
------------------------------------------
In the first adventure I intend to have one player (a paladin?) witness a cinematic event. He will hear a woman wailing in despair. He will see a woman running into a mausoleum. He pursues her down the stairs to hear a conversation.
Man: It is time Marion. You have learned your spell. Return the book.
Woman: (wails) Nooooo! I sold my soul for this book.
Man: That is not correct. You sold your soul for one spell, you have learned three. Return the book.
Woman: (collapses) But there is so much to learn! I will pay for the book!
Man: I already have your soul. You have nothing left to offer.
~~if the player rounds the corner he will see a skeleton dressed in a tailored suit holding a book bound in what could only be human skin.
The skeleton stands on the other side of an open grave. The woman's back is to him.
Woman: What will I do?
Man: You have your "friends." Go and live your life. Our bargain is complete.
Woman: (wails) Noooooooo! (she flees the chamber through another passage).
The skeleton will notice the PC, but will jump into the open grave and disappear if attacked (the grave is a portal to the shadow realm and will close before the player can enter). He will talk if addressed. he will not offer the book for sale. The book is a book of power and is this world's version of the Necronomicon. The conversation will be short but polite, and then he will jump into the grave and disappear.
The woman will be long gone by the time the PC leaves. The book is an artifact of evil and the PCs will eventually need to destroy it.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't figured out Marion's other two spells yet but she can only cast them once a day and they should be totally off the wall Horror genre necromancer type spells. Certainly not appropriate to her first level.
Her ordeal has awoken in her a class level and she will remain at level with the PC's. I am thinking either a Divine Soul Sorcerer or a warlock with the Undying patron.
Marion is Mad and her isolation from humanity burns her and drives a wedge between her and any concern for human life. Her personal torments are primarily self inflicted, but contact with a cursed artifact doesn't help much either.
Marion is not bright enough to be a master villain and will welcome a chance to work for a true mastermind. at low levels the players will have side quests involving her but she will get away at the first opportunity. She will eventually get her hands on the book again, and the players will need to kill her to get the Necronomicon and destroy it once and for all.
**********************************
So that is the character. What would you do with her?
Anyone is free to use her. she will certainly become more powerful with time.
I do like the idea of mixing leveled skellys with the base models. One will go down with a single swing, while another takes multiple hits to go down.