Melniboné in pathfinder?

[Xuldarinar]

Given the setting of pathfinder, I am one who is left to wonder where Melniboné and other aspects of Moorcock's works revolving around its last emperor. Its a vast enough universe that it could be (or could have once been) out there, if the dragon isles even reside on the Prime Material.

Most of all, how would one portray the Lords of Law and the Lords of Chaos (at the very least, Arioch.), and even the Lords of the Inquisition? If there are stats to any of these anywhere, be them direct or clearly inspired, I'd love to see them.

[Elricaltovilla]

I'm fairly certain you won't find any published stats for those characters. Moorcock is still alive, and Elric and the Eternal Champion are still under copyright. White Wolf originally got its start with a game based on the world of Elric of Melnibone, although its fallen out of print I believe.

Technically speaking, the Dragon Isles exist somewhere in pathfinder, although they're almost certainly exrtragolarion in location. You'd basically be delving into spelljammer and planescape shenanigans to get to them from Golarion.

I'd probably stat out (I wouldn't, but for the sake of the post) the Lords of Law as a mix of unique Lawful outsiders (Devils, Angels, Inevitables, etc.) in the CR 25-35 range. The Lords of Chaos would likely be similar unique Chaotic outsiders, with Arioch in particular being a Demon Lord. It's important to remember that Law and Chaos in the Elric universe are NOT conflated or aligned with good or evil at all. The Lords of Law seem nicer because they're losing so it behooves them to play nice with mortals in order to swing the balance more in their favor. In other books, its implied that the Lords of Law are capable of equal atrocities as the Lords of Chaos. Better to just kill the lot of them really.

[thethird]

I'm fairly certain you won't find any published stats for those characters. Moorcock is still alive, and Elric and the Eternal Champion are still under copyright. White Wolf originally got its start with a game based on the world of Elric of Melnibone, although its fallen out of print I believe.

Technically speaking, the Dragon Isles exist somewhere in pathfinder, although they're almost certainly exrtragolarion in location. You'd basically be delving into spelljammer and planescape shenanigans to get to them from Golarion.

I'd probably stat out (I wouldn't, but for the sake of the post) the Lords of Law as a mix of unique Lawful outsiders (Devils, Angels, Inevitables, etc.) in the CR 25-35 range. The Lords of Chaos would likely be similar unique Chaotic outsiders, with Arioch in particular being a Demon Lord. It's important to remember that Law and Chaos in the Elric universe are NOT conflated or aligned with good or evil at all. The Lords of Law seem nicer because they're losing so it behooves them to play nice with mortals in order to swing the balance more in their favor. In other books, its implied that the Lords of Law are capable of equal atrocities as the Lords of Chaos. Better to just kill the lot of them really.

I do happen to have the books, at my parent's, and there was a d20 adaptation and conversion for all characters and npcs so looking for those might be a good idea. Although I can't remember outhand the lords of law or chaos actually being stated.

[SimonMoon6]

There was a d20 Elric book... but it was put out in the early days of 3.0 and was clearly just a desperate cash-grab. I don't remember it well, but my recollection is that the writers were kind of hazy on the rules (as many early unofficial 3.0 books were), along the levels of some Mongoose books or worse (maybe even as bad as the 7th Sea stuff).

[Xuldarinar]

I'm fairly certain you won't find any published stats for those characters. Moorcock is still alive, and Elric and the Eternal Champion are still under copyright. White Wolf originally got its start with a game based on the world of Elric of Melnibone, although its fallen out of print I believe.

Technically speaking, the Dragon Isles exist somewhere in pathfinder, although they're almost certainly exrtragolarion in location. You'd basically be delving into spelljammer and planescape shenanigans to get to them from Golarion.

I'd probably stat out (I wouldn't, but for the sake of the post) the Lords of Law as a mix of unique Lawful outsiders (Devils, Angels, Inevitables, etc.) in the CR 25-35 range. The Lords of Chaos would likely be similar unique Chaotic outsiders, with Arioch in particular being a Demon Lord. It's important to remember that Law and Chaos in the Elric universe are NOT conflated or aligned with good or evil at all. The Lords of Law seem nicer because they're losing so it behooves them to play nice with mortals in order to swing the balance more in their favor. In other books, its implied that the Lords of Law are capable of equal atrocities as the Lords of Chaos. Better to just kill the lot of them really.

Well, lets think on where it might be. If we go off of the books, it -was- on earth, a world that does mean the dragon isles likely no longer exist, the Melnibonéans are likely long dead with little to no evidence remaining, and its more than likely then an explanation as to why we don't hear of the Lords of Law or the Lords of Chaos, is simply that they are distant and presently unconcerned with the cage.

Other routes could places it at present on a different world, a place in the First World or Shadow Plane, or even in the lower planes. I think Melniboneans could be portrayed in the last case as an empire of fiendish elves, dwelling on a relatively outsider free island on some layer on the Abyss, in Abaddon, or in some other plane/demi-plane.

[Arbane]

There was/is an Elric RPG, but it was written for the Basic Role-playing System (the same one Call of Cthulhu uses), so it wouldn't be too much use except as inspiration.

[Yogibear41]

Arioch is in the first edition deities and demigods.


He is also present in the campaign I play in. He is a CE god of magic and war. He is also patron of the majority of the Royal Family of the Empire that is currently in control of about 95% of the known world.
He unlike other gods and goddess in our setting does not actively seek new worshipers and would prefer if less people worshiped him. Generally only the extreme elite are considered worth to be his priests(clerics) and paladins.

In the first edition Deities and Demigods he is stated out as not having healing spells available to priests at all, in our setting however he does grant healing spells but it is more or less forbidden for a priest of Arioch to provide healing to someone that isn't also a follower of Arioch (the elite few) or on rare occasions healing can be granted if it explicitly furthers the causes of Arioch.

In our campaign Arioch despises undead and will not abide in their creation, as they are the creation of a rival god that is universally despised, but was imprisoned long ago by a joint effort of good and evil gods alike. He does however allow rebuking them in the moment and for the short term control and use, but demands that they be destroyed immediately upon the completion of whatever task is at hand, more or less.

[Milo v3]

Isn't there an archetype based around Elric himself?

[Xuldarinar]

Isn't there an archetype based around Elric himself?

Arguably two: Bladebound (Magus), and Blade Adept (Arcanist).

They left the association of the black blades to be general, though I think they should have demonic or daemonic association, or something more sinister.

Edit: Though no archetype centered around before he picked up the blade, or atleast strictly on his magical abilities. A wielder of black magic, with a title that is just a bit too close to an offensive term. If only there was an archetype to some class, such as wizard, that specializes in (Evil) spells. Ah well.

[Serafina]

A lot of Elrics magical abilities actually focus around beseeching powerful nature spirits or demons for aid. The stuff related to demons is obviously evil, but the nature spirit ones really aren't.

That aspect of him is really hard to represent in D&D and Pathfinder, since it generally doesn't do "ritual magic" as anything but a select few spells. You can of course bind outsiders at higher levels, but that's more about gaining another combatant than their blessing or large-scale magic.


But you can certainly try.
Black Blade Magus certainly works for "sorcerous wielder of a black sword", and if you want to focus more on the casting a Blade Adept Arcanist works as well. And if you then want to get higher BAB, going into Evangelist (of your Demon Lord) would work well and fit Elcris later devotion (if not exactly eagerly) to Arioch.

[Xuldarinar]

A lot of Elrics magical abilities actually focus around beseeching powerful nature spirits or demons for aid. The stuff related to demons is obviously evil, but the nature spirit ones really aren't.

That aspect of him is really hard to represent in D&D and Pathfinder, since it generally doesn't do "ritual magic" as anything but a select few spells. You can of course bind outsiders at higher levels, but that's more about gaining another combatant than their blessing or large-scale magic.


But you can certainly try.
Black Blade Magus certainly works for "sorcerous wielder of a black sword", and if you want to focus more on the casting a Blade Adept Arcanist works as well. And if you then want to get higher BAB, going into Evangelist (of your Demon Lord) would work well and fit Elcris later devotion (if not exactly eagerly) to Arioch.

You make a good point. His magics are best reflected in the Occult Rituals, rather than the traditional Vancian casting. I dare say a fighter/sentinel with an intelligent demonic (or daemonic) black bladed bastard sword and extensive knowledge of occult rituals might be more fitting of Elric, not that I dislike the archetypes in his honor.