I’m DMing a 5e version of Red Hand of Doom, and my players have just recently acquired the Ghostlord’s phylactery. One of the PCs is a LG cleric of Pelor who understandably thinks his god may prefer that he destroy the phylactery and the Lich. He cast the Divination spell to ask Pelor what he would have to do in order to destroy the phylactery. The MM page on the lich essentially says that each phylactery has a unique and special method of being destroyed but offers no specific examples. The dmg on like pg 212 or so has some examples of what would be required to destroy some artifacts, but these are way too much for 4 level 7 characters.
I’m looking for ideas on what it might take to destroy this thing. I want something that would be a bit of a chore so that it will encourage the PCs to take the easier route of returning the phylactery to the Ghostlord, but I don’t want it to be ridiculous so as to feel like a railroad. Also, if it influences the ideas, the Ghostlord is a rather unique lich variant that was originally a Druid rather than a wizard.
It needs to be held in the hands of a child then smashed with a magic/holy mace. The soul within will enter the child and then the lich can be killed in this mortal shell.
If the child is not slain, the lich will continue to live in the body.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
I personally always liked the idea of phylacteries having taken something from the world, and thus, destroying the phylactery means taking it back.
I read into the history of Ghostlord (haven't played the module!), and it looks like that Ghostlord, AKA Urikel Zarl, was Druid-King to the nomads south of Rhest. It seems like Rhestilor, due to the conflicts of the Red Hand of Doom, essentially no longer functions, and the nomads were killed many years earlier in battle by the soldiers of Rhest.
This makes me think of three options, which you could capitalize on narratively from a DM's perspective. The Phylactery could be smashed and destroyed in one of three locations, each with their own ways of destroyed the object.
1: The Nomadic Ruin of Rhestilor. Returning the phylactery to the ancient campsites and resting places (maybe even a holy spot?) of the Druid Urikel Zarl, smashing the phylactery on the stones once sat on and rested on by the Druid King and subject nomads brings the soul to rest with their former peoples in the wild. This could have some adverse effects on the wild, such as thorny vines growing in the area, or the area of a forest becoming darkened with the magical power. However, destroying the phylactery here may cause creatures or nomads to return to the area to once again settle in the lands.
2: The Decedents of the Rhestilor Having struggled under the ruin and oppression of the lich, a noble, lord, or leader of one of the remaining towns in the region could claim a final and fruitful victory over the lich by smashing the phylactery. Doing so may give the town a sense of freedom and winning over the struggle, but possibly, could also curse the town the be plagued by sporadic lion attacks, or a ghostly lion haunting the area. Even in a final victory, the curse acts as a scar over the region. However, destroying the phylactery here begins an age where the local towns have a very bountiful and fruitful seven seasons, leading to the beginning of the New Rhestilor, an even more formidable region (under new management!).
3: Offering the Phylactery A third and neutral option would be to find a diety, devil, or some other creature or collector that is able to contain the phylactery safely. The history of the region remains, with a sense of conflict never ending, but the raw punishment of the evil from the lich is kept away from the region. Plus, depending on the creature or figure wanting to secure the object, it may cause a sense of doubt as they could use the phylactery in the future for their own gain. Depending on how you would want to play it, the results could be very neutral, or very positive for the region overall.
Those are my thoughts! Let me know what you think.
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It needs to be held in the hands of a child then smashed with a magic/holy mace. The soul within will enter the child and then the lich can be killed in this mortal shell.
If the child is not slain, the lich will continue to live in the body.
Whoa. This got really dark really fast. I like it, but it’s twisted.
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I’m DMing a 5e version of Red Hand of Doom, and my players have just recently acquired the Ghostlord’s phylactery. One of the PCs is a LG cleric of Pelor who understandably thinks his god may prefer that he destroy the phylactery and the Lich. He cast the Divination spell to ask Pelor what he would have to do in order to destroy the phylactery. The MM page on the lich essentially says that each phylactery has a unique and special method of being destroyed but offers no specific examples. The dmg on like pg 212 or so has some examples of what would be required to destroy some artifacts, but these are way too much for 4 level 7 characters.
I’m looking for ideas on what it might take to destroy this thing. I want something that would be a bit of a chore so that it will encourage the PCs to take the easier route of returning the phylactery to the Ghostlord, but I don’t want it to be ridiculous so as to feel like a railroad. Also, if it influences the ideas, the Ghostlord is a rather unique lich variant that was originally a Druid rather than a wizard.
It needs to be held in the hands of a child then smashed with a magic/holy mace. The soul within will enter the child and then the lich can be killed in this mortal shell.
If the child is not slain, the lich will continue to live in the body.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I personally always liked the idea of phylacteries having taken something from the world, and thus, destroying the phylactery means taking it back.
I read into the history of Ghostlord (haven't played the module!), and it looks like that Ghostlord, AKA Urikel Zarl, was Druid-King to the nomads south of Rhest. It seems like Rhestilor, due to the conflicts of the Red Hand of Doom, essentially no longer functions, and the nomads were killed many years earlier in battle by the soldiers of Rhest.
This makes me think of three options, which you could capitalize on narratively from a DM's perspective. The Phylactery could be smashed and destroyed in one of three locations, each with their own ways of destroyed the object.
1: The Nomadic Ruin of Rhestilor.
Returning the phylactery to the ancient campsites and resting places (maybe even a holy spot?) of the Druid Urikel Zarl, smashing the phylactery on the stones once sat on and rested on by the Druid King and subject nomads brings the soul to rest with their former peoples in the wild. This could have some adverse effects on the wild, such as thorny vines growing in the area, or the area of a forest becoming darkened with the magical power. However, destroying the phylactery here may cause creatures or nomads to return to the area to once again settle in the lands.
2: The Decedents of the Rhestilor
Having struggled under the ruin and oppression of the lich, a noble, lord, or leader of one of the remaining towns in the region could claim a final and fruitful victory over the lich by smashing the phylactery. Doing so may give the town a sense of freedom and winning over the struggle, but possibly, could also curse the town the be plagued by sporadic lion attacks, or a ghostly lion haunting the area. Even in a final victory, the curse acts as a scar over the region. However, destroying the phylactery here begins an age where the local towns have a very bountiful and fruitful seven seasons, leading to the beginning of the New Rhestilor, an even more formidable region (under new management!).
3: Offering the Phylactery
A third and neutral option would be to find a diety, devil, or some other creature or collector that is able to contain the phylactery safely. The history of the region remains, with a sense of conflict never ending, but the raw punishment of the evil from the lich is kept away from the region. Plus, depending on the creature or figure wanting to secure the object, it may cause a sense of doubt as they could use the phylactery in the future for their own gain. Depending on how you would want to play it, the results could be very neutral, or very positive for the region overall.
Those are my thoughts! Let me know what you think.
Whoa. This got really dark really fast. I like it, but it’s twisted.