Hey! I'm new to DMing and need some insight. So in my story, this pirate ship was destroyed hundreds of years ago and i've decided that the crew ended up in an air pocket in the ocean (think Atlantis) but I kind of want the crew to still be around, at least the captain. However my captain is a half-elf so long life, but not hundreds of years. I was thinking it would be cool to have something with her where she can steal the life force of others? So that she can live longer. Or have some kind of spell that makes her live longer? Any ideas? Also if the spell or whatever causes backlash against her (makes a deal with the devil or drains her power) even better. I'd like to stay away from her being a ghost though. She's a neutral evil character and one of the bosses in the world, but not the highest level boss.
Ok, if you don't want her to be a ghost? How about a different kind of undead? For example, she could be a ghast and the crew can be ghouls. This idea sacrifices their intelligence though.
Or the captain can be a necromancer who uses necromancy to expand her lifespan and the crew can be zombies and skeletons.
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Devious serpent folk devoid of compassion, yuan-ti manipulate other creatures by arousing their doubts, evoking their fears, and elevating and crushing their hopes. From remote temples in jungles, swamps, and deserts, the yuan-ti plot to supplant and dominate all other races and to make themselves gods.
Maybe the pirates wrecked their ship chasing something that could prolong life? Like a djinn in a lamp that she used to wish for immortality for instance.
Or what about the spell 'clone'? It lets the user create a younger version of themselves, perhaps the pirate captain was also a wizard?
The description you put out sounds a bit like a vampire, maybe she survived that long by drinking the blood of her crew members.
Not sure what level or class the captain is but maybe an item/Spell like ring of vampiric touch, or a magic jar. Necromancy is such wonderful villainy!!!
Sounds like you need a lich with a little less power. The good news is that since you have the pirate motif going, you can make it more a "deal with Davey Jones" type situation. Perhaps the captain made a poorly worded deal with some ocean entity (kraken, sea fey, great old one, forgotten deity, etc.) for immortality, binding them indefinitely to this pocket you described as guards or something. If they leave, the deal is off and age returns to the crew all at once, killing them since they'very been their so long. So they have to remain while the captain tries to plot a way out of the deal. Best way? Replace the crew with other souls to take their place. They'll try to keep your adventurers in the pocket and either get them to unknowingly agree to take their duty or force them by some binding ritual, turning them undead, or something else. Lots of potential.
Perhaps even the captain doesn't know. This opens up even more possibilities for adventures. It's best to know these secrets, but you should never get too hung up on them. The PCs are more interested in the pirate's treasure hoard, and let's face it, it's not old age that kills most adventurers.....
Listen to the players discuss their theories, choose the best one, carefully reveal it, and they will think you are a genius!
You can use something based on this if you want dramatic and unusual. In the campaign I'm planning, I am having doors that are portals to entirely new plains of existence, and one leads to a dead world. The idea behind this world is that the magic is entirely based on time, and there were two major gods. The twins, Time and Age. Age brings wisdom and encourages good things, but Time is greedy and evil,yet powerful. Basically there was a cult sacrificing the life force of a young man to Time and they didn't put the right safey measures in place, so Time broke free, possessed the body of the sacrificed man, and basically goes on a rampage. He devours the time of the world and kills his brother Age, But he didnt realise that would lead to him starving and undying for all eternity...till the adventurers show up.*dramatic music* It's super cool I think, and I'm just planning tweaking a pre-made antagonist stats with my ideas. Otherwise try cursed amulet of the undying or something.
Deal with a devil is my go to answer. Make a payment in souls every once in a while (usually by kidnapping people and popping them into the Hells, where they're free game) and gain a bit more life.
Hey! I'm new to DMing and need some insight. So in my story, this pirate ship was destroyed hundreds of years ago and i've decided that the crew ended up in an air pocket in the ocean (think Atlantis) but I kind of want the crew to still be around, at least the captain. However my captain is a half-elf so long life, but not hundreds of years. I was thinking it would be cool to have something with her where she can steal the life force of others? So that she can live longer. Or have some kind of spell that makes her live longer? Any ideas? Also if the spell or whatever causes backlash against her (makes a deal with the devil or drains her power) even better. I'd like to stay away from her being a ghost though. She's a neutral evil character and one of the bosses in the world, but not the highest level boss.
"You can take your elf self and you can go home"
Maybe it's a time pocket as well as an air pocket?
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Oh I like that idea, like they are frozen in time? Almost like Neverland?
"You can take your elf self and you can go home"
Ok, if you don't want her to be a ghost? How about a different kind of undead? For example, she could be a ghast and the crew can be ghouls. This idea sacrifices their intelligence though.
Or the captain can be a necromancer who uses necromancy to expand her lifespan and the crew can be zombies and skeletons.
Devious serpent folk devoid of compassion, yuan-ti manipulate other creatures by arousing their doubts, evoking their fears, and elevating and crushing their hopes. From remote temples in jungles, swamps, and deserts, the yuan-ti plot to supplant and dominate all other races and to make themselves gods.
Maybe the pirates wrecked their ship chasing something that could prolong life? Like a djinn in a lamp that she used to wish for immortality for instance.
Or what about the spell 'clone'? It lets the user create a younger version of themselves, perhaps the pirate captain was also a wizard?
The description you put out sounds a bit like a vampire, maybe she survived that long by drinking the blood of her crew members.
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Not sure what level or class the captain is but maybe an item/Spell like ring of vampiric touch, or a magic jar. Necromancy is such wonderful villainy!!!
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Sounds like you need a lich with a little less power. The good news is that since you have the pirate motif going, you can make it more a "deal with Davey Jones" type situation. Perhaps the captain made a poorly worded deal with some ocean entity (kraken, sea fey, great old one, forgotten deity, etc.) for immortality, binding them indefinitely to this pocket you described as guards or something. If they leave, the deal is off and age returns to the crew all at once, killing them since they'very been their so long. So they have to remain while the captain tries to plot a way out of the deal. Best way? Replace the crew with other souls to take their place. They'll try to keep your adventurers in the pocket and either get them to unknowingly agree to take their duty or force them by some binding ritual, turning them undead, or something else. Lots of potential.
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Perhaps even the captain doesn't know. This opens up even more possibilities for adventures.
It's best to know these secrets, but you should never get too hung up on them.
The PCs are more interested in the pirate's treasure hoard, and let's face it, it's not old age that kills most adventurers.....
Listen to the players discuss their theories, choose the best one, carefully reveal it, and they will think you are a genius!
Roleplaying since Runequest.
You can use something based on this if you want dramatic and unusual. In the campaign I'm planning, I am having doors that are portals to entirely new plains of existence, and one leads to a dead world. The idea behind this world is that the magic is entirely based on time, and there were two major gods. The twins, Time and Age. Age brings wisdom and encourages good things, but Time is greedy and evil,yet powerful. Basically there was a cult sacrificing the life force of a young man to Time and they didn't put the right safey measures in place, so Time broke free, possessed the body of the sacrificed man, and basically goes on a rampage. He devours the time of the world and kills his brother Age, But he didnt realise that would lead to him starving and undying for all eternity...till the adventurers show up.*dramatic music* It's super cool I think, and I'm just planning tweaking a pre-made antagonist stats with my ideas. Otherwise try cursed amulet of the undying or something.
Deal with a devil is my go to answer. Make a payment in souls every once in a while (usually by kidnapping people and popping them into the Hells, where they're free game) and gain a bit more life.
I wasn't thinking that at all, but I am definitely taking that and adding it to my campaign.