One is a 19th level human Paladin; the other is a 17th level Halfling Priest. Both are Lawful Good, and feel that this evil can not go undefeated. They are prepared to spend a great deal of time using the Priests spells and divinations to figure out a way to destroy it.
The problem is, as written in the module, the Malakaz can not be destroyed.
Any ideas of a 3rd edition stats writeup to destroy the Malakaz? Thes PCs will be asking their deities soon, and I'd like some ideas.
:-) Jesper
The problem is, as written in the module, the Malakaz can not be destroyed.
Any ideas of a 3rd edition stats writeup to destroy the Malakaz? Thes PCs will be asking their deities soon, and I'd like some ideas.
You first need to define what the Malakaz is, exactly!
I mean, it doesn't seem to be the undead spirit of the witch that dwelled in the hut, so it's not as simply as taking a wizard and making it a ghost or something on those lines.
Some ideas were discussed here:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=7114061#post7114061
Note that the original setup doesn't describe the Malakaz as a monster -- the PCs simply cannot overcome it by force of arms.
Now, you're not so VERY far from the Savage Coast. Suppose he's whats left after someone who is strongly cursed (a-la red steel) is tied to an off-plane source of cinnabryl? Say, on the ethereal or astral plane, near to where it is found, there's a big supply of the metal. And he is incapable of travelling far, physically, from the source. Lets also assume that what is on the Prime is merely a manifestation of his true, hideously nasty self on the Astral.
That means that the PC's have to find a way to the Astral and back, and a way to defeat him or drive him off there, and destroy or remove his power source (the cinnabryl).
It is vulnerable to dispel evil but not destroyed by it.
It attacks by draining the mind of a sleeping victim. (save vs spell -2 penalty) or in D&D 3.0 a willcheck? with penalty at -2. fail and you are reduced to vegetable (remove curse to cure). It has no hitpoints and regenerates all damage to the area if the victims attempt to flee and fail.
Escape options: Dimension door, Teleport, or Dispel Evil
It probably has the Non physical stats such as Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma along with nonphysical feats such as intimidate. If it were undead, it would qualify as a special which rates it more powerful than a Lich. So I would suggest it has the Stats of a Troll Wizard of maximum level. These fit in with that whole swamp, and regenerate all damage thing. At the end of its years, the witch decides to achieve some level of undead immortality that comes beyond Lichdom.
Note that the original setup doesn't describe the Malakaz as a monster -- the PCs simply cannot overcome it by force of arms.
One possibly interesting variant would be to have the Malakaz as an evil area that cannot be truly disposed of, just controlled via the application of a large-scale version of Dispel Evil. This would require (at least, this would be in AD&D, don't know whether it's rule-wise possible in 3e) the priest characters to found a monastery over the Malakaz area to provide devotional energy to cast focus+dispel evil, which would suppress the evil entity only as long as the monastery is manned by faithful priests, lay monks or simply worshippers.
It could therefore serve as a plot device to have the PCs develop a monastery and/or a village in the area, gain followers and the like.
One possibly interesting variant would be to have the Malakaz as an evil area that cannot be truly disposed of, just controlled via the application of a large-scale version of Dispel Evil. This would require (at least, this would be in AD&D, don't know whether it's rule-wise possible in 3e) the priest characters to found a monastery over the Malakaz area to provide devotional energy to cast focus+dispel evil, which would suppress the evil entity only as long as the monastery is manned by faithful priests, lay monks or simply worshippers.
It could therefore serve as a plot device to have the PCs develop a monastery and/or a village in the area, gain followers and the like.
Thats a good idea Agathokles,
There is something about the Malakaz that says more powerful than even a Lich. It should take an Epic Quest to subdue the Malakaz. Perhaps a great quest ot Move Stone By stone an old Monastary from some distant place to the Site of the Malakaz.
It has aspects of powerful near Immortality that would appeal to an Evil wizard nearing the end. Indeed that is probably how the Master found it. Searching for alternatives to immortality through Lichdom, The Master of Hule came to visit the evil force in the swamp.
Thats a good idea Agathokles,
Thanks.
There is something about the Malakaz that says more powerful than even a Lich. It should take an Epic Quest to subdue the Malakaz. Perhaps a great quest ot Move Stone By stone an old Monastary from some distant place to the Site of the Malakaz.
It has aspects of powerful near Immortality that would appeal to an Evil wizard nearing the end. Indeed that is probably how the Master found it. Searching for alternatives to immortality through Lichdom, The Master of Hule came to visit the evil force in the swamp.
These are also good twists to add.
Perhaps the original witch was an Immortal candidate, or maybe a powerful minion of the Outer Beings.
In the latter case, Malakaz could be a sentient, semi-formed portal to the OB dimension.
My original thought was to treat the Malakaz as a case of possession (similar to the OD&D Odic... remember them?) The Priest could use his spells to exorcise the spirit from the land (temporarily), which would allow it to be physically encountered, (and thus defeated).
So now I'm wondering how tough the exorcised Malakaz should be? Making it a typical ghost or other incorporeal Undead seems anticlimactic. Since this is a PC inspired action, I don't feel the need to be arbitrary (i.e. this thing is JUST a little weaker than a 19th levell paladin and a 17th level priest, :P)... I'd rather serve the story of the Malakaz and not base its stats on the strength level of the parrty.
So what I'm thinking so far is that the Malakaz is incorporeal with wizard abilities. Should I just make a very tough ghost with character levels? If so, how many do you all think would be appropriate?
Or is there some other form of Undead that would be more appropriate.
Thanks again for all of the input so far! It really helps.
Or is there some other form of Undead that would be more appropriate.
If you want to make it undead, then ghost or demilich are most appropriate.
However, since it would be a very atypical ghost, you might want to have a look at Ravenloft stuff -- in AD&D, there were rules for haunted houses that could be used for the Malakaz, and there should be conversions somewhere in the 3e Ravenloft material.
If you really want to use the Malakaz as a combat encounter, then you should make it simply a ghost with as many wizard levels as needed to give your PCs a very tough challenge.
So keep in mind what happened when the PCs met it and play along the unknown powers
Just remember one thing: if you make him TOO powerful (say demilich), then it should be strange that a group of low level characters were able to escape its clutches when they played through X4. ;)
So keep in mind what happened when the PCs met it and play along the unknown powers
Well, there are ways to circumvent this obstacle: you can say that whatever entity the Malakaz is, it was either semidormant or otherwise unable to fully manifest when the low-level PCs arrived, and that the exorcism performed allowed it to access its full abilities.