Deathless in Ravenloft - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Deathless in Ravenloft

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ravenloftlover347
Dec 05, 2007 20:22:53 I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy?
#2
gotten
Dec 06, 2007 10:19:35
I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy?

I don't see why not. Also, note that JWM added a few deathless monsters in his A-Z monster list.

Joël
#3
highpriestmikhal
Dec 06, 2007 11:36:26 Actually ancient dead don't use positive energy; that was originally just a typo and has never been corrected. In 3.x an undead creature always uses negative energy while deathless use positive. While a deathless ancient is more likely than others (they are tomb guardians, and quite a few are good in alignment), undead mummies use negative energy.
#4
kwdblade
Dec 06, 2007 22:41:23 *grumbles his disappointment when finding out that was a typo*
grumble grumble...

Anywho, I don't see why deathless couldn't appear in Ravenloft. Might make for an interesting quest giver...

PC: "OMG! An undead! Slay it!"
Deathless: "No wait, i'm a Paladi..."
*Power attack, dies, automatic dark powers failure for PC*
PC: "Why do I feel so... evil..."
#5
rotipher
Dec 07, 2007 11:16:20
I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy?

Ravenloft isn't significantly more imbued with negative energy than other planes. It's infused with more evil than most -- enough that the soil turns treants into man-eaters -- and it's easier to conjure up negative energy there, but there's no big shortage of positive energy in the setting, nor is it innately toxic to positive-energy-related creatures. Indeed, there are ways of distilling positive energy (quintessence) and using it to animate synthetic life (alchemical children) in Ravenloft, that other game-settings haven't discovered.
#6
ravenloftlover347
Dec 07, 2007 21:20:21 So the new mindflayers presented in MM5 (Thani (sp?) IIRC) are escapees from Ravenloft then? They're messing with quintessence as well.
#7
ravenloftlover347
Dec 07, 2007 21:40:38
Actually ancient dead don't use positive energy; that was originally just a typo and has never been corrected. In 3.x an undead creature always uses negative energy while deathless use positive. While a deathless ancient is more likely than others (they are tomb guardians, and quite a few are good in alignment), undead mummies use negative energy.

Right, but I thought the reason why ancient dead were positive energy based was due to their healing/recovery abilities. So since there can be good undead (though they are incrediblely rare and don't usual stay good long), would there be evil deathless in the DoD?
#8
highpriestmikhal
Dec 08, 2007 18:31:38
Right, but I thought the reason why ancient dead were positive energy based was due to their healing/recovery abilities. So since there can be good undead (though they are incrediblely rare and don't usual stay good long), would there be evil deathless in the DoD?

I wouldn't rule it out. Though how deathless and undead form exactly is a big question. Why does one attract positive and the other negative? Is it the circumstances of their death? Or some sort of cosmic roulette (with negative stacked heavily)?
#9
thanael
Dec 10, 2007 6:16:34
So the new mindflayers presented in MM5 (Thani (sp?) IIRC) are escapees from Ravenloft then? They're messing with quintessence as well.

Say what? May be you're confusing Thaani with Thoon?
#10
ravenloftlover347
Dec 10, 2007 19:35:55 Right Thoon. Sorry about that.
#11
speed6620
Jan 03, 2008 12:45:44 I would include deathless into the campaign for those who yearn so deeply to continue fighting evil past death in the dreadrealms or for those good characters who yearn to leave the realms after death and are returned as deathless as a cruel trick by the dark powers of ravenloft.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ravenloftlover347 Dec 05, 2007 20:22:53	I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy?
#2 gotten Dec 06, 2007 10:19:35	I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy? I don't see why not. Also, note that JWM added a few deathless monsters in his A-Z monster list. Joël
#3 highpriestmikhal Dec 06, 2007 11:36:26	Actually ancient dead don't use positive energy; that was originally just a typo and has never been corrected. In 3.x an undead creature always uses negative energy while deathless use positive. While a deathless ancient is more likely than others (they are tomb guardians, and quite a few are good in alignment), undead mummies use negative energy.
#4 kwdblade Dec 06, 2007 22:41:23	grumbles his disappointment when finding out that was a typo grumble grumble... Anywho, I don't see why deathless couldn't appear in Ravenloft. Might make for an interesting quest giver... PC: "OMG! An undead! Slay it!" Deathless: "No wait, i'm a Paladi..." Power attack, dies, automatic dark powers failure for PC PC: "Why do I feel so... evil..."
#5 rotipher Dec 07, 2007 11:16:20	I was wondering how deathless would work in Ravenloft. Ancient Dead also function on positive energy, but they're still undead, so is it possible for deathless to emerge or is there just too much negative energy? Ravenloft isn't significantly more imbued with negative energy than other planes. It's infused with more evil than most -- enough that the soil turns treants into man-eaters -- and it's easier to conjure up negative energy there, but there's no big shortage of positive energy in the setting, nor is it innately toxic to positive-energy-related creatures. Indeed, there are ways of distilling positive energy (quintessence) and using it to animate synthetic life (alchemical children) in Ravenloft, that other game-settings haven't discovered.
#6 ravenloftlover347 Dec 07, 2007 21:20:21	So the new mindflayers presented in MM5 (Thani (sp?) IIRC) are escapees from Ravenloft then? They're messing with quintessence as well.
#7 ravenloftlover347 Dec 07, 2007 21:40:38	Actually ancient dead don't use positive energy; that was originally just a typo and has never been corrected. In 3.x an undead creature always uses negative energy while deathless use positive. While a deathless ancient is more likely than others (they are tomb guardians, and quite a few are good in alignment), undead mummies use negative energy. Right, but I thought the reason why ancient dead were positive energy based was due to their healing/recovery abilities. So since there can be good undead (though they are incrediblely rare and don't usual stay good long), would there be evil deathless in the DoD?
#8 highpriestmikhal Dec 08, 2007 18:31:38	Right, but I thought the reason why ancient dead were positive energy based was due to their healing/recovery abilities. So since there can be good undead (though they are incrediblely rare and don't usual stay good long), would there be evil deathless in the DoD? I wouldn't rule it out. Though how deathless and undead form exactly is a big question. Why does one attract positive and the other negative? Is it the circumstances of their death? Or some sort of cosmic roulette (with negative stacked heavily)?
#9 thanael Dec 10, 2007 6:16:34	So the new mindflayers presented in MM5 (Thani (sp?) IIRC) are escapees from Ravenloft then? They're messing with quintessence as well. Say what? May be you're confusing Thaani with Thoon?
#10 ravenloftlover347 Dec 10, 2007 19:35:55	Right Thoon. Sorry about that.
#11 speed6620 Jan 03, 2008 12:45:44	I would include deathless into the campaign for those who yearn so deeply to continue fighting evil past death in the dreadrealms or for those good characters who yearn to leave the realms after death and are returned as deathless as a cruel trick by the dark powers of ravenloft.