Help us torment Marlon

[XcomSquaddie]

Okay, keeping with the Conan flavor, then you have to decide if the vengeance is going to be of mortal or divine origin.

If the mortal followers of the spider god are the source of the "curse", then the characters can expect to be assaulted through mortal agents, be it assassins, thugs or magic wielding cultists. There is danger, but still hope.

If the curse is divine in origin, then the character has no hope. They can expect to die horribly, most likely in a public incident in order to act as an example to others. Atonement may be possible, but since a priest was killed and a temple destroyed, then the atonement would have to be epic.

 

[DrSkull]

The temple was a very small shrine that had a staff of only 2. The priest was not in fact killed, but rather stabbed very badly, and rescued by another PC, and then rescued again by the whole party after kidnapped by witches.

The curse is definitely of divine origin.

I just want to have some fun with him. I've got a lot of good ideas from y'all so far. I like the nightmare idea, waking up covered with webs is good. I just want him to worry and sweat until he gets a chance to repent.

 

[Yuan-Ti]

Remember the old urban myth about spiders crawling into your ear? Well, badger him with some of these innocent spider ideas mentioned here. Then, one day, tell him he wakes up with hearing loss in one ear. Some days letter, tell him he has an aching in that ear. In an ideal world, this will freak him out -- and you never have to actually have a spider in his ear. As long as he thinks one is.

 

[XcomSquaddie]

You could always have NPC spider clerics bribe other party members to mess with him...

And actually, what self-respecting group of adventurers are they, that they haven't thought of that themselves??? Your player characters aren't abusing each other???

"Okay guys, the barbarian humped the statue of the spider gods. Let's mess with his head."

The other PC's can pass the travel time by telling stories about the horrific vengeance inflicted by the spider god on those who displease him.

Spiders are literally everywhere if you look for them. As they travel the other characters can probably gather quite a few and store them in clay pots or something. These can then be put to good use after the barbarian goes to sleep.

The other PC's can all become "devoted worshippers" of the spider god.

You get the idea.

 

[S'mon]

The curse is definitely of divine origin.

Well, unless you're changing the setting from that presented by the core book and REH, remember it's an 'agnostic universe' - there is no direct evidence that Zath or any other deity actually exists, so there needs to be an alternative explanation other than it being a direct 'curse from the god'. EG: maybe he offended a demon or Sorcerer who happens to be a Zathist, who's sending the curse, but it can't be 'directly from Zath' unless you wish to break canon. Of course you can keep the curse's origin murky, that's appropriately 'pulpy'.

 

[Zak Arntson]

One of our players, Marlon, is playing a southern islander Barbarian. During the Lost Garrison adventure for very little reason he desecrated the statue of the Zamoran spider god in a small shrine in a mountain village. Later he stabbed the priest, and still later he set the building on fire and burned it down.

...

I asking the good people of this board to think up some creative ways we can continue to torment Marlon.

In addition to tormenting Marlon in-game, you should find out why he acts sociopathically, especially if it interferes with the group's vision of proper Conan play. That is, if my impression is right, and his consistent unprompted violence is getting in the way of the group's fun.

Enacting in-game character results to address a social player problem can get pretty hairy.

And while you're looking for in-game punishments (who knows? I could be wrong, and you're all having a blast), try spiders that don't do any harm. Maybe they offer prophetic warnings through whispered speech? And since snake-people are established in the canon, why not add spider-people? Perhaps the "god" is actually some horrible creature, and is manipulating its priests and children into tormenting the character. That fits with the previously suggested agnostic world and allows for a violent solution -- the group simply hacks the spider monster to pieces.

 

[DrSkull]

The curse is definitely of divine origin.

Well, unless you're changing the setting from that presented by the core book and REH, remember it's an 'agnostic universe' - there is no direct evidence that Zath or any other deity actually exists, so there needs to be an alternative explanation other than it being a direct 'curse from the god'. EG: maybe he offended a demon or Sorcerer who happens to be a Zathist, who's sending the curse, but it can't be 'directly from Zath' unless you wish to break canon. Of course you can keep the curse's origin murky, that's appropriately 'pulpy'.

I don't think that the curse of the spider god is farther outside the canon than "The Phoenix on the Sword" or Conan ending up with Atali's pants

 

[Yuan-Ti]

Conan ending up with Atali's pants

:lol: All he wanted to do was get in them, too!

A good point, however. Some of Howard's stories do imply greater forces and certainly the sorcerers tend to talk about powers beyond the knowledge of man -- although those references are probably influenced by Cthulhu and so do not refer to gods as such.

The point of making it more Conan like, however, is that there was always a human agent behind the things afflicting Conan and therefore a means for him to overcome. A curse by a god he cannot reach seems beyond that... it seems more Forgotten Realms-ish.

 

[DrSkull]

Whatever anybody's view of the COnan appropriateness of it, it is very Dr Skull appropriate.

In any case, Dr Skull has his talons in Marlon, and shall enjoy watching him squirm for a while. And I have enjoyed many of the suggestions in aid of that.

I think having Marlon ending up desecrated in the same fashion as he desecrated the statue would be most enjoyable, that an humming th e"Spider Man" theme song whenever he comes into the room.

 

[wyerdo]

I think having Marlon ending up desecrated in the same fashion as he desecrated the statue would be most enjoyable, that and humming the"Spider Man" theme song whenever he comes into the room.

See what I mean? Vindictive.

 

[Conrad_Joe]

Don't call marlon a "lacky" (or a chicken pot pie) or he'll "moosh" yer face.

We had to ask him what "moosh" is and the way he describes it you put your hand in someone's face and push them down the stairs. Which he did to poor old Otto One-eye, for no particular reason except he don't like casters.

What's a player to do, but stand back and chuckles as the spiders eat his lunch.

I really like the "they're watching you" idea.

 

[Hyena]

About divine curses not being canon :
Princess Yasmela : 'Conan, is there anything you fear ?'
Conan : 'Aye,[...]the curse of the gods'
---- Black Colossus.

This said, I think Zak has a good point I was about to make yesterday : the player needs to be talked to. His behavior is resolutely un-Conanesque and I'm not sure this can be adressed by in-game measures only.

 

[S'mon]

Conan ending up with Atali's pants

:lol: All he wanted to do was get in them, too!

A good point, however. Some of Howard's stories do imply greater forces and certainly the sorcerers tend to talk about powers beyond the knowledge of man -- although those references are probably influenced by Cthulhu and so do not refer to gods as such.

The point of making it more Conan like, however, is that there was always a human agent behind the things afflicting Conan and therefore a means for him to overcome. A curse by a god he cannot reach seems beyond that... it seems more Forgotten Realms-ish.

Yes, exactly. Atali is the 'daughter of Ymir', but whatever Ymir is (probably a spirit of the cold wastes) he can't just smite Conan with thunderbolts for killing his sons & nicking his daughter's loincloth. Personally if I used Zath as 'real' it would be as another name for the Cthuloid Great Old One, Atlach-Nacha. It wouldn't be inappropriate for him to send curses (and demons, and cultist assassins) against someone who desecrated his temple, but he's still not really a 'god' and is still fightable.

 

[DrSkull]

That's just it I don't want to destroy him, just make him have lots and lots of bad luck and nightmares with spiders. Sort of a spider-themed Ill-fortune sort of thing, and am looking for suggestions as to how to make the incidents as uncomfortable as possible, because I am gleefully vindictive and will take any sort of aid in persecution I can.

I have figured out a climax for the whole curse. I'm going to do a "Frost Giant's Daughter" in reverse. With him being chased by a giant spider, but was it a dream or not? Then he has to wipe spider goo off his back.