|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 1:12AM
#1
|
Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
|
Wandering Monsters
The Walking Dead
By James WyattIn honor of the month of Halloween, I figured I'd spend a few weeks talking about the undead. In our discussions, we often landed on a single word that encapsulates a given variety of undead, so you'll see those words in boldface throughout this article and the next couple.Talk about this column here.
Yan
Montréal, Canada
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 2:19AM
#2
|
Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
|
Spot on ! Sounds good to me.
RE: Ghoul victims become food.
Yan
Montréal, Canada
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 2:43AM
#3
|
Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
|
For ghouls.
If a ghoul kills you and for some reason doesn't eat you, you become a ghoul. But most victims are eaten.
If a ghoul scratches you, you get 3 saves, each an hour apart. Fail the first and you are paralyzed. Fail the second and you're sickened. Failed the third...... muuuust feeeeed ooon fleeeeesh.
Orzel, Halfelven son of Zel, Mystic Ranger, Bane to Dragons, Death to Undeath, Killer of Abyssals, King of the Wilds.
Constitution Based Class for Next!
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 2:51AM
#4
|
Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
|
If a ghoul kills you and for some reason doesn't eat you, you become a ghoul. But most victims are eaten.
I agree.
Yan
Montréal, Canada
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 3:58AM
#5
|
|
|
In my view of ghouls people killed by a ghoul do not become one, but the presence of ghouls (stronger up close, but also in the general area) sneak a desire to consume human flesh into the minds of evil, greedy, hungry or gluttonous people. It is if and when they actually succumb to this and eat flesh that they become ghouls. People that are good aligned and not strongly motivated by greed or hunger are unaffected by this presence.
It is also possible to become a ghoul without any involvement from previous ghouls, as long as the person in question is evil, hungry, greedy or gluttonous enough and eats human flesh. The process is not instant and it might be preventable at an early stage but once the change has taken hold, they become undead monsters. And most likely start a ghoul infestation in the area.
In my view ghouls can also retain a part of their previous memories and personality, although consumed by their hunger.
People that become ghouls on their own have a larger chance of retaining their personality, and generally become more powerful ghouls.
This because those people were strong willed evil creatures even in life, and they continue to be in death.
Those who succumb to the mental influence of ghouls are generally weak-willed and become near-mindless ghouls.
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 4:34AM
#6
|
Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
|
I see ghoul fever as more of an infection of hunger. Anyone who catches it becomes ravenously hungry even in death. The bodies of the infected crave flesh enough to raise themselves. Living infected become so hungry and compulsive that they are willing to eat dead humaniods which furthers the infection until the toxins located in rotting flesh kills them.
Of course, most ghouls never give the infected a chance to become ghouls as they are consumed.
Orzel, Halfelven son of Zel, Mystic Ranger, Bane to Dragons, Death to Undeath, Killer of Abyssals, King of the Wilds.
Constitution Based Class for Next!
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 5:31AM
#7
|
|
|
Everything in this article was spot on in my estimation. I like the idea that becoming a ghoul is a curse, instead of the result of an infection. It really helps differentiate them from other undead that do spread their kind through "infection."
Kalex the Omen Dungeonmaster Extraordinaire Concerning Player Rules Bias
Show
Gaining victory through rules bias is a hollow victory and they know it.
The argument goes, that some idiot at the table might claim that because there is a "default" that is the only true way to play D&D. An idiotic misconception that should be quite easy to disprove just by reading the rules, coming to these forums, or sending a quick note off to Customer Support and sharing the inevitable response with the group. BTW, I'm not just talking about Next when I say this. Of course, D&D has always been this way since at least the late 70's when I began playing.
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 7:01AM
#8
|
Date Joined:
Jan 20, 2005
|
I see ghoul fever as more of an infection of hunger. Anyone who catches it becomes ravenously hungry even in death. The bodies of the infected crave flesh enough to raise themselves. Living infected become so hungry and compulsive that they are willing to eat dead humaniods which furthers the infection until the toxins located in rotting flesh kills them. Of course, most ghouls never give the infected a chance to become ghouls as they are consumed.
Almost as if Ghoul isn't the creature, but the bacteria itself. You can't really kill ghouls, just limit the spread of infection.
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 10:43AM
#9
|
|
|
Everything in this article was spot on in my estimation. I like the idea that becoming a ghoul is a curse, instead of the result of an infection. It really helps differentiate them from other undead that do spread their kind through "infection."
I pretty much agree, infection undead are way to common currently in previous editions (maybe not 4th). Cursed individuals of different types we could use more of though.
|
|
|
|
9 months ago ::
Oct 09, 2012 - 10:51AM
#10
|
Date Joined:
May 27, 2012
|
What's with ghouls suddenly losing their above-average awareness and sense of purpose. This description completely kills my chaotic good Healer NPC who would aid the noble PCs in exchange for the flesh of their enemies.
The metagame is not the game.
|
|
|
