Weirdo bad guy - which is scarier?

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I've got a bad-guy in my game who's been through a lot. He'll be re-appearing soon in a cut scene, and I have a decision to make on how to present him. The bad guy in question is Baron Metus, Van Richten's vampire nemesis. IMC, he became a Crimson Mist when Van Richten slew him the first time, then he was "destroyed" by the PCs in battle. Then his vorlog lover pulled off a heavy-duty ritual to bring back his spirit and put it into a human victim's body, but the ritual got disrupted by the PCs, which led to possessing the body of a nearby clockwork golem instead. The golem had been through a lot himself, having been "destroyed" by the PCs as well, and then having his head stolen by one PC, and then having his head replaced by a fir artificer with a glass dome full of gears, ending up looking something like this:


<deep breath>

... AND THEN... the golem/vampire/ghost hybrid thing got tripped and entangled by the PCs, forcing him to "eject" the fir-made head like an escape pod, which ran away on mechanical spider legs that the fir had installed for whatever reason, with Metus's spirit and the vorlog's tear-puddle form inside.

Still with me?

So, we now have a vampire's ghost inside a glass dome full of gears on mechanical spider legs. He can manifest his face translucently within the dome, so it looks like a head in a diving/astronaut helmet, with gears showing through the face. But he wants a real body of course, so he's going to take a cue from the Head Hunters, and decapitate a body and put his head on top, as sort of a reverse Jacqueline Montarri.

But I can't decide how to describe how he controls the body. See the poll. The first option seems more plausible (if that word has any meaning here), but less useful (in terms of fine motor control). The second seems more useful, but a bit odd, in that the glass dome feels like a container that his spirit shouldn't extend out of. (But we know the dome isn't sealed, because the vorlog's tear-puddle got in, and, presumably, back out.)

One might wonder why this matters at all, and if it was just the PCs facing him down again, I could just say his weirdo head is sitting on a body and controlling it, and leave it at that. But I feel that in a cut scene from an omniscient perspective, the mechanism should be described a bit. It also has ramifications for how coordinated he is, and how much (if anything) he can feel, and how I describe the placement of his spider-legs (visible, gripping the body's shoulders, or tucked inside.)

So... opinions?

[DustBunny]

I select 'A' with a dash of B. ( I just have to be different )

Instead of just spider legs - have the legs more 'tentacle' like. Each tentacle then splits into two smaller tentacles, then then split into yet smaller ones and so forth. The mechanical tentacles 'grow' thoughout the host until it appears that the entire skeleton and flesh is interweaved with a fine metallic mesh. As for a horror appearance most of the mesh is internal, but the primary tentacles are visible wrapping their way in and out of the tissue on the limbs. (Like a hose pipe emerging from the pectoral, wrapping around the upper arm and disappearing back into the flesh at the elbow. Easily concealed by clothes but not pleasant when said clothes are removed.

The mesh gives a degree of protection against slash attacks, and if the skin is ripped you see a bluish metallic weave pulsing and twitching almost organically. Also if a bit is cut off (say an arm) he merely has to be near it and the weave/tentacles will reach out and rapidly reattach it, and seal ragged wounds quickly. If the head is cut off or detached, the tentacle weave in the body rapidly decays to goo without the power source keeping it together (it's technology enhanced with the vampire essence).

Poor old Vir. Will he ever get a break?

On edit: Additional thought (I'll waive cost of a penny) the body still decays though at a slower rate, so another headless corpse turns up every few months. And towns people may get a bit nervous when headless bodies turn up in the PC's wake.

[Zilfer]

I vaguely remember this from reading long ago, and i think the splitting "tentacles" is a pretty good way to go but you could say those tentacles were potentially 'wires' that are integrating with the flesh and nervous system for fine motor control. That or the ghost's will can pour forth from the ends of the spider legs. Too bad you couldn't have the party actually do a quest, and then have Baron Metus end up receiving a body they either A) Put down for the count, or B) collected for some reason Or C) hired through an intermediary by Baron Metus to do something that would get him a fairly decent body.

Then do the cutscene after it is over. Sounds like you've already got ideas in the making however so not sure that helps at all. XD Kudos if he can find a body of any of their ex comrades that have died recently to add a bit of his own personal revenge to the mix.

Random thought might be too gruesome or not make sense for your campaign. What if the spider had an opening on the bottom the could let a brain through it? Then the gears smash it up and he gains some of the memories of the victim? This would help him understand the 'muscle memory' part of people's bodies. (since most people would have to get used to a new body that didn't have that.)

Just a few random ideas to think about.

[NeoTiamat]

I have no intelligent commentary to make other than 'damn, that guy has been through a lot'. Still, I voted A and C, because really, C needs more love.

[thekristhomas]

Have the spider legs/tentacles operate the limbs, giving a distinct manner to the host's movement, but also have a "stinger" that plugs right into the spinal column for fine motor control, like gripping a sword, maybe a vorpal blade?

As you're trying to portray the monster's internal structure, maybe use the fact that it doesn't really care about damage to it's host, as the host is already so much dead meat with I'd imagine a limited shelf life, and have it break bones internally to force the body into un-natural states, it occurs to me that as a vampire with wolf form Metus might be quite comfortable fighting on all fours. (think Bray Wyatt)

[DustBunny]

Random thought might be too gruesome or not make sense for your campaign. What if the spider had an opening on the bottom the could let a brain through it? Then the gears smash it up and he gains some of the memories of the victim? This would help him understand the 'muscle memory' part of people's bodies. (since most people would have to get used to a new body that didn't have that.)

Half life headcrabs!

Thinking on your idea, but given it seems the mecha-head doesn't have a cavity to envelope a head...

The spider claws snip off the head of the victim, and the mecha-head quickly assumes the place of the original head on the neck. The mecha-head grips the body with its spider legs externally (the legs dig into the flesh) and the head then extends a long thin probe into the remnants of the brain stem & spinal column. This allows control of the body, while the vampire ghost essence keeps the body working in a quasi undead state – not turning it into an undead, but simply preventing it from dying.

However the mix of the neural spike and artificial essence can only keep the body working for so long. As it slowly rots the interface between the mechanical/organic bits starts decaying and control gets worse, in addition to a feedback of pain to the mecha-head. (Think of neuropyzene withdrawal symptoms from DX:HR). Eventually it has to either disconnect and get another body, or go mad from pain. Of course Golem/Vorlog/Vamp gestalt is not pleased about this ghoulish condition they have to endure...

So in a fresh-ish body, movement would be normal, but as it decays or is damaged responses get mere jerky and twitchy (in addition to bits falling off) and pain levels inhibit concentration and planning. Maybe even cries of agonising pain if the body is on the edge of collapse.

The Zeitberger for the creature is a waving a crowbar while wearing a bright orange suit.
This causes it to flee in terror.

on edit: thekristhomas beat me with the neural spike into the spinal cord.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

OK, the votes are in, and it looks like we're going "Full Giger."

have the legs more 'tentacle' like. Each tentacle then splits into two smaller tentacles, then then split into yet smaller ones and so forth. ... the entire skeleton and flesh is interweaved with a fine metallic mesh. ... most of the mesh is internal, but the primary tentacles are visible wrapping their way in and out of the tissue on the limbs.

I like this. It wouldn't be anything the fir had built into the design, but the bizarre influence of his vampiric/ghostly energy that warps the mechanisms in this way. It nicely incorporates both aspects, and doesn't make me explain (to myself) why this capability would be built-in.

Poor old Vir. Will he ever get a break?

Well, for the most part, there isn't much Vir left here. I've established that his original head has enough consciousness to hold a conversation. So, much as I wished for a true melding of Metus and Vir, the head Metus is in is aftermarket, and shouldn't hold much "Vir-ness". I might have some echoes of Vir's memory somehow persist in Metus, but the justification for that is sketchy.

the body still decays though at a slower rate, so another headless corpse turns up every few months. And towns people may get a bit nervous when headless bodies turn up in the PC's wake.

Yeah, I'd thought about that. But since I'm headed toward Bleak House, I might instead play up the Metus/Dominiani connection and have him borrow some oil of timelessness from his old friend to keep the body from decaying. Bonus points for the cut scene including Cynthia the vorlog devotedly massaging him with the oil.

Too bad you couldn't have the party actually do a quest, and then have Baron Metus end up receiving a body they either A) Put down for the count, or B) collected for some reason Or C) hired through an intermediary by Baron Metus to do something that would get him a fairly decent body. ... Kudos if he can find a body of any of their ex comrades that have died recently to add a bit of his own personal revenge to the mix.

Hmm... interesting ideas. I hadn't considered the source of the body being important. Heck, I could make it the body of an old enemy they'd killed. Too bad Lord Valric's headless body was left the bottom of a pit underneath a mountain top monastery. And Commander Regress's body is probably decayed beyond recognition. But no, that's probably over-complicating things. (too late!) As fun as it would be to combine not two, but three villains into one, I don't plan on drawing this out too long. Another few adventures and then it's off to Bleak House and Metus will be put down for good. (I swear!)

Random thought might be too gruesome or not make sense for your campaign. What if the spider had an opening on the bottom the could let a brain through it?

Yeah, that might make more sense if the spider was designed for this use, but not here, I think.

I have no intelligent commentary to make other than 'damn, that guy has been through a lot'. Still, I voted A and C, because really, C needs more love.

Told you so. And thanks. I see that C is in second place.

But also have a "stinger" that plugs right into the spinal column for fine motor control, like gripping a sword, maybe a vorpal blade?

Ooh, I like the spinal stinger idea! That's going in. A vorpal blade would make a lot of sense if I was going long-term with this guy, replacing his bodies over and over, but I'll probably skip it. He doesn't WANT to continue this way, so he's more likely to look into stuff like the Apparatus to put him into a normal body instead. That's the one thing I _might_ stick in with him before Bleak House.

...the fact that it doesn't really care about damage to it's host, as the host is already so much dead meat ...Metus might be quite comfortable fighting on all fours. (think Bray Wyatt)

OK, I had to google Bray Wyatt. Man, wrestling is weird. But yeah, this is good stuff.

The spider claws snip off the head of the victim, and the mecha-head quickly assumes the place of the original head on the neck. The mecha-head grips the body with its spider legs externally (the legs dig into the flesh) and the head then extends a long thin probe into the remnants of the brain stem & spinal column. This allows control of the body, while the vampire ghost essence keeps the body working in a quasi undead state – not turning it into an undead, but simply preventing it from dying.

Yeah, something along these lines seems to be where we are headed.

Of course Golem/Vorlog/Vamp gestalt is not pleased about this ghoulish condition they have to endure...

Just to be clear, the vorlog isn't part of this monstrosity. She escaped in the spider in tear-puddle form, but will re-form in 8 hours, back to her normal self. This isn't exactly how she'd pictured it, but she's thrilled to have her man back, in any form. Meanwhile, he's furious that he's reduced to this ridiculous condition.


Thanks guys, I think we're on to something...

[DustBunny]

He doesn't WANT to continue this way, so he's more likely to look into stuff like the Apparatus to put him into a normal body instead. That's the one thing I _might_ stick in with him before Bleak House.

On that idea it could be a chance to run a (modified) HoGH, with Mecha-Metus in the role as 'The Creature'.

And at the end this event (idle thought: how to you tell of the Foxgrove sisters get switched with each other? ), Van Richten is suffering from a breakdown (maybe he got transposessed as well?) and has to be hauled off to 'Happy Acres' to recover, beginning the BH campaign.