CoTN: The Created - Alexandre du Cire - sprucing up

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

So, in addition to the de Penible adventure, I'm planning on running the du Cire adventure at the same time. Fun, fun, eh?

I want to make the final battle in the waxworks fun and exciting, as the module suggests, but I'm faced with the issue that Wax Golems simply don't make for very interesting opponents. I went with the Denizens of Dread version, even though I'm using Pathfinder, because the PF version (in the SRD and Ryan Naylor's conversion netbook) is very weak and my PCs are 11th level. I pathfinderized a little bit, adding some feats and such, but even so, they come across very boring seeming. (Especially compared to my souped-up de Penible, who came out pretty scary).

Any ideas for some interesting templates, class levels, feats, or other abilities I can add to spice them up, while remaining true to the wax golem feel? (I guess when you think about it, wax figures coming to life are more creepy than scary, sadly)

so far, I added 1 gunslinger level and 2 rogue levels to du Cire himself to reflect his pistol tendency and backstab ability from the 2e source.

For the others, I gave them the catch off guard and throw anything feats, as well as shrapnel strike, for some "hulk smash" kind of fun.

But still... meh. Help me out, chums! (and oh, yeah, need answer fast! the weekend is nigh! )

[Daisu]

Well you can have "do not touch the wax", a contact poison been applied to them. They do not have to be humanoid, how about wolly mammoth~ Bones of the undead were used, once killed or melted, undead is set free.
Some of the scenery can actually be a monster allied with alexandre, undead treant, mimic or even the old wolf-in-sheep clothing. Vat of wax can be a living wax pudding.

[The Lesser Evil]

You could have some of the wax golems try and push characters into vats of hot wax, sealing them alive. Or use various machinery to pour hot wax onto the characters. The golems may also eat the wax to heal themselves.

One of the wax golems could be super-pliable and act as a doppelganger golem. Or it could be super-unstable and act like a a chaos beast (just reskin it to be a construct, and the form-shifting magic is a result of the unstable wax with a quasi-magic power).

[IrvyneWolfe]

So, in addition to the de Penible adventure, I'm planning on running the du Cire adventure at the same time. Fun, fun, eh?

I want to make the final battle in the waxworks fun and exciting, as the module suggests, but I'm faced with the issue that Wax Golems simply don't make for very interesting opponents. I went with the Denizens of Dread version, even though I'm using Pathfinder, because the PF version (in the SRD and Ryan Naylor's conversion netbook) is very weak and my PCs are 11th level. I pathfinderized a little bit, adding some feats and such, but even so, they come across very boring seeming. (Especially compared to my souped-up de Penible, who came out pretty scary).

Any ideas for some interesting templates, class levels, feats, or other abilities I can add to spice them up, while remaining true to the wax golem feel? (I guess when you think about it, wax figures coming to life are more creepy than scary, sadly)

so far, I added 1 gunslinger level and 2 rogue levels to du Cire himself to reflect his pistol tendency and backstab ability from the 2e source.

For the others, I gave them the catch off guard and throw anything feats, as well as shrapnel strike, for some "hulk smash" kind of fun.

But still... meh. Help me out, chums! (and oh, yeah, need answer fast! the weekend is nigh! )

I have a pathfinder version of Du Circe. He's not big and bad enough for 11th level players, but you can beef him up as needed.

Alexandre du Circe
“Male”; Advanced Wax Golem of Obsession; Rogue (Spy) 5
Alignment: Neutral Evil; Medium Construct
Init +3; Senses Normal; Perception +14

DEFENSE
AC 25, 13 touch, 22 flat-footed (+12 Natural, +3 Dex)
hp 70 (4d10+5d8+20)
Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +4
Defenses: Construct Traits, Immune to Magic, Fast Healing 1
Weakness: Vulnerable to Fire

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Slam +14/+9 (1d6+6)
Ranged Pistol +11 (1d8; x4)
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +3d6

STATISTICS
Str 22 (+6), Dex 17 (+3), Con – (+0), Int 19 (+4), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 18 (+4)
Base Atk +7; CMB +13 [+17 Grapple]; CMD 26 [30 vs. Grapple]
Feats Greater Grapple, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, Strangler, Weapon Focus [Unarmed]
Skills Bluff 9 (+16/+18), Climb 9 (+18), Craft [Sculpture] 9 (+16), Diplomacy 9 (+16), Disguise 9 (+16/+26), Knowledge [Local] 8 (+16), Perception 9 (+14), Stealth 9 (+15), Survival 4 (+9), Swim 9 (+18)
Languages Mordentish*, Balok, Vaasi, Lamordian, Darkonese
SQ Conditional Sentience, Drain Memories; Berserk, Self Controlled, Telepathic Bond, Zeitgebar [Being presented with open fire], Craft Wax Golems; Sneak Attack +3d6, Skilled Liar (+2), Evasion, Rogue Talent (Honeyed Words [2/day], Firearm Training), Poison Use, Uncanny Dodge
Equipment: Masterwork Pistol

Watching him strangle the group's barbarian was more fun than it should have been.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Dredging this up again, as I'm finally getting there soon. Some good ideas here. Definitely will reskin some cool monsters a wax versions thereof, thanks!

I also though about giving at least du cire himself, if not the other golems, some ability to melt his hands and force the liquid wax, blob-like, down a PC's throat, choking them / attacking them from inside. Or perhaps engulfing their head, causing blindness/deafness.

any other cool ideas?

[The Lesser Evil]

As has been suggested earlier with the black pudding, blobs of liquid wax could function as reskinned oozes. More waxen monsters, such as various swarms, could pop out of some of the wax golems after they are busted open.

The biggest thing I'm concerned about though is having a bunch of melee monsters vs. an 11th level party. I think it would need some spellcasters and ranged combatants. Since this is Dementlieu and illusion/deception fits the theme of the wax golems, throwing the wax duplicate of an illusionist might be a good idea (particularly a member of La Société de Legerdemain, which you could use to introduce the PCs to intrigue/adventures featuring that group later on). Wax bowmen could cover the tips of their arrows with molten wax.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

The biggest thing I'm concerned about though is having a bunch of melee monsters vs. an 11th level party. I think it would need some spellcasters and ranged combatants. Since this is Dementlieu and illusion/deception fits the theme of the wax golems, throwing the wax duplicate of an illusionist might be a good idea (particularly a member of La Société de Legerdemain, which you could use to introduce the PCs to intrigue/adventures featuring that group later on). Wax bowmen could cover the tips of their arrows with molten wax.

A good point, but I feel like I want to play up the wax golems themselves. I'm finding it hard to put into words why adding overt magic weakens the scene for me... I guess it's just that anyone could be an illusionist. There's nothing about the wax golems that makes them more prone to illusion. It seems kind of tacked on, maybe? I mean, yes, this is D&D (ok, PF, actually), but think of it as a horror movie. At the climax of House of Wax, nobody starts slinging spells. Yes, some of the PCs will, but that can't be avoided at this point.

But that's not to say that mechanically, I can't use something spell-like, to keep up the balance. They will be in a confined space, so "ranged" doesn't have to be long-ranged. Maybe molten wax (spilled from the vats, or extruded from the golems) can seep into the wooden walls and exert pressure so that they burst... a spray of splinters and wooden shards approximating a ranged evocation spell. I'm not above re-skinning things the same way I did for my "magus" version of de Penible.

You're absolutely right in the deception theme, though. Moreover, the theme invokes a body-snatcher type vibe. They are everywhere and you don't even know it. Who's the cylon? etc. hmm... I wonder if I can pull something akin to recent Agents of SHIELD episodes. Has one (or more) of my PCs been replaced?

[DustBunny]

If you want to beef up the wax golem - make them more T-1000 types, though made out of wax not metal. Shoot them and the holes seal up as wax flows over the holes and they wave a 'uh uh uh' finger at you, chop a bit off and the wax melts and rejoins the body, impale them and they just pull out the pipe/spear with a 'gloop' sound. Shapeshifting would be out though. Just make sure there is large vat of molten steel wax to knock Alexandre into at the end. Unless of course he has a ring of fire resistance....

As for weaponry while wax is far too soft, metal objects cab be hidden inside the wax. The 'unarmed' golem holds out its hand an a loaded pistol emerges from the skin and it shoots you. Or a stiletto blade pops out of their finger as they menance the PC. Or a poison needle....

For more of a horror factor, you may try the Nu-Who episode "The Rebel Flesh", where half formed copies of the PC's go after their templates. Lore breaking as the copies would not have the PC memories, but perhaps that is an incentive for the golems to become real by stealing said memories. Things like 'living' wax eyes on the wall following the PC's movements, or a half melted wax construct trying to get back to base and leaving a sticky trail of wax behind it.

As for the scene location - have you ever seen the Body Worlds exhibits where they has plastinated human bodies - intact and dissected - on display? Alex could have his own Waxinated bodies to research them to find a way where he doesn't need to keep his template alive. Have some of those exhibits in Alex's lair (with pictures from Body Worlds) in dark lighting and they wont sleep for a week.

[NeoTiamat]

For the record, Pathfinder's Horror Adventures has a Waxwork Creature template. They're still a bit geared towards lower APL parties, but you can certainly make CR 10-12 Waxworks with a little effort.

They even have neat things like sentient waxworks and waxwork candles.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

OK, so I'm thinking we have the finale covered. But looking at what I have going on here, I feel like I have a bit of a structural issue. I broke up this adventure by splicing it with the de Penible adventure. So the PCs have finished the de Penible part, and now I have to steer them back to finishing the du Cire part. They've already met Ambrose and done the costume party, during which they did the "search the manor" part, and found the clues that point to the Wax Museum. So really all that's left is the museum itself. So far, there's not a lot of urgency to get there. All they have is some odd behavior. No crime seems to have been committed.

So their last known plan was to rest up, tie up the lose ends of the de Penible case (return his fiance to her family, show the body to the authorities) and then eventually get to the Wax Museum. I'd prefer to not let them rest up, so I'm going to use the "Reynard roughs up the PCs" bit that I'd skipped before, but a bit adapted: If he tells them Ambrose is missing and accuses them of the crime, that should light a fire under them as far as investigating the museum, before resting up. Kid in danger. No time for a nap.

But then they get to the museum and... look at all the pretty exhibits. Cool and creepy, but not much in the way of an encounter. and then it's right to the climax, once they find the hidden workroom. The pacing seems a bit off to me. I feel like there should be one more encounter here of some sort. But what? They haven't given golem du Cire any reason to worry about them. So sending some golems at them to soften them up seems unearned. I guess maybe its the golems running the place (the clerk, security guard, etc.) that try to stop them from finding the lab once they start snooping? I dunno... I realize I'll have to adapt to whatever my PCs decide to do, but I seems there are two cool events here: exploring the museum (presumably when its open) and raiding it (presumably at night). I'm not sure how to push the PCs in that direction. I fear if I say Ambrose is missing, they'll come in guns-ablazing and miss out on "seeing the sights". If I don't, they'll come in at full strength and wipe the mat with the golems. Of course I may be overthinking all this in my usual pregame panic mode.

[The Lesser Evil]

Could you have some informant/NPC ask to meet them at the gallery quickly? And then as they're talking about another unrelated but somewhat analogous case/story (like "the Tales of the Black Frigate" in Watchmen), the NPC leads them around the gallery. You can have the conversation turn more macabre as atmosphere builds in examining the gallery. And then when the gallery is explored and/or you've sufficiently built enough suspense, you could launch some sort of surprise attack. The NPC doesn't necessarily have to be a wax golem- though it might be fun to play it up as the NPC's story becomes ever more grisly.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Hope it's not too late to chime in. I'm also planning some stuff with wax golems, and I would recommend divide-and-conquer. Especially when it comes to searching for Ambrose, make it clear that if they don't split up to do it, they won't reach him in time. Then one by one, they get ambushed by wax golems. First hit, and the golems have their faces. Second hit, voices; third, skills, and then grapple for the remaining memories. Even one hit is enough to freak people out if the golem runs away and meets up with the group again.

More later, but I just wanted to suggest this.