Mind Games

1. Mind Games

   #1

   This is a modification of a hook I found floating around on the internet...
   
   The son of the Patrician, Kalor, is deathly sick. Bed-ridden for over six months, his body has wasted away into nothingness. Kept alive only by his doting servants and the power of the clergy, Kalor is slowly dying. Originally, it was believed the sickness was caused by some poisoning, but as time wore on the priesthood realized the cause to be far more sinister.
   
   The PCs are summoned to the Patrician's palace late at night, flanked by the Patrician's Guards. A healer meets them at the magnificent gates of the palace, and quickly leads them to Kalor's room.
   
   The scent of death is thick in the air, a miasma of pestilence that is sickening in intensity. Kalor is barely rexognisable as a living creature- at this point he only has three days to live. The healer, now alone with the PCs, describe the ailment to them. His mind is under the influence of an Illithid, and it is slowly killing him by leeching away his soul.
   
   In order to cure the disease, the PCs must root out the danger at the source- within Kalor's head. With a modified Soulcage scroll, the healer is able to force them into Kalor's mind. From there, they must find and defeat the Mindflayer.

2. Mind Games

   #2

   Perhaps the illithid has invaded the minds of numerous people, not just this one man. It could then lead the PCs on a "Merry Chase" through the minds of various people throughout the city, each mind representing that person.

3. Mind Games

   #3

   From the standpoint of adventure design, this could be divided into sections. First, the pc's must enter Kalor's minscape, and not only overcome the natural hazards, but also whatever measures the 'flayer emplaced to prevent such an incursion. Next, a series of mind-hops, each with their own unique flavour, as the pc's try to catch the mindflayer. Finally, the pc's must enter and stop the illithid in it's own mind...

4. Mind Games

   #4

   Perhaps some of the PCs could be left outside of Kalor's mind, so as to protect his body, for once the illithid learns of the party's rescue attampt, he may send some of his other servants to slay Kalor, thus destroying the PCs in his head. The PCs left outside the mind must protect themselves and Kalor without slaying any of the innocent civilians, who aside from being innocent, may be the "level" that the mind-traveling PCs are currently in. Eventually, the mind PCs may be able to discover the illithid's location, and imart it to their non-mind allies. Then the mind PCs must confront the illithid in its head whilst their fellows fight it in the real world.

5. Mind Games

   #5

   Illitheds live in Large groups or alone.
   
   If this Illithed was part of the central group, and was powerful, He could keep this up with many people at once. He would probably think it was a game, which is what makes the Illithed way of thinking so sinister. So what if the PCs routed the problem out of everyone's brains. Out of sheer anger, the Illithed then turns and infects the strongest PC's brain. They then have to travel through the Underdark, possibly dealing with dark elves (and later being betrayed by them) to infiltrate the Illithed city. Of course, if the Illithed does live in one of the Illithed cities, even killing him without getting caught you're not getting out easy. You would either have to pull off a great escape, or attack the central brain. Then again, the prizes from killing a city of Illitheds would be tempting... :D

6. Mind Games

   #6

   I really like this idea, but I do think the possibilty of travelling through many minds, with different perceptions would be much more interesting - and it would give the PC's "A New Adventure in Every Mind!"
   *wooot!*
   
   On another note - how would the PC's be connected to Kalor? Would they be friends? Would they come from an outside source? How much would they need to know about the threat of Illitheds, etc?

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