Soul Pumpkins

[High Priest Mikhal]

I remember that show. It actually inspired me to do a presentation on Dia de Los Muertos in high school for "Price of Prejudice" class, including bringing in sugar skulls and bread of the dead. Unlike my father I take pride in our Mexican heritage. Then again he has good reasons to hate it (his father, don't ask).

[ScS of the Fraternity]

I liked that show as well, though I only caught a few bits of it over the years.

Try not to get a pumpkin tree confused with a death's head tree. That's one way to change the span of your life.

[Zilfer]

lol! mixed legends of that might be horrible to sort out especially if they were in the same area around the same time... o.O"

[Dark Angel]

One interesting twist on the tree is an old man (low level magic user) hires the party to bring back pumpkins after they complete a mission for him (something mild, but beyond his power). He will state that those who desire the greatest power only need to bring a pumpkin from the manor home courtyard at the top of the hill. When (and if) the players bring them back, he says, "Return tomorrow and I shall have the [insert bs magical item] for you for your courageous actions!" When (and if) they return, the man (who seemed soooo nice before) will explain the current situation. They will do one mission (get this, do that, etc) at no charge. These will be very difficult and very dangerous. But there is a bonus, each mission does reward a single player with their pumpkin. If they try to threaten or kill him, he will explain the pumpkins are elsewhere in the hands of those who will destroy them unless he sends messages every 4-5 days. Yay extortion! Ideally they will understand the true natures of the pumpkins and not just assume this is a bluff. His long term plans are up to you. Hell, to really rub it in their faces you could have them rip off kindly peoples. As a bit of insurance, he may even ultimately hold one for himself regardless.

Can anyone tell I had a rough day?

[Zilfer]

One interesting twist on the tree is an old man (low level magic user) hires the party to bring back pumpkins after they complete a mission for him (something mild, but beyond his power). He will state that those who desire the greatest power only need to bring a pumpkin from the manor home courtyard at the top of the hill. When (and if) the players bring them back, he says, "Return tomorrow and I shall have the [insert bs magical item] for you for your courageous actions!" When (and if) they return, the man (who seemed soooo nice before) will explain the current situation. They will do one mission (get this, do that, etc) at no charge. These will be very difficult and very dangerous. But there is a bonus, each mission does reward a single player with their pumpkin. If they try to threaten or kill him, he will explain the pumpkins are elsewhere in the hands of those who will destroy them unless he sends messages every 4-5 days. Yay extortion! Ideally they will understand the true natures of the pumpkins and not just assume this is a bluff. His long term plans are up to you. Hell, to really rub it in their faces you could have them rip off kindly peoples. As a bit of insurance, he may even ultimately hold one for himself regardless.

Can anyone tell I had a rough day?

Hey never saw this post. Definitely a plot train you could throw the PC's onto the rails of. Though I would definitely have thrown in some side rewards that just 'happen' to generate some things in their favor just not from the patron they are so kindly working for. Sorry it took so long to see this Dark Angel, it's Near Halloween time so I'm thinking of running a game of Ravenloft as I usually do.

My Birthday and Halloween only come once a year! Every October 31st!

*cackles maniacally*

[Resonant Curse]

I like it too! Though pumpkins grow on vines, not trees. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate choice to "weird it up" a bit or not. But the concept works just as well with a vine anyway..

Indeed!

The reason I drew from the tree is because of an old Cartoon I used to watch every year because my mother had bought the movie and it kinda became a tradition that I watch it once a year.

No surprise it was called the

"Halloween Tree" and it centered around a group of kids on halloween going to their friend's house to see that 'pip' a leader type person in a band of younger kids had fallen sick and gone to the hospital but they follow his 'ghost' thinking it's actually him to a mansion, with a tree out back full of pumpkins. The ghost 'pip' steals his pumpkin even though he's set to die and allows the prolonging of his life. (Magic pumpkin actually takes him back through time to different ages and what 'Halloween' really meant back then and in different places.)

Ends with the kids finally coming to terms with pip trapped and the kids know he can't run forever so they give up 1 year of their lives each so that pip can live. (Now it never covers how much time this gives pip.... xD)

Anyways that's the original thought for it... ah that guy in the mansion so weird looking.


carapace clavicle moundshroud is quite the mouthful when your a kid. xD still is!



But yeah original source of inspiration

I thought of that movie as soon as I read the first few sentences.

[Zilfer]

Lol glad i'm not the only one who watched it. Was my old favorite movie as a kid when I was younger. Kind of a tradition to watch it at least once during the holidays before my birthday. Currently packed away since i'll be moving soon though so guess I won't see it this year.

[Resonant Curse]

Lol glad i'm not the only one who watched it. Was my old favorite movie as a kid when I was younger. Kind of a tradition to watch it at least once during the holidays before my birthday. Currently packed away since i'll be moving soon though so guess I won't see it this year.

Pretty sure it still crops up on the cartoon network every year if nothing else, at least in the ststes.

[Dark Angel]

One interesting twist on the tree is an old man (low level magic user) hires the party to bring back pumpkins after they complete a mission for him (something mild, but beyond his power). He will state that those who desire the greatest power only need to bring a pumpkin from the manor home courtyard at the top of the hill. When (and if) the players bring them back, he says, "Return tomorrow and I shall have the [insert bs magical item] for you for your courageous actions!" When (and if) they return, the man (who seemed soooo nice before) will explain the current situation. They will do one mission (get this, do that, etc) at no charge. These will be very difficult and very dangerous. But there is a bonus, each mission does reward a single player with their pumpkin. If they try to threaten or kill him, he will explain the pumpkins are elsewhere in the hands of those who will destroy them unless he sends messages every 4-5 days. Yay extortion! Ideally they will understand the true natures of the pumpkins and not just assume this is a bluff. His long term plans are up to you. Hell, to really rub it in their faces you could have them rip off kindly peoples. As a bit of insurance, he may even ultimately hold one for himself regardless.

Can anyone tell I had a rough day?

Hey never saw this post. Definitely a plot train you could throw the PC's onto the rails of. Though I would definitely have thrown in some side rewards that just 'happen' to generate some things in their favor just not from the patron they are so kindly working for. Sorry it took so long to see this Dark Angel, it's Near Halloween time so I'm thinking of running a game of Ravenloft as I usually do.

My Birthday and Halloween only come once a year! Every October 31st!

*cackles maniacally*

No worries, I have yet to use this soul pumpkin idea in any capacity. Though I currently have my players working for Strahd directly (and he has made a very indirect threat that the player's loved ones would be forfeit should they betray his 'trust'). It would be too cruel to have them also giving their very souls over to him. We shall see. Again, there are a lot of posts on the site and you tend to be busier this time of year than not. Happy birthday and happy Halloween! My sister in law would be jealous that you have a Halloween birthday!

[Zilfer]

Congratulations on our 666th post.

Anyways, yeah might be a bit cruel to do that. Though his mountainous domain might not be a bad place to put such a tree.

[Dark Angel]

Congratulations on our 666th post.

Anyways, yeah might be a bit cruel to do that. Though his mountainous domain might not be a bad place to put such a tree.

Yeah I noticed that too, but thought it was weird to mention the 'Mark of the Beast' in the forums. Anyways, 667!

[Skyrock]

As it is a tree, you could also work in a Dryad that might not be amused about people picking her tree, or if you are in a good mood provide explanation about the nature of soul pumpkins.

[Satyrwyld]

Just as a side note, the animated special is based off a book by Ray Bradbury of the same name.

[Zilfer]

Just as a side note, the animated special is based off a book by Ray Bradbury of the same name.

That is awesome to know. Perhaps I shall seek it out.

[Brandi]

It's a good book, though hard to find in bookstores. Hopefully a good library has it or can get it from another branch/interlibrary loan.