Toben the Many? o.O'

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Imagine a zombie just trailing them... never attacking, never hiding, just staying out of attack range and watching, and giving Toben precise and instantaneous information on their whereabouts...

[Hazgarn]

And perhaps he just follows silently, watching, or maybe he engages them in conversation. About mundane things ("Pity about the rain. It's sunnier in Dementlieu."), about past pranks ("I once made a mother watch her son eat his own hand joint by joint."), unconnected events ("A priest hung himself from the church bell today, right in the middle of morning rites. Wish I'd thought of it first."), and maybe in cryptic terms for what he has planned for them ("I don't want to spoil it, but just wait...").

[HuManBing]

Weeeeell... considering that Drakov invaded Darkon 4 times just to have his army wiped out without accomplishing nearly anything, with just a though of Azalin to send the dead up and then send the freshly dead up again, I don't think he got the message.

This canon interpretation you quote is probably my most-disliked aspect of Drakov's character - and one which you may know I've spent a lot of creative effort (and many threads on this board) in rewriting. I have a lot to say about this, but unfortunately this isn't the thread to do it in. If you're genuinely interested in continuing this discussion, then these may be better places to post it.

And perhaps he just follows silently, watching, or maybe he engages them in conversation. About mundane things ("Pity about the rain. It's sunnier in Dementlieu."), about past pranks ("I once made a mother watch her son eat his own hand joint by joint."), unconnected events ("A priest hung himself from the church bell today, right in the middle of morning rites. Wish I'd thought of it first."), and maybe in cryptic terms for what he has planned for them ("I don't want to spoil it, but just wait...").

I like this! It makes for a similar type of trope to the "taunting enemy narrator", as seen in such games as System Shock 2, Bioshock, and even Portal (with the computer GLaDOS providing hilarious cutting commentary). A good way of adding to Toben's emotional badguy-value, without relying on combat threats all the time.

[alhoon]

Oh no, you misunderstood me HMB. I know how many here want Drakov in their campaign.

I personally want him as an mediocre in administration and strategy megalomaniac tyrrant, that fails to see he's nothing special but instead accuses others for his blunders. A thug that through cruelty alone, not skill, was made "king" and put in charge of a domain by the DP and still rules it because he ruthlessly kills those that may one day oppose him etc.

Anyway, to get back to Toben and the "Discussions" since it's Toben we're talking about I wouldn't go as far as keeping the zombie away talking to the PCs. Toben would bring a different one, say a couple of sentences as it approached and attacked... and then the next one would go on with the discussion as if nothing have happened.
Then towards the end of the discussion, a Toben zombie (probably in the body of an NPC the PCs knew) would casually drop something like "Phew... I had to go recruit 4-5 more shells for myself to keep up with your prowess! To think, it took me 3 travelers to finish that last joke" reminding the PCs that killing Toben zombies accomplishes nearly nothing, and Toben can very easily replace them by killing more people. That way the PCs would realize their aquintance could well be alive if they haven't been butchering up Toben's bodies.

[Hazgarn]

Toben would be a difficult tail to shake. Manage to kill the zombie and another one might take its place (hell, they might wear out on their own now and then, and the PCs would notice a "changing of the guard" as one used-to-tatters body trades its place to another). He might even lend a hand in some situations he is not responsible for (and maybe a few that he actually is) only to step back and laugh watching the party struggle during others. Then there's the ethics to consider...if you're using his disease aura as written, even if Toben is keeping his distance enough to leave the PCs intact, for them to knowingly entering a settlement while he's following them would be insanely reckless.

And of course if Toben ever just stopped following them one day, that itself might be cause to worry...

[alhoon]

And killing the bodies could just lead Toben to kill more people just to have a body near them to chat.
Check the edit of my post. I edited it a little after you posted.

I remember focusing a large arc of a campaign around Toben once. One of my sister's characters has Knowledge(Toben zombies).

[Hazgarn]

I remember focusing a large arc of a campaign around Toben once. One of my sister's characters has Knowledge(Toben zombies).

I'm guessing there was at least one Madness save involved there.

[alhoon]

There was one failed madness IIRC, but I don't remember much, besides her character actually thinking he's an important whispered message or meme or something that had to "spread" to certain people without being overheard or copied or something by other people. Can't remember.

Azalin IIRC healed her mind (by erasing memories) in exchange for 3 Toben zombies or something. I remember that since I had Toben as able to "evacuate" a body as a lifeless husk at will, Azalin gave them 3 special nails that if driven in a cask that there was a Toben zombie (or anything else) inside, the Toben zombie wouldn't be able to jump out of the body.
They had to trick 3 Toben zombies to get in the coffins and be nailed inside BEFORE Toben realized he more or less lost control of those bodies. It took IIRC a full round for someone to nail in the special nail that would make the coffin "soulproof" so Toben's bodies were unable to "Die".
IIRC the PCs managed to trap 3 zombies within the window (of like 20-30 mins) I have decided it would take for Toben to realize that he can't evacuate the bodies, nor break the coffins.

I remember saying something like "Suddenly, the mocking from the coffins stops as Toben realizes he can't evacuate the bodies and recognises that there is one necromancer that could easily pull that trick"
I remember playing Toben as frantic from that point on, as he felt his bodies moving towards Darkon. His bravado and casualness melted away and he pleaded, begged, promised the stars etc. I played him as quite the coward.

Actually the PCs eventually saved him IIRC, or tried to. I remember them breaking in a Kargat-opperated "prison" where Azalin was turning abducted people etc to Toben zombies.
Had to do with some plan Azalin had to control Toben, kick a few of his bodies out of the mists and then occupy Toben and get at least a fragment of his mentality out or something. Toben was trying to frantically increase his body count so Azalin wouldn't be able to take control of most of him, but was "fading away"... not sure exactly what.
I remember the PCs trying to stop frantic attacks by Toben Zombies in Tepest, eventually realizing that this is not the answer and decide to backstab Azalin instead to avoid hundreds of deaths. I actually remember them working hand-to-hand with Kargat Lycanthropes and living soldiers to stop Toben from spreading. Can't say it ended well with the Kargat. IIRC the PCs killed the Kargat when they tried to torch a village pre-emptively so that Toben wouldn't harvest bodies or something.
Also at times, Azalin controlled part of Toben, but I doupt I pulled the difference in tactics well. I think I had Azalin control the part-Toben zombies in the prison, struggling with Toben or something.

Irik had a part in Azalin's plan (or a role, or something) IIRC, but I don't remember what exactly. Perhaps he told the PCs where the prison was, since Toben didn't know.

[Hazgarn]

Like the Game?

(I lost the game.)

[alhoon]

As usual I edited my post while you posted.

Perhaps there are more about my campaign arc with Toben in the old Toben thread.

[Hazgarn]

As usual I edited my post while you posted.

*shakes fist*

[Zilfer]

Haha, nice. Just a zombie per night or so having a conversation with them. XD I think after the third one the people in my party would try and talk to the zombie. xD Wow I just noticed we have a link to the main website up there now..... (back on topic)


Is there any limit to the amount of bodies Toben can control?

[Hazgarn]

As written, absolutely none.

[Zilfer]

Do they give any thought as to why he doesn't just spread out and encompass the whole population?

I can think of a few reasons being laying low from Azalin since he apparently fears him, though to what end I do not know. Also that if he were to control everyone he'd be very bored with himself after awhile. (though he may not know this at first because chasing down and having fun with the last bit of survivor's would prove very entertaining i would think. xD

[Hazgarn]

Mostly boredom would be my guess. Also, he's afraid of Vistani for reasons believed to be tied to his (unknown) origins.

And if Toben ever wound up with more bodies in Darkon than anywhere else, he would be under Azalin's control, which is why he's stays out of that domain whenever possible.