Café de Nuit

Here is a small write up and stat block I made for Juste. I'm about to introduce a small group to Ravenloft and I'll be bringing their low level PCs into the Mists via the theatre known as Scaena. Let me know what ya'll think.

Scaena: A Pocket Domain which appears in random locations at random intervals throughout the Demi-plane of Dread and Prime Material Planes. The exterior always matches the native architecture, while the interior contains a fine lobby with rooms for refreshing one-self and a five hundred seat theatre.

Sinkhole of Evil Rank 3: Taint of Hatred

When an individual steps onto the stage, a whole new world appears around them, seemingly real. Will DC 20 to disbelieve the illusions, if an individual is present during a scene shift they may attempt another Will save DC 16. When they pass, they see the stage for what it is with cut out scenery and characters and Juste scribbling away at a desk in an alcove; unless one concentrates upon disbelieving a new scene takes form around them. When Juste is on the stage, the DC for his illusions
rises to a Will DC 25. Juste is able to alter the duration of time on the stage and control all illusions.

Damage inflicted by Juste's illusions will heal with 5 minutes of natural rest, if a character is killed by an illusion they must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or die otherwise they fall unconscious.

If Juste is attacked, he may meld with the floor of the theatre and reappear elsewhere, if he is reduced to 0 hp his body melts
into the wood and rises again in one day. If the theatre is burned during this time he is permanently slain.

Closing the Borders: Beyond the doors of Scaena the Mists swirl. Any character who ventures into the Mists when Juste closes the borders suffers from a fear effect beginning 50' from the theatre (Will DC 15 or run back into the theatre which they find only 5' away), if the character continues on at 100' they must make a save versus death (Fort DC 15 +1 for every 10' beyond 100' from the theatre), this will eventually kill anyone foolish enough to continue. For more information see the
books Domains of Dread and Islands of Terror.

Lemot Sediam Juste
Bard 6
Demilord of Scaena
Alignment CE - CR 10
Hit Dice 6d6-6 (24)
Initiative +7
Speed 30 ft (6 squares)
AC 20 (+3 Dex, +5 Cha (deflect), +2 armor) T 18, FF 17
Base Attack/Grapple +4/+2
Attack Longsword +2 (1d8-2 19x2)
Space/Reach 5 ft/ 5 ft
Skills Perform (acting) +14, Craft (playwriting) +12, Profession (actor) +11, Tumble +10, Jump +9, Climb +7, Sleight of Hand +10, Disguise +11, Balance +14, Bluff +14, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Move Silently +8
Spells 3/4/3
0. Flare
0. Ghost Sound
0. Mending
0. Prestidigitation
0. Daze
0. Open/Close
1. Disguise Self
1. Silent Image
1. Ventriloquism
1. Hypnotism
2. Alter Self
2. Minor Image
2. Pyrotechnics
Saves Fort +1 Reflex +10 Will +7
Special Abilites Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Countersong, fascinate, Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence, Suggestion, SR 16, Mirror Image: at will
Abilities Str-7 Dex-16 Con-8 Int-17 Wis-15 Cha-20
Feats:
1. Eschew Materials
1h. Persuasive
3. Lightning Reflexes
6. Improved Initiative

Treasure Mwk Leather, Longsword

What play will be set? Will your players will be actors, audience or audience turned to actors?

The intent will be audience turned to unwilling actors. At present I believe the play will be the tragedy "The Unwilling Bride". A sad and tragic story of a man who is spurned by his one true love for another man (his youngest brother) and who then tries to take the girl by force after murdering her love (his brother) after which the girl leaps from the castle parapet.

*****

This campaign is being run to introduce the players to Ravenloft, largely in part because one of the players had purchased the horrible EtCR, and they shall soon be running that in their home game, the DM runs Mods as a newbie still. They've been learning the game more and better from me as I have just finished "boot camp" with them (I ran some mods for them, something I am usually loath to do but I hadn't wanted to run a serious game for them yet) and now it is time to introduce them to the role playing aspect of the game.

There is a possibility of me taking them to the castle eventually although I doubt it. But here I'm giving them loads of information which they'll never know they knew.

yergerjo wrote:The intent will be audience turned to unwilling actors. At present I believe the play will be the tragedy "The Unwilling Bride". A sad and tragic story of a man who is spurned by his one true love for another man (his youngest brother) and who then tries to take the girl by force after murdering her love (his brother) after which the girl leaps from the castle parapet.

So the EtCR mod is just one of Juste's mad plays? No wonder he earned the status of darklord!

Perhaps I'll drop in the NotLD zombie invasion into the play later as another scene? Personally I despise this last revision/rendition of I6....