Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part V

 
Geedeepee Encounters

Roll 1d12 

1.  A wealthy man holds a  menacing influence over this area. Named Master Ignatius, he is as haughty as he is decrepit and rich, and if he hasn't yet begun to work with Geedeepee, he soon will. Even worse, he controls the local node (see Volume II).

2. With a blackness in the air, the party correctly senses that an unholy shopping event is about to befall the next market they visit. Once found, the townsfolk will fight madly for the newest item, happily stampeding any who stand in their way (including any party members foolish enough to do so), causing 3d6 damage to those who fail their save vs. paralysis/ Reflex save DC 15. Geedeepee will smile upon what a Dark Day it will be!

3. Rumors abound of the local Thieves Guild challenging some upstart banker. Once the latter calls upon the aid of Geedeepee though, it will be hard to see who the cruelest will be.

4.  A random, unlucky party member is suddenly overcome with the urge to spend all his or her gold on frivolous things. He or she might think that is bad until it also attracts the attention of a new confidant, one who shows great interest in their lack of financial restraint: a moneychanger.

5. Someone claiming to be a 'commissar' approaches the party, intent on rooting out 'Capitalist Scum'. Though he follows the fell Uncle Steel Dwarf, scrolls he shows do point to an actual Geedeepee plot, which they may wish to foil after they're done with him.

 

6. At the next tavern the party enters, all the working folk wear garish outfits and forced smiles. Whether serving wench or barkeep, they remain under the spell of a new owner, one keen on making a profit at everyone else's expense- very devilish indeed.

7. With a devastating roar, a large and strange bear emerges. The party may soon realize it's sacred to Geedeepee when their fortunes quickly drop...
Geedeepee Bear: Align: C, MV: 50’, AC: 4, HD: 7, Atk: 3 (2 claws, 1 bite), Dmg: 1d3+2/ 1d3+2/1d6+4, SP: those fighting it have all their rolls and their wealth halved  too (save vs. death/ Will save DC 10 negates, can be rerolled each round, though any lost wealth must be regained through the usual methods), SV: F7, Mor: 10

8. 1d4 random items that party recently purchased prove to be faulty: weapons break when parried, armor seizes up, waterskins leak, and the like. Though they originally seemed fine, on close inspection, they show shoddy craftmanship. Perhaps that's why they were so enticingly priced and had the face of a laughing coin on them?

9. Rumors of boxing clubs have sprung up in this area, intent on removing the greed and shallowishness of the local rulers. And though the boxers are harsh and subversive, it's nothing compared how the rulers are when crossed.

10. The greediest member of the party is visited by a number of ghosts during the night. The following morning, he must save vs. spell/ make a Will save DC 15 or forswear his avarice, otherwise he must become an official follower of Geedeepee.

11. Rumors tell of an exceedingly dangerous bull in the area. Those who stumble upon it find it to be one spawned by Geedeepee, and a pet of a local moneychanger.

Geedeepee Bull: Align: C, MV: 70’, AC: 2, HD: 4*, Atk: 1 (gore), Dmg: 1d8+5, SP: may charge for double damage; for every victim it kills, it gains 1 additional HD, though if it reaches 12 HD, it explodes- otherwise, its HD reduces back to 4 at the rate of 1 per hour, Save: F4*, Mor: 11.

  

12. A moneychanger counts his wealth at this place. He is level 1d10 and guarded by (roll 1d4): [1] 2d3 bodyguards with 1d2 HD each, [2] a Geedeepee Bear (per #7 above), [3] a Geedeepee Bull (per #11 above), [4] reroll 1d3 twice. Though formidable, there's also a base 25% chance that he abuses his protectors (since they don't have nearly as much treasure as he does), and if properly motivated, they could turn on him.

 

 

Next week: we begin a new series on totems, starting with the wolf!

Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part IV

 
Spells
Skilled at conjuring apparent wealth, holding it, and duping others, moneychangers must recruit the forces of other Fell Lords if they wish to work different magics. Such are the devilish ways of Geedeeoee, and such cleverness will come at a cost (1d10 gold pieces per spell level cast). Moneychangers who fail to pay up in these cases (or somehow otherwise foul the spell) will incur the wrath of that Fell Lord via a divine test with a +4 modifier, especially if they use Golden Promises as payment.

For example, if a moneychanger were to cast Command, then he'd only have to roll for Geedeepee's magical side-effects. If he wanted to cast Cure Light Wounds though, he'd also have to pay an additional 1d10 gold pieces to do so since the magic for that spell would be sourced out to the Arch-Devil of Ill-Healing, Tyranny, Waiting, & Cost. He'd also roll on the Shield Ghul's test table if he rolled a one on his casting roll or otherwise provoked a test, and that test would be more difficult than normal.

1st Level: Command, Cure Light Wounds (via the Shield Ghul), Protection from Evil (via Beliah), Remove Fear (reversed, via Tezschnaz), Sanctuary (if at a market or place where wealth is stored), Charm Person* (with regards to money matters, for all others, via Unharmonia), Floating Disk* (via Enak), Hold Portal*, Identify*, Jarring Hand* (via Balor), Mending*, Message*, Read Languages* (via Ghul-Ghul), Shield* (via Enak)

2nd Level: Augury (with regards to financial issues), Bless (reversible, via Maelfo), Hold Person (via Orcus), Reveal Charm, Spiritual Weapon (wielded by a phantom bodyguard, via Thrym), Amnesia*, Arcane Lock*, Auditory Illusion*, Detect Invisible* (via Nergal), False Gold* (up to 100 gold pieces in Golden Promises can be created out of nothing per caster level), Invisibility* (via Maelfo), Knock*, Locate Object*, Magic Mouth*, Mirror Image (via Set), Rope Trick* 

3rd Level: Animate Dead (via R'ti), Cure Blindness/Disease (via the Shield Ghul), Glyph of Warding, Haste* (if recipient will be shopping or barreling over others to grab things), Protection from Normal Missiles* (via Beliah), Tiny Hut*, Suggestion* (with regards to money matters, for all others, via Unharmonia), Summon Monster I (via Tiamat)

4th Level: Create Food and Water (via Johnny Applewheeze), Confusion (via Dagon), Cure Serious Wounds (via the Shield Ghul), Divination (via Ghul-Ghul), Charm Monster (via Tiamat)

5th Level: Commune, Faithful Hound* (via Fenrir), Flame Strike (usable on those who owe the moneychanger money, via Surtur), Secret Chest*

6th Level: Animate Objects (via Enak), Word of Recall, Flesh to Gold* (as Flesh to Stone, but victim can then be converted into Golden Promises), Guards and Wards*, Invisible Stalker* (via Fenrir), Summon Geedeepee Bear or Bull (see Part V for stats)

7th Level: Instant Summons* (summoned item need not be marked and no gem is required-  moneychanger simply pays for it with Golden Promise when it arrives)s, Summon Demon* (via any Fell Lord)

Key to Fell Lords

Balor- see Volume II

Beliah- see Volume II

Dagon- see Volume III

Enak- see Volume II

Fenrir- link

Ghul-Ghul- link

Johnny Applewheeze- link

Maelfo- see Volume I

Nergal- see Volume III

Orcus- see Volume II

R'ti- see Volume I

Set- see Volume III

Shield Ghul- see Wyrd Ways of Walstock

Surtur- link 

Tezschnaz- see Volume I

Thrym- see Volume II

Tiamat- see Volume III)

Unharmonia- see Volume I

  

Next week: Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part V! 

Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part III

 
The bears and bulls might prove too much for even the greediest moneychanger.

Devil Tests
1-3. With diabolic scheming, the moneychanger must scry the Infernal Realm of Markets, taking at least 2d6 turns.

4-9. The Corpus of Geedeepee grows hungry, demanding its disciple take more initiative so it can feed upon his profit. The moneychanger loses access to some of his spells (75% chance for each one, possibly including his turn ability) until he commits such acts. Roll 1d6 for each one lost to see what it must be. 
[1] Trick someone out of at least 10d20 gold pieces.
[2] Hire a servant for a task, berate them, and then pay them poorly.
[3] Pollute, overharvest, and/or leave much refuse on a natural area that's at least 1d6 x 100' in size.
[4] Purchase new items for himself, worth at least 1d4x100 gold pieces in value.
[5] Attack a victim directly, call them lazy, and take their money.
[6] Have a victim slain by a bear or bull, then take their money.

10-12. Such devilry can come at a cost to one's health and well-being. Unless the moneychanger can find a willing dupe to take his place by the next dawn, he suffers a permanent 1d2 penalty to a random ability score as Geedeepee's corruption of life or distortion of mind takes hold of him too.

13-14. The earth cracks and moans beneath the moneychanger's fancy shoes, emitting noxious fumes, foul refuse, and a dismal air fitting for diabolic wealth. The area within a 1d6 x 100' diameter will grant a +2 to all rolls related to industry and commerce from now on, but also a -10 penalty to all rolls related health, happiness, freedom, and serenity.

15-17. The moneychanger gains 3d6 zero-level workers to assist him, depressedly serving his every selfish whim for 1d4 copper pieces a day. Still, there's a base 66% chance each day of a 'setback' occurring, rolled for each of them (1d6): [1-2] fallen ill, the worker now has a -2 penalty to all rolls, [3-4] maimed, the worker loses the ability to walk, use one hand, or see out of one eye [5] worker is slain, [6] worker is on strike and now devoted to killing the moneychanger. If enough workers are affected at once, such 'setbacks' might actually become serious for the moneychanger.

18+ The markets collapse under the moneychangers fiat fallacies, causing all Golden Promises he has created so far to be adjusted to their true value (zero). Depending on how much he spent in a given area, many lives may be ruined, but he certainly will be, as an angry mob tracks him down sometime within 1d6 turns and inflicts 6d6 damage before he can escape. And for every devil test result over 18, the damage done increases by 3d6 more.

Next week: Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part IV!

Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part II

 Magical Side-Effects
Up and up Geedeepee goes, where it stops is when it crashes below. Roll 1d12.

1. Bust: The arrow dives and so too do the moneychanger's fortunes. Not only does his spell only work at 1/2 strength, but any Golden Promises he has to his name are halved in value as well.

2. Stand Atop the (Corpse of the) Little Guy: The spell will work, though a victim must lose some treasure or at least have their work lambasted first. However the moneychanger does so is fine with Geedeepee, just as long as its paid.

3. Reap & Reap Some More: What better way to get slightly ahead than to rape the earth? As the spell occurs, the nearest 1d6 x 10' diameter natural area in a random direction suffers some deprivation, whether it be (roll 1d4) [1] spoiling of the plants and soil, [2] collection of noxious refuse, [3] insidious harming of the health of any beasts or folk there, or [4] all three. Druids and other Nature-lovers will take a very dim view of this effect.

4. Oh, Geedeepee: The Arch-Devil's 'prosperity' abounds, with all within 1d6 x 10' of the spell's casting experiencing one of the following effects (roll 1d3): [1] have their wealth adjusted by +50 to -60% (1d12-7 x 10), [2] become physically ill, suffering -1 to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, or [3] become mentally ill, suffering -1 to Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. The latter two effects last for the next 1d12 days unless cured beforehand.

5-8. Standard Casting: Apart from the mysterious signs of money, whispering of arrows, and/or moaning of lives and lands ruined, the spell occurs normally,

9. The Path to Success: If the moneychanger is willing to spend at least 1d10 x 10 gold pieces at the next buying opportunity he has (preferably on frivolous things), then he can increase the spell's range, effect, or duration by 50%.

10. It's in the Numbers: Luckily for the moneychanger, the magic's range, effect, or duration is automatically boosted by 50% with Geedeepee's devilry, though he may still wish to consume wantonly anyway.

11. A Capital Notion! All it takes is a can-do attitude to get ahead, for those who can't enjoy rapid growth are just too lazy to appreciate it! If the moneychanger takes some initiative and decapitates or inflates to death a victim by the next dawn, then his spell's effects, range, or duration can be doubled. 

12. Boom: The arrow soars and so too does the moneychanger's magic, enabling him to double its duration, range. or effect, not to mention the value of any Golden Promises he has.

Next week: Moneychangers of Geedeepee, Part III!