I like the idea of the drug Stank, but is has to be powerful enough to be 'game-mechanically' enticing, and descriptive enough to be interesting to players. Ingestion: Hot-daggering - Heat up the metal blades of two daggers over a fire, and pick up an oily block of dried and comressed troglodyte musk, snake weed, and incense (masks the stench). Compress the block between the glowing blades and inhale the foul smoke. This creates a shuddering jolt in the imbiber, followed by an empowering inhuman feeling of cold battle-joy. This is the perfect drug for doing dirty deeds. "Gotta do a gank? Better take some stank!" Short-term Benefits - low-light vision, alignment shift toward choatic evil, & advantage on strength and constitution saving throws. Side affects when it wears off - Sunlight Sensitivity and Stench until the user takes a short rest. Imbibers of Stank tend to lay low, and then change clothes. Long-term Addiction: Chameleon Skin (warped into troglodyte skin), ongoing Stench, Sunlight Sensitivity, and alignment shift to Chaotic Evil.
My one idea after reading the troglodyte is that you would have your biggest character terrify there leader and then if he shows fear he gets torn apart by the others
An important thing that has been left out of the MM for 5e, is the fact the stink glands are used as part of the troglodyte language. Every noun in the troglodyte language has its own distinct smell, and the stink glands are used to create those smells. With this in mind, the concept of a troglodyte voluntarily having its stink glands removed is like someone volunteering to have the vocal cords removed.
I would call the drug Squonk, mechanically it would grant camouflage ability for one hour and gives +2 bonus on sneak attacks but afterward the user produces a foul stench until they finish a long rest.
always knew nerdarchistdave was for the narcotics :D but in truth, DnD needs more drugs/enhancers that play a backdrop in cultures, it'd heighten the immersion
Something I could suggest for the "make a badder trog" portion is to take a page out of the Heroes of Might and Magic universe. In the third iteration of the game, troglodytes upgraded into infernal troglodytes. They became red and stripped with the colors of their previous lives, sporting some heavier mass and thick spines along their backs. Now, whether you wanted this to be a really of something like a unique vein of warlock that makes them closer to the sorcerers of Pathfinder, proximity to a tear between the PMP and the Abyss, or perhaps an outside force is turning them into these abominations al a Urukai, that's up to the GM.
Maybe the townsfolk have made a corrupt bargain with the troglodytes who live beneath their city. The townsfolk have agreed to turn over any visitors to the troglodytes. Maybe "the stank" is something that marks the townsfolk as being off limits to the troglodytes since they have their scent on them. You could do sort of a mystery/Lovecraftian adventure. Have the townsfolk drug the players' food and drink.
Even if the Endgame of the BBEG isn't money, I still think it would make more sense for Stank to transform the addict through withdrawal. If the people turn into troglodytes just from using it, then there's less chance that the victim will introduce it to other potential victims. Not only that, but if people figure out that they turn into troglodytes just from taking it, new people won't begin using it. However, if the transformation is a withdrawal symptom, then the BBEG could create an epidemic, where there are huge amounts of people addicted to it, and simply stop producing Stank. With the Stank now out of production he just has to wait as a troglodyte army is created. I suppose it really does depend on what you want out of this campaign, but that's just my two cents.
Lots of good ideas in this video. I wasn't a huge fan of the alchemist/withdrawal-transformation angle, but it certainly can work. I was thinking that the scent glands also release pheromones, so users are attracting troglodytes to the town. You still have the opportunity to bait and switch with your villains, but you can do more with the motivation. For that matter, the pheromone might make the troglodytes want to mate with the users-or vice versa.
they actually have decent wisdom and worship a dark god (with a really stupid name, I think it was like loagazid or something), if you want to throw in some extra challenge increase the wisdom by just a bit and make like a trog shaman that has spells from the druid or cleric spell list, or just go straight trog death cleric since these are very easy creatures to enhance and twist to your own needs.
oh man , that could make a great chuckle fuck encounter. Id start the game by telling the players "somebody is gonna get butt hurt this session guys...figuratively, and literally.
What if removing the stink gland, but leaving them alive, increases the Troglodyte's intelligence? I'm sure that was an X-Files episode. Not Trogs, but some kind of creature. For your idea, what if some townspeople, "all hopped up on Stank", change into Were-Trogs and commit crimes, in the morning change back, and blame those grey bastards?
Something I might do is a Troglodyte who was experimented on and instead of smelling horrible, it smells really good
They turn the Troglodyte smell into an addictive drink called: MUSK TANG!
im stealing that for my campaign, hope you dont mind
I like the idea of the drug Stank, but is has to be powerful enough to be 'game-mechanically' enticing, and descriptive enough to be interesting to players.
Ingestion: Hot-daggering - Heat up the metal blades of two daggers over a fire, and pick up an oily block of dried and comressed troglodyte musk, snake weed, and incense (masks the stench). Compress the block between the glowing blades and inhale the foul smoke. This creates a shuddering jolt in the imbiber, followed by an empowering inhuman feeling of cold battle-joy. This is the perfect drug for doing dirty deeds. "Gotta do a gank? Better take some stank!"
Short-term Benefits - low-light vision, alignment shift toward choatic evil, & advantage on strength and constitution saving throws.
Side affects when it wears off - Sunlight Sensitivity and Stench until the user takes a short rest. Imbibers of Stank tend to lay low, and then change clothes.
Long-term Addiction: Chameleon Skin (warped into troglodyte skin), ongoing Stench, Sunlight Sensitivity, and alignment shift to Chaotic Evil.
Knife hits?! Lololol awesome.
Good stuff. You made me believe you are a stank user yourself.
Nerdarchist Dave
I was a gateway drug. I quit after I hit rock bottom - snorting powdered gorgon horn through beholder eyestalks.
i have this vision of a junky Dwarf hot knifing dabs of Stank
My one idea after reading the troglodyte is that you would have your biggest character terrify there leader and then if he shows fear he gets torn apart by the others
An important thing that has been left out of the MM for 5e, is the fact the stink glands are used as part of the troglodyte language. Every noun in the troglodyte language has its own distinct smell, and the stink glands are used to create those smells. With this in mind, the concept of a troglodyte voluntarily having its stink glands removed is like someone volunteering to have the vocal cords removed.
I would call the drug Squonk,
mechanically it would grant camouflage ability for one hour and gives +2 bonus on sneak attacks but afterward the user produces a foul stench until they finish a long rest.
I'm going pure narcotic. No beneficial effects other than getting high.
Nerdarchist Dave
always knew nerdarchistdave was for the narcotics :D
but in truth, DnD needs more drugs/enhancers that play a backdrop in cultures, it'd heighten the immersion
Something I could suggest for the "make a badder trog" portion is to take a page out of the Heroes of Might and Magic universe. In the third iteration of the game, troglodytes upgraded into infernal troglodytes. They became red and stripped with the colors of their previous lives, sporting some heavier mass and thick spines along their backs. Now, whether you wanted this to be a really of something like a unique vein of warlock that makes them closer to the sorcerers of Pathfinder, proximity to a tear between the PMP and the Abyss, or perhaps an outside force is turning them into these abominations al a Urukai, that's up to the GM.
Maybe the townsfolk have made a corrupt bargain with the troglodytes who live beneath their city. The townsfolk have agreed to turn over any visitors to the troglodytes. Maybe "the stank" is something that marks the townsfolk as being off limits to the troglodytes since they have their scent on them. You could do sort of a mystery/Lovecraftian adventure. Have the townsfolk drug the players' food and drink.
Hezrou Demons fit nicely
Even if the Endgame of the BBEG isn't money, I still think it would make more sense for Stank to transform the addict through withdrawal.
If the people turn into troglodytes just from using it, then there's less chance that the victim will introduce it to other potential victims. Not only that, but if people figure out that they turn into troglodytes just from taking it, new people won't begin using it.
However, if the transformation is a withdrawal symptom, then the BBEG could create an epidemic, where there are huge amounts of people addicted to it, and simply stop producing Stank. With the Stank now out of production he just has to wait as a troglodyte army is created.
I suppose it really does depend on what you want out of this campaign, but that's just my two cents.
Lots of good ideas in this video. I wasn't a huge fan of the alchemist/withdrawal-transformation angle, but it certainly can work. I was thinking that the scent glands also release pheromones, so users are attracting troglodytes to the town. You still have the opportunity to bait and switch with your villains, but you can do more with the motivation. For that matter, the pheromone might make the troglodytes want to mate with the users-or vice versa.
I always love Nerdarchy videos about monsters!
@4:44~~"Skank" the drug. yup, it's nasty.
the benefit is "telepathy" with other users, as per "stinking thoughts" like a Sauriel.
Half-fiend Troglodyte/ Hezrou make for a good trog cult leader
Troglodyte Warlock of the Old One Tsathoggua.
Tx. Currently dming Cult of the reptile god... Trying to give these guys a little color. Stay safe, nerds
Teenage Mutant Ninja Troglodytes
Teenage Troglodytes... If adult troglodytes already stink, imagine teenage troglodytes with all those hormones...
I'm a simple man. I see viashino slaughter master, I click.
they actually have decent wisdom and worship a dark god (with a really stupid name, I think it was like loagazid or something), if you want to throw in some extra challenge increase the wisdom by just a bit and make like a trog shaman that has spells from the druid or cleric spell list, or just go straight trog death cleric since these are very easy creatures to enhance and twist to your own needs.
forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Laogzed
Mike Gould well now, I seem to have hit the nail on the head haven't I?
Troglodyte "Hello neighbor!"
Otyugh "Damn! Can't enjoy a nice bowl of poo without them troglodyte comin around stankin up the place."
Sweet
What if the drug attracts Troglodytes? The smell acts like pheromones.
oh man , that could make a great chuckle fuck encounter. Id start the game by telling the players "somebody is gonna get butt hurt this session guys...figuratively, and literally.
What if the drug itself turns you into a hybrid troglodyte form for the duration?
What if removing the stink gland, but leaving them alive, increases the Troglodyte's intelligence? I'm sure that was an X-Files episode. Not Trogs, but some kind of creature.
For your idea, what if some townspeople, "all hopped up on Stank", change into Were-Trogs and commit crimes, in the morning change back, and blame those grey bastards?