[Eberron] Adventuring in the Realm of the Dead

[Blue Sky]

Ok, my group is heading to the realm of the dead to rescue a pc's father. Anyone have any ideas as to what kind of encounters would be in there?

The pc's father died in the Mourning, so I was thinking that they would have to make their way through a twisted reflection of the real world landscape. Starting from Flamekeep, they'd have to make their way to where her father died, in the middle of the Mournland. Once they get there, they'll see a shaft driven into the ground that reaches to the sky. Around the shaft they'll see the thousands of people that died in the Mourning, pushing a massive, horizontal wheel around the shaft. (When the Mourning hit, it disrupted the plane of the dead, and now the dead push a grindstone for all the souls that come through, grinding the souls into the next life. Or some thing like that.)

So, what kind of encounters do you forsee for this group? 4-5 people, 7-8th level. I give my pc's a boost in the ability scores, so a higher el than normal is OK, but not much (keep in mind, that they probably won't be able to rest until they escape.)

So, give me your ideas, my fellows!

 

[Blue Sky]

Umm, bump?

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Late in the movie What Dreams May Come Robin Williams' character goes searching for the soul of his wife who has committed suiside.

That is how I would imagine Dolurrh, souls slowly succumbing to amneisia, apathy & depression.

 

[Saeviomagy]

(When the Mourning hit, it disrupted the plane of the dead, and now the dead push a grindstone for all the souls that come through, grinding the souls into the next life. Or some thing like that.)

How about they're just stuck there, grinding for no good reason? Otherwise it's not that much of a disruption...

As to the adventure - the PC's need to get her father unshackled from the wheel somehow. Of course the shackles need a key - where's the key?

Somewhere in the past of the father most like - then you can bring the adventure back to the real world to find the key, then back to dolurrh to unlock him.

Now you just need a way to inform the players what the key actually is - have the father mumbling some sort of name or phrase over and over again.

Finally - the key should probably also unlock some aspect of the character's past that might shame her or cause her troubles.