Help with my campaign!

[James McMurray]

Ok folks, the shazbot just hit the fan and I could use some input. I'll be posting the story hour of how this occured, but to make a long story short the party destroyed an artifact freeing a whole slew of creatures that had been bound into servitude by a devilish lawyer (the baatrian Legal Association's finest barrister).

They were out in the wild when it happened, so the sheer number of beings coming out will be doable without crushing them all or destroying buildings. I could use a bit of help trying to describe it though.

Also, there will be several mid to high powered creatures coming out, some of which will stay around to cause havoc (such as massacring the people that come out). I could use help deciding what all should come out and which ones will stay to be fought or fight alongside the party.

There were at least 12 celestials in the Tome, those will definitely need to be chosen. Also, I would like 3 beings from the epic level handbook to stay. Two of them will fight each other, but with no care for the destruction they cause. I was thinking a Hunefer as the evil one, but I need something for it to want to fight. I can make up a story for them, should one survive and somehow communicate with the party.

HELP!!! This stands to be one of the most cataclysmic events to happen to the planet for quite some time, and I don't want to screw it up. Luckily I get to describe it via email, as I'm much better at writing than I am speaking.

I've got one week before the next session.

P.S.

The funny thing is, this came out of something that was supposed to be a minor side jaunt which would introduce a new PC to the party, but of course players always do the unexpected. . .

 

[James McMurray]

bump

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

Well, I would imagine the smartest of the demons would get out of the area and hide themselves as soon as possible. They were sealed away by an artifact, and it could happen again. Plus, they would need to get their bearings on the world around them.

If the demons have some sort of chain of command, then perhaps one of the lesser leaders will stick around to command the less intelligent demons - in hopes of slaying the celestials and any heroes who happen to investigate the destruction of the artifact.

You have not posted the level of your group- so I could not suggest any creatures.

Some visuals-

You could have some lowly demons pouring out of the portal- at first they look like they are charging the party, but the party finds the demons running past them.. away from the giant demon that comes storming out.. eating lesser demons as it pounds forward.

Some demon made of rock erupts from the ground, knocking the party back and burying them slightly in dirt.

Imps, quasits, and other lowly demons come flying in over from all over the world to greet their long lost masters.

A long lost constellation appears in the sky- made up of red stars.

Good luck!

Respectfully submitted
FD

 

[The_lone_gunman]

Here is basically the descr I gave when my players shattered a portal leading to hell with a blade barrier spell. It was not quite as good as this one because I had no clue they would do this LOL:

"The blades from your spell strike the mirror, shattering the shards and hurling them into the air. Suddenly, time seemed to slow, and you can see the shards as they slow spin outwards and each one reflects the light of your daylight spell back at you with a slow, pulsating steadiness. A roar sounding like a dragon's death cry resounds out, and time returns to normal just as a maelstorm of light begins to rotate around the now shattered remains of the artifact. This whirlpool of magical energy begins rotating and quickly expands outwards toward you. In the center of the swirling energy, a blood-red column of liquid magic slowly increases in size and brightness. Inside, you can see demonic shapes moving about, stretching their wings as if preparing to take flight."


The game mechanics was that the maelstorm slowly built in size (expanding 5 feet per round). Anyone within 10 feet of the maelstorm had to make a reflex check DC12 or be pulled 5 feet toward it. Anyone caught within the maelstorm had to make a Will save DC 20 or become insane, and another reflex check DC 15 or be pulled into the planes of hell. The maelstorm expanded for 10 rounds at which point there was massive explosion (the PC's had to get the hell out of dodge before that point) and the rift was created.

You could do something similar but instead of a rift to hell it could be a rift to whatever extra-dimensional space the demons were held at.

Hope this helps

Also, if they are demons, I would not have them be organized at all. The whole point of demons are that they are chaotic. They would simply head out in a random direction and start killing IMO.


TLG

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

As for the 12 Celestials... will these guys be interacting with the party? If so, I guess you'll have to stat them out. If they're not, you could just let your imagination run a bit. Who says all types of celestials have appeared somewhere in print?

At any rate, the power level of these guys is definitely a factor. You looking for hound archon types? Or do you need something more like Michael the Archangel (as in the biggest, baddest, winged guy on the celestial block)?

 

[Darraketh]

I know this isn't exactly what you asked for but...

How about ala "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

The twist is that the freed creatures, being incorporeal, will swirl about the area flying to and fro before escaping to parts unknown. As the creatures fly about some manage to pass right through the PCs, subtly effecting each one for good or bad.

You could make a random chart and have the players roll for their individual effect/results.

 

[James McMurray]

Thanks for the ideas so far folks! The party is an average of 17th level, with only two characters (cohorts) being below 16th.

There will be demons coming out, and some will flee while others stay to wreak havoc. There will also be devils. The devils capable of fleeing will do so, while the ones who are not will probably come together and get in a formation of some sort for mutual defense.

There will also be a small city worth of humans and demi-humans.

A group fo Githyanki and a group of Githzerai will most likely fall on each others' throats.

My wife has voted for a Titan being there, so I've decided to have him and the Hunefer be old foes.

Basically we have a devil who has been making deals for centuries, collecting souls whenever someone fails to hold up their end of the bargain. He could have almost anything in there, so long as it is intelligent enough to be able to sign a contract.

I really like the idea of the new constellation made of red stars, that should reall freak them out, especially if 7 red streaks fly from the book towards the sky.

Here is the description I have so far of the book openign. Help me embellish it:

The party decides to return to Lopolla to revive Mist and identify the items. The next day, they again head out of the city and Billy casts Disjunction at the Tome. The second time he does it, he feels a gut wrenching tear at his insides, and fear fills him as all of his knowledge of the workings of magic is stripped from his mind. He also feels a sibilant and ancient anger deep in the back of his mind, but it fades seconds later. However, there is little time to deal with that, as all hell breaks loose. The creatures trapped in the tome begin to pour forth, crushing Billy and each other in a tidal wave of scales and flesh.

The rest of the party, standing back a hundred feet or so is soon swept up in the wave as well. Tossed and turned as voices cry freedom and vengeance. A foot manages to find its way into Lanis’s belly, while Galrond is crushed to the floor under the weight of a 12’ tall demonic looking figure with six stalks on either side in place of its arms. Oskar instinctively takes his stance and it is that alone which allows him to hold his ground as humans, elves, dwarves, and indescribable beasts hurtle through his field of vision. Everyone is swept back and separated by the crush of beings being freed.

And then the big things start to come out.

 

[Desdichado]

Also, if they are demons, I would not have them be organized at all. The whole point of demons are that they are chaotic. They would simply head out in a random direction and start killing IMO.

Since when did the chaotic alignment turn into random behaviour and absolute lack of organization?

Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine. I think that statement is completely untrue.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

James,

I think Darraketh had a really neat idea that can be worked into what you've got there. All the non-outsiders would be in their normal states, but lesser outsiders, having been wrenched to a prime material by the destruction of the artifact, could be discorporated. It might be a great way to handle a whole LOT of minor outsiders of all types (elemental, axiomatic, and anarchic in addition to the usual fiends and celestials). So they do the "Raiders" bit, and then spread out all over the world and sort of feed. Chaotic or Evil spirits might bind to people and push them to chaotic or evil acts and then feed off the resultant chaos and negative energy. Other more neutral, lawful, or benign spirits might have other ways of "charging up" before they manifest.

The major powers should bust out in all their glory, so to speak, as you've detailed, but the swirling and churning minor outsiders would simply add to the confusion of these juggernauts popping out and proceeding to stomp on each other and everything in sight.

Here's a completely random idea. Let's see what people think of it:

Maybe the more powerful outsiders can consume the incorporeal ones if they catch them, absorbing their power and some of their essence. (i.e. consuming a chaotic spirit would make the consumer more chaotic). This gives all the little guys a reason to go to ground, and sets up a handy conflict. The powerful Celestials feel a responsibility to stop the powerful demons, but the demons have a way of growing more powerful by consuming these spirits. The celestials consider destroying the essence of a non-evil being that way evil and won't do it, and if they kill evil ones, they'll be tainted by them, so the bad guys can potentially grow more powerful than the good guys. Enter your PCs. Spirits must be sought out, evil ones destroyed, and others kept safe and nurtured until they can manifest and are no longer consumable.

Too far out there?

 

[James McMurray]

That sounds cool, but my campaign already has a direction it is headed in. I want to use this as a climactic and near apocalyptic scene with a few purposes:

1. Show some epic stuff (the Hunefer vs. a Titan, an advanced Marilith, and a White Slaad for the party to fight have been hit upon)
2. Open a few plot hooks for the future (the 7 red lights will cut swaths of destruction then head tot he sky where they will be a new constellation visible even during the day. They are lavawights who are wurveying the world and will plan on destroying it.)
3. Give the players a chance to fight alongside some powerful celestials.
   [/list=1]
   
   I was thinking about #3, and I may decide to break the thing into several sections of a battlefield. I could have celestials vs. devils, party vs. slaad, titan vs. hunefer (and surrounding demons vs. leveled people). With that we could have several climactic battles by giving the party one side of each fight and letting them duke it out with the other side.
   
   That would take a lot of work on my part, as I'd have to fully stat everyone to let players run them. But it could be a good chance for the party members to break away from teir normal things by sometimes even playing the evil side.
   
   I think i'll ask them what they think about that.