D&D General Ideas for an "Escape from Hell" Game

[generic]

So, I have begun to plan for a future campaign (I'm currently running a great (I hope, everyone seems to be having fun) game, but I just can't resist pre-planning), the theme of which will be survival horror mingled with Infernal themes, which is something some of my players have expressed interest in before. I have details for the game and the setting worked out, but I would greatly appreciate any aid in planning what is necessary for, or would enhance, a megadungeon game inspired by, specifically, Doom (3 and 2016, in particular), Dead Cells, Diablo, Abrahamic religious record, and "death run" games, where the goal of the player(s) is to guide their character(s) to safety.

Here are my main requests, for you, but feel free to add anything and everything else you can think of if you feel like it!

1. How should I structure a megadungeon that is meant to be escaped from, rather than delved down into? If the players are condemned souls, prisoners, or otherwise shackled within the megadungeon, how would you structure the whole idea of a "base", supply stores, and allies. Could fellow prisoners be allies? Would there be hellish cities where escapees could stop?

2. What are some gross body horror tactics that can be used in the design of Demons, Devils, and other Fiends? I've played my share of games like Bayonetta, Doom and others, but, I'm wondering, both how far you would take the body horror (when is it too much?), and what types of motifs you would personally use.

3. Do you have any ideas about Hellish ecology? It need not be entirely realistic, but what would a Hellish realm that is also a prison of sorts have in terms of functions (sewers, torture halls, and executioner's chambers), and where would you place them?

 

[generic]

To add to the original post, I would like to paste on an addendum:

Bonus: Should portions of the megadungeon be able to be navigated quickly, using portals or such? What would this add or take away from the campaign experience.

 

[Quickleaf]

Here are my main requests, for you, but feel free to add anything and everything else you can think of if you feel like it!

You have some brave players! By "hell" do you mean the D&D Nine Hells / Baator, another one of the lower planes from D&D lore, or your own cosmology entirely?

1. How should I structure a megadungeon that is meant to be escaped from, rather than delved down into? If the players are condemned souls, prisoners, or otherwise shackled within the megadungeon, how would you structure the whole idea of a "base", supply stores, and allies. Could fellow prisoners be allies? Would there be hellish cities where escapees could stop?

Instead of the dungeon being deadlier the deeper down you go – the case with most megadungeons, and how the Nine Hells of D&D are usually depicted – have it be a non-linear shape, like mazes inset within mazes like a matryoshka doll. The sphere-worlds of D&D's Carceri would be another example. Heck, even the nested dreamscapes of Inception could work.

If you're using Dante's Inferno / D&D Nine Hells as a guide, then different regions of hell are reserved for certain type of sinners. In other words, those who indulged in prideful revenge would be in a different place from those whose lies harmed others. Since you probably want the PCs starting in the same area, I think they shouldn't be condemned souls, but instead victims of infernal deals who were tricked, crusaders who fought in hell and were overwhelmed, or mercenaries in the Blood War taken captive. This makes it more plausible for them all to be imprisoned in the same area.

An adventure structure you might want to take a look at is Out of the Abyss, where PCs escape drow captivity in the Underdark and then have to ascend through the Underdark to the surface while pursued by drow. Along the way there are weird settlements of myconids, svirfneblin, and duergar where they can get supplies and rest. In fact, that adventure even allows the players to escape with a large number of NPCs and adventure with them.

One of the advantages of D&D's Nine Hells are there are lots of infernal cities – Dis comes to mind – across the Nine Hells which serve as rest points. However, it's a lot less of a megadungeon feel, and more cosmopolitan that I think you're aiming for.

2. What are some gross body horror tactics that can be used in the design of Demons, Devils, and other Fiends? I've played my share of games like Bayonetta, Doom and others, but, I'm wondering, both how far you would take the body horror (when is it too much?), and what types of motifs you would personally use.

I'm a big fan of Guillermo del Toro's monster design. That thing in Pan's Labyrinth with eyes on its hands? In fact, anything with displaced body parts is creepy. Hands/arms coming out of mouths has always been a body horror that gets me every time.

3. Do you have any ideas about Hellish ecology? It need not be entirely realistic, but what would a Hellish realm that is also a prison of sorts have in terms of functions (sewers, torture halls, and executioner's chambers), and where would you place them?

Screening rooms, where the tormented are forced to watch their living family/descendants fall prey to infernal plots and any seeds of evil the tormented sowed while alive. Think Clockwork Orange.

Dignitary chamber, where senior devils get to watch the torments, evaluating lesser devils performance, and making recommendations for cracking particularly souls. Based on Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon.

Visitation room, where various creatures (doppelgangers, succubi, rakshasa) assume the guise of loved ones and are brought there to be threatened unless the captives reveal secret info the devils are after.

An endless bureaucratic process for filing a simple complaint or request or transfer. The movie Jupiter Ascending had a good example IIRC.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I ran an escape from Hell campaign about 20 years ago (for 1E/2E hybrid). It was centered on Dis (see below), and their ascent to Avernus (the first layer).

The party was tricked into helping a devil capture an evil priest. When the devil took the priest into hell to claim him, he took the party as well. The party had to struggle for a while but eventually found a small village of souls and trapped living (much like themselves).

Long story-short: the characters, with the help of a couple NPCs, organized and lead a revolt, culminating in an assault on Dis's Iron City by hundreds of thousands of souls and trapped living against the hordes of Dis and eventually Dis, himself.

IIRC, they were about 5-7th level when they went it, and around 12-13th when the finally escaped. I ran it weekly (more or less) for about two years.

 

[Coroc]

Well if you literally mean nine hells then maybe the bottom up (9th to 1st level) is maybe not the best idea, since despite all layers are bad (like hell), they kind of get worse, the further down you go. So maybe the exit is on the lowest level, or maybe trick them, every time they think they found an exit it is one level down, one way, instead.
I would not recommend to do this in the abyss either, unless you limit this to one abyssal level.
The nine hells with their lawful aspect at least has some chance for "safe" resting spots and shops, where the adventurers might stock up. In the abyss this gets difficult to justify.

Otoh, if you really want to make things interesting, then throw them into these surroundings almost naked (and also leave out those safe areas so eventually use some abyssal layer).
Even the lowest demons and devils would be a challenge to an ill equipped party.
The good thing about hell and abyss is, that there is always strife and rivalry between the local denizens also, so the party could be rewarded for completing tasks for these.
A tricky thing could be nourishment and water, since the local denizens and the souls obviously do not need these commodities. So a priest or other character, who could create water and food, might be obligatory for the party. Maybe there is some nondescript local flora, which is edible also (some might be poisonous instead and none has to taste good of course)

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Honestly? Just run this from Dragon+.

 

[generic]

@Quickleaf I meant, in a custom cosmology of my own design, but I love your ideas.

@Coroc, sorry, but you don't get to convert me to the FR strandard Hells that easily!

 

[Urriak Uruk]

@Quickleaf I meant, in a custom cosmology of my own design, but I love your ideas.

@gyor, sorry, but you don't get to convert me to the FR strandard Hells that easily!

Gyor hasn't posted anything here?

 

[generic]

Gyor hasn't posted anything here?

Misquote, sorry, I'll fix it.

 

[generic]

Gyor hasn't posted anything here?

I meant to quote Coroc, but it autcompleted to gyor, I suppose. Odd.