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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Malanath" data-source="post: 5299877" data-attributes="member: 25538">Nymrohd-I've thought about that, but then the PC's are effectively immortal anyway as a result, right?  What led me to consider immortality are a number of things:1.  I needed a way to explain how the PC's, and only the PC's, can stop the Demon Prince.  There would obviously be many individuals interested in stopping such a being, both good and evil.  Linking the PC's power to the Demon Prince is an easy way to explain that.  It also sets things up in such a way that failure is not an option.2.  Immortality  in and of itself is not game breaking.  There are many ways to permanently disable and take a character out of the campaign if it ever comes to that.  Becoming too insane to be a playable character is one such mechanism.  While it isn't a literal death, it's still functionally the same.3.  As you point out there are many things worse than death, and by stripping them of their mortality it allows such to be explored.  If they are mortal it closes off that list of options, and if necessary later down the line they can be made mortal.  After all, their immortality is a result of magic, and thus it is easily believed that it can be stripped as well.  It is also something that is completely controllable from the DM side of things.  The reverse is much more difficult to both explain and have happen from a DM perspective.4.  I don't want to pull back any punches.  Failure and falling into the hands of the enemy, rather than going light on them, they could end up spending weeks or months in their clutches...  enduring horrific things... either falling to the dark side as a result, or waiting for an opportune moment to escape (which in and of itself may or may not succeed.)The above reasons are why I decided to go with immortality.  On the face of it, I think most people will immediately think of immortality as some type of blessing or boon.  No, I plan to explore the darker aspects of it.  Ideally, if I do well by the end of the campaign the PC's should view their immortality as a horrific curse, and thus if they choose the heroic ending and die, it should be considered a blessing... because living after what they've experienced should prove extremely difficult.Pyrex-One of the main themes I want to explore in the campaign is tempting the PC's toward falling to the dark side.  That's a perfectly legitimate course of action.  I intend for them to start out as "good" but where they go from there is entirely up to them.  When they ultimately realize that they're brainwashed tools / weapons for a demon, the point is to create an inflection point for the characters.  They realize that everything they know about themselves is a lie, and then suddenly have the ability of free will for the first time.  They get to choose who they are and what they become as a result.  I'm likely also to provide a means that will protect them from falling victim to the same methods again.  (Thus, if they're captured they can't simply be mindraped back into joining the demon - it must be chosen.)As you point out it does have the potential to lead to inter-party conflict.  One player might decide that resistance is futile, that it's better to rule with the demon than die destroying him.  Another player might disagree.  The ironic thing is that being immortal effectively ensures that they can't kill each other, which is how such a dispute might typically be settled.The only alternative is persuasion and compromise.</blockquote>

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