Manbearcat
Legend
and it hasn't aged a bit. Doesn't look a day past infinity.
So in this thread I recounted the recent exploits of my home game, specifically to talk about what level 27 characters were capable of. Since then, a few things have happened. I figure I'd recap and then bridge to a conversation where others can talk about their past (or current) games' Abyssal escapades. It would be fun to hear about what others have done in unholy of unholies.
Right quick though, the other two PCs in my game are now also doing their own thing in preparation of their own Abyssal jaunt. With the prime world now secured with its Paladin hero freed from Juiblex's possession, the Darklord (Rogue) is in the Shadowfell gathering a shadowy (what else?) army while the Druid seeks out The World Tree for consultation on how the 2 PCs may gain access to the lowest layers of the Abyss and find their lost companion.
With that update, back to the Abyss.
So, in the last few sessions the Bladesinger has moved on from his slaying of Juiblex in his lair. Unfortunately, he contracted Slimy Doom when he slew the Demon Lord and is fighting the corporeal destabilizing disease (currently in Stage 3; Each time the target becomes bloodied, it takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it turns into infectious slime from the inside out, dying horribly.). Upon the slaying Juiblex, he secured the Remnant of The Faceless Lord; an acidic pool with a still watchful eye that he placed in a stoppered vial, carried on a leather thong around his neck. This is an artifact that will come into play later most likely.
So his first order of business was getting out Juiblex's palace; a mountainous, chaotic garbage heap in which the Demon Lord had carved out his lair in its bowels. This was a (successful) Complexity 3 Skill Challenge that involved (i) a desperate and treacherous climb up an acid-drenched chute (Athletics, Endurance), a spelunking effort through a maze of pestilence-wrought caverns in the garbage heap bored out by acidic oozes (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Insight, Stealth), a nested Complexity 1 Combat Skill Challenge with those oozes (Attack vs AC and NAD, Athletics, Endurance), and finally a Legolas-like slide down the colossal trash heap on a shield down while evading the army of oozes looking for dinner (Acrobatics, Attack vs NAD, Perception).
Once he made it to the bottom, he quickly ducked into the Caverns of the Ooze Lord. One (failed) Complexity 1 Stealth Skill Challenge later and he found himself locked in deadly combat with wall and ceiling climbing oozes at a 4-way junction. After dispatching them, he wanted to look for the River Styx to take him down deeper into the bowels of the Abyss where he could confront Demogorgon and finally Dagon. He has no way of communicating with his allies (he is a RItual Caster but he doesn't possess the requisite Rituals...this may change at some point depending on how things go) so he figures he will just push on and hope they find him. I think he may try to barter with some powerful demonic entities at some point. We shall see.
Meanwhile, the Remnant of the Faceless Lord is assaulting him with swooning visions of madness and the revolting consumption of all pure things and afflicting him with a debilitating and endless hunger. But it is aiding his dizzying journey through the deranged realm of the former Demon Lord. Furthermore, while in Juiblex's Realm, each Short Rest where expenditures of Healing Surges take place force an Endurance check to see if Slimy Doom proceeds further down the Disease Track. Not good for our intrepid hero.
So when next we play, the first order of business will be a Complexity 2 Exploration Skill Challenge to exit the Caverns of the Ooze Lord and spill out onto the surface realm of this Abyssal Layer where the Demoness Lady of Fungi, Zuggtmoy (former ally of Juiblex), reigns. If successful (if not successful, he is probably in a bit of trouble), there will be an easy Social Skill Challenge with the River Styx Ferryman Charon, who will ask for something precious in return for passage down into the depths. I'm thinking it will likely require the approval of the Demoness Lady of Fungi, perhaps a spore given freely from her. I'm still thinking on it. In return, she will likely request the Remnant of the Faceless Lord. We'll see.
I have no idea when the other PCs will find their way to the Abyss and how much backing they will have when they do. Should be interesting.
Anyway, how about folks regale me...errr everyone...so I can steal...errr so we can all hear of the twisted Abyssal tales fraught with madness and woe.
So in this thread I recounted the recent exploits of my home game, specifically to talk about what level 27 characters were capable of. Since then, a few things have happened. I figure I'd recap and then bridge to a conversation where others can talk about their past (or current) games' Abyssal escapades. It would be fun to hear about what others have done in unholy of unholies.
Right quick though, the other two PCs in my game are now also doing their own thing in preparation of their own Abyssal jaunt. With the prime world now secured with its Paladin hero freed from Juiblex's possession, the Darklord (Rogue) is in the Shadowfell gathering a shadowy (what else?) army while the Druid seeks out The World Tree for consultation on how the 2 PCs may gain access to the lowest layers of the Abyss and find their lost companion.
With that update, back to the Abyss.
So, in the last few sessions the Bladesinger has moved on from his slaying of Juiblex in his lair. Unfortunately, he contracted Slimy Doom when he slew the Demon Lord and is fighting the corporeal destabilizing disease (currently in Stage 3; Each time the target becomes bloodied, it takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it turns into infectious slime from the inside out, dying horribly.). Upon the slaying Juiblex, he secured the Remnant of The Faceless Lord; an acidic pool with a still watchful eye that he placed in a stoppered vial, carried on a leather thong around his neck. This is an artifact that will come into play later most likely.
So his first order of business was getting out Juiblex's palace; a mountainous, chaotic garbage heap in which the Demon Lord had carved out his lair in its bowels. This was a (successful) Complexity 3 Skill Challenge that involved (i) a desperate and treacherous climb up an acid-drenched chute (Athletics, Endurance), a spelunking effort through a maze of pestilence-wrought caverns in the garbage heap bored out by acidic oozes (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Insight, Stealth), a nested Complexity 1 Combat Skill Challenge with those oozes (Attack vs AC and NAD, Athletics, Endurance), and finally a Legolas-like slide down the colossal trash heap on a shield down while evading the army of oozes looking for dinner (Acrobatics, Attack vs NAD, Perception).
Once he made it to the bottom, he quickly ducked into the Caverns of the Ooze Lord. One (failed) Complexity 1 Stealth Skill Challenge later and he found himself locked in deadly combat with wall and ceiling climbing oozes at a 4-way junction. After dispatching them, he wanted to look for the River Styx to take him down deeper into the bowels of the Abyss where he could confront Demogorgon and finally Dagon. He has no way of communicating with his allies (he is a RItual Caster but he doesn't possess the requisite Rituals...this may change at some point depending on how things go) so he figures he will just push on and hope they find him. I think he may try to barter with some powerful demonic entities at some point. We shall see.
Meanwhile, the Remnant of the Faceless Lord is assaulting him with swooning visions of madness and the revolting consumption of all pure things and afflicting him with a debilitating and endless hunger. But it is aiding his dizzying journey through the deranged realm of the former Demon Lord. Furthermore, while in Juiblex's Realm, each Short Rest where expenditures of Healing Surges take place force an Endurance check to see if Slimy Doom proceeds further down the Disease Track. Not good for our intrepid hero.
So when next we play, the first order of business will be a Complexity 2 Exploration Skill Challenge to exit the Caverns of the Ooze Lord and spill out onto the surface realm of this Abyssal Layer where the Demoness Lady of Fungi, Zuggtmoy (former ally of Juiblex), reigns. If successful (if not successful, he is probably in a bit of trouble), there will be an easy Social Skill Challenge with the River Styx Ferryman Charon, who will ask for something precious in return for passage down into the depths. I'm thinking it will likely require the approval of the Demoness Lady of Fungi, perhaps a spore given freely from her. I'm still thinking on it. In return, she will likely request the Remnant of the Faceless Lord. We'll see.
I have no idea when the other PCs will find their way to the Abyss and how much backing they will have when they do. Should be interesting.
Anyway, how about folks regale me...errr everyone...so I can steal...errr so we can all hear of the twisted Abyssal tales fraught with madness and woe.
