D&D 5E (2014) Ritual components?

[jgsugden]

I'd go with the shards of an artifact, requiring the PCs to collect the artifact, figure out how to destroy it, and then go through that process.

 

[Xenom]

So I had an idea, what do you guys think about requiring a divine spark, or at least part of one, logic being that to resist the deitys power the seal requires that level of power itself? Interesting or just too difficult?

 

[Caliban]

So I had an idea, what do you guys think about requiring a divine spark, or at least part of one, logic being that to resist the deitys power the seal requires that level of power itself? Interesting or just too difficult?

It can be as interesting and as difficult as you care to make it.

First you have to decide what qualifies as a source for a "Divine Spark". Any celestial (or possibly demon lord)? A being of Demi-God status or higher?

Then - does the source of the spark have to die, or simply be a bit diminished when they give it up? Does it have to be willing?

You could have it be something strange - seeking out the remains of a dead god and harvesting the divine spark from the undead entity (or entities) that spawned from the formerly immortal flesh.

 

[Eltab]

If the being to be sealed away is like the Angel of Death (from the origin of Passover), then part of the seal could be a command from its deity to slumber and await his future call. This might be in the form of a written scroll, an audio recording of his voice, testimony of a witness, ...

 

[ruy343]

I really like some of the suggestions already given here, particularly the sympathetic/antipathetic ideas mentioned earlier (if you want a true, old-world feel).

However, if you want a classic sword and sorcery feel, you might try gathering 4 artifacts of elemental power (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) from their respective planes or guardians. Or, if you're feeling cheeky you could have them search for an artifact of power from all of the elements!

Were I DM, I would rule that this angel's alignment is Lawful Neutral (angel of destruction, destroying as commanded and bound to do so by law). If so, as an embodiment of law, sending the players on a quest to find the original contract that the being agreed to, then searching for ways to ensure that the contract is fulfilled (for this lifetime, at least) might also provide a way to escape the impending doom.