The Hills of Sorrow

[Andramelech]

I painted myself into a corner with this one. One of the PC's has been told of a wise man living in the hills of sorrow that could help her to return to her home plane. She has met a few adventurers who can point the general direction of the hills, but will not tell her any details of the challenge. "It's a test", they tell her, as if sworn to secrecy.

What I need to know is: Why do these people, that have made the journey themselves, refuse to give any details of the challenge? Did the wise man make them swear to secrecy, and what's the consiquence of breaking that oath? Is there even a wise man? I've thought of a few lame skill challenges, while traversing the hills, but not much else.

The answer that the wise man gives will point them into the underdark. Orcus will be the main villan of the campaign (the one who banished the pc from her home plane). I'm thinking of removing Turog alltogether, and making the bottom of the underdark a gateway to the abyss itself. Orcus will probably replace Turog as the ruler of the underdark. Maybe Orcus killed Turog, or Turog works for him.

On her home plane, an evil wizard was trying to open the plane to Orcus, who had been expeled from the plane by one of her relatives. Only a person of royal blood was able to face Orcus and cast him away. She actually only faced an aspect of Orcus, maybe the wizard. She could not have done it alone, and had the aid of a magical necklace. All she had to do was touch the creature without dying, which she barely did (out of game). Something went wrong though, and she was also expelled from her plane. When she arrived to the setting, she still had the necklace, but it was broken with a piece missing. Any ideas to fill in the details?

 

[Hand of Evil]

The test is personal and shows something from the past, result or acions that the person that is taking the test does not like. It is a moral question, what would they do? Things like If you saw someone getting kicked on the street, would you help? Another, kids are taken over by a evil wizard and turned into a mob of howling mad dogs and they are coming after the palyer, what does she do - kill kids or find another way? Save all or save a few at the price that someone has to die?

Test the morality of the player not the character.

The necklace and her past? Maybe. she has a drop of demon blood in her, maybe two. But she could also be a "way to a means", she could be the way for a door to be opened. The necklace the key to that doorway.

 

[Gilladian]

i suspect that the reason the other people don't tell her about "the challenge" is that each challenge is very personal, intimate, and would be meaningless to anyone else.

For example, your heroine could be presented with the discovery that the reason she was evicted from her homeland when she defeated the aspect of orcus is that a member of her own family betrayed her.

She was closer in line to take possession of some family title or position than this other person (younger sibling?) and they wanted her out of the way. So before she faced the demon, they sabotaged the necklace. That is why it broke, why she was exiled, and how she can get home (she must find the missing piece, which was flung off into "the void" somewhere).

Maybe, even, Orcus has it, and it gives him some sort of power over her that will grow in time!

 

[Andramelech]

Wow. The idea of it being personal and custom for every character is such a cool idea. That's why no one tells. The wise man tells everyone that they would only mislead them if they tried to give hints to their own test. The wise man could help her to look inside. Maybe hypnotize her and let her see a small memory of her cousin near were the necklace was kept, a look of guilt on her face, or some tell tale sign. The necklace was sabotaged. That's what she'll discover. Thanks guys. You've helped me out enormously!!