The palace of Graz'zt

[jan]

My players (6 characters lvl 35-40, Graz'zt would be lvl 60-70 but he wont be in the palace) will soon enter Graz'zts palace and I am looking for ideas what they could find inside. Ideas for encounters, treasures, traps, npcs are very welcome

 

[Derulbaskul]

Do you have the 2E adventure For Duty & Deity? It is set in Graz'zt's realm so should provide you with some good ideas. You can download it for free and also legally from the WotC website.

From the art gallery, it would also appear that there might be some lore supporting Graz'zt's realm in the new Demonomicon.

HTH.

 

[jan]

Yup, I got that adventure, however it contains no information about Graz'zts palace, just about his realm. A stupid question: what is "the new Demonomicon" and where can I check it out?

 

[sappire07]

the new 4e demonomicon contains imformation on the various demon lords as well as their realm. i think it also contains an abbysal campaign arc. you can probably find a pdf from somewhere

Mod Edit: EN World does not support copyright infringement. We do not allow users to illegally distribute materials though our site, nor help each other acquire infringing materials. If you want to give folks hints about where to look, do it elsewhere.

 

[Thanael]

Graz'zt's palace is called trhe Argent Palace. Check out the Greyhawk Wiki's entry on him: http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Graz'zt

There's some info included in the BoVD:

three layers is the River of Salt, a sparkling crystalline mass of liquid salt crystal. Needless to say, submersion in the river is deadly. Other features include portals between the three layers that appear as groves of viper trees and ovens of green fire. But given Graz'zt's cruel sense of humor, some green-fire ovens are simply full of fire and don't contain portals at all. The environments of the three realms are not terribly dangerous; each resembles a twisted version of the Material Plane. For instance, the 45th layer is like a constantly gray, rainswept steppe. The 46th layer is illuminated from the ground, so that shadows are strange and rise like columns of darkness into the sky. The 47th layer (only reachable from the previous two layers, never from the Plain of Infinite Portals) is lighted by a blue sun. Here flames are purple instead of red, and they deal cold damage. Thus, creatures normally immune to fire might be surprised when they approach the flames.

Zelatar: The largest city of Graz'zt's realm, Zelatar exists in all three layers. Doorways may allow exit onto a street or into a building, but the building interior or the street could very well exist on a different layer of the Abyss. The inhabitants of Zelatar (demons, half-fiends, tieflings, and others who revere Graz'zt) soon learn the ways of the shifting portals, but most visitors require a guide to get from place to place within the city. The Argent Palace is visible from anywhere in Zelatar, regardless of which layer the observer is looking from. The Argent Palace is Graz'zt's abode of sixtysix ivory towers and one hundred cold, mirrored halls. The palace is a sterile, echoing space where those seeking Graz'zt's audience room must wend their way through the mirror and portal maze in which ravenous bodaks roam.

BoVD also lists a few servants of Graz'zt's: http://planewalking.dungeons.ru/denizens/abyssal lords/grazzt.htm


Planewalker has the following:

The largest city of Graz'zt's realm, Zelatar exists in all three layers of Azzagrat. Doorways may allow exit onto a street or into a building, but the building interior or the street could very well exist on a different layer of the Abyss. The inhabitants of Zelatar (tanar'ri, alu-fiends, tieflings, and others who revere Graz'zt) soon learn the ways of the shifting portals, but most visitors require a tout to get from place to place within the city. The Argent Palace is Graz'zt's abode of sixty-six ivory towers and one hundred cold, mirrored halls. The palace is visible from anywhere in Zelatar, regardless of which layer the observer is looking from. It is a sterile, echoing space where those seeking Graz'zt's audience room must wend their way through the mirror and portal maze in which ravenous bodaks roam.

Also check out Sepulchrave 's Story Hour http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/58227-tales-wyre.html. Graz'zt features prominently in it and i think there are even parts that take place in his palace. Here's a google search that tries to find the relevant posts from it: Google Graz'zt site:enworld.org Azzagrat, "Argent Palace"


Dicefreaks is also a great place to search for this info. The upcoming Horrors of the Abyss netbook will certainly have extensive details on him. Here's they discuss 4E Graz'zt.

Dragon #360 has the Demonomicon article featuring Graz'zt[/url].

Also check out this older thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...aign-meeting-graz-zt-my-players-stay-out.html


In Gygax's Gord the Rogue novels GRaz'zt palace is describe thusly

The Grand Palace of Graz'zt
has many porticos and is gold bedecked. It is constructed of black marble and obsidian. It is reflective. It has a huge arch that leads to a central isle to the throne at the rear of the chamber. The throne is opaline, carved from a single stone by Graz'zt. There is a secluded chamber which is proofed against spying. It has a divan for Graz'zt and guests. The antechamber in the royal wing is guarded by guristhoi demons. The sanctum in his suite has huge doors made of hematite. The chamber floor is made of mirror polished jet. There is a table with seats and maps and papers. Graz'zt has a couch, this is where he plans his battles with his consuls. It is known as the Soul of Mezzafgraduun. From the garden one enters the audience hall which has a mirror bright obsidian dais and throne for Graz'zt. Vuron stands behind it. There are tall chairs for his demon lord allies.

from http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/outer.html

 

[Derulbaskul]

My players (6 characters lvl 35-40, Graz'zt would be lvl 60-70 but he wont be in the palace) will soon enter Graz'zts palace and I am looking for ideas what they could find inside. Ideas for encounters, treasures, traps, npcs are very welcome

As I'm also preparing a Graz'zt-related campaign I am always looking for more ideas. Are you prepared to post some of your plots and other ideas? Thanks in advance if you can.

 

[jan]

Okay, I can add some background. Inspired by the adventureInspired by the adventure "For duty and Deity" Graz'zt betrayed Waukeen during the times of trouble and imprisoned her in his palace. Graz'zts plans are to replace Waukeen by one of his daughters, however to accomplish this he needs an information which he didn't manage to get out of Waukeen for the last century.
My players now have different goals. Some of them want to free Waukeen and restore her divinity, some of them simply want to plunder Graz'zts treasuries and two of them want to steal Waukeens divine power (without each other or anybody else knowing of their plans).
With the help of another group of NPC adventurers (who also secretly want to get their hands on Waukeens divinity, but for a noble reason) their plan is to summon Graz'zt, so he won't be in his palace, when they break in.
Of course summoning Graz'zt is no easy task and this other group of adventures had to make a pact with Orcus to have a chance for the summoning to succeed. Orcus plans are to use the confusion when Graz'zt is away and make a daring raid, against Azzagrat while his opponent is bound elsewhere.
To make things more complicated, there are even more parties involved:
The players are strongly allied with two Dukes of hell and have various dealings with the devils. So the Baatezu know about the summoning, as well as the pact with Orcus. They are worried however, that if Orcus plan succeeds, Graz'zt will eventually fall and there will be considerably less forces bound in the the three way war between Graz'zt, Demogorgon and Orcus. These forces would join the bloodwar and break the fragile equilibrium. Playing a risky game they gave some of their informations to Demogorgon, in the hope that Demogorgon will attack Orcus, while the goat is in Azzagrat. They hope that Orcus and Graz'zt will survive, but so much weakened afterwards that they have to use all their forces (including their bloodwar troops!) to defend their layers against Demogorgon.
Demogorgon is in conflict with himself. Aameul hates Graz'zt even more than Orcus, hence wants to take Azzagrat, while Hethradiah wants to take care of Orcus first which would probably be the wiser decision from a strategical point of view.
Finally there is Athux one of Graz'zts sons who wants to overthrow his father during the confuson and some other minor parties involved.

However Graz'zt maybe the most cunning demon knows about all (except Demogorgons involvment) of this.
Indeed it was his plan to provoke the attack from Orcus this way and use the opportunity for an assault against Thanatos.
A side benefit is, that the players will bring an artifact directly to his palace which he sought after for a long time (he hopes like two of the players to get access to Waukeens divinity with this artifact).
In a suicidal attack forces of Graz'zts will attack the forbidden citadel and try to activate a "doomsday device" which lies there. If they suceed, this should inflict massive damage on Thanatos and result in Orcus fall in the aftermath.

 

[Derulbaskul]

Thanks for posting that, jan.

Can I ask? How did Graz'zt imprison Waukeen again in your campaign?

 

[sappire07]

Okay, I can add some background. Inspired by the adventureInspired by the adventure "For duty and Deity" Graz'zt betrayed Waukeen during the times of trouble and imprisoned her in his palace. Graz'zts plans are to replace Waukeen by one of his daughters, however to accomplish this he needs an information which he didn't manage to get out of Waukeen for the last century.
My players now have different goals. Some of them want to free Waukeen and restore her divinity, some of them simply want to plunder Graz'zts treasuries and two of them want to steal Waukeens divine power (without each other or anybody else knowing of their plans).
With the help of another group of NPC adventurers (who also secretly want to get their hands on Waukeens divinity, but for a noble reason) their plan is to summon Graz'zt, so he won't be in his palace, when they break in.
Of course summoning Graz'zt is no easy task and this other group of adventures had to make a pact with Orcus to have a chance for the summoning to succeed. Orcus plans are to use the confusion when Graz'zt is away and make a daring raid, against Azzagrat while his opponent is bound elsewhere.
To make things more complicated, there are even more parties involved:
The players are strongly allied with two Dukes of hell and have various dealings with the devils. So the Baatezu know about the summoning, as well as the pact with Orcus. They are worried however, that if Orcus plan succeeds, Graz'zt will eventually fall and there will be considerably less forces bound in the the three way war between Graz'zt, Demogorgon and Orcus. These forces would join the bloodwar and break the fragile equilibrium. Playing a risky game they gave some of their informations to Demogorgon, in the hope that Demogorgon will attack Orcus, while the goat is in Azzagrat. They hope that Orcus and Graz'zt will survive, but so much weakened afterwards that they have to use all their forces (including their bloodwar troops!) to defend their layers against Demogorgon.
Demogorgon is in conflict with himself. Aameul hates Graz'zt even more than Orcus, hence wants to take Azzagrat, while Hethradiah wants to take care of Orcus first which would probably be the wiser decision from a strategical point of view.
Finally there is Athux one of Graz'zts sons who wants to overthrow his father during the confuson and some other minor parties involved.

However Graz'zt maybe the most cunning demon knows about all (except Demogorgons involvment) of this.
Indeed it was his plan to provoke the attack from Orcus this way and use the opportunity for an assault against Thanatos.
A side benefit is, that the players will bring an artifact directly to his palace which he sought after for a long time (he hopes like two of the players to get access to Waukeens divinity with this artifact).
In a suicidal attack forces of Graz'zts will attack the forbidden citadel and try to activate a "doomsday device" which lies there. If they suceed, this should inflict massive damage on Thanatos and result in Orcus fall in the aftermath.

holy crap that is a complicated adventure arc

 

[jan]

Can I ask? How did Graz'zt imprison Waukeen again in your campaign?

This is also inspired from "For Duty & Deity" but changed in some ways. Basically it goes like this: During the time of trouble Waukeen wanted nothing more than to return to her divine realm. It was her plan to travel through the lower planes to avoid Aos detection. However she found it impossible to leave the material plane, since Ao has bound the avatar forms of the deities to the material plane. Hence the only way for her to leave Farun was to separate herself from her divine powers and hide the rest of her divine essence at some unknown place in the material plane.
As a goddess of trade, she also had various contacts to smugglers and vast knowledge of smuggling routes. Since the lower planes are dangerous she made various treaties with some of the inhabitants there to guarantee her save passage. Among them was Graz'zt, but the dark prince betrayed her and imprisoned her in his palace.