Excellent idea. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will read again and add to if possible. I would love to add it to new and existing campaigns. I have two thoughts about content. First, is high level cartogramancy, would strip the world of all mystery. No more lost cities, no lost treasures, nothing hidden anymore. This could be cool on the short term but detrimental on the long term. Second, I think that following the rule of precidence, a cartogramancer would not be able to locate traps with his ability unless he had a working knowledge of said trap (what it takes to install/trigger/disarm it) and possibly a focus item. Cool idea. I've got to take it for a spin.
#27 There are days when the dice hate the PCs. I just love it when low level weenie monsters slaughter my high level character. Or vice versa being accused of being a killer DM and/or having to save the party from an encounter which should have been a cake walk (yep, the kobold just rolled another natural 20).
#28 Trying to rob someone the DM doesn't want you to will result in certain imprisonment or death.
#29 When descibing unique methods of killing an immortal demi-god like villian NPC in most public places will result in awkward glances, people quickly shuffling away from you, and a strange willingness of bystanders to wait for another elevator (or worse another escalator)
#30 Avoiding the adventure that the DM prepared for will result in some pretty strange twists of fate in which you end up on said adventure anyway.
Nice idea and nice start. I'm not a huge fan of #1, but I do like #3, #6,& #9. I'll have to give this one some thought and see what I can contribute.
14-Watcher's Waste
By combining the Cyclops toad extract with a common invisibility potion produces this rare poison. Watcher's Waste liquefies the eyes of it's victim, leaving them totally blind. Another side effect includes difficulty recalling detailed memories of things the person saw in the past. The memories are basically there only more jumbled up than usual.
15-Glass Man
This poison is extremely rare, expensive, and difficult to find as it requires many rare ingredients and a tricky procedure to craft it. The poison is for ingestion only. The poison has no smell or taste and is easily mixed with any food or drink. The poison makes the digestive system of it's victim it to stiffen and harden over about the next 72 hrs. If the person receives any kind of a blow to the torso during that time the digestive system will shatter marking a slow and painful doom to the victim. If the person eats a heavy meal just before or after their system hardens their system will not process the food and the meal will block their system completely also marking a painful death. Only if the poison is discovered before the 72 hours is up does the person have hope. If the person submits to only drinking a vegetable broth for about 20 days and avoids any vigorous activity that could shatter their system, their system will repair itself and return to normal.
Excellent submission. I haven't used many of these. There's definitely material I want to use here. Thanks.
I agree with Dossta. You have done an excellent job of making me want to be a player in your campaign/adventure. However, as a GM, I would want more information than was provided concerning the monster. Right now we are aware that the PCs are dealing with a six legged alligator with six eyes and an advanced empathy sort of ability and possibly some minor shape changing ability.. Besides hunger and perhaps a sexual appetite, we have no idea what drives the Elib and what brought it to our world in the first place..
I love hell dimensions. I really like your post. I understand, at least part of the reason, you feel this submission is unfinished. The ideas are basically all there although you left many details open for adjustments based on campaign needs. Let me just ask you several of the questions I had when I finished reading the post.
1. Obviously the Griz are intelligent humanoid life, but I'm unclear about the Render and the Boneslug. Are they intelligent enough to speak? have their own society? What did you have in mind for interracial relations (generally speaking of course)?
2. Are the falling corpses all the same kind of creature or are they radically different?
3. You spoke of a way out. Can your average dimension hopper leave using their ability or is there something keeping them here? Did you have a specific way out in mind?
4. What keeps a land mark of flesh around in a world of possibly starving scavengers?
Anyway that's enough for now. I have many ideas I'd be happy to share. Let me give it some thought and perhaps hear your answers to these questions and write something down for you. Again great ideas, nasty hell hole, and keep it coming.
Different kinds of corpses:
Every hundred years (or some distant time), a unique corpse falls. It is unique in the fact that it:
1. Mutates the eaters. This mutation could make colossal sized boneslugs or perhaps a form of lycanthropy in the Griz or Renders.
2. It has inedible, close to indestructible bones. One of these corpses produced the skull that makes up 'The Skull of the Leviathan'. This corpses' bones are the finest material to produce weapons, armor, or other structures.
3. Not quite a corpse. Where almost everything that falls is dead, this one is alive, Perhaps it's critically injured from the fall, the titanic beast gets up and is capable of action for a time. The climate and lack of food will undoubtedly kill it within the space of a few days if the scavengers don't kill it first.
A way out:
1. Veshpether is actually hollow. At the very peak, there is an opening, which one can climb into and drop through the whole plane of Corpsefall and land in another hell dimension which lies below. Without the ability of flight, this is an extremely risky venture.
2. Elder Boneslug. Hidden in a strange part of the land (perhaps the Shunned Lands) is a gigantic boneslug. This boneslug has unusual markings and seems to be immobile. Visitors will find that it can move and is exceptionally hungry. The boneslug bowel is a dimensional door that will send the person the boneslug eats into a world between worlds type of location. Slaying the Elder Boneslug will destroy the portal and all hope of escape.
3. Semi-frequent dimensional visitors: A certain greater demon has taken a liking to this location and uses Corpsefall to punish his minions in their failures. A desperate and charismatic person may be able to hitch a ride out of Corpsefall after signing a pact with the demon. A devious person may be able to sneak through any portals when the punished minion is welcomed back home.
4. If one could combine the magic of flight with prophecy. One could figure out where & when the next corpse will fall and be able to fly up through the portal before it closes. This upper dimension is probably another hell dimension, where the reptile beings are continuously clothed in flesh and tortured to death. With their 'used' up bodies being dropped into Corpsefall.
Well done. I enjoyed exploring this enchanted location with it's musical denizens. It would be a place one would encounter faeries if they exist in your world. My only concern is that the rich depth of detail would be lost on all but the most attentive GMs and players. Definitely a musical background and the right soundtrack would definitely help with mood and atmosphere etc. Of course if you were to use this as source material for a book, I'm sure the reader would be as impressed as we your fellow Strolenites are. All in all a great submission.
Neat idea. Memory loss is a very interesting tool. Anyone who's watched 'Regarding Henry', 'Total Recall', 'Push', 'The Majestic', etc. knows that whole stories can be based on someone getting amnesia. Specifically if used on a main character (or PC). I do have a few questions about the moths in your submission. When confronting their creator, the larvae appear to have an attack capacity. Somehow they lunge off of the mortal they start chowing down on the deity. Yet later, they sound more like a torture device used by jailer priests. Easily controlled. I understand that they were changed after their attack on the deity, but I saw the change as being from complete memory loss to more of a selective amnesia. Would you care to explain the discrepancy? And finally, how is it a deity was having a hard time killing a batch of moths? I do like the irony of the story, but why couldn't he handle the situation much better, where a mortal with a fly swatter, or dare I say it, a can of bug spray, would have kicked butt? Just a few thoughts in reconciling the story. Overall I liked it.
NPCs (Extras) (Mystical)
31. The Monster Breeder – The city in which this alchemist's shop lies holds a large gladiatorial arena. The shop is built into the very walls of the arena and occupies an area of at least a third the size of the arena. The shop is mostly closed off and has it's own moat and perimeter wall with spikes poking out the top in all directions. When the PCs enter the shop they can't help but notice the smell of dung and hear the loud animal sounds coming from the back. The PCs will also notice that the alchemist employees a large group of men-at-arms equipped with pole arms. They are introduced to the alchemist, a man by the name of Urgott. Urgott has numerous scars and a look that makes Grizzly Adams look like a teddy bear but seems pleasant enough in conversation. Urgott will sell the PCs any potion or scroll at market price, but is not likely to have other items for sale and if he does they are likely to be 30% above market price. Urgott might suggest the purchase of one of his unique animals if the party has a ranger/druid type in the midst (or if you the GM want them to have it). Urgott would be very interested in buying any animal eggs the PCs are carrying or any magic they are wanting to dispose of.
Urgott has come close to mastering the art of breeding monsters. He has experimented with soaking both normal & monster eggs in a type of potion which greatly alters the creature that hatches. It appears to be tricky and Urgott often has trouble duplicating results. He has a few 'tried and true' formulas, but often he gets a surprise by what emerges from the egg. The bigger or the more aggressive creations will be usually be placed in the arena next door for battle with gladiators or other 'monsters'. Useless and stillborn creatures serve as food for other creations. Tame and somewhat docile creations can be sold to anyone as a pet or in some instances as a guard animal. Here's some examples of monsters bred by Urgott:
Gralassh – made from a common toad egg - The Gralassh is a 7 to 11 foot long toad covered with hard colored warts. The warts make it durable to most attacks but if attacked vigorously can also leap 4x it's length straight up or 8x it's length horizontally in a flash. The Gralassh can attack it's foes in three ways. It's long sticky/spike covered tongue can reach 6x the length of it's body and effectively is a missile weapon. Once someone is impaled by the tongue, this toad is fairly strong at recoiling the tongue, victim attached (Scorpion style MC fans). The Gralassh also has a very strong bite and has been know to leap upon enemies using it's own weight as a missile weapon. The Gralassh is fair hearty and heals fairly quickly after a battle and will regenerate it's tongue if it becomes severed in a few days.
Steelbill – made from a song bird's egg - The Steelbill is a 10 to 14 foot tall bird that's wings have 'mutated' into forelegs. These forelegs are still feathered but have clawed feet on the ends. Obviously, incapable of flight, the Steelbill has a long awkward gait, but can move faster than expected when enraged or frightened. The Steelbill has two main attack modes. First a slicing or piercing attack with it's beak and also it uses it's fore claws to pin an opponent where the beak can get 'free hits' on an trapped foe. Second, it's shriek painful & deafening from up close.
Fire Beast – made from a Fire Fly egg - The Fire Beast is a 4 to 6 foot long Fire Fly. The Fire Beast has outgrown it's own wings so flight isn't possible. Unable to move quickly and taught to fear humanoids, it uses it's flame burst to defend it self with remarkable success. The Fire Beast is a favorite in the arena.
Lizard Thing – made from a Grassbiter egg - This two headed, 8 to 17 foot long lizard, is quick with a really nasty bite.
Options -
Go to Comment8 Legged Freaks – A 'batch' of spiderlings gets out of control and threatens to take over the town. Target of a Radical Nature Group – A group of nature lovers don't like what the alchemist has been doing. They are trying to mess him up either through a hired assassin or an insider who is secretly freeing the mutations. Side Quest - Urgott hires the PCs to go find eggs of a specific variety. If the PCs succeed they might be entitled to a discount, straight gold, or a free critter if they obtain enough eggs. Gladiatorial Games – the PCs might want to (be forced to) fight in an arena, if so, as the GM you have your background as to where the creatures came from. The more successful the PCs are at defeating the monsters the more pressure is on Urgott to produce something more deadly than ever before.