A very real hell.  Dying a thousand times a year of boredom.  Alot of parallels to Nogard, the PC retirement world proposed in Dragon Magazine umpteen years ago, only you made it much more.  I like it.

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I like the idea of a conductor instead of a boatman. It especially brings up the idea of how current the gods and psychopomps need to be to keep up with their worshippers. If the ancient Greeks kept their religion constant up into the cyberpunk timeline, would they still keep a few gold coins around because Charon doesn't take creds?

As far as a setting goes, it is lacking something. Geography, I think. Maybe a mound of all the passengers who were to dispirited to move more than 10' away from the train. After getting off, you first have to walk over a slow wall of these guys. Or the OCD guys in hell (does hell cure OCD?) who, despite not giving a darn, go and sit in even rows somewhere compulsively. Or they move the other immobile people into lines. Go to Comment

I really love the description of this place, and I can imagine it in vivid clarity and detail.  The writing is really well done.  However, I agree with Echo: it simply lacks something to make it come alive for me.  It's the central concept, really, that bothers.  Why should anticipation be needed to enjoy a job well done?  You have a vision for the project, work towards its completion, and can admire the result when you're done -- no surpise necessary. 

Perhaps what you were looking for is not a lack of surprise, but a feeling of waste.  The feeling that one's talents, skills and abilities lie unused and unrecognized.  Having to watch others bumble along at a task that you are much better suited for.  That or just simply being prevented from doing what comes naturally, or from using the skills that you have the most pride in.

Either way, this is a solid piece.  I just see so much potential for it to evolve into something truly horrifying.

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This sounds like a hell born from the symptoms of depression.

I imagine that at some point the souls here would wish for a fiery hell, just so they could feel something.

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I like the description of the place, but I am not sure a lack of suprise would have such an effect on emotions. Maybe if the people could not feel anything they would act in such a way but I don't think a lack of suprise alone would go so far as to negate actual physical pleasure or pain. 

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A map! It is glorious. Meshes with the Ether post and makes sense that way. A solid description of a magical school. Go to Comment

Nice, the Oxford University of Magic. Go to Comment

Update: Added the thaumatech and steampunk freetexts. At first I didn't think they really applied, but this is a location suitable for both. Go to Comment

I do like this - nicely done! Go to Comment

cool! Go to Comment

Fun, indeed. It also occurs to me that, should you succeed, that being exposed to the flame of rebirth of the phoenix might be somewhat beneficial, though possibly also with certain drawbacks. It might even return -other- dead in the area. Who may or may not be very happy with that thought. Go to Comment

(Oops, ate my vote.) Go to Comment

Very nice and very inspirational, helping you with this has made me start working on my own frosty adventure. I really enjoyed working on, then reading, this sub. It could use some plot hooks and ideas for use as a quest, not just for shelter. I would love to see an expansion on the battle of Frost versus Flame, If you're up for it I am almost always willing to brainstorm. Good work! Go to Comment

Not a place for the lightly clothed. 5/5 Go to Comment

The PCs come across one or more of the deadly Stamaghast 4812 and have to either run, fight or bribe their way through with alcohol and sad songs. Go to Comment

Very nice CM, I missed this one the first time around.

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Cries in the Night
As the PCs wander through the pyramid's maze, they hear the echoing cry of a hungry baby. Upon tracking it down, they find it originating in a medium sized room with a pile of dead goblins in the center. The crying sound is coming from inside the mound of bodies; examination reveals an arctic goblin baby in a papoose, hungry and cold. It would seem that the party of goblins got lost inside the pyramid and piled themselves on the baby in a forlorn attempt to preserve its life against the murderous cold.

What will they do? Leave the baby to its death, or take up the burden of caring for it in a dark and dangerous dungeon? Go to Comment

Death from above!
Scattered around the maze are a number of traps to remove intruders from this existence. One of these is a soaking, freezing death. Above sections of the ceiling are pyres designed to melt the ice that comprises the ceiling and bring it down on top of intruders. The result varies: cuts from sharp edges of ice, bruises from chunks of the ceiling, and most dangerously, a soaking wet party, absolutely lethal in the pyramid's freezing interior. Go to Comment

Down the rabbit hole
A dungeon staple, this one is particularly at home within the pyramid's maze, because the icy surface makes sliding down into a hole very easy and hard to stop. Care should be taken whenever the floor begins to tilt. A single misstep could send someone sliding to their death, whether it be from the fall or the icy spikes at the end. Go to Comment

Updated: I think that just about does it. This should be ready for public consumption. Thanks goes out to Muro, Pieh, and everyone else who helped me flesh this place out properly. Go to Comment