Why is Ireland such a Hotspot for Supernatural Activity?
I can explain! Really! (Note: This is for my Demon Hunting Campaign set in 1640's Ireland, so here be campaign specific dragons.)
My players have been asking this question for a while now. Ireland in 1641 doesn't appear to have any real reasons to have such an influx of demons, neutral spirits, and other supernatural creatures. Now, I actually have an explanation for this.
Angels.
Yes, you heard that right, Angels. More specifically, Metos, but it ties into all of them.
The campaign world exists in a multiverse where a predatory corruption bounces from universe to universe, attempting to transform each of them into some version of hell. Hell, for campaign purposes, is a universe that has fallen to demonic corruption and now threatens Earth. The two universes (Hell and the one the players are trying to save) are intersected somehow, allowing travel between them.
Travel from Hell to Earth and back is difficult. The majority of demons are incapable of traveling to Earth without risking a permanent demise, although especially wise/old/strong specimens have learned to project avatars of themselves to Earth to reduce the risk of their excursions. Losing an Avatar might be painful, but it doesn't cause any permanent damage at least.
Angels are also from another universe, one that managed to stave off the corruption and achieve a horribly high level of Ultra-tech. Using this technology to transform themselves into terrifyingly powerful androids- and later, pure machines- they took the fight to Hell.
Needless to say, the various religions of the world have no clue about this.
The Angels are limited in number. The vast energy required to create just one could kill stars and blacken solar systems of light. Only five are active on Earth. Metos, the strongest, is fully capable of destroying entire planets, but that only serves to temporarily stem the tides of Hell.
The Angels don't have the means to create more of themselves to the same degree of power that they already possess. Hell is always expanding, always creating more troops, many of which are truly expendable.
It's a real Zerg Vs. Protoss with humans caught in the middle situation. (Disclaimer: I'm a massive Starcraft fan).
Metos is the most powerful Angel, the one capable of crushing planets and killing stars. It's his presence in Ireland, in a state of rest over a particularly powerful ley line that is the origin of the numerous incursions into Hell. His presence has weakened the barrier between the universes, allowing more free travel between the two.
This isn't completely unique to Metos either- most of the angels are strong enough that they similarly start to strain the underpinnings of reality that make it harder for things to cross between dimensions.
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? Responses (5)
Interesting. The title made me think it would delve into fey, formorians, and that type of stuff.
I second Muro, I was wholly unexpected for the actual content of this sub. I'm a non-gamer but this sub seems to me to be campaign-specific (or so I deduced from the opening paragraph) so maybe some indication of this in the summary as well?
The Freetext should be a fairly good indicator what this submission is for, but I understand it's not particularly visible. I'll clarify.
I never really watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show, but I had friends that did, and I asked them the same question about Buffy's High School and they told me flat out that it is located on a Hell Mouth. I didn't ask what a Hell Mouth was or why that meant there were a lot of vampires and demons there, but it shut me up. Your explaintation for the same question regarding your 1640's Ireland is 'A trans dimensional war machine is taking a nap there.'
I haven't heard that one before: kudos.
I have two specific observations.
1) Writing style:
This a full-tilt stream of consciousness rant, that jumps around in perspective and tone. Your stated goal in this article is to present an explanation for your players as to why Ireland can produce so many monsters of the week. You state a series of 'facts' about the realm but your writing in your own voice. The voice of a starcraft super fan. So these facts aren't really facts. They are choices you, as an author and GM, made. I would find this more interesting if you discussed why you made these choices, and how that will aide you story telling. Those would be the 'Juicy details' at least in the way it is written now as a personal stream of consciousness essay about GMing or writing for your world.
2) Content:
I feel like everything you are trying to communicate is not making it on to the page. Example, you say travel to Earth is difficult for a demon. Difficult could mean a lot of things. It could mean small chance of success 'Half Court Shots are difficult. It could mean time consuming and painful. 'Divorce is difficult.' I think you have a clear idea of what is going on here, but it is just not coming through. This goes on through out the post.
I also have a couple of esoteric dork questions, because unlike the Hell Mouth explanation from Buffy, your Ireland back story is a little less intuitive.
1) So is Metos a physical being in Ireland? Like if I am digging for pot gold in a shamrock field will I hit Meto's knee cap?
2) Why are they called Angels and Demons...was there some historic event on earth in which they filled this niche of vocabulary.?
3) What do the Demons like about Hell?
I have a hard time imagining a campaign where there are powers of this power level running around.