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neilthrun 07-03-07, 10:29 AM

A campaign I'm thinking up. The island plateau of Brythokio lives the race of Hengeyokai. For centuries the different bands and tribes lived a solitary lifestyle on the top of the plateau, occasionally coming into conflict with the Centaur and Kenku, and gaining the loyalty or the Vanara. As the two races relationship became stronger a trade was arranged between a Racoon Dog Hengeyokai and a Vanara. Both being powerful Wujen and trustworthy friends, they each gave each other the great secrets of their people. The Vanara gave the secret of Planar Travel to his friend, and the Hengeyokai in turn taught the Vanara the secret of Shapechanging magic. For 20 years the two Wujen explored their new magic, seeing what it could do, and learning all they could about their new abilities. The Vanara was smart and wise with his new knowledge. The Hengeyokai was not. After learning the secrets of monster summoning and creating gates between planes, the Hengeyokai, Pilos, became arrogant and abused his power. He called creatures of great power from the outer planes, and demanded their obedience. Finally one day, he called a being to powerful to control. Pilos, fled his sanctum in horror at the creature he had unleashed from the pits of hell, and sought the help of his Vanara friend. Having both changed in twenty years, the reckless ways of Pilos had not impressed the Vanara Wujen. Still he offered his assistance, and sought the help of the God, Kloudar, the Vanara god of healing and peace. As the devil slowly gained control of underground tunnels threw out the plateau, Kloudar quickly realized that he lacked the power he needed to completely banish the fiend back to his outer plane home. In an act of desperation, to save the Vanara, Hengeyokai and other inhabitants of Brythokio, he completed a vile act. He drew the energy of the plants molten core, the source of the planets life giving attributes, and used that power to banish the devil. Doing so came at a terrible price, the planet would no longer be able to support life. Using the remaining power he had, Kloudar moved the entire plateau to another world, so that his old worshipers might have a chance to live. The inhabitants of Bythokio were largely unaware of these events, the only thing that had changed for them, was that in the distance, which was once an endless sea of water, there was now something else, land. The Kenku, being a cliff dwelling race, were the first to notice the land, and the first to recieve its inhabitants, a race that called themselves Humans. The taint of hell took its toll on the plateau, the Hengeyokai soon started finding what they realized were large planar gates, linked to the 1st layer of hell, Avernus. The gates appear as large cylinders of flame and molten lava, that extend from the floor to the ceiling of the cavern it is in. They range from small to gigantic. The smallest portals, are 10 feet in diameter, while the largest, a portal named Izgot for the ancient ruins it inhabits is 100 feet in diameter. The portals have 2 functions. First any being that steps into the burning pillar is instantaneously taken to a random location on the 1st layer of hell. A DC 15 will save negates this effect, and the subject takes 10d6 vile damage instead. Subjects that enter simultaneously are taken to the same location. The second function is what now has become the backbone of hengeyokai encononmy. Once per day, any being that is not an outsider native to the 9 Hells, can call a single creature through the gate. Only creatures native to the 1st layer of hell may be called through. This includes all devils, as well as fiendish creatures. The portals can not call specific beings, only types of beings. This works just like a gate spell, although the called creature is completely free willed and not under your control. The Hengeyokai have noticed a strange phenomenon, any creature called through comes through with a beautiful diamond in its possession, and the diamond remains after the devil has been slain, while the devils body and any other equipment dissapates in a blaze of hellfire. The Hengeyokai soceity has become reliant on the diamonds as a trade good with its new trade partners, specifically the Humans, but some dwarves, Ogre Magi, and Kobolds. The Hengeyokai society has flourished, but at a terrible price. Any being killed by the devils summoned through the gates, has there soul swept to the 1st layer of Hell. With only a Wish or Miracle bringing their soul back from the fires of Hell. While deaths are fairly uncommon, they are an unfortunate part of the job, most diamond hunters rarely last more than 5 years, and those that do, often retire rich and young. The portals have another problem too, as the diamond hunter becomes more and more expierenced, he finds that the portals will no longer bring certain demons to him, requiring him to call more powerful and dangerous fiends. The Vanara staunchly oppose the use of the portals, sensing the impending doom the portals will spell for the world. Since the portals awakening and the sighting of land, the Vanaran Diety, Kloudar has also been silent. Many Vanara still worship the ethos of healing, good and protection, but many have lost their faith in his silence. The truth, is that after Kloudar sacrificed the planet to save his people, he went mad. Being drawn threw the portals he now resides on the first layer of hell. He is no longer a Neutral Good diety, but a beserk being a fury, slayer of devils and protector of those who find themselves pulled through the Portal of Izgot and its smaller portals. ------------------------- Ooookay, I've got some more ideas including how the kenku figure into all of this, the centaur, as well as including a small city of mortals on the 1st layer who now call it home. Im also going to flesh out the diamond hunters more, and how the portals are viewed by outside races, as well as how they remain free, and not in control of powerful mortals. Pretty much my reason for this is A: i wanted a way to include some of the Oriental Adventures races into my campaign, but the roles they embody there have been mainly taken up by Ogre Magi and Kobolds, and B: I wanted to create a stable chaotic neutral/good society that is constantly on the verge of destroying itself. Any suggestions or comments?