Escape from the 7th Layer of Hell. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Escape from the 7th Layer of Hell. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thalious
07-23-03, 02:02 AM How would someone(s) escape from Hell?

The Situation:

Barnicle and Tony (both Epic characters) were doing a "job" in Waterdeep for Elaith, who had hired them to bust up a slavery operation ultilizing a few Illithids (that was not paying him protection/hush hush money). The "job" was going well for the players. Barnicle and Tony had snuck into the basement of the seedy bar in Dock Ward called 'Keel Hauled' and had slain or subdued the guards with ease (only one escaped), slain one Illithid, had another surrender when...... from behind a secret wall in the basement another Illithid was awaiting. Barnicle rolled 1 on his Will save and was stunned, while Tony made his save. Tony then made a search check and located the secret door when he rolled a 1 on his next Will save and was stunned.

When Barnicle and Tony awake, they are both be held prisoner. Each are offered and option. They can perform a hit on the person who hired them for the "job" or they will be cast into one of the layers of Hell.

Tony chose Hell over capitulating to the like of Illithids. Barnicle was about ready to take the "job" the Illithids offered, but changed his mind at the last minute and also went to Hell with Tony rather be seen as a traitor to his race by helping an Illithid, even to save his own arse.

Both characters are wearing only Loin Cloths, Barnicle managed to swipe his enchanted Brass Knuckles before being thrown into the Gate leading to the 7th layer of Hell.

The characters in question are:

Barnicle Bolim: Dwarf: Rogue/ Ranger/ Ninja/ Assassin/ Fighter/ Bloodhound AL=N-E

Irish Tony: Human (outsider): Monk/ Fighter/ Ninja
AL= L-E

Neither of them can cast spells like Plane Shift. Tony can go Ethereal for up to 20 rounds, but this is it. Barnicle can Ethereal Jaunt LOL! That won't get either them out of Hell.

DMs, what would you do with this situation if it was yours?
Crust
07-23-03, 01:54 PM Seems like a campaign that is a bit out of control. The levels and classes chosen (not to mention the names of the characters) lead me to beleive that a degree of professionalism is missing, so I suppose anything could happen to help them escape with little questioning involved on the part of the PCs.

Being that these epic level PCs are taking jobs from Elaith (a being who could be brushed aside in a instant by any epic level individual) shows that anything could happen. :rolleyes:

Just have some random wizard appear and teleport them out of Hell. No explanations. None will be needed, I imagine.
thalious
07-23-03, 04:09 PM Crust..... seems your name is fitting as to the quality of your post. Why did you bother replying?
Damren
07-23-03, 06:26 PM This is kind of tricky question depending on how your DM is playing Hell. Your best bet is to find an ally (which their should be someone) with the information or power you seek. You might even offer your services to some lesser power under the safety of a pact. Exchanging a service for transportation out of the hells. Then again, you could just try praying & see what happens.

Just don't get killed, that could cause a whole new set of complications.

One curious side note: are you sure you're in hell & not some Mind Flayer induced psionic illusion? You could be sitting in the slave pits now, waiting for your shot on the menu?

Just a thought. Pun intended.
thalious
07-23-03, 06:34 PM Damren, I am the DM in this matter. I am posting this to gather some ideas and details. I love my players, they always get themselves into things strange situations where I get to be creative and in turn, let people from the boards have a little influence on my sessions by seeking their input. These boards rock.

Since both PCs are evil, they may have a chance at bargaining their way out as you suggest, but I think the PCs are going to try to battle and scheme their way out at first LOL! I love it! Tony in particular will be sought after as a recruit, Barnicle too, but more Tony due to his already matching alignment.
Damren
07-23-03, 06:53 PM I did DM one session in which several of the characters (it was a partial group night) were sent into hell spiritually. They were actually killed in the last game & I had a little time to burn, so to speak, before the living players had them brought back (during the following game).

They 'woke' in the barrens of the first plane of hell, in the back of a cart filled with bodies. The cart was drawn by a skeletal horse being guided by a Grim Reaper-type creature. The cart was heading towards a great pillar of smoke in the distance.

The party got out of the cart & were unnoticed by the GR. They followed the well worn road to a city of smoke stacks and all sorts of 'dead' and diabolic things.

During play they found that even if they were 'killed', they just returned after a short time - still bearing their new wounds.

They discovered the city was a 'processing center' of sorts, in which the spirits of the dead were burned away revealing the evil core of the dead creature. These cores were conscripted into various levels of servitude depending on the potency of evil and obedience they expressed.

The Reapers did try to 'recover' the party. And at one point had 'killed' them and put them on a great conveyor heading toward a furnace. They revived & escaped.

Eventually they found their way to an oddity in this city. A temple of Rao ... in hell. No devils or undead would go near the place & they used it as a refuge. They also discovered that it was filled with holy relics that devils had tossed away from those so called believers.

Using what they found here, they were able to fend off an attack from a few moderatly powered devils and return to the land of the living.

It was a fun side-trek & while they kept no treasure, they did keep the xp & woke with all their memories of hell intact. Alive.

I thought it might be helpful to see how someone else handled a similar situation. What do you think?
thalious
07-23-03, 10:26 PM Damren, your situation looks like it would have been a lot of fun to play in. Thank for the info and details.

Since this adventure is in the 7th layer, there will be some chances for the PCs to search around the Abandoned Cities that litter the 7th to find some gear and maybe an ally. Since this adventure is consequential in nature, I am going to Improv much of the adventure as I suspect the PCs will be extremely wary of anyone they meet and resistant to "plots" and that means I should not spend too much time getting detailed plans and be more prepared to react to the PCs actions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thalious 07-23-03, 02:02 AM	How would someone(s) escape from Hell? The Situation: Barnicle and Tony (both Epic characters) were doing a "job" in Waterdeep for Elaith, who had hired them to bust up a slavery operation ultilizing a few Illithids (that was not paying him protection/hush hush money). The "job" was going well for the players. Barnicle and Tony had snuck into the basement of the seedy bar in Dock Ward called 'Keel Hauled' and had slain or subdued the guards with ease (only one escaped), slain one Illithid, had another surrender when...... from behind a secret wall in the basement another Illithid was awaiting. Barnicle rolled 1 on his Will save and was stunned, while Tony made his save. Tony then made a search check and located the secret door when he rolled a 1 on his next Will save and was stunned. When Barnicle and Tony awake, they are both be held prisoner. Each are offered and option. They can perform a hit on the person who hired them for the "job" or they will be cast into one of the layers of Hell. Tony chose Hell over capitulating to the like of Illithids. Barnicle was about ready to take the "job" the Illithids offered, but changed his mind at the last minute and also went to Hell with Tony rather be seen as a traitor to his race by helping an Illithid, even to save his own arse. Both characters are wearing only Loin Cloths, Barnicle managed to swipe his enchanted Brass Knuckles before being thrown into the Gate leading to the 7th layer of Hell. The characters in question are: Barnicle Bolim: Dwarf: Rogue/ Ranger/ Ninja/ Assassin/ Fighter/ Bloodhound AL=N-E Irish Tony: Human (outsider): Monk/ Fighter/ Ninja AL= L-E Neither of them can cast spells like Plane Shift. Tony can go Ethereal for up to 20 rounds, but this is it. Barnicle can Ethereal Jaunt LOL! That won't get either them out of Hell. DMs, what would you do with this situation if it was yours?
Crust 07-23-03, 01:54 PM	Seems like a campaign that is a bit out of control. The levels and classes chosen (not to mention the names of the characters) lead me to beleive that a degree of professionalism is missing, so I suppose anything could happen to help them escape with little questioning involved on the part of the PCs. Being that these epic level PCs are taking jobs from Elaith (a being who could be brushed aside in a instant by any epic level individual) shows that anything could happen. :rolleyes: Just have some random wizard appear and teleport them out of Hell. No explanations. None will be needed, I imagine.
thalious 07-23-03, 04:09 PM	Crust..... seems your name is fitting as to the quality of your post. Why did you bother replying?
Damren 07-23-03, 06:26 PM	This is kind of tricky question depending on how your DM is playing Hell. Your best bet is to find an ally (which their should be someone) with the information or power you seek. You might even offer your services to some lesser power under the safety of a pact. Exchanging a service for transportation out of the hells. Then again, you could just try praying & see what happens. Just don't get killed, that could cause a whole new set of complications. One curious side note: are you sure you're in hell & not some Mind Flayer induced psionic illusion? You could be sitting in the slave pits now, waiting for your shot on the menu? Just a thought. Pun intended.
thalious 07-23-03, 06:34 PM	Damren, I am the DM in this matter. I am posting this to gather some ideas and details. I love my players, they always get themselves into things strange situations where I get to be creative and in turn, let people from the boards have a little influence on my sessions by seeking their input. These boards rock. Since both PCs are evil, they may have a chance at bargaining their way out as you suggest, but I think the PCs are going to try to battle and scheme their way out at first LOL! I love it! Tony in particular will be sought after as a recruit, Barnicle too, but more Tony due to his already matching alignment.
Damren 07-23-03, 06:53 PM	I did DM one session in which several of the characters (it was a partial group night) were sent into hell spiritually. They were actually killed in the last game & I had a little time to burn, so to speak, before the living players had them brought back (during the following game). They 'woke' in the barrens of the first plane of hell, in the back of a cart filled with bodies. The cart was drawn by a skeletal horse being guided by a Grim Reaper-type creature. The cart was heading towards a great pillar of smoke in the distance. The party got out of the cart & were unnoticed by the GR. They followed the well worn road to a city of smoke stacks and all sorts of 'dead' and diabolic things. During play they found that even if they were 'killed', they just returned after a short time - still bearing their new wounds. They discovered the city was a 'processing center' of sorts, in which the spirits of the dead were burned away revealing the evil core of the dead creature. These cores were conscripted into various levels of servitude depending on the potency of evil and obedience they expressed. The Reapers did try to 'recover' the party. And at one point had 'killed' them and put them on a great conveyor heading toward a furnace. They revived & escaped. Eventually they found their way to an oddity in this city. A temple of Rao ... in hell. No devils or undead would go near the place & they used it as a refuge. They also discovered that it was filled with holy relics that devils had tossed away from those so called believers. Using what they found here, they were able to fend off an attack from a few moderatly powered devils and return to the land of the living. It was a fun side-trek & while they kept no treasure, they did keep the xp & woke with all their memories of hell intact. Alive. I thought it might be helpful to see how someone else handled a similar situation. What do you think?
thalious 07-23-03, 10:26 PM	Damren, your situation looks like it would have been a lot of fun to play in. Thank for the info and details. Since this adventure is in the 7th layer, there will be some chances for the PCs to search around the Abandoned Cities that litter the 7th to find some gear and maybe an ally. Since this adventure is consequential in nature, I am going to Improv much of the adventure as I suspect the PCs will be extremely wary of anyone they meet and resistant to "plots" and that means I should not spend too much time getting detailed plans and be more prepared to react to the PCs actions.