So a while back I created an evil campaign based around a former champion angel of Bhaal, a paladin named Kalnir. He failed on a mission, and Bhaal thought he killed him, but instead Kalnir returned to life on the material realm as a death knight. I homebrewed the subclass (Death Knight, it won't let me share it, I might post about it later), and the species (Unholy Deva). He was joined by a Reborn warlord that has recently slain the grim reaper and taken its position, a shadowy Arcane Archer warlock, and a rebel red wizard/archlich. Kalnir's sword, called the sword of Bhaal. This sword grants the wielder numerous abilities of death, but the main ability was that it granted the wielder the ability to weaken a god, allowing mortals to fight and potentially slay one. The sword was shattered into 3 pieces when Kalnir was slain, and the pieces were scattered throughout the material realm. When he recovers all three pieces and the proper sacrifice, the sword will be re-forged.
Once this has happened, Kalnir, his three chief advisors (the three other characters), and his army of undead, will travel and conquer the nine hells. According to the players handbook, the nine hells are home to the evil dieties, but I didn't think this was dramatic enough. So, I decided that Mount Celestia would have a dark twin, home to the evil dieties. The nine hells and the river stix would be at the foothills of the mountain, and the domain of the dead three would be at the top. Kalnir plans to lay siege to and conquer the nine hells, then start his trek up death mountain. Then, at the top, he would slay the dead three and take his place as a god.
So while this story has been a lot of fun and my two players that have been playing these 4 characters have a been having a lot of fun, I've been having a hard time finding the resources to build the adventure through all nine layers of the nine hells, and the trek up death mountain. I saw in The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide the story of Bhaal, Bane and Myrkul, and how they travelled up Death Mountain to take the place of the god Jergel. The story goes as follows;
"THE LEGEND OF KNUCKLEBONES, SKULL BOWLING, AND THE EMPTY THRONE"
Long ago there was but one god of strife, death, and the dead, and he was known as Jergal, Lord of the End of Everything. Jergal fomented and fed on the discord among mortals and deific entities alike. When beings slew each other in their quest for power or in their hatred, he welcomed them into his shadowy kingdom of eternal gloom. As all things died, everything came to him eventually, and over time he built a kingdom unchallenged by any other god. But he grew tired of his duties, for he knew them too well, and without challenge there is nothing — and in nothingness there is only gloom. In such a state, the difference between absolute power and absolute powerlessness is undetectable. During this dark era arose three powerful mortals — Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul — who lusted after the power Jergal possessed. The trio forged an unholy pact that they would gain such ultimate power or die in the attempt. Over the length and breadth of the world they strode, seeking powerful magic and spells and defying death at every turn. No matter what monster they confronted or what spells they braved, the three mortals emerged unscathed at every turn. Eventually, the trio journeyed into the Gray Waste and sought out the Castle of Bone. Through armies of skeletons, legions of zombies, hordes of wraiths, and a gauntlet of liches they battled. Eventually they reached the object of their lifelong quest — the Bone Throne.
“I claim this throne of evil,” Bane the tyrant shouted to Jergal.
“I’ll destroy you before you can raise a finger,” threatened Bhaal the assassin.
“And I shall imprison your essence for eternity,” promised Myrkul the necromancer.
Jergal arose from his throne with a weary expression and said, “The throne is yours. I have grown weary of this empty power. Take it if you wish — l promise to serve and guide you as your seneschal until you grow comfortable with the position.” Then, before the stunned trio could react, the Lord of the Dead asked, “Who among you shall rule?”
The trio immediately fell to fighting among themselves while Jergal looked on with indifference. When eventually it appeared that either they would all die of exhaustion or battle on for an eternity, the Lord of the End of Everything intervened.
“After all you have sacrificed, would you come away with nothing? Why don’t you divide the portfolios of the office by engaging in a game of skill for them?” asked Jergal.
Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul considered the god’s offer and agreed to it. So Jergaltook the skulls of his three most powerful liches and gave them to the trio so they could compete in skull bowling. Each mortal rolled a skull across the Gray Waste, having agreed that the winner would be he who bowled the farthest.
Malar the Beastlord arrived to visit Jergalat this moment. After quickly ascertaining that the winner of the contest would receive all of Jergal’s power, he chased off after the three skulls to make sure that the contest would be halted until he had a chance to participate for part of the prize. Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul again fell to fighting, as it was obvious their sport had been ruined, but again Jergalintervened. “Why don’t you allow Lady Luck to decide, so you don’t have to share with the Beast?”
The trio agreed to this alternative, and Jergal broke off his skeletal finger bones and gave them to the contestants. When Malar returned from chasing the skulls, he found that the trio had just finished a game of knucklebones.
Bane cried out triumphantly, “As winner, I choose to rule for all eternity as the ultimate tyrant. I can induce hatred and strife at my whim, and all will bow down before me while in my kingdom.”
Myrkul, who had won second place, declared, “But I choose the dead, and by doing so I truly win, because all that you are lord over, Bane, will eventually be mine. All things must die — even gods.”
Bhaal, who finished third, proclaimed, “I choose death, and it is by my hand that all that you rule, Lord Bane, will eventually pass to Lord Myrkul. Both of you must pay honor to me and obey my wishes, since I can destroy your kingdom, Bane, by murdering your subjects, and I can starve your kingdom, Myrkul, by staying my hand.”
Malar growled in frustration, but could do nothing, and so yet again only the beasts were left for him.
And Jergal merely smiled, for he had been delivered.
Sorry for this long post, but I needed to catch you guys up on everything in this story. Now, does anyone have any ideas on encounters, battles, plot twist, etc.? If so, I would love to hear them!!
So a while back I created an evil campaign based around a former champion angel of Bhaal, a paladin named Kalnir. He failed on a mission, and Bhaal thought he killed him, but instead Kalnir returned to life on the material realm as a death knight. I homebrewed the subclass (Death Knight, it won't let me share it, I might post about it later), and the species (Unholy Deva). He was joined by a Reborn warlord that has recently slain the grim reaper and taken its position, a shadowy Arcane Archer warlock, and a rebel red wizard/archlich. Kalnir's sword, called the sword of Bhaal. This sword grants the wielder numerous abilities of death, but the main ability was that it granted the wielder the ability to weaken a god, allowing mortals to fight and potentially slay one. The sword was shattered into 3 pieces when Kalnir was slain, and the pieces were scattered throughout the material realm. When he recovers all three pieces and the proper sacrifice, the sword will be re-forged.
Once this has happened, Kalnir, his three chief advisors (the three other characters), and his army of undead, will travel and conquer the nine hells. According to the players handbook, the nine hells are home to the evil dieties, but I didn't think this was dramatic enough. So, I decided that Mount Celestia would have a dark twin, home to the evil dieties. The nine hells and the river stix would be at the foothills of the mountain, and the domain of the dead three would be at the top. Kalnir plans to lay siege to and conquer the nine hells, then start his trek up death mountain. Then, at the top, he would slay the dead three and take his place as a god.
So while this story has been a lot of fun and my two players that have been playing these 4 characters have a been having a lot of fun, I've been having a hard time finding the resources to build the adventure through all nine layers of the nine hells, and the trek up death mountain. I saw in The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide the story of Bhaal, Bane and Myrkul, and how they travelled up Death Mountain to take the place of the god Jergel. The story goes as follows;
Sorry for this long post, but I needed to catch you guys up on everything in this story. Now, does anyone have any ideas on encounters, battles, plot twist, etc.? If so, I would love to hear them!!
While it's not 20th level, Chains of Asmodeus might be useful to trawl for ideas.
You could always buy the Infernal Codex at the DM guild https://www.dmsguild.com/product/513590/The-Infernal-Codex-Expanding-Chains-of-Asmodeus?language=enrelincludesajaxtooltiprequesthandlerphpproductsidfiltersfiltersfiltersfilters
Thank you both!
Homebrew some demons and devils, maybe reskin some demons or the carcerian fiends into devils