I'm running a campaign where my party is tasked with shutting down various portals to the Abyss set up by a cult. Any ideas for special requirements for shutting down a portal to another dimension?
They could use magic. Assuming the portals are created by a gate spell, I'd require a forbiddance spell or some similar abjuration magic (such as dispel magic, antimagic field, etc.) to be cast on the area. It's up to the group to have or find a spell caster capable of such magic.
Of course, each portal could have its own unique "gatekeeper" that both guards and keeps the portal open--slaying it closes the thing.
The portal could require a sacrifice to be close. That could be a dark twist requiring a living creature, or something of a certain value like 1,000 gp or more.
The opposite side of the portal could be like a mini-dungeon with a few rooms one of which has the thing that turns the portal on and off, the group has to destroy it then escape before the portal closes.
In Tome of Foes, it's referenced that portals to the abyss are a byproduct of demons staying too long in one place on another plane. Eventually the portal opens more and more, allowing for a demonic infestation that might result in that plane/world becoming an abyssal colony.
So in that instance, your cult could be either working with a demon or has one trapped and is kept near the portal opening. Finding the demon(s) and destroying or banishing them should result in the portal closing.
I'm running something like this in my Saturday homebrew:
There are two artifacts that are required to close a rift, however, one artifact causes it's user to be shifted into a parallel dimension. Both artifacts must be played in the same location, at the same time. When one artifact is played while the other is not present there is a vibration that works like a compass to draw the two together.
Portals invite beings to go through them. Maybe to close the portal you need to make sure any creatures/beings that used the portal are either dead or have returned to their realm. This could offer a variety of combat or social encounters, depending on if the trespassers are willing to be persuaded/bribed to go back.
This is the theme with my current campaign. I'm going to have the portal either closed with a dispel magic spell or by breaking 3 anchors that have come from the other side (see Elder Scrolls Online).
I'm actually running a high magic homebrew campaign with my group. The theme is heavy on a Shadowfell vs Feywilds imbalance. Rifts keep being torn open in the Veil that separates Shadowfell from the Material plane. My theory is that strong magical forces ripped apart the fabric of reality (via cultist efforts or raw wild magic). Magic users can make some Arcana checks to do some research, finding that a skilled spellcaster can use their connection with magic as a way to "see" the edges of this tear. And using their own inner stores of magic can concentrate that energy into "stitching" the rifts shut.
This chart is what I came up with as a way to make these Rift encounters more versatile and more exciting.
Roll a d6 to determine Rift Difficulty. The Rift's range is the Difficulty x10. Characters must be within the Rift's range to focus their concentration on closing the Rift.
To close a Rift, characters must succeed on a concentration (CONSTITUTION) check and spend one spell slot each attempt. If the character has no spell slots available, it counts as an automatic fail. On a failed attempt, the character takes (x)d4 Psychic damage, where (x) is the Rift's Difficulty.
The DC is 10 + the Difficulty. To close multiple difficulty levels, the DC increases by 5 per level.
d6
Range
DC
Damage
1
10 ft
11
1d4
2
20 ft
12
2d4
3
30 ft
13
3d4
4
40 ft
14
4d4
5
50 ft
15
5d4
6
60 ft
16
6d4
ie:) Level 2 Rift: two attempts at DC 12, and two 1 Level spell slots, OR one attempt at DC 17 and one 2 Level spell slot.
I used Psychic damage because they're using a lot of mental energy to perform the task. I also thought of using damage type depending on the plane the rift connects to, like necrotic for Shadowfell or fire for the fire elemental plane etc. And as a way to NOT knock out my few spellcasters quickly on higher rift difficulties, a character/creature within 5ft can act as a shield when failed attempts "rebound" on the spellcaster. The protecting creature makes a separate Constitution save, taking the damage instead of the spellcaster. Full damage on a failed save, and half on a successful save. If you want to use any of this, please feel free to do so. Be as creative as you'd like with it.
I'm running a campaign where my party is tasked with shutting down various portals to the Abyss set up by a cult. Any ideas for special requirements for shutting down a portal to another dimension?
Here are a few ideas off the top of my head...
They could use magic. Assuming the portals are created by a gate spell, I'd require a forbiddance spell or some similar abjuration magic (such as dispel magic, antimagic field, etc.) to be cast on the area. It's up to the group to have or find a spell caster capable of such magic.
Of course, each portal could have its own unique "gatekeeper" that both guards and keeps the portal open--slaying it closes the thing.
The portal could require a sacrifice to be close. That could be a dark twist requiring a living creature, or something of a certain value like 1,000 gp or more.
The opposite side of the portal could be like a mini-dungeon with a few rooms one of which has the thing that turns the portal on and off, the group has to destroy it then escape before the portal closes.
In Tome of Foes, it's referenced that portals to the abyss are a byproduct of demons staying too long in one place on another plane. Eventually the portal opens more and more, allowing for a demonic infestation that might result in that plane/world becoming an abyssal colony.
So in that instance, your cult could be either working with a demon or has one trapped and is kept near the portal opening. Finding the demon(s) and destroying or banishing them should result in the portal closing.
I'm running something like this in my Saturday homebrew:
There are two artifacts that are required to close a rift, however, one artifact causes it's user to be shifted into a parallel dimension. Both artifacts must be played in the same location, at the same time. When one artifact is played while the other is not present there is a vibration that works like a compass to draw the two together.
Portals invite beings to go through them. Maybe to close the portal you need to make sure any creatures/beings that used the portal are either dead or have returned to their realm. This could offer a variety of combat or social encounters, depending on if the trespassers are willing to be persuaded/bribed to go back.
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This is the theme with my current campaign. I'm going to have the portal either closed with a dispel magic spell or by breaking 3 anchors that have come from the other side (see Elder Scrolls Online).
I'm actually running a high magic homebrew campaign with my group. The theme is heavy on a Shadowfell vs Feywilds imbalance. Rifts keep being torn open in the Veil that separates Shadowfell from the Material plane. My theory is that strong magical forces ripped apart the fabric of reality (via cultist efforts or raw wild magic). Magic users can make some Arcana checks to do some research, finding that a skilled spellcaster can use their connection with magic as a way to "see" the edges of this tear. And using their own inner stores of magic can concentrate that energy into "stitching" the rifts shut.
This chart is what I came up with as a way to make these Rift encounters more versatile and more exciting.
Roll a d6 to determine Rift Difficulty.
The Rift's range is the Difficulty x10.
Characters must be within the Rift's range to focus their concentration on closing the Rift.
To close a Rift, characters must succeed on a concentration (CONSTITUTION) check and spend one spell slot each attempt.
If the character has no spell slots available, it counts as an automatic fail.
On a failed attempt, the character takes (x)d4 Psychic damage, where (x) is the Rift's Difficulty.
The DC is 10 + the Difficulty. To close multiple difficulty levels, the DC increases by 5 per level.
d6
Range
DC
Damage
1
10 ft
11
1d4
2
20 ft
12
2d4
3
30 ft
13
3d4
4
40 ft
14
4d4
5
50 ft
15
5d4
6
60 ft
16
6d4
ie:) Level 2 Rift: two attempts at DC 12, and two 1 Level spell slots, OR one attempt at DC 17 and one 2 Level spell slot.
I used Psychic damage because they're using a lot of mental energy to perform the task. I also thought of using damage type depending on the plane the rift connects to, like necrotic for Shadowfell or fire for the fire elemental plane etc. And as a way to NOT knock out my few spellcasters quickly on higher rift difficulties, a character/creature within 5ft can act as a shield when failed attempts "rebound" on the spellcaster. The protecting creature makes a separate Constitution save, taking the damage instead of the spellcaster. Full damage on a failed save, and half on a successful save.
If you want to use any of this, please feel free to do so. Be as creative as you'd like with it.