Without mentioning alignment, race, class, or religion, what are good reasons for a soul to be sent to the lower planes?
Based on this post from James Haeck about a year ago, I'm trying to come up with an adventure set there, where the PCs are, for the most part, were bad people - and making custom Backgrounds to represent their origins in a broad fashion. It's my hope the players pick one and then start giving me clues on what their PC was in life, and then I build their history as the story goes on.
The ideas I have are:
Cause of widespread misery: warlords, necromancers, thieves' and assassin's guild masters, corrupt nobility, greedy merchant princes - and those who are "just following orders" as their hands are just as filthy.
Cause of personal misery: impassioned crimes, acts of jealousy, spite, hate, rage, envy, etc. Just not as widespread, but contemptable nonetheless.
Contractual obligation: Infernal Warlocks and Oathbreaker Paladins are likely to end up here, as would cultists.
The innocent victim: Like how the Cassalanters condemned their children, or the targets of a Night Hag. Pretty much anyone can end up with this, even ostensibly good people.
An oddly specific and unbalanced ledger of sins and atonements. The god of the dead reads the book of your soul line by line and condemns you with indifference.
Greatly offending a deity or the agents of one who hold enough power to condemn a soul. You didn't cause any widespread mischief or even much mischief at all; but that one fateful day you spilled the holy water when the exarch secretly visiting the temple was in a bad mood. Good luck down there!
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Thieves tools. Add secret text (lemon/fire method), negates the entire deal except what you get out of it. Would truesight allow you to read non-magic secret text?
Geatly offending a deity or the agents of one who hold enough power to condemn a soul. You didn't cause any widespread mischief or even much mischief at all; but that one fateful day you spilled the holy water when the exarch secretly visiting the temple was in a bad mood. Good luck down there!
Ooh, desecration and sacrilege! I didn't think of that. Thanks!
Without mentioning alignment, race, class, or religion, what are good reasons for a soul to be sent to the lower planes?
Based on this post from James Haeck about a year ago, I'm trying to come up with an adventure set there, where the PCs are, for the most part, were bad people - and making custom Backgrounds to represent their origins in a broad fashion. It's my hope the players pick one and then start giving me clues on what their PC was in life, and then I build their history as the story goes on.
The ideas I have are:
To-do list: Background skill proficiencies, tool proficiencies and/or languages, equipment, background feature.
I am a Canadian Dungeon Master, which means I reflexively apologize when the monsters score a critical hit on the players' characters.
Oh, and what would you consider the best Proficiency when examining the fine print of an Infernal contract? History? Religion? Deception? Insight?
I am a Canadian Dungeon Master, which means I reflexively apologize when the monsters score a critical hit on the players' characters.
Post number 2: Investigation. Most misery is caused by not reading it closely. Now, dealing with it however,....
Extended Signature! Yay! https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/off-topic/adohands-kitchen/3153-extended-signature-thread?page=2#c21
Haven’t used this account in forever. Still a big fan of crawling claws.
Two I can think of:
An oddly specific and unbalanced ledger of sins and atonements. The god of the dead reads the book of your soul line by line and condemns you with indifference.
Greatly offending a deity or the agents of one who hold enough power to condemn a soul. You didn't cause any widespread mischief or even much mischief at all; but that one fateful day you spilled the holy water when the exarch secretly visiting the temple was in a bad mood. Good luck down there!
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InsiderBad luck with a Plane Shift spell? Going there intentionally to rescue someone else? Sloth?
Also I'd be willing to let the player decide what they're going to use to examine the contract. You could get some interesting answers!
Find me on Twitter: @OboeLauren
Woodworking tools.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
Thieves tools. Add secret text (lemon/fire method), negates the entire deal except what you get out of it. Would truesight allow you to read non-magic secret text?
I did NOT eat those hikers.
Ooh, desecration and sacrilege! I didn't think of that. Thanks!
Plane shift is unlikely, but the second idea is solid gold. The road to hell is paved with the best intentions.
And I agree, let the players figure out what skill would be best, though I can weed out the egregious examples with my common sense.
Thanks so much!
I am a Canadian Dungeon Master, which means I reflexively apologize when the monsters score a critical hit on the players' characters.