| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| The Sage |
Posted - 13 Jan 2004 : 12:07:56
Having read and contributed to this type of thread on a number of other forums (both FR, and PS related), I thought it would be interesting to try something like this here.
The overall premise is simple, you basically create/design a custom layer of the Abyss using inspiration from whatever source you like. Although the basic interpretation on the number of layers of the Abyss is around 666, this hasn't been the 'official' stance for years, and today most game products, and fan created material exceed this 'accepted' limit of layers. The main idea behind this scroll is to provide possible adventure locations for PC's from the Realms to visit when venturing into the Outer Planes...namely the Abyss.
Let's get started...
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Xar Zarath |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 07:10:41
comments anyone? |
| Xar Zarath |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 07:09:13
History
Suth'Rakul began just like many demons, a evil worshiper in life becoming a demon slowly climbing the ranks, growing in power and knowledge all the while. Finally he grew powerful enough to shape his form anew from that of a balor to the unique being he is now and proclaiming himself ruler of Navarath
The various foundries and forges create, refine and improve magical items of all kinds which are sold to many demon lords who participate in the blood war, as well as yugoloths who sell his items to the Baatezu. Of necessity, there is no curse or secret spells that allow him to control the wielder of his items since this would make him the enemy of many powerful fiends so he actively promotes scanning of his items to better foster trust of his wares.
He knows the yugoloth sell to the baatezu and does not mind. The blood war to Suth'Rakul is a means to an end with the profits going to fuel his constant experiments on the shaping and creation of demonic life in his palace.
Suth'Rakul leaves the day to day responsibilities to his son and seneschal Lorgin-a demon in the shape of a centaur but the colour of pitch black- and concerns himself with his experiments. He also travels to the Endless Maze to visit Baphomet and remind him of their relationship in the most lascivious manner possible while also trying to establish such a relationship with Grazz'zt as well.
Suth'Rakul is a charmer and is polite and well mannered. He prefers not to fight and considers it a personal failure in his part if forced into violent action. However he will fight-after weighing the pros and cons of course- and he prefers to battle with spells. He can also become a powerful fiendish great wyrm prismatic dragon at will, making some believe that he is a dragon in disguise of a demon. It is his robe that allows such a transformation but he wont tell of course |
| Xar Zarath |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 06:54:53
Relationships
Suth'Rakul is indifferent to most other demon lords, trying to not step on any proverbial toes. He however has an ongoing feud with Yeenoghu, which he gained cultivating a relationship with Baphomet. This has resulted in clashes with demon gnolls but so far there isn't any winners in the conflict. Malcanthet is also opposed to him since Suth'Rakul has waged many battles against her even to the point where his forced have entered Shendilavri to wreak havoc only to be pushed back by the Succubus Queen's legions. Malcanthet sends a few armada from time to time, destroying many of the oil rigs located in the Caustic Ooze before being destroyed. None know why Suth'Rakul fights with Malcanthet but some say that it is because she spurned him, though Malcanthet will not speak of it.
Suth'Rakul's greatest ally is Baphomet, with whom he wages battles with Yeenoghu to win his trust. Baphomet was hesitant at first but after receiving huge shipments upon shipments of rare metals, ores and magical items from Navarath's forges, the Prince of Beasts is now willing to deal with the Forger. Suth'Rakul has also engaged in carnal intercourse with Baphomet many times to better sweeten the deal. From these unions he gave Baphomet three children, two of which Baphomet devoured because they attempted to kill him while sparing the third Lorgin who serves Suth'Rakul as seneschal. The relationship that Suth'Rakul forged with Baphomet was not only for protection but to also learn from the demon lord of minotaurs on the shaping and creation of demonic life which has become a passion for Suth'Rakul.
Another of Suth'Rakul close relationships is with Grazz'zt. Warring with Malcanthet to please the Lord of Azzagrat as well as gifting him with many artifacts has won him some time with Grazz'zt both in his court and in his bed, but so far nothing concrete has been made, though Suth'Rakul is confident in the long run. |
| Xar Zarath |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 14:48:11
Mind if I pitch in? (though it has been sometime since anyone added in here)
Name: Navarath
Layer Number: 511
Demon Lord: Suth'Rakul The Forger
Description
The layer of Navarath is a flat expanse as far as the eye can see but it is not empty. Factories, foundries, smiths and forges of all shapes, sizes and metals are built dotting the landscape in a haphazard fashion. Great crevices, jagged peaks, and large canyons cut the land with massive foundries and smiths built into its sides, with huge mines built into the bottom to better mine the minerals, ores and gems that Navarath is rich with.
The gases released into the air by the factories and foundries are poisonous in the extreme since the chemicals and solutions burning mix together to create a fatal breathing environment and any mortal who does not come prepared can easily die without the proper magic items or spells to allow them to breathe properly. The sky above Navarath is dark and perpetually smoky. Flights of Vrocks, Chasme and other flying demons fly through it keeping an eye on the forges and foundries, reporting to the seneschal Lorgin. Demon air elementals also travel the air, and these elementals report directly to Suth'Rakul.
Navarath has an ocean dubbed the Caustic Ooze. Its waters are thick and heavy like liquid amber. Large oil rigs are built all across the ocean to better dig for oil and other substances. The great Myrmixicuses hold vast holdings in these waters, though they are subservient to Suth'Rakul. Wastriliths, hezrous and other demonic marine life serve them. There is no port, anything that is gained from the rigs are transported by flying demonic ships.
At the center of the realm, there is a beautiful garden filled with exotic plant life, with a spire in the middle of the garden, made entirely out of adamantium that is so tall it pierces the sky. This is the palace of the lord of Navarath, the Forger Suth'Rakul. The air above the palace is clean and clear and the garden's plants are untouched by the grime and muck of the rest of the plane.
Suth'Rakul
Description
The demon lord Suth'Rakul appears as a human, only with skin the colour of alabaster. His eyes are pure black with no hint of irises or pupils. His hair is silver, slicked back. He is seven feet tall and wears a flowing robe of prismatic colour, said to be the flayed skin of a great wyrm prismatic dragon.
Worshipers
Suth'Rakul has little to none mortal followers to speak of, something of which is made into a joke by other demons as well as demon lords. While he has shown no interest in mortals, Suth'Rakul actively tries and succeeds on occasion to gain demon worshipers instead. He believes that better to gain believer here than in some far away world to better consolidate his power and so far many of the demons serving him in Navarath are also faithful worshipers.
Cult of Suth'Rakul
His cult mainly consists of tanar'ri demons of all kinds as well as miscellaneous demons who also profess to be his worshipers. He has no high priest or priestess to speak of but quite a number of demons from babau to balor can call upon him for power similar to clerics. If there is one thing to be said of his cult it is that he does not discriminate in his choice of worshipers. |
| Zireael |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 14:25:38
Any new ideas? |
| Kyrene |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 12:34:44
This is probably out of left field, but are there any sources that define the term "Abyssal" (apart from it being a language choice)? I'd like to add it (and "Infernal") to the 'Glossary,' but don't know if I'll find any citations apart from what a dictionary would give added with some common sense. This is what I have for it currently, but would like some votes on its correctness:
“Abyssal” – Common:- a term applied to the collective creatures of the Abyss, their language, work, study, beliefs, and customs, and to items of their making; the term is also applied to anything belonging to, or resembling the Abyss
As for "Infernal", is the following correct:
“Infernal” – Common:- a term applied to the collective creatures of the Nine Hells, their language, work, study, beliefs, and customs, and to items of their making; the term is also applied to anything belonging to, or resembling the Nine Hells
Planar stuff is one of my least (and least liked) areas of knowledge, unfortunately. |
| Zireael |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 14:58:12
quote:
Originally posted by Balduran Lavidah
Vierna ? Ce n'est pas la soeur aînée de Drizzt (même mère, même père) ? La seule rescapée de la famille Do'Urden.
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Vierna ? This is not the older sister of Drizzt ( same mother , same father )? The only survivor of the family Do'Urden .
No, it's not her. I just used the name, because I like it.
@ above: Draegloth Abominations. Nice. I'll probably try to do a homebrew draegloth-drider cross for 3e then... |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 14:22:40
Good stuff... A whole plane stuffed with drow half-fiends, draegloths and god knows what... There's a race of abyssal rocket-fuelled drow written up in 4e MM3 (may have appeared previously, dunno) that might be worth fluff mining.
BRB with that...
EDIT: meh, nothing really worthy of mention, just drow that followed Lolth straight to the Demonweb instead of going via the mortal world and mortal demise. There is the Draegloth Abomanation, which is produced by summoning a demon to do the wild thing with a Drider instead of a priestess, apparently. Charming little darlings, as I'm sure you can imagine, and wouldn't be out of place. |
| Balduran Lavidah |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 14:05:32
Vierna ? Ce n'est pas la soeur aînée de Drizzt (même mère, même père) ? La seule rescapée de la famille Do'Urden.
______________________________________________________________________
Vierna ? This is not the older sister of Drizzt ( same mother , same father )? The only survivor of the family Do'Urden . |
| Zireael |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 13:48:10
Layer 88 - The Blessed Realm of Lloth
Ruler: Vierna (CE drow half-fiend Clr 20 of Lloth)
This layer was inhabited first by a group of drow half-fiends from one of many worlds venerating the Spider Queen. The leader is said to be a daughter or a granddaughter of Lloth. They brought some drow servants without fiendish blood with them. Then the leaders summoned or called the servants of Lloth from the Demonweb Pits.
Now, thousands of years later, the hierarchy is set. Did I mention it is considered divine grace to have eight children, or even better, umm? what's the word? octuplets?... The more fiendish blood you have, the higher in hierarchy you are.
1. The highest tier consists of Vierna, of course, and her closest family (brother and their respective children and grandchildren).
2. Below them are yochlols and myrlochars, hailed as divine servants of the Spider Queen.
3. The sacred half-demons, draegloths, are next in this ladder.
4. Then follow other drow half-fiends, of various descent.
5. Only a step below them are fiendish drow, whose demonic blood is more polluted.
6. The pure fiends are next, although they enjoy the fact that they cannot die for true while on this layer.
7. Pure-blooded drow (meaning: with no fiendish blood) are the lowest recognized level.
8. Anything or anyone else is trash here.
The layer resembles the Underdark of many worlds, but everything is in groups of 8 or covered by spiderwebs... or in some other way bound to Lloth. The realm has eight main cities and virtually no other settlements. The corridors and tunnels are even more deadly than in "normal" Underdark.
Thus a special gift from the goddess is here in working: no one or nothing that comes from this layer and lives here can die here. That includes both the civilized folk and monsters. This way, the intrahouse fighting and the battle for survival will never end and the race will not die out.
Forbidden things here include:
- Devils (duh)
- Venerating anyone and anything else than Lloth
Everything else is allowed. The rules are the same as in normal drow society. Apart from the fact that it's drow half-fiends who rule.
And everything that is done and said is connected with the Spider Queen. If the goddess was to ever visit this layer, all the folk here would drop to their knees and cease any activity out of wonder and religious awe.
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I think it's all. I always thought "drow half-fiends are cool, why don't they rule?". Any comments?
Zireael |
| The Sage |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 01:25:20
I'd actually forgotten about all of this. No surprises there, I guess. 
I'll dig through my old files and see what I can find. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 22:26:59
Sounds like you're onto a winner there, Zireael. Give it a quick write up and post it! I haven't done anything Realmsy in AGES largely due to being stupidly busy and usually nowhere near a computer... I dunno, any other random ideas for an abyssal layer wafting around out there? |
| Zireael |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 08:39:23
No new ideas? Personally I thought about a layer governed by a child of Lloth or one of her generals.. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 15:41:09
Yeah, in my experience it's kinda hard to just drop extra-planar travel into an ongoing campaign without either loads of pre-planning or severing yourself from continuity. Randomly falling through a portal to plane/layer/dominion X for a bit of monster mashing would be hard pressed to do it much justice, but otherwise it can dominate a whole adventure or story arc and sideline more 'mundane' material which runs the risk of making it less of a novelty. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 13:40:44
I was pleased with that particular write-up. I'm only sorry I never had much opportunity to properly use it in my campaigns. |
| Knight of the Gate |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 12:34:12
Great work,guys! I like that Sage, in particular, gave a home to an otherwise 'throw away' group of planars. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 08:50:39
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Very nice, CG [great, now I'm thinking that's short for "Captain-General"]. Maybe I should dust off a few of my older planar creations and add them here as well.
*There you go, Wooly. Mark another duty off my infamous "To-Do" list. This one only took just over six years to get back to.*
Awesome! You definitely gotta get your old planar goods out for display, the more cool material in circulation the better. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 01:38:59
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Very nice, CG [great, now I'm thinking that's short for "Captain-General"]. Maybe I should dust off a few of my older planar creations and add them here as well.
Captain-General? What's a fan of Sunny-boy doing thinking of that imposter? 
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
*There you go, Wooly. Mark another duty off my infamous "To-Do" list. This one only took just over six years to get back to.*
Wow, I think that's a new record for you -- for the shortest length of time to accomplish something!  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 01:09:28
Very nice, CG [great, now I'm thinking that's short for "Captain-General"]. Maybe I should dust off a few of my older planar creations and add them here as well.
*There you go, Wooly. Mark another duty off my infamous "To-Do" list. This one only took just over six years to get back to.* |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 22:30:49
Another 'notable location'
Pit of Achariel:
On one of the relatively quiet regions of the Hollow Fury’s vast realm there is place where the scorching heat and deadly fumes relent. This place is a great, jagged, bottomless pit out of which whispers a cool breeze, on which the careful listener can hear pleas for help. In the void of this pit the Hollow Fury has bound the spirit of a powerful avenging angel and an army of righteous souls, those of a holy crusade that came looking for the ancient Imaskari who had left their home world. As punishment for their insolence, the walls of the crusaders prison have been studded with many portals leading to many secret places across the planes; ones that, on their own, the crusaders will never reach.
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| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 21:34:28
Do feel free to comment on and add to Grinding Teeth, we could really do with a few more 'community projects' to tinker with and speculate on around here! |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 21:32:23
History:
Mighty though the Hollow Fury and his realm are, they are both young by the measure of Abyssal layers and relatively reclusive. The Hollow Fury is by and large happy to play at being a godling within his own realm and draw sustenance from the endless strife in his name. This unusual behaviour has on occasion attracted the attention of other demon lords, not least Orcus and Demogorgon, who have been known to send armies into Grinding Teeth to try and pluck out what secrets and resources they might happen across, but the realm has thus far proved strangely resilient. The relationship the hollow Fury has developed with Graz’zt, however, could almost be described as civilised. Shub,Naraghul has on occasion acted as a prophet and vizier in Graz’zts cosmos spanning intrigues, and in return has been given conquered territories Graz’zt no longer desires. These scraps of abyssal territory have been slowly assimilated into Grinding Teeth, to what end is anyone’s guess.
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| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 21:17:10
Notable Locations:
Fires of the Un-Creator:
A circle of nine mighty volcanoes that thrust up from the centre of a vast ash plane, they are notable for the terrible lava flow that they issue forth. From each peak, an unceasing column of twisting mage plunges into the ash clouds above, never to be seen again. These mighty pillars of fire, miles high, can be seen from nearly any corner of the layer, conditions permitting. The destructive power of this liquid fire is also notable; the very souls of those unfortunate to die by their heat are trapped there to burn forever unless rescued by the most potent of spells, and even the most powerful of artefacts can be reduced to glowing dust. With the correct ritual sacrifice, even the memory of that consumed by the fires can be burned from existence.
The Hollow City:
On a cratered peak not far from the Fires of the Un-Creator, the greatest of the Hollow Fury’s many temple-cities rises, and from this terrible place he lords over his dominion. Tides of blood flow forever down every stair and down from every window, turning all the lands around the Hollow City into festering swamps, great bone pyres populate every alley and corner with dancing shadows, and the screams and bellows of the places ungodly inhabitants form a constant symphony for the pleasure of their master. Here is where many of the greatest of the once-human magi and the least insane demons hold court and plot against each other, scrabbling for power and pursuing their own obscene projects. Desecrated magic of great power not seen on Toril since the death of Mystra can be found here, and services rendered to the powers of this place can fetch a high price indeed.
Nehe’Khara:
Once an island kingdom of Zakara ruled by black magic, the realm sank under the weight of its own depravity and eventually came to rest among the mountains of Grinding Teeth. The inhabitants of this blasphemous realm were not given the gift of sweet death, however, and now they form a legion of undead bound forever in their spectral forms to this land of the dead and the will of the Hollow Fury.
1’000 Temples of Fury:
The thousand or so temple-cities that thrust jaggedly from the landscape of Grinding Teeth swell constantly with the commerce of evil and the machinery of war, and for every living temple-city, there are easily a thousand more that lay in half plundered and smouldering ruin. Loath as the abyss is to tolerate any order or reason, these monuments to pain and hatred are for the most part ruled by once-human mage cabals with demon and undead enforcers bound to their will, and their economies are based for the most part on slavery, plunder, blood sacrifice and the mining of supernatural materials from the very flesh of Grinding Teeth. As their supreme act of worship, these bloody theocracies make endless war on each other and the more primitive inhabitants of the layer, striving ever to find favour with their distant master and long lost power in the unending layers of ruin and death carpeting the lands.
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| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 21:14:07
Name: Grinding Teeth
Number: 417
Demon Lord: Shub’Naraghul, the Hollow Fury
General Description:
To describe this abyssal realm, the Grinding Teeth, as a rocky desert is to sin unforgivably against the arid regions of the mortal realm. Black mountains pierce what passes for a sky in this nightmare in all directions like rotten teeth closing around the observer, and ochre dust and rubble flow between them like desiccated slobber. Fire flows from countless wounds in the ground, and gouts of magma descend from the ash clouds that obscure the sky without warning. Great orbs, like the defiled carcasses of a thousand stolen suns, wander listlessly through the tortured atmosphere, sometimes disappearing above the ash vault, and sometimes colliding with the ground to cataclysmic effect. Stillness here is unheard of; sand storms are constant, the very rocks and stand writhe as though in agony and fiery fissures seem to hunt with unnatural will for victims as they tear open the putrid landscape.
Shub’Naraghul:
The lord of Gnashing Teeth is a mind wrecking monstrosity wholly suitable for lordship over such a vile realm. Thirty meters tall stands the hulking frame of this vaguely humanoid, hunched and obscenely brutal creature. Its flesh is the black of the thickest clotted blood, and its many pustules and fissures ooze a glowing hot ichor. Three mighty cloven hooves hold the creature’s bulk aloft, leaving smouldering craters where they fall, and a writhing tales strikes out from his back, many times his height in length. From the beasts upper body, three pairs of oversized limbs reach out; one is a pair of shrivelled hag like talons from his chest that burn with eldritch power; the second, from his shoulders, are great rending bestial claws that constantly drip with curtains of gore; the third is a mighty pare of leathery wings, not unlike great webbed hands, that cast off great clouds of burning ash as they beat. The creatures head is a misshapen fleshy mass of countless unmatched eyes that see unknowable truths and mouths that speak affronts to all creation, and above this head floats a darkly majestic crown of fire. Finally, from whence the beast takes its name, a great wound is open in his chest that reveals an infinite void of utter shrivelling blackness, deep within which a great burning eye stares forth with incomprehensible malignance. The tools of evil possessed by the Hollow Fury are many, and the unique and mighty attendants that follow it are uncounted.
Inhabitants:
As abyssal life defies and defiles true life, it thrives and cavorts in this impossible place. Swarms of mindless swarm beasts without mortal analogue infest every corner of this realm. They nest in the mountains, swim in the magma and orbit in great flocks around the drifting orbs, obscuring what little illumination they cast upon the place. Not everything here is mindless, however; vast fortified temple-cities, preserved by the dark grace of the Hollow Fury, stand as monuments to hatred and pain of such magnitude as to trivialise all mortal constructions. As well as demons and undead of every persuasion, things that once were men dwell in these accursed places. They came from the mortal empire that would one day be known as Imaskar, and they are descended from the first magi of that land who dared the horrors of the Abyss. Now they rule the temple-cities as the priesthood of the Hollow Fury, and care naught for their long forgotten home world.
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| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 19:09:52
hmmm... I think this dusty old scroll is worthy of resurrection. I'll dust it off and see if I can add anything to it in the near future. |
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