More specifically, Gaping Maw. I like putting my players through environmental hazards and some thunderstorms, blizzards etc do much to enhance the atmosphere, so I'd like to continue doing that in Abyss, where my players just arrived. But the problem is, I have no idea what it's like! Given that Abyss is a chaotic plane, I imagine it's a bit different than on the Prime Material, so does anyone know just how different? Are there any tables in some book that I missed? If no, did anyone make up his own?
I seem to remember books like Frostburn, Sandstorm and Stormwrack also have things like magical weather. And some comments on cold, heat, etc. on the planes. Perhaps they can inspire you.
Personally? I'd say: Demogorgon is Lord of Gaping Maw, he is the undisputed master of the whole layer. So the weather works at his whim, as though the whole place were covered with constant Control Weather at his caster level (it can be dispelled, but he can reinstate the effect as a free action on his turn). Thus, the weather conditions in any given place will be set up to favor his troops, or at the very least, punish the intruders as much as possible. For example, on the shore you could have a roaring windstorm that makes flight practically impossible, forcing PCs to navigate the mine-fields and making ranged attacks hard. In the jungle, you could have a savage rainstorm, making ground slick and sight bad. (Or a dry lightning storm that starts a forest fire). Since it's the abyss, you could also use more flashy effects: Call Lightning Storms, Evil Weather, Ice Storm and Sleet Storm effects, outright Whirlwinds -maybe even a Storm of Vengeance or two, or the occasional Earthquake.
Since, presumably, this takes some attention for Demogorgon to pull off, it would be fair to let the PCs exploit that in furthering the "distract Demogorgon in as many ways as possible" tactic -say, if they successfully dispel the Control Weather effect, that counts as an instance of distraction, which adds negative levels, in case they haven't fulfilled all the possible conditions.
It should definatly rain blood at some point... very memorable expirence for abyssal travelers! :)
I went to Panama for 2 week drill Nat'l Guard.
During the rainy season, it would rain every half hour for 10 minutes, and then be sunny, as the clouds marched in from the sea.
Combine this with "raining blood," and have the trees in the jungle open up tiny mouths with tongues to lap it up when the bloodrain starts.
It should definatly rain blood at some point... very memorable expirence for abyssal travelers! :)
I went to Panama for 2 week drill Nat'l Guard.
During the rainy season, it would rain every half hour for 10 minutes, and then be sunny, as the clouds marched in from the sea.
Combine this with "raining blood," and have the trees in the jungle open up tiny mouths with tongues to lap it up when the bloodrain starts.
That's a cool visual. I can't wait to swipe that and use it. Thanks!
Also, if you have an old Manual of the Planes lying around there may be some Abyssal inspiration there. Or Planescape. There's even some Planescape OG content online.
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