How do they get back?
After Test of the Smoking eye how are the PC's to get back to the marieral plan? We have a cleric that can cast
Plane Shift
You move yourself or some other creature to another plane of existence or alternate dimension. If several willing persons link hands in a circle, as many as eight can be affected by the plane shift at the same time. Precise accuracy as to a particular arrival location on the intended plane is nigh impossible. From the Material Plane, you can reach any other plane, though you appear 5 to 500 miles (5d%) from your intended destination.
Note: Plane shift transports creatures instantaneously and then ends. The creatures need to find other means if they are to travel back.
Focus: A small, forked metal rod. The size and metal type dictates to which plane of existence or alternate dimension the spell sends the affected creatures.
But dose this work to go back to the material plan? I know very little about the plans and this will be my first expericance with them (as a player or a DM)
A little advice would be great thanks
They have to resort to overland travel to get back...so it will likely take a while (unless another PC has picked up Teleport in the meanwhile...in which case he probably knows some portion of Cauldron well enough to expidite your journey).
Honestly, I'm using the extra time as an opportunity, having the PCs show up near Sassarine and letting them actually spend some serious money and buy some goods not available at Skye's Treasury.
They have to resort to overland travel to get back...so it will likely take a while (unless another PC has picked up Teleport in the meanwhile...in which case he probably knows some portion of Cauldron well enough to expidite your journey).
Honestly, I'm using the extra time as an opportunity, having the PCs show up near Sassarine and letting them actually spend some serious money and buy some goods not available at Skye's Treasury.
please clarify.. i'm talking about getting back from occupus... the 51st (i think) layer of the abyss... they can't walk home from there. Dose the plan shift work from a plain that the cleric is not from?
Plane shift will indeed work to get the PCs from Occipitus to the Material Plane. If none of the PCs can cast this spell, Saureya the fallen astral deva or Tiluklatl the couatl can use their plane shift spell-like abilities to help the PCs out.
Thanks... i've never dealt with the plains before as a PC or a DM... this helps a bunch
Also remeber that they can pick up the Lesser Amulet of the planes from Kaurophon when they kill him. And doesn't Kaurophon give them scrolls of plane shift when they get to Occipitus?
Oh, and it's the 507th layer of the Abyss
Oh, and it's the 507th layer of the Abyss
that's right i did not have the magazine in front of me i knew it had a 5 in it
Sorry...misunderstood the question. As Pyre has already pointed out, the PCs should have 3 scrolls of Plane Shift given them by Kaurephon when they first came here...plus the Lesser Amulet, the potential allies, etc...
I thought you were trying to deal with the up-to-500 miles of getting back to Cauldron once they're back to their proper plane.
Sorry...misunderstood the question. As Pyre has already pointed out, the PCs should have 3 scrolls of Plane Shift given them by Kaurephon when they first came here...plus the Lesser Amulet, the potential allies, etc...
I thought you were trying to deal with the up-to-500 miles of getting back to Cauldron once they're back to their proper plane.
that's cool i was sitting at working and i realised that my cleric would be a level two low to cast plain shift... But thanks... as for the 500 miles i'm going to make it so the have to go by crazy jarrads hut... he is my favorit NPC so far. him and an ettin named Dumb grum that i made up on the stop that the party befreinded in the underdark
I actually had to augment the Plane Shift abilities of the party by having Kaurophon give the party an extra few scrolls in order to acommodate all 12 of them, with the party cleric using a scroll along with Kaurophon using his amulet; getting back, however, might be troublesome - I doubt either the deva or the couatl would be willing to help an Evil party, and they only have one priest...
M
if scrolls and allies don't work, there's allways the really long way round: through sigil.
There has to be at least one portal to the first layer of the abyss: the plane of endless portals. And from there, its only a few bribes Plaque Mort and the nearest gate to Sigil. Of course getting from Sigil back to Cauldron could be more difficult.
if scrolls and allies don't work, there's allways the really long way round: through sigil.
There has to be at least one portal to the first layer of the abyss: the plane of endless portals. And from there, its only a few bribes Plaque Mort and the nearest gate to Sigil. Of course getting from Sigil back to Cauldron could be more difficult.
I think my party would die in that because they would start some fight with some demon that could kill and epic party...
Traveling through Sigil is at their own risk of course. Still, staging an encounter where a Cornugon splatters a passer by for looking the wrong way may just convince them to mind their own business.
Moving to the final encounter against Adimarchus, the "How do we get back" question came up when the party wizard (with the smoking eye, no less) was killed, and no one left could cast a plane shift spell.
I think the party driud (by then 20th level) turned herself into a creature that could plane shift as a supernatural ability, and then plane-shifted their way back.
If that doesn't work out right by the rules, then my memory is off on how they returned. I know that we sat there for thirty minutes or so looking up to make sure everything was legit. All I can say is that the players came up with a solution that worked per the rules, and a darn good idea also.
...I think the party driud (by then 20th level) turned herself into a creature ...
Wow!!
A 20th level druid?? How he/she managed to reach 20th level so early?By the way, I love the idea to dispose the players next to Sasserine when they plane travel.
they've never been there before, and it's a good excuse to leave then there.
Nanmaniac
I was talking about ToTSE he was talking about the last part of the adventure path (assilum?) so she sould be 20th level if not almost epic by the end AP1
I run the D&D rules pretty loose - so Kaurophon's amulet would get the group back when they used it no matter what. It just happens the way I want it because hey - I'm the DM! Don't question it!
So as I'm doing some early prep for asylum i started researching Carceri: As i read about it i find that you can't just plain shift in and out. Why you might ask? because the plain itself is a prison. I found that the river styx can get you out but i could not find out how. I know that i'm the Dm and can change things around if i wish but i was hoping for some help?
So once again how do they get back???
So as I'm doing some early prep for asylum i started researching Carceri: As i read about it i find that you can't just plain shift in and out. Why you might ask? because the plain itself is a prison. I found that the river styx can get you out but i could not find out how. I know that i'm the Dm and can change things around if i wish but i was hoping for some help?
So once again how do they get back???
LOL-Wow it seems that you put the finger on a major flaw ! Due to the penitentiary nature of the plane, no one can plane shift ? Great !
Perhaps this rule only applies to those who have been sent to Carceri as a punishment. That's what I would tell my players if they ask. (They won't. They don't know a damn thing about planes lol). Anyway that could be fun not to let them plane shift back to the Material Plane by magic. Once they are on Occipitus the only way back is to pass the Test of the Smoking Eye. However, you will then need an explanation for Kaurophon. How is he able to plane shift when nobody else can ?
Or perhaps the remnants of Celestia on Occipitus create the conditions to travel by magic when it's impossible anywhere else ?
What dou you think ?
Bran
So as I'm doing some early prep for asylum i started researching Carceri: As i read about it i find that you can't just plain shift in and out. Why you might ask? because the plain itself is a prison. I found that the river styx can get you out but i could not find out how. I know that i'm the Dm and can change things around if i wish but i was hoping for some help?
So once again how do they get back???
Well, after the Test of the Smoking Eye they simply plane shift out, since Occipitus is located in the 507th layer of the Abyss, and not in Carceri.
"So as I'm doing some early prep for asylum i started researching Carceri"
I have laready run test of the smoking eye So Occipitus was not a promble. I'm talking about the Final adventure in the campaine... when they all go to fight animagis (SP) they ahve to go to Carcer then somehow they need to get to Occipitus to kill him again... but Carceri is a prison plain
Lordmolay,
first off, you have some great questions and even better ideas. Personally, I sometimes have a lot of trouble reading them, because of the many typo's. May I sugest you proofread your posts before hitting the submit button? It makes my life just a bit easier :-)
I have some old planescape books on carceri I checked. Here's what I found:
Getting out of Carceri is not easy. But there are ways of escaping. Carceri has at least a few well documented (and even better guarded) gates out. A group of determined adventurers could get out with a bit of effort. The most obvious route would be to travel to Othrys and then either take the gate
back into Crust on the Outlands or visit the Bastion of Last Hope. From there, they could probably find a guide that can take them back to either the Outlands, Sigil or (with a tremendous amount of luck) Oerth. Be prepared to pay dragon's hoard in bribes!
Another option is to take the Styx (as you pointed out). The only creatures who know the foul styx well enough are the Marraenoloths. If you are willing (and desperate enough) to trust them, they'll ferry you to a neighboring plane (either the Grey Waste or the Abyss). for a hefty fee of course. Het, but what's that holy avenger really worth if you're stuck on a prison plane, right? From there it should be easier to catch a portal back home.
A final (and desperate) option is to travel to a place known as the Vault, on Colothys, Carceri's fifth layer. It is a prison used by one of Sigil's factions called the Mercykillers. It is the place they stowe the worst of the worst. Those that even Sigil is afraid to let lose on their streets. The Vault is a massive stone domed building with no way in or out. Not even the tiniest of windows. A single portal is rumoured to lead to deepest level of their headquarters in the city of doors, also called the prison. Better have a way out of there too. Being stranded in the prison is not much of an improvement over Carceri.
Thank you o so very much and I'm sorry about the spelling i will try and be more careful about running my posts threw spell check first.
These have given me some cool ideas for a small epic campaign in witch the main goal will be to get home. It looks like i need to locate a copy of plainscape. Or are there several books that i should look into? Do you have any titles that i should be after?
Thanks again you have been lots of help...
Thank you o so very much and I'm sorry about the spelling i will try and be more careful about running my posts threw spell check first.
These have given me some cool ideas for a small epic campaign in witch the main goal will be to get home. It looks like i need to locate a copy of plainscape. Or are there several books that i should look into? Do you have any titles that i should be after?
Thanks again you have been lots of help...
Hey no problem. Keep us posted on your campaign. I'm curious what you're going to come up with. It may be something I can use too.
My main reference was the Planes of Conflict boxed set. Your other option is the campaign setting (also a boxed set). They're out of print, but you may be able to get it as a pdf or through ebay. I've seen them go for about $80, so the price might be too steep for a couple of adventures.
There's an extremely active planescape community online you can check out.
Try www.planewalker.com, the official fan site
or the pits of evil for a great planescape messageboard
'm in the process of getting some planescape material in PDF but that may or may not work. I have been to Planewalker and gotten some good info there and i will try Pits of evil very soon. (see what i can get)...
What I plan to do is let the PC's think that they are finished with the Game as the Slay adimarchus. And knowing the Party Cleric they will try and Plane Shift. Ooops that dose not work. Science they should already be familiarly with the bastion of lost hope and harrowfell. They should have some contacts on the plane. One of witch will be someone that will have given them info in Bastion.
Their guide (still working on a name) he will appear to be a Human there is a magical and evil aura (I have a wizard with permanent Arcane site and a Paladin so assuming they live this will have to be known) However he is a Special Imp that I worked up. A medium 12HD imp mortal slayer (BoVD) he can assume the shape of any mortal (except Dragons that's his last level of the prestige class) Think Hellboy without horns
He will agree to help the PC's out Via the river styx.
This is all the detail I have so far. I do have a 90% of the Imps Stat Block is done. I will be taking Npcs out of other books and making them demonic in decryption and maybe a few different abilities.
The thing I'm having problems with is how the river styx works
How long dose it take to get to another plane? How long to a different plane with in a plane (ie the levels of carceri)
There must be guardians to stop just anyone from traveling the river what would them be?
Still working on some of this but I do have some time. My party moves fast but they are still just getting ready for the fight with Valadure (happening this Sunday)a
Please let me know if you have any ideas. This is the highest anyone in my party has gone in levels and no one has plaid epic. This is also my fist time as a DM (I mean I started with lifesbizzar as my first DM adventure and keep going with the campaign)
Thanks a Bunch
Good ideas Lordmolay.
Nobody is in Carceri because they like it there. They're either hiding from something bigger and more powerfull, or they're imprisoned there (by something bigger and more powerfull). Being on carceri too long messes you up. Betrayal becomes second nature. How would these features influence hellboy?
On the Styx:
The styx is a plannar pathway that worms its way accross the lower planes. It runs from Pandemonium to Archeron (or the other way arround, you never can tell).
The river takes on aspects of the planes it travels through. On Pandemonium, it may be little more that a shallow drip that falls from a lone stalagmite. On the Grey Waste, it's a broad river that meanders through the plane (think mississippi sp?). On the Abyss it's a raging torrent.
One thing it has in common all over the planes, though: travelling over it is never safe. First of all, the very nature of the river turns against whoever attempts to taverse it. For touching the styx drains your memories. A short dip and you may have lost a day's worth of memories. A quick swim and you'll probably forget everything you ever knew. Including your name.
Second, the river can play tricks on you. It twists and turns, often doubling back on itself. The river itself has no real beginning or end. It just flows in one great loop across the planes. It's quite easy to get completely lost on the styx.
Unlike most planar pathways, the transition form one plane to the next goes almost without notice. One moment a cutter can be on the Abyss, the next, he's in Archeron. And he travelled to a different plane.
The only ones who seem not to be bothered by these two effects are the Marraenoloths. They are the oarsmen of the Styx. Traveling with them is a mixed blessing at best. The only masters they truely serve are their Yugoloth Superiors. Thus if it is in the 'loth's interest that a party of adventurers take a small detour, say through a Baatezu legion, that's exactly the route the party will take. And if a party doesn't co-operate, it can allways tip the boat, dumping the entire party into the styx. ravel time to get to a different plane trhough the styx can take anything form a few hours to a couple of weeks, depending on all of the factors above. Still, not using a Maernoloth oarsmen is probably an even greater risk.
The final risk is really a doezy, though: Because the styx is a planar pathway, it is often used by both Tanar'ri and Baatezu to transport troops to whatever battleflield happens to be the flavour of the week. Both sides build great fortresses allong the banks of the styx, attack any vessle they do not recognise as one of their own. It may be an enemy transport after all! So expect an occasional attack in the course of a boatride. Or perhaps, even better, a boat filled with tannar'ri just looking for a fight!
Between you and one of the guys and the En boards this has helps lots… I still have a few questions
Are there any stats for these Marraenoloths? Where can I get them? Are there any pics of them?
Just shooting out some ideas I think that my Hellboy (appearance Red Imp like but bigger that's what meant) creature will a contact that has Captured a young and injured Marraneloth (if this makes since with the stats). With these untrustworthy Guides they will attempt to travel the river… or something like that… still kicking around ideas
Oh and thank you so much this will be fun
stats.. let's see...
monster manual 2, page 202. The picture is kind of cartoonish, though. Just immagine a skeletal oarsman dressed in full-length tattered robes. Like this one
glad you like it.
So as I'm doing some early prep for asylum i started researching Carceri: As i read about it i find that you can't just plain shift in and out. Why you might ask? because the plain itself is a prison. I found that the river styx can get you out but i could not find out how. I know that i'm the Dm and can change things around if i wish but i was hoping for some help?
So once again how do they get back???
This only affects natives of Carceri. There is no such restriction on visitors (if my Planescape memory serves).
This only affects natives of Carceri. There is no such restriction on visitors (if my Planescape memory serves).
Í recall one can plane shift into carceri, but not out. Similarly, there are many gates (relatively speeking) into carceri but very few that work both ways. And gates that only go out of carceri are almost unheard of. The few gates that lead out of carceri are fiercly guarded by Carceri's natives.
Still, I can't find any source to confirm this... it may have been my imagination :)