Infernal Invasion is a Private Online campaign that began on May 5th, 2024.
The campaign involves a group of powerful souls consigned to eternity in The Ten Hells instead put to work to combat a demonic incursion into the Sixth layer of the Hells, Malbolge.
About
The campaign primarily takes place in the Hells, with different events
Player Characters
Characters in the campaign are:
- Aestrik (Edelio)
- Damian Shryke (Keller)
- Kanari Meldros (Nin)
- Orlog (Cody)
- Zandar Krith (Jon)
NPCs
The Story So Far
It's likely you'll have a lot to say about the sessions or plotline so far, we we recommend linking the above text to a page called Infernal Invasion/The Story So Far
HA! There will be a summary of events. We'll have to see how close it is to my outline at the end.
Infernal Initiations
The characters were scattered across the Hells, with each arriving under different circumstances and being there in different company. Orlog was swiftly captured and placed in a prison where he was tortured for several days before questions even began. When the devils found out he had voluntarily sacrificed himself as part of some cult to return from the Hells in a bid to claim leadership in his religion they found it so hilarious that they stopped torturing him for a few days before inventing new ways to harass and torment Orlog's spirit. And yet, his positive attitude and certainty that he would one day return to the land of the living appeared never to waver. When Philani put out notice that she was collecting mortal souls which had not yet been transformed into fiends for the war effort, he was brought to a meeting chamber within the prison.
Aestrik entered the Hells both by accident and on purpose, but all while still alive. She was on a book signing tour and was told by her publisher that she could find a ready audience for her work through the plane shift spell when in reality he sent her to Hell, likely to horde the profits of her work without having to pay royalties. Upon arriving, Aestrik entered a settlement of fiends and was promptly arrested by the fiends there and thrown into prison. She was only there for a handful of days before a devil with infernal tattoos all over her skin took her from the cell and to the meeting room in the prison.
Zandar Krith, the hired killer, was quickly spotted by an Ink devil hoping to use his skills as an assassin. He put the man to work hunting uglier targets than he was used to, but nonetheless doing quite similar work to while Zandar was alive. He passed hands several times over the span of a month or so before eventually being informed of the opportunity that was rumored: a chance to return to life. Leaping at this opportunity, because it meant a chance to get revenge, Zandar used the resources and favors he had thus far accrued to get himself taken to the meeting place in the prison in Malbolge.
Kanari Meldros was lost in a fog for some unknown period of time before coming to herself on the shores of the Styx in Phlegethos. She was collected by a pack of many-legged creatures and escorted to Philani and Delphyne's fortress where she was promptly placed in a cell to await the mistress of the house's decision of what to do with her. Also inside the cell was an unnamed halfling who didn't remember much of his life or abilities, but was terrified of everything. When Philani inspected the prisoners, she determined that the halfling was useless and burned his soul, destroying it. Kanari, on the other hand, recalled some skills with bows and sneaking, so Philani decided to offer her the chance to prove herself with the other souls she was gathering.
Damian Shryke was killed by a priest and found himself in the Hells with the crushing worry that he had been forgiven looming over him. He was struggling to find any way to come back to life while crashing at the apartment of his imp familiar. His familiar told him of a rumor that Philani was supposedly offering a chance at resurrection, but told him it seemed sketchy because Philani has a reputation for imps in her employ simply disappearing. The familiar tried to talk Damien out of it, but he insisted on going, and they flew out of Abriymoch to her fortress to volunteer for the assignment Philani was offering. When they arrived, Philani took the group to Malbolge for the larger meeting and briefing, where contracts were presented to everyone to sign.
The Test
House Rules
- Potion Luck: When rolling for healing on a health potion the player may choose to keep their roll or choose an unknown roll made by the Dungeon Master.
- Other Potion Rules: The first 3 potions in a combat can be used on oneself as an action OR a bonus action as they are kept ready to use. Potions beyond that always require an action to use. Potions used on another character always require an action to use.
Magic Variations
Some spells either function differently from what you may be used to, or do not function at all. This list is not exhaustive, but includes the following: Summoning spells that call on beings from other planes will not function for the majority of the campaign. This includes spells like Find Familiar, Summon Fey, Conjure Woodland Beings, and so on.
Magic that allows for interplanar travel is already limited within the Hells, but has been further restricted within the plane to prevent any demons who normally have such capabilities from spreading across all of the infernal layers. This, does, however mean that spells like Plane Shift will not function.
Because the character’s souls are currently trapped in the Hells, resurrection magic can return them to life no matter how much time has passed so long as their body is not destroyed. If their body is destroyed, however, then not even a Wish or True Resurrection can bring the character back to life.
Clerics and Warlocks with gods or patrons not native to the Hells require additional DM approval for this campaign, as the channels which allow external power to flow through the domain have been constrained in this time of crisis.
All magic is likely to have strange infernal twists to it. Feel free to flavor your spells and magical effects appropriately without causing a mechanical change.
Infernal Initiations
Hellmar Survivor
You were born in the devastated plane of Hellmar, ruled by the absolute tyrant that is Asmodeus. It’s practically a miracle you’re alive, if you can call a life spent barely surviving in the burned-out wasteland Hellmar has become. You never let yourself imagine things could be better, but still you sometimes dreamed of a world full of life, and a life you might have there. You’ve fought and killed devils before in your efforts to stay as free as you can, but eventually, as everyone you’ve ever known has, or will, you were captured by the seemingly infinite infernal powers. Just before you are forced to become a fiend yourself one of the devils makes you an offer with the one thing that could torment you more than anything else: hope. There is a living world still out there, and you can have your life there… if the fiend gets what it wants. Gain your choice of one of the following feats: Gunner, Inspiring Leader, Lucky.
Murder Victim
Maybe you were a bad person, but you didn’t deserve or expect to die. Maybe you had an infernal contract that you were planning on fulfilling, but circumstances interrupted your plans. Or maybe you were a good person, and one of those pesky infernal cultists killed you and sent your soul to Hell instead of where it belongs. Either way, you died and found yourself in Hell. Your reasons for wanting to return to life and escape Hell may be just as varied as the cause that sent you here. You’ve been dead for some time now though, and you know things will be different if only you can get a second chance. Gain your choice of one of the Alert, Durable, or Fighting Initiate feats to reflect the new skill you’ve practiced to ensure things go better this time around.
Willing Martyr
You sacrificed your life to take the place of another whose soul was otherwise damned to the Hells. This person may have been someone you loved or a complete stranger, but the terms were clear, and you fully expected to spend the rest of your existence suffering the torments of Hell with the only solace being that the person you saved wouldn’t have to face the same thing. Gain your choice of one of the Sentinel, Shield Master, or Tough feats. This opportunity to escape from your fate seems almost too good to be true, but you know there is still more good you can do, and you don’t deserve to suffer for an eternity. Killing demons and putting a particular archfiend in power is a price you are willing to pay for your soul’s freedom.
Unwelcome Guest
You entered the Hells on your own terms, or by accident. Either way, you didn’t come the traditional way by dying. Still, you got caught by that patrol of devils, and now you’re stuck here, whatever means of escape you had in mind, far out of reach. Gain your choice of one of the Actor, Skulker, or Skill Expert feats reflecting your particular set of skills that convinced you that a trip in and out of the Hells was a good idea in the first place, or at least survivable.
Infernal Initiate
You were familiar with and have embraced your Infernal nature to some degree even before this opportunity presented itself. You have experience making deals with powers to gain some of your own. Gain either the Eldritch Adept feat or the Elemental Adept feat. If you are a Tiefling, you may instead choose either the Flames of Phlegethos or the Infernal Constitution feats. You died and were brought to Hell, but your work or desires in the land of the living are incomplete. You know that your soul will most likely return to Hell when you die again, but there are things you can only do in the living world, and you want to get back out and do them.
