Ideas for a Worldwound (Demonic Invasion)

[Amiel]

So, was thinking of running a short campaign for my friends that predominately revolves around the eruption of the Abyss into the Mortal Coil.
Inspired by the Worldwound of Pathfinder lore, their characters will encroach into that Abyss-haunted wasteland where crusades are being persecuted by shining knights and resplendent paladins. These lands are ruinous however, and the corruption of the Abyss is both tainting the land and the people living within it. Now more often than not, the crusades are also being persecuted against innocents accused of witchcraft or the struggling remnants of the original inhabitants who are accused of collaborating with the demons.
This is not helped by the political machinations of neighbouring lands who are sending their criminals into the crusades as a form of severe punishment, or who are send their spies and agitators to cause chaos.
The players could play as knights and paladins of holy conviction but they could also play as criminals or agitators from other countries sent to stir trouble.

There'll be demons of course, but I'll also take care to describe the visible results of the taint and corruption by the Abyss on the land.
What sorts of things would be awesome to be included do you think?

Was thinking of starting them off at 3rd level and having them access to all UAs as well as the usual classes.

[Belthien]

Demonic invasions are a perfect chance to include a team of angelic demon hunters in the mix. However, they aren't the friendly angels your mum read to you about. These are battle-hardened 'ends justify the means' angels who have been fighting too long and gone off the deep end. The old 'to fight monsters, you must become monsters' thing might be a trope, but I think it's a cool one. They're prepared to purge a whole village if there's a hint of corruption about it, and can act as allies or antagonists to the party depending on their actions. If its a low level encounter and you think there might be a fight, maybe there's only 1 or there's a few who are wounded and low on resources (as low level angels are still pretty powerful).


Was thinking of starting them off at 3rd level and having them access to all UAs as well as the usual classes.

I'd be careful of including all UA. There's a reason a lot of that crazy stuff didn't make it into published books.

[Amiel]

Demonic invasions are a perfect chance to include a team of angelic demon hunters in the mix. However, they aren't the friendly angels your mum read to you about. These are battle-hardened 'ends justify the means' angels who have been fighting too long and gone off the deep end. The old 'to fight monsters, you must become monsters' thing might be a trope, but I think it's a cool one. They're prepared to purge a whole village if there's a hint of corruption about it, and can act as allies or antagonists to the party depending on their actions. If its a low level encounter and you think there might be a fight, maybe there's only 1 or there's a few who are wounded and low on resources (as low level angels are still pretty powerful).

True that, the notion that good doesn't necessarily have to be nice means there'll be good roleplaying opportunities to act the part of the battle-hardened and emotionally scarred warrior, burdened by acts committed designed to perpetuate peace.
I also think the age old trope of "Becoming a monster to fight monsters" is a good one, and it'll be especially difficult to overcome in lands where the PCs will be constantly surrounded by corruption and taint, it'll be easy to lose their humanity in that abysmal place.


I'd be careful of including all UA. There's a reason a lot of that crazy stuff didn't make it into published books.
It'll just give me opportunity to introduce more challenging encounters :)

[Matuka]

Huge storm clouds that shoot red lightning and rain chanting skulls covered in red glowing runes. Players roll a dex save to avoid them and if they fail they get hit. The only safe places to hide are either underground or in a cave.

[Gecks]

Might be adding too many ingredients to the soup, but I could see hellish devils responding to this incursion from their abyssal rivals by subtly manipulating neighboring rulers into more and more ruthless, "scorched earth" campaigns, making deals with individual crusaders (power in exchange for engaging the enemy without mercy or concern for collateral damage), and generally adding to the air of corruption and despair in the region. The PCs could end up with some tough choices- would it be better to accept help from Devilish allies, turn a blind eye to them, or fight them whenever they turn up, thereby possibly tipping the balance of the conflict further towards the demons?