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View Full Version : Seeking Salvation: Hellbred



CockroachTeaParty
2008-04-15, 01:51 PM
I recently got my grubby mitts on a copy of Tyrants of the Nine Hells, and I must say I like the fluff behind the new race, the Hellbred. These pour souls are doomed to eternal suffering in Hell lest they redeem themselves and prove they are worthy of joining the good souls of the upper planes.

I was wondering, what are some actions a Hellbred can take that you would consider worthy of salvation? The Codex mentions things like single-handedly repelling a horde of invaders to save an entire city, or slaying an Archdevil or Demon Lord. But what of more subtle methods? Would melting the icy heart of a terrible tyrant king and turning his ways to good count? What of developing new spells to help combat the forces of evil, or founding a knightly order of justice in a land bereft of hope?

Does anyone have any good ideas? I'm considering including the Hellbred in my next campaign, and while I agree that their plight should not be easy to overcome, I don't want their struggle to seem completely hopeless.

Gorbash
2008-04-15, 02:41 PM
I'm sorry, but melting the icy heart of a tyrant doesn't NEARLY compare to killing Archdevils and Demon Lords...

hamishspence
2008-04-15, 02:43 PM
should be large scale, whatever it is. Minimum size, city scale. Redeeming a city ruler and ending the evil he is wreaking. Might be a good start. Founding an order of paladins after questing the country for candidates. Or whatever you think is most fun, campaign-wise.

If using the FC2 mechanics for corrupt acts, who qualify for Hellbred? given that 9 pts is described as "condemned to hell no matter what good he did in life" yet hellbred fluff itself is "repented before condemnation to hell"

I'd go with the first bit being valid only for people who didn't begin repentance. For those who did, yet didn't complete it in time to remove the corruption point, hellbred. For those whose repentance was deathbed, and no effort at making any kind of atonement at all was made, Spectres of Dis.

which might mean, if you are attaching it to previous version of character, plot hooks. Whatever the crimes he began trying to redeem himself for, before he died, he can follow up on as a hellbred, repairing some of the damage he did, as well as trying to do huge Good acts.

Grynning
2008-04-15, 02:55 PM
Hellbred didn't repent BEFORE they were condemned, they did so after they'd already had a dip in the good ol' lake of fire. Basically the reason they're still condemned is that they were only scared straight when they knew how bad hell was.

They are very fun to play, I like the fact that their appearance and abilities totally appear at odds with they're alignment. One thing that does bug me though - the bonus feat they get. It's only benefit is that it lets you call upon a devil for a small bonus once a day. Isn't that explicitly evil? Do they have to atone every time they use that, or is it only there as a "temptation" mechanic? Are they completely screwed if they ever activate this feat?

I kinda think it's there only so that they can qualify for other feats. meh.

hamishspence
2008-04-15, 03:08 PM
No, transformation isn't to do with dip in lake of fire, but damage caused by struggle for hellbreds soul by both sides. it is explicitly stated that those who repent on the way down, before they hit, are the spectres of Dis.

And they don't need the pact to get devil's favor, they get the feat automatically. Given that the sample hellbred paladin has multiple devil touched feats, I would guess that the feats themselves don't count as evil for the purposes of using them. For hellbred, at least. Other classes might need to be more careful.

SurlySeraph
2008-04-15, 03:15 PM
One thing that does bug me though - the bonus feat they get. It's only benefit is that it lets you call upon a devil for a small bonus once a day. Isn't that explicitly evil? Do they have to atone every time they use that, or is it only there as a "temptation" mechanic? Are they completely screwed if they ever activate this feat?

I think the idea is that the devil is bound to help them in its capacity as an being of Law, rather than as an being of Evil.

SilverClawShift
2008-04-15, 03:50 PM
One thing that does bug me though - the bonus feat they get. It's only benefit is that it lets you call upon a devil for a small bonus once a day. Isn't that explicitly evil? Do they have to atone every time they use that, or is it only there as a "temptation" mechanic?

A big theme of the Hellbred race is that they use evil to fight evil. A hellbred paladin is allowed to use unholy swords, demon-forged armor, and technically, they're brimming with evil just existing.

I'd like to meet the DM who said they weren't allowed to use their racial-given feat without being evil.