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View Full Version : What would you put in a party member with a gate to the Astral Plane in his chest?3.5



celestialkin
2008-08-24, 04:18 AM
My players just did another of those "They did what?!" moments, which has lead to some interesting possibilities.

Some background before this gaming session:

A player is playing a paragon juggernaut warforged.
During his character creation he asked if he could have a homebrewed warforged component which was basically a bag of holding placed in his chest with a lockable door (the door being his front chest plating). I personally loved the idea, so I OKed it at double the bag of holding's price.
Considering the warforged's impressive size and bulk I rolled a medium sized creature could fit through his hatch without much problem.
The party has since placed everything from loot, to furniture, to dead party members in there (or should I say him?).
The party member slowing turning into a vampire kept on joking about putting his future coffin (when he needs it) in there for convenience.
The party is currently sailing on the boarder between the Plane of Water and the Plane of Air.



What happened this gaming session:

The party and their ship crew spot an island drifting on the endless ocean.
The party is disappointed when they near the island and discover that it is only about 6,765sqft big (roughly 33"x41" on our extra-large mat, or 165ftx205ft in-game), and the ground was only 10ft thick.
Although it was not the salvation they were hoping for, they were pleased when they saw some trees on the island from a distance.
Hoping to secure some much needed timber for ship repairs and ballista bolts the party lowers their plank and sets foot on the island with some followers.
Unknown to the PCs this island was actually made by humans centuries ago to keep a slightly evil (although more annoying than anything) little imp sealed away. The imp was located on a small pedestal in the center of the island, in a small transparent red tinted glass sphere which looked like an empty crystal ball, but was actually a small pocket dimension/nondimensional space style prison.
The warforged took the crystal ball, opened his chest (the player does a great job of always roleplaying this, while making a squeaky hinge sound), and PLACES THE SPHERE IN HIS CHEST/BAG OF HOLDING.
For a 20 seconds my brain fries and I stare at the player with a blank look on my face in a "WTF" moment as a DM. When I snap out of it I open my DMG and reread the Bag of Holding entry.
I decide to give the player a chance of surviving this, partly because all but one of the other PCs were within a 10-foot radius of him and this would have meant a near-TPK.
So I decide on a high Fort DC to see if the warforged had the strength and vitality to keep himself from being torn apart and imploding into the Astral Plane.
The warforged barely made the save.
I reasoned that since the process had taken place, and the player had to make the save to keep from being ripped apart, this almost certainly meant that the gate to the Astral Plane had been created. Since the warforged had managed to keep himself intact through pure strength and will, I decided that his meant that the hatch in his chest which once held a modified bag of holding now held a gate to the Astral Plane.
When they finished clearing out the island (it turned out that the trees they were after were actually awakened to guard the imp's prison, and they had appropriately sized weapons hidden within their leaves and branches) they decided to take a bit more than just the timber and large sized weapons... They had their followers spend the next month cutting up the whole island (again, it was only 10ft think) into 4ftx4ftx10ft pieces and transport it through the warforged into the Astral Plane. They used lots of metal rods they had found earlier to reinforce the structure. They also used some extra rope from the ship to tie it to the gate's frame.


Yes, that is correct, they took the WHOLE FREAKING ISLAND.



Aftermath of all this:
As we were wrapping up loose ends and getting ready to call it a night the group decided to leave their followers working on a project with the remaining timber and some supplies from the ship, while in-game six weeks pass as their ship is getting ferried underwater through a portal linking two separate points on the Plane of Water. They instructed them to build a small cottage on the island for the party to live in.

So basically, the party now has an island and home akin to Master Roshi's Turtle Island (see image below) INSIDE ONE OF THE PCs....

Master Roshi's home named Kame House:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/kamehouse.gif
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/kh2.jpg

You'd think this would be enough for anyone, right? Well apparently not. The players left off discussing ideas for everything from creating a craft shop to forge weapons and armors, farming land for crops to sell for profit, farming fields of hemp since the warforged's stomach doesn't fall under the jurisdiction or boarders of any kingdom, to using the warforged as a Trojan Horse who could sneak whole armies into a city. :smalleek:

Even better, the card-dealing halfing with aspirations of becoming a "pimp" was trying to talk the warforged into allowing him to open a brothel in there, since again it would not fall under the jurisdiction of any kingdom or land.

The warforged now seems intent on "charging rent". Seriously...

There was even talk of founding an entire city! I suggested starting smaller like a hamlet or thorp, though.




So, anyway, please forgive the extremely long post. My point was that all this lead me to wonder what other people would do with a situation like this. What creative things would you come up with? What things would you ram into your party member? What would you use this party member for?

AslanCross
2008-08-24, 04:41 AM
Two words: EPIC WIN.

Why don't my players do anything like this?

Seriously now: They basically have an infinite bag of holding.

1. Use him as a treasure vault for the party's entire hoard so they can access any of their stuff WHEREVER they are. Just make sure he doesn't die (though I guess you could open him up).

2. Raiding dragon hoards has never been so easy.

3. What if the Githyanki sense the rather large amount of matter floating in the Astral Plane and INVADE the Material Plane THROUGH A PC'S CHEST?

4. Any sensitive people whom the PCs have to transport safely would definitely be safer inside this guy's chest.

5. Incubate dragon eggs.

6. You practically have a permanent Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

7. Good place for the party's prepared spellcasters to rest and prepare spells, even in the field.

Merlon
2008-08-24, 04:59 AM
Sphere of Annihilation: At 35% probability, he can upgrade his status from warforged to walking planar rift. :smallbiggrin:

As for ideas what to do with current configuration.... Well.... Keith Baker has told many times that warforged evolve. Therefore, if he wants to be a walking gateway, then it leads to many interesting choices in future. Say, mechanical expanding, to make the gate in his chest bigger for better loading. Lifting mechanism. Installed guillotine for githyanki raiders trying to crawl through....

Get him to take a level or two artificer and imagination is limit.

Ah, but i must make your warforged a bit sad. He is only a gate now. To astral plane. Therefore he cannot ask rent for something that resides in that particular plane. He can charge for using the gate though. Get somebody to cast "Genesis" inside him. That'll be somewhat fun

jcsw
2008-08-24, 05:14 AM
What this needs is more decanter.

Merlon
2008-08-24, 08:22 AM
Why does it need a Decanter? Thinking of waterfall-type entrance from the chest of Warforged?

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-08-24, 08:25 AM
I'd try to get it re-directed to my MMM, so that I would have a permanent one. The Astral Plane is too risky.

If that didn't work, I'd use Wall of Stone and Fabricate to make a castle with no door, and Leadership to staff it fully with defenders and servants.

jcsw
2008-08-24, 09:04 AM
Why does it need a Decanter? Thinking of waterfall-type entrance from the chest of Warforged?

You can't ever have too much decanter. I wonder if you could also place an auto-resseting trap of bless water for a holy water factory.

Hell, you could store ALL your tippy-esque factories in there. Along with some people to stack and sort the hilarity that ensu- I mean the produce.

Jayabalard
2008-08-24, 09:08 AM
1. Use him as a treasure vault for the party's entire hoard so they can access any of their stuff WHEREVER they are. That's a really horrible idea; plenty of things can just stumble across your stuff if you just stash it in the astral plane.

Jack Zander
2008-08-24, 09:30 AM
Try and get the thing to suck everything inside of it when you open it and you can have a Miroku style weapon of mass destruction.

Just stay away from those damn bees.

wadledo
2008-08-24, 09:36 AM
Of course, the fact that he will never see the inside of it might cause a little tension.
And he'll have a bunch of random people crawling through his chest, which could make one feel mildly uncomfortable.

jcsw
2008-08-24, 10:15 AM
Try and get the thing to suck everything inside of it when you open it and you can have a Miroku style weapon of mass destruction.

Or he could be kirby...

shadow_archmagi
2008-08-24, 10:37 AM
Step one: Open numerous decanters of endless water inside the astral plane.
Step two: Close warforged chest to prevent water from escaping.
Step three: Wait for some time.
Step four: use Greater Lake Attack as needed.

Deth Muncher
2008-08-24, 10:49 AM
Step one: Open numerous decanters of endless water inside the astral plane.
Step two: Close warforged chest to prevent water from escaping.
Step three: Wait for some time.
Step four: use Greater Lake Attack as needed.
Step five: ????
Step six: Profit!

Fixed it for ya.


But really, this is SUCH a bad idea! Astral Rifts aren't good by any means! This means ANY inhabitant of the Astral Plane goes: "Hm, a portal. Better go through that." And suddenly Mr. Warforged has creatures POPPING OUT OF HIS CHEST.

Bad times.

shadow_archmagi
2008-08-24, 11:36 AM
Fixed it for ya.


But really, this is SUCH a bad idea! Astral Rifts aren't good by any means! This means ANY inhabitant of the Astral Plane goes: "Hm, a portal. Better go through that." And suddenly Mr. Warforged has creatures POPPING OUT OF HIS CHEST.

Bad times.

I'd assume the rift only exists if he has his chest open. You'll probably want to make some sort of magic bubble, so you can use it for storage, Greater Lake Attack as needed, and also only have to deal with amphibious creatures that can puncture whatever you were using to keep your stuff dry.

Flickerdart
2008-08-24, 12:20 PM
I think you should give him a dial that switches where the portal leads. Did someone say Negative Energy Plane cannon?

Chronos
2008-08-24, 01:17 PM
OK, here's what I'm wondering. The party obviously has access to some means of planar travel, since they're on the elemental planes. What happens when Mr. Warforged decides to visit the island in his belly, via Plane Shift or the like?

Uncle Festy
2008-08-24, 01:33 PM
@^: That's not the bad part. What happens when he tries to go through said portal? :smalltongue:

Ok.
Step one: Cast permanent superior invisibility on the warforged.
Step two: Have everyone go in the warforged.
Step three: Super awesome secret ninja attaaaaaack!!!!!!

AstralFire
2008-08-24, 01:50 PM
OK, here's what I'm wondering. The party obviously has access to some means of planar travel, since they're on the elemental planes. What happens when Mr. Warforged decides to visit the island in his belly, via Plane Shift or the like?

It's not a demiplane, it's just a door to the astral plane. So it'd be like taking a door and frame to a bedroom off the wall and placing it inside the room itself.

The door is presently useless at the moment, but still functional.

Now, if he contained a demiplane inside of him, that would be dangerous.

Flickerdart
2008-08-24, 01:52 PM
@^: That's not the bad part. What happens when he tries to go through said portal? :smalltongue:

Ok.
Step one: Cast permanent superior invisibility on the warforged.
Step two: Have everyone go in the warforged.
Step three: Super awesome secret ninja attaaaaaack!!!!!!
I can see it now.

whum whum whum whum whum footsteps, but you can't see anything...then people fall out of the air and kill everyone in the room.

icefractal
2008-08-24, 02:13 PM
Opening a brothel in there seems like trouble; two words ... party crashers. Imagine in a middle of adventuring:

BBEG: And now ... prepare to face my FLYING DEMON SHARKS!
Party: You'll never win, BBEG!
* Juggernaught's chest opens from the inside, Githyanki sticks his head out *
Githyanki: Hey, you know we're out of booze in here.
* Everyone stares at him *
Githyanki: Well? Oh, and I'm borrowing some of your furniture, my new pad on Pandemonium needs it.

BobVosh
2008-08-25, 12:02 AM
Ah, but i must make your warforged a bit sad. He is only a gate now. To astral plane. Therefore he cannot ask rent for something that resides in that particular plane. He can charge for using the gate though.

I'm imaging a paragon juggernaut warforge with a toolbooth attached to its chest. Then a halfling looking rather like a midget A Pimp named Slipback jumping out throwing coins into the booth at the same time. Then trying to get people to climb into his gigantic friend to have some fun.

If I were evil I would try to destroy oceans by dropping the warforge into them with the chest saudered open.

Dr Bwaa
2008-08-25, 01:09 AM
This is awesome. Also, weren't you the guy who got his players wandering the edge between the air and water planes for a year a month or so ago by doing something (almost) equally cool?

thegurullamen
2008-08-25, 01:09 AM
If I were evil I would try to destroy oceans by dropping the warforge into them with the chest saudered open.

How many Decanters would it take to negate that?

celestialkin
2008-08-25, 02:14 AM
This is awesome. Also, weren't you the guy who got his players wandering the edge between the air and water planes for a year a month or so ago by doing something (almost) equally cool?

Thank you.

And yes, that was me. Sadly (for me at least), one of the players (the "pimp") pulled a vizier card from a Deck of Many Things this very same game. So they ended up with a Star Trek: Voyager like shortcut through the Plane of Water to the "air breathers". Some of the advice you guys gave me turned out quite useful, though.

Also, thank you for remembering that. It makes me glad that something I posted was noticeable enough for someone to notice. :smallsmile:



How many Decanters would it take to negate that?

And that brings up the question: How many would it take to overflow an ocean?

AslanCross
2008-08-25, 02:24 AM
That's a really horrible idea; plenty of things can just stumble across your stuff if you just stash it in the astral plane.

True, but if they have a stronghold tied to the gate, they could hire guards. (Assuming they don't take it themselves.)

BobVosh
2008-08-25, 05:38 AM
What does the gate look like on the astral plane? Is it just a floating hole? Do you see an hollowed out half a chest with a way out? How big is this chest hole anyway?

Also I forgot to mention, I would totally store laffy-taffies in there. Vital. Nothing freaks out NPCs like the warforge opening his chest, showing there is a crazy island home in his stomach, pulling out candy, and then eating it.

Xanos
2008-08-25, 06:01 AM
Am I the only one who sees the epic possibilities of suprice attacks from his chest? =p
The rest of the party crawl through, and jump out in case of emergencies.
Following that thought, why not store an army in the, in due time? Make him a trojan horse!

Hal
2008-08-25, 06:14 AM
But really, this is SUCH a bad idea! Astral Rifts aren't good by any means! This means ANY inhabitant of the Astral Plane goes: "Hm, a portal. Better go through that." And suddenly Mr. Warforged has creatures POPPING OUT OF HIS CHEST.

Bad times.

Sure, but it means that the random encounter tables just became much more exotic and unpredictable.

Burley
2008-08-25, 09:33 AM
If I were the Warforged player, I would seek out the tired and trodden upon, the meek and the unrested. I would offer them sanctuary inside my chest cavity, on the island home I have created. Then, when I have amassed a fair following of those indebted to me, I will put my hands inside the gate, allowing it to suck me in. From there, I will rule the people as a benevolent god.
As for protection: Genius Loci (CM). I'll get a scroll of something.

Dr Bwaa
2008-08-25, 03:13 PM
1) Find another warforged
2) Build a Bag of Holding into HIS chest
3) put a nondimensional space in there
4) if he survives, proceed to step 5. If not, return to step 1.
5) Repeat steps 1-5 until you have sufficient Warforged Матрёшки (Matryoski--those Russian nesting dolls)
6) Nest Warforged within one another, along with weapons, props, etc, etc, and so forth.
7) Enjoy.

Alternately, store a few hired Wizards/Sorcerers in there with instructions to prepare nothing but empowered Disintegrate or other line attacks, and instructions to fire those attacks immediately straight out of the Gate every time it is opened. :smallbiggrin:

Uncle Festy
2008-08-25, 03:34 PM
Am I the only one who sees the epic possibilities of suprice attacks from his chest? =p

No.


Ok.
Step one: Cast permanent superior invisibility on the warforged.
Step two: Have everyone go in the warforged.
Step three: Super awesome secret ninja attaaaaaack!!!!!!
:smallamused:

Flickerdart
2008-08-25, 06:20 PM
1) Find another warforged
2) Build a Bag of Holding into HIS chest
3) put a nondimensional space in there
4) if he survives, proceed to step 5. If not, return to step 1.
5) Repeat steps 1-5 until you have sufficient Warforged Матрёшки (Matryoski--those Russian nesting dolls)
6) Nest Warforged within one another, along with weapons, props, etc, etc, and so forth.
7) Enjoy.

You win. Collect your one Internet at the door.

AlexanderRM
2008-08-25, 08:35 PM
Well, this turned out rediculously long...



3. What if the Githyanki sense the rather large amount of matter floating in the Astral Plane and INVADE the Material Plane THROUGH A PC'S CHEST?

Now, that's the only real problem I can see with this. This isn't just an infinite demiplane, this is the astral plane: there are other ways into it, and there are actually large numbers of creatures (such as the Githyanki) ALREADY IN THERE. Also... how is the island staying anchored to the gate? How does that even work? It's weird...
However, if someone could suggest a way to make a really large demiplane which can only be entered by one portal which you can carry around with you- (maybe like a portable hole? Or just like a bag of holding...) actually implanting it in the chest of a PC is a bonus- that would be simple awesomeness. Especially because you could do it deliberately and without having to make a fort DC or... yeah.



Of course, the fact that he will never see the inside of it might cause a little tension.
And he'll have a bunch of random people crawling through his chest, which could make one feel mildly uncomfortable.
Why can't he just plane shift to the astral plane?
If you find a way to alter it into a demiplane instead, then... think periscopes. Actually, a simple mirror might work just as well.

Really, though, that isn't the only advantage of NOT having the portal in the chest of a PC. There are advantages and disadvantages... maybe just have two portals.



I think you should give him a dial that switches where the portal leads. Did someone say Negative Energy Plane cannon?
Have the dial allow him to choose any plane or a demiplane you've created, and choose either random location or set location (I.E. there would be a certain location for the portal to appear in every plane, that would appear if the dial was set to that plane and but to Set location).
Actually, make multiple demiplanes: one normal, one slowed time, one speeded-up time, and one very speeded up time. Imagine... wizard is completely out of spells, they climb through the portal and come out one round later, fully healed and with a full days' worth of spells prepared.
Or even... PCs are fighting a BBEG and have basically no chance of defeating him, everyone climbs through the portal, the warforged climbs through the non-built-in portal, then a round or so later they all come back out six levels higher.



How many Decanters would it take to negate that?
Yeah, come to think of it, you could just flood the world with one decanter, maybe use multiple ones to make it go faster... but then you'd almost certainly have some NPC adventurer realizing that he can stop it by destroying the decanter.

Similar idea for a GOOD campaign: Use the dial to switch the place where the portal leads to to make it open onto the endless sea of holy water that surrounds Celestia, find a city of evil outsiders in a canyon with a steep cliff overlooking it, have Warforged stand at the edge of the cliff, face out over it, and open his chest. Watch the fun. Actually, that would work pretty well for an evil campaign...
Then, once the canyon has been completely flooded and you've let it sit for awhile and are sure that everyone who was in it is dead, switch the chest to lead to someplace else and drop carefully lower warforged into the deepest part, then loot the ENTIRE CITY. Say, you could use the water from that to destroy someplace else... maybe just have it drain into a random location on another evil plane.




6) Nest Warforged within one another, along with weapons, props, etc, etc, and so forth.

Alternately, store a few hired Wizards/Sorcerers in there with instructions to prepare nothing but empowered Disintegrate or other line attacks, and instructions to fire those attacks immediately straight out of the Gate every time it is opened. :smallbiggrin:
#1. Nope, that wouldn't work. All the gates go to the same astral plane: What people need to remember is that this isn't actually inside his chest, it's in another plane than his chest happens to lead to.
#2. That would prevent you from using it for anything else. It would be cool if you could do it, though... hmm...


So, in summary: modify him so that he has a dial of some sort to make the portal lead to any plane, as well as a few exclusive demiplanes. Then, use any and all awesome ideas presented here, using the demiplane for any awesome ideas that require that that be the only portal into it.

shadow_archmagi
2008-08-25, 08:39 PM
Wait, what happens if the warforged teleports to the astral plane and tries to walk through the portal from the other side?

Does he burst out of his own chest?

Dr Bwaa
2008-08-25, 08:49 PM
6) Nest Warforged within one another, along with weapons, props, etc, etc, and so forth.

#1. Nope, that wouldn't work. All the gates go to the same astral plane: What people need to remember is that this isn't actually inside his chest, it's in another plane than his chest happens to lead to.

Of course it works; you just have to do it in the right order. The Astral Plane is, unless I'm very much mistaken, infinite, and each Gate leads to a different part of the Astral Plane (as you mentioned earlier in your post). Therefore, so long as you only use the gates when one half is on each plane, it's still possible. Example:

#3 gets inside #2. #3 is now in the astral plane, with a gate to #2's chest in front of him.
#2 gets inside #1. #3 can't use his gate at the moment, because it goes to the chest of #2, who is also in the astral plane, thereby closing the gate for now. In order for #3 to get out, all he has to do is wait for #2 to go back to the material plane (or wherever #1 is), and then the gate #3 is holding reopens.

This also creates a great possibility for really bizarre imprisonment.

You need at least two of these warforged. Put your prisoner into the non-PC warforged's chest. The PC is now floating around in, or at best holding onto a gate, in the Astral Plane.
Now, put the warforged the prisoner went through into the PC warforged's chest, and instruct him to stay there (maybe kill him). The prisoner's gate is now deactivated, and will hang out there for as long as you need him to (or until someone else comes along and kills him, etc). Insert additional recursion as paranoia dictates.


#2. That would prevent you from using it for anything else. It would be cool if you could do it, though... hmm...

I don't see how this would prevent you from using it for anything else; it's not like you're going to run out of space in the astral plane or something.


EDIT:

Wait, what happens if the warforged teleports plane shifts to the astral plane and tries to walk through the portal from the other side?

Does he burst out of his own chest?

Woah!!! Unfortunately I think the answer is, the gate is closed since the other end is in the astral plane. However, depending on the group and the campaign, I might (just for fun) rule that instead the warforged has just cloned himself infinite times, because that would be sweeeeeeet.

BRC
2008-08-25, 08:53 PM
Woah!!! Unfortunately I think the answer is, the gate is closed since the other end is in the astral plane. However, depending on the group and the campaign, I might (just for fun) rule that instead the warforged has just cloned himself infinite times, because that would be sweeeeeeet.
Flashbacks to Schlock Mercenary and the twelve million Gav's

Chronos
2008-08-25, 10:14 PM
However, depending on the group and the campaign, I might (just for fun) rule that instead the warforged has just cloned himself infinite times, because that would be sweeeeeeet.But where are the clones?

Actually, though, if the gate doesn't close, then all that happens is that the warforged bumps his head against the edge of his plating. Think about it:

We start with a warforged standing in front of the entrance side of the gate. The gate is smaller than his chest, so obviously, to fit through, he needs to go through head first (or feet first, but that's equivalent).

He pokes his head in. We've now got a portal with the shoulders down of a warforged up against it, and a warforged head coming out of the chest.

He pushes further: Now we've got head and shoulders disappearing through the portal, and coming out of the chest.

At some point, we get to the point where the parts poking out of his chest are up against the edge of the portal, and he can't fit any further.

Arbitrarity
2008-08-25, 10:22 PM
Now, have the warforged standing in front of the portal, with his chest open, and a mindflayer trapped between the warforged and portal. Put walls around the illithid, and prevent him from attacking the warforged somehow.

There is a portal. In it is a brain. Mmmm...
:smalleek:

pingcode20
2008-08-25, 10:53 PM
I reckon there's a huge amount of potential here, given that the Astral is the dream-stuff worlds are made of, and you could be setting up for the next campaign here.

Let them build whatever they please in there, and have the followers gradually set up shop and start autonomously going out and bringing more people back to live on and around the island.

Spot checks will reveal that the astral matter around the island and sea is beginning to gradually coalesce, all the while the population of the little island gradually grows.

Eventually, let them notice that the sea around the first island is growing, and what were once ships floating in the sea have become grounded and have started to get linked together. Slowly, more islands form outside the original sea, and the followers and immigrants begin to build up small settlements.

Finally, at the end of the campaign, the direct connection to the astral closes itself off, and the first gods descend upon the fledgling land.

(Alternatively, skip ahead to the fully developed setting, and name the gods after the old characters, and have the name of the new world to be something similar to a corruption of the warforged's name.)

Delcan
2008-08-25, 11:05 PM
Okay, first off, this warforged has won D&D. Inform the player of this.

Secondly... ever play Planescape: Torment? Did you ever get the spell Mechanus Cannon? Do that.

If you haven't played Torment... put a massive magical weapon in there. Make the contingent trigger "When the door opens." Or if you want to be really fun about it, have it continuously manned, and give the warforged the ability to signal when it should be fired.

DM: Initiative is: warforged, ranger, BBEG, wizard (etc)... warforged, your move?
WF: I shout loudly, "I'M-A FIRIN MAH LAZER!" and then open the gate.

(For balance purposes, make it costly to recharge. ;) )

Thirdly, if you're going to put the party's base of operations in there, there needs to be a hot tub, fully-stocked bar, cabana (with cabana boys/girls as requested), and disco ball. Rent out the stage to small bardic groups and bands. There's only one way to prevent the portal from being horribly abused, and that's boozemaking the other side a rockin' good place to visit.

Aquillion
2008-08-25, 11:19 PM
You might also want to consider ways this can be used to challenge the PCs, too, or at least made slightly more hazardous. It isn't strictly necessary (it's no more than players could do with some slightly-larger-than-usual ring gates, really, and they're limited by the fact that the Warforged can't enter his own chest, so they can't all use it to escape everything), but it could be good to have some ideas in reserve just to keep things exciting.

While the Astral Plane is pretty empty most of the time, say, building a large settlement there is likely to attract attention eventually. Githyanki are the most logical people the players might have to worry about... while it could take them a long time to discover the gate, if the players make a large settlement there it'll probably be found eventually, and the Gith would probably be furious about it (not to mention eager to seize the gate -- which could get tricky for them if they don't realize it's actually a living being...)

One problem with any encounter inside this place, of course, is that the Warforged won't be able to participate... maybe the Gith could discover the gate and try to come through (from inside the warforged), although the rules for dealing with that would require considerable houseruling (like, can the warforged react or try to stop them if they attempt to pick the lock / bash the door? Does he take damage? Etc.)

Trizap
2008-08-25, 11:33 PM
oh my god........just freakin' epic, whoever came up with this idea, I mean oh my god....... plain freakin insane.......

Ascension
2008-08-26, 06:12 AM
Couldn't you just modify the door so it would only open from the material plane side? Sure, the Githyanki could still blast it open, but at least it'd be harder for them to get out and you'd have more warning that something was about to go horribly wrong.

BobVosh
2008-08-26, 08:06 AM
Couldn't you just modify the door so it would only open from the material plane side? Sure, the Githyanki could still blast it open, but at least it'd be harder for them to get out and you'd have more warning that something was about to go horribly wrong.

The fun part is if you can replicate it on the opposite side but put a weaker door on it. So in attempting to break the door down they make a smaller door on the other door open. This can lead to elsewhere. I have no clue where.

Asheram
2008-08-26, 08:24 AM
Well, this turned out rediculously long...
[spoiler]

However, if someone could suggest a way to make a really large demiplane which can only be entered by one portal which you can carry around with you- (maybe like a portable hole? Or just like a bag of holding...) actually implanting it in the chest of a PC is a bonus- that would be simple awesomeness. Especially because you could do it deliberately and without having to make a fort DC or... yeah.


Hmm.... Genesis is such a nifty little spell. And I bet you could manage a portal with an alter reality spell, couldn't you? ;)

Another_Poet
2008-08-26, 09:37 AM
Of course it works; you just have to do it in the right order. The Astral Plane is, unless I'm very much mistaken, infinite, and each Gate leads to a different part of the Astral Plane (as you mentioned earlier in your post). Therefore, so long as you only use the gates when one half is on each plane, it's still possible. Example:

#3 gets inside #2. #3 is now in the astral plane, with a gate to #2's chest in front of him.
#2 gets inside #1. #3 can't use his gate at the moment, because it goes to the chest of #2, who is also in the astral plane, thereby closing the gate for now. In order for #3 to get out, all he has to do is wait for #2 to go back to the material plane (or wherever #1 is), and then the gate #3 is holding reopens.

That's way more complicated than is needed. Here's how I would do Stacking Warforged Portal Dolls:

You have five warforged with portals. Their names are XL, L, M, S, and Smurfette.

Each of the warforged portals lead to a different part of the Astral Plane. For convenience, I'll call these different areas Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Las Vegas and Smurf Village.

Warforged XL is on the material plane. He opens his chest, which leads to Astral Georgia, and gives a holler.

Warforged L is hanging out in Astral Georgia. He sees the portal open and hears a holler, and jumps out into the material plane. L opens his own chest, which leads to Astral Kentucky, and gives a holler.

Warforged M is hanging out in Astral Kentucky, jumps through the portal to the material. M opens his chest, which leads to Astral Florida, and gives a holler.

Warforged S is hanging out in Astral Florida, jumps out to the material, and opens his own chest which leads to Astral Las Vegas.

Warforged Smurfette is hanging out in Astral Las Vegas, jumps out to the material, and opens her own chest, which leads to Astral Smurf Village.

Warforged Smurfette is so small that not much fits through her portal. However, she carefully positioned a novelty firecracker just inside the door. When she opens the portal the firecracker falls out, bounces to a halt on the ground, lights, burns down and... unrolls into a little sign that says "Bang!"

The five warforged grin at the enemy commander and ask if he's ready to surrender.

Arbitrarity
2008-08-26, 09:41 AM
http://nestingdolls.com/images/50pc_set.jpg
:smallconfused:

Eldmor
2008-08-26, 09:58 AM
Couldn't you just modify the door so it would only open from the material plane side? Sure, the Githyanki could still blast it open, but at least it'd be harder for them to get out and you'd have more warning that something was about to go horribly wrong.

*Puffs of smoke come from chest*
Warforged: Am I having heartburn?
Party: :smalleek:

Flickerdart
2008-08-26, 10:16 AM
*image*
A Colossal, a Gargantuan, a Huge, a Large, a Medium, a Small, a Tiny, a Dimunitive and Fine Warforged walk into a bar...

Ranis
2008-08-26, 11:10 AM
1) Enslave 160 and Halfling Wizard Evocation Specialists with Swarm Fighting(CW).
2) Buy 20 Bags of Holding Type 1.
3) Place 8 Wizards into each bag.
4) Come to an encounter.
5) ???
6) Unleash Halfling Swat Team Grenade Attack!
7) Profit!

BigPapaSmurf
2008-08-26, 01:27 PM
I say let the bag be damaged, introduce a 1% chance for him to reach for a particular object and instead find one of his organs.

Dr Bwaa
2008-08-26, 03:35 PM
That's way more complicated than is needed. Here's how I would do Stacking Warforged Portal Dolls

We said the same thing; you just explained it longer and more clearly :smalltongue:

Reaper_Monkey
2008-08-26, 05:15 PM
This is pure awesome! This is legendary, we’re way past the Le, the Gen, and the Da, and most definitely hitting home with the Ry!

You have to update with what happens next and what comes of this!

I also cant wait for the times where he stands outside small windows / keyholes and someone looks through to only see infinity =D (or whatever they've put in there, which could in some cases be even odder).

I do feel there is a limit to how much can realistically be pulled off by this, due to other inhabitants, the requirement for everything you wish to use on the other side requiring to be either made there or be transported through the chest... which wont be that large really.

Also its not as perfect as made out where entire adventuring parties can just drop out of it, as it would take time to crawl through such a space, and get out of the way for the next person to get through. Not forgetting the problems that occur when clever magicians start targeting him with anti-portal stuff.

I also wonder what happens when you get hit with weapons / effect that deal extra damage / do things to other planar creatures, as yes, he isn't one, but the fluff of those things is it disrupts the bonds that keep them in the material plane / whatever plane their own... I have no idea what that does to people wondering about with fricking inter-planar gates in their bellies... nor do I think I want to see the results of it =S

Chronos
2008-08-26, 05:29 PM
I also cant wait for the times where he stands outside small windows / keyholes and someone looks through to only see infinity =D (or whatever they've put in there, which could in some cases be even odder).I've been toying around for a bit with rules whereby unprotected exposure to the Astral Plane could cause insanity... Material-plane creatures simply weren't meant to deal with spaces with nine spatial dimensions. Spells like Astral Projection would be presumed to include protection for the minds of the subjects, but something like this...?

Reaper_Monkey
2008-08-26, 07:24 PM
I've been toying around for a bit with rules whereby unprotected exposure to the Astral Plane could cause insanity... Material-plane creatures simply weren't meant to deal with spaces with nine spatial dimensions. Spells like Astral Projection would be presumed to include protection for the minds of the subjects, but something like this...?

Yeah, I've never had a character go to the Astral plane, but if I ever did I doubt it would matter what character I'd be playing they'd all be totally freaked out by it and wish to leave as soon as possible, its just too much for your head to get around and conceive at once. That and infinity has got to take its toll on your eyes, theres just so *much* of it!

But on a less serious note, now all I'm thinking of is scenarios like...

Warforged: "Im so hungry, I've not eaten in days!"
Unsuspecting Chef: "Well I'll cook you up a meal that'll fill any belly"
Warforged: "Are you sure, it feels like I've got a huge hole in my belly" *Stomach makes grumbling noises and warforged opens belly to show portal* "See, I'm staving"
Insane Chef: "AAragh-*burble*" *Goes insane*

Its a mean but funny practical joke to pull at every inn and pub you stop in on, because everyone needs a party piece =D

Aquillion
2008-08-27, 02:49 AM
It would be cooler if it kept the 'suck everything nearby into it' effect, but just didn't suck in the warforged. So they could open it to pull BBEGs and so forth into the Astral Plane with no save allowed. Especially fun if the gate was one-way.

Of course, eventually all the monsters they sucked in would band together and plot something, building an Astral Plane civilization with the goal of getting revenge...

Ganurath
2008-08-27, 03:22 AM
Me? Assuming the warforged character isn't, I'd have the party arcanist stick their laboratory in there, along with the campsite for resting. Disguise the warforged as a ruined heap when the party's resting, and it's like Rope Trick cheese... but it tastes a lot better!

Uncle Festy
2008-08-27, 06:34 AM
@^: Well, yes. That's practically a given. :smallwink:

Another_Poet
2008-08-27, 10:39 AM
We said the same thing; you just explained it longer and more clearly :smalltongue:

O.... sorry I must've misunderstood yours :smallredface:

I don't get why any of the portals would stop working though... a portal that leads to Astral Georgia can still lead there whether the other side is on Prime Material OR in Astral Las Vegas.

That was the part I thought was different.

ap

Gamerlord
2008-08-27, 11:02 AM
I think it would be better if the portal also connected to a room that had portals that lead to EACH AND EVERY PLANE!

Aquillion
2008-08-27, 01:51 PM
You can also put some traps in side.

Traps, you say? Yes, traps (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/traps.htm#magicDeviceTrapCost).

An automatic-reset trap can contain any spells you want. Creating it costs you 500 gp × caster level × spell level, and 40 XP × caster level × spell level.

You also have to pay × 100 the gp cost of any material components, and 500 gold for each point of xp cost for the spells involved.

Expensive? Yes. But you can make a self-resetting Cure Light Wounds trap for 500 gp and 40 xp. (Hey, it's a trap for undead!) It only takes one day to complete that one, too (one day per 500 gp in cost.)

Ferreon
2008-08-27, 06:44 PM
I think it would be better if the portal also connected to a room that had portals that lead to EACH AND EVERY PLANE!


Chest mounted bag of holding-20000 gold
Conversion to a portal to the astral plane-near death experience

turning yourself into a low rent version of Sigil-priceless

MammonAzrael
2008-08-27, 06:50 PM
Chest mounted bag of holding-20000 gold
Conversion to a portal to the astral plane-near death experience

turning yourself into a low rent version of Sigil-priceless

Being slaughtered by the Lady of Pain for moving in on her turf - Painful. :smalleek:

Edit: Oops...I have been making stupid mistakes all day. :smallsigh:

Ascension
2008-08-27, 06:59 PM
Being slaughtered by the Lady of Blades for moving in on her turf - Painful. :smalleek:

Lady of PAIN, not Lady of Blades.

And her situation works because she can eviscerate anything and everything that she doesn't want trespassing in Sigil. Mr. Warforged... not so much. Putting portals to everywhere in his chest wouldn't be the best idea, unless you like the idea of having a miniature Blood War going on inside you all the time.

MammonAzrael
2008-08-27, 07:02 PM
OK, first this is obviously awesome.

I think it could be interesting to have the portal evolve. It's an accidental rift in space, but it also happens to be contained in a sentient being, one that is still moving around and getting into plenty of shenanigans.

The PC could have to fight to keep the portal from growing larger.
Perhaps the portal does not remain an opening to the Astral Sea, but shifts to different planes?
Maybe since the side of the portal in the Material Plane isn't root to a certain location (since it's in the Warforged), the one in the Astral Sea isn't rooted either. So one time it's in the middle of no where, another the middle of some Astral city, then somewhere else, and so on.
Maybe, since the portal is so closely link in it's existence with a living being, it begins to develop a personality of it's own?
Maybe the uniqueness of the portal calls the attention of beings from beyond the Astral Sea, from the Far Realms? Cthulhu-esque horrors and Vestigies, whee!
Speaking of Vestigies, What does the Warforged think of becoming a Binder? :smallamused:


And of course, the options already stated of making a town, getting invaded by githyanki, etc.

Keep us posted!

Flickerdart
2008-08-27, 07:30 PM
Lady of PAIN, not Lady of Blades.
It's an unexplained fusion between the Lady of Pain and Kerrigan, Queen of Blades. Twice the girl power, twice the, uh, not exactly fun. Suffering's more like it.

Ganurath
2008-08-27, 07:50 PM
I just had a brilliant idea for what to put into the gate:

A toll booth for the Githyanki. Make a deal with their lich queen that you'll be outside a Mind Flayer city on a certain date. Open the chest plate, and charge whatever you can for each Githyanki soldier coming through to lay siege to the slaver race.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-08-27, 08:14 PM
I'd have the portal become intelligent, like an item, and slowly develop powers based on those rules and the fact that it's a doorway between the material and the astral(maybe split personality). Could lead to hilarity if you make it telepathic, and whenever an NPC asks "Who said that", he is forced to look into infinity. :smallamused:

Aquillion
2008-08-28, 12:03 AM
I just had a brilliant idea for what to put into the gate:

A toll booth for the Githyanki. Make a deal with their lich queen that you'll be outside a Mind Flayer city on a certain date. Open the chest plate, and charge whatever you can for each Githyanki soldier coming through to lay siege to the slaver race.I don't think the Githyanki are particularly likely to pay a toll to you. They're much more likely to stab you in the face.