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Demon Gates
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Demon Gates
#1Ok, this is something for my setting I am working on and I need assistance with it. I need to come up with a very good description of what these gates look like, and the rooms where they are in. This is what I have thus far and need a little creative assistance in describing what the doors look like and the scenes depicted on the walls of the room that they are in.
Demon Gates
The dark God Caedmon came to the realm of Hewdamia with a purpose. What the purpose was, only he knew as he kept it close to him and took it to his oblivion during the War of the Gods. In his wake he elft a swath of confusion that to this day hold a mystery to the learned.
When the Gods argued, Caedmon began to work in secret. He slipped away and began building gates in remote places of the world, hidden from the questioning eyes of his fellow Gods, away from meddling mortals. These massive stone gates depict scenes of horror and terror beyond what anyone had seen. These gates were doorways to another place, possibly from where Caedmon originally came from.
These gates opened to the world of the Demons and their kin. Caedmon had originally planned to open the gates and unleash a swath of destruction so encompassing, that the Gods would fail to stop it. The gates were dubbed the Demon Gates and they stood ready to unleash a hell on the world only Caedmon had ever seen before. He placed keys throughout the world to be used when he was ready, but before that time came, he was thrust into a war between the Gods that ended his existance.
It is thought, or rumored, that Caedmon traveled from world to world unleashing this hell on the worlds he visited. Some whisper he was a Demon God trying to usurp the power of the others. The truth, no one knows.
Description
All are hidden from prying eyes, either under mountains or lost within their vast chasms. In fortresses hidden by magic, or guarded by the unknowing. A single key, if found, will open only a specific gate. However, directions to the gates location are inscribed on each key in a demonic script. Only those loyal to caedmon are able to read it.
The gates are massive stone doorways standing roughly thirty feet in height and twenty feet wide and made of black granite or onyx, with scenes of a demonic horde flooding through the gate as a wave through a cistern. Horrific images of murder and unspeakable acts toward the mortal races also adorn the doors. -
The Gate of Forlorn Hopes
#2The Gate of Forlorn Hopes is a huge black gate, over 30 feet high, carved with images of a mass of horrific beings pouring forth from a gaping dragon's mouth and laying waste to mortals whose sculpted expressions plead for aid and mercy. At the head of the tide there is a single being who stands above the roaring army of demons, cloaked in a deep-hooded cape, with a smiling mask. The whole is made from some sort of dark, slick stone that appears oily or wet in certain lights.
It is set into the wall of a large vaulted cavern high in mountains. The stone around it is buckled, torn, and cracked, and the cavern's walls and floor frequently shake and groan, as if the rock were attempting to free itself of this black chancre. In some places, the cracks and wrinkles in the stone knot together and form mocking faces which stare demonically from the walls, laughing silently at mortals who come to look.
There is a large scored dent in the gate's left door. Usually, nothing can be seen through the hole at its center but darkness, but on certain intersections of time and chance, a baleful red glow blazes in a bloody beam through the score, shooting like a lance through the cavern's mouth and onto the mountainside beyond. When this happens, small things, bits of demonic elements and vitriolic little masses of the Demon World's essence leak through eddying about the cavern invisibly on the hot currents of air that blow through the gap, and give the cavern a distinctly alien feel and a latent atmosphere of menace. -
Demon Gates
#3The Warlord Octavius first discovered his door during his younger, adventurous days. It now forms the surface of the upper floor of his tower, from which he unleashes his bandit hordes.
The stone is far stronger than what it should be, and holds up the strain of the walls & roof quite well. However, it is still very heavy, and those mercenary bandits that live within the floor beneath it worry about the supports collapsing down upon them. If only they knew that not all of the creaking & soft moans late at night were from material stress alone...
For the past few years, Warlord Octavius has had vivid nightmares about riding a cresting wave of Demons, surging out from his tower. He considers this only to be inspired by his unique decorative floor of his throne room & personal chambers, and caused by too much spicy food before bed-time. However, unbeknownst to him, most of the other inhabitants have also been having these same nightmares for the past few months.
Though he is a capable and charismatic leader, not all of the new additions to Warlord Octavius's army may be the result of his leadership and fame. Lately, the numbers have swelled, with ever more vile and depraved rogues.
Just last week, Warlord Octavius noticed a scaly rash on the backs of his shoulders. This he associates to the increasingly crowded tower, and increasingly dirty new troops, bringing in new diseases and vermin. He also considers the pain in his shoulders to be either an early sign of age, or difficulty sleeping properly because of the rash.
Are these signs innocent, as the Warlord and his men are not? Do they bode ill for the surrounding countryside? What if the rash spreads, becoming true armoured scales, or even sprouts wings... as they did in Octavius's most recent dream? What happens when the other bandits also start exhibiting signs that their close proximity to a gateway to Hell is affecting them physically?
Perhaps death and destruction will be unleashed from the door afterall, but perhaps not in the way Caedmon originally envisioned. -
Demon Gates
#4Thanks for the ideas guys... big help. -
Demon Gates
#5Ok, with the help from the members here. Thanks by the way, and a little trial and error on my own, I have a more detailed view of what the Gates do.
Should I post them just here on the forums, or is there a suitable section under Setting/Plots that may work?
I'm thinking possible plot. Advice? Opinions? -
Demon Gates
#6I dunno, maybe Settings or Items. They aren't a plot unto themselves. -
Demon Gates
#7True enough... thanks again. -
Demon Gates
#8Ok, head over to the settings section and see if this worked out as planned. Critisism is well wanted.
Demon Gates -
Demon Gates
#9Effects of the Gates
The Demon gates are not limited to operating only while open. A side effect that the God Caedmon had not foreseen was the amount of desire the demons force through the gates, even while closed. A few have been able to filter through over the centuries but that pales in comparison to the deadly power that flows through the closed gates.
Those who have stayed near the gates, whether aware or not, have come away changed. Even a simple evening spent in the shadow of foreboding gates changes a person forever. Thoughts and voices are often heard in the minds of those that are within 100' of the gates. These voices are fleeting at first, but build up over exposure to the gates. At first, only a whisper of noise can barely be detected and will often be ignored as the wind or odd noise. The longer one spends around the gates however, the voices get stronger and more persistent. The voices become personalities of their own soon demanding the attention of those they infect. Silent words of death and murder filter through the mind turning into detailed visions and thoughts of death and horror, often dealing with loved ones or friends.
This is enough to make anyone crazy and desire to flee from the area. Spending a day away from the gates will clear the mind of the voices, but will never clear the thoughts that they had during their exposure.
Those sleeping near the gates for an extended period of time are not so lucky. Visions and detailed murders grasp at their subconscious, forever tainting their mind. As their exposure to the gates increases, so does the frequency and the detail of the horrible nightmares. Vivid nightmares about riding a cresting waves of Demons, surging out from the gates or towers frequent the dreams. Most often with massacres of entire kingdoms running with the blood of those murdered.
This begins to slowly change those who spend time near the doomed gates. They begin to become angry over the most mundane of things, arguing frequently with others, and coming to blows after only a short period of time has been spent near the gates. The images of murder and destruction begin to change their ideals and they begin feeling the urge to reproduce these vivid omens. No longer seen as nightmares or dreams, but omens or portents from a higher source, the fallen God Caedmon perhaps.
Eventually if not controlled by a stronger force, they will turn on anything to satisfy the bloodlust that fills their veins, and the anger and hatred that fills their soul. Any demon or being capable of withstanding the overwhelming effects would capitalize on anyone in this state in an instant, using their weakened mind to control for their own purpose.
Documents written in an old text tell a tale of physical deformation as well with extreme exposure to the gates. But the journal ends with indecipherable scribble as the scribe was obviously insane when the journal was completed. -
Demon Gates
#10The Story of Octavius Brekaeil Warlord of Pretenia
In the year of 1593A a young warlord named Octavius Brekaeil began a campaign of expansion in his small country. He took his armies best soldiers and swept out into the unknown wilderness and began claiming the unclaimed as his own, giving the land to his people to farm and raise stock. His expansion went far and for three years his people rejoiced at the popular young warlord. His gifts being plentiful and loving. His army was grand and unstoppable, the neighboring kingdoms quickly signing treaties with the young lord lest he get anxious and wish land that belonged to someone else.
He fulfilled his agreements and opened trade willingly with others, bringing a popularity to himself and his people of a giving and fair culture. He rarely needed to show force to anyone as he greeted them with peace and respect unless treated unfairly, which he then he would sweep down with little care and make his point with piles of their dead. He felt regret often at this choice and would help rebuild those who he pained, gaining their respect as a warrior and a leader. His rise of power and wealth seemed limitless, until his greatest find would foresee the downfall of it all.
His travels brought him to the Spine, a long jagged series of mountains that were near impassible. He called to his men and his people and made a claim that the backbone of their culture would begin and end here. That the strength of their people would forever be carried on the shoulders of the Spine and the world below. How true would his claim be.
In the search for a desired location for the capital city to be constructed they found a series of detailed and sculpted hallways leading into the mountainside. A short series of rooms were found and an open chamber within with a sight no one had ever seen in their travels. A black wall smoothed to the look of a mirror held a perfect circular gate. On the gate there were creatures of unimaginable horror and doing the most nightmarish acts upon the mortals who were swept in their wake as they poured from a doorway. On first seeing this, Octavius immediately wanted his chambers to be built in the very room as the gate, much to his councilors disapproval. He had a gleam in his eyes they had never seen before.
After the beginning of the construction of his castle, the gate made up the entire northern wall. He viewed it as a testament of his faith and his purpose as he guided his people here to their new home. It took many years to finish the surrounding castle, having to carve it from the very mountainside took many lives as it was a difficult task. Many of the workers having complained of nightmares while working on the warlords castle. One night, near the completion of the complex, the ground shook and heaved as if a mighty hand had took the ground beneath the very mountains and shook them like a sheet. The resulting damage was very minimal, as the workmanship that went into the castle was the best. One noticeable mark was in the warlords chambers.
The stone around the gate is buckled, torn, and cracked now. In some places, the cracks and wrinkles in the stone knot together and form mocking faces which stare demonically from the walls, laughing silently at mortals who come to look. Only Octavius feels no worry regarding this scene. He did notice a voice that spoke to him in his head after that though. A deep, dark voice that bent his mind and twisted his desires. It answered him, this voice did. Telling him the path to power was over the bodies of the weak.
For the past few years, Warlord Octavius has had vivid nightmares about riding a cresting wave of Demons, surging out from his tower. He considers this only to be inspired by his unique decorative wall of his personal chambers. However, unbeknownst to him, most of the other inhabitants have also been having these same nightmares for the past few months. Those who reside near the warlord or wait on him at night.
Though he was a capable and charismatic leader, not all of the new additions to Warlord Octavius's army have be the result of his leadership and fame. His military numbers swelled, with ever more vile and depraved rogues. His councilors questioned their Lord and his reasoning behind allowing such degenerates to serve in his once noble army. He quickly cast aside their questions and had them thrown form his castle never to return to his lands.
Months went by with his anxiety increasing. He began sending his new soldiers out on expeditions to check on his peoples productivity. Rumors of the treatment that some received at the hands of his soldiers spread through his lands and had many people leaving their homes and traveling elsewhere. His new councilors questioned his motives about the harsh treatment of his people, they were systematically hung from the battlements of his castle as traitors. He took on a single councilor, a member of his closest guard. His demented voice echoed that of the gates and only made his lust for the nightmares filling his dreams only stronger.
A year passes and Octavius has sealed his borders to any and all traffic, keeping his people in and locking trade out. Hiring more and more soldiers daily to increase his ranks, plans of war and conquest escaped his parched lips often. He sent his first assault over his borders in 1601A and murdered everyone within ten miles of his land, claiming they were having thoughts to conquer his loving people. He had them murdered and placed on pikes lining the roadways to his lands, to ward off any would be enemies.
A month went by and Warlord Octavius noticed a scaly rash on the backs of his shoulders. This he associated to the increasingly crowded tower, and increasingly dirty new troops, bringing in new diseases and vermin. He also considered the pain in his shoulders to be either an early sign of age, or difficulty sleeping properly because of the rash. He became agitated at the slightest of issues and had workers and servants murdered for mundane mistakes. His rash began to spread from his shoulders to cover his entire back, then small protrusions began pushing through his skin, causing him relentless pain and agony.
Then the inevitable happened. His chief counselor came into his chambers one evening to speak with Octavius about a problem with one of his borders when he noticed small wing like extensions from his back. Words were exchanged and weapons drawn. Little is known about what transpired between the two but the battle that they fought was memorable. The length of the castle halls the battled up and down the ramparts trading blow for blow, each filled with anger and hatred. Seeing this, the soldiers took up arms, their lust for blood having increased with their time spent in the army of Octavius. Once blood was drawn, all sign of sanity crumbled. The war that Octavius wanted to bring to his enemies fell at his very door step. His fight with his councilor brought them back to his chambers where they spilled the last blood of each other in the shadow of the very thing that corrupted them.
The army was slain to the last, with those few who had not been in the castle long saw them running for the borders. Leaving the hellish display of murder. Most never picking a weapon up in anger again.
The journal of a servant boy was found centuries later in some book shop in Volmara, detailing the events from which he saw. The location of the castle has never been found, thought to have been the ranting of a crazy man or some fanciful tale of the mind.
It is assumed that the flight of the dragons brought the castle to the very ground it was carved from, but without prior knowledge of it's location this is still speculation.
Tales have filtered to some of the scholarly about similar gates being talked about in history tomes and the journals of the dead, long since turned to dust. Most always ending in an undecipherable scrawl a four year old could better. One comment does stand out at the end of every one of these known books however.
The tide will come, and Caedmon will lead it. -
Re: Demon Gates
#11Mourn: Could you please convert the key posts (or revised key posts) of this thread to a submssion over on the citadel.
Maybe the first one will be a codex and the others will be added on?
If these are "not important" then don't, and move this to the "done" area. -
Re: Demon Gates
#12The story of Octavius can be found in Octavius's NPC post, but the other one... I don't know if it is up there or not let me look and if not Ill transpose it. thanks Moon. -
Re: Demon Gates
#13The effects are already added in there. But what I can do is edit them out and put them in as a scroll if you think that would be better.
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