Carson ran Uprisers (high level campaign), and it was Jon, Lance, Mat, Ava, Shawn, Robby and me.
To start with, we knew something would be wrong later because we were painfully being crushed by rocks but wouldn't die. At least we were together and misery loves company.
Flashing back, yes the Uprisers made some deals with bad guys and yes we knew there could be consequences. Willikers (Rod's character) had warned us but we didn't listen. And for speaking up, Bane had rewarded him by secretly locking him into a puzzle-box. More on that later, but we hadn't seen him for a while and we didn't know what he was up to but figured it must be important adventuring stuff. More backstory reminders - Hadji had acquired 3 sections of Malice, the mace of Bane, whose main domain is tyranny and one of those with whom we had dealings in our efforts to push back the surface lords of the deep (dragon) empire. Another backstory reminder: another deal had been made involving a line 200' below the surface dividing the world above ground we were carving out, from the core of the deep empire below. It was mutually agreed, and enforced by the devil Asmodeous.
To start with, the Dragonborn City of Tharagar had been liberated with the assistance of Bane and his armies of goblins and bugbears - and the Uprisers. As a gift, Bane wanted to give us each a statue but felt that wasn't enough. He didn't want to be an administrator so he gave us the city. Each of us decided what our roles would be in remaking the new Free Tharagar.
Hadji (Jon's elf ranger 20) would work with the military training forces for Bane,
Lancewick (Lance's bugbear/bhardgeist barbarian 20) was also doing this to oppose the remaining surface lords.
Aurora (Ava's shifter cleric 20) was building a temple to Pelor.
Lancer Unholyhell (Shawn's minotaur paladin 20) was training troops to assist Bane.
Wikipedia Jones (human/? bard 20) would have a music store and run the underground.
Shamash Kriv (dragonborn warlord 20) would assure that the slaves were free, along with the economy, and that Free Tharagar would have a strong military structure and a sports arena.
Jorel of the Stars (shardmind/? sorcerer 20) would see to the justice system.
Rholain (elf/swarm of bees druid 20) would attend to natural matters.
Later, Bane (an Upriser at the end of his trial period as an Upriser) asked for our help against Wyll Cytty, ripe for liberation from slavery and full of promise from the elves there who could join the cause of fighting the surface lords. We agreed and Bane told us to muster forces and meet him and his forces there. Not completely trusting Bane, Hadji went there quickly in advance of the 6,000+ troops we had raised. Hadji learned that Bane's forces had already defeated Wyll Cytty. It was a double-cross and Bane intended nothing less than persuading our forces to join his in a direct assault on the deep empire. Tactically, Shamash was highly concerned that we were not ready for something like that yet, especially considering the CONTRACT!
So we ended up fighting Bane and his personal guard after being deposited in the correct chambers at an opportune moment by Asmodeus. Even with our full party at full strength, the battle was challenging, but somehow we prevailed. After we killed Bane, Asmodeus explained to each of us that Bane's sizeable portfolio would now be passed on to us, and each of us were now immortal.
Civilization: Aurora
Tyranny: Wikipedia Jones
War: Shamash Kriv
Fear: Hadji
Desolation: Rholain
Brutality: Lancewick
Law: Jorell of the Stars
Strife: Roberick Willikers
Hatred: Lancer Unholyhell
Despair: Nex
We are 21st level now, the first level of Epic. Each of us gained a 26th level magic item.
Oh, and that puzzle box with Willikers in it? It was empty. Turns out Willikers was dropped town the bottomless pit, passing the 200' mark and violating the treaty. So we were to be pinned below crushing rocks for all eternity.
Turns out that was 6 years. After that time, Jones' mom Eglazia freed us. Yes, that Wikipedia has some powerful relatives and rumor has it that Asmodeus might even be his grandfather.
We returned to the surface, and things are much worse than they were before. We lost a lot of ground in 6 years and the surface and underworld have merged into a hellish place of lava and sulfur not unlike the 6th plane of hell.
The Uprisers will have our work cut out for us.
