The go-to monkey paw scenario could work, where they receive immortality, but have to serve the summoned entity forever as deformed (and perhaps always hurting) “things”? However, that is maybe a bit too predictable. What if they mess up the spell and instead mark themselves for sacrifice?
They slowly realise this due to a symbol appearing on them, which could slowly spread further on their body (maybe hurting too). You could make it more interesting by pitting them against one another by suggesting that only a few have to die for the sacrifice to be complete. If their characters are not that close to one another, it could lead to some interesting decisions on their part, haha.
The process could span a week or more, where their body gets engulfed more and more by the mark. They could use this time to review what went wrong in the summoning process, and how to potentially reverse it. I’ll leave those details to you, if you’re interested in pursuing this idea :D
Some more context: They met the only person currently alive who successfully did a ritual to achieve immortality by summoning the “watcher of doors”.
The ritual was done 100 years ago, required a human sacrifice, and all 12 of the other participants in the ritual died.
The players themselves already tried to repeat the ritual, based on incomplete instructions, and fucked up. 1 died, 1 went deaf, 1 went insane and 2 disappeared. A breech was opened through which “guardians” entered the world who are now killing everyone involved one by one.
Now the summoner they met told them that the only way to get their friends back and save themselves from the guardians is to repeat the ritual. (All info they have comes from the summoner, and she isn’t what you’d call trustworthy)
The go-to monkey paw scenario could work, where they receive immortality, but have to serve the summoned entity forever as deformed (and perhaps always hurting) “things”? However, that is maybe a bit too predictable. What if they mess up the spell and instead mark themselves for sacrifice?
They slowly realise this due to a symbol appearing on them, which could slowly spread further on their body (maybe hurting too). You could make it more interesting by pitting them against one another by suggesting that only a few have to die for the sacrifice to be complete. If their characters are not that close to one another, it could lead to some interesting decisions on their part, haha.
The process could span a week or more, where their body gets engulfed more and more by the mark. They could use this time to review what went wrong in the summoning process, and how to potentially reverse it. I’ll leave those details to you, if you’re interested in pursuing this idea :D
Some more context: They met the only person currently alive who successfully did a ritual to achieve immortality by summoning the “watcher of doors”.
The ritual was done 100 years ago, required a human sacrifice, and all 12 of the other participants in the ritual died.
The players themselves already tried to repeat the ritual, based on incomplete instructions, and fucked up. 1 died, 1 went deaf, 1 went insane and 2 disappeared. A breech was opened through which “guardians” entered the world who are now killing everyone involved one by one.
Now the summoner they met told them that the only way to get their friends back and save themselves from the guardians is to repeat the ritual. (All info they have comes from the summoner, and she isn’t what you’d call trustworthy)
Just let it succeed. But don’t give me any candy-ass “serve the summoned entity forever”. They should be digested forever.
Equivalent exchange? (Plus tax)