What are the Hellpits?

[Sparticus]

Ok so I heard there is this new book called Megavers in Flames and that it is supposedly awesome. unfortunately I have no money to buy it as of yet (but I will). Until such time I do have one question, what is a Hellpit and what does it do. Now I do not need any games statistics or whatnot I just what a description of what the thing dose.

[taalismn]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

[The Beast]

That's where I do my barbecuing.

[Tor]

They are things which I assume some demon lord MUST have cast impenetrable wall of force overtop of to prevent mass fish-in-a-barrel bombardment from the CS from succeeding.

[CyCo]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

In other words, they're taalismans armpits. Dude, use some deodorant for hells sake!!

8p

[taalismn]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

In other words, they're taalismans armpits. Dude, use some deodorant for hells sake!!

8p

...I hope you appreciate that I've plotted to have you smothered in Speedstick...

[guardiandashi]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

I don't have the book myself but from what I have read on the forums, they are essentially a cross between a robotech "genesis pit", and if you are familiar with the warcraft verse by blizzard, the dark portal, (which might have been part of their inspiration)
one point that was briefly touched upon is that the deamons (who are the ones making these things) as written do not seem to have put much thought into DEFENDING these things, even though there are some really nasty consequences involved with the pits if things go wrong.

[abtex]

In other words, they're taalismans armpits. Dude, use some deodorant for hells sake!!

8p

...I hope you appreciate that I've plotted to have you smothered in Speedstick...

Master CyCo

[Pepsi Jedi]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

I don't have the book myself but from what I have read on the forums, they are essentially a cross between a robotech "genesis pit", and if you are familiar with the warcraft verse by blizzard, the dark portal, (which might have been part of their inspiration)
one point that was briefly touched upon is that the deamons (who are the ones making these things) as written do not seem to have put much thought into DEFENDING these things, even though there are some really nasty consequences involved with the pits if things go wrong.

Naa they're defended. In that there's 100s to 1000s of supernatural deevils or demons around them when they're being made. They're also holes with sides the cut straight into the earth at 90degree angle, and if are successfully established can rift in 100s to 1000s of demons a minute. Add in that they taint the land around them for X number of miles (I forget, but it's big) that can bring all sorts of badness. etc.

The simple answer is 'A gate way to hell (or deval) That can rift in armies of bad things very quickly if they're established.

[CyCo]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

In other words, they're taalismans armpits. Dude, use some deodorant for hells sake!!

8p

...I hope you appreciate that I've plotted to have you smothered in Speedstick...

Well, I think you should give that ago, after all, they're your armpits.

8p

[CyCo]

In other words, they're taalismans armpits. Dude, use some deodorant for hells sake!!

8p

...I hope you appreciate that I've plotted to have you smothered in Speedstick...

Master CyCo

I aim to please, I please to aim.


;]

[Sparticus]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

Ok that what I thought they were thanks taalismn for confirming what I thought. A gateway to hell, that sounds a lot like Warcraft Dark portal territory. Not that there is anything wrong with that it's pretty darn cool. I can see it now a portal to hell with armies of demons arriving every so often. It makes for a great campaign center point and can lead to some truly epic awesome games.

One idea I had was if the portal/gateway was completed and opined, just like in Warcraft II, that would lead to a serious game in which everyone on let's say North America would be trying to close/destroy the thing.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Hellpits are like giant dimensional rift pentacles/altars/transit stations under construction. They're like what the Devil's Gate is, using the Saint Louis Arch to permanently anchor a constant and regular Dimensional Rift. The idea is that the Infernals set up these fortified positions, build the material anchor points, gather the PPE(sacrifices), then, when conditions are right, slaughter the sacrifices and open up massive rifts to the Infernal Realms, through which the armies of the Damned can pour through unimpeded, making repelling the Minion War that much more difficult when MILLIONS of the monsters establish beachheads..

Ok that what I thought they were thanks taalismn for confirming what I thought. A gateway to hell, that sounds a lot like Warcraft Dark portal territory. Not that there is anything wrong with that it's pretty darn cool. I can see it now a portal to hell with armies of demons arriving every so often. It makes for a great campaign center point and can lead to some truly epic awesome games.

One idea I had was if the portal/gateway was completed and opined, just like in Warcraft II, that would lead to a serious game in which everyone on let's say North America would be trying to close/destroy the thing.

You're not that far off. That's the entire point of them in the books. For the baddies, to rift/port in huge huge numbers of their evil people. For the PC's/Powers that be on Earth, huge targets to try and stop and or destroy.

Sort of like the dark portal, they can be closed. They have colums at the bottom, that have to be built a very certain way out of the same sort of rock, etc etc etc. if you take out one of the pillars it has to be replaced with the same sort of rock in that very specific way or it won't work, if you take them all out you shut it down and they have to start over from scratch (I think. Could be wrong about that)

So in theory if you just waited till they were 95% done and got a nuke in there to take out the colums you could stop them.

One problem I have is that.... I don't think the writers have fully conceptualized how BIG Some of these things are. 1000s to a mile or more across and 1000s of feet deep. An excavation of that size would displace huge huge HUUUUUUGE Amounts of earth, you'd be hitting water tables, underground rivers etc etc etc. You're talking about going 'down' the equivilent of a mountain. "STRAIGHT DOWN" vertical shaft. The logistics of it alone are massive.

[taalismn]

[
So in theory if you just waited till they were 95% done and got a nuke in there to take out the colums you could stop them. .

Yeah, but when you got smart psychic Infernals, that's when they really pull in the security, against last minute victory-snatchers.
Of course, the earlier you blast a site, that makes it easier for them, time- and material-wise, to start over again, maybe someplace else. So it's a balancing act how much strength you can pull together, how much manpower you're going to lose in the final push, versus how close to a local apocalypse you want to cut it.

[glitterboy2098]

so from the outside they'd look like this? http://www.56thparallel.com/wp-content/ ... ussia.jpeg

[taalismn]

so from the outside they'd look like this? http://www.56thparallel.com/wp-content/ ... ussia.jpeg

That will do quite nicely to scare me, thank you.
Imagine being the poor sods driving up and down those side ramps every day...

[Pepsi Jedi]

Actually no. The way they're written they're sheer walls. Not terraced or spiraling down. That's part of the 'defenses' if you can't fly you can't easily get to the bottom.

As for the 'last minute victory snatchers' yes of course they're going to expect it.

I've --not-- read the entire book but I THINK.. in conjunction to all the physical stuff needed, they can only be activated on one of the solstices. So... Only a few days a year can they kick um off. So if you can screw it up for just that one day, you're good for a while. I really need to sit down and read it.

[The Beast]

...One problem I have is that.... I don't think the writers have fully conceptualized how BIG Some of these things are. 1000s to a mile or more across and 1000s of feet deep. An excavation of that size would displace huge huge HUUUUUUGE Amounts of earth, you'd be hitting water tables, underground rivers etc etc etc. You're talking about going 'down' the equivilent of a mountain. "STRAIGHT DOWN" vertical shaft. The logistics of it alone are massive.

So in other words, it meshes quite well with everything else written in Rifts.

[glitterboy2098]

Actually no. The way they're written they're sheer walls. Not terraced or spiraling down. That's part of the 'defenses' if you can't fly you can't easily get to the bottom.

As for the 'last minute victory snatchers' yes of course they're going to expect it.

I've --not-- read the entire book but I THINK.. in conjunction to all the physical stuff needed, they can only be activated on one of the solstices. So... Only a few days a year can they kick um off. So if you can screw it up for just that one day, you're good for a while. I really need to sit down and read it.

so something like this?

http://www.internetstones.com/image-fil ... e-2011.jpg

[CyCo]

So, as to help contribute to this topic (not that I've read said book...), it might just look like something like this.

[CyCo]

so from the outside they'd look like this? http://www.56thparallel.com/wp-content/ ... ussia.jpeg

That will do quite nicely to scare me, thank you.
Imagine being the poor sods driving up and down those side ramps every day...

Yeah...that is amazing!!!

[Subjugator]

The hellpits are underarms that have not been washed in 10,000 years.

[CyCo]

The hellpits are underarms that have not been washed in 10,000 years.

Yeah, taalismn's.

8p

[taalismn]

The hellpits are underarms that have not been washed in 10,000 years.

Yeah, taalismn's.

8p

I guess it's a sign of my awesomeness that I should attract this sort of low-brow abuse.

[The Beast]

Actually no. The way they're written they're sheer walls. Not terraced or spiraling down. That's part of the 'defenses' if you can't fly you can't easily get to the bottom.

Uh, I'm not seeing that in the description. It says that the opening would be big enough to send vehicles through. Sheer sides would make sending them and ground troops a logistical nightmare.

[Blue_Lion]

Wasn't a hell pit in that vampire slayer show from the 90's. What was the show called crusy.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Actually no. The way they're written they're sheer walls. Not terraced or spiraling down. That's part of the 'defenses' if you can't fly you can't easily get to the bottom.

Uh, I'm not seeing that in the description. It says that the opening would be big enough to send vehicles through. Sheer sides would make sending them and ground troops a logistical nightmare.

Page 24 and 25

"Second, Going between dimensions requires going into the Hell Pit, as the dimensional portal opens at the center of the Pit, near the alter and four blood pillars. To travel a different place one must step through the rift opening as usual. Getting down to the floor of a hell Pit is not much of a problem for most demons but people who cannot fly or climb may ind the challenge difficult, for Hell Pits do NOT (Their caps not mine) have stairs going down into the 1,000 foot deep abyss. Ropes and climbing equipment will be needed for most mortals, and the climb leaves those along the wall of the pit vulnerable to discovery and attack. It should also be noted that there are no ledges on which to rest, making it a long, vertical descent and ascent. The Use of power armor, jet packs, magic and psionics can all make travel in and out of a hell pit easier, and some may even be able to jump down and climb back up."

So yeah. "Hell pits do NOT have stairs going down into the 1,000 foot deep abyss" and "It should also be noted that there are no ledges on which to rest, making it a long, vertical descent and ascent"

They're very much sheer, straight down holes carved into the earth. Yes it would be bad logistically. I'm guessing they use a crap load of flying demons or what have you with supernatural strength to move their vehicles and such out of the hole, but as written, they're straight up and down holes a minimum of 1,000 feet deep.

[Tor]

Flying sub-demons more-like, bet the gargoyles aren't happy 'bout it.

*wonders if Mystic Portals can point to upward locations*

There's always those circles of teleportation or the ones at the end of FoM which might be put up to help, cheap enough to activate. Not sure how big a thing you can fit in them though, regarding vehicles.

[kaid]

Yup hell pits are basically a static anchored rift to a specific other location in hades or dyvaal. The minimum size is 1000 ft in diameter and 1k feet deep. They cannot be concealed under a building or enclosed they are gigantic open pits. In theory the pits could have roads that lead out for logistical purposes such as getting some of the big hell beasts/vehicles out but many are just sheer cliffs.

Think of them as a limited demonic version of the pyramids you see in atlantis. They lock down and "tame" a nexus point for usage so they can keep a portal open as long as desired and basically be a giant open door way to hell through which you can move armies.

As for defenses once opened these are going to literally be the highways to hell and there be demons/devils on that highway and lots of them. That said if you can catch them early before they have time for extensive magical defenses to be erected the fact they are giant open pits with pysically tough but vulnerable pylons makes they somewhat open targets for long range bombardment or missile strikes. Blowing even one pylon means if they have a spare made from the exact same stone as the other pylons it would take minimum of months till the next solstice/equinox to put the pit back online. If they run out of spare pylons made from the same stone the pit is wrecked and would have to be totally razed and redone.

The fact they are giant pits also leads to the fun of literally shooting fish in a barrel. If you can take the lip of the pit and control it for even a little bit anything in the pit is now literally a sitting duck.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Sorry.. but no. Not "in theory the pits could have roads that lead out for logistical purposes, such as getting some of the big hellbeasts/vehicles out but many are just sheer cliffs"

I'm not trying to be nitpicky here but I quoted directly from the book. There wasn't any creative interpretation there. They -are- sheer cliffs that drop 1000 feet into the earth. Logistics be damned.

Now... it seems .. problematic to me. Rather silly to be honest, but that's how they're written. It's specific, they go into detail about it, and it's on purpose. I think that part's a bit silly but it wasn't accidental. It's in the book and they even discuss how you need to fly or be able to scale a 1000 foot sheer clif to get down and back out again.

I agree with the missile strikes on a pylon. The problem with that, is as mentioned they're going to have a heck of a lot of baddies in/around the pit to prevent that. One missile hits the wrong flying demon on the way down and it blows or is diverted. 1000 feet down into the earth to hit a single stone pillar is a tough shot. Likely someone is going to have to get in there and take it out.

The nature of having to wait till the solstice/equinox is a limitation that can be taken fully advantage of. You attack the day before or even on the day of those events, take out one or more pillars then withdraw. Harry the demons/devils untill the next one rolls around and do it again. It prevents the hellpit from becoming fully active.

Sadly they ruin the area for miles and miles around, with freaky stuff, even when they're just being built. So... preventing the rift from opening is the main thing, but even with out that, they're still bad news to have around.

[Tor]

I'd say they start out as sheer pits, but considering that 'round a quarter of Jinn are earth warlocks, they could certainly begin to make tunnels in the bottom of that sheer cliff and begin a diagonal subterranean road to the surface. Gargoyle Mages could also be co-opted for that.

[Galroth]

Wasn't a hell pit in that vampire slayer show from the 90's. What was the show called crusy.

They were called Hell Mouths in Buffy.

[Blue_Lion]

I'd say they start out as sheer pits, but considering that 'round a quarter of Jinn are earth warlocks, they could certainly begin to make tunnels in the bottom of that sheer cliff and begin a diagonal subterranean road to the surface. Gargoyle Mages could also be co-opted for that.

Think that makes sense once they have the portal open it goes from protecting the pit creation to getting heavy gear out.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Again. Non canon. *shrugs*

Sorry guys, I know it doesn't really make much sense as written, but it -is- written that way and on purpose. They're big deep holes with sheer sides. No roads in or out or tunnels in or out or the like. It's part of 'how they work'. Chalk it up to magic.

If people want to add in roads and tunnels and stuff they can, that's just not what's presented in the book.

[Tor]

PJ we aren't saying it it's canon, I'm just saying it appears to be a strategic inevitability.