Mörktober Day 8 (Wizard) - The Lair of the Shadow Necromancer known as [ABYSS]

            For Day 8 of Mörktober (Wizard), I’ve come up with a scenario based mostly on the work of the burialgoods Youtube channel, in particular two videos: APAB (All Paladins Are Bastards) and EVIL WIZARD RAP BATTLE, but also just the vibe of the hexcore videos generally. Check them out. That's a good soundtrack for this scenario. I’ve thrown in references to the prompts for Days 3-7, since I missed doing anything for those (Daggers, Howl, Stain, Husk, Shard). None of it has been playtested; this is just a WIP to put words on a page in a timely manner. Unlike the previous stuff I’ve done, this isn’t really for Tephrotic Nightmares, though a few abilities here are directly based on enemies from that book. This is written to be played in any Mörk Borg campaign. Just plug it into whatever location fits. 

 

 The Lair of the Shadow Necromancer known as [ABYSS] 

In the nameless hood now only known as the Burial Grounds, a lonely tower rises amid a sea of desolation, an upraised finger against any who would dare approach. Around it are strewn burnt corpses and unfortunate undead, as scaled Cockatrices fly on leathery wings above in search of easy prey. It is the home of the Shadow Necromancer known as [ABYSS], who has long stood in defiance of both the Church and the Lords.

                The remaining paladins of the western kingdoms are launching one last, desperate assault on the tower. They recruit honorable, law-abiding citizens in their quest to defeat [ABYSS]. The paladins are led by Sigismund, a veteran of countless battles. He is not as fit as he once was, barely fitting in his armor, huffing and puffing with each stride. Despite this, he is demanding and strict with his soldiers, insisting that they stay in top physical shape. Sigismund wields the holy Sword of Overcompensation, a massive blade entirely too big to be practical.

                When asked, Sigismund will tell the players that his Coalition Of Paladins, which he also calls “the Thin Line,” is undertaking a noble quest to rid the land of the Dark Wizard [ABYSS], whose vile crimes cannot be forgiven. If pressed on what exactly the crimes are, he will unroll a scroll reading out a list of charges against the wizard: Brewing Potions Without a License, Resisting Arrest, Tax Evasion, and Heresy. He offers coin as well as treasures: anything in the wizard’s tower is fair game. He is of course lying and will fail to pay the PCs, taking opportunities to put them in harm’s way when possible.

                If the players join the assault, they will travel as part of the paladins’ convoy, conveniently placed in the front with the other expendable fresh and able-bodied recruits. Among them are Squires and Scum (Mörk Borg pg. 59). The convoy begins with 2d6 paladins and 4d10 squires/scum. It takes d8+6 days to reach the Burial Grounds. 50% chance each night of travel that 1d4 squires or scum have deserted the convoy. During the night, they:

1	Steal a random item from a PC.
2	Leave a dagger in the back of 1d4 paladins.
3	Take 1d4 days of food.
4	Leave their supplies. Extra 1d4 days of food and 2d6x10s.

(Adjust any and all numbers. This is a WIP)

As they approach the Burial Grounds, the plant life begins to fade out and eventually disappear, replaced by fields of burned bodies – this place is an ancient battleground. Some of the dead are unfortunate undead, raised by the necromancer. The paladins begin blaring their Sacred Siren horns to ward off attacks. Most undead scatter at the sound of the sirens. The closer the convey comes to the tower, the more cockatrices fly above. At first, they make attacks of opportunity against stragglers, but as the convoy approaches, they become more brazen, attacking in greater numbers. Once the convoy is within close range, the wizard begins slinging spells from the top of the tower, first targeting any paladins using their Sacred Sirens to protect the rest of the formation.

 

Rooms (To key to a dungeon map in the future. They don’t really connect right now and are subject to change. Might actually map this but I’m not experienced in making cool digital artwork, so I’ll have to learn that).

1.     COURTYARD
The entrance to the tower opens into a covered courtyard, a respite from the cockatrices’ attacks. A locked gate is inscribed with golden glowing runes in a stylized script. A DR12 Presence test reveals the runes read “HEX, MONEY, POWER.” The paladins may have a warrant, but the gate is magically sealed. To open it, PCs must cast any unclean scroll, offer at least 50s in coin, and attack the gate with a melee weapon. The gate leads inside the tower towards Rooms 3 and 4. Open doorways to the left and right lead to Room 2.

2.      BONEYARD
The boneyard encircles the main tower like a moat. Bones of humans and beasts lie scattered throughout. At any given time, d6 Howling undead beasts in various stages of decay prowl the grounds, attacking any intruders. They are reanimated husks of various creatures, sewn together by necromantic magic. Scrawled on the walls are the letters “APAB”, repeated around the tower. PCs who find a way to scale the tower can climb to Room 4 or 7 from here. Oh, and the beasts can climb too.

3.      ALCHEMY LAB
The necromancer’s illicit potion-brewing operation. 2d4 random potions are currently available in the lab, in addition to the wizard’s stash of herbs and grasses.

1	Potion of Resist Arrest: Immune to paladins’ sirens for one hour. -2 DR on Agility tests for the same period.
2	1 random decoction from the Occult Herbmaster list (Mörk Borg pg. 56)
3	Full Moonshine: Become a werewolf for one hour. Gain d10 maximum HP and 2 claw attacks (d6 each). Highly alcoholic. Test Toughness DR12 after the potion wears off or go blind for one hour.
4	Plan B (This does whatever you think it does)

4.      MAGIC CARPET GARAGE
A carpet with bloodstains on it sits in the middle of this room high in the tower. One wall is open to the air. The other walls are filled with shelves holding rolled-up carpets of all colors, shapes, and sizes. The magic carpets only respond to orders from [ABYSS].

5.      LIBRARY/ORB PONDERING CHAMBER
A shattered scrying orb dominates this round chamber high in the tower, broken into d6 shards. Each shard can be used by a PC to gain 1 bonus power use that day, but they must test Presence DR12 or lose 1 point from a random ability as the leftover scrying magic tears a window into their being. If the PCs re-assemble the orb, they can ponder it to gain insight into the future. After one hour of pondering, the PC pondering the orb tests Presence DR12. If successful, they receive a vision/prophecy of events to come. On failure, -1 point from a random ability.

Also in this chamber are numerous bookshelves. If a PC spends at least an hour studying the tomes, they can deduce that [ABYSS] is researching a way to prevent or forestall the Apocalypse.

6.      THE PHYLACTERY
Nah, not really. It’s a fake. A big golden chain sitting on a pedestal. But [ABYSS] keeps other personal effects here. It’s effectively his (un)living quarters. There are letters implicating the lords and high priests of the Dying Lands in the wizard’s crimes.

7.      THE ROOF/RITUAL PLATFORM
As the PCs and convoy approach, [ABYSS] is here, slinging spells and spitting fell rhymes. He wears heavy robes and a black crown. Underneath, his face is concealed in shadow. He wields the Glowing Glock, a magic wand with an extended (mana) magazine, and wears a heavy golden chain that wards against attacks. In a fight, he will generally step onto a magic carpet and fight from the sky, while undead beasts climb the tower to engage interlopers from below.

If the PCs approach without the paladins, the wizard is less aggressive. He offers them coin, potions, and occult artifacts in exchange for the heads (and the rest of the body, preferably) of any and all paladins. Double for Sigismund.