torsdag 14 februari 2019

12 remnants of the Witch King's rule

1 Crucifixion Field. A hundred of old wooden crosses, some standing Ts, others like spokes of a wheel attached to trees, yet others leaning against another or lying crashed to the ground. Yellow bones and torn cloth covers the soil, or sit stuck like grisly trophies on the ash-gray frames.
2 The vanished host. The helmets and harnesses of a great host lie scattered here, as if the soldiers wearing them disappeared into thin air. Thin vines run across the rusty metal like capillaries, the scent of their dark flowers mingling with soot and iron. During storms, lightning strikes here with alarming frequency.
3 Feasting crows. Wicker baskets containing human remains hang from leafless trees.  Crows leap from the branches or sit on the ground, too fat to fly. A small band of goblins are here, ransacking the baskets for anything of value (2d6, 1HD, spears 1d6+poison: save or 1d6 for 1d6 rounds). A tiny silver ring lies in one of the baskets.
4 The Bone construct. A mile-long trail of debris and broken vegetation leads west, ending in a mass of charred bones and corroded copper vaguely resembling a toppled giant. The spirits that once held the construct together have nearly disspated, but their sighs echo like a low drone. Each night the abomination briefly animates again, crawling towards Ys under great agony.
5 Witch-King's Highway. A black road runs like a cruel scar through the land. Built with the relentless trample of iron boots and dread sorcery as its architects, the road cuts unflinching through razed villages and excavated hillsides for miles without a bend. Locals and wildlife both react to those traveling the road with instinctive fear, and prefer not to cross it.
6 Watch tower. A dark watch-tower, its door sealed with lead. If opened, a wind of decay rushes out with a scream (save vs magic or all equipment is dented). Inside is a golden trumpet, which can produce a similar gust if blown.
7 Village of condemned. Circling a crude cross of gray timber are eight wooden houses, built in haste and - it seems from their placement - animosity. The houses live pale ogrish men (4HD, hide, wrought iron spears 1d10, size +1d4) and their hounds (1HD, bite 1d6, close). All of them have faces covered in runes of the Witch-King, and their eyes are gorged out and their tongues cut. An itinerant monk, brother Amfred, is held hostage in hope that his prayers will absolve them of their curse, but their recurrent fits of rage suggest that it is far from done.
8 Sinking village. A small village, abandoned for years, sinking into the swamp. Five ragged women (2HD, bows 1d6, spears 1d8) are resting among the houses, while tracking down a knight golem than killed their husbands to visit their revenge.
9 Abandoned fishing village. Rotting shacks, slowly falling into the gray ocean. Torn nets like spider web between the houses, over a ground yellow with fish bones. In the decrepit houses 4d6 silver-haired children live, soldiers from the Witch King's army (as 1/2HD wolves). Monstrous from war they move like a pack of dogs, raiding and killing whatever they find for food.
10 A sentry. A thin figure, wearing a badly damaged suit of armor (3HD, maille+helm, rusted scimitar: 1d8, fast, demon: 2 actions). Its head is covered by maille and an iron helm, but the silhouette seems too featureless for a human. When it spots the PCs, it lifts a bronze horn in signal, but no sound emerges. All PCs must make a magic save; on a miss their head rings with haunting trumpet blasts as soon as no other sound is heard, making perception checks HARD and making good sleep impossible.
11 Howling soldiers. A pack of howling soldiers (2d6, 4HD, wrought iron over pale flesh, black maces 1d8 + concussion, size +1d4).
12 Knight golem. A rusting knight golem (8HD, plate+helm, giant scimitar: 1d12+bleeding: 1 fatigue/round, demonic: double actions). It moves on all four with animal grace, and reacts to human presence with predatory instincts. Killing it produces a strong blast (1d8, reach 5) but anyone who survives it gains +1d4 SPI. Within it is a thick golden ring (+2 to climbing and jumping checks), that fuels it through some sorcery.

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