Necropolis Revisited

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nothri
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Necropolis Revisited

Post by nothri »

Greetings ladies and gentlemen:

I've had an idea roaming around my head for awhile now. It began as a simple exercise in what ways the old Gaz entries could be improved if we ever get a new addition. I found myself lingering on the Necropolis entry. Here's a few things that strike me about the domain:

1. As presented, the domain is virtually impossible to use in a campaign. The Amaranth is a good start, but given that the plant only grows within the domain's borders, its still fairly well impossible to enter the place.

2. In terms of a "city of the dead" sort of domain, Necropolis is a poor, poor second to Keening. I admit, this disappoints me. The concept of a city of with the unliving works, in my opinion, when the unliving aren't intelligent. Sure, you can out-run them, you can kill them, and you certainly can outwit them...but the very fact they don't think, don't fear, and don't sleep is the scary part. They want you, and they will come for you like a tide, filling up every corner until you have no place left to run or hide. Necropolis just doesn't work in this situation.

3. On the same subject, there aren't many reasons one would WANT to go to Il Aluk. The old stand-by of the mists to dump the players into places they don't want to be doesn't work so well when death is a sure thing (as opposed to, day, Bluetspur, where death is just very, very likely).

4. While I admire Chris Nichols work, and I think he added a lot to Necropolis, I find the entry rather Spartan. Granted, this is a small domain in a book that is devoting space to Darkon and Falkovnia already, but I can't help feeling there's more to be done and more to be said.

5. Death has a lot of untapped potential. I think he's being wasted as is. I like his curse, and I get the point that, next to Azalin and Strahd he's nothing but a child trying to pretend at being something far greater than what he is. That said, I think he's made a little too impotent by Azalin. And as an archetype, Death is wasted smoldering in a city of dead tucked far away from the living. I mean, he's DEATH. What's scary about him is that you might find him knocking on your door one dark night to take you away. And there are many, many myths and movies involving Death that have just gone ignored in the presentation here.

At the same time, I see some great potential here:

1. Consider that Necropolis breaks some of the few rules Van Richten and the weathermays established in their guides. The Walking Dead do not necessarily have their cravings, Ancient Dead might not be born from Positive Energy, Liches did not use rituals to gain phylacteries, vampires were born neither from curse nor death at the hands of a fellow vampire...all of which begs the question- what effect does the city have on its dead. If the monsters the hunters have thought gained their power from Negative Energy, how might the shroud twist these monsters mentally and physically?

2. Heart's Final Beat was one of my favorite adventures, despite how short it was. Granted, much of the quality comes from the background on the Whistling Fiend, but I thought it was a good use of the Unholy Order of the Grave. It also begs the question- what other trinkets has death collected, and why?

3. Since the Shadow Rift is now the realm of the fae, and Cavitius no longer exists, Il Aluk has the opportunity to serve a unique role in Ravenloft. Death thinks of itself as the embodiment of the underworld's king. Why would it not model its city on its fractured version of the afterlife. And if the Shadow Rift won't serve the purpose of a Dante's Inferno model, why not Necropolis?

I intend to write up something that will re-explore Il Aluk. I don't intend to contradict the entry in the second RL Gaz, I simply want to come at it from another angle. Expand on what was said, add to the dread possibilities and rules a little. Questions and suggestions are welcome.
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NykylaiHellray
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Post by NykylaiHellray »

I am thinking the same. Though I was more in idea of turning necropolis into a funeral city.

A city of tombs and rituals. Where the rich send there dead to be buried from all over the demiplane.

A bit like the necropolis in sandman.

Still occupied by the dead, but now able to be entered by the living. The dead are smart and beoming funeral directors and morticians.

The darklord is no longer death, but a female undead who is trying to reforge necropolis into a place with purpose.

Death still lingers but has recided and changed, and as such the negative energy has recided.
[quote="Kelliack"] It is the lost coin of the gods when they first flipped to see who would get which portfolio.[/quote]
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