Redo Necropolis

[The Lesser Evil]

If I were to redo Necropolis, I would make it something of a disaster zone similar to No Man's Land arc from the Batman comics. The initial disaster took out many lives, and the outbreak of plagues like the vampiric virus claimed more. As the Kargat ordered a quarantine, the infrastructure collapsed, thus causing the city to fall into anarchy. The authorities publicly called for everybody to leave. (Of course, this was mere propaganda, as most who tried to get over the border were killed on the spot. Only a select few were allowed to leave) In any case, anybody who didn't leave were denounced as criminals, heretics, and madmen and left to their fates. Henceforth, Il Aluk was abandoned as dead, hence the name Necropolis.

As is, the city is split into several feuding factions, though most will ultimately answer to Death. A good portion of those killed in the initial blast rose as animated undead, but a portion of these were destroyed in the aftermath. The majority of the population are living but warped in some way. Their bodies may be rapidly rotting from necrosis, warped at birth to become dhampyrs or calibans, or transformed into Cold Ones. (The latter would be the most resistant survivors of the blasts as well as relatives and friends of those the initial blast who came to see what happened to their loved ones.)

The "Dead Zone" of the Shroud can have variable effects based on circumstances. I like the above undead transformation upon death idea. I would also suggest some kind of taint go with those who try to leave, perhaps warping the reproductive organs such as those who enter may give births to calibans, dhampyrs, or otehr monsters as mentioned above. (This could be a good origin for sorcerers of an undead bloodline.) Entering the domain should also feel wrong, an ominous sense of approaching death, and might have some cosmetic effects like hair falling out, wrinkles, or even skin beginning to peal. The mind might be warped as well, such that behaviors approaching the undead are instilled as forms of madness with enough exposure. Of course, at certain periods of the year approaching the date of the Requiem, you might see stronger manifestations of negative energy, such as the energy drain thing.

In addition to the supernatural perils, I see the Shroud's edge bordered by a large physical barrier surrounding the city. (Like the city was the "eye" of the storm, and a lot of the area around it was blasted into a large crater.) The kargat has positioned archers and maybe the occasional mage or cleric of the Order on the outskirts, especially along the few ways in or out. Their orders are to repel anybody trying to go in and shoot to kill anything that tries to go out, with a few notable exceptions. (Azalin or other people of power may want to occasionally send in adventurers to retrieve some object or another, not to mention supplies for agents in the field. And of course the obligatory black market.)

[Five]

As is, the city is split into several feuding factions, though most will ultimately answer to Death. A good portion of those killed in the initial blast rose as animated undead, but a portion of these were destroyed in the aftermath. The majority of the population are living but warped in some way. Their bodies may be rapidly rotting from necrosis, warped at birth to become dhampyrs or calibans, or transformed into Cold Ones. (The latter would be the most resistant survivors of the blasts as well as relatives and friends of those the initial blast who came to see what happened to their loved ones.)

The "Dead Zone" of the Shroud can have variable effects based on circumstances. I like the above undead transformation upon death idea. I would also suggest some kind of taint go with those who try to leave, perhaps warping the reproductive organs such as those who enter may give births to calibans, dhampyrs, or otehr monsters as mentioned above. (This could be a good origin for sorcerers of an undead bloodline.) Entering the domain should also feel wrong, an ominous sense of approaching death, and might have some cosmetic effects like hair falling out, wrinkles, or even skin beginning to peal. The mind might be warped as well, such that behaviors approaching the undead are instilled as forms of madness with enough exposure. Of course, at certain periods of the year approaching the date of the Requiem, you might see stronger manifestations of negative energy, such as the energy drain thing.

In addition to the supernatural perils, I see the Shroud's edge bordered by a large physical barrier surrounding the city. (Like the city was the "eye" of the storm, and a lot of the area around it was blasted into a large crater.) The kargat has positioned archers and maybe the occasional mage or cleric of the Order on the outskirts, especially along the few ways in or out. Their orders are to repel anybody trying to go in and shoot to kill anything that tries to go out, with a few notable exceptions. (Azalin or other people of power may want to occasionally send in adventurers to retrieve some object or another, not to mention supplies for agents in the field. And of course the obligatory black market.)

A little homage to "Roadside Picnic"? I like it.

If I remember right (it's been a while since I read that), Red(?) and the other stalkers were able to eventually map their way between the various bizarre and sometimes very lethal anomalies that were left behind in the Zones. This "map" was built through the combination of bearing witness to the grisly deaths/side effects of many stalkers and some ingenious adventuring.

Aside from what you already mentioned in regards to the Shroud/Death Zone, what other effects could negative energy, or concentrated pockets of negative energy have on an thief/stalker/adventurer?

I'm tapped now, but my brain is firing up...

Here's a quick minor one:

Living Link (needs a veteran adventurer's nickname like "Switchback", or something along those lines) - When the PCs enter this anomaly each PC takes on the senses, emotions, and personality traits of the person to the left of them or one behind, whichever applies. If there is nobody (or nothing) to the left of or behind the last person in the group then that individual becomes catatonic. Other than the catatonic, each individual retains full control of their bodies, but must move through this new perspective (ie: looking at themselves). DM penalty applies.

This effect lasts as long as the party stays within the radius of the anomaly.

[Five]

Skin Cloud

This low-lying obsidian cloud can appear night or day (penalty to spot at night). When it is directly above the living it begins to rain. This rain is harmless to all but the living. Should the raindrops fall upon living flesh they begin to congeal into an oily substance. Thin, almost invisible tendrils immediately shoot back up from each raindrop to the cloud above on the first round (check to notice). On the second round the tendrils thicken to a tar-like substance and the character can begin to feel a gentle tugging. On the third round the tendrils increase again in thickness and strength, to about the size of a pinky finger, but this time they begin to violently pull the character upwards towards the cloud. DM applies appropriate Strength/grapple modifiers. On the fourth round the tendrils are strong enough to lift any medium-sized character from their feet.

Unless the tendrils are cut (DM determines hp/hardness/etc), the character will be pulled up into the cloud and have their flesh flayed in a manner that is best left undescribed.

[Five]

Firewalker

You glance to the others with just a hint of jealousy. There they are, splayed about the campfire on their bedrolls, oh-so content in their sleep while you continue your lonely, miserable watch. The forest is quiet; the occasional crackle of the burning wood is all there is to remind you that you are not in fact asleep yourself.

A bitter chill gusts through the trees of the surrounding forest and you involuntarily spasm with a shiver. You decide to toss another log on the fire and, alone with your thoughts, you stare into the licking flames...

A loud crackle, a shifting log, breaks the dancing fire's hypnotic hold on you. A nauseous smell suddenly assaults you and makes you gag, but before you can locate the source of the smell another loud crackle draws your attention back to the fire. Eyes peering, you watch in disbelief as the charred wood begins to rise up out of the fire! Impossibly, they continue to grow, shift, and stack into a vaguely humanoid shape until there is no mistake: this flaming thing before you is very much real.

Aghast, you scramble backwards, the fear of this flame-clothed figure before you drowning all sound from your throat. It begins to lurch towards you now, the flames atop its head billowing black smoke up into the night sky, the many sparks popping from its blackened core blowing behind it like some sort of majestic cloak of a Hellish design...

http://imgfave-herokuapp-com.global.ssl ... 420378.jpg

A Firewalker is a victim of the original ground zero energy released in Il Aluk. Negative energy has burned them not into oblivion, but into the material makeup of the demiplane itself. As such, they can be found anywhere in the Core, but most sightings to date place them within Darkon. Large campfires (bonfires) are their only means of entry back into the world. They cannot speak, do not think, and thus cannot be reasoned with. They exist only to burn all things living.

The substance from which it consists of deals necrotic damage.

[Five]

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[brilliantlight]

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Interesting ideas, I might use the firewalkers somewhere and maybe living link. I would use fire damage instead of necrotic as I use 3.5 not 4.0.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Firewalker is definitely a nice scary encounter. Skin Cloud... ew... but ew can be good. Living link is a cool concept, but I don't see the connection to Necropolis really.

I do like the idea of making the Shroud not 100% and not instant. The slow, disturbing decay into undeath is a lot scarier than just dropping and rising as a suddenly withered undead.

[brilliantlight]

Firewalker is definitely a nice scary encounter. Skin Cloud... ew... but ew can be good. Living link is a cool concept, but I don't see the connection to Necropolis really.

I do like the idea of making the Shroud not 100% and not instant. The slow, disturbing decay into undeath is a lot scarier than just dropping and rising as a suddenly withered undead.

Most importantly IMO is that it makes it usable. A domain that is a certain TPK isn't useful as you can't run it.

[Hamiclar]

The real itself it more of end of the world after the explosion in Il Aluk. The real has feel of dread of something hidden never seen but always felt. I never liked the shored around the city and change mine to darkness were no sight dark or low light vision and cuts light source ranges to half. The darkness itself would have being which thrive in darkness incorporal undead. The Those in the city caught in the blast are in the realm of darklord and forced to serve it in whatever aspirations it wanted. I like the realm of Cavitus as an example of death and remanants of Kargat and Darkonian nobility which would power play in Il Aluk also. The undead that patrolled the night continue but now may overlap to daytime in some areas such as the mistlands of eastern Darkon strengthening the faith of new revelation of Ezra fourth schism.

Other than that its more to get ready for final adventure Death Undaunted and possibly The Hearts Final Beat which gives examples of Necroplis internal power struggle between Kargat and death minions.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

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Bad idea?

Tough crowd...haha

If Necropolis can be redone through a D&D perspective, it's good to remember that recent D&D editions allow for characters to basically enter anything, unlike in previous editions (e.g., Elemental Plane of Fire, which was barred from exploration, is now more or less traversible given certain conditions). So I suggest that the living can, for a limited time, enter and even stay in Il Aluk -- given certain conditions.

In my case I took my cue from Legend of the Five Rings, where jade tumblestones can protect travelers for a limited time from the Taint while traveling the Shadowlands. The amaranth flower (Gazetteer II?), for as long as it stays fresh and doesn't wilt, may do the same thing to protect Il Aluk travelers from its death radiation.

[thekristhomas]

I have run a Necropolis inspired city in a previous non-Ravenloft campaign, I had it that anything that died within the Shroud became undead, but you actually had to die of something (the city's inhabitants having been killed by the blast)

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I have run a Necropolis inspired city in a previous non-Ravenloft campaign, I had it that anything that died within the Shroud became undead, but you actually had to die of something (the city's inhabitants having been killed by the blast)

Hmm.... this... this is really good. I like this.

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

This makes it a bit of a redux of Vecna's domain, so maybe look at that as an inspiration.

In my head, when Vecna left Haroln became Dark Lord, and his curse is that he is eternally put upon to sort out errands and menial tasks, because that's all the poor bugger seems to do throughout Vecna Reborn! and Die, Vecna, Die!

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Just posted an article to High Level Games blog with 13 ways to use Necropolis in a normal campaign. I didn't get into various non-canon versions, but those work, too--IMC once the Shroud was weakened so that it only took over at night. The living just had to get out by sundown, at least that made adventuring possible without serious magical backup.