Usefulness of Scarred Land's Hollowfaust

[Deadguy]

The discussion on the most recent Scarred Lands thread got me wondering. I need the PCs to get acces to a bunch of Necromancers to be able to question them about a really rather unpleasant Necromancer who lived 650 years ago.

Obviously Hollowfaust came to mind as the only city product for 3e that actually involves Necromancers in charge. I was wondering for those who know the setting, what is the attitude of these necromacers to others of their profession? Basically, I wouldn't want the PCs to walk into what amounts to a trap. So what are the necroamcers of Hollowfaust like? Would they support a necromancer lich who was deeply unpleasant (responsible for the deaths of thousands of people is a natural disaster). And do they have an interest in necromancy outside their own borders? Finally, what would the place be like to someone who had 'problems' with the undead (physical rather than emotional - he is susceptible to the effects of the undead)?

Sorry, I know these are a lot of specific questions. But I can't afford to make purchases right now that turn out to be a mistake.

 

[Zog]

And as a follow-up - how portable is it?

Example: I'm running a non SL campaign, but have started to lay the ground work for a city of necromancer/death & undeath happy folks to exist in the world. How much effort would be required to move hollowfaust to a non-SL world?

Compared to making a city of death & undeath happy folks from scratch?

 

[Voadam]

Hollowfaust is a LN city ruled by necromancers.

They founded it to tap into the energy of a city that was completely wiped out by a volcano and to have a place to work without persecution. The people came because an apocalypse happened and they needed some place to go and the necromancers were a power group that could protect them from the humanoids.

The necromancers use bodies as tools but put down every sentient undead they can. They kicked out any who wanted to become liches or vamps. One of their leaders is a lich but he was made so against his will.

Their is a rival organzation of sentient undead path necromancers who keep trying to overthrow the city (descendents of those kicked out).

Hollowfaust is a volcano in the middle of a desert with hostile humanoids around keeping them a bit isolated.

The thousands of skeletons are seen as protection and labor and the people are happy to have them because they need the protection.

 

[Bagpuss]

I would say it is pretty portable to any campaign setting where Necromancy is not Evil by default. You might have to do a little alteration to the cities history, but to be honest unless the players research that its not something that needs to come up anyway.

As Voadam said the city is basically ruled by a council of necromacers. It is basically a LAWFUL neutral society. The city is probably more civilised than most fantasy cities, with excellent sanitation and water, taken care of by undead.

From what you've described as wanting, it is exactly what you are looking for. Its also a very good read.

 

[HellHound]

Uh... Yeah.

What they said!

I enjoyed reading Hollowfaust, and it is QUITE portable - perhaps moreso than most Scarred Lands setting products. It had a distinctly "White Wolf" feel to it, IMO, but I'm not saying that in a negative way - I love White Wolf products.

 

[Psion]

I enjoyed reading Hollowfaust, and it is QUITE portable - perhaps moreso than most Scarred Lands setting products. It had a distinctly "White Wolf" feel to it, IMO, but I'm not saying that in a negative way - I love White Wolf products.

Well, let me state for the record I pretty much despise WW's stuff other than Sword & Sorcery logo stuff, but I like Hollowfaust.

 

[Nightfall]

The discussion on the most recent Scarred Lands thread got me wondering. I need the PCs to get acces to a bunch of Necromancers to be able to question them about a really rather unpleasant Necromancer who lived 650 years ago.

This definately sounds something the Necromancers of Hollowfaust, probably the Mourners or the Reader of Cracked Bones would know something about.

Obviously Hollowfaust came to mind as the only city product for 3e that actually involves Necromancers in charge. I was wondering for those who know the setting, what is the attitude of these necromacers to others of their profession?

Well depends on the necromancer. In this case, I'd say they'd probably disapprove of him if he was vile and made lots of sentient undead as well as many zombie servitors.

Basically, I wouldn't want the PCs to walk into what amounts to a trap. So what are the necroamcers of Hollowfaust like? Would they support a necromancer lich who was deeply unpleasant (responsible for the deaths of thousands of people is a natural disaster). And do they have an interest in necromancy outside their own borders? Finally, what would the place be like to someone who had 'problems' with the undead (physical rather than emotional - he is susceptible to the effects of the undead)?

Sorry, I know these are a lot of specific questions. But I can't afford to make purchases right now that turn out to be a mistake.

Don't worry you came to the right man, ESPECIALLY since I'm running my SL online campaign out of Hollowfaust. The Necromancers of Hollowfaust are a more neutral sort. Kind of mix between Victor Frankstein, the Addams family and today's scientist. They WOULD have an interest in necromancy outside their borders, mainly to help advance their own research into the nature of life and death. They do NOT as a general rule support sentient undead, such as lichdom, as they see such life as limiting to their goal of immortality and perfect bodily health. Most of the undead in Hollowfaust are skeltal, and thus the place DOESN'T smell like a charnal house, at least not in the Civilin Quarter or what's commonly known as the Upper Faust. Because they want to keep the population healthy, for their experiments after the citizens die, they try not use such things BUT in the Ghost Quarter, there some of your more run of the mill undead, ghouls and such. That being said, I imagine the physical effects are very mild, since they probably won't run into any undead inside the Civilian quarter.

 

[Nightfall]

And as a follow-up - how portable is it?

Example: I'm running a non SL campaign, but have started to lay the ground work for a city of necromancer/death & undeath happy folks to exist in the world. How much effort would be required to move hollowfaust to a non-SL world?

Compared to making a city of death & undeath happy folks from scratch?

Trust me, stick with Hollowfaust. While some of the elements inside the city are uniquely SL, it's not enough to make non-portable. In fact, I'd say it's probably one of the MOST portable cities in the Scarred Lands. Have to wait and see what they do with Shelzar though.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Deadguy, I can't add much more, except to say Hollowfaust is one of my favorite d20 books. Easily portable. It also takes a common cliche in RPGs - a city of necromancers - and turns it on its head - the place is actually pretty nice to live in. A nice touch, which sort of tells what the city is like, is that all the citizens must sign over the rights to their bodies after death to the necromancers of the city. The necromancers teach the citizenry, in a respectful manner, that the body is merely a shell. So, these aren't the leering, cackling, mad-beyond-belief necromancers seen so often, but are more like a dedicated group of scientists that help dispel much of the mystery and fearfulness of death and the dead.

 

[Nightfall]

Deadguy, I can't add much more, except to say Hollowfaust is one of my favorite d20 books. Easily portable. It also takes a common cliche in RPGs - a city of necromancers - and turns it on its head - the place is actually pretty nice to live in. A nice touch, which sort of tells what the city is like, is that all the citizens must sign over the rights to their bodies after death to the necromancers of the city. The necromancers teach the citizenry, in a respectful manner, that the body is merely a shell. So, these aren't the leering, cackling, mad-beyond-belief necromancers seen so often, but are more like a dedicated group of scientists that help dispel much of the mystery and fearfulness of death and the dead.

Once again I have to thank the Coln for his support of this city. It's always nice to see someone, who might not BE a fan of the setting, (if you are even better Coln! ), but loves some of the stuff that comes out of it.