A Warlord's Tomb

[TheDood]

My players are about to encounter a town located near the tomb of a great warlord, known during his time for his brutality and ferocity. He commanded several legions comprised of devils and beastmen in battle and lead several campaigns againist the elven empire to victory, eventually forcing the elves to relocate across the great sea. With no more victorys to be won his legions began to turn on each other. Seeing his legions begin to waste away the warlord had them construct a great tomb, where he would be buried when his time was up.

Since the warlord was entombed, several centuries have passed. Dwarves and humans now rule over the lands he once commanded.

A cultist has been operating in the town for several years now, slowly gaining influence and members in attempts to ressurect the warlord and his legions. Only recently has the cultist and his followers managed to gain access to a small section of the tomb, after diverting some of the miners to an old section of tunnel. Every week they meet bringing gifts in an attempts to raise the warlord.

What I'm stuck on is ideas for what the warlords tomb would look like, Im thinking of a massive complex. Also what type of encounters would the PCs encounter.

 

[Crothian]

Well, did the warlord build it to someday be resurected? If so there should be an easy way to him. Did he hide great treasures in there? If yes, then it would be heavily trapped and gaurded. The gaurdians might be undeal, or else constructs. Anything else would die with time. Perhaps there are magical traps that summon these Beasts and Devils that he used to command.

Another possiblitiy is his soul is elsewhere. He might have sold his soul for this power and anyone who tries to get it back, actually end up summoning forth the Demon Lord who owns the soul, or the soul was consumed by him so the spells brings back the soul by bringing him here. Now, the Demon loed has control of the cult, perhaps they think the demon lord is the old warlord.

 

[TheDood]

I intend to have the Warlord using it as his final resting place for himself and his treasure. When the PCs arrive in town the cultists will be on the verge of disturbing the Warlord's soul and when they do, The Warlord will rise and begin to call in his infernal armies to begin a new campaign againist the Dwarves and Humans.

I currently have several traps placed around the tomb, all non-magical. I'm stuck on an actual encounter with a construct, assuming its a golem, what would an infernal Warlords construct look like and where would it be placed?

But what I'm really stuck on is the visual's of the Warlord's tomb as well ideas for encounters to fill the tomb and I was hoping fellow DMs could give me some inspiration.

 

[Micar Sin]

Well, all things considered, if you're thinking of a massive complex, I would suggest that the tomb be decorated with massive murals depicting the Warlord conquering his enemies, lines of the defeated being lead away in chains/executed/feed to the beastmen, Trophies of his conquests (banners, helms from worthy foes, the skulls of worthy foes, etc). Guardians might be necromantic constructs formed from the bones of the defeated, or more powerful undead made from the champions who opposed him, forever enslaved to his will...I also like the idea of some of the Warlord's soldiers having been placed in stasis to guard his tomb, or being summoned to do so when the proverbial great seal is broken...

Any howm just some thoughts...

 

[TheDood]

Just as Micar Sin suggested there is going to be a Portal in one of the final rooms. This portal is going to be one way portal from the plane of hell to the prime plane. What would a portal from the plane of hell to the prime plane look like? It needs to be sturdy so the PCs cant just destroy it and it needs to reflect the nature of the portal it self. Also what would the room containing the portal look like.

To give you the idea of the theme of the tomb I've included one of the rooms below, though their fairly general.

The Burial Chamber

This circular room contains several ornate sarcophaguses circling a grander, more elaborte sarccophagus, several of the sarcophaguses have been opened, their lids lying on the floor broken. This room feels unaturally cold.

This room hold 4 Mummies waiting in the shadows. This is all that remains of the Warlord's council and they will attack anyone that approaches the central sarcophagus, which holds the Warlord's mortal remains. As well as the Mummies, this room has also been overgrown with brown mold causing the room to be several degrees lower than the rest of the complex.

The Antechamber

Trophy racks adorned with skulls hang off the four pillars holding the 60 foot ceiling. Murals depicting feirce battles cover the four walls. A large circular pit surrounded with the tusks of great beasts, filled with stagnant water and the flesh stripped bones of tens of humaniods lies in the center of the room. A dais at the far wall leads to a large stone door.

This pit is 40 foot deep, 20 feet of that is filled with bloody water.

 

[Micar Sin]

As far as the appearence of the portal... Depending on the overall 'feel' of the warlord, something made of Blood-crusted iron, reeking of the battlefield would work, or something made of red-speckled black granite, giving it the appearence of having been freshly spattered with blood, graven with daemonic, leering faces...

 

[TheDood]

I just dont have enough rooms/encounters to finish off this tomb, and am still seeking Ideas. Anyway here is the lasted room inspired by Micar Sin.

The Portal Room
Inspired by Micar Sin

A large blood encrusted admantium circle, 25 feet across it stands upright in center of the room on a gilded dais. 25 foot Maroon banners hang from the 35 foot ceiling and torches placed in the walls have been burning since time began.

The admantium circle is a one way portal from hell to the prime. Currently it is deactivated and requires the blood of 3000 people to be spilt within 30km of the portal during 1 day to activate.

The torches in this room are everburning torches.

 

[Micar Sin]

Lets see... For other rooms... Was the Warlord's body prepared in any way? I would think so if the undead in the burial chamber are mummies. In that case one could include a preparation room or two. Since he is a warlord, if he was planning on returning, he may have tests of Martial and tactical skill to challenge those that would seek him out... Perhaps a 'sleeping legion' was prepared so that he would have an army to call upon in the afterlife, or when he rose again...Perhaps there are great halls where objects of interest to him are displayed, such as exotic weapons and armor, bizarre and twisted artwork from the infernal planes, etc... Perhaps an arena was constructed as part of the complex, perhaps with ghostly (or skeletal, etc) warriors clash eternally...
Just some thoughts... I have to get back to work now

 

[Gilladian]

Another possibility: did he have a lover? Perhaps she is also buried here. She might have become undead. Did she die at the same time he did? Was she killed when he died and buried unwillingly? Is she evil, or just a tormented spirit? Does she have accompanying handmaidens?

Her part of the tomb might be very different from the rest. Walls of different stone, murals with imagery of love and fertility, etc...

Gilladian

 

[Boss]

STOLEN, 1 LOCATION

Just wanted to say that I am soooooo stealing this idea. I started reading it the other day, and I could see how an epic campaign could be set around the warlord's tomb. Characters are given a vision or a prophecy that the Dark Rider is returning, and he must be stopped. They are required to search all over for pieces of this warlords armor and weapons to use in stopping him from reawakening. His minions have long searched for the same items and even aiding the party every so often surreptitiously. The last item is found in the tomb itself with the Warlord, and, after fighting their way through traps and beasts meant to keep outsiders away, they enter the tomb to claim the last item. But, by bringing the items in proximity of the Warlord returns him to this plane, where the characters have to fight him and his forces off.

Thanks guys, this should be fun... MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA