An undead invasion topples civilization, then what?

[Umbra]

Okay, I asked a few questions earlier. Here are some of my answers and ideas. I hope you find something useful.

Lord Havendash made a deal with Death.

He thought it was Death. It was actually Corruption in Disguise. If C is freely given a ‘heroic’ soul he gains enough power to free himself from this world and go on the rampage.

Havendash refused, and completed the ceremony, turning himself into a lich and believing he had cheated death.

He was actually cheating Corruption BUT in becoming a Lich, which is a corrupt state of being, Havendash actually gave up part of his soul to the evil power. (A portion of an undead’s soul resides in Corruption).

This part soul was enough for Corruption to begin the work of freeing himself by corrupting the world (raising the armies)

Death (and other forces? Magic) actually set in motion the prophecy and reverses the death of the PC’s in order for someone to stop the corruption of the natural order and of magic which will lead to the demise of the powers.

The PC’s are initially motivated in saving their decendants (Great, great, great...grandsons, etc. Perhaps they are involved in completing the prophecy ceremony – links of blood/ancestry) but gradually learn all life is at risk.

For eternity, Havendash would be forced to wander the continent, repenting for every sin committed under his rule, by anyone.

Corruption curses Havendash, forces him to wander the world sowing more corruption until he freely gives up the remainder of his soul. Having become aware of his mistake he refuses and in torment watches his body destroying that which he fought so hard to achieve.

The theme of the campaign is bringing back civilization from the brink of absolute destruction.

So the party need to:
find remnants of pure, uncorrupted magic (whether it be items, beasts, etc) to halt corruption
try to find Havendash to stop the remainder of his soul joining Corruption
protect their families n generations removed
and not die while trying or they risk joining the forces of corruption

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Omega Man and the story I called "Legion" (because I can't remember its real name) had similar and simple plots (and possibly the same source material): one man, living alone in a post-apocalyptic world fighting against mutants/vampires who rule the night. In both, the protagonists believe themselves to be the last normal humans on Earth (and I believe that in both they are wrong.) In the day, the protagonists wander the city/suburbs fairly freely- but as soon as it starts getting dark, they must find someplace to hide from the hordes that rule the night.

BTW-I have "Legion" around here somewhere, I'll post its real name as soon as I stumble across it. For all of you comic-philes out there, it was released in comic book form, so if the plotline rings a bell, chime on in!

The name of the book is "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson and it was the granddaddy of all "Survival Horror". It was published in the early 50's (1953 I believe).

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Calico....what is this Midnight you speak of....I have never heard of it....

It is a campaign setting put out by Fantasy Flight Games and it is pretty much universally considered one of the best new settings since 3E D&D. Instead of writing a whole essay on what it is all about just imagine Middle Earth if Sauron HAD recovered the Ring from Frodo, slain Aragorn, and defeated the armies of Middle Earth. There is a resistance movement but there really isn't a unified front to overthrow The Shadow. The Elves are retreating further into their forests and the dwarves are barricading themselves inside their holdfasts.

There is a site dedicated to it at www.againsttheshadow.org

Check out this URL for some great background and flavor material:
The World of Midnight

 

[Patman21967]

Like the Jeffersons....moving on up!!!

 

[Rackhir]

Building on the idea of Havendash's works needing to be destroyed.

It might be interesting to have large portions of the Humans remaining being dedicated to restoring Havendash's empire, since it was the "Last Great Shinning Civilization". The information on why exactly it fell was lost during the undead overwhelming things. So they remember it as the glorious past that they want to bring back.

Especially if the PC's don't know about the destruction of all Havendash's work being a prerequisite for things returning for normal, it would help set up the H-Friend/D-Enemy transforming into D-Friend/H-Enemy sequence and put the PCs at some interesting loggerheads with some of the the human bands they need for support/are allied with.

Much as I like Niven's stuff, I don't think I would bother with the Burning City. You might want to read some of Barbara Hambly's (Darwath Trilogy) most likely "The Armies of Daylight" 3rd book, or the first book (forget the title). They are dealing with these Dark creatures, who have wiped out their kingdom and eventually as we learn will probably wipe out all human life on the planet, but not for reasons of simple malice.

The Vincent Price movie version of "I am Legend" is called "The Last Man on Earth" and is available on DVD as is "The Omega Man. In both people are wiped out by a plague which essentially turns people into Vampires. Though in IAM or TLME they are more like blood drinking zombies. In Omega Man, they become very light sensitive and fall under the sway of a charismatic former collegue of Heston's character who blames technology for the plague that befell humanity and thus is determined to kill Heston's character as the last preserver of the old world. One important difference between the two is that in IAL/TLME Price is killed by a new society of the Vampires who have retained sentience and to whom he's become the boogieman, since he hunts and kills vampires during the day.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thank you Calico_Jack73! I knew "Legion" wasn't right, but my mind kept going back to that (biblical?) quote by the demon "I am Legion, I contain multitudes."

I also want to second the reccomendation on the Barbra Hambly Darwath books. They are (in order) The Time of the Dark, The Walls of Air, and The Armies of Daylight.

 

[Nellisir]

I absolutely recommend checking out "I Am Legend" -- it's worth it just to read.

For some reason "The Man in the High Castle" keeps appearing in my head, but it's not at all relevant.

Anyways, GREAT concept. A few thoughts...

Sketch out what the PCs should accomplish and at what levels. Assuming standard XP progression, they might advance faster than you expect, and get too powerful too quickly.

Depending on the amount of celestial or undead influence you want, I'd look at Savage Species (for undead PCs, if you like), the Book of Vile Darkness, the Book of Exalted Deeds, and Good and Undead from AEG. Fantasy Flight Games also has Necromantic Lore, with a good number of undead creatures.

I'd keep some of the undead armies around and moderately active, probably under the influence of an undead warlord or two. Not empires, just ruined cities full of undead commoners wandering around, trying to pretend to be alive.

I like the idea of intelligent, neutral or good aligned undead thirsting for revenge against death.

I also like the idea of a few cranky old liches, who have FINALLY gotten some QUIET, and don't want it to end.

Rather than resurrect the armies of the living for an apocalyptic battle, I'd make it the prize -- if the PCs win the Final Battle, the "lives cut short" people get to come back and rebuild.

Both Death and Havendash should be enigmatic figures capable of being both ally and opponent, depending on their mood and needs. Havendash bartered with Death for life, not power - he hung onto power for 10,000 years ALONE. Plans within plans doesn't begin to describe him. Death is his counter, albeit one with more power and less experience as a mortal. (You might check out Forge of Heaven, by CJ Cherryh -- just released. Several characters are multi-millenia immortals, and while the book isn't really explicit about their altered perception, it does make it clear that they can spend a hundred years on a temporary distraction. The whole perception of time is drastically different).

I don't see Death holding a real big grudge against Havendash's works, but that's just me. I could it as a sort of forfeit -- if Havendash doesn't give Death his due, Death gets to play at ruler for a thousand years.

I liked the prophetic rhyme a page back. Make the # of heros larger than the PCs, but return them to different places. A dead PC can be resurrected, or replaced with a different hero -- returned some time ago, but to a different region and just now reaching the party.

I see the PCs adventures as a sort of gamble. It's the endgame, or a form of it. Do they win? Do they fail? Maybe Death isn't necessarily the opponent so much as the referee.

Let us know how it goes!
Cheers,
Nell.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

The Vincent Price movie version of "I am Legend" is called "The Last Man on Earth" and is available on DVD as is "The Omega Man. One important difference between the two is that in IAL/TLME Price is killed by a new society of the Vampires who have retained sentience and to whom he's become the boogieman, since he hunts and kills vampires during the day.

Sounds like TLMOE is more similar in theme to the story that it was based on than Omega Man which while a decent movie is still only loosely based on the story. I heard a rumor that I Am Legend is actually going to the big screen and will be starring Wil Smith.

I heartily reccomend I Am Legend. Very creepy if you can put yourself into the protagonist's shoes. I could just imagine hearing the vampires calling to him from outside every night pleading with him to come out and give up. It is a must read for anyone interested in Survival Horror.

 

[Patman21967]

Anyone good with CC2

here is my idea....either an Island continent roughly the size of Europe, that once had a few kingdoms, but was consolidated by Hav, or a peninsula type, cut of from the North by a massive mountain range, or desert....

The reason for this thinking is, it has to be a pretty secluded land, or else during the 1000 years of strife, other tribes/peoples would have come. Plus, being a world, and Draco's comment ( main continent ) leads me to believe there are other land masses, which may not have been afflicted by the curse...After all, comparitively, in our world, it only took a short time for the conquering of the known world....a couple times...

My question is, can someone do a cool map of the lands? I see Ironwall at the confluence of several major rivers....

If someone undertakes this undertaking ( hahaha ) I would say, leave off ruins and former cities, except for Ironwall, so that
1) PCs have to find them
and
2) leaves it modifiable for your home games...

Defiantely needs 2 things...a major mountain range ( Dwarves, Giants, etc...)
and 1 or 2 primordial type forests ( think Fangorn ) for Elves, Ents, etc...

Let's hope one of you guys kicks ass with mapmaking skills....I suck badly...I wish I could just transfer the ideas in my head to paper....but sadly cannot....I even have the spare time right now....

Patrick

 

[cdtaylor_nats]

Perhaps Death made a mistake.

Death unleashed the undead plague in a fit of anger. As the population is wiped out the other Gods must surely be losing followers and be getting mightily annoyed themselves.

So perhaps an incarnated Death is abroad in the land tasked to destroy his undead army but in a mortal body - resurrected each time he is killed fighting the undead. So we have an increasingly bitter Death as an NPC (or even sneaked in as a PC) seeking to lay the undead so he can resume his normal status. Then of course he will take revenge on the weakened Gods.