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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nifft" data-source="post: 1171837" data-attributes="member: 6562">Nifft vs. WichtIngredients:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Poppy Field </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Barghest </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Skeletal Sphinx </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cracked Mirror </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nightmare </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Oppression </li> </ul>You Only Rise From The Void As A Slathering Death God Twicean Adventure for High-Level PartiesPlot SynopsisMerenicus, a Baraghest Wizard is exploiting the legend of a risen death-god to oppress slaves who work his poppy fields. The Baraghest impersonates the dead god using a skeletal sphinx-shaped Iron Golem, but his plan has worked too well: the slaves desperation has bred genuine religious fervor, and they are secretly restoring the cracked Mirror of the Pit (a giant black crystal). The dead god has heard their prayers, and that is when the nightmares begin...HistoryTen thousand years ago, the God was slain. His holy land was laid waste: his blood poisoned the water and his flesh salted the soil. His priests were put to the sword, His temple burried, and His every holy scroll burned. The crusaders did what they could to erase all memory of Him from the Earth.But some remembered who were not of the Earth.One hundred years ago, a long-toothed figure sat on a midnight black steed, perched atop a sandy knoll, silhouetted against the fading sun. The parched Valley of Kings lay barren, a ruined hollow where a moaning wind twisted bone-dry dust into lurid phantasms.The figure dismounted and walked to a flat boulder, whereupon it sat and seemed to concentrate. After a minute or so, the wind carried snatches of chanting to the far corners of the valley. After ten minutes or so, the chanting stopped, and the figure mounted his impatient steed, whose oddly visible breath caught the sun's last rays like a cloud of flame -- almost exactly like a cloud of flame."To Dis, Nemithius", the figure growled in Infernal. The steed tossed its head back, leapt, and both steed and rider vanished.Ninety-eight years ago, the earth groaned in protest as powerful magic carved deep furrows in the ground. The valley had not changed since the figure's last visit. Again the earth groaned, but this time the turned soil brought with it the tempting scent of water.The figure smiled a sharp grin.Today, the nation of Fellspur fills the valley -- if the huddled slaves could be called a nation.The Fellspur FieldsThe black poppies that grow here seem miraculous, for the climate is not naturally wet enough to see to even a poppy's meager needs. The traveler climbs a slope of sage and scrub brush, then peeks over into what looks like a lush valley awash in fragrant foliage.The fields are patroled by Baraghest packs who brutally enforce the harsh laws. They take great pleasure in Feeding, and the slaves are told that those who are devoured by the god's enforcers are destroyed utterly -- a fate worse than death for the faithful.The valley's most visible feature, standing on an obsidian column in the middle of the fields, is the skeletal sphinx Iron Golem -- the "god" itself. Merenicus acts as the god's prophet and voice, and thus directs the "god"'s actions. He has "pre-programmed" some very complex behavior, and augments the "god" with his illusion-magic to good effect.Merenicus has found a species of Abyssal poppy that will leech the evil power from the soil and concentrate it. From the poppies, he makes two substances:- Blackfume: a magical drug that enhances the smoker's charisma by +2 and effective caster level for spells of the Necromancy school by +1 for three hours (highly addictive). -- 1,700 gp/dose- Petalbitters: a magical poison that afflicts its victim with Fatigue and Exhaustion if the first and second saves are failed (Fort DC 21). It is able to affect even Fiends who are normally immune to poison. -- 3,000 gp/doseMerenicus profits from the sale of these substances, and splits his profits between acquiring new slaves and paying off the loans that enabled him to craft his Iron Golem in the first place. His motive is simple: he wants more power. Wealth, magic, and slavery are simply means to this end. He is happy when his small 'nation' is growing.The Fellspur PitsThe slaves live in a warren of tunnels under the valley. In fact, they live in the upper stories of the dead god's burried temple, which is a ziggurat. Hopelessness and captivity have bred religion, and the people pray to the dead god's Destroyer aspect to find them worthy and deliver them from their captivity.In recent months, certain of the most religious slaves have been able to call upon the dead god's divine powers to perform minor miracles -- minor healing, purifying food, creating water. Merenicus does not yet know of these minor clerics, but he actively suppresses "false prophets" -- anyone besides himself who would purport to interpret the god's will is killed on the spot. However, he actively encourages the religion among those who do not dare to question his place as leader of it.None the less, the slaves have been guided by their dreams to bring together a collection of angular, jagged stones -- pieces of the cracked Mirror of the Pit.The Mirror of the PitThe Mirror is a minor artifact. Its power is to blanket the valley in darkness, reflecting the light and power of the sun away from the valley floor. To be activated, it must be re-assembled and a cleric of the dead god must cast Make Whole upon it. If the restored Mirror is brought above ground, it will Unhallow the entire valley.Force Structure<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Merenicus: Greater Baraghest Wiz17+ (CR 24+)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nemithius: Merenicus' steed, an advanced Nightmare</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Enforcers: 100 Baraghest Rangers (level 1-10, favored enemies are slave races)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Overseers: 30 compacted Bone Devils serve Merenicus</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Guardians: 20 compacted Hellcats stalk the daylight, acting as Merenicus' invisible eyes and ears</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Slaves: 5,000 slaves live in misery; 100 are 1st-level Clerics of the dead god, and 2 are 3rd-level Clerics. Dead God Domains: Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil, Fire.</li> </ul>Adventure Hooks- School of the Damned -- Merenicus is a powerful Wizard (at least 16th level) to have constructed the Iron Golem 90 years ago. He has an unparalleled collection of Necromancy spells, and he is willing to share them for a high price (usually including fresh slaves).- Enemy of my Enemy -- In his rise from the underworld, Merenicus made many enemies. A demon prince offers a temporary alliance with the party to end the tyrant's rule (and destroy the fiend-poison's source).- Captured! -- Merenicus isn't content to trade for what he could seize. His squads of Enforcers regularly patrol the outlying areas for new victims to enslave. Having captured the entire local population of desert nomads, the slavers now raid previously safe regions. The party, or someone whom the party cares about, is captured.- Nightmares -- Sages and prophets have foretold the rise of the dead god. Now, as the god begins to wake, nightmares plague the region's mortal population. Merenicus, not being mortal, does not dream. The party could directly receive visions of doom, death and destruction, or they could be contacted by a sage who has received visions.- Raiders of the Lost Zig -- Powerful magic items which once belonged to the heros who slew the dead god are no doubt entombed within the burried ziggurat. As the dead god rises, though, its ancient servants return to stalk the ziggurat's lower levels. Perhaps Merenicus himself pays for heros to "slay the dark forces which are killing my loyal subjects".- Caravan Guards -- Moral issues abound, especially with shipments of slaves going to Fellspur and drugs coming back.Rat-Bastardly ComplicationThe population of slaves are nearly fanatical in their devotion to the dead god -- they have no other outlet for hope. If Merenicus is deposed, they will rejoyce, and continue their worship. If the Mirror is restored, and the dead god rose, He would surely destroy the pretender Merenicus -- but at the cost of bringing an evil demigod back into creation. -- N</blockquote>

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