How Would You Hide Your Secret Necromancer City in The Swamp?

[Nifft]

What mideaval army wouldn't exchange medicinal services for the VERY low cost of having the same medical people haul away the dead. That's pretty much ideal.

Most people will want to bury thier dead, for the sanctity of thier religion if nothing else. Selling the bodies of your enemies is an evil action -- selling your own people's corpses would be very evil.

-- Nifft

 

[Xarlen]

Well, I wouldn't think a female necromancer would WANT to have a kid; think about it. Their focus is on Negative energy and Death. Isn't that sort've an Oposite of bringing life into the world? Unless she wanted to give birth do something really freaky, and thus uses her magic to warp it... I would think all that negative energy which courses through Necromancers would likely cause some Sterility.

Oh, of course not charming stirges. But, some Chuuls? That dire Alligator/half dragon which is awakened? The lizardfolk?

Besides, you don't want to charm stirges. You want to Train them. Imagine a Blood Magus with a trained flock of Stirges. They fly towards a target, drain the blood, fly back, he extracts the blood, and now he can use that 10th level ability.

 

[Kugar]

Why not make the whole city invisible?

If we are tossing around epic spells here the first one that comes to mind is one that make the whole city seem invisible to anyone outside of it. Think of the city of the dead from the Mummy and all sorts of other literaty examples.

Or how about in a giant sinkhole with waterfalls of swamp waters pouring in from above, and mist covering the opening?

Or a city biult on giant undead beetles that moves around the swamp.

Or just go with the "Legion of Doom" thing.

Honestly for some interesting City of the Necromancers stuff check out Hollowfaust by SSS.

 

[Dr Tenebrous]

Another way to hide it, is to give the swamp an outer layer of inhabitants that are mean enough that nobody wants to mess with it, so that nobody even thinks about what's inside. The Monsters of Faerun has a very nasty were-croc template. Say, a few tribes of lizardmen, with quite a few were-crocs in them? Give them some rangers and druids, with croc and snake animal companions. Dire crocs and snakes, and fiendish varieties of them all. The necromancer city is taboo even to talk about, because they've erased some tribes that did get loose lips, then raised them as servants. Since the lizardmen would HATE the necromances, if it looks like they're weak, they'd be more than happy to storm the place. If the PC's happened to be there at the time...

 

[Nifft]

But, some Chuuls?

Imagine a Blood Magus with a trained flock of Stirges.

I'm unfamiliar with Chuuls and Blood Mages, but they sure sound evil (& therefore excellent).

Origininally posted by Kugar
a city biult on giant undead beetles that moves around the swamp.

This is such an awesome image. It'd be one HELL of a beetle species though... maybe more practical for mobile guard pillboxes which circulate around the city's perimiter (so no-one knows what area to attack & what area to avoid).

-- Nifft

 

[Cerubus Dark]

The best place to hide your necromancer city would be in the mountains or the prairies. Nobody ever looks there for Necromancers.

In my Homebrew world the Necromancers have an entire kingdom, never mind that over 60% of the populace has been dead for some time. They also have a ruling council of 13 Necromancers. 12 of them are Liches of diffrent power levels. Hehe and my players wonder why there are so many border disputes.

 

[The_Old_one]

Maybe the swamp is alive? The whole area is sentient and the Necromancers are servants of this vast lesser deity, serving it and in turn being protected by it...as for giant beetles- look up the Devestation Beetle in the ELH- a perfect fit.

 

[Xarlen]

Chuuls are on page 36 of the MM. They're big lobster/bugs with enormous claws, and a touch of carrion crawler. I had my party on a 5' walkway amid some water, and the chuuls climbed up on either side and pinned them in between them.

The Blood Magus is in Tome and Blood.

 

[Nightfall]

Hmm...Nightfall hasn't showed up yet to tell you to put your necromancer city in a volcano. He's falling behind.

I've been out of town Meepo. Besides I trust Talath to put it where it belongs...but that's just me.

And I for one am glad they put TWO cities of Necromancers in place besides a desert OR a swamp. Not to mention the Acropolis of Glivid Autel is a pretty neat idea in itself.