Necropolitans (Libris Mortis)

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Reading through the book (which has a much better cover than the preview art, hurrah!), I'm struck by the number of references to older works, such as "Lost Gods" and "Return to the Tomb of Horrors." But while I know Moil is from RotToH, has the undead city of Nocturnus been seen before? It's only mentioned in passing with the Necropolitan template, but I'm intrigued by a city of non-evil undead. I wish Nocturnus had been included in the book (and I'm also surprised the Bleak Academy didn't reappear -- maybe in Complete Arcane).

Looking at the template, it seems mostly designed to let a player play an undead without changing their alignment or making them dramatically more or less powerful (beyond the core changes undead undergo). In fact, given that Necropolitans don't have any hungers listed in the book, it looks like this is a pretty good way for a player character to become ageless, assuming they can find the undead of Nocturnus to perform the ritual. No, they're not super-powerful (and closer to immortal) like a lich, but it's also a heck of a lot easier than becoming a lich.

The name for the template isn't great, but there's worse, both in LM, and elsewhere.

(As for the rest of the book, I'm sorry not to see Ghostwalk plundered more: There are a number of good monsters, including mounts and a new type of demon follower of Orcus, that would have been welcome additions.)

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I appologize for the Thread Necromancy. However, it's a necromantic question, I want to ask the same question, and it appears this question was never answered.

Where, if anyplace, is this city Nocturnus explained/extrapolated upon? I can't seem to find much more info about it for 3.5.

 

[Wiseblood]

I appologize for the Thread Necromancy. However, it's a necromantic question, I want to ask the same question, and it appears this question was never answered.

Where, if anyplace, is this city Nocturnus explained/extrapolated upon? I can't seem to find much more info about it for 3.5.

It should have been THREAD NECROMANCY
There that's better.

 

[Alzrius]

Insofar as I know, it's never been mentioned before or since.

 

[hamishspence]

The 4E book Open Grave: Secrets of the Undead has a few paragraphs on Nocturnus (page 20)- it's ruled by undead, and basically anything is allowed if you pay for "indulgences" first.

Not sure if Dragon Magazine goes into more detail.

 

[howandwhy99]

Necropolitans were first seen by me in The Sandman comics from the 90's. My guess is that short story in the comic was the inspiration. There's plenty to extrapolate upon from there.

 

[Aeolius]

And now I want to devise a settlement of undersea necropolitans, each created by a sentient and malevolent field of Neptune Grass. Though they are unable to leave the fields of seagrass, with each absorption of life force the patch grows larger, so they are always looking for new recruits.

 

[Dagredhel]

I always assumed that the inspiration was British author China Miéville.

Bas-Lag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

High Cromlech
Almost everything that is currently known about High Cromlech is derived from Uther Doul, one of the primary characters in The Scar. Doul was born and raised in High Cromlech. He describes it as a caste-based nation ruled by undead nobility, called "thanati." These he describes as "liches with sewn-shut mouths, with beautiful clothes and skin like preserved leather."
The living (called "the quick") are a minority in High Cromlech. Most are apparently bred and raised on "farms", and are eventually "snuffed and recast as zombies." Some are reared by the thanati, to be "slain and welcomed to dead society" once they come of age. A small fraction of the living are born free, however, and these survive by doing work that is too skilled (or too dangerous) for semi-sentient zombies. Zombies would seem to be High Cromlech's primary workforce.
At the bottom of High Cromlech's social ladder are the "vampir", which are referred to as "ab-dead" to distinguish them from the thanati. Based on Doul's description, the vampir are apparently considered little more than vagrants and addicts. He depicts them as living in shanty towns, coming out at night to beg the living for blood.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Every time I see this title I think of Neapolitan ice cream.

Necropolitan ice cream - chocolate, vanilla, and you-really-hope-that's-pistacio....

The Auld Grump, Spewmoni!