The fourth part of Book 4 of the Sorcerer-Kingmaker conversion, this chapter will deal with the barbarian warlord named Armag Twiceborn, the Loud Sisters of the Cult of Cold Malice, and the artifact weapon Ovinrbaane.
The original Armag was a lieutenant of Kalak the Ogre-Doom during the Cleansing Wars, and a trusted friend. After his battle against a mighty army of ogres led to his death, Kalak honoured him by having his army build a tomb for Armag, laying his mighty axe to rest with him. He transformed one of his powerful templars, Zorek, into a Raaig to watch over the tomb, and for thousands of years, this tomb has been undisturbed. Perhaps forty years ago, the tomb was discovered by the wicked members of the Cult of Cold Malice, driven out into the wilderness from Balic and sheltering from a sandstorm. They explored the complex, stumbling across the power of Armag's axe, and lost several members to its power before retreating. They did, however, formulate a plan to harness its power- to raise a warrior in Armag's name and image, believing he was the heir to the original Armag's title and possessions. They have raised this young man in the wilderness for decades, bringing him to rulership of a barbarian tribe and introducing him to Zorek, who now believes that he truly is the original Armag. His charisma and prowess have forged his tribe into a real threat to the southern Tablelands. Following his victories against House Drelev forcing an alliance, the Loud Sisters decided to bring him to the tomb and finally attune him to Armag's axe Ovinrbaane, Enemy of All Enemies. The weapon requires shedding blood to attune, and they had planned to bring the five daughters of House Drelev for this purpose, but Kisandra's escape forced the sacrifice of some of the barbarians instead. The barbarian tribe has sent its warriors along with the expedition, making camp outside the complex. On the steps are stationed a band of a half-dozen barbarian warriors, guarding the entrance until Armag is done. They will fiercely defend the steps and entrance to the tomb with their lives. Each is a veteran who has stood with Armag through many battles, and they have a variety of looted equipment, making them veyr heavily-equipped. From area D2 onwards, Zorek's powers guard the entire complex against intruders, while allowing the Loud Sisters and the barbarians the ability to protect it. Using Guards and Wards isn't terribly fun, I've found, so I would instead suggest that the entire complex is warded by protecting against extraplanar travel into it, as well as allowing Zorek to level a curse against anyone he believes is disturbing his tomb (not the barbarians, but definitely the PCs). As they enter area D1, they see the ghostly image of a templar wearing Tyr's badge of office appear before them, arms crossed. He bars their way, speaking in an archaic style of speech to let them know that that this is the tomb of Armag, Beloved of Kalak, Enemy of All Enemies, Mighty of Melancholies and Thews Alike, and that their presence is unwelcome here. If they proced, he warns that only death shall await them, before fading away. Unless Zorek has been destroyed, any intruders who are unwelcome in such a way take 1d8 additional necrotic damage from any attack or spell for the duration of the time they are in the tomb, and an additional 24 hours afterwards. The temple complex also consists of several tests of cleverness, might, agility, and other things which Kalak found admirable in his youth. Passing these confuses Zorek's almost-unwavering belief that the new Armag truly is his ward returned to life. If the PCs fight or attempt to treat with Zorek, persuading him that the Loud Sisters have lied to him, they have advantage on one roll for each of the Tests which they have successfully completed. D2. Test of Strength: The Test is completed by manuevering each of the rounded boulders into its appropriate depression up a flight of long stairs, before the boulders crash down upon them. This requires successive Strength rolls of increasingly difficulty (DC 16 for the smaller boulder, DC 18 for the second boulder, DC 20 for the third boulder, and DC 22 for the largest boulder of all) each round, to move them 30 feet. D3. Test of Endurance: When entering this room, the walls which have been covered in polished bronze sheets radiate the full strength of the sun at midday, and the doors crash down. Anyone present in the room takes 2d6 fire damage each round (in addition to the necrotic damage, if Zorek's curse is still active). The doors must be raised by hauling upon an ancient bronze chain, requiring seven successive Constitution saving throws to avoid gaining exhaustion levels. Once the door has been hauled open, the sun's light blessedly cools, and the room returns to a more normal temperature. D5. Test of Tactics: Sixteen sigils have been carved into this wall, keeping the names of Armag's lieutenants alive and preventing them from true death. Only if these names are marred or erased can each of the sixteen skeletal champions be destroyed forever. A Shadow Giant has been set to guard this hall, lurking partway in the Black and attacking anyone who attempts to interfere with the sigils. D6. Tilting Floor: This room is as written- a disc balanced on a pivot in the middle of the room, causing it to pivot and wobble, depositing adventurers into pit traps at the north and south ends of the room. D7. Test of Agility: This test consists of navigating a number of columns above a thirty-foot drop to the floor below, inhabited by swarms of biting red ants. In addition, the first person to reach the other side activates a magical Gust of Wind which affects everyone else still standing on the columns. D9. Test of Prowess: This room holds a towering Stone Golem, adorned with spikes and made in Armag's bearded appearance. It is 'programmed' to kneel once it reaches 20 or fewer hit points, and can be painstakingly repaired by Zorek, although he has rarely had to do so. D10. Cavern of the Slain: Eight of Armag's skeletal champions wait here, their dreadful intellect keeping them bound to his will, or that of the sword's wielder. They ambush passers-by with javelins, spears, and axes. If felled, their bones slowly reform, unless their names have been removed from the wall in area D5. D11. Test of Obedience: This large room is made in imitation of Kalak's own throne room, should any of the PCs have seen that. Pillars adorned with gold leaf and lapis lazuli mark passage down the hall, and a colossal stone statue carved in the likeness of King Kalak dominates the far wall. Here, Zorek waits to administer the final test or deal with intruders. He is a Raaig, and although he was once one of Kalak's greatest Templars, he has felt his faith waver in the past decade or so. Those who try to persuade him of the Sorcerer-King's death (if this has happened in your game) can cause his faith to waver even further, and a series of five successive Persuasion checks (at DC 20) can cause him to fade away entirely. D12. Armag's Armoury: The hacked bodies of the four captives from House Drelev, as well as another half-dozen of Armag's barbarians, are scattered across this room. The barbarians seem to have fought back, but even they were not able to hold back Armag once he awoke Ovinrbaane. His immediate rage sated, he has been sent into the next room to attune to it more thoroughly, along with the remaining skeletal champions. Here, the Loud Sisters of the Cult of Black Malice wait, and guard their champion. The two are older than presented in the original adventure, but are highly-skilled, and will bring the full weight of their elemental magic against anyone attempting to stop them. They have literally waited a generation to bring about this plan, and no-one can bring a halt to the destruction which will be unleashed. D13. Armag's Tomb: The walls here are covered in bas-reliefs of a barbarian warrior wielding an axe. In the centre of the room kneels Armag, communing with the axe's violent spirit and becoming one with the original Armag once and for all. He is guarded by the last eight of his skeletal champions, and will only rise during the second round of combat, unleashing his rage upon any intruders. He will be a very tough fight, combining his own rage and skill at battle with the magical powers of Ovinrbaane. Killing Armag and the Loud Sisters is enough to settle the barbarian tribes for a few more generations, and they will cause no united harm to the PCs' new city as it grows. High Praetor Irovetus, grows more daring, and will next unleash his grand plan to destroy them once and for all, in the upcoming War of the Silt Kings. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 1 January 2021. Comments are closed.
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