The Ixian Liberation (Setting Story):
"Ebet of the Hundred Gates, Mistress of the River of Life, City of the Living God, has fallen to the hordes of Ix the Ninth, Ruler of the River of Death from Across the Poison Sea. Where are the heroes who can save this city and its inhabitants? Oh, woe!" -words scrawled on the Lime Wall of the Temple of the Everliving Cat by a nameless Ebeteen oppressor-priest in his own blood.
The PCs are soldiers or mercenaries in the army of Ix the Ninth. The conquest is done. Now it's open season on the thousand years old necropolis of Ebet.
"The charonic reed boats ply the River of Life, crossing from Ebet on the fertile east bank to the imposing limestone bluffs of the desert west bank. The carved visages of the ancient Naga King and the Minotaur Queen flank the Gash of Life and Death, a chasm in the cliffs through which the white steps built of the bones of the Ebetian ancestors lead to the City of the Dead, the Necropolis of Ebet." - Approaching the Necropolis, Holy Pilgrim Shortbook Guide to Ebet and its Fabulous Necropolis, 12th Edition, Year of the Dappled Plover of the Endless Reign of the 32nd Living God Amnesis.
Beyond the Gate of the Endless Circle the necropolis stretches to the west, centuries upon centuries of the death-worshipping dogs' tombs. Gold, precious stones, silks, oils, incenses, parchments, ivories, carvings, armours and weapons consigned to dry decay in this parched desert upland. Scum and vermin eked out their lives here before, the refuse of the slave-owning imperialists' cities. Now they have been joined by the opium peddling Ebeteen priests, their cowardly soldiers and the revolting refugees who would rather continue to resist the Glorious Evolution of Ix than accept the reason and order brought by the Red Army of Liberation.
DiaT Ia-c: Ebet Necropolis Areas, Outdoor Encounters & Terrain
Roll either d100 or d20 as preferred, the d100 roll will generally give a low chance of anything particularly interesting happening or being found and an approximately 20% chance of more interesting finds. The d20 is for when you're just feeling lucky. The table is a work in progress, I will modify this post as I add content.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Area | Outdoor Encounters | Terrain |
1 | 1 | Monumental ruin (+50*) | Vengeful shades, ominous poltergeists or grim dust devils | Water features, lush, lillies |
2-5 | 2 | Looted tomb (-20tr) | Necroplis scum, long-term dwellers in the necropolis, persecuted by the Ebeteen, gypsies, tricksters and thieves | Dry, cracked earth |
6-35 | 3 | Dirty, poor area (-20tr, -10*) | Feral rats, cats, dogs, beetles or other vermin | Scrubby grass |
36-75 | 4 | Common tombs (-10tr, -10*) | Desert Scum, come to the Necropolis seeking loot that rightfully belongs to Ix | Broken stones and rubble |
76-78 | 5 | The Barracks of Necropolis Maintenance | Ixian soldiers, mercenaries, commissars or overseers | Ashes and burnt buildings |
79-81 | 6 | The Temple of the Administrators | Ebeteen priests and their opium addled coteries and guards | Scrawny desert trees |
82-84 | 7 | The Ducal Tombs | Ebeteen terrorist fanatics, partisans or cutthroats | Brambles, tangled thorn bushes |
85-86 | 8 | The Tombs of the Scribes | Effete refugees, imperialists, scribes or administrators | Salted wasteland |
87-88 | 9 | The Princely Tombs | Common Ebeteen refugee trash, children, women or old men | Sand and dust choked |
89-90 | 10 | The Catacombs of the Hundred Worthies (€) | Hyenas, desert wolves, vultures, or other scavengers | Lush, maintained grass |
91 | 11 | The Tomb of the Saviour General (€) | Unlicensed looters, cannibals, bandits or body snatchers | Paved, stony |
92 | 12 | The Tomb of the Glorious Architect | Plague bearers, infected refugees, lepers or other filth | Dried up, dead vegetation, dust |
93 | 13 | The Tombs of the Viziers (€) | Lions, sand dragons, thorn crawlers or other predators | Ivy, marble ruins, trees |
94 | 14 | The Tomb of the Forgotten King | Necromancers, warlocks, witches or other soul-burned refuse | Rainforest, choking vegetation |
95 | 15 | The Temple of the Watching Cat | Worms, leeches, poisonous plants, beetles, grubs or other parasites | Date palms and ponds |
96 | 16 | The Tombs of the High Priests (€) | Skeletons, mummies, walkers or other mindless undead | Blood-soaked ground, withering vegetation |
97 | 17 | The Temple of the Son | Fakirs, juicers, dreamers and other living dead | Winding paths and plazas |
98 | 18 | The Queen's Mortuary Temple | Archaic constructs, golems, clockworks or other never-living abominations | Large dead trees |
99 | 19 | The King's Father's Mortuary Temple | Eaters of sorrow, drinkers of pain or other void monstrosities | Thick with gravestones |
100 | 20 | Temple of the Dead God (+20tr, €) | False god manifestations, risen false gods and other horrors of the Ebeteen mummified disaster of an afterlife | Lich field strewn with mummies and skeletons given up by the ground |
As the 'heroes' wander the quarters (hexes) of the Necropolis, most of it is covered common graves with little treasure (penalties to treasure rolls). Some of the areas contain entrances (€) to the Catacombs where, rumour has it, the richest treasures of the older God Kings are still hidden. Encounters list common creatures, terrain adds some flavour to the area.
DiaT Id-e: Ebet Necropolis Difficulties and Strangenesses
This table presents some difficulties, traps, weird tricks and, well, weirdnesses the righteous Ixian warriors will find in the Ebet Necropolis.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Difficulties | Strangeness |
1 | 1 | Death ward on tomb protected by the Dead God | The remains of a giant foot, only the letters OZ can be read |
2-5 | 2 | An area cursed by the Ebeteen priests causing blindness, incontinence, hirsuteness, bloody flux or disfiguring boils and toads. | A crucified and manacled headless corpse cradles its head and points to glory (35%) or ruin (65%) |
6-35 | 3 | Shattered glass or masonry shards as caltrops | The writing's on the wall, in burnt blood letters 10 feet high. |
36-75 | 4 | Loose rubble slips and slides underfoot | The scent of orchids lies heavy in the air, disappearing when danger threatens. |
76-78 | 5 | Dust swirls and obscures vision | The water does not reflect and heals any undead immersed in it as a cure light wounds potion each round. |
79-81 | 6 | Monuments amplify sounds and echoes | The stone is friable to the touch, crumbling at the breath of the living. |
82-84 | 7 | Vile stench of death and burning cause nausea | Blood red mists hang in the air, obscuring visibility and raising tempers. |
85-86 | 8 | Fragile masonry columns and arches collapse easily | The laughter of long-dead children echoes among the graves. |
87-88 | 9 | Pit traps laid by the terrorist Ebeteen | Creatures slain in this area rise again as cowardly zombies after 1d4 rounds and attempt to flee. |
89-90 | 10 | Landslide traps in the ruins laid by terrorists | Wounds in the area simply will not bleed or heal. |
91 | 11 | A lair of venomous vermin or hungry flesh-beetles | Dolls. Many, many heretical ceramic dolls. |
92 | 12 | A poisoned spike trap laid by some scum or other | A shrine to the demons of lust of the Ebeteen, including a trove of clockwork phalluses. |
93 | 13 | Gluttinous mud, pretty much quicksand | An astrolabe that plays ethereal music when the spheres align. |
94 | 14 | Surprisingly deep water may drown the unwary | A box of poisoned chocolates that cause rapid tooth decay. |
95 | 15 | Weak floor breaks under impact or weight, opening into Catacombs far below | A wall of wondrous glyphs that restore life to a withered limb when lamb's blood is poured on them. |
96 | 16 | Cursed ground where the dead wake when trod upon | A magical fountain of waters azure that restores mana or spells. |
97 | 17 | A slide, Indiana Jones style, through the ruin | A slab of preservation that draws the juices from a corpse, preserving it for later. |
98 | 18 | Level-draining ward on a tomb, clearly marked | A clockwork goblin toy designed to amuse a dead princeling. |
99 | 19 | Electro-magnetic field wards with lightning | A rock crystal obelisk that removes the heart of he who touches it, letting them fight to -13hp, but become unable to heal naturally. |
100 | 20 | The head of a medusa in a box is a petrifying experience | A skull carved with a map leading to the Sunken Chamber of the Purple Sand Octopus God |
DiaT If-h: Ebet Necropolis Treasure Values, Scrolls and Wondrous Things
This table presents the treasure values present in a hex (in approximate % of xp required to level - adjust value to taste), the scrolls column represents spells that could be found, the wondrous things column presents a list of generally useless but beautiful and valuable mortuary goods that may be found.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Treasure Values (% to level) | Scrolls | Wondrous Things |
1 | 1 | 1d20% | Akaula's Drinking of the Blood of the Dead | An eversinging bird of gold and clockwork. |
2-5 | 2 | 1d6-1% | Akaula's Control of the Pestilential Vermin | A silver teapot that boils itself and glitters in the sun. |
6-35 | 3 | 1d4% | Shallit's Staunching of Wounds and Curing of Fatigue | A helm of bronze and crystal and ancient glyphs. |
36-75 | 4 | 1d8% | Obat's Curing of Wounds | A shimmering armor of blue scales and gilded tassles. |
76-78 | 5 | 3d10% | Lakhim's Curing of the Diseases of the Body | A cup of clay filled that ever refills with strong, sweet wine. |
79-81 | 6 | 3d10% | Shallit's Setting of the Bones and Purification of the Teeth | A flute of bone that sets the dead to sleep. |
82-84 | 7 | 3d10% | Obat's Burning of the Unclean | A lion steed of leather and steel and clockwork. |
85-86 | 8 | 3d12% | Esbeen's Expulsion of Spirits and Curing of the Soul | A mechanical hand that reproduces whatever is written with a magical pen. |
87-88 | 9 | 3d12% | Akaula's Pestilential Transformation | A glamorous crown that protects from sun and heat. |
89-90 | 10 | 3d12% | Uzud's Servant of Sand | An intricate clockwork eye that grants infravision. |
91 | 11 | 3d20% | Vorhad's Reduction of the Living Curses | A music box that plays the tunes of paradise. |
92 | 12 | 3d20% | Esbeen's Words With the Dead | An axe of jade and ivory and electrum that destroys the unquiet dead and their nemeses. |
93 | 13 | 3d20% | Uzud's Servant of Stone | A book of glistening, wet parchment that can be erased and rewritten upon as often as desired. |
94 | 14 | 3d20% | Akaula's Turning of the Dead | A disembodied preserved hand that can play the strings of a harp. |
95 | 15 | 3d20% | Lakhim's Restoration of the Petrified Corpse | A pair of silk and silver wings that allow one to glide like a vulture bird. |
96 | 16 | 3d20% | Esbeen's Animation of the Mummified Dead | A marvelous toolkit of enchanted ivory, steel and stones. |
97 | 17 | 3d20% | Uzud's Weapon of the Source of Life | A set of painted ceramic tablets of poetry. |
98 | 18 | 3d20% | Akaula's Destruction of the Dead | A translucent alabaster canopic jar of eternal preservation carved with cats and moons. |
99 | 19 | 3d20% | Uzud's Exploding Flower of Stone | A shield of stone and gold that is incredibly light to hold. |
100 | 20 | 5d20% | Esbeen's Recalling of the Lost Soul and Reanimation of the Corpse | A clockwork and ruby necklace that summons imps and tells the time. |
DiaT Ii-k: Ebet Necropolis Curses, Diseases and Monstrosities
This table gives three lists of more horrible things to inflict on characters.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Curses | Monstrosities | Diseases |
1 | 1 | Blindness | A scarab with gold and lapiz armor and a petrifying bite. | Leprosy, tzaraath, eczema or a mild skin condition. |
2-5 | 2 | Deafness | A large rat with emeralds for eyes and dripping fangs. | Rotting pustules, warts or boils. |
6-35 | 3 | Dumbness | A huge dog with a tail of stone and spiked steel. | Sunstroke or severe dehydration. |
36-75 | 4 | Impotence | A mummy with bones of silver and sinews of red gold. | Lice. The regular or the crotchety kind. |
76-78 | 5 | Evercrawling Lice | A sarcophagus with thirteen scarlet giant arachnid legs. | Sand itch, particularly afflicts wearers of metal armors |
79-81 | 6 | Delusions of Beautious Colours | A ghoul with the head of a lion and the arms of a minotaur. | Pneumonia or dragonbreath throat |
82-84 | 7 | Baldness | An Ebeteen terrorist with a dagger for a tongue and lizard claws. | Visitor gut (diarrhoea) or the bloody flux or dysentery |
85-86 | 8 | Castration of the Impudent | A vile heretic priest with the tail of a snake. | Dropsy or fluid buildup |
87-88 | 9 | Eversinging Desert Spirits of Sholoth | A desert dweller with no face and an obsidian blade. | Liver, gut or heartworms |
89-90 | 10 | Tightening and Drying of the Skin | A corpse of a woman who cannot die and calls all rats her babes and suckles them upon her bony ribcage. | Consumption or tuberculosis |
91 | 11 | Rotting of the Teeth | A giant lizard all hollow and filled with gold rings and copper charms. | Withering of the limbs, partial paralysis or meningitis |
92 | 12 | Evershivering Cold of the Dusty Grave | The front half of a fair-haired angel with the whole back of his body missing and hollow. | Sandtoad or Fleshbeetle, eggs and larvae |
93 | 13 | Withering of the Limbs | A statue with bleeding red eyes that always follow the shortest character in the vicinity | Gangrene or blood poisoning |
94 | 14 | Vomiting of Beetles | A headless horseman who whistles through his windpipe and rides a bone horse. | Blindness or deafness or dumbness |
95 | 15 | Repeated Passing of the Stones of Contrition | A dwarf with no beard. | Demonic posession, epilepsy or other madness |
96 | 16 | Inversion of the Feet | A bull with a human head that stalks the night, offering forgiveness and peace. | Virulent inflammation or high fever |
97 | 17 | Kasub's Declaration "Thine Head Shalt Be Up Side Down" | A cat with no fur and a human mouth growing on its belly. | Indigestion or bloody terminal haemorrhage |
98 | 18 | Sloughing of the Flesh | A large dead tree that drips blood and flesh from it's drooping grey dead branches. | The Slow Petrification |
99 | 19 | The Pillar of Salt Shalt Be Thine Nemesis | A pit filled with the chattering skulls of condemned Ebeteen prisoners condemned to stay chained to this world until their sentence is up. | Dirteating plague |
100 | 20 | The Everfollowing Flame of Hell | A giant rough stone pot filled with crawling clattering hands with eyeballs in their palms. | Deathwalker rabies |
DiaT Il-n: Ebet Necropolis Armours, Weapons and Potions
This table gives three lists of nice-ish loot the "heroes" may find.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Armours | Weapons | Potions |
1 | 1 | Red chainmail of the Cult of Everflowing Life of Ebet | The Eating Flame Unguent of Obat | The Weakening Bile of Clear Vision |
2-5 | 2 | Crocodile skin and antler shield | The Alchemical Grenade or Vial of Poison | The Strength of the Divine Battle Frenzy |
6-35 | 3 | Light linen and leather armour studded with brass | The Spear or Dagger | Killer of Fatigue |
36-75 | 4 | Light chainmail and boiled leather guards | The Bow or Sling | Stopper of Wounds and Healer of Scratches |
76-78 | 5 | Ebeteen ringmail with silver tracery | The Sword, straight or curved | The Tremor Inducing Concoction Against Poisons |
79-81 | 6 | Heavy banded and scaled armour with lacquered guards | The Axe | Correct Unguent Against Parasites |
82-84 | 7 | Heavy brass and clockwork armour with ceramic guards | The Mace | Pungent Sovereign Glue For the Reattachment of Severed Limbs |
85-86 | 8 | Light armour of silk and spiderfish leather | The Noble Hafted Axe or Halberd | Glittering Drink of Heat Resistance |
87-88 | 9 | Heavy tapered brazen shield of the Solar Guards of Ebet | The Great Sword | Sustaining Drops of Liquid Ambrosia Against Dehydration |
89-90 | 10 | Ostrich plumed helm of the Midnight and Midday Watch | The Executioner's Great Axe | Disease Curing Waters Diluted With Seeds Of Soluble Mercury |
91 | 11 | Porcelain armour of the Doll Throne Guard | The Snake Priests' Staff | Paste of Tooth Restoration and Hair Strengthening |
92 | 12 | Spunwire electrum armour | The Golden Hollow Dagger of Venom | Tonic of Strength or Mind or Dexterity |
93 | 13 | Heavy coldsteel chain of heat resistance | The Silver Bow of Burning Pain | Salve of Protection Against Draining |
94 | 14 | Glowing green shield of the Oasis Knights Resplendent | The Sword of Severing of the Accursed | Red Wine of Protection Against Sorrow |
95 | 15 | A glass and ivory helm of the Clear Mind and Watchful Eye | The Axe of Glorious Decapitation | Accursed Ebeteen Beer of Drunkenness and Villainy |
96 | 16 | Glyphed heavy tile and bronze armour | The Heat Wand of Urnumu | Blue Jelly of Vital Restoration |
97 | 17 | Sand Octopus leather armour. | The Thundering Rod of Urnumu | Green Jelly of the Virulent Toxic Kiss |
98 | 18 | Silver plate armour. | The Searing Staff of Urnumu | Black Lotus Juice of Forgetfulness and Joyous Slumber |
99 | 19 | Golden chainmail. | The Gleaming Brazen and Black Iron Maw of Shrapnel and Doom | Kingsblood Potion of Curse Cleansing |
100 | 20 | Jewel studded dragonleather armour. | The Polearm of Divine Fire and Cutting of the Dead God | Solution of the Ashes of the Honoured Ancestors Providing Invisibility to the Dead |
DiaT Io-q: Ebet Necropolis Tabular Grab Bag: Random Hazards, Crossing the River, Trying to Buy Stuff
This table is a poorly sorted set of almost random stuff dealing with the Necropolis of Ebet and Ransacked Ebet under the Just and Popularly Ordainer Rule of Ix the Ninth.
Roll d100 | Roll d20 | Hazards | Crossing the River of Life | Is What You Want to Buy Available in Ransacked Ebet? |
1 | 1 | Shade Marked - drawing blood will darken the sky and draw hungry ghosts. | The God of Death drowns the handler's reason and he will try to drown all his passengers in a whirlpool | No, and it might be illegal and you may be wanted by the authorities now. |
2-5 | 2 | Noxious - disturbing the soil will unleash noxious fumes in the area. | Boat handler is an Ebeteen terrorist and will try to mislead his passengers, increasing Necropolis danger | No, and you attract the attention of some nasty cutpurses. |
6-35 | 3 | Flammable - wood and refuse in the area may catch fire. | Boat handler is grumpy and charges a princely 10 silvers a head. | Nope. |
36-75 | 4 | Crumbling - buildings, tombs and death pillars may start collapsing. | Boat handler is kindly and charges only 10 silvers a head. | Yes, but it's of shoddy quality or ridiculously expensive. |
76-78 | 5 | Dust Bedevilled - raising dust clouds will summon dust devils. | The boat springs a leak and must be bailed constantly to make it across | Yes. |
79-81 | 6 | Hungry Waters - blood in the waters will summon Gorks. | A small but valuable item is stolen by the boat handler's innocent looking daughter | Yes. |
82-84 | 7 | Rumour Tainted - rumours of gold incite great greed in this area | The boat handler tries to sell his brother's "handsome" wife to buy food. | Yes. |
85-86 | 8 | Melancholy - strenuous activity in the area provokes a melancholy miasma | Unless given a tip, the handler will alert Ebeteen cutthroats to the PCs location. | Yes. |
87-88 | 9 | Malarial - staying too long weakens the body and poisons the mind | A voluble handler will chat and talk of treasure and offer rumours. All false. | Yes. |
89-90 | 10 | Watchful Stones - motion will alert the Watchers of the Dead | The boat is stopped by Ixian inspectors, the PCs must show their Authorization of Reappropriation of Treasures Stolen From the People of the Two Rivers or pay a steep fine. | Yes. |
91 | 11 | Vulture Marked - sleeping creatures will attack soul eaters and gold thieves | The handler has a lead on high quality alcohol in an Ebet taphouse ... And high quality wenches to hollow out the any purse. | Yes, a superior version is also available. |
92 | 12 | Echoing - any noise in the area will echo and reecho for several minutes | The handler will sell his house out of desperation. | Yes, a superior version is also available. |
93 | 13 | Weeping - any loss in the area will provoke inconsolable weeping and anguish | The handler is an Ebeteen nobleman in disguise. | Yes, a superior version is also available. |
94 | 14 | Gaze Removing - memorizing or noting down what is seen in the area will turn the eyeballs into water. | The boat is attacked by a riverine Sand Octopus | Yes, a superior version is also available. |
95 | 15 | Forgettable - staying too long in this area will begin eating away memories. | The boat stinks of rot and decay, there is an Ixian body in the ballast hold. | Yes, a superior version also available at the same price. |
96 | 16 | Great Magnetic Field - clashing metal weapons will activate a great magnetic field which will begin to turn living flesh into steel. | The handler has fine fish to sell, though they may cause a worm infection or the yellow flux. | Yes, a superior version also available at the same price. |
97 | 17 | Withering - fast movement or exuberance will activate an ageing and withering curse. | The handler is dead when the opposite bank is reached. | Yes, a superior version also available at the same price. |
98 | 18 | Blood Jungle - any blood spilled will bring forth blooming thorn vines and bushes to choke the ground. | The handler jumps overboard in the middle of the current and is swallowed up by the waves. | Yes, a superior version is available for a lower price. |
99 | 19 | Hazard of the Beasts - food left in the open will attract the Eater of the Hearts of the Unclean and the Evil. | The handler can take the PCs directly to a Catacomb entrance. | Yes, a superior version is available for a lower price. |
100 | 20 | Truth - attempting to pray in this area will result in the vile abominations of the Ebeteen gods revealing themselves to the character and corrupting his mind with lies. | The boat sails through a shimmering veil into the Realm of the Dead, the Ferryman demands a tithe to release the PCs. | Yes, and a friendly stranger offers you a magical version for free, no strings attached. |
I will keep adding tables to this ... I mean, we're only up to Q ... there's still r-t, u-w and x-z to go at least.
This is amazing. Your imagination is impressive. This much work, you must have a ball putting this together. I wish I had a campaign to use this in just to allow the awesome to bloom in a game.
ReplyDeleteThanks, you're making me blush a bit :) ... of course, it's fun to do this, so I do it. Otherwise it would be just ... work.
ReplyDelete