Location: Jungle Palace

This one is very, very small. I feel like I do way too many posts about "Impending Doooooom" and "Evil Bad Destroy World Boom!" locations and characters. So I decided to do a basic template for an inconsequential adventure that would still fit inside the setting. This is another image that I forgot to copy the credit for. There were actually a lot of these that I found back in May. I remembered to start keeping track of those around June. Sorry.


Description:
The stone walls stand strong in the jungle. Plant life twines around the columns, but is unable to completely take over the structure. The windows hang dark, and the sounds of nature are all around.

Associated Knowledges:
History:

• Elves used to live here.
• The elves were driven out about a century ago.
• A cabal of druids were angered by the elves building this place, and drove them out to preserve the jungle.

Geography:

• No established kingdoms are anywhere near here.
• Some small tribes of elves sometimes pass through this jungle.
• The only permanent inhabitants are a cabal of druids.

DM Info:
The Jungle Palace was a structure built by a group of elves that tried to have a permanent foothold in the jungle. They were driven out by a group of angry druids, since the palace was an affront to the powers of nature. The palace is now uninhabited, and that group of elves have long since left. The druids keep a constant vigil around it, and have turned it into a monument to the evils of civilization. 
The elves left behind a considerable amount of their power in the palace, and were driven out before they could reclaim it. Magical enchantments were being cast over the palace, though few of them were finished. Works of elvish craftsmanship are strewn about, as the druids have no interest in such things. The powers of nature have not reclaimed the palace, as the druids now keep it as a constant reminder of the dangers of outsiders.
Wild animals do live within the palace, though they are few in number. The druids have put in place a number of animated plants and magical beasts outside of the palace to defend it, should anyone try to reclaim the place. If anyone were to attempt to enter the palace, they would bring the wrath of the druids down upon themselves. Animals, plants, and nature magic would be thrown at them. 
The intention here is to have a relatively minor quest to explore and loot the palace. Rumors of elven treasure, and minimal defenses would be sure to draw in a party of adventurers. The only real "twist" would be that the druids would meet the PCs only with violence. There wouldn't be too much of a follow-up plot or anything really complicated about it, except for fights involving lots of inconsequential minions.

Location: Eternal Shores

This is a smaller post for a relatively minor location. This is one that I feel is mostly a template, because there's a lot of room to alter the basic idea depending on the circumstances. As such, it's more of an example of how I envision planes working in my setting. Again, I forgot to copy down the contributor's name of this picture.

Description:
The stones of the shore feel loose beneath your feet, but you never seem to slip or fall. The columns of stone pile up into hills and lower into valleys, as far as you can see. You can taste the ocean in the air, and see very little vegetation growing between the stones. 

Associated Knowledges:
Planes:

• You are not in the Material plane.
• There are elements - pun fully intended - of earth and water here.
• You are trapped in a juncture between the elemental planes of Earth and Water, in a limbo of sorts.

Nature:

• The powers of nature run strongly here.
• You feel more attuned to Earth and Water.
• The strength of Earth and Water here may influence magic of other types.

DM Info:
The Eternal Shores are a bridge between the elemental planes of Earth and Water. It represents a limbo between the two. Space has no real meaning there, and it is effectively infinite in the three-dimensional plane. Stone forms an endless path, while saltwater extends infinitely out. The clouds in the sky are very distant, and are in a constant state of flux. The sun is in a permanent sunset at all times. Because this plane is not fully attuned to any one element, plant life of the Material plane is able to grow there, albeit barely. 
This demi-plane is commonly traversed by powerful elemental beings. Mostly they don't have any interaction with the pathway made of earth or the ocean, but pass through it in more of a spiritual way. Creatures of the Material Plane, however, are able to get stuck there, and most times die from lack of resources. The crossing between the two elemental planes gave way to many smaller creatures being formed out of pure energy. Earth and Water elementals wander aimlessly, unable to comprehend where they are. This demi-plane is as alien to them as it is to creatures of the Material plane. Odd combinations of Earth and Water also form here - from mud elementals to creatures made of Water with Earth floating in them, to giant krakens made purely of Earth that can command the ocean. 
Some beings use this demi-plane as a hiding place. Since nobody of any importance pays it any mind, many elemental beings outcast by their superiors take refuge in the infinite expanse of the Eternal Shores. They may use it as a permanent residence, carving out their own kingdom in limbo, or as a temporary layover as they plan their next home. This leads to many elaborate lairs of evil, good, or even neutral beings that have been expelled by the elemental lords, all trying to enact their own planes. Most are unaware of the others. 
This place is mostly going to be another RP challenge for PCs. The only way a mortal can get out is by bargaining with an elemental of sufficient power to take them away. That could lead to all sorts of sell-your-soul deals being made. The environment is dangerous enough between monsters and exposure that they'd be all but forced to make a deal with something. There's enough room for different elementals with completely different goals that there will be at least one lesser evil to choose from, and enough room to work in interesting combat encounters or puzzles. 

Location: Clockwork Library

Another picture that I forgot to copy the source of. I do apologize for that. The ideas for this area come from Wan Shi Tong's Library from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a little bit from the Portal series. I like this area a lot because I can envision it being the sort of place that PCs could visit multiple times before it actually becomes a conflict. They come a few times for information, and then they need something restricted and have to fight through the defenses. I rather like that. Also, I'm trying to keep to more minimalist descriptions, since I feel like I'm too long-winded at times.


                                                             Description:
The halls are lit from the ceiling, and are brightly illuminated. Gears whizz all around, and steam blows out of various pipes to fuel the mechanisms. The floor tiles shift about like clockwork, and the different structures all hum and turn on their own rhythm.

Associated Knowledges:
History:

• This place is ancient, older than most established civilizations.
• The library has been open for the storage of knowledge for centuries.
• Different factions have used this place as a neutral meeting grounds.

Arcana:

• A faint magical aura permeates the library.
• Most of the mechanisms are not magical, but a few have a slight aura.
• Most of the magic is emanating from below the surface.

DM Info:
  The Clockwork Library has existed since before most human kingdoms. It was built by dwarven clans to be a repository of all their collective knowledge. Most of those clans have since gone extinct, and only one of them remains. They invented the clockwork structures within the library, and have guarded those secrets jealously. These dwarves were also the ones that invented firearms, though these are significantly less advanced. The library is still open to visitors, but they are restricted on what they can see, as the pact between the clans has become void with their extinction.
  The library is protected by clockwork golems and defense structures. These golems are more advanced than most others, and have some form of intelligence. The defensive structures have different abilities. There are turrets that fire at attackers, structures that will assemble more clockwork golems on the spot, and others that will warp the terrain against would-be attackers. The library itself is not sentient, but it does have a built-in sense of self preservation that the dwarves have programmed in. The day to day activities are handled by the library itself, but the dwarves can still control it directly if need be. 
  The library has a lot of knowledge that has been stored in it. Public access includes most common magical spells and incantations, and a number of rarer spells in certain sections. The library also contains detailed manuals on most species in Fomor, and has information on most of the major planes. The public can only access the information that could be found in other places. The library has it all in one spot, but most of it can be found by going to three or four major cities and looking hard enough. The restricted-access areas have much more detailed information on a wider variety of topics. Specific rituals to summon powerful demon lords, bargaining advice for elemental lords, passwords and taboo spells. The library has rooms dedicated to channeling powerful divination spells to obtain even more knowledge than would otherwise be possible. The secrets to advanced clockwork construction are also down there.
  The dwarves that inhabit the library are few in number, and ostensibly neutral to anyone else. They have lost their ancestral home to other clans, and now only hold onto the library. None dare trifle with them, as the advanced defenses of the library have turned back entire armies. They allow anyone in so long as they hold no intention to damage the library itself. The dwarves reserve the right to eject anyone or anything from their home, but they tend not to. Many have come from long distances to peruse the library, ranging from evil to good, lawful to chaotic. 
  The challenges here for the party should be mostly RP-based. They could come here in search of knowledge to help them on their quest, which can only be found in the restricted areas. That would require either diplomacy with the dwarves, or navigating through puzzles and traps and the formidable defenses of the library itself. Because the rooms can shift about and have any sort of dangers within, the possibilities are almost limitless. 

Location: Dripstone Cave

Taking a brief break from NPCs. Unfortunately I forgot to save the name of the Redditor that provided this image, so I do apologize for that. The inspiration for this post came from the picture, but also from Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It's pretty heavily altered from that, but The Shadow was the theme I was going for behind the goo. Also, someone pointed out that my previous font size was too small. So hopefully this is easier to read without being too obtrusive.


Description:
The cave seems fairly normal at first, twisting and turning, opening into large passages like most caves do. Deeper in, however, you see a strange fluorescent light that illuminates the cavern. You see a viscous liquid pooling on the floor, emanating an eerie yellow glow, and fills the rest of the cave. The stone is coated in a tough shell that reflects the light. The liquid bubbles slowly, and you can feel it writhing around your feet very slowly. It smells of rotted corpses, and the color shifts to every imaginable hue as you progress.

Associated Knowledges:
Arcana:

• The goo has a strong magical aura about it.
• You can detect that the goo is self-propagating.
• The magical trail leads to the depths of the cave, intensifying the deeper you go.

Nature:

• The cave itself is of natural origins.
• The goo is by no means natural.
• The cave itself is being irreparably altered by the goo.

DM Info:
  Dripstone Cave was, at one point, just an ordinary cave. Now, however, it has been filled with a mysterious goo that is slowly eating away at the stone, and turning it into something else. A planar rift formed in the depths of the cave when a demon attempted to enter the material plane, and now chaos is warping the cave into something from it's home plane. The goo is slowly creeping up towards the surface, but the process is very slow and difficult, as the demon failed to enter and is trapped in limbo between the two planes.
  The goo itself is not sentient, but it is capable of some level of thought. It has the overpowering urge to creep up towards the surface. The goo is eating the stone of the cave, but not in the way that most things "eat" their food. By consuming the stone, the goo becomes more grounded - pun fully intended - in the material plane. The essence of the material plane is shifted into the goo, and the stone is replaced with a replica from the demon's home dimension. The goo isn't necessarily aware of what is going on, as this is more of a reaction than an intention. The demon will be able to fully enter the material plane once it has established a domain that is akin to it's own home plane, which the goo is accomplishing.
  The creatures that lived in the cave have either died, or undergone mutations from the goo. Some of them were outright eaten, and their petrified remains resemble the stone that has been altered. Others were exposed to the ambient magic energy, and transformed into aberrations. Mostly they wander aimlessly, as they have no comprehension of what has happened. Some smaller monsters from the demon's home plane have also come through the bridge between them, and now inhabit Dripstone Cave.
  The environment inside the cave is inhospitable to life of the material plane. Toxic gas and dangerous energy radiates from the goo, and closer to the rift the magical energy is highly unstable. This requires magic or other methods to make it even possible to enter. The goo itself slowly tries to "eat" the PCs if they step into it, but the process takes so long that it should pose no direct danger. If they stand still or go to sleep in it, however, they could never wake up at all.
  The challenge to PCs adventuring here would not be direct combat. The creatures that live in Dripstone Cave are weak enough to slip through the cracks between the planes, or mindless animals that were altered.The environmental hazards are enough to challenge PCs. The goo has flooded some areas entirely, and the deeper they progress into the cave, the weirder things get. The stones start growing eyes, random chaotic traps appear, and dimensions make less and less sense as reality gets warped. At the end of the cave, the demon still hasn't fully formed yet, and the combat should be relatively easy. 

Faction Summary: Wraithlords

I think I prefer this format for faction summaries. Also, I decided to go ahead and wrap up the Wraithlord stuff today so that I can move on to something else here. It is fully possible that I may return to them at some point, since I actually really like them in general. 

Name: The Wraithlords
Races: Undead

Goals:

• The extermination of all living creatures
• A new world order of the Undead
• Each Wraithlord has their own personal agenda. More on that below.

Important People:

• Wraithlord Arath
• First of the Wraithlords, created thousands of years ago
• Powerful spellcaster and combatant
• Chessmaster behind most important world events
• Based on Nicodemus from The Dresden Files
• Wraithlord Dirextrus
• Powerful spellcaster
• Pursues magical knowledge above all else
• Wraithlord Panack
• Master tactician, wants to prove that he is the greatest general to have ever unlived
• Believes only in strength
• Leads the actual armies
• Has significant underlings and lieutenants, he is the only one to trust his own creations
• Wraithlord Nirith
• Completely insane
• Goes between benevolent and sadistic, but is the strongest of the Wraithlords in raw power
• Was created by accident

Strategies:

• Spread plagues to create undead
• Slay the living through pitched battles
• Cause political strife to make the established nations easier to conquer
• Acquire magical knowledge of times long gone, so they may never be stopped

History:

• Wraithlord Arath created back when the Formians still existed. He began spreading the curse of undeath among them.
• The Formians were destroyed by dragons, Arath survived.
• As time went by and new life was created, Arath resumed his plans.
• Dirextrus created because of her fascination with the undead and her magical strength.
• Panack created after he was defeated by the undead hordes in war.
• Nirith created when he was defeated by the other Wraithlords, the only time they have all come together to do something. Reality itself was shattered by Nirith's insanity, and he was accidentally turned into a Wraithlord.
• Several centuries before the time of the campaign, the Wraithlords were sealed away in tombs across the continent. 
• Arath's minions eventually uncover the locations of his tomb, and release him.
• Arath begins plotting how to free the other Wraithlords.
• PCs arrive in central Fomor. Campaign begins.

Profile:
  The Wraithlords are an immensely powerful group of undead that are dedicated to the eradication of life on the world of Fomor. In ages past, they came very close to accomplishing their goals. Panack had led their armies to victory over most of Fomor, and only a few elven and dwarven holds remained. Plagues spread by Dirextrus and Arath, combined with Arath's political manipulation, had left the living nations very weak and vulnerable. However, after they killed Nirith and he was brought back as a Wraithlord, they again fractured. The remaining living managed to capture them, one by one, and sealed them away in tombs, obscured with magic of epic proportions. Nirith helped them do it, though he thought it was funny at the time. Each of the Wraithlords have sat, imprisoned for an unimaginable amount of time. 
  What the living did not know was that Arath had planned for this, and had his own agents in the world spring a plan to free him. In the meantime, he and Dirextrus were able to study the magic that had been used to imprison them, and emerged stronger than before. Arath was freed, and the next phase of his plan was to free the other Wraithlords, and pick their plans up from where they left off. For now, they are very weak until they have time to rebuild their strength and attempt to take over the world once more.
  Arath is the most dedicated to creating a new world order. The others all have their own independent agendas. Each of the Wraithlords attempt to manipulate each other into accomplishing their own goals, although Arath is the best at it. Each of them believe in the superiority of the undead, and that their way is the one true way. While there has not been direct infighting between them, they don't tend to go out of the way to help each other. Most of the undead beneath the Wraithlords are mindless servants, although they may have some lieutenants to handle the more specific affairs.
  As an ancient faction, they have access to powers that might not otherwise be feasible. For instance, Panack wears armor that seems very heavy, yet he moves about a battlefield as though he were unencumbered and light as a feather. Nirith teleports around the globe in the blink of an eye. Arath can spontaneously create hordes of undead with a minor impulse of will. Dirextrus has a permanent portal to her own personal dimension of hell built into her shadow. They are incredibly powerful, and the secrets to how they were initially defeated have been lost to time. Some of the dwarven clans have detailed epics as to how they defeated the undead in combat, though these are believed to be highly embellished.
  What is unknown to the Wraithlords themselves is that they were created by another force, in a plot that is no way completely stolen from the lore of Warcraft. When the Formians tunneled deep beneath the earth, they cracked a small hole in the seal of an eldritch horror. This being exerted enough of it's will to first create Arath, as part of it's own scheme to free itself and devour all of creation. The dragons sensed this event as soon as it happened, and put an end to the Formians before they could do more damage, driving their entire species extinct. Arath does not know any of this, but his plans to destroy all life would ultimately free this being. It's tomb is still partially damaged, but it is patiently waiting for it's servants to fulfill their destiny before it launches the next phase of it's scheme, which would begin the second phase of the campaign I have planned.

Wraithlord posts so far:
Wraithlord Arath
Wraithlord Dirextrus
Wraithlord Panack
Wraithlord Nirith
Belkor, Champion of Death
Nora, Slayer of the Sands
The Scavenger
Dread Riders
Note: This list may be expanded later.

NPC: Belkor, Champion of Death

Another image from De_Vermis_Mysteriis. I rather like this concept for an antagonist, as he could be a more direct threat to a group of PCs rather than a contrived encounter.


Name: Belkor, Champion of Death
Race: Undead
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Appearance:
This creature is tall and slim, and armored lightly. It wields a curved sword in one hand, and leaves it's other hand free. It's armor is a pale yellow, and bears skull icons. It's hair is a pale white, and builds up like a mane.

Profile:
  Belkor was once an elf who stood against the undead hordes. He was a renowned sword-mage among his people, and had led many victorious battles throughout his life. When he confronted Wraithlord Panack's army, however, he was ultimately defeated. His elves had sought to fight the undead in an open battlefield, where they were easily outmatched. He personally dueled against the Wraithlord, only to be crushed by the undead's superior martial skill. He is, however, a very skilled swordsman and magician, and was seen as highly valuable by Panack.
  Belkor is intelligent but impatient. He has a tactician's mind, and often counsels Panack with regards to conducting their war against the living. However, he is often rash and will jump to faulty conclusions. While he may lay intricate plans and create genius battle strategies, he is oftentimes too inflexible and careless to make them succeed. Belkor is arrogant and foolhardy, but his natural brilliance makes him feel superior to all of Panack's other underlings. He views himself as being the most valuable of the Wraithlord's inner circle, and has a cutthroat rivalry with Nora.
  Belkor unlives for battle. He is overcome by bloodthirst and the desire to see his enemies driven before him. Unlike the other servants of the Wraithlords, he has been known to disobey Panack if he feels that he has a better idea. This makes Belkor somewhat of a rogue agent, but he remains useful enough that he has not been dealt with yet. For as long as he has been undead, he has completely defeated each of his enemies, and taken the initiative to expand his destruction. His mistakes are mostly minor, though sometimes they could have been fatal if not for chance. He views it as his purpose in the universe to lead battles and glorify his name in the oncoming age of undead domination.
  In combat, Belkor lives up to his title. He is not as agile as Panack or Nora, and prefers to duel his opponents individually. He uses a combination of magic and swordplay to overcome his foes, mostly focusing on bringing their death as quickly as possible. He is skilled and deadly, but almost never plans beyond his next move. He is entrusted with the command of a large number of undead, who rigidly follow his exact orders. He is, more often than not, sent as an advance party to raid and terrorize an area before the main invasion force can enter. 

Minor Faction: Dread Riders

Another minor post, and a continuation of the Wraithlord faction. At the end of these, I'm planning on doing a large summary of the faction as a whole, and that will be much longer than these have been the last couple of days. Picture courtesy of De_Vermis_Mysteriis of Reddit once again.


Name: Dread Riders
Race: Undead
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Appearance:
  The riders and their mounts are very visibly undead, rotting with bones sticking out. They are clad in metal armor, and wield swords, spears, and shields. They are cloaked in shadows that cling to their bodies, and make them look like they flow as they ride. 

Profile:
The Dread Riders are a contingent of Wraithlord Panack's armies. They act not so much as standard cavalry, but rather as commandos. They are stealthier than one would expect horse-riders to be, and have the ability to conjure darkness to cloak their movements. They are also able to traverse over difficult terrain with no trouble. They are used to raid enemy supply lines, or strike at strategic locations during a battle. They are well-known for their fighting ability and intimidating presence.
  Individually, a Dread Rider is very weak. They rely on fighting as a cohesive unit, and most of their abilities are based on working as a group. They fight in groups of about a half-dozen. Each Rider has powers that affect the group as a whole. Mass protection, Mass inflict wounds (that act as heals for Undead), and Darkness are all examples of this. They also use their mobility to gain flanking and other positional advantages. They tend to be melee warriors, and don't use magic for other purposes. 

Minor NPC: The Scavenger

I'm trying another minor character. I like these mostly because they're fairly simple to come up with, and I've done way too many Big Bad characters lately. Another image from De_Vermis_Mysteriis.


Name: The Scavenger
Race: Undead
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Appearance: 
  The creature is clad in tattered rags and leather. It is covered in dried blood and reeks of death. It is hunched over, under the weight of bags that ooze bodily fluids. It wields a large cleaver that drips with blood.

Profile:
  The Scavenger is a minion of Wraithlord Dirextrus. It is a creature that picks the dead in the battlefield, looking for usable parts in whatever abominations she is creating. It feasts on anything else that is unusable, allowing itself to grow and become stronger. Normally it does not fight, but it's body is the combination of so many other creatures that it does possess great strength. It is sluggish, and focuses mostly on it's duty of collecting the dead, but it will defend itself if necessary. It mostly relies on alchemical substances in it's packs that it creates from corpses, rather than it's own combat ability. The Scavenger is also always accompanied by undead birds, that serve as scouts so it can tell which parts of the battlefield it wants to scavenge from first.
  The Scavenger is not a strong personality. It obeys it's orders, and brings parts back to it's master without question nor hesitation. It mostly ignores whatever else is going on, and focuses solely on gathering bodies. It does have some understanding of language, but did not see any functional reason to give itself any body parts that allowed it to speak. Mostly, it has constructed itself to be able to carry as much as possible, and be able to traverse whatever terrain is necessary. If The Scavenger is encountered multiple times, it's body may be radically different as it adjusts to wherever it is. If it feels that it needs to be more capable in combat, it may sacrifice some of it's functionality to fight off attackers in subsequent missions. 

NPC: Wraithlord Arath

And caught back up with the present. Good work, team! This is the final Wraithlord, although I think I have enough posts to flesh out the faction by the end of next week. Image is, again, courtesy of De_Vermis_Mysteriis. I feel like I should probably get them from other sources, but they uploaded so many that I'm not sure if I'll ever run out at this rate. I wasn't really sure how to describe this NPC. The concept is definitely inspired by Nicodemus from The Dresden Files, but I wasn't entirely sure how to convey that.


Name: Wraithlord Arath
Race: Undead
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Appearance:
This creature is dressed from head to toe in dark gray leather and cloth, adorned with skulls. Green light pulses out from under it's armor and hood. It has on a mask with only eye holes, glowing a bright green. It wields a large staff made of polished bone, inscribed with runes that glow green.

Profile:
  Wraithlord Arath is the eldest of the Wraithlords. He created each of the others, and is the closest thing they have to a true leader. He is clever and cunning, and has been working through his plans for thousands of years. He is vicious and dedicated to bringing about a new world order, dominated by the undead. Like the other Wraithlords, he is manipulative and powerful. 
  Arath is tireless, patient, and calculating. He is very logical, and has detailed plans for absolutely every possible event that could occur. He is somewhat of a puppet master over civilization, and uses his magic and agents to infiltrate all major political powers. He never reveals himself, even to his underlings, preferring to stay in hiding unless absolutely necessary. His magic serves to complement his own skill both as a warrior and a rogue, and he is highly competent in almost every area imaginable. He often sets up situations in which no matter the outcome, he is capable of coming out ahead.
  Arath was the first undead creature ever created on Fomor. Back when the Formians still ruled over the continent, before the dragons purged them, he was created by something that he does not know or understand. He has since spread the plague of undeath, grown his own power, and slowly witnessed the entirety of Fomor as he enacts his plans. He is well aware that he is being manipulated by some other being, though he is infuriated by his inability to know what created him, or why. All he knows is that to bring order to this world, he needs to exterminate the "Curse of Life" as he calls it. He has a perfect memory of his entire unlife, but does not know if he ever actually lived or was simply created out of the will of this being. The other Wraithlords have been created as useful pawns, each one being a very visible target for any who would bring down Arath's plans. 
  In combat, Arath plays to whatever advantage he can find. He is a formidable melee fighter, and is highly dextrous. His magical ability is almost unparalleled, although nobody is entirely certain just how much magic he can wield. He is capable of summoning undead minions at a moment's notice, raising small armies in the midst of combat. Anyone who attempts to face him is made into an undead, as Arath seeks to free them from their curse. If he feels that he may be overpowered, or if it furthers his plans to lead his enemies on, Arath is not averse to fleeing from combat. He is outfitted with a number of very powerful magical artifacts, which can all aid in his combat ability to different degrees. 

NPC: Wraithlord Nirith

So this NPC profile I made trying to be a bit more sparse in the appearance description. Mostly because I think I'm being overly redundant in the descriptions. I am trying to limit it to a maximum of four sentences for that section. I'm not sure if I like it or not, but I'm going to try it for a few posts and see how it works out. This is, probably needless to say, another image courtesy of Reddit user De_Vermis_Mysteriis.


Name: Wraithlord Nirith
Race: Undead
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Appearance: 
The humanoid has no skin or muscle, and all you can see is a vaguely human skull. It is covered in a dark armor with a swirling crimson cloak. The creature cackles maniacally and stinks of death. It has large, clawed talons and pointed fangs.

Profile:
  Wraithlord Nirith is completely insane. While the other Wraithlords are dedicated to conquering Fomor and exterminating all life, Nirith has essentially no goals. He has wasted away during undeath, and is probably the most powerful spellcaster among them in terms of raw power. He flings his power about in bouts of madness, with no particular aim. He does take a particular sadistic pleasure in inflicting pain and death, but other times he can be benevolent or indifferent. The other Wraithlords, who are usually very manipulative and capable of getting their way, simply let Nirith spread chaos all on his own. 
  Nirith is a sorcerer. He doesn't need to delve into ancient ruins or study dusty tomes, as his power is innately tied into his own being. He could very easily shatter the world if he ever set his mind to it, but the Wraithlord lacks the attention span or desire to do any such thing. He mostly rages about on his lonesome, teleporting to random locations to live out his eternity. He occasionally uses illusions to play cruel games on mortals before killing them, as part of his own amusement. Nirith loves things such as Baba Yaga's hut (something he invented), Decks of Many Things (also his creation), and any other kind of artifact with random chaos involved. 
  In life, Nirith was a sorcerer driven mad by his own power. The concept of having inborn power was completely foreign to him and to every wizard he encountered. He heard voices, had terrible nightmares, and could barely control his own magic. Over time, he went completely insane, and was killed by the other Wraithlords when he tried to kill all of them at once. He very nearly succeeded. He was accidentally brought back as an undead, mostly due to his own power warping reality at the time of his death. The other Wraithlords originally tried to manipulate his great power, which surpassed their own, but soon realized that it was a lost cause. Now they mostly let him have his way, with the assumption that his random chaos will further their own goals. This works in their favor for the most part, but sometimes backfires spectacularly. 
  In combat, Nirith should be almost completely unpredictable. He can teleport at will, and may just leave the fight altogether. He tends to use illusions, as he views them as allowing him to have more fun with his victims. However, he is just as capable of manipulating reality in very real ways to play his games. If he grows bored, he may go on the offensive and kill his enemies, or can leave with his teleportation. If he has any minions, they are very much temporary. Most of them won't be undead or constructs, but rather pure entities made out of the fabric of reality as he disturbs the natural order of the universe. Whether they are under Nirith's direct control is a matter of debate, as he is so insane that it probably wouldn't make them any more predictable.

NPC: Nora, Slayer of the Sands

So I went to a gaming convention over the weekend, and was unable to get internet to upload on Friday. I got home Monday, and then just...forgot to upload stuff. Right when I was starting to pat myself on the back for being on schedule for stuff. Oh well! This is another picture from De_Vermis_Mysteriis, and also an addition to the Wraithlord faction. I think I'll be finishing that out before I go do anything else, since I'd like to actually flesh a complete faction out.


Name: Nora, Slayer of the Sands
Race: Undead
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Appearance:
This undead is blindingly fast. From what you can make out, she is clad entirely in plate, colored crimson with gold decorations. She has a helm with a frill, framing her terrifying visage. Her cloak closely follows her, whipping about as she slashes. She wields two blades, one in each hand, attacking her foes with inhuman speed. She has the same banner of Wraithlord Panack, a crimson and gold scarab, with blood dripping from the extended blades. The only skin you can see is her face, withered and gray, with two piercing blue eyes. Her face looks frozen in the middle of a battle cry.

Profile:
Nora is a lieutenant to Wraithlord Panack. She is, much like him, a very capable warrior and thrives on the battlefield. Despite wearing what you might expect to be very heavy armor, she moves rapidly across a fight, and slashes as she moves. She seeks to spread death and destruction everywhere she goes. Nora only has one goal, and that is to kill all who live. She is not a master tactician like Panack, but is strictly a warrior. She obeys the Wraithlord completely, and follows orders without fail. She is not adverse to taking her own initiative, but will mostly await instruction.
  In life, Nora was a warrior who attempted to kill Wraithlord Panack. She was not a leader, nor in any position of power, but was an expert fighter. During the battle, she dueled the Wraithlord for several minutes before he was able to kill her. He reanimated her and instilled a thirst for death that she had never known in life. For the centuries since she has joined the undead legions, she has lost whatever was left of her humanity. She is the most loyal and competent follower of Wraithlord Panack, though she is nowhere near his level of power. The other Wraithlords don't necessarily know or care about her origins, and consider her little more than an underling. Panack values her very highly, and she is often tasked with attacking strategic locations, and he trusts her to win any skirmish she's involved in. She is, however, brutal and somewhat dim-witted. She does not always think things through, and she is mostly focused on combat.
  In combat, she stresses her mobility over her opponents. She moves unhindered through any terrain, despite her heavy armor. She slashes about with her two swords, drawing as much blood as possible from her enemies. She usually refuses to stand still during a fight, as burned in her memory is her fight as a living person against the Wraithlord. They fought in a mostly stationary duel, and she lost. Now, she moves about as quickly as possible. She is not afraid of any living foe, no matter how strong or capable they are, but is still paranoid. She is a purely melee fighter, and has no innate magical capability. All of her equipment has various enchantments, though not to the extent of Panack's. Her battle standard emits a fear aura, crippling her enemies as she approaches.

NPC: Wraithlord Dirextrus

Another post from the pictures uploaded by De_Vermis_Mysteriis. I really like how amazing some of these pictures really are.


Name: Wraithlord Dirextrus
Race: Undead
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Appearance:
     You see what you believe to be a woman. She is clad in a deep blue robe, which clings to her body and has a billowing cloak that wraps around her body. It casts a deep shadow beneath her, that slowly drags at your eyesight. She has gold trimmings all around her robes, in swirling patterns that move slowly. Her face is obscured by a golden helm, with only small slits for her eyes, which shine a bright blue. Two crimson horns curl upwards, coated in fresh blood. She floats several feet above the ground, gliding as she moves. Her shadow stretches back underneath and behind her. As you look into it, you find yourself slowly being drawn towards it. She has a stench of death around her, that chokes you the closer you get.

Profile:
     Wraithlord Dirextrus is one of four Wraithlords that are trying to conquer Fomor. Dirextrus in particular comes from the northern cities. She is cruel and obsessed with spreading death and decay. She is a terrifyingly powerful spellcaster, wielding magic that no mortal could ever hope to achieve. She seeks magical knowledge wherever it is, and pursues it relentlessly.
     Dirextrus is the second Wraithlord to have been given the curse of undeath. She is older than even she knows, as she has lost track of the eternity that she has been unliving. She spends most of her time underground, in the tombs of her colleagues in life, uncovering the ancient knowledge that they left behind. Her arcane power essentially knows no limits. Most of her research goes into the art of inflicting death upon the most people possible. She has spread plagues that have ravaged every population for thousands of years, and will continue to do so as long as she is permitted. Although she was sealed away along with the other Wraithlords, she has spent all of that time thinking, and coming up with new and ever more vicious ways of raining death upon the living.
     Wraithlord Dirextrus will stop at nothing to achieve more magical power. If she believes that someone somewhere knows something that she doesn't, she will pursue them and end them. She has a specialty in psychic infiltration, and can attack people's minds from hundreds of miles away. She is very objective-based, and only spreads chaos when it achieves her aims. She has completely abandoned the idea that the Wraithlords can work as a cohesive unit for an extended period of time, and allows them to work towards their own ends while she manipulates them. She is intently focused on achieving her own individual aims. Mostly these involve spreading mass plagues and tormenting the living with her powerful magic. She uses this to swell her armies, which she allows to be "controlled" by the other Wraithlords. Her magic is strong enough to still take the command away if need be.
     In combat, Wraithlord Dirextrus is entirely reliant on her spells. She can fly at will, and hurls magic at her opponents. She mostly uses spells that apply negative energy, draining the life out of her enemies. She also reanimates their corpses as her undead thralls. Especially powerful opponents may be turned into death knights, and are given greater autonomy to enact Dirextrus' will. Her shadow is a portal into an underworld dimension that she has created. Any living creature who looks at it is enthralled, and compelled to move towards it. If they should fall in, their soul then belongs to Dirextrus and she can manipulate them as much as she pleases. While Dirextrus tries to avoid large-scale conflicts, she has participated in several wars. She provides long-range magical artillery, with the negative energy serving a dual purpose. Living opponents are killed, and her undead minions are bolstered.

NPC: Wraithlord Panack

This image from De_Vermis_Mysteriis has made me create an entire new group of antagonists. I'll make an update later to actually go into more description about this faction, but right now I really want to put this out there because I think that the image is very awesome. Even if you don't like my writing, which I don't blame you for in the slightest, this is some fantastic art. It just begs for an awesome antagonist.


Name: Wraithlord Panack
Race: Undead
Alignment: Lawful Evil

                                                           Appearance:
At first you think that all you see is a suit of armor, standing upright. It is only once it starts moving that you realize a creature is still inside it. It stands at more than seven feet tall, with broad shoulderpads. The armor is plated, a crimson red with gold outlines. The armor is spiked and stylized, adorned with gold spheres with sapphires that make them look like eyeballs. Symbols of scarabs and ancient runes go all down the legplates, with crimson cloth flowing out as it moves. The creature has a battle standard coming out from it's back, with blades stretching out and an impressive gold symbol, dripping with blood that seems to come from nowhere. The small face that you can see has grey skin, stretched across bone, and it's hands are nothing more than bones inside of it's heavy bracers. Despite the obvious bulk and weight of the armor, the creature moves almost gracefully, twirling a vicious spear with no apparent burden. 

Profile:
     Wraithlord Panack is one of four Wraithlords that are trying to conquer Fomor. Panack in particular comes from the western desert, and shows the style of the desert in everything that he does. He is vicious and brutal, and has never been known to leave any survivors wherever he walks. He is the general among the Wraithlords, and leads their vast armies into battle. He believes only in outright strength, and takes every measure to show his superiority. He revels in battle, and seeks it out as much as possible. 
     Panack has been an undead for more than a thousand years. In life, he was one of the great kings of Fomor, cursed into undeath by the other Wraithlords. He was the one general cunning and vicious enough to stand up to them, and nearly defeated the undead hordes. For this, he was brought into their own ranks. He loves being undead, as it has given him an eternity to perfect the art of warfare. He holds no attachments to the mortal world, and seeks only to be the perfect military commander. He was always a formidable warrior in his own right, and eternity has allowed him only to hone his own skill. Unfortunately for Panack, he was also cast into a slumber, only recently to awake and resume amassing the undead hordes. This has become his new mission, and then to end all life in Fomor.
     In combat, Wraithlord Panack immediately jumps into melee and will never leave it for any reason. He is absurdly agile, even in his unnaturally heavy armor. It has been enchanted over centuries to be light as a feather while still being impregnable to most weapons or magic. His spear applies negative energy to his enemies, allowing him to eat their souls and animate their bodies upon killing them. His battle standard also emits a fear aura to intimidate his enemies into submission. He considers anyone who is able to resist that aura to be a challenge, and will focus intently on defeating them. The eyes all over his armor effectively allow for Panack to have a full panorama view around him, preventing him from ever being flanked, and granting him the ability to see invisible creatures. He is stronger than anyone could rationally expect, flinging soldiers about like Sauron in the opening to Lord of the Rings. While he lacks any real magical talent, Wraithlord Panack does have a few spell-like abilities that he uses, mostly just area of effect spells to cause even more destruction. 

Location: Mount Roraima

I decided to do another location today from the "23 Unbelievable Places" set. I'll work through the whole thing...eventually. It's taking me a long time to go through all of those character images, and I've come up with stuff that I at least consider interesting! More of that to come.


Description: The mountaintop lies before you, rising above the clouds. It extends as far back as you can see, never dipping below the boundaries of the sky. The wind howls and blows all around you, and the landscape is barren of any shelter. The clouds stretch infinitely around you, well beneath the top of the mountain. The air here is surprisingly breathable despite being so high up, and the temperature fluctuates greatly during both day and night. You think you can make out some slight hints of civilization deeper into the center of the mountain, but it's difficult to tell from so far away.

Associated Knowledges:
Geography:

• This mountain range spans several hundred miles.
• The mountains are in a central area, and span many different climates.
• The weather at these altitudes is highly erratic.

History:

• The mountains have long been rich in mineral wealth.
• Expeditions into the mountain have mostly been into the depths, not up towards the surface.
• There have been vague references to powerful beings on the top of the mountains, but they are mostly considered the stuff of myth.

Nature:

• The mountaintops appear natural.
• You can see clear signs of life, though it is difficult to tell what.
• You can tell that things live not only on the mountaintop, but also underneath the crust, and possibly in nests along the sides of the mountain.

DM Info:
  Mount Roraima is actually a very long mountain range that emulates a sort of "overworld" above the clouds. This in particular is all so far up that there is no interaction between the surface world and the overworld. Weather at such a high altitude can be erratic, so feel free to go nuts with that. I can see a lot of potential for encounters involving just trying not to fall off the mountain being of particular interest, but that can wait until later. The mountain itself is not magical or attuned to any plane. It is a mountain like any other, but is obscenely tall and spans a very large area. Towards the base of the mountain, many different factions fight over the abundant mineral wealth inside the mountain range, but none of them have ever had too much interest in scaling it to the top. 
  On the top of the mountain, many creatures and factions have formed. The biggest potential I see with this would be entire nations of giants or Titans. These different groups fight each other just like anywhere else on the planet, warring over their own territory. An interesting twist I am leaning towards would be for the overworlders to actually fear what they consider the "underworld" below their home. The PCs would be seen as the harbingers of great doom, and may be targeted by everyone atop the great mountain. I imagine the faction breakdown being something similar to this:

• A group that resembles the Barbarians from the Diablo universe. The mountain range itself is holy, positioned so far above the clouds, and they will die to protect it. These would naturally be the primary antagonists to the PCs, who may be seen as trying to desecrate this place.
• A large group of factions that are all under different Giant jarls or Titans. They may be collectivized or resemble some sort of warlord political system, where they all fight each other but are otherwise similar. These groups would dominate most of the territory.
• A group of beings from below the mountain who scaled it just to see what was there. Some sort of Explorer's Guild, perhaps?

     Most of the points of conflict are going to be with the disconnect between the PCs and the denizens of the overworld. Either cultural misunderstandings, language barrier, or the belief that the PCs are there to destroy their way of life. Whether or not the PCs actually are there to destroy their way of life is, of course, going to be up to you. Creatures live both on the mountaintop, and in the crust beneath. It's far enough up that they won't have any interaction between the same creatures that plague miners down below.

  I should mention that this picture also reminds me of an entire campaign setting that I read of. The basic setting was that islands like this were surrounded by a sea of clouds, and they only got around by usage of airships. The lower world is composed of a dark and dangerous jungle, that nobody has ever come back from alive. I really liked the idea behind that setting, since it lent itself to a steampunk theme. More importantly, air pirates.

Adventure Hooks:

• The Explorer's Guild is leading an expedition to the top of their mountain home and want an escort in case they encounter anything dangerous.
• A powerful wizard has detected great magic coming from the top of the mountain, and wants the PCs to investigate. It turns out that an evil Titan is preparing a magical strike on the "underworld" and will attack soon.
• A local bard wants to write a ballad dedicated to his own adventures, and so wants to be the first to climb to the top of the mountain and "face" it's dangers. He is actually incompetent but will take all the credit.

Minor NPC: Krunth Blackhand

This is the first "minor character" that I'm posting, and that's explained more in the post itself. Also, over the next couple days I'm going to go back through all of my other posts and work on formatting them in a less terrible way. Again, credit for this picture goes to Reddit user De_Vermis_Mysteriis.


Name: Krunth Blackhand
Race: Orc

                                                  Appearance:
When you think "orc," you picture the exact creature before you. He is huge, standing just shy of seven feet tall, all of it muscle. He's covered in ugly, battered armor that shows signs of multiple battles. His face is ugly and scarred, and his mouth is full of broken and yellowed teeth. He is missing one eye, and it has been replaced with what looks like a metallic contraption that extends over part of his face. His other eye is a blood red, and filled with violence. His skin is a mottled grey, and covered in battle scars. He wields a savage axe, crusted with dried blood that he clearly never bothered to clean off. One of his hands is charred black and twisted, but doesn't seem to have lost any strength or ferocity.

Profile:
  Krunth Blackhand is the leader and namesake of The Black Hand, a highly organized group of bandits that operates within central and eastern Fomor. He is ruthless and brutal, and is an exceptionally skilled fighter in his own right. While he is not exactly intelligent, he does have a cleverness that only years of cruelty can cultivate. Krunth has personally killed somewhere between two-hundred and three-hundred people, although he's not very good at numbers and has lost track. Most of these people were innocent travelers or merchants, although he has also seen his fair share of actual fights. Krunth's signature black hand came from a fight in which a wizard's spell was only barely deflected by Krunth's arm. The hand is fully functional, but has an intimidating appearance, so Krunth leaves it bare most of the time. His eye was also lost in a fight, and was recently replaced with a metal covering over part of his face. This acts as a magical eye, and allows him to see much better than he used to.
  The Black Hand itself is very different from ordinary bandit fare. They are very organized and dedicated to Krunth. He originally united them using only his sheer strength, but has since manipulated them into being completely loyal only to him. They have coordinated raids throughout the countryside, and occasionally raid the weaker city-states for supplies and recruits. They are organized enough to be recognized by all of the local powers, and a legitimate threat to most in the region. Krunth himself is very pleased with this situation, and abuses the control his bandits have to extort just about everyone he can. The gang is very large, but only a select few are "worthy" of being in Krunth's personal circle. He likes to think that each of them is another finger of his own black hand, as it were.

Purpose:
  This character is based off of the backstory of one of my players. He mentioned that he was pursued by a group of bandits called "The Black Hand," and gave no further details. As such, Krunth Blackhand is set up as the actual rival to this player. He is dedicated to eliminating this player using The Black Hand, since he never payed bribes that were due to them. As such, this character is a bit sparse on backstory, since he's meant to be more of a short-term antagonist. This is something different from most of what I try to do - while the character is certainly part of the setting, he really only applies to that one player. Krunth Blackhand is a very bland character, and that's okay since he is comparatively minor.

Faction: The Royal Guards of Neris

Another image courtesy of Reddit user De_Vermis_Mysteriis. This time I decided to do something different and use the image as inspiration of an entire faction. I don't think that I like the format I used for this, and I may redo it later. I started this out as a description of a character, but then decided that it would be more appropriate to describe the whole faction. 
So after posting this, I also realized that I had decided not to post on weekends. I forgot that today was Saturday. So uh...bonus content!


Name: The Royal Guards of Neris
Race: Mostly Human
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Appearance: 
The royal guards all wear highly stylized cloth. They are covered mostly in a royal blue and darker shades, but also have white sleeves and a purple sash around their waists. Their clothes are form-fitting enough that they can spring into combat at any time, but loose enough so as to look regal and be able to conceal any necessary weapons. Their clothes are embroidered with gold symbols of royalty and allegiance, each one perfectly identical to all the others. All of them have runes woven into the cloth going all around their body, though these vary greatly between them. The only skin you can see is the bare tips of their fingers and the small area around their eyes, which track you no matter where you walk. They stand with a rigid precision, and move as one.

Profile:
  The Royal Guards of Neris are an ancient order of monks that have sworn themselves to the protection of the royal family of Neris. Only the elite warriors of the order are permitted such high honors, and their clothes detail their rank as grandmasters. The gold embroidery is mostly for show, and pledges their allegiance to the ruling family. The rest of the clothes are traditional and functional, meant for the monks to be able to enter combat at a moment's notice. The runes woven into their clothes are actually magical enchantments, that double as telling the personal stories of each of the monks. Included are their technical honors and accomplishments, as well as any tales of bravery or of foes they have defeated in combat to attain such a high position.
      The Guards all adhere to their order without fail. They must go through a rigorous training before even being considered for their position, and must demonstrate throughout their entire life that they are willing to dedicate themselves without reserve. As such, they don't care for the actual policies of the royal family, nor do they care about whom they must dispatch in their line of duty. The Guards are a very close-knit group, each one bearing respect for all of their comrades. They train and fight together like a well-oiled machine, each playing to the strengths of the group. For the most part, they are all trained in similar ways in their order, but personal variations are welcome amongst such accomplished fighters. 
  The personality of the Guards varies greatly. Some are quiet and stoic, serving their duty with dignity. Others are personable and social, although this friendliness can disappear for anyone should they threaten the royalty. They are each intimately familiar with all of the other Guards, even if they hold different shifts. They serve their position willingly and unfailingly, considering it the greatest honor they could ever hope to achieve.

History:
  The Royal Guards of Neris have been in place as long as the kingdom of Neris has existed. Although the actual origin is unknown, folklore says that the monks founded Neris on the principle of maintaining order and teaching discipline to others. The royal family has remained unbroken, and sometimes inters younger sons and daughters into the Order, since they won't inherit much from the throne. While not all of the monks become Royal Guards, it has always been their highest aspiration. The Guards have never allowed a single king or queen to be assassinated, although many have tried. Their history has remained mostly bland, as there have never been any major scandals or rifts. The Guards serve their terms until they are defeated in combat by another aspiring monk, who may take their position should the other Guards accept them. The kingdom of Neris has been located on the border of the western desert, and they have a definite desert culture. The monks especially feel that influence, as evidenced in their dress.