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This Patron DnD Campaign will feature a rotating cast of players, depending on signups, availability, and earned Platinum Points.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Token art by Jimmy McClure.
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Ten years ago, the Ghoul Imperium of the Underworld and the vampires of Morgau marched into Krakova and conquered the kingdom entirely, establishing the Greater Duchy of Morgau and expanding the borders of the Blood Kingdom.
The undead occupation has been kept in check by resistance from the Court-in-Exile, as well as opportunistic reaver dwarves who sailed across the Nieder Straits.
But the hidden machinations of the ghouls swirl beneath the surface. Rumors abound of an even more sinister plot that threatens not just one kingdom, but the entire world of Midgard.
Empire of the Ghouls is designed by Richard Green, and published by Kobold Press. It takes place in Kobold Press’ fantasy world of Midgard.
Chapter 3: The Blood Marriage
Episode 5: The Cursed Multitude
Active Party:
Alaric, level 7 dhampir Death Domain Cleric/Bard
Bahn, level 7 kobold Bard College of Whispers
I/O, level 7 gearforged Circle of the Moon Druid
Kovac, level 7 ratfolk Dawn Blade Rogue
Lucian, level 7 dhampir Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Flying alongside valkyries on their winged wolves is a uniquely exhilarating experience (earning everyone inspiration!). Days pass in mere moments until the wolves begin to descend, and the party experiences some not-so-pleasant jet lag.
The valkyries drop the party off at the edge of the forest bordering Nordheim, the fallen kingdom of the dwarven reavers. It’s a cursed land, and they refuse to go any further. But they wish the players well, tossing them a raven figurine, and promising to take them home if Wotan wills it.
Alaric is bouncing up and down as if he just met his favorite celebrity.
The party makes camp before entering the woods. They’re visited by an imperial ghoul riding a ghoulsteed. The imposing figure approaches the edge of their light, and the party can hear more nearby.
They’re not initially hostile, however. She asks what the party’s doing here, and they mention the wedding.
She asks to see their invitation, and Bahn reluctantly hands it to her.
She looks it over and asks who they’re with. They guess and reply with the bride, and Alaric pops his dhampir fangs.
She seems satisfied (though disappointed), offering to help escort the party into the woods, though they won’t take them all the way through, having been charged with securing the border.
After some debate the party agrees, and the ghoul introduces herself as Adra Rotclaw.
As a sign of respectful greeting, she offers to share her food with them — a severed human leg!
Most of the party balks, but Alaric is willing to continue the ruse. He even takes a bite out of the leg, shocking everyone except Adra.
With the ritual concluded, the ghouls help watch the camp before they set off into the woods.
The next day Adra warns that they are dead things in the woods that aren’t as friendly as her. She admits that it will take several days to reach the temple where the wedding will take place, but they should find it as long as they always head north.
Throughout the first day the party is unnerved by the lack of living creatures and sounds. The woods are deadly silent. Adra and the ghouls take their leave as the party sets up camp.
On the second day they begin to see pale dwarves walking around the woods. Several, then a dozen, then more. The dwarves are as pale as corpses, but exhibit no signs of decay or hostility like a zombie.
Lucian uses detect thoughts to pry into the mind of a dwarf, discovering a repeated litany of their own life. The party realizes these dwarves are stuck, and unable to die.
They’re certainly creepy, however, and the party begins having fitful nights of unrest when they make camp (losing hit die and saving for psychic damage).
The third day brings more undead dwarves. They’re drawn to the living, walking up to them and brushing their hands, or tugging on clothes. All while moaning and muttering.
Worse yet, I/O and Lucian are nowhere to be found [They were disconnected due to ISP maintenance for the reminder of this session].
Increasingly agitated, the diminished party tries to run through them, but crash into several of the walking dead.
The dwarves turn angry and hostile, forming a swarm of bodies called a Cursed Multitude!
Then swarm frightens everyone caught in their space as it bites, claws, and slams with random abandon.
Kovac’s radiant strikes prove extremely effective, as does Alaric’s command undead spell, finally finishing the swarm with the Holy Robes of Sister Adelind.
Temporarily mollified, the dwarves back off, allowing the party to continue on for another night of unsettling rest.
On the fourth day the dwarves have grown increasingly aggressive and emboldened, grabbing arms and speaking directly to the party. Unfortunately it’s in dwarvish!
The party can either try to withstand this psychological torment, or high-tail it out of here. They decide on the latter, but once again their feet get tangled up and they bump into more dwarves crowding and pushing, forming another Cursed Multitude!
This multitude proves a bit more formidable, nearly taking out Bahn before the combined radiant strikes of Kovac’s dawn blade powers and Alaric’s Holy Robes can burn them out.
Finally the party sees the edge of the forest, and the dwarves stop following.
The ruins of Nordheim lie beyond. The southern edge is dominated by a large crater. At the bottom lies a temple of blackest night, newly restored, bearing the symbol of Chernobog, lord of darkness.
The Midnight Temple, at last!
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RogueWatson 