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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 4: Catacombs of the Ghul King
Episode 1: Shadow Roads to the Southlands p1
Active Party:
Alaric, level 8 dhampir Death Domain Cleric/Bard
Bahn, level 8 kobold Bard College of Whispers
I/O, level 8 gearforged Circle of the Moon Druid
Lucian, level 8 dhampir Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Ry, level 8 shadow fey Black Powder Sorcerer
The party’s victory in the north was short-lived. Upon their return to Johzt, they learned that Archduke Avgost Walerska, brother to the late king of Kravkoa, had been kidnapped while they were gone.
Now deposed Queen Urzula has sent a summons to the party to return to Kariessen for an important debriefing.
Thankfully they won’t have to travel another week over dangerous territory and through the shadow realm to return to the Court-in-Exile. Thanks to their heroic exploits, the party has earned the right to use the Stonemasons’ teleportation network, dropping them off in a quarry just outside the town.
The meeting reunites the party with Queen Urzula and her small court, including the Lord of Kariessen Avanto, as well as their dwarven allies General Jaro Whitebeard of the Black Fortress, and Trehild Shardspike, the elderly sage from Grisal, all last seen in Chapter Two!
Urzula reveals that she has spies of her own, and knows that her brother-in-law is being taken underground, to the darakhul city of Vandekhul for some nefarious ritual. She also fears (as Lucian points out) that he may reveal information under torture.
Though the party has done much already, she asks them to rescue the Archduke from their nefarious clutches.
But one does not simply walk into the Underworld. The Imperium reigns supreme, and any non-living agents would be easily swarmed.
Trehild the sage remembers once meeting a gravebinder from the far southern city of Siwal. She recalls that they’re skilled at living in a city that’s ruled equally by the dead and the living. Perhaps the answer to surviving in the Underworld lies there.
Siwal is over 2500 miles away, so a trip back to the Shadow Road is in their future after all!
After stocking up on some healing potions the party heads south to the Black Fortress, the enters the Shadow Road that connects it to Siwal.
The weeklong journey will be their longest stint in the realm of shadow yet.
Their first encounter is with a group of shadow fey patrolling the road. An enchantress, guarded by a hulking guardian and other shadow fey, asks the party several probing questions, including where they’re going, and who they’re working for.
As a shadow fey, Ry takes point in answering the questions, answering truthfully. Being straightforward and polite worked well the last time, after all.
And it works here as well, though I/O finds the enchantress is a bit too pushy. Lucian’s detect thoughts sees her carefully cataloguing and remembering all the details.
Ultimately she lets the party pass, but soon after they’re followed by a shadowy raven, noticed only by I/O’s high perception.
The next day the party looks for a campsite near the road when the spot several undead loitering in the area: five shadow skeletons and a lich hound.
Before the party can plan an ambush, arrows fly from the trees behind them toward the undead, who turn their heads and charge at the party!
The party quickly fans out and fires off AoE blasts and range attacks. The lich hounds can jaunt through the ethereal plane, making them hard targets to pin down.
Oh, did I mention the second lich hound that was already on the ethereal plane?
I/O is forced to transform into a giant elk as one pounces and rips into her, while Banh is nearly downed by another. The skeletons fire their shadow darts at range while Lucian keeps them at bay using twinned dissonant whispers.
All the while arrows continue to assist from the trees, and when the last enemy falls, the shadow fey in the tree line finally emerge, congratulating the party on the “assist.”
Their leader is wearing a fine cloak of elvenkind, the same shadow fey who had stopped the party during their first trip into the Shadow Roads.
She introduces herself properly this time as Selvyn, and thanks Ry for giving her the cloak. She’s heard tales of their adventures and has grown impressed, and a bit infatuated with Ry. She rewards him with a censer of dark shadows, and upgrades his shadow fey abilities with the shadow jaunt spell.
Needless to say, he’s pretty stoked after endlessly teased about giving up the cloak!
He convinces her to help escort them for a bit, and she agrees, as they still have quite a journey before exiting the Shadow Realm.
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RogueWatson 