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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 3: The Grand Necropolis of Siwal p1
Active Party:
Alaric, level 9 dhampir Death Domain Cleric/Bard
Bahn, level 9 kobold Bard College of Whispers
Ry, level 9 shadow fey Black Powder Sorcerer
Snips, level 9 catfolk Swashbuckler Rogue/Fighter
Torben, level 9 bearfolk Ancestral Guardian Barbarian/Fighter
The party had emerged through the Shadow Road gate, appearing in the far desert city of Siwal, Free City of the Southlands. They were thousands of miles from home, and in the biggest city since they first began their adventure in Zobeck.
Naturally the first people they meet are trying to rob them.
It’s approaching evening time in Siwal, and the party is exhausted from their major battle with the shadow fey.
A ravenfolk introduces himself as Perch, and offers to guide the party towards some shelter for a mere gold piece.
But these adventurers have been around. They don’t trust such a random offer, and quickly decline.
The ravenfolk backs off. Later when the party are good and lost among the streets and alleyways, he steps out with half a dozen cohorts, ready to shake them down for money.
And by “shake down,” he means knock them out and take what they want!
Alaric, Bahn, Ry, and Torben are stuck in a tight alleyway, surrounded by bow-wielding ravenfolk on the buildings above, and black-feathered ravenfolk hefting their spears in the alley ahead.
Torben flies into a rage and begins cutting down the nearest rogue, while Alaric summons his spirit guardians.
Ry and Bahn desperately try to vault to the top of the nearest building using some inspired parkour — and hilariously fail (both rolling nat 1s!).
Several trained monkeys come swinging down to steal their gold. One of the monkeys splats to the ground as a greasy, bloody pit. The party looks up and spots a newcomer to the battle, a catfolk rogue.
The catfolk takes out one of Perch’s gang, and intimidates another into fleeing. With spirit guardians raging and bodies stacking up, he doesn’t need much convincing!
Ry finally makes it to the building top on a second attempt, and unleashes a burning hands across the roof. Bahn nails down most of the warriors with hypnotic pattern, and by the time they awaken, they’re ready to turn tail and run.
One of them offers a stolen amulet to Alaric in return for their safety — an amulet of the devout +1!
One of the ravenfolk lie unconscious, and the party takes him into custody as a citizen’s arrest.
The friendly catfolk introduces himself as Snips, an experienced adventurer and good-natured scoundrel. Snips had been tracking Perch’s gang and their increasingly brazen activities. Recognizing some fellow badasses, he decided to help, and quickly earns their gratitude.
Snips is from Siwal, and easily takes the party wherever they need to go, including dropping off the captive gang member to the local authorities (or at least a local cleaner), and taking them to a medium-star hotel for a much needed rest.
They explain they’re looking for the gravebinders, in the hopes of learning how to protect themselves from the undead when they venture into the Underdark.
The gravebinders of Siwal work in the necropolis north of the city during the day. But at night, the city is ruled by the dead: vampires, ghosts, zombies, and ghuls (spell-casting ghouls derived from elementals and djinnis).
They high-tail it north to visit the Gravebinders while they’re off-duty. Snips takes them to a street between the half-mile trail leading from Siwal to the Grand Necropolis.
A woman calls out to them, warning them of venturing into the necropolis at night. She’s Farra Hidyati, and the party soon learns that it was her grandfather who had traveled north to the dwarven cantons and told the story of the gravebinders.
She admits that they hold no special power over the dead — it is simply the law of the necropolis that neither side harm the other, so long as they stay out of the way when it’s not their time of day.
But lately they’ve been having problems. Undead have been seen during the day over the last few weeks, even attacking gravebinders and mourners. It’s grown from startling rumor to shocking revelation, and the gravebinders are at a loss for why it’s happening.
Farra sees an opportunity. She offers the players a reward for investigating the necropolis: a magic book that belongs to her family. The book does offer some magic protections against the dead, though her family has never needed it.
She offers two important leads within the necropolis: Golemesh the gravedigger, and Shafiqa, whom she refers to as “The Matriarch.” Both live in the necropolis, though she hasn’t heard from them soon after the attacks began.
The party return to their rooms and finally get a much-needed long rest.
The next day they set out into the Grand Necropolis, stopping to buy a juicy goat. Farra had mentioned bringing some fresh meat for Shafiqa…
Inside the necropolis things appear fine, thought the overall size and majesty of the marbled statues and thousands of graves, crypts, tombs, and mausoleums is quieting. Mourners can be seen, being led by a junior gravebinder, so clearly some folks were ignorant of the attacks, or perhaps it was worth the risk.
Golemesh’s home is completely boarded up, and the surrounding area looks overgrown and unkept.
Knocking on the door prompts a deep voice to growl, “go away!”
After a little persuasion, the door opens, revealing a hulking, rocky-skinned desert troll. Snips is the only one not taken aback by the monster, though this particular troll is anxious and afraid.
The party asks some probing questions, and Alaric takes the lead, feeling an instant sympathetic connection for the creature, who had had his safety and job taken away by the undead.
Golemesh tells them of a ghul sighting near the Citizens’ Graves, and also suggests they speak with Shafiqa, as she knows everything that goes on in the necropolis.
They thank the timid troll, and Alaric gives him his holy symbol of Wotan as a treasured gift. Golemesh reciprocates by gifting Alaric with his favorite femur. Alaric has a new bone flute!
The party debates on where to go next. With two people recommending Shafiqa, they decide it’s time to visit her end of the necropolis.
As they make their way across, a violent sandstorm whips all around them, and ghostly shapes begin moving inside…
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RogueWatson 