Undead outbreak...where and how? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Undead outbreak...where and how?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Scrinoverlord
Dec 19, 2009 15:13:46 So reading Open Grave, it gave me a template to work with which I think works both for me and my PCs (we're all zombie lovers): undead outbreak. I considered doing it in pre-Spellplague Forgotten Realms (not because I don't like the 4e Realms, but I don't want to set an apocalypse after a previous apocalypse), but I eventually turned to Eberron because I think the Blood of Vol could be behind it somehow.

A general idea I have so far is Vol has allied herself with Orcus: in exchange for helping him further his goals, she will get ultimate revenge on both the dragons and elves that made her who she is.

Still, several things I should ask: where should this take place? If it takes place in one of the Five Nations, would the other nations try to take advantage? Do you think it would be better if the undead outbreaks aren't of intelligent design, but of a genuine disease or a force that turned from experiment to out of control (AKA zombie apocalypse)?
#2
Fingolfin_Aeros
Dec 19, 2009 17:30:29 Let's see.... Karrnath has a history with the undead. Perhaps a garrison of their croaked forces got out of control. Also, with the deal between Kaius and Vol, Karrnath would be a reasonable target for Vol's ire. Or, the Emerald Claw may be responsible.

Another possible source, Zombies could be emerging from the Mournland and laying waste to the surrounding lands.

Or, the outbreak could be from a secret forgehold of House Cannith in Sharn.

The other nations may be eager to take advantage of this, either covertly or overtly. Also, the "Upstart" nations formed at the end of the Last War (and those not recognized by Thronehold) may see such an event as a chance to demonstrate their legitimacy by aiding a neighbor.... Or by claiming swathes of the tainted lands to cleanse and add to their own.
#3
Gilo
Dec 19, 2009 18:08:28 Just to offer other locations:

You can also have a zombie attack in Sharn belonging to victims of the War of the Mark or goblins zombies from the human conquest in pre-Galifar times rising from the lower city. It doesn't need to be by design someone may have accidentally opened a passage to a buried section of the city letting the undead out.

Cyre zombies coming out of the mists surrounding the Mournland attacking in Karrnath, Darguun and/or the Valenar.

Mror Holds dwarven zombies coming from the deep kingdom.

In case you want a more isolated location you can also have elven zombies coming out of the jungles and attacking Stormreach.

#4
el_shawno
Dec 19, 2009 23:07:26
Or, the outbreak could be from a secret forgehold of House Cannith in Sharn.

Interesting. Maybe the secret forge requires a humanoids soul as the 'spark' to create a new Warforged. The problem is, however, that the bodies wind up not dying but living on as husks. That is to say, the byproduct of making new Warforged is zombies. Lots and lot of zombies.

And now they're loose.
#5
ellorin
Dec 20, 2009 17:10:59 Someone might have foolishly awakened the dreaded Qabalrin vampire and lich necromancers...
#6
blackmage88
Dec 20, 2009 22:41:18 A thought: House Vadalis experiments gone horribly awry. They already tried and failed with the Magebred humanoids, but I doubt that'd stop them from trying again.

But if we're going for a pure Blood of Vol operation, how about this: at a location where Dolurrh has a manifest zone or other connection to the world, the Claw and such are tinkering with planar magic trying to gain reliable access to the realm of the dead. Lots of necrotic and shadow magic, plentiful suppies of undead, rum and cake all around! But when they actually manage to thin the wall between the planes, or create a portal, or what have you, BAM! Swarm of undead comes pouring into Eberron.

Any location where you could conceive of Dolurrh manifesting would be appropriate. Or perhaps Dolurrh is just drawing coterminous and everywhere is a potential danger zone. If you want mass chaos, pick a city. If you want a creepier deal, pick somewhere the undead can skulk in, like forested areas. And our heroes have to hack their way to the manifest zone and seal it up again.
#7
Sarlax
Dec 21, 2009 4:35:38
Any location where you could conceive of Dolurrh manifesting would be appropriate. Or perhaps Dolurrh is just drawing coterminous and everywhere is a potential danger zone.

I'd involve planar connections because manifest zones and planar proximity are some of the more interesting features of Eberron's cosmology.

Here's an idea: rather than Dolurrh, use Irian or Mabar. These are the planes of pre-4E positive and negative energy and are quite similar in 4E. On the other hand, Dolurrh is the destination of souls.

If Irian comes closer to Eberron, there might be a flood of life leading to spontaneos resurrection of bodies without souls. In this case, the bodies may not be technically undead, but still follow the "dead rising" pattern. Here are the specific mechanics: when a soul leaves a body, the energy of Irian floods the flesh, resurrecting the dead tissue. Without a soul, the body reverts to fight or flight instints. Because this will usually happen to the recently dead, most of the Risen appear to be shambling corpses, only differing visually from undead in that a soft white light emerges from their eyes.

Over time, the bond to Irian that the Risen have grows stronger, granting "older" Risen fantastic healing such that they have regeneration, even closing their old wounds. The appear be quite alive and shed light from their entire bodies. They still run on instinct, but they lose their fear of injury because of their regeneration, so now they only operate on one instinct: fight. These second-generation Risen are extremely aggressive and thrash any creature that doesn't also shed Irian's light.

Some Risen change further and channel the true energy of Irian, gaining an aura effect that burns nearby creatures with radiant energy and healing lesser Risen. These beings can also focus blasts of radiant energy. At this point a given Risen gains some measure of intelligence and cunning.

In their final stage, the Risen are flooded with the power of Irian. Creatures they strike down become Risen themselves the next round. Even worse, their fleshy brains channel so much life energy that they become as effective as the brains of normal beings and they develop plans. They assume that their own state is superior to that "shallow life" and they seek to bring Irian's gift to all. They deliberately spread away from the original manifest zone. If they can remain in a single place for several days without being destroyed, their bodies immolate on their own and create a new manifest zone to Irian.

***

If it's Mabar that comes closer, the magic is simpler: the freshly dead intake necrotic energy and rise as soulless zombies. The zone may be limited to a single town or city, but word gets out quickly. The mindless raging undead kill often, and each death increases their numbers. Enemies of the nation where the outbreak occurs send in agents to speed its progress, hoping to cripple their adversary.

***

Of course, you need not use any cosmological quirks of Eberron to make an outbreak happen. Just use wraiths. Wraiths are like all the pre-4E spawners: if they kill a humanoid, that humanoid rises as a new wraith within rounds. A single wraith can destroy a city in hours.

Since normal wraiths can create such devestation, perhaps the wraiths the start the outbreak for the game in question are a lesser kind, or perhaps the wraiths have a different "life" cycle. Rather than turning into full-wraiths, maybe the dead instead give rise to proto-wraiths, which have similar traits but are minions and cannot spawn. Instead, if they manage to kill enough humanoids, the evolve into full wraiths.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Scrinoverlord Dec 19, 2009 15:13:46	So reading Open Grave, it gave me a template to work with which I think works both for me and my PCs (we're all zombie lovers): undead outbreak. I considered doing it in pre-Spellplague Forgotten Realms (not because I don't like the 4e Realms, but I don't want to set an apocalypse after a previous apocalypse), but I eventually turned to Eberron because I think the Blood of Vol could be behind it somehow. A general idea I have so far is Vol has allied herself with Orcus: in exchange for helping him further his goals, she will get ultimate revenge on both the dragons and elves that made her who she is. Still, several things I should ask: where should this take place? If it takes place in one of the Five Nations, would the other nations try to take advantage? Do you think it would be better if the undead outbreaks aren't of intelligent design, but of a genuine disease or a force that turned from experiment to out of control (AKA zombie apocalypse)?
#2 Fingolfin_Aeros Dec 19, 2009 17:30:29	Let's see.... Karrnath has a history with the undead. Perhaps a garrison of their croaked forces got out of control. Also, with the deal between Kaius and Vol, Karrnath would be a reasonable target for Vol's ire. Or, the Emerald Claw may be responsible. Another possible source, Zombies could be emerging from the Mournland and laying waste to the surrounding lands. Or, the outbreak could be from a secret forgehold of House Cannith in Sharn. The other nations may be eager to take advantage of this, either covertly or overtly. Also, the "Upstart" nations formed at the end of the Last War (and those not recognized by Thronehold) may see such an event as a chance to demonstrate their legitimacy by aiding a neighbor.... Or by claiming swathes of the tainted lands to cleanse and add to their own.
#3 Gilo Dec 19, 2009 18:08:28	Just to offer other locations: You can also have a zombie attack in Sharn belonging to victims of the War of the Mark or goblins zombies from the human conquest in pre-Galifar times rising from the lower city. It doesn't need to be by design someone may have accidentally opened a passage to a buried section of the city letting the undead out. Cyre zombies coming out of the mists surrounding the Mournland attacking in Karrnath, Darguun and/or the Valenar. Mror Holds dwarven zombies coming from the deep kingdom. In case you want a more isolated location you can also have elven zombies coming out of the jungles and attacking Stormreach.
#4 el_shawno Dec 19, 2009 23:07:26	Or, the outbreak could be from a secret forgehold of House Cannith in Sharn. Interesting. Maybe the secret forge requires a humanoids soul as the 'spark' to create a new Warforged. The problem is, however, that the bodies wind up not dying but living on as husks. That is to say, the byproduct of making new Warforged is zombies. Lots and lot of zombies. And now they're loose.
#5 ellorin Dec 20, 2009 17:10:59	Someone might have foolishly awakened the dreaded Qabalrin vampire and lich necromancers...
#6 blackmage88 Dec 20, 2009 22:41:18	A thought: House Vadalis experiments gone horribly awry. They already tried and failed with the Magebred humanoids, but I doubt that'd stop them from trying again. But if we're going for a pure Blood of Vol operation, how about this: at a location where Dolurrh has a manifest zone or other connection to the world, the Claw and such are tinkering with planar magic trying to gain reliable access to the realm of the dead. Lots of necrotic and shadow magic, plentiful suppies of undead, rum and cake all around! But when they actually manage to thin the wall between the planes, or create a portal, or what have you, BAM! Swarm of undead comes pouring into Eberron. Any location where you could conceive of Dolurrh manifesting would be appropriate. Or perhaps Dolurrh is just drawing coterminous and everywhere is a potential danger zone. If you want mass chaos, pick a city. If you want a creepier deal, pick somewhere the undead can skulk in, like forested areas. And our heroes have to hack their way to the manifest zone and seal it up again.
#7 Sarlax Dec 21, 2009 4:35:38	Any location where you could conceive of Dolurrh manifesting would be appropriate. Or perhaps Dolurrh is just drawing coterminous and everywhere is a potential danger zone. I'd involve planar connections because manifest zones and planar proximity are some of the more interesting features of Eberron's cosmology. Here's an idea: rather than Dolurrh, use Irian or Mabar. These are the planes of pre-4E positive and negative energy and are quite similar in 4E. On the other hand, Dolurrh is the destination of souls. If Irian comes closer to Eberron, there might be a flood of life leading to spontaneos resurrection of bodies without souls. In this case, the bodies may not be technically undead, but still follow the "dead rising" pattern. Here are the specific mechanics: when a soul leaves a body, the energy of Irian floods the flesh, resurrecting the dead tissue. Without a soul, the body reverts to fight or flight instints. Because this will usually happen to the recently dead, most of the Risen appear to be shambling corpses, only differing visually from undead in that a soft white light emerges from their eyes. Over time, the bond to Irian that the Risen have grows stronger, granting "older" Risen fantastic healing such that they have regeneration, even closing their old wounds. The appear be quite alive and shed light from their entire bodies. They still run on instinct, but they lose their fear of injury because of their regeneration, so now they only operate on one instinct: fight. These second-generation Risen are extremely aggressive and thrash any creature that doesn't also shed Irian's light. Some Risen change further and channel the true energy of Irian, gaining an aura effect that burns nearby creatures with radiant energy and healing lesser Risen. These beings can also focus blasts of radiant energy. At this point a given Risen gains some measure of intelligence and cunning. In their final stage, the Risen are flooded with the power of Irian. Creatures they strike down become Risen themselves the next round. Even worse, their fleshy brains channel so much life energy that they become as effective as the brains of normal beings and they develop plans. They assume that their own state is superior to that "shallow life" and they seek to bring Irian's gift to all. They deliberately spread away from the original manifest zone. If they can remain in a single place for several days without being destroyed, their bodies immolate on their own and create a new manifest zone to Irian. * If it's Mabar that comes closer, the magic is simpler: the freshly dead intake necrotic energy and rise as soulless zombies. The zone may be limited to a single town or city, but word gets out quickly. The mindless raging undead kill often, and each death increases their numbers. Enemies of the nation where the outbreak occurs send in agents to speed its progress, hoping to cripple their adversary. * Of course, you need not use any cosmological quirks of Eberron to make an outbreak happen. Just use wraiths. Wraiths are like all the pre-4E spawners: if they kill a humanoid, that humanoid rises as a new wraith within rounds. A single wraith can destroy a city in hours. Since normal wraiths can create such devestation, perhaps the wraiths the start the outbreak for the game in question are a lesser kind, or perhaps the wraiths have a different "life" cycle. Rather than turning into full-wraiths, maybe the dead instead give rise to proto-wraiths, which have similar traits but are minions and cannot spawn. Instead, if they manage to kill enough humanoids, the evolve into full wraiths.