Desecration of Dawnmarch Cemetery

Over the last couple months, the old Umbakian Dawnmarch Cemetery has been slowly collapsing, as if something is undermining the graves. The caretakers have claimed to hear strange noises during the day and night. Only a few sinkholes have appeared but the caretakers have come to the town council to seek aid – a family on pilgrimage disappeared two nights ago. Help us before some abomination seeks to drag them into the darkness.

Who: Shade of the fallen necromancer?
What: Devouring corruption under Dawnmarch Cemetery When:
Where: Torrelsons Ford Why: The restless spirits of the Bronzemen and Sea King temples have awakened an angry spirit. The forgotten dead are now seeking to reclaim their name, to make themselves known to the living. This spirit is a relic of the time of Arkkan the Necromancer of the Brine Moors. It manifests as a mass of writhing worms. It has affinity to Mog Creoch, the devourer of all.

Corrupted Spirit

  • The worms can enter corpses and animate them as Zombies or cover their bare bones and move them as Skeletons.
  • The worms tunnel under the cemetery, searching blindly for the dead to control so that they may send them to collect the living. Virtually nothing remains of the long dead Umbakians, so it has waited a great long time.

Recent History of Troubles

Spirits of the dead have been wandering the cemetary during sunrise and sunset. Its been infrequent. The disturbances they hoped would just go away if there was nothing unnatural.

The Disappearance of House Tourghaud’s Members

A couple of noble Umbakian visitors have vanished. The Wuhrt family, or perhaps a priest of the Lightbringers in Torrelson’s Ford from Camrod’s Shrine to the Lightbringers, or the town council comes to the PCs to ask for aid. The family can verify the information given by the authorities that presented the case is accurate.

Over the last several months, parts of the old Umbakian cemetery has been slowly collapsing, as if something is undermining the graves. The caretakers claim to hear strange noises during the day and night. Only a few sinkholes have appeared and slowly fill back in – so there has been no sense of urgency. In the last month, the sinkholes have been accompanied by dim spirit lights – thought to be disturbed ancestral spirits. Its happened long ago in the past – when earthquakes have shifted the ground, so the hope was it was some settling only. Then, a family on pilgrimage disappeared a few nights ago. Jennifer Wuhrt of the caretaker family says “Help us before some abomination seeks to drag my family into the darkness!”

  • Three days ago, Umbakian travelers arrived via boat. They stayed at a Lodgers Rent they had arranged for months ago.
  • The traveling family was a woman, her two daughters, and a servant.
  • They signed in (the log says “Lisse, Evelyn, and Siress Willa of house Tourghaud”)
  • They were shown on the map the caretakers maintain, where the family plots were.
  • They never returned – normally families check back in to light a candle and thank the caretakers – this never happened, though it does not always, so little consideration was given.
  • The owner of the lodging they rented came to inquire about their whereabouts a couple days later. A search was made, even ranging out on the roads.
  • The presumed third night of being missing came and went and the caretakers demanded to see the mayor. This was when the condition of the cemetery was discovered.

Talking to Jennifer Whurt

[ ] > DC 16 Charisma [reaction]

It’s been happening since soon after the spirits began wandering, but nothing escalated.
We will not set foot back in it, until it is deemed safe by the authorities. Word has been sent to Fort Pavec on the Umbakian Border – they expect a “response” in a week if nothing is done; This may escalate tensions.

Arch of the Lightbringers

Sepulcher of Gerral

Intelligence (Religion; Lightbringers) DC 15 – The “Breath of Mourning” chant may be enacted as proper form.
> CLUE: Breath of Mourning is gained

Shrine of Aerna

The Walk in Darkness

It leads to the Tunnels of the Worms now…

There is a wall area collapsed, and a hole with wet, fecund earth spilling out of it gaping into the darkness, leading into fresh tunnels dug into the grave earth under the cemetery. The passage is filled with mud and water, and it reeks like a cess pit. Broken coffins and pieces of corpses can be seen sticking out of the walls or lying in the passage.

[ ] > DC 20 Mason/Mining experience; It is irregularly shaped, there are no shovel or pick marks.

Tunnels of the Worms

A hole in the wall around collapsed stone in the hall of passage between the north and south structures…

  • Difficult Terrain (mud and water)
  • No straight stretch longer than 25′ (ranged attacks limited, lots of partial cover with first attacks)
  • A ‘lethargy of the grave’ from Mog Creoch has filled the tunnels. Grave Stasis: Bane (DC 20 Constitution/no save unless CLUE: Breath of Mourning is possessed), Slow (DC 10 Constitution save; per encounter)
    Devout: Bane effects in the tunnels are negated.
    Other: Bane effects in the tunnels are halved.

>

Random Tunnel Encounters

1 on d6 each 50′ or so. If an encounter is indicated, Make a random check to see which party member and roll d20:

  1. 1-4 – Skeleton: 1-2 on d6 = Worm Mass: 1 skeleton has become 3, with a wriggling mass of worms as ‘connective tissue’ to fill in the gaps. When it dies, it ‘explodes’, doing D10/5 Necrotic disease cloud to all within 30′
  2. 5-6 – Zombie: 1-3 on d6 = Worm Mass: 1 skeleton has become 3, with a wriggling mass of worms as ‘connective tissue’ to fill in the gaps. When it dies, it ‘explodes’, doing D10/5 Necrotic disease cloud to all within 30′
  3. 6-12 – Tunnel Collapse:

    Suddenly, part of the tunnel gives way! A mudslide flows around you, threatening to bury you.

    DC 15 Dexterity or knocked down and head covered; 5′ in either direction also DC 10 Dexterity or same.

    The mud seems like it is trying to push its way into your nose and mouth!

    d4/2 Fatigue damage per round, but each round until the head is above the mud is a DC 5 Constitution check or a disease (Weakness; half Strength until cured); dc 11 Strength (Athletics) w/ Disadvantage

  4. 13-17 – Servant of the Family: If this has been encountered, use Tunnel Collapse; The servant of the family is wandering on her own. She is technically dead, and barely recognizable as a mass of wriggling worms infesting the body as a Spawn of Kyuss. She will try to speak, reach her arms out to the party and a foul mass of blood, worms and mud spews forth spreading Disease over an area.
  5. 18+ – Family: If this has been encountered, use Tunnel Collapse; The bonds of family keep them operating as a ‘unit’ for now. They will ambush by coming out of the walls and ceiling and attacking one creature at a time. The 3 women are barely recognizable as a mass of wriggling worms infesting the body as a Spawn of Kyuss.

Outcomes

Stopping the Source: DC 12 Intelligence (Religion): The only long term way to end the foul corruption is to sanctify the cemetery. If there are Lightbringer clergy nearby from another scenario, they can assist.

Local authorities will not be happy. It will entwine the community with Umbak more – never a desired outcome. Another option is periodically send soldiers in to cleanse the infestation and keep it from spreading. Some want to try this, they must be persuaded otherwise.

Lightbringer Cemetery
= clue to laying things to rest…

Yarans Round
@ ___ there is bound to be an ancient idol in a village shrine
> you will have to convince them to give it up – it should be easy, but it won’t be for money. What they want is some swamp bats killed – they have been driven inland by the shadow of the Ford.
= low priority but the bats are feeding on sheep at night and spreading disease.

They dont have anything for the party.

They go to the lightbringers

There is no one that will supply Dunstrand materials.
There is the ruins of Tanrith

NPCs, Monsters, Creatures