Here is what I have, looking for more events in a zombie adventure:
1. PCs are in a town, refugees come flooding in from a nearby city. Refugees say the city was attacked but almost no one knows from who.
2. They find a haunted guard who speaks of people walking the streets even after receiving wounds that should have killed them. He saw these people devouring others.
3. They hurry to find the city abandoned. Once well inside the city, the first of the walking dead will begin attacking them. Overwhelmed, they'll need to find shelter.
4. They find a basement with a few survivors, told the story of what happened, pointed towards the entrance to the city's catacombs.
5. Once inside they trace the zombies to a sphere being used by a spellcaster to awaken the dead. Fight ensues. They win... or not, whatever.
Thats what I have so far, seems kind of thin. Any ideas on ways to punch it up a bit? Add any plot points or goals?
1. Someone one of the PCs recognizes is a zombie. Ideally a loved one.
2. Someone is currently being attacked by zombies and needs the PCs help to save them. Perhaps there are so many that is a real moral dilemma whether to help or not.
3. The Party must find a way past a large group either by disguising themselves or by crawling at a higher level - just out of reach - perhaps!
A couple of pointers:
1. Why wouldn't the refuges know who attacked them? I understand you would like to build tension, but I see no reason why they shouldn't know from whom they are fleeing, especially if the haunted guard NPC foreshadows it anyway.
2. The city is abandoned during the day and the zombies crawl out at night? Perhaps the Spellcaster sleeps during the day and he needs to actively control the zombies?
3. There should be a reason why now, why here and overall who the spellcaster (let's call him: necromancer) is. He probably has companions or minions.
For example: a drow wizard and his bodyguards/apprentice (who are looking to create a new spell which allows mass control of the dead) or
a devil worshipping cleric and his acolytes (who try to do some evil incantations at an unholy sight, the zombies are just a side effect) or
a demon summoning warlock/summoner and his mercenaries (who try to offer the souls of the dead to their chosen demon lord) etc.
once you decide who the BBEG is and why he is here and what he is doing you could:
4. Create a twist, let's say the PCs arrive at daylight, the town is abandoned, but the secondary evil guys try to lure the PCs into a trap. Or send the PCs to do their dirty work (dispatch of a "good" guardian for example, kill the last survivors etc.).
5. The PCs meet some survivors who tell the PCs the other guys are the evil ones, whom do the PCs trust and believe now?
6. Another idea: The city/town is abandoned, the PCs (if so inclined) could loot some serious loot, or "recover" some holy artifacts. Collect some hidden treasure etc.
They might not have the firepower to deal with the zombies, but they could get in and out, get the item/treasure/loot/whatever and go back and deliver it (gain a level, or gain some special abilities/weapons) and gain power so that they can face the BBEG.
7. Several minor encounters like: the church contains some survivors, but the zombies are attacking it constantly, the church tower is about to collapse, the PCs need to rescue the survivors through the catacombs which has it's own monsters, while the zombies are following from behind.
The PCs need to rescue someone and deliver him/her back into safety.
The zombies are on their way to the next city/town. They are unstoppable and if they kill someone, those rise too from the dead.
There is a lost child which joins the PCs, who now need to take care of him/her. etc.
Well, I have several other pointers, but it would depend where you are going with this. Woul you like a dungeon crawl, a roleplaying encounter, a quick one session thing or a campaign beginning. Do you want some generic villains or themed and recurring ones, do you want intrigue and paranoia or investigation and hack & slash...
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Here is what I have, looking for more events in a zombie adventure:
1. PCs are in a town, refugees come flooding in from a nearby city. Refugees say the city was attacked but almost no one knows from who.
2. They find a haunted guard who speaks of people walking the streets even after receiving wounds that should have killed them. He saw these people devouring others.
3. They hurry to find the city abandoned. Once well inside the city, the first of the walking dead will begin attacking them. Overwhelmed, they'll need to find shelter.
4. They find a basement with a few survivors, told the story of what happened, pointed towards the entrance to the city's catacombs.
5. Once inside they trace the zombies to a sphere being used by a spellcaster to awaken the dead. Fight ensues. They win... or not, whatever.Thats what I have so far, seems kind of thin. Any ideas on ways to punch it up a bit? Add any plot points or goals?
Expansion on the sphere:
1) Maybe the more undead around it the more powerful it grows?2) The sphere is just part of a larger artifact and it was buried (in secret) within the tomb of a good cleric or paladin interred in the catacombs that was originally stolen from an undeath worshiping apocalyptic cult a century ago. The spellcaster is part of a cult looking for the parts, and maybe he intended to activate it or maybe it was accidental (beyond his power)?
3) After the catacomb experience rumors and stories start flooding in about:
- a) A field of ancient statues moving upon another city. These were an old fail-safe system to if parts of the artifact should it become active again - and maybe it is hidden in the nearby city (worshiped by the royal taxidermist - who has plenty of weird stuffed monsters that have started to stir & whisper to him). The players will focus on the oncoming juggernauts, but in reality the threat is in the city they are marching on.
- b) An old ship loaded with undead that arrives in a port town, in addition to the hordes of zombies, rats onboard bear a plague that spreads in the city that causes an outbreak of the undead. The last destination of the ship was large island that serves as stop for trade ships.
Alternate catacomb background story: The sphere is a new necromantic weapon given to the spellcaster (chump) by a race of ancient arcane ghouls who have designs on reclaiming their old undead empire above them. They are few in number, so they need an army of corpses which they use to increase their food supply, breeding stock and magical weaponry.
Plot points:
A) The sphere suppresses most divine turning magic. The players may find out about a cleric of one the towns temples that makes reference to something like this happening in the past and getting to the temple/cleric may be a key in turning (pun not intended) things around.
B) Item quest: an ancient hero not buried in the catacombs supposedly had a weapon that could lay waste to the undead. When the players go to his manor, they find that the place has been looted and the surviving members of the local thieves guild have stolen the item and are trying to figure out a way to use it to save their hides/get out of the city. Could be a fun way to explore a guildhall overrun with undead or even have the players team up with the surviving thieves in an effort for mutual benefit.
- Minor set pieces during the adventure: a detailed house or church for the party to board up in ala Night of the Living Dead. Maybe have a specialized zombie at the head of the assault. The party needs to hold off for a short time until they can find an item or prep for a counter offensive.
- Fire Bridge: a long span bridge in town has been set on fire, there are a few wagons with innocents trap on the bridge with the undead. Save the people before the whole thing comes down.
Just a few off the top of my head.