Word of Wizards - Excerpts: Origins and Society

Open Grave Excerpts: Origins and Society

For the second part of the excerpt about the origins and society of the undead, we take a look at an example of a city and empire that is ruled and populated by the undead; Hantumah.

Hantumah came about when a powrful lich, Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan attacked the city state of Khatiroon which was a prestine paradise, rich and abundant with food and resources with an army of undead, a century ago.

Today, it now stands as a liveless city with all the dead praising the rulers of the new but dead empire.

It is very well described with its histroy and its present situation that makes it ripe for adventure and even an entire campaign. There is also a extra plot hook added into this region with an organization who call themselves the Lightbringers. They are a group of undead hunters that is being funded by living and breathing kings and their kingdoms to ensure that Hantumah borders does not expand further.

I can see this as an interesting twisted campaign based heavily on the Crusaders fighting against the unholy undead.

Finally in this excerpt is the stats of one of the four rulers of Hantumah (pictured above); Sceptenar Vasabhakti, the former princess of the living kingdom before it became Hantumah now turned into an unholy ruler with paladin-like powers of Divine Challenge (minor; at-will) which deals necrotic damage to anyone who refuses to engage her when challenged.

She rides on an infernal stallion named Maheghoda the Black Courser and carries a weapon known as the Soulsword. With it, she can use Valiant Stirke (standard; at-will) that grants her a +1 bonus to attack for each adjacent ally or use her Terrifying Smite (standard; encounter) that pushes an enemy 2 squares and cannot moved closer to her on their next turn.

She can also call upon an Unholy Flame (standard; recharge 5,6) which deals 6d8+13 fire and necrotic damage to living enemies within 2 squares of her and grant undeads within that radius an extra 2d6 fire damage to their melee attack until the end of her next turn.

Terrifying Strike and Unholy Flame is going to be an interesting combo especially if that enemy is marked with her Divine Challenge.

As a side note, I'm sure this is just merely coincidence but in the Malay language, Hantu means ghost so the name is quite suiting, I would say.