Necropolis The Land: Formerly known as Darkon, Necropolis was recently devastated when Azalin's doomsday device sent out a wave of negative energy, turning the city of II Aluk into a city of undead. Not much else is known about the present state of Il Aluk, since any living creature that enters the city automatically dies. Strangely enough, moments after the disaster, every inhabitant of the Core knew that the land was to be called Necropolis from then on. Necropolis occupies the northern third of the Core, stretching from the Sea of Sorrows in the west to the Nocturnal Sea in the east. Necropolis is a heavily populated realm, with a wide diversity of races represented. This domain is divided into six distinct regions. In each region, the wave of negative energy thrown off by the doomsday device has had a different effect, though none so drastic as that of II Aluk, which was wiped free of every living creature. Throughout Necropolis, much remains as it was before this terrible tragedy. The Boglands - This vast bog is dotted with many lakes, the largest collection of which is known as the Great Salt Swamp. These lakes are so salty as to be undrinkable and devoid of all life. In contrast, Stagnus Lake is filled with living creatures and even boasts a top layer of green scum that heaves as these creatures move beneath it. Those who venture into the bogs face a number of dangers, including poisonous creatures and explosive gases. Root crops grown in this region are disturbingly misshapen, giving rise to rumors that those who eat this produce will be somehow cursed. One harvest of carrots shaped like fiends almost caused a riot. Because of this, much of the produce is left to rot, seriously depleting the local food supply. The Forest of Shadows - This formerly lush forest has taken on quite a sinister atmosphere, with shirting shadows, giant spiders, and watchful creatures. At several locations, foresters have discovered rough circles of large stones. It is said that during the full moon, werewolves perch on the rocks and howl. It is also said that those who hear this eerie chorus cannot resist the call and are drawn to the circle. Also, since the transformation of Il Aluk, the Vuchar river directly west of it has become devoid of life. Dead fish float on its surface, and the water has a sour, stagnant smell. The Forest of Shadows has two major towns: Nartok, a cosmopolitan trading center where the merchandise of Necropolis is assembled before being shipped south to Falkovnia, and Rivalis, a halfling community. The former home of Azalin, Castle Avernus, also lies within this region. Since the lich lord's disappearance, it is presumably empty, but none are brave enough to verify this fact. The Jagged Coast - This region has many tiny islands and secret coves and is the base for a number of illicit smuggling operations. It is also rumored to contain great, trap-laden treasure caches. Most of the coastline is a barren expanse of rock and scrub. However, in the north lies the thriving port of Martira Bay. Other than this small stable area, though, the geography of the Jagged Coast changes constantly. The rock is porous and unstable, so large chunks continuously break off and collapse into the sea. For this reason, few homes or roads are built close to the shore. According to rumor, the coastline is being deliberately undermined by a race of underwater creatures who are jealous of land dwellers. Other rumors maintain that the entire region is breaking up in a prelude to the Hour of Ascension, when the living inhabitants shall be drowned in the sea to make way for the dead. The recent wave of negative energy turned the sea gray and restless. Strange whirlpools, some up to a hundred feet in diameter, are wreaking havoc with shipping. No one knows what is causing these whirlpools to appear. The Mistlands - The northern and eastern fringes of Necropolis have no clear border; instead, they are hemmed in by the Mists. This wall of chilling vapor is constantly shifting, sometimes as much as a mile or two at a time. Pockets of this Mist also drift across the ground in this region. Some think that they hide the entrances to the underground lairs of the dark elves and goblins that plague the area. One of the oddest features of the Mistlands is its sinkholes of silence, which range from a few hundred feet to a mile in width. All creatures inside one of these sinkholes act as if they were victims of a silence spell (no saving throw permitted). However, these sinkholes are not permanent. They seemingly appear and vanish at random. The Mistlands contain three major towns: Neblus, the region's capital; Nevuchar Springs; and Sidnar. Elven culture dominates this region. Since the destruction of Il Aluk, the Eternal Order (the official church of Darken) has weakened in this region considerably, and a few other churches have sprung up. Nevuchar Springs now houses the lawful evil temple for the Church of Ezra. The Mountains of Misery - This region is dominated by Mount Nyid and Mount Nirka, two volcanic cones that have lain dormant for centuries. Recently, however, a thin plume of sulfurous, yellow smoke has been sighted over each. Combined with a recent increase in earth tremors, many fear that the volcanoes may be about ready to erupt. The rest of the region is made up of jagged foothills through which a number of rivers and streams flow. Much of this unexplored area is home to goblins, kobolds, dark elves, darklings, and broken ones. One of the strangest phenomena in the region is reported to occur at Lake Temporus, the source of the Tempe River. All around its shores are animals standing utterly still with their mouths lowered to the water. Oddly enough, they seem to be frozen in time. Also, ghostly forms are often sighted near the two volcanoes. It is rumored that these are the mounts the dead will ride when they return to push the living from the land. Gold, silver, and gem mining are the primary activities here, and two mining towns have sprung up as a result: the dwarven settlement of Tempe Falls and the gnomish community of Mayvin. The Vale of Tears - Originally known as the Vuchar Valley, this region used to be a fertile valley and a highway for boats. Since the devastation of II Aluk, river traffic along the Vuchar has come to a sudden halt. Vessels emerge from II Aluk's canals with crews of corpses. Cut off from their markets, the farmers of the Vale of Tears now must watch in sorrow as their crops rot in the fields. In addition, the Vuchar has been behaving strangely, rising and falling and carrying dark red silt. The more imaginative compare the river to a vein that ebbs and flows with the pulse of the land. The Vale of Tears includes small patches of forest, orchards that have long since grown wild. Few farmers enter these woods, despite the possible bountiful harvests. According to legend, these wild orchards are inhabited by lycanthropes and gremishka (see the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix III). The major cities in this region include the human settlements of Karg and Maykle, and the halfling fishing village of Delagia. It should be noted that although Azalin is believed to have died in the destruction of Il Aluk, the powerful magical defenses that guarded Darkon's borders are still in place. When an army from Falkovnia attempted to invade two months after the disaster, it was repelled when the dead along the border rose from their graves and came once again to the land's defense. This has given rise to the belief that Necropolis is on the verge of being claimed by the dead in its entirety (as legend states that it will) and that King Azalin has joined the ranks of the dead. In fact, some believe the enigmatic ruler of what was Il Aluk, who is simply called Death, is Azalin risen from the grave. Cultural Level: Varies from region to region. In the west, the influence of Lamordia and Dementlieu, not to mention the cosmopolitan trade center Martira Bay, results in a chivalric culture. However, the inhabitants in the far eastern portions of the domain exist at a dark-age level. The Folk: Although any resident of Necropolis who came to this land more than three months ago fervently believes he has always lived here, the population of this domain originated on a variety of vastly different worlds. Thus, its inhabitants include a mixture of different races, styles, and philosophies. Also, since the recent undead invasions, many inhabitants of Necropolis have tried to flee to other domains. Thus, Lamordia and Nova Vaasa have seen an influx of penniless refugees. The Law: Those who dominate each of Necropolis's six regions take many forms. However, two things that they all have in common are an evil nature and an unswerving loyalty to the master of II Aluk, a creature known only as Death. Created by a prototype of the doomsday device, Death was present during the activation of Azalin's terrible machine. Resembling nothing so much as the Grim Reaper, this mysterious creature completely controls all beings within the borders of Il Aluk. The Mistlands are loosely ruled by Trillen Mistwalker, who is more interested in soliciting help to find a mysterious ruined tower in the Mists than actually ruling the populace. In the Boglands, Glennis McFadden, a green hag, has secretly built up an army of minions and collections of evil spells and potions to manipulate the inhabitants. Galf Kloggin, a wererat, runs of a gang of thieves that terrorize the people of the Forest of Shadows. Beryl Silvertress, a dwarf vampire, uses her great beauty to dominate the inhabitants of the Mountains of Misery. Yako Vormoff, a vassalich who died in Azalin's recent ritual, rules undisputedly in the Vale of Tears. Finally, along the Jagged Coast, a ghoul lord by the name of Damon Skragg dominates and feeds on the natives. Native Player Characters: Natives of Necropolis can be of any character classes available on the Demiplane of Dread. Most priests in Necropolis belong to the Temple of the Eternal Order, but this religion is slowly dissolving. Because of the widely held belief that the dead will rise again to reclaim the land (and the belief that this is presently happening), characters from Necropolis suffer a -2 penalty to all fear and horror checks brought about by undead creatures. Personalities of Note: Since the recent transformation from Darkon to Necropolis, many strange and terrible characters have risen to prominence here. Trillen Mistwalker is one of the dominant personalities of the Mistlands. This elf ghost actually looks as though he were still alive, fooling most of the inhabitants. Trillen is obsessed with finding a mysterious tower he discovered in the Mists during his life, though he actually does not even remember what it contains. He died after squandering all of his wealth and inadvertently causing the death of his brother in trying to find this tower again. Qlennis McFadden is thought to be an eccentric old lady with a knack for brewing herbal remedies and offering comforting counsel to troubled folk. Unfortunately, this is not true. This green hag recently forsook her dismal abode in the swamps and moved into the heart of Viaki to exact a slow and deadly revenge upon the community who killed her two sister hags. Galf Kloggin is a halfling wererat who has trained a number of fellow lycanthropes in the arts of thievery. He heads a gang of bandits who are building a horde of treasure stored deep under Oalf's home in the Forest of Shadows. The residents of Rivalis do not realize that Galf is the head of the gang since his cohorts come and go through a series of tunnels he constructed underneath the town. Beryl Silvertress is a dwarf vampire obsessed with exacting revenge on the vampire who created her. She is a member of the Kargat, a secret police force that once served Azalin. She firmly believes that her creator's hiding place is common knowledge but that a great conspiracy prohibits her from learning his whereabouts. Yako Vormoff was a minion of Azalin before the activation of the doomsday device. Currently, Yako controls an army of giant flesh golems and has even created his own maggot golem. Since Azalin's disappearance, Yako rules the Vale of Tears in his place. Most importantly, Yako is still searching for the phylactery that holds his spirit, which is presumably hidden somewhere in Castle Avernus. Damon Skragg commands a crew of ghasts on his ship, the Bountiful. For the most part, he remains anchored at Martira Bay in order to satisfy his crew's hunger for mortal flesh. Damon and his crew never leave the ship during the day and refuse to allow visitors on their vessel. Few beings know of Damon's status as an undead creature. Encounters: Almost any type of undead creature can be encountered in Necropolis. Also, because of the recent upheaval here, the chance of encounters is relatively high. Characters have a 40% chance every day for an encounter, and a 50% chance twice each night. Further Reading: Necropolis and the despots ruling its regions are detailed in the Requiem campaign expansion, which also includes rules for creating and playing undead characters. Darklord of Necropolis Since the mysterious disappearance of Azalin, the identity of the true darklord of Necropolis remains a mystery.

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