You are Malkuth, a necromancer bound by duty and ambition, serving a master consumed by the quest for eternal life. This dark figure, driven by the allure of lichdom, has uncovered tantalizing rumors of a lost tome: The Art of Phylactery Manufacture. This ancient grimoire, said to contain the secrets of crafting a lich’s eternal vessel, disappeared when an arcane library deep in the desert was ransacked centuries ago. Your master, unwilling to let such a prize elude him, has entrusted you with the mission to recover the book—at any cost.To ensure your success, he offers you a choice from his treasury of magical artifacts. Each staff is a masterpiece of necromantic power, attuned to different forms of undeath:> The Staff of Bones, amplifying your control over skeletal warriors. With it, you could command a disciplined army of 100 skeletons, their sharpened blades and shields unyielding in battle.> The Staff of Decay, allowing you to dominate 200 zombies. Their relentless, shambling forms would overwhelm foes with sheer numbers and tireless resolve.> The Staff of Shadows, granting mastery over 50 shadowy wraiths. These silent, spectral assassins strike unseen, dragging their victims into darkness.Also decide if you are male or female and your name.
>>6168341> The Staff of Shadows, granting mastery over 50 shadowy wraiths. These silent, spectral assassins strike unseen, dragging their victims into darkness.Morana Lorelei. Female.
Can we do a write in? >The Book of Shadows, granting mastery over 50 shadowy wraiths. These silent, spectral assassins strike unseen, dragging their victims into darkness.I personally think books are much coolerName and gender>Morana Lorelei. Female.
>>6168378>>6168417Alright, instead of a Staff it is Book. The Book of Shadows.The book has 100 pages. In the front of each page there is the sigil of a wraith, and in the back information on how to summon them, for a total of 50 wraiths.Each of them has their own personalities, names, life and unlife story, likes and dislikes and may or may not resent being summoned based on that, but mechanically they all work the same way - they can attack with weak ranged cold attack or use their spectral claws to do arcane damage from up close. They are very fragile, but very resistant to most forms of damage except fire and magic. They also regenerate when they steal life from people with their claws.If they are destroyed you can summon them again one year and a day later at a modest cost in gold for the ritual.
>>6168378>>6168417>>6168425Morana Lorelei, the necromancer, stands at the edge of the desert, her master’s gift—the enigmatic *Book of Shadow*—clutched tightly in her hands. The tome hums with dark energy, its 100 pages each adorned with the sigil of a wraith on the front and detailed instructions for summoning them on the back. Each of the 50 wraiths bound within the book has a story etched in the veil of death: names, lives, unlives, preferences, and grudges. Though they vary in temperament, their power remains consistent—a blend of spectral claws delivering arcane devastation up close and cold blasts from afar. These wraiths are fragile, their forms dissipating under the assault of fire or potent magic. Yet they are tenacious, resisting most other attacks and regenerating with stolen life when their claws find purchase. Should one fall, it can be summoned anew after a year and a day, the ritual demanding only modest tribute in gold.Her journey through the rugged roads to this desert outpost has drained her strength, but the true challenge lies ahead. Armed with 1,000 gold, Morana must prepare wisely for the perils that await in the shifting sands. She surveys her options: > Buy a camel (50 gold): To traverse the desert more swiftly and conserve energy. > Purchase summoning materials (20 gold per wraith): To summon allies from the *Book of Shadow* for protection and offense. > Pay for drinks and gather rumors (10 gold per day): To uncover local knowledge about the desert and the lost arcane library. > Buy supplies (1 gold per day): Food and water for survival during the journey. > Hire mercenaries (20 gold per day per mercenary): Spears or arrows to bolster her defenses against mundane threats. > Write in
>>6168430>> Buy a camel (50 gold): To traverse the desert more swiftly and conserve energy.Name him Malick
>>6168430> Buy a camel (50 gold): To traverse the desert more swiftly and conserve energy.
>>6168437>>6168462You want a camel and nothing else?You can pick more than one option.
>>6168463> Purchase summoning materials (20 gold per wraith): To summon allies from the *Book of Shadow* for protection and offense.As well. More reliable than h*mans.
>>6168430>Buy summoning materials for 5 wraiths>Buy supplies for around a months exploration (30 gold)>Buy camels to carry itLet the sands and fate take us where we want to go
>>6168490You buy materials to summon 5 wraiths, supplies to last a month and two camels for 230 gold.You then depart into the desert!Roll 25d20 to see what you find. On the first monster or oasis we stop.1 - monster2-19 - sand20 - oasis
Rolled 1, 14, 11, 9, 11, 4, 8, 7, 12, 13, 6, 16, 3, 5, 4, 6, 19, 15, 14, 17, 13, 11, 14, 2, 10 = 245 (25d20)>>6168495gamer time
>>6168503That was fast
Rolled 1 (1d10)>>6168503On the very first night you are attacked!1. Sand Wyrm 2. Glass Scorpion 3. Dust Elemental 4. Cactus Golem 5. Ashen Vulture 6. Mummified Nomad 7. Fire Ant Swarm 8. Mirage Serpent 9. Bone Stalker 10. Blister Wraith
>>6168507A sand wyrm eats your camel with supplies and goes away.You only have enough supplies for 1 week now that were on your own camel.What do you do?> Continue moving> Return to the last city> Hunt the sand wyrm> Write in
>>6168510>Hunt the sand wyrm
>>6168527The elusive sandwyrm traverses the sands speedly like a fish traverses the sea. Still, they are drawn by motion, so it shouldn't be too hard to hunt it!Roll 3d100 to try and hunt the wyrm, DC 70, with 2 succeses or more you hunt it!You can decrease the DC by 5 for each wraith you take the time to summon!
Rolled 57, 85, 51 = 193 (3d100)>>6168536Summon two wraiths
>>6168553Though you spend ungodly hours slaving away under the unforgiving sun trying to find the creature, unfortunately you fail to track down the sand wyrm!> Continue trying (+10 DC) roll 3d100> Give up and return to last city (roll 3d20)> Give up and continue moving (roll 25d20)> Write in
Rolled 63, 91, 40 = 194 (3d100)>>6168555>Continue tryingI get to keep the wraith bonus, yes?
>>6168558>I get to keep the wraith bonus, yes?Yes, you do. Your DC was 80-10 = 70, so you failed again.Though you continue tracking the sand wyrm, you're beginning to lose hope.> Continue trying (+10 DC, last possible attempt) roll 3d100> Give up and return to last city (roll 5d20)> Give up and continue moving (roll 25d20)> Write in
Rolled 59, 43, 42 = 144 (3d100)>AgainSurely this time
>>6168569You are now hopelessly without a clue on the whereabout of the sand wyrm, and don't even know which way exactly is the last city you came from, though you could probably retrace your route given enough time,Thing is, you don't have all that much time right now - you're down to 4 days of supplies.You might arrive back to the city parched and starved.> Return to last city (roll 7d20)> Continue moving (roll 25d20)> Write in
Rolled 12, 3, 12, 16, 4, 2, 3, 18, 19, 9, 2, 17, 8, 17, 7, 6, 13, 17, 19, 10, 16, 2, 6, 10, 15 = 263 (25d20)>Continue moving (roll 25d20)Surely we will find an oasis
>>6168589The unforgiving sands of the desert claimed your life!GAME OVER
After a long time, your master, figuring you're not coming back, decides to send another apprentice to go retrieve his book and the other book he's been after from the desert.Select which artifact do you want:> The Staff of Bones, amplifying your control over skeletal warriors. With it, you could command a disciplined army of 100 skeletons, their sharpened blades and shields unyielding in battle.> The Staff of Decay, allowing you to dominate 200 zombies. Their relentless, shambling forms would overwhelm foes with sheer numbers and tireless resolve.Also decide if you are male or female and your name.
>>6168592This seems very, very interesting. Necromancer stories are like gold in a sea of copper. I hope you're still up, QM. >The Staff of Bones.>Name:Anais Lothaire de Stael. Female.
>>6168867You are Anais Lothaire de Stael, a necromancer of formidable will, granted the Staff of Bones by your master. With this artifact, you now possess the ability to command an army of 100 skeletons, their iron will and unwavering loyalty fueled by your dark magic. The journey to the desert has been taxing, but you have finally arrived at Parma, a bustling city at the edge of the sands. With 1,000 gold at your disposal, you must prepare for the treacherous and unknown expanse that lies ahead. The desert is unforgiving, and your choices now will determine how well you fare against the dangers of both the environment and its many creatures. > Buy a camel (50 gold): To traverse the desert more swiftly and conserve energy. > Steal bones from the local cemetery (risk of getting caught by authorities): To fortify your skeletal army with fresh materials. > Buy blades and shields for your skeletons (20 gold per set): To make your skeletal warriors more effective in combat. > Pay for drinks and gather rumors (10 gold per day): To uncover local knowledge about the desert and the lost arcane library. > Buy supplies (1 gold per day): Food and water for survival during the journey. > Hire mercenaries (20 gold per day per mercenary): Spears or arrows to bolster your defenses against mundane threats. > Write inYou may choose more than one option.
>>6168890Hmm.Let's stay the night in Parma and rest, since we've only just arrived here. Better regain energy for the long trek across the desert. And spend 10 gold buying drinks for people at the tavern that night.Tomorrow, we'll buy a camel and 5 days' worth of supplies, then leave very early.Stealing corpses from a cemetery... Yeah, no! Let's be an elegant necromancer and try not to be a menace desu.Buying gear for my skeletons... Let's buy two sets of gear for now (2x swords, 2x spears, 2x shields). It would be unwise to buy too much weapons as it would arouse suspicion. "What's a young lady doing with a whole baggage of weapons enough to arm a battalion?!" Yada yada. Let's play safe for now, we don't know where we are. Also, how skilled are these skeletons? Can they use bows and arrows? Are they as intelligent as a normal but trained soldier? Because between my skeleton soldiers and mercenaries, I'd trust my skeletons any day. Mercenaries are generally suspect.>Write-in:For the remainder of the day, Anais takes it slow and easy. She tries to find out more about the city of Parma, and this stranger land she's in now. She purchases a meal, gets a clean drink of water, and stays in the shade - avoiding the extremely hot midday sun. She looks around. Is there a library here in Parma? If not, she simply heads for the city square to see the vendors and locals walking about.The Art of Phylactery Manufacture...She must retrieve it. Someone already died before her. Another disciple of her dark lord... Well, getting the Book of Shadows back would be a bonus. If she finds the body of the previously deceased acolyte in the desert. Is it possible to track down where the last acolyte died? In any case, it begins...(Good morning/evening, QM!)
>>6168909>>6168909Extra considerations:How do people in these lands feel about necromancers and dark magic in general? Are they tolerant, or even okay with it? Or will they burn me at the stake if they see me walking around with a guard of skeletons? If so, then I'll opt to stay cautious for now (as I've stated.)Parma is a "bustling city" - this implies there is at least some form of merchant traffic going in and out of it, with how lively it's described. If possible, I want to find out more about this city first before leaving it. Going into the desert without any prior knowledge is foolish! Let's try to find a merchant who might be able to give us a *map* of this region...The Staff of Bones... The skeletons it can summon, are there any more details about it? If I summon one skeleton, does it magically dig itself out of the ground? Or do I need materials, like a corpse or skeletal remains beforehand? How long does a summoned skeleton stick around? A day? A month? Indefinitely? Maybe a 'human' lifespan? I want to give my skeletons name and maybe make them a side character heh. Ajax the Skeleton!Lastly for now... I'm assuming skeletons are summoned by the staff 'naked' - that is, without armor or anything. If so, then maybe summoning one or two, and dressing them up in cloaks should be good for now as companions. Ajax the Elder and Ajax the Younger. Like from the Iliad desu. Even better if they're semi-sentient skeletons who can think and have slight attitudes, instead of just drones. That would be hella fun.
>>6168909I'll said for our gear we'll buy 6 sets : 4 shields, 2 spears, 2 sword, 2 bows and quiver.>120 Golds.5 days of rumor>50 Golds2 Camels>100 Golds20 days of supply>20 goldsTotal : 290 gold
>>6170073+1 support this actually!
