LAIR OF THE GHÛL CULT

 



Hook: The rumours are true! The Ghûl Cult has returned! Its members have built a redoubt under the old fortress in the heavily forested southern hills! Its robed human members are accompanied by savage ork mercenaries the Ghûl Lord hires as guards, scouting patrols, and slave labour... No one was prepared for the news. The old fortress was the cult's former stronghold, but, it was razed to the ground and left in ruin at the end of a long war, hundreds of years prior. Apparently, the orks carved a complex underneath the old ruin, out of sight of nearly everyone, under guidance by the new Ghûl Lord. Skeletons have been seen occasionally wandering the woods, though no one took those rumours seriously. Not until your group visited the maze-like structure, and discovered the truth, at great personal cost.

Details: It is true, the cult has returned... The new Ghûl Lord has been amassing a force of undead, monsters, and men, to attack the local settlements, starting with the nearby forest village. The evil army has been quietly preparing its forces, so as not to arouse any suspicion... The orks' room is a gathering place for them. Individuals and small units can be found wandering the halls of the complex, standing guard, on errands, etc. As can skeletons and human cult members. Skeletons are laid to rest in the crypts where they sleep, until needed. They provide the front line forces used in combat, when the ghûl army attacks enemy forces. The postern stair is a tight, near-vertical, rough-hewn affair. Since the old fortress was destroyed, the old postern is now collapsed and useless. A new one was constructed to serve the present cult forces. It's used mostly by messengers and cult forces leading prisoners to their cells. Otherwise, the main entry is preferred.

This map is a combination of my love for two things D&D. The Moathouse and Quasqueton. I love those maps. Mostly Moathouse-inspired, this map has elements from the latter map included, too. Elements I tend to use in many dungeons, because I think they're smart, and useful for players and monsters in both entertaining and tactical situations. I also like to remake old dungeons in a way that satisfies my kind of logic. I do my best to make them more believable, more historically-inspired, after real fortresses, and what I know of ancient military tactics. I also feel like I get to 'reinvent' beloved experiences, giving them a new face, in a way that updates them to keep them fresh for me and my friends.

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