CASTLE BLACK

 

Hook: It's been years since the threat of Gŵron, the Black, possessed by the spirit of the Witch Lord, Azoraxis the Living Shadow, attempted to conquer the Misty Bay area. The region is quiet, now, but, there are murmurs of something stirring in The Dark Forest. The goblins there are unusually restless, and attacks on The Road and livestock and wildlife have begun to increase... It could be some troll leader or bandit lord behind them urging them on, or, it could be more...

Details: Castle Black is completely abandoned... What remains is what Othon and the other priests of the Lady of Light left after they bound the place with a powerful sealing aided by their patron. The entirety of it is surrounded by a barely perceptible aura of yellow light that, whenever someone approaches it, shimmers brighter where the being is standing. Nothing can pass the Lawful barrier. Good creatures and Lawful creatures can press as hard as they want, but, the wall is solid where there are openings in the stone, and anything striking the surface results in a backlash that flashes bright, and does damage. Evil and Chaotic and Neutral characters are wounded to varying degrees of intensity. The more Chaotic a being is, the more damage. If it kills the creature, it is incinerated in a flash of light... The walls are crumbling from damage during the attacks on the castle, but, any wood is long since rotted and disintegrated. The remaining stone is held up by the magic of the goddess and wills of the monks who channeled her power. There is a gryphon statue over a fountain that no longer works. It was fed by underground pipes during the days when the castle was active, and Gŵron still good. There are safeguards in the castle should the warding spell fail, and the large gryphon is one of them. It comes alive, animated by the power of The Lady and the wills of the monks, and attacks anyone entering. It can fly. The traps are still functional, including a pit trap in 8C that closes after it drops its victim inside the water pit, and undead animated by the powers of Law to protect the place. The bodies of those who died (both good and bad) during the battle have been reduced to rags and bones, their armour and weapons, where they are extant, are rusted and barely cling to their bodies, but, can still function in places. They 'wake up', when rooms are entered. Gŵron is interred in the secret crypt in 23C. There is a secondary spell binding the secret entries leading to it, as well as a warden, a minotaur set to guard the chamber itself. It's body is preserved atop the large sarcophagus containing Gŵron's body, an axe clutched over its chest in both hands. It wakes to attack anyone entering, even Lawful and good characters. The sarcophagus, finally, has its own binding spell, but, Gŵron's possessor, the vile wraith of Azoraxis, the Living Shadow, is strong and will feel the magic fading, as the spells are broken. He will have chances of freeing himself, on his own, and might, before anyone gets to him. He will make short work of the minotaur. He will have to break every secret door's spell, if there are any still extant, and will have the same chance. His chances improve for every spell binding him that's been removed. The first thing he will do when freed is kill and corrupt anyone around, gain control of any undead in his vicinity, and use them to neutralise any threats. Flesh on any controlled characters vanishes, destroyed by the act of reanimation, leaving only bones or wraiths, depending on how they are killed. Wraiths are corrupted spirits, so, if Azoraxis kills by touching anyone, there are chances his touch blackens the spirit of the person he attacks. The wraith will join him, and the body will animate to attack anyone Azoraxis wishes.