RUINS OF 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: The fact is, evil cultists of Strixa, led by a ghûl, Vorixus the Insatiable, a powerful, vampiric Witch Lord, have come to Castle Black to destroy the spell of light cast upon it in order to release the spirit of Azoraxis, bound to the corpse of Gŵron the Black, within. A tribe of goblins living in the quarry caves has been enlisted as guards and additional support in case of trouble. They are led by a fierce troll of massive size. A giant has also been hired and sleeps in a chamber beneath the castle. The cult lair was dug over a few years using the relentless labour of undead servants later kept in the crypts to save for times when they are needed. The ghûl lord, a vicious and evil sorcerer whose necromantic magic has cost him his entire being except for a mere husk of humanity fuelled only by the intense necessity for human flesh and blood, is patient and cunning, but, also needs to feed. His minions have been active, and both people and animals have gone missing throughout the area... Using the deception of bandits and trolls taking prisoners as a cover for his activities, the ghûl gathers support and supplies while he continues his labour finding a way to break the seal and free his fellow Strix Lord. The outer area of the castle is alive with undead, evil spiders lurking in trees ready to pounce on unsuspecting wildlife or unwary visitors, goblin sentries, and other nasty surprises. The castle, itself, is locked in a spell of light. Nothing can get in. The power of the priests who sealed the place was considerable, and the power of Light and Law strong. Not even the truly Lawful can bypass it.

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