The Necroprison

18 Nov, 2024

In the middle of the Drachenbois (substitute your own haunted wood), there is a small clearing not 50 feet in diameter. In the centre of this clearing stand four pillars of solid obsidian, angled 45 degrees towards the ground, and forming a pyramid of sorts. In the middle of the pyramid stands a ball of flame, and encased within that, an oval of jet the size of a fist. Within this stone can be seen faint grey whisps swirling around. If someone touches the stone, they are pulled into it.

The inside of the stone is a featureless black void full of various specters (stats as strong incorporeal undead). When someone is pulled into the stone, their body in the outside disappears. They also find themselves holding an identical copy of the stone. If they crush or shatter this copy they are returned to the outside world. If one of the specters gets ahold of this stone they can crush it to be released. Smashing the stone from the outside releases all of the specters (1d20+8) and anyone else who's been pulled in. If they are released the specters regain their corporeal bodies.

The stone was created by wizards of the Old Empire some 500 years ago to hold heinous and/or dangerous criminals. The specters inside are these ancient Imperial criminals, who are (generally) seeking to escape and return to the outside world. The passage of time inside the stone is strange, and many of the specters will not realize how long it’s been. The specters date from a number of historical eras, the stone was in intermittent use for centuries.

The stone is worth 4,000sp to a wizard, or 1,000sp to a jeweller.

1d8	Specter
1	Protospatharios Nikephoros, 250ya: One of the last people to be imprisoned in the Necroprison before the collapse of Imperial rule in the Westlands. Imperial noble who colluded with Foreign Enemies to poison the Emperor, failed. Silver-tongued, amoral, will say anything to get the PCs onside.
2	Mágos Holobolos, 270 ya: Imperial wizard who became obsessed with developing spells related to disintegration. Will be totally willing to work with PCs if they agree to let him continue his studies. Prone to random fits of rapid-fire disintegration. Casts as level 4 wizard.
3	Rudesindus, 300 ya: Westlander general in the Imperial army who sought to overthrow the ruling dynasty of the time and take the crown. Very friendly to any PCs from the region, assumes they’ve come to free him. Gregarious, friendly, charming, scarred.
4	Vestarches Katarodon, 320 ya: Imperial General who led his army into a mountain pass full of archers. His term was meant to be 100 years, but no one is left to let him out. Gloomy, but dedicated to the Empire, will refuse to believe it fell.
5	Patriarch Staurikos, 350ya: Patriarch of the Church pre-Schism. Sent into the Necroprison for calling emperor Maurice the Cruel evil. Now recognized as a saint, but he doesn’t know that. Kindly, intelligent, seems to never be paying anything his full attention.
6	Koubikoularios Theodore, 360 ya: Imperial courtier who helped emperor Maurice the Cruel ascend the throne by poisoning his father. Promptly sent into the Necroprison. Cartoonishly evil and untrustworthy.
7	Hypatos Olinto, 400 ya: Prince of an imperial vassal state who tried to declare independence. Prideful, promises great rewards if released. His princedom was destroyed 250 years ago.
8	Goēs Alakaseus, 500 ya: Old Imperial wizard who sought to create crop failures across the empire and use the resulting chaos to create a Magocracy. Has spent his time in the Necroprison perfecting his version of Cause Drought. Will restart his plan if released. Smarter than the PCs, will offer to cast spells for them if released. Casts as level 4 wizard.