The Undead Army Part 1

This campaign is recommended for players who are familiar and

confident with the mechanics of D&D. It is highly strategy and combat
based with intermediate roleplaying. It is recommended that players
make their characters with strength as a priority. The classes that are
allowed are: Cleric, Paladin, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard and Rouge. All
Races are allowed. Backgrounds corresponding to a class in its quick
build suggestions are required. It is recommended that a party have at
least 2 fighters and 2 healers, and at least one ranger. The players all
start at level 5 with Normal gear.
SPEACIAL RULE: A character may obtain proficiency with any kind
of armour after 8 hours of wearing it in a day as long as it is directly
below it on the armour table in the Players Handbook so for example
if a rouge who has proficiency with light armour finds hide armour and
wears it over the course of one day they gain proficiency with it. A
character may only do this once per day. The same method may be
used with shields.
Part 1:
“After hearing of an army of living skeletons, zombies and other darker
undead monsters, the realm of mortals all agreed to put aside even for
a time their petty differences to fight a common threat that has been
dubbed ‘The Undead Army’.’”
Talk to each player and decide why they have all chosen to assist in the
battle of life and undeath. For example, a fighter may be doing just that
fighting, a paladin might choose to be a healer and save those on the
brink of death, a wizard might be to offer armaments in support
lobbing powerful spells such as Magic Missiles or Wall of Flames and
other more powerful and potent spells. Then decide why the characters
were put together, they might be the best of the best, they may be long
time friends who all rose through the ranks together or maybe they
might even be truced foes fighting for the greater cause, survival.
No matter the reason, no matter the rank these players are going to be
the ones who save the material plane, or be the end of it.
The players begin deep behind the front line all eager to get back to the
fight and continue helping. Inform the players that they have been
tasked with a tide turning mission to get too an allied outpost in no
mans land, which is directly North-East 25 miles away the characters
must reach the out post before a new hostile force swarm’s it. They
have at most till dawn the next day. To aid in their efforts the allied
forces have procured as much equipment as possible to assist the
group. This equipment consists of: One war horse for each character
and one extra each horse equipped with plate armour and a extra 20ft
added to its base speed (this bonus is permanent), one set of armour
one level greater then the normal base armour (meaning that a player
that starts with no armour gains padded armour, padded armour to
leather armour, etc.), 20 days of rations and 10 potions of greater
healing each. as well as all this the characters also are informed that to
assist them the will be joined by a female Half Elf NPC named Racklin
(Rak-lin) who is a Knight which will follow the characters orders within
reason which means she will not follow any obviously lethal and/or
suicidal orders. Her alignment is Lawful Good. You or the players may
be in control of her although you choose how she acts or if she is likely
to act in that way. The journey to the outpost is quite uneventful
although once the characters set of after about five miles read out this
text: ‘In the distance you can see a writhing mass, at this distance it is
impossible to make out details but you don’t need to, you know that it
is a hoard of death coming to take life not just some but all of it, a deep
sense of sorrow fills the air as many people have lost friends, family,
compatriots too this hoard. Rocks are constantly flying into the hoard
flung by trebuchets and other siege weapons, on occasion some
blowing up upon landing ‘Its amazing to think that if this hoard wasn’t
coming to take all our lives we probably wouldn’t have this new
weapon, I would say it must be magic but it’s not, that is though’
Racklin says dodging a stray spell of magic missiles.’ If the players show
interest in this new weapon and ask Racklin about it Racklin explains
that shortly after the hoard had made its presence known a new form of
fiery destruction was discovered, in its most simple form a rock is cut in
half and hollowed out and then closed back up by tying ropes around
it, after which a new and volatile substance is poured in the name and
composition of which is a closely guarded secret. Whilst a highly
effective weapon it is also extremely dangerous and sometimes known
to explode before it has even been launched. Many people have
nicknamed this explosive device ‘The Equaliser’ as many feel it has
offered an even greater chance of victory. When the characters are
within 1 mile of the outpost describe it as such: ‘This stone fortress
doesn’t look much but has stood the test of time. The scars of battles
recent and ancient scar its walls façade showing signs of furiously
persistent offence, and even more so defence. “A dwarven Guard sticks
his head over the battlements and shouts down to the you “Who are
you and what do you want” furiously waving a heavy crossbow and
pointing it at you erratically as if unsure who to shoot first. Racklin steps
forward and shouts up at the dwarf “Arvain you dwarven oaf its me
Racklin, and I’ve brought us allies” Arvain looks at Racklin
incredulously almost dropping his crossbow off the battlements
“Racklin? I thought you were in here?” Racklin responds albeit a little
obviously “Well, I guess you were wrong, again.” Arvain looks angered
and just about to shoot Racklin when she says “Just hurry up and let us
in”. The dwarf still angered at Racklins comments hurries down some
stairs dropping his cross bow, and after some not so quiet profanities
he comes out from around a nearby corner and punches Racklin in the
shin so hard that he must have broken his fingers on her plate armour,
“It’s good to see you again” he mumbles. After he leads the characters
inside its obvious to see that spirits are low “WELCOME TO FORT
‘WHO THE HELL AM I KIDDING’” says a wooden sign that has
been put up recently, written in what appears to be mud’ This fort
contains an estimated 500 Veterans and Guards most of which are
tiered and sullen, and all of which afraid. Arvain and Racklin both tie
up the horses and suggest that the players rest.
The next day at first light the players are woken up by a scared looking
Arvain. If the players inquire why he has woken them all up at first light
he just shakes his head and tells them to follow him. Leading them up
the battlements it is easy to see the source of his fear, as the players
were informed before their departure a small group of the Undead
Army’s troops had arrived. At this distance it was easy to tell that this
army must have had an intelligent and organised commander, as most
if not all of the groups fighters which were mostly humanoid skeletons
had full chain armour. The moment players arrive at the battlements
half the skeletons charge going straight for the portcullis the other half
using their short bows to rain down arrows upon the inhabitants. Four
Skeletons manage to climb the wall without notice all Four of which are
wearing chain mail armour giving them an AC of 15 this may seem like
a relatively easy encounter but it should be difficult. In total the small
group contains 388 Skeletons which are fought off with the help of the
fort’s inhabitants. If at least 50 skeletons die the others fall back. Award
the characters 345 XP each. They will most likely need healing. Read
the following ‘“Yeah that’s right run you cowards!” yells Arvain shaking
his fist at the retreating mass, turning to Racklin “They keep doing this,
they come and attack us, losing more troops then they kill then running
away.”. “I know that” responds Racklin “I saw it onc-” but she’s cut
short as suddenly out of nowhere a sword is plunged into her back
“Oh” she whispers as she collapses, the sword being withdrawn from
her lifeless corpse, Arvain screams in a mixture of shock, terror and
fury, grabbing his battle hammer he smashes the nearly dead skeleton’s
skull in and knocking it off the battlements. He drops the hammer and
rushes to his friends side crying and shouting at you for help begging to
give her a potion of healing, but you know its to late and that she is
gone and no amount is healing can change that.”
This is the end of part 1. It is suggested that you take a break here to
recuperate and stretch, this may have been short but it is only the
beginning.