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Dividuicorporis
A CR 9 Encounter
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MFE#24 1
INTRODUCTION
This is the 24th in an ongoing series aimed to
CREDITS provide the overworked DM with ready-to run
Author: Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere
encounters. The PCs face off against the divided
Cover Illustration: Dungeon Masters Guild Resources
Cartographer: Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere
corpses of the dividuicorporis.
Additional Art: Dungeon Masters Guild Resource It includes a history/background for the
encounter, a map, and monster stats.
The companion ZIP file contains JPEG versions of
the maps (with and without grid), a Hero Lab file, the
Contents Word file of the encounter, and a PDF with character
sheets for all the monsters.
Credits ..................................................................... 2
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MFE#24 2
agent of Durakor, a demon lord of the undead, posing Therl responded with the Frostcurse. This curse
as the dwarf Hubren. plunged the mountain into perpetual winter,
At first, Hubren offered the Ironpick elites his transformed the diamonds the undead mined into ice,
knowledge of improved mining and smelting and turned the dwarves into frozen corpses. Durakor
techniques. Once he had gained their trust and intervened on behalf of his followers, transforming
determined their weaknesses, he offered them a them into frozen undead. Whatever his other flaws,
replacement for their labor force: zombie miners. Durakor’s devotion to his faithful is a thing of legend.
The elites had considered using zombies as miners, The few living dwarves who escaped the civil war
but they did not have enough priests and clerics to brought word of these events to other dwarves. When
animate and control a viable undead labor force. they learned that the city was now haunted with
Hubren solved their problem by providing task undead, several dwarven clans contributed funds to
masters who could control large numbers of zombies. build guard posts to watch the mountain. Fortunately,
While a few of the mining elites opposed the idea, the frozen undead could not endure long outside of
they soon met with unfortunate (but plausible) the freezing cold and proved vulnerable to fire. They
accidents and the zombies were deployed. also proved little inclined to leave their cursed city—
Realizing they no longer needed to pay the the elite continued to direct their undead miners to
underclasses to mine, the elites stopped doing so. add to their ever-increasing but utterly useless
The miners then appealed to Lady Morellena, the wealth.
leader of the clan. Unfortunately for them, she was While the curse transformed the mined diamonds
profiting handsomely from the zombie labor force. into ice, the vast wealth of a dwarven city remains
When the miners tried to start mining on their own, within the mountain, tempting adventurers and the
warriors were sent to stop them, and dwarven blood Ironpick survivors.
was shed. After fleeing their fallen city, the living Ironpicks
Realizing that the social order was being started preparing their return. They toiled in the
threatened, the High Priest Herrel took up the cause mines of other dwarves, fought as mercenaries and
of the miners and beseeched the Lady Morellena to adventured to accrue the wealth needed to train and
send the zombies and Hubren away. The Lady equip a force suitable to retake the city. One fateful
Morellena wavered, for she respected the wisdom of day, the Ironpick leaders believed they had
her husband Herrel. Seeing this, Hubren persuaded assembled such a force and set out to reclaim their
another priest, Relleg, to arrange a fatal mining city. It turned out that they had miscalculated—the
accident for Herrel. undead proved far stronger than they imagined, and
Upon learning of the death of Herrel, the miners the attacking force was defeated, though not without
rose up and civil war erupted within the city. Since great cost to the Frostcursed.
the underclasses had the greater number, the matter As would be expected, later intrusions into the
would have been settled quickly but for the cursed city were not limited to dwarves. Adventures
intervention of Hubren—he brought powerful occasionally tried their luck in the frozen corridors
undead into the fight on the side of the elite. and various monstrous invaders entered the city
Therl sent warnings in the form of visions to Relleg, intentionally or by accident. While some adventurers
but Relleg had been seduced by the wealth and escaped with modest wealth and dark tales, most
power offered by Durakor and ignored these intruders fell to the guardians of the city.
warnings. So the war raged on. Neither dwarves nor followers of Durakor tend to
When the undead and elites eventually won the be wasteful, so the Frostcursed made evil use of
civil war, they set about converting their prisoners those that fell into their cold hands. Durakor
into undead miners and Relleg turned the temples of encourages his followers to emulate his creation of
Therl into temples of Durakor. undead and one way to win favor in his eyes is to
create a new type of undead. The Frostcursed
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MFE#24 3
Necrocrafters are renowned for their devotion and locked (DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)). Like other
they have spent their undeaths attempting to create areas of the city, the workshop area is cold, and the
new horrors to honor their master. One such surfaces coated with frost.
creation is the dividuicorporis.
Having learned of undead capable of splitting their 1. Corridor: The corridor to workshop.
bodies, such as the Penanggalan, the Necrocrafters
set out to do one (or three) better: they 2. Main Workshop: The workshop of the
developed the means to split a living Necrocrafters. The chamber contains seven wooden
creature into three undead horrors. The tables holding corpses and other items used in
oozing flesh is made of the creatures’ experiments. There is a normal well in the chamber;
muscles, organs and entrails. The waling it is a leftover from when the city was alive. The two
bones are made, obviously enough, from the green areas are pools of necrotic ooze.
bones of the creature. The skin is made into Significant contact with the ooze inflicts 1d6
a wriggling skin. Durakor was pleased with necrotic damage each round. If removed
the creation, praising his Necrocrafters for from the pool, it degrades into foul sludge
creating three undead from the body of one in a matter of hours unless properly
living creature. As such, the Necrocrafters preserved in a suitable container. Set in the
of the Frostcursed are eager to create floor of the chamber are three empty pools;
more of them while continuing to research they are used in the creation of undead.
new types of undead. There is also a statue of Durakor in the
chamber; each eye is a 100 gp emerald with
continual flame (a green flame) cast on it.
GETTING THE PCS Durakor is carved as an undead dragon-like
humanoid. One hand reaches out in an offer of
INVOLVED friendship, the other is ready to tear apart those
There are a variety of ways to get the who dare refuse this offer.
PCs involved in the encounter. One option
is to have the PCs wander into the 3. Workroom: This
cursed city, the classic random room contains six
encounter. tables loaded with
Another option is for the PCs to be in the area for equipment suitable for necromantic research and
a reason. This could be because they were hired by experimentation. There are 13 necrotic ooze urns in
dwarves to scout the city or because they are the workshop. The room is stocked with various raw
investigating the tales of the lost wealth of this materials for research and experimentation; these
cursed city. This encounter can easily be tied in with would be worth about 1,500 gp to a necromancer.
the other Mike’s Free Encounters involving the
Frostcursed (see Free Stuff!, below). 4. Corridor: A corridor.
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MFE#24 4
three lock boxes. The lock on the boxes is a DC 15 Dividuicorporis: Oozing Flesh
Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check to open. Each box Medium undead, chaotic evil
holds 4 d100 cp, 1d100 sp and 1d20 gp. Armor Class 9
Hit Points 51 (6d8+24)
7. Kitchen: When the city was alive, this kitchen was Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
used to prepare excellent dwarven cuisine. Since the STR 16 (+3), DEX 9 (-1), CON 18 (+4), INT 9 (-1), WIS 10
undead have no need to eat mundane meals, it has (+0), CHA 6 (-2)
been repurposed to thaw and prepare corpses for use
Damage Resistances acid, necrotic
in various necromantic endeavors. Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
prone
8. Necrocrafter’s Office: This room contains a desk, Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Dwarvish
bookshelves and a cold fireplace. The books are Challenge 1 (200 XP)
tomes on necromancy. Extensive notes on the
creation of the undead created by the Frostcursed
Three as One. The dividuicorporis has advantage on an
are on the desk; a PC necromancer might be able to Attack roll against a creature if at least one of its other two
learn to create such undead. Among the notes are body parts is within 5 ft. of the creature and the body part
pages from various spell books, these include the isn't Incapacitated.
spells false life, ray of enfeeblement, animate dead, Actions
vampiric touch, and create undead.
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MFE#24 6
total CR is 1 (or lower) from appropriate components. The
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one undead creatures are friendly to the necrocrafter but are not
creature. directly under its control. Up to three necrocrafters assistants
Hit: 4 (1d6+1) slashing +1d6 cold damage. can craft together or with a necrocrafter to create undead
creatures of a higher CR.
Light Hammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 20 ft./60 ft., one target. Stonecunning. Whenever a dwarf makes an Intelligence
Hit: 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage. (History) check related to the Origin of stonework, they are
considered proficient in the History skill and add double their
Spellcasting. Spellcasting. The necrocrafter is a 9th-level Proficiency Bonus to the check, instead of their normal
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save Proficiency Bonus.
DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The necrocrafter has the
following spells prepared: Actions
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, light, ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): false life, mage armor, magic missile,
protection from Evil and Good Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement target.
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, fear, vampiric touch Hit: 5 (1d8+1) slashing damage or 6 (1d10+1) slashing
4th level (3 slots): fire shield, icestorm damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
5th level (1 slot): cone of cold
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Description: Once a dwarven wizard, the Necrocrafter is now creature.
devoted to the creation of undead for its master Durakor. Like Hit: 4 (1d6+1) slashing +1d6 cold damage.
the other Frostcursed, the Necrocarfter is an undead, frozen
mockery of its living self. Light Hammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 20 ft./60 ft., one target.
The Necrocrafter prefers to let its minions bear the brunt of Hit: 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage.
melee combat but will engage in combat using its spells. It is
willing to take prisoners for experimentation; but is also fine Spellcasting. The necrocrafter is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its
with getting new corpses to work with. It does try to minimize spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
the structural damage done to intruders, wanting to have with spell attacks). The necrocrafter has the following spells
intact subjects to work with. prepared:
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MFE#24 9
MAP
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MFE#24 10