Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #2: Black Circle
To expand on an opinion expressed by others more famous than myself (an easy achievement to accomplish), much of what we assume in D&D comes from a generic fantasy world. We tend to also assume the appearance and behavior of certain cultures and races. What I’d like to do in this encounter is bring an event which may have already occurred in this generic setting and describe it in a more primitive setting.
What this will do is not only create a setting whereby experienced players may recognize a familiar danger, but will also place this in a setting where it may show current player characters that others might suffer the same dangers. This might help build awareness that the dangers suffered by those familiar to the player characters are the same dangers suffered by others as well as build empathy toward other cultures. We’re all in this together, so to speak.
Broken down to its most simplistic base, this is a classic re-skin. Instead of re-skinning the appearance of something, we’re using the re-skin on a culture. In essence, we are taking a situation that could play out exactly the same in another culture or race, and placing it (in this case) in a primitive setting. This could just as easily be used in a tribe of Orcs, Lizardfolk, Bullywugs, or other tribal peoples.
To accomplish this, we’ll use a simple small tribal village setting – the smaller the better. We’ll then also use a common villain in D&D – the zombie – but in a new way. By adding a “mini boss” to this encounter, we add something of a complication. This complication is magnified by making this mini-boss a life-draining Wight. To further ramp up the danger, we’ll give this Wight a special item to set up the encounter.
The overall effect should be to establish that a bigger picture is in play. Zombies, singular or multiple, are a pretty dry encounter without context. The Wight creates that context. The item gives the Wight context, and should create curiosity among the players as to its origin. This allows the DM to either hint at, start, or further develop an established story using this magic item, the Wight, or more Zombies to get the ball rolling.
Environment: Wilderness (Forest/Jungle) Village
Level: 4+
Description: A note to the DM – this will be an encounter you need to “spring” on a group of players. If you have a group that tends to always have scouts in the form of rogues, rangers, familiars or other pets, allies, spells, and whatnot, this is likely not the one for them. However, should they drop their guard for a time, feel free to interject this encounter. The set-up is important as the imagery sets the stage for how the encounter runs. How they discover this event unfolding or at what range it happens is up to the DM. But it will unfold if it’s to happen at all.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At one point while travelling in a remote and thick forest, jungle, or similar setting, the players will see a clearing ahead through a break in the trees. Travelling to this clearing will be difficult to do quickly, given the tangle of vines, roots, branches and nettles. This clearing has a communal fire pit at its center, which sputters and smokes in a lazy manner. Small, low huts of mud and thatch can be seen around the fire pit. A lone figure in an elaborately carved wooden mask holds a staff by the fire. He reaches over the fire and places a strange dark item over the flames, and it hovers in place. He then turns and leaves.
If the players approach, more of the clearing will be seen as they get closer. There are five small huts, perhaps 10 feet in diameter each, forming a thatched dome perhaps six feet high. Smoke issues from a central hole in the top of each hut. These five huts form a circle around the communal fire pit, creating a central circular clearing perhaps twenty five feet or so with the five-foot fire pit at its hub. Each hut’s door flap borders on this tiny central clearing. Figures in primitive garb of skins and such slowly begin to peer out of each dwelling to examine what their visitor left behind. Eventually, two or three are close enough to it to almost touch it.
Suddenly there is a negative flash of pure black in a perfect circle, leaving behind a black smoke that quickly dissipates. The three figures outside the huts all collapse to the ground.
Once this event has gone off, allow the party to interact.
When the party can get close enough to see (DM’s discretion), allow them to make attempts to see the following: The figures upon the ground are motionless. The object hovering over the fire pit (at about a seven feet height) is slowly spinning. To keep the mood and action flowing, allow the following to be seen easily (sometimes simple narration tops skill checks). This object is a black crystal, a diamond shape of eight facets (like a d8). It hovers silently and slowly spins.
If the players enter the tiny village, they are greeted by deathly silence (Wisdom/Perception DC: 10 – not even the sound of insects, birds, or other fauna). Inspection of each tiny hut will reveal very primitive living conditions, with two huts containing two more human figures in repose. No human figures carry anything of value and none respond to any normal interaction. A successful Wisdom/Medicine (or optionally Intelligence/Nature/Investigation) check (DC: 10) will determine they are all deceased, but possess no visible signs of damage, disease, or injury.
The next phase of the encounter begins the moment anyone tries to touch the crystal. Should that happen, there will be a cold cry of “No!” like a whisper on the wind shouted through a megaphone.
This is “Never Sleeps,”, the Wight shaman. It was he who set the Night Crystal to work, and only one who is born of the Shadowfell (i.e. undead) can make it work. A player touching it offends his dark nature and he intends to make them pay. The living cannot make it work, but touching it offends the unliving.
Never Sleeps will appear in a puff of black smoke next to the Night Crystal and use his first action to touch it. When he does so, every slain body in the tiny village will rise as Zombies. In essence, the Night Crystal allows Never Sleeps to use his Life Drain as an area of effect, but only in a 20’ radius and it has a Recharge of 6 (in other words, at the start of each round, roll 1d6 and if you roll a 6, Never Sleeps can access the Night Crystal again).
Otherwise, Never Sleeps attacks twice per round – once with his staff (two handed) and once with his Life Drain touch. If he can access the Crystal, this is his only action for the turn.
Should someone fall to his Life Drain, or be at 0 hp or less when he activates the Night Crystal, they will rise as a Zombie along with the rest of the villagers.
Players who try to move the Night Crystal from its spot can do so by overcoming it’s link to the spot its in by either casting Dispel Magic or Daylight on the Crystal (or similar/greater spell of that sort of ilk, with the DM’s permission) or by overcoming it physically be succeeding in a Strength check (DC:20).
The players can retreat if they wish, and Never Sleeps will allow them to so long as they do not try to take the Night Crystal. Never Sleeps intends to spread the effect of this object from village to village until he controls an army of Zombies.
Monsters: Never Sleeps – Wight – As per page 300 of the Monster Manual, with the following exceptions: Never Sleeps can cast Misty Step once per short rest, and he controls the Night Crystal. He wields a Staff instead of a Longsword. His AC is unchanged, though. Call it “the effect of the Night Crystal” if you want to give the players an excuse.
Zombies (7) (more if a player character dies by Life Drain or rises as a Zombie through the Night Crystal) – As per page 316 of the Monster Manual.
Treasure: None to speak of.
Complications: Dying to the Wight or the Night Crystal creates a massive complication. Raising as an Undead means not being able to be resurrected without extreme means (True Resurrection or Wish). This may mean equally extreme quests are required, or the work of the Gods. Many undead can perform Life Drain or reduce maximum hit points – creating undead in the process. This is one of the many dangers of the D&D multiverse, and might lead to more dramatic storytelling in the hands of willing DMs and players. Having undead PCs returning to harry the party can affect great drama as well as further continuity. Use sparingly.
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