Arkalor was a weird retro-addition to the history of Octzel. When it was first visited it was in the Warlord of Lingusia campaign, which took place in 3,500 AW. The ruins were identified as over 2,000 years old then. This version reflects the ruins as a six century old legacy of evil in Octzel, CA. 2092 AW, during the Age of Strife....
Ruins of Arkalor (Octzel, Gremna Province, Halale Wilderness, CA. 2092 AW)
This ruined citadel and the vast and ancient
city around it is steeped in mystery. The legends say that six centuries ago it
was a seat of dark power, where chaos worshipping tieflings, eladrin, humans
and orcs alike gathered to pay homage to the Chaos Pantheon. From its gates
rode an army of black knights to crush the forces of Octzel and beyond, and it
was a terrifying source of dark power. Little history from that dark period of
time was recorded, though historians can tell you that Arkalor’s reputation was
so terrible that when at last the city fell all reference to it was erased from
the historical records. Neither its people nor its rulers are known today, nor why
they chose to worship the Chaos Pantheons. Despite this, bardic tales and
curious legends suggest the city itself did not fall to the blades of Octzellan
crusaders, but instead was consumed from within by a plague of demons unleashed
upon the land.
Today, the haunted ruins are a bane to all
creatures living and only a handful of ogre tribes wander the region, daring to
get close to the ruins in search of valuable relics. The ruins are known to be
haunted by the dead as well as rife with ancient evils, and demons are believed
to ingest the catacombs beneath.
Encounters
in the Ruins of Arkalor:
Encounter 10+ for each hour in the region
D20 Encounter Chart 1
1-2 Roving pack of 2D6 ghouls
3 A band of 2D8 kytons move through
the area hunting demons
4 A tiefling witch treasure hunter
who claims to have ancestry from the city
5 A tribe of 4D6 ogres searching for
relics on the periphery
6 A gibbering Mouther prowls about
(25% chance of 1D4 of them)
7 A party of fiendish satyrs prowl the
ruins looking for relics to sell (2D4)
8-10 A Chaos Gate manifestation; the region is
suddenly warped and twisted as the adventurer’s presence in the ruins creates a
tether to the Abyss; an Arcana check DC 12 to escape being transported to the
Abyss; 50% chance of demons being dragged from the Abyss in to the ruins as
well (20+2D10 levels’ worth of demons)
11 1D8 Shadows inhabiting a crumbling
building (10% chance of a greater shadow as well)
12 A sudden surge of ancient chaos
energy; 2D10 skeletons and 2D10 zombies arise and attack
13 A lone spectre called Nabasath
wanders the ruins seeking company, though he is quite mad and likely to turn on
his listeners or flee
14 2D6 wraiths rise up to destroy the
“invaders”
15 3D6 dretches materialize from the
Abyss, possibly led by 1D4 quasits (25% chance)
16 hell hound hunting pack (2D6)
17 A succubus appears and takes an
interest in the group
18 A tether to the Abyss pulls in a very
powerful demon, which mistakes the adventurers for summoners initially, giving
them a moment to negotiate or flee before it realizes where it is
19 A gray ooze slithers through the
ruins
20 1D4 Gibbering Mouthers prowls about
Note:
demons and pulled through Tethers to the Abyss will return to the Abyss
in 1D6 minutes.
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