# 1001 Mournland Horrors



## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

The Mournland is an area of Eberron that is abandoned by the Gods. Nature is twisted, and by Keith Baker's own account, anything can happen. So what indeed does go on behind the dead-gray mist? This list is designed to be a starting point, pulling on all the creativity this board can muster, for features of the Mournland.

Note: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE number your contributions. It makes it easier to reference.
Note: If you post and find that you're numbering has been rendered incorrect by someone posting before you, please edit your post to maintain continuance. Thanks!
1) Blood Rain
2) living metallic grass
3) Rainbows that disintegrate all that they touch
4) Hats that float and move in mid-air as though someone were wearing them, occasionally flipping up to salute another passing hat or PC party.
5) Rivers that appear to be calm and shallow but rapidly become turbulent when someone steps in them.
6) A village of murderous animated objects (dolls, candlesticks, the buildings themselves)
7) Gargantuan House cats


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by snikt-snikt:*

8) Acidic rain
9) Nauseating rain

(I also do blood rain, but this introduces a rare time in which healing spells function normal.......mostly--brewhahahahaha)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

10) rocks that feel like soft sponges
11) swarm of skull-shaped locusts
12) continually shivering tree, as if in fear
13) _fata morgana_ that always seems to come closer, like an advancing horde


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

14) Hordes of various mundane animals with extra limbs, heads, or tails.
15) Enchanting illusions of people who welcome you to their home and offer food and lodging... and then disappear, leaving you in the waste of the Mournland.
16) A vast creature that appears to be part of the landscape.
17) Rain of arrows


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> 17) Rain of arrows



I'd have never thought of ordinary arrows, but this fits really well. And all the other submissions are great as well
Good job everyone, let's keep it up!

18) A forest of red-barked trees that bleed and shriek if anyone so much as touches them
19) A river of warm, salty water (tears) that, when in contact with a character, reminds that character of their greatest tragedy.
20) Reverse-Rain that forms from condensed dew on the ground that flies upward into the dead-gray mist
21) A canyon of rust


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hand_of_evil:*

18 - Living dungeons: building that has a taste for death...
19 - Swarm of 'metal' vermin 
20 - Shifting lands: the ground moves under foot as it there is something below


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Marshall_Stone:*

22. Rain with drops that wherever they hit an eye, with lids, of various races that fought in Cyre (but not warforged eyes) emerge. A being caught in this rain had better seek shelter immediately or die from the exposure.

23. Rain that are tears; warm and salty.

24. Rain that stays where ever it lands as if glued to the spot, building on top of one another, never soaking into the ground or cloth or what have you, evaporating normally.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Nived:*

25. The soft sounds of children at play at the edge of hearing slowly turning into screams of horror and agony. Keep this up for a few days in the Mournland even the most iron willed will start to lose their grip.

26. A field of strange limp straw.... hair growing from the ground.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Save-vs-DM:*

27. The voice of a crying woman that seems to come from no discernible location. If weapons are drawn it gets louder.
28. A ring of ghostly children who are dancing around a beaten gallows where the still fresh corpse of a woman hangs, gently swaying in the breeze. The children are holding hands and chanting ring around the rosy in somber voices. The children appear to be very badly burned, but do not notice their wounds.
29. The apparition of a bard hunched over the corpse of a fallen woman, playing a mournful tune on a mandolin (If you are familiar with Blackmore's Night, the tune he is play is entitled Beyond the Sunset).
30. A single children's doll laying in a pool of blood. The sound of a crying child can be heard, but whenever a female character approaches the doll, the crying stops.
31. A small cluster of farm houses that appear deserted. Food still sits on the table, as if the family will return to their meal shortly. Upon the walls, written in blood, is a single word: Why?
32. A single weeping willow by the bank of a stream. The leaves continually drip moisture that is warm and salty. Beneath the tree is an unmarked cross.
33. A woman clutching two children. All three have been turned to stone, but the figure still weep.

This is good stuff. My players will never enter the Mournland again.
Cheers,
Save vs DM


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by vharuck:*

34) A vast desert-like wasteland where the upper torsos of people stick out of the ground, their bodies having turned to glass and their arms clawing desperately toward the sky.

35) A large, monolithic obelisk jutting out of the ground. In the center of the great black rock is a huge (the size of a man's head) eye, its gaze darting back and forth from one person to another.

36) A gang of hunched over, naked elf-like shapes with no arms or faces. Maybe they have some other way of killing and eating their prey...

37) A hill of screaming skulls begging for their lives.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Scary!
Good job guys, keep digging deep!

38) A scant few hundred feet from the edge of the Mournland, PCs hear a train whistle. Soon they see the hulk of a Lightning Rail Train, the last to depart Metrol on the day of Mourning. It's dead on the outside, laying on its side like an iron corpse, but the players can smell fire and burning flesh. One of the car's windows eternally thumps outward as if someone were beating on it from the inside, and screams and pleas issue forth from the car constantly. If you touch the car, though, you get sucked inside...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

39) Buried beneath the glass plateau, a one-way portal to Xoriat. Walking glass-like aberrations and near invisible half-glass mindflayers wander the scintillating glass tunnels in search of good prey.
40) Deformed experimental warforged with black armor plates, and varying numbers of limbs. A dead grey glow illuminates their eye sockets and hatred towards their cruel master, the Lord of Blades is strong within them. (Much like Drider and Drow). These warforged often crawl, unable to make efficient use of more than two legs carry with them weapons made from torn up body parts from victims of the Cyre destruction event (nothing rots away naturally in the Mournland)
41) Entire civilizations of roach thralls and swarm shifters of the cockroach living within the "animate" bodies of the poor souls who lost their lives in the destruction of Cyre.
42) Living Gutwrench spells (BoVD)
43) Fog that peels the skin of the victim from the toes up, slowly. The victim does not realize it because the fog simultaneously replays happy memories from the victims own memory bank in the mist before him, leaving him _dominated_.
44) Flocks of pseudoravens and pseudoducks (Pseudo-creature template - BoVD) fly low _confusing_ victims with their aberrational sight.
45) On certain terrain, the ground around where someone steps becomes alive with hands trying to escape from the earth, like zombies coming out of their graves. Upon closer inspection, all that is coming out of the ground is disembodied hands that fade when completely free of the ground.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by MarkB:*

46) Herds of gelatinous polyhedrons bounding across the plains, grazing the battlefields of fresh corpses that reform in their wake.
47) The animated corpse of a carcass crab. On closer inspection, the crab itself is inert, but the multitude of corpses adhering to its shell have become animated as various forms of undead, the whole mass shuffling through the Mournland in macabre co-operation.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Got this from a 2.0 site
48) A 5x5 ft circular "hunting" hole in the ground that moves about like a shadow, continually seeking to give the unwary a nasty fall...
This situation often leads to the question: How do you kill a hole? You fill it in...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by lordmolay_dup:*

49) As the PC's walk along they realize the ground has gotten rubbery. and almost flesh like (+1 to tumble checks and MS checks) but you can't dig in the ground it can only be cut and a few min after the ground is cut it seems to heal


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Territan:*

50) A 25' tall work of "modern art" made from corpses jammed together into a particular shape. Bodies can be pulled loose, but they soon reanimate and will fight PCs in order to rejoin their original place in the sculpture. No reason for this behavior is evident, and the sculpture serves no useful purpose. (Suggestions that it's some sort of undead dragonmark should be met by the DM with a polite but knowing chuckle.)

51) A still, with a fire burning underneath it and a bucket under the spout next to it overflowing with some sort of liquor. There are no signs of habitation or indication who the rig belongs to. And it's not a bad brew, if you can get past the faint red tinting and bitter iron taste...

52) A circle of well-preserved corpses sitting in relaxed, conversational poses around an eight-pipe hookah. The corpses do nothing and cannot be removed from those poses. The hookah is lit, and the smoke issuing from all eight pipes looks like an incredibly concentrated version of the fog currently covering the entire Mournland. (It's up to the DM what the effect of puffing on one of those pipes is, but I bet it ain't good.)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

53)The scene of a traveling tinkerer's cart, filled to the brim with ordinary supplies and tools. The dead but intact bodies of the tinkerer and his wife are sitting on top, still holding the reins - still attached to two dead horses.
Among the supplies stands a small painting, wrapped in cloth - the painting has changed, and will drain the blood of all whom touch it.

54)The bodies of two people lying sprawled, naked. Their clothes lie in the exact same position as their owners, a few feet away.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by vharuck:*

55) A strange thing that looks like a stick-figure form a distance turns out to be a collection of five pikes; two arms, two legs, and a torso in the middle. Each pike has multiple heads impaled on it. The thing walks and apparently wants to add to its collection.

56) A twisted abomination of what might have been a person stumbles around aimlessly. Gnashing, fanged mouths are where its eyes should be. A dozen worm-like tendrils, always flapping about, surround its circular, slobbering mouth. Its hands are also covered with worm-like tendrils in place of fingers. Below its waist is nothing but a flat flap of skin which convulses and pushes the horrid thing in random directions, jarring it about.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

57) An expanse of land, black and chitinous like the back of a fly, with short, sparse black wiry/hairy grass. Occasionally the land whistles, as wind plays in the irregularly dotted spiracles. The stench of death in the air.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by talon_blackhart:*

58. A village where all appears to be normal as the PCs approach (buildings in good condition, townsfolk walking around going about their business, children playing happily). If the PCs try to interact with the townsfolk, however, they are apparently ignored. True seeing or disbelieving an illusion shows the village for what it is: a ruined husk of what it might have been before the Mourning. Bodies are strewn everywhere, un-decomposed, having fallen where ever they were when the Mourning hit. Rubble is strewn through the streets, and the PCs who haven't realized the illusion may trip over debris that they don't see.

59. A village where everything is frozen exactly as it was 1 minute before the Mourning hit. People, undecayed, still stand in conversation. The blacksmith's hammer is raised to strike an object on the anvil. The tavern has patrons with mugs still raised to their lips, as well as barmaids holding trays of drinks and food. A group of children playing a game is in the village square, one of the children was jumping in the air, and remains almost a foot off the ground. Anything moved by the PCs will immediately disappear from their hand and reappear where it was.

60. A wind whips through, whispering to the PCs, causing them to relive their greatest failure or tragedy. 

61. Statues of fallen heroes are arranged in a "gallery". All statues are made of stone, and are completely life-like at the apparent point of death (huge rends appear in the flesh, all wounds seem to be open.) And all of the wounds are still oozing blood. (Possibly if the PCs touch the blood they are injured... Or healed....)

These will make my game a _lot_ more interesting... Also, I'm compiling them into a word processor document as they're posted. If anyone else is interested in a copy, PM me.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by vharuck:*

62. The PCs pass a graveyard next to a barren Cyran village. Since the village had limited medical services, the graves were fitted with bells that people in the coffins could pull in case they weren't really dead. All the bells are ringing. If the PCs dig up the coffins to free the people, they find the the coffins are empty, but have scratch marks on the inside a gaping whole in the bottom that leads to a large tunnel bored deep into the earth. However, one of the coffins still has an old man in it, who apparently died twenty years ago.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

63) A long pink ribbon made of lace and fashioned for the hair of young girl floats along a breeze high above the adventurers heads. A second after the party takes note of it, it whips from the sky and begins to strangle the first person to speak.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by MarkB:*

64) As the party crest a ridge, they come upon a wonderful sight in the valley ahead - the dead mists above are pierced, and the valley is free of the Mournland's eternal twilight, bathed in the light of the sun. Within, the fields and houses of an idyllic farming village lie unsullied and still in use - the villagers are alive and healthy, and interact with the party if approached, though an air of sadness hangs over them, and the village seems underpopulated. When the party question them, they find the reason - these villagers were not spared the effects of the Mourning after all. If a villager leaves the valley by any means, they quickly decay to a rotted husk, even if taken directly to beyond the Mourning. And whilst they can grow their own food and even benefit from healing spells their priest casts, their food does not nourish outsiders, nor do healing spells cast within the valley affect visitors. The remaining villagers are resigned to passing the remainder of their lives here - few Mournland beasts venture into the valley, and there are enough crops to sustain them. Very few of them have tried for children, and there have been no pregnancies since the Mourning. The population still diminishes slowly as one or another villager finally succumbs to depression or desperation and attempts to leave the valley.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

65) A battle field, covered in the corpses (perfectly preserved, as usual) of Thranish, Cyran, and Karrnathi soldiers lies ahead. However, upon arriving at the battle field, the PCs notice that each soldier's face is exactly like his own (or that of a loved one), frozen in an expression of horror, shock, or sadness.

66) A band of ghostly children march through a battle field (with the usual preserved corpses) searching for the bodies of their relatives. When a relative is found, one (or maybe a few) ghostly child (children) break from the parade with a soul wrenching wail and sinks into the earth next to the corpse. Where the child disappears, a black rose, with gaping holes in the leaves and petals, appears.

67) A pool of perfectly calm, clear, still water sits in the middle of a large, deserted plane. Any PC who looks into it sees his or her home town/city being sacked and burnt. Women the character knew are ravished, men the character knew are brutally tortured and killed, and children are clapped in irons and dragged screaming away from their homes. For every round the PC looks into the pool, a DC 15+(number of previous saves) Will save must be made. If the save is failed, the character is drawn into an elaborate illusion in which he is forced to live the horrors of the pool first hand. The PC's body is motionless and appears unconscious to the outside observer, and the PC's mind can only be freed by a Break Enchantment spell.

68) Dense fog encompasses the PCs, blinding them, and each one hears the others screaming in pain or crying for aid.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

69) Over the course of the day, dark clouds gather in a strange red sky, and thunder begins to roll. Near dusk, it begins to rain charred body parts and dead livestock.
70) Moans and sounds of a struggle lead to what appears to be two soldiers from opposing factions of the Last War, fused together into a single crawling, deformed mass. The pair can do nothing but groan and occasionally fight eachother, both crying out when a punch or kick lands on their shared form.
71) On closer inspection a strange-looking rock formation proves to be the remains of a building, and the strange features are the petrified forms of people trying to claw their way out of the stone walls.
72) A strange puddle on the ground. If a character steps in it or disturbs it in any way, a tortured scream fills the air, and a face floats to the surface of the puddle.
73) An intact house, its sole inhabitant a madwoman suckling a dead baby.
74) The party crosses an empty field lightly coated with ash. On climbing a hill adjacent to the field, they look back to see that the ash outlines the shape of hundreds of human forms lying on the earth.
75) A small cluster of bodies lies on the ground. If they are approached, a giant swarm of flies and maggots burst from them, attacking anyone nearby.
76) A giant golem, composed entirely of debris from a city- pieces of houses, carts, pacing stones, old clothing, scrap metal and farm tools trudges through the wastes, adding pieces to itself from ruins that it encounters. A semi-animate corpse draped over one of its shoulders whispers orders in its ears, and shouts taunts and promises of horrible death at anyone who approaches.

Edit: Fixed my numbering. Post before mine should be 65-68.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

77) Upon mounting the top of a large hill overlooking Eston, the party hears a rumble as a large boulder rolls up suddenly, threatening to crush them, but at the critical moment, the boulder stops and roll backward down the hill. Once at the bottom, the party sees a regal looking man, garbed in the smock and robe of House Cannith, straining against the boulder, trying to push it up the hill, and succeeding only to have it roll down again. When asked who he is, he identifies himself as the late patriarch of House Cannith. When asked why, he simply says one word: "Torment", and with that he begins his task anew. A bard could convince him to temporarily halt his labor with a DC 30 Perform (sing) check, rewarding the performer with a House Cannith Artifact of considerable power.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

78) What appears to be a scrap of cloth caught in the branches of a dead tree is in fact an entire discarded human skin.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Beleriphon:*

79) The party comes across what appears to be a damaged and broken down barn, from inside they hear the happy giggle of children. As the party approaches they find the children feasting upon the corpses of what appear to be their parents.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by chimpman:*

80) The party walks through a field of muddy terrain, each step causing the mud to grasp at their feet and a viscous red liquid to pool around their footprints.

81) The party walks through a field of muddy terrain each step causing the mud to grasp at their feet. If they look hard enough they notice that tiny child like hands are reaching out of the mud to pull at them. The hands are physically harmless, but the PCs won't be able to rest until they leave the area.

82) The PCs walk through a field of short wavy grass. In fact what first appears to be vegetation is a mas of needle sharp worms poking up from the ground. Walking across this terrain is like moving through a field of caltrops as the worms actively seek warm fleshy feet treading above them..

83) As the party camps out in the open the gray mists pull away to reveal a dark, yet starry night sky. One by one, each of the stars fall out of the sky until the entire night sky is pitch black (perhaps causing some kind of despair effect). The PCs must view this event until all of the stars have fled (they can not remove their eyes). Once all is black the PCs can look away again, but as soon as they glance at the sky the process starts over again.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Hellcow:*

Nice work, everyone. Many of these are ideas I've already used in my campaign, or very close to them! To throw in a few more of mine...

84. In the distance, giant luminous ants are building some sort of structure out of what appear to be human bones. 

85. A veiled woman in a bloodstained dress is kneeling by a muddy stream. There is a basket beside her, and she appears to be doing her washing. However, as you move closer, you see that she is not cleaning clothes; her basket is filled with severed limbs and heads. (Spirit? Illusion? Meme? Undead? You decide, if the party is unwise enough to engage her in conversation.) 

86. If any member of the party fought for or against Cyre in the last war, have them find the corpse of an old friend or enemy, amid a slain patrol. It's not an illusion, or anything strange - just a reminder than many people died in Cyre, people who may have been your friends. Ditto for Cyran characters passing through their hometowns. 

87. There is a region in which ink becomes liquid and runs off of any paper or parchment it is on. Parties may find paintings that are nothing more than blank canvases in ornate frames. Spellbooks and scrolls are safe if they are kept closed; but anything opened or unrolled will quickly become blank paper. 

88. The party arrives at the scene of a skirmish - a village is being ransacked, or perhaps a Valenar band is fighting a Cyran patrol. At first the group appear to be illusions; all forms of attack pass through them. However, they will react intelligently to new arrivals, and their weapons *can* damage physical creatures. They are seemingly sentient, but every five minutes their memories reset - and they cannot pass beyond the boundaries of the battlefield. 

Keep up the good work!


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Territan:*



> Not to sound like I'm brown-nosing, but this one struck me the most out of all of them so far.



That's because it's simpler, and yet more personal: strange otherworldly horrors in the Mournland are, as we've already seen, a dime a dozen. Now, _familiar_ horrors of war, that's classic.

So in that vein, here are a few things I'm sticking in my own campaign...

89) An old manor house, which contains two or three perfectly preserved but well-looted and -abused corpses of household staff lie approximately where they fell on the Day of Mourning. A large clock in one corner s stuck at 11:58 and ticks incessantly, its gears jammed by something but still trying to move. The portraits in the house radiate protective magic, and prevent further damage to the house or its contents. (It's the former home of a PC. Effects of unjamming that clock are left to the creative DM.)

90) A lightning rail station. The skeleton of a ticket vendor sits behind the barred booth, offering a ticket. The ticket can't be pulled loose, but tugging on it will unlock the gate, allowing entry. Inside, there is no dust, no trash, no corpses, no decay. The vendors' booths and stalls are perfectly clean and could be used tomorrow. But by the same token, no train would dare stop there...

91) A fine ink pen. It's intact, looks fancy, and writes smoothly but if the writer doesn't pay attention, he'll start auto-writing pleas for help, messages from beyond the grave, random *usable* spells... The pen inflicts no ill effects other than the auto-writing, but the spells are obscure and hard to identify so blithely casting them would be dangerous.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by concretecow:*

92) The party encounter a group of crazed Warforged followers of the Lord of Blades. Each could not handle their new found awareness and so have tried to emulate the other races by wearing their skin. Each warforged has a full tanned skin from a humanoid race affixed about them with leather thongs and ties. Most look hideous in their fleshy clothes, whilst others could appear ridiculous, such as a 7ft warforged wearing the stretched skin of a 3ft halfling!! They all intone "We will embrace the flesh" and set out to update their wardrobes by taking the skins of the party.

93) The party encounter an undead regimental band of skeletons and/or zombies. Each still wears it's tattered uniform and armour from the war and plays it's drum, flute or horn with gusto, all marching in eerie unison. The spooky marching tune has a Animate dead spell woven in it's sound, and all dead within 90ft of the band immediately rise and either join the band, or attack the nearest non undead. A great encounter for parties moving through old battlefields!

94) The party come across a pit at the edge of a battlefield that smells badly, due to it seeming to be a dumping ground and toilet for local monsters. At the edge of the stinking pit is a pile of old weapons, armor and equipment, amongst which something desirable glistens (Maybe a jewel, magic blade or staff). Upon approaching the pit, a large golem type creature bursts from the filth. It is made up almost completely of excrement and smells very bad indeed (Will saves to stop being nauseous). The golem pursues the group and all damage it does can cause disease (Fort saves) due to the makeup of it's hideous form.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

95) The adventurers find themselves wandering near an old settlement on 9 Rhaan, the day of Boldrei's feast. Anyone with half a brain would know to AVOID the lights and music that pierce the dead-grey mist. Then again, they are adventurers... if they wander too far they find a lively, yet benign Cyran town of grotesque mutants in the midst of festival, honoring Boldrei for holding the community together in such hardship as the mourning. One problem, though. It is Boldrei's FEAST, and lacking any vegetation or animal life, the party members have become the guests of honor, if you catch my drift...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Hellcow:*



> Ditto for Cyran characters passing through their hometowns.



Just to expand on this for a moment, the point here is to remember that if any of the characters passing through the Mournland are Cyran, the land is also their home. When they find the village where everything seems slightly melted and all that's left of the people are their clothes... perhaps that village was their home town. Or where their first love lived. Or where their brother settled after he lost his arm in the war. In fact, that pile of clothes there looks like the cloak you gave him. Does that mean he's dead? Or might he (and the rest of the villagers) still be out there somewhere? Might he in fact be the one-armed skullcrusher ogre waiting across the hill, and if so is there any way to reach him?

A key to doing this sort of thing is to establish a few facts with the PC before hand. Nothing major, just enough so you can actually have things match. Did they grow up in the country or city? And relatives? What did their parents do for a living? No need to write it all doubt or put together a book, just to make sure you're on the same page.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> Might he in fact be the one-armed skullcrusher ogre waiting across the hill, and if so is there any way to reach him?



Cool! really cool. It's no surprise that you won the contest, Keith. Thanks for continuing to amaze.

*97) East of Eston, beneath lake Cyre, there lies a watertight bronze dome. One of the greatest wonders of Cyre, this dome supported a hamlet that was to be the last refuge of the royal family and the many treasure Cyran people. If the PCs manage to reach it, they find it inhabited and unaffected by the mourning, but the inhabitants are currently battling a tribe of Kuo-Toa that has seized a vault. The vault contains the key to the Cyrans escape from the dome, but once the PCs retrieve it, is all well, or has a mad Cyran, gifted with illusory powers by the Mourning, been deluding them into doing their dirty work?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> 16) A vast creature that appears to be part of the landscape.





> 18 - Living dungeons: building that has a taste for death...



I've seen the living dungeon thing done before (The old Jackson/Livingstone Fighting Fantasy books, specifically _The Riddling Reaver_) but I'll chip in my addition:

18.5) A dungeon which is made of dead flesh. Maybe it was alive recently, but it's hard to tell. Somewhere inside something vital looking has been hacked apart. Various dead bodies of a former adventuring party can be found within, along with various animals that the dungeon successfully snared.

My own, though I'm not too good at horror:

96) The adventurers espy a figure sitting at the top of a hill, his back against a rock. As they ascend the hill, the howl of the wind and the hopeless vista fades away, replaced by distant birdsong, an impossibly blue sky, healthy grass, bright flowers and what appear to be cows in the distance. All of this is an illusion, though it's incredibly well done. (High disbelief save.)
The figure is a very old gnome, leaning on the rock with his sleeping bag cushioning his back. Though he is long dead, his corpse is unrotted and he seems to have died smiling.
Attempts to raise him from the dead fail (the gnome looks old enough that his time may have fully run out) and if his corpse is brought out of the Mournland it disappears on the night of the new moon, reappearing on the hill.
The location is a relatively pleasant place to rest, though other Mournland unpleasantness still happen (IE: Rains of blood, wandering horrors)

97) A house Sivis message station, filled with ghosts whispering messages to still-living relatives in other parts of Khorvaire (Some of them are even in Cyre, and could be as close as the next town). A house Sivis heir might hear messages from outside Cyre if he uses the stones, perhaps prayers for the souls of relatives lost in the Mournland.
Consider giving XP rewards if the players make an effort to collect the messages of the ghosts and deliver them.

98)An ancient Dhakaani ruin, which has had it's missing parts restored by ghostly outlines of former glories. Inside, faint snatches of millennia-old conversations flit through the air, with several whispers all at once in the main dining hall.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by MarkB:*



> and if his corpse is brought out of the Mournland it disappears on the night of the new moon, reappearing on the hill.



Any particular new moon? 

Very nice suggestions. Here's one more:

99) In the depths of an abandoned House Cannith facility, a Creation Forge is still operating, the dead hand of a perfectly-preserved Cannith Artificer at the controls, and a trio of powerful golems tasked with providing it with raw materials. But the forge ran out of raw materials long ago. Each day, it produces a fully-functioning warforged, who emerges into the sealed complex sentient and aware - and each day, the three golems, implacably following their instructions, find the only available source of suitable raw materials for the creation forge: The warforged himself. After a desperate chase through the complex, he is hunted down, dismembered, and fed into the hoppers of the creation forge - which forges him anew the next day, with all his memories intact.

The warforged is smart and determined, and each day he learns more about the complex and explores new possible avenues of escape. But even mystical forging processes have wastage, and each time he is slain and reforged, he emerges a little weaker. Can he discover a solution to his cycle of torment before he grows too weak to take advantage of it?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by chimpman:*

Like the Sivis message station. Here are some of my own twists:

100) No matter where the PCs travel, there is always a Sivis message stone (in the shape of a gnome) just at the edge of their vision. Traveling toward the stone won't bring it any closer.

101) As 99, but traveling toward the stone will bring it closer. Upon closer inspection the PCs not that the stone has the face of someone they once knew. The face is made of flesh, and touching it will cause the PC in question to relive some past moment that was shared with the person whose face is on the stone. After the moment is relieved the stone disappears forever.

102) As 100, but instead of forcing the character to relive some past moment, touching the stone places them into a Quori generated nightmare. There they must help the person they knew escape from some peril. The person may actually be trapped in Dal-Quor, or the whole experience might be a figment of the PC's imagination.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

103) Horrible aberrant children play along, gathering pieces of the dead and putting it in a cauldron. Seeing the characters, they pursue them until they agree to buy some soap...

104) They see a city which looks normal, but is populated by shadows. Not the monster, but humanoid darkened areas cast as if it were mid-afternoon. The shadows move, play, and act normally. The shadows grow longer and longer till they begin to fade. Once faded, they become real shadows and attack.

105) They come to a farmhouse, which looks to be in good repair and smoke rises from the chimney. If they observe for a while, a pile of stray nearby suddenly lifts up and pierces the house, causing it to bleed and pained shrieking can be heard from within. The house then burns down.

106) Near the Glowing Chasm horrid aberrations hunt for living creatures. If caught, they will throw the captures creature into the chasm, mutating it into another aberration.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

107) A Kender......nuff said.

108) As the PCs walk through one of the empty towns they see a small human child wandering about. The child is not a zombie or a ghost, illusion, or some other supernatural creature, just a normal child. But where did he/she come from and how are they here?

109) As the party is walking through the Field of Ruins there appears to be a person messing with one of the corpses. As they get closer they see its a hairless dwarf in bloody rags. He has a crazed look in his eyes and appears to be carving the flesh of one of the bodies skin off with a bloody dagger. They see there are a couple of them with their skin missing. The dwarf seems them and with blood around his lips "Hey who you? If you be lookin' food this ones mine!! MINE!!!...(formless gibberish).....though you help me with this one..." If party starts leaving he waves and yells goodbye hope to see you sometime or invites them to next dinner....

110) As the party walks on through the land they walk by what appears to be a hole in the ground of about 2 foot radius and too dark to see the bottom. A horrible shriek followed by some giggling. 

A voice, an obviously mad voice asks them to come down and help with a bug problem. If they refuse it then says it has magical (something the party is interested in). If they still refuse, it says it has candy.... etc.. over and over different things until the party leaves and then it whimpers and cries for them to come back and says its lonely and doesn't get any visitors.

If they go down....that's up for you to decide what happens.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by lily_knight:*

*111)* Ahead, a field of arms, growing from the ground, waves in the warm breeze. As you get closer, the fingers occasionally move against the wind, almost as if they wish to touch you.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*112)* On the far side of a small lake, the petrified form of a druid, apparently one that was scrying the water, lies at the water's edge, his face peering into the depths while his oaken staff touches the water. Those who look over the stony druid's shoulder see a frightful and fierce battle between Breland and Karrnath. A DC 15 Knowledge(History) reveals that battle being fought in the pool is a recording of the final battle fought in the Last War, the same that created the field of ruins that lies elsewhere in the Mournland.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by lasrifriir:*

Here's my meager contribution...

*113)* In the middle of the wasteland, a single mad figure can be seen. A young human male, his hair turned prematurely white and his eyes as black as night. His entire left side is covered in a thick layer of Mournland glass that is harder then adamantine. While this glass fuses him to the cursed ground, at the same time it sustains him and has allowed him to live a tortured existence for the past 4 years. Any PC that comes within 20 feet can see an infinite sea of stars within his blind eyes, the void beckoning to them. Treat this as a DC 15 Gaze attack; if the a PC fails then they immediately fall to the ground in a haze, their eyes slowing turning into the madman's own.

If the PC's can brave the initial danger, they find that the man is quite alive, but also invariably insane. Four solitary years in the Mournland as well as his own warped sense of space and time has shattered the poor soul's mind. He responds to any questions or even the sound of another humanoid voice with mad rantings about "the horrible, gaping sky!" and Things That Man Was Not Meant To Know.

The exact details are left to the DM, but given that this man could very well be one of the few exact eyewitnesses of the Mourning, the conversation should be suitably cryptic and disturbing. Make daddy Hellcow proud boys!


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*114)* While heading west, heading roughly towards Sharn, the City of Towers, a PC notices, with a sufficient Spot check, a disturbance in the air that resembles the roiling of hot air on a blistering day. Odd, as it's usually chill in the Mournland (something to do with less sunlight). 
The disturbance grows to colossal size and eventually it becomes impossible to see anything but a blur beyond the disturbance, like a steamy mirror. Then, another picture begins to overwrite reality: It is an image of a beautiful day just a few miles from Sharn. Suddenly a strobing pillar of Blue light erupts from the ground, obliterating the city in an instant and continuing upwards into the sky. 
To the horror of all, it traces along the sir and impacts the sun itself, which flares brightly and expands (fort save DC 20 vs. Blindness), only to explode in a flash of light. After the flash subsides and those who save adjust to the light, the air returns to normal, the distortion in the air is gone, and it is once again a gloomy day in the Mournland, like any other. 
But the premonition still haunts the PCs. Was it merely a trick of the mind? A vision of things to come? A warning? A prophecy? An inevitability? Only the DM knows for sure...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*115.* The PCs find a dungeon. For every 20 feet they move into the dungeon, they seem to age one year (Illusion, not physically). When the PCs look old enough to die, they simply continue as normal, but look as if their corpse is slowly rotting. Moving out of the dungeon makes the PCs look normal again.

This could spook the PCs, if you say suddenly "Your friends seem to be gone. In their place are horrible rotting corpses." It could also confuse them if they run into a scavenger group hunting for treasure.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I'm amazed at how well this thread has done. Less than 2 weeks and nearly a 1000 views. Well, submissions died down a few days ago but I'll try and squeeze some more before the topic dies totally.

*116)* A grand looking apple tree lies in the middle of a graveyard named Potter's Orchard. The apples from this tree are luscious and red, but are shaped to vaguely resemble a human face. An apple restores one who eats it as if from Hero's Feast, but the moment it's plucked the tree shivers and screams in pain. The apple, once bitten, replays in an instant the life of one who died and was buried in the graveyard, which may expose a few interesting plot hooks or serve as the end of a quest for information (...and the old sage said "seek out Potter's Orchard and eat the apple of Crastus, fallen general of Cyre, there ye shall find what you seek...)

*117)* There is a gargantuan hole in the ground, lined with jagged black rocks. Air is periodically sucked in and blown out of the hole in a steady rhythm, and the ground stirs and rumbles. Almost like the ground is breathing...

*118)* An entire town has turned invisible, and is only revealed on dewy mornings when the clinging water silhouettes the buildings. The area is abandoned, save for the ghost of a young Cyran soldier who searched the mists for his invisible home until the day he died. If the party can lead him to his home while the dew exposes it, he may reward them generously.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hufish:*

*119.* A mutated living scrying effect cast to determine the cause of the Day of Mourning causes the area it encompasses to re-experience the devastation of the Day of Mourning. The area of effect is some miles in diameter, and any living thing within the effect must make a will save DC 25. Failure results in unconsciousness and a brief coma for one day, and the loss of 1d4 wisdom as the subject is wracked by nightmares of being caught in the Mourning itself.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*120)* Scorpions that have hands where their stingers should be. 

*121)* A pair of huge statues carved so that they depict two knights crossing swords in a duel. The statues never move, but the statues continually yell insults, curses, and battle-cries, at one another. The statues are linked to a Shavarath manifest zone, extending weapon-like spells, impeding emotion calming spells, and occasionally causing swarms of flying blades to appear.

*122)* In the distance, an explosion flashes followed by a boom. Then it happens again in the exact same fashion. And again. Moving closer, the party can hear screams that repeat eerily again and again in a steady rhythm. After moving forward about quarter mile they see in the midst an explosion that consumes all within, which turns out to be the source of the screams. However, as soon as the blast dissipates, the PCs feel wind suck inward as time reverses itself to the moment of the blast, causing the victims to revive and the blast to happen over and over again. The PCs may be able to rescue the people inside the blast radius using a well timed resilient sphere or similar spell, but any caught within the blast radius are disintegrated, and become part of the recurring explosion.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by thuragrun:*

*123)* A twisted and burnt treant wanders the countryside, gathering corpses. It wears the dead as jewelry.

*124)* Same thing as before, but the dead have animated as ghouls and attempt to feed upon one another or any corpse the treant passes and does not pick up.

*125)* A living death knell/inflict light wounds spell has gone insane, if that is even possible, trying to feed on the long dead corpses lying about and attacks anything, including rocks and other inanimate objects.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*126)* I remember some time back on these boards, there was a thread about two opposing living spells duking it out for all eternity... this seems like a Mournland battle if there ever was one.

*127)* A normal house sits in a valley, and a man is doing chores inside. He seems quite sane and unaffected by the Mourning. He claims he was there and saw it all, but refuses to tell the PCs anything.

*128)* A dead woman in peasant's clothes lies in the road. She is young and there seems to be no reason for her to have died. In her pocket is a white rose.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> 66) A band of ghostly children march through a battle field (with the usual preserved corpses) searching for the bodies of their relatives. When a relative is found, one (or maybe a few) ghostly child (children) break from the parade with a soul wrenching wail and sinks into the earth next to the corpse. Where the child disappears, a black rose, with gaping holes in the leaves and petals, appears.



This one made me vaguely sick . . .

_"Mother," wailed a transparent child, breaking away from the lost souls to a small female body, and her voice now a whimper, "Mother, why did you leave me here. Mother . . ."
A man wearing the priestly robes of the Church of the Silver Flame, stepped up to her and said, "Your journey is done, young child, be with your mother."
His holy symbol glowed brightly for a second and the spectral child vanished screaming. A small black rose appeared in her place, with a broken stem and only a few petals._



I can't read the rest. I got to 109 but I feel horrible after just reading some of these things, even if it is just musings on some imaginary game . . .


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*129)* In the middle of an abandoned building a powerful demon lies bound to a conjurer's circle. As an immortal creature, he was not affected by the Mourning, and in fact he may know its secret. But is the party willing to free him, a duke of hell, to get the answer? Would the Demon be truthful?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by lichlord89:*

*130)* The body of a young child stumbles about, screaming. Its flesh is charred and peeling of the bone. The air around it crackles as if the corpse is on fire, but no fire can be seen and no heat can be felt.

*131)* A cadaver collector wanders by, on it are the bodies of the PC's family members, all crying out for help and reaching for the PC.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*132)* the players come across the wreckage of a Lyrandar Airship. The hull is burned in several places were the fire ring broke free and rested against the hull before breaking and releasing the bound fire elemental but other than that there is not much damage on the outside. 
Investigating the ship the characters find the remains of a Morgrave University expedition that was investigating the Mournland. Things inside the Ship can only be called messy Items that were not tied down or secured are smashed all over the place embedded into walls, floors the only thing of interest is found the Expedition leaders desk. Inside a small 4 inch cube Cage made with Riedran Crysteel is a tiny Living spell of Faerie Fire and a paper note on the capture of 4 larger specimens in the hold. When they get to the hold they find the remains of the crew and 4 broken cages and a shimmering portal hanging the air with a view of the Towers of Sharn.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Save-vs-DM:*

From the mundanely creepy department of my brain... (and feel free to use anything I post on these boards! That's why I post them!)

*133.* In an abandoned house, an open journal sits on the table, the date the day of the Mourning. The entry speaks of a young woman's joy at going to visit her uncle in Sharn, who promises her an end to her wartime worries.

*134.* An old man/woman sitting upon a hill, overlooking a ruined town, silent tears running down his face. If pressed into conversation he will explain that he wanted to return to his home one last time before he died, even if his home doesn't really stand anymore.

*135.* An old home with a painting of several young men, obviously Cyran soldiers. All men look happy and are smiling. The house is filled with common things, and shows no signs of the mourning. It looks like someone could come in at any minute, but of course, no one lives there now...

*136.* A house filled with a folded wedding dress, looking ready to be worn. Around the room are scattered various accouterments that a woman would use to prepare for a wedding. A small painting of a handsome man sits on the table, and a dozen red roses still sit in a vase, untouched and still fresh.

*137.* A child's music box sits inside a house, still playing a merry tune that many young girls would love to see. It never seems to need winding and keeps playing for all time.

*138.* Upon the wind come the sounds of a funeral chant, voices filled with emotion and praise for a fallen Son of Cyre. It seems to be coming from an old village, barely fifteen houses and a small smithy. An open grave still lies in the small graveyard, along with a casket. No bodies can be seen anywhere.

I do so love this thread. It's given me a lot of good ideas.
Cheers,
Save vs DM


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*139)* A girl about 7 years old is playing in the road when the party approaches. She is horribly disfigured, emits a foul stench of brimstone, and sports a pair of cloven hooves for feet and a scorpion tail. She is excited to see the PC's and asks the PC with the highest CHA to come play with her. If they say they need to go, she offers to go with them. If they refuse, she looks depressed and asks if it's because she's ugly. She will follow the PC's if they leave. Any attempt to injure or attack the girl makes her wail "Why does everybody hate me? I just want to be friends!". The child begins to cry thick, black tears, which turn to black puddings upon hitting the ground and attack the party.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by solarious:*

*140)* There is a vault, independent of any building. Engraved in every possible space is the word 'MINE'. And when I say every possible space, I mean every possible space: you might need a magnifying glass to see some of them. Inside, once you get past the nasty trap(s) and the cunning lock, there is a single treasure (to be determined by DM, but a small one is good. If you wish to be evil, make it worthless, but sentimental to someone) placed on a pedestal. The walls, floors, and ceilings, are in the same condition as the exterior. But wait, the worst is yet to come! If the treasure is ever removed, all the words immediately turn into working lips that scream incoherently *MINE!!!* (treat as a demoralization attempt with a +13 Intimidate modifier, 5 attempts against each character. Stack the effects of fear). It doesn't matter if the object it taken from the vault, or even away from the Mournland, the lips won't tire and will continue screaming *MINE!!!* forevermore.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*141.)* The PC's shadows have been replaced with living images of the characters. However, as the characters walk, the shadow-images become filthy, as if they were being dragged through the muck or dirt that the characters are walking in/on. When a shadow's head goes down a hole, it begins to thrash and shake. When it does underwater, it begins to drown. Eventually the shadows figure out that the characters are responsible for their suffering and will silently beg the characters to stop moving. If the characters don't halt or don't notice, eventually they will notice as the shadows begin to hate them for their torment. And it gets worse. As the daylight changes, the shadows will lengthen or compress, depending on the light, but not without consequence: long shadows stretch as if they are being torn apart on the rack and compressed shadows are a bag of pulped bones and organs (their bodies were crushed in order to fit into that space). Eventually, the characters will be bound to an image of their savagely broken corpse. Maybe the next day the shadows will return to normal. Or maybe during the night the shadows will rise and take their revenge for the brutal deaths they suffered.

*142.)* (similar idea) The characters come across a group of corpses - their own. 

*143.)* The characters run across a group of mixed warforged who seem confused yet delighted to meet the characters. At least one of the warforged will declare that this is an impossible trick - another will declare that this is a great opportunity. The rest of the warforged are curious about the characters' homes, lives, daily activities, etc ... but will not approach or speak to a warforged PC, and will react with fear and shame if a warforged PC tries to interact with them. When the warforged and the PC's part ways, the PC's will overhear "I told you this plain was haunted." "Yeah, there hasn't been a fleshling alive on Eberron for over a thousand years."


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*144)* In a certain Mournland vale, light is darkness. Literally. The sun is a black ball that obscures all its light touches. A _light_ spell spreads darkness rather than light. A cave of absolute darkness is so bright that one cannot see unless they have torch, which by the logic of the area would spew _darkness_, to dim the intense light.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hufish:*

*145.)* The characters stumble upon a dilapidated, broken-down looking village that shows the signs of war. Buildings have no roofs, there are burned-out hulks of buildings, etc. The townspeople have all apparently become ghosts, showing various ghastly wounds. However, things are reversed here; the ghosts are the solid beings, and the party is incorporeal. The ghosts also do not realize they are dead, and think the party is a group of roaming ghosts. And to top it off, there was a cleric passing through the town heading for the front lines on the Day of Mourning; his ability to turn undead works against the PCs.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Revision to one of my prior ideas- suitable for a game in which so many horrors have been witnessed by the PCs that its time for a little sign of hope and happiness: 
*66b)* A band of ghostly children march through a battle field (with the usual preserved corpses) searching for the bodies of their relatives. When a relative is found, one (or maybe a few) ghostly child (children) break from the parade with a soul wrenching wail and sinks into the earth next to the corpse. Were the child disappears, a pure white rose appears, and an expression of peace and contentment appears upon the lifeless features of the dead parent next to whom the rose blossoms.

*146)* A large cave looms up before the PCs. A deep bluish glow issues from its mouth, accompanied by a gust of stagnant wind, which rustles the PC's hair and pulls at their clothing. After a few second of standing before the cave, it suddenly dawns on anyone with long hair or wearing a loose garment that the wind is actually being sucked into the cave from the outside, and that it feels as though it is trying to pull them in as well. 
 (At this point, each PC makes a will save, of a DC appropriately difficult for characters of the parties average level. To those who beat the save, the wind seems to recede, as does the blue glow. To those who fail, read the following.)
 *The wind seems to pull in an almost urgent manner upon your clothing and hair. Then, the voices begin. At first, they are indistinguishable and hard to make out, but after a moment, the voices become dreadfully clear, and you recognize them, each and every one, to be a facsimile of your own. Some scream for help, some weep for forgiveness, some demand that you right a terrible wrong which you have not yet suffered. An irresistible urge to enter the cave overcomes you, and with the voices whispering seductively in your ears, you march towards the cavern entrance.*


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*147)* Flying Aboleths... (hey, that'd be enough to ruin my day)
*148)* A city survived the mourning, and all it's citizens are safe. The only problem? It sank into a lake. And now all of the inhabitants, having grown gills as a result of the mourning, can't leave or they'll "drown" on dry ground.
*149)* a whirlwind of body parts is actually an elder air elemental gone insane, who now only lives only as a whirlwind, racing across the gray plains, carrying corpses that occasionally expel from his form, raining bodies for miles
*150)* An _invisible stalker_ with a noose preys on travelers, roping their necks and hanging them from the nearest tree


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

So Depressing

*151)* The Characters have persistent nightmares about being trapped in a small, dark space. They believe they are unable to move and constantly cry out in their sleep. They never can get any good, wholesome sleep and act as if they got 4 hours ( or 2 for the elves) of sleep. Then, on the 13th night, the dreams stop. They wake up to find themselves in the dream, only they are really there. On the 13th day of this, they go back to the real world, their bodies having not eaten, slept, or drunk in 13 days. This continues and they become progressively more uptight and afraid. They eventually become claustrophobic and afraid of the dark. Eventually, they will die, as their bodies won't be able to sustain that level of fasting. No magic can ward this of.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*152)* when the Characters camp for the evening. While most of the players are still up a Woman’s voice calls out to them, “Have you seen my Little Girl?” She was wearing a brown dress with some little blue beads sewn into the shapes of lilies around the edge.
She went outside to see what the commotion was, I can’t find her!!  Please travelers, have you seen her? If the players shine a light in the direction of the voice they barley make out the figure of a woman’s Ghost dressed in peasant cloths.
It is up to the players if they help her or if they ignore her at no time does she approach the camp and stays away from any light source. 

*153)* the characters come across a small section of a larger battle field there is a shaft of sun light centered on a pair of figures holding each other. If the players approach this strange occurrence they see three figures in this manifestation the two hold each other in their last moments in this plane. Is an odd couple to be sure a warforged is cradling a female tiefling who is frozen in her last moments caressing the warforged face. Both have signs of heavy combat that took their lives. “Excuse me, would you go away!”
The voice is coming from behind the characters. The voice is coming from a male specter dress in combination of chain mail and leather. “All right shove off! Go away!  You heard me GO! The specter is the traitor who betrayed his side because he was jealousy of Grey the Warforged. If the players don’t move or begin to attack the specter he retreats as fast as he can. Cursing That Machine as he flees. If he is held or destroyed he escapes or reforms were his body lays were forever to be reminded that she loved another.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*154)* The party encounters...another party, all of whom are wild eyed, disheveled, their hair turned prematurely white (or fallen out), and psychotically paranoid from the multitude of undead cannibalistic children that they've had to face time and time again during their foray into the Mournland. If the PC party so much as sneezes, the insane party wigs out and either goes catatonic or attacks the party in a blind rage.
Keep in mind, the party is still human. They can be reasoned with. A diplomacy check, _calm emotion_ spell, or A _restoration_ spell to cure their damaged Wisdom scores should do the trick and restore their sanity. If such a thing occurs, I would recommend rewarding the PCs with a juicy plot hook or have the newly-sane party inform the PCs of a danger down the road, allowing them to either circumvent the danger or help them overcome it.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Save-vs-DM:*

*155.* At a crossroads sits a rough stone and piled around it various gems, gold plates and other such items. A small hymn to the Silver Flame for protection is carved into the stone. At night the items glow with an eerie silver flame. If any items are taken, they weigh 100 pounds and cannot be dropped with remove curse.

*156.* A small halfling caravan is parked near a stream, all of the halflings looking malnourished and underfed. If the PC's offer to help guide them out, they are grateful and the eldest woman offers to tell their fortunes for free as thanks for the kind deeds. She asks each PC to draw five cards. Once all PCs who wish to have their fortunes told have drawn cards, tell them that they have just drawn five cards from a Deck of Many Things.

Cheers,
Save vs DM


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*157.* As the PCs explore a dungeon, they open a seemingly normal door. On the other side is a counterpart to the PCs, who have been locked in the room.
 Belkar the halfling ranger meets Yikyik the kobold ranger, and so on. The other party, however, is better in every way. If Belkar has a +2 shortsword, Yikyik has a +3 shortsword. If Grog has 17 STR, Mrog has 18 STR. the opposing party attacks the PCs. After the PCs win somehow, the enemies corpses change to an older version of theirs.
Careful examination of the room reveals a very strong illusion spell, and a spell to do with time travel...

Treat the room as an eldritch machine. Possibly create an adventure leading to how the PCs got trapped in the first place.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

So how could the PCs possibly win aside dumb luck? that's heavy TPK material for you right there. then again, so is most of the Mournland...

*158.* The PCs meet a man who sits in front of two shallow graves, marked with small wooden tomb"stones". If confronted, he asks one of the PCs to borrow a weapon for a second. If they refuse, he just sits silently and stares at the graves. If they do lend him a weapon, he performs suicide with it. His body quickly turns into some sort of semi-intelligent blood-ooze which quickly moves onto the graves and sinks into them, coloring the dirt red as it does so.
If the PCs are dumb enough to open the graves...well...that's up to the DM. I'd suggest something like two red-colored skeletons, one normal and one halfling-sized, attacking the PCs while screaming insanely. >_>


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Territan:*



> 152) ... She was wearing a brown dress with some little blue beads sewn into the shapes of lilies around the edge...



Brown dress with blue beads? That's just _cruel!_ 

*159:* A pool of water, no more than two feet by six feet. The water is dark but looks, smells, and tastes fresh. Lighting the pool (i.e. a torch held over it) reveals a young woman in a white gown, perfectly preserved and composed, as if freshly laid out. If someone drinks from the pool (water to cupped hand to mouth or directly only), a hand will reach out of the pool and gently caress that person's face. The woman's eyes will also open and follow that person around. That person gets a _wish_, but since she only communicates non-verbally, that person has no way of knowing until he says something, perhaps days or weeks later, that he may later regret.

*160:* A scantily-dressed living woman, tied between two stone pillars, quietly waiting for whatever end comes. If they approach, she'll beg that her end comes quickly. They could also find out from talking to her that she is the latest sacrifice intended to spare her village from the Mourning. Her village is nearby and indeed spared the effects of the fog. Everyone in that village is openly friendly, pretty much ape-something insane, and will quietly plan for the party's demise in any number of horrid ways, because they believe that killing outsiders and sacrificing their own numbers are the only ways that they can save their village. (The Mourning avoided the village for other reasons having nothing to do with the sacrifices. It'd take some investigating to figure out what, though.)

*161:* The gigantic unnatural creature that had been eating the sacrifices from #160 above.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by sorcerer:*

*162)* The party enters a small roadside town. Nothing new here, the dead lie everywhere. But no mater what building they enter it is always the mortuary at the edge of town. Same views from the windows, and the back door always leads to a cemetery.

The only way out is thru the cemetery. And if the party has not figured this out yet they will make several trips from the cemetery back to the town.

One room has a number of fresh (but empty) coffins with the PC's names carved into it!

The PC's will be unable to loot any of the buildings in the town.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by sorcerer:*

*163)* A school house with a floor covered in writhing maggots. (they will not leave the room). Wading thru the maggots deals damage (not much, say two points a round). Fire spells can burn them away but they drop from the ceiling like rain a few moments later...

*164)* A looted sorcerer's tower. The treasure is not the sorcerer or his tower, but whatever the looters bear (the last group did not get out). A living spell calls this place home (it should be nasty enough to threaten the PC's).

The last group of adventurers wear the magic items/treasure for the encounter, and will groan as the items are pulled off--making looting the dead a rather gruesome affair. One may verbalize..."No that's mine!" or "I wanted to give that ring to my son." Or an accusation, "Thief!" One dead body near the exit calls after the party, "Thieving Ba*****'s!"

*165)* One of the bodies (from 164) is rather attached to his possessions. And the body keeps turning up wherever the party travels to in the Mournland.
If this is not played out right, it could be comical, so you may not choose to do this. 

BUT, the PC with the looted item sees the same body lying amidst the dead at least once a day. Perhaps he is the only one to see it, and the other PCs may begin to question him. If he opens a book, he will see the word, "Thief" on every page (no one else will). Paintings will look at him disapprovingly and mouth the words, 'thieving Bas****!"

Little things like that happen as long as the PC is in Cyre. Nothing bad will happen, but played right the PC should get a growing feeling of menace. Like when the party wakes up and EVERYONE sees the corpse lying just outside the party campsite! 

The haunting stops when the party leaves the Mournland. But the PC just might willingly give up the item. Placing it back on the corpse ends the haunting--for that PC. Now a new PC starts getting visitations...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*166)* The Lights of South Eston, a village located in Southern Cyre, was a major tourist draw. The entire village was surrounded by a forest enchanted by hundreds of permanent _dancing lights_. Since the Mourning, However, Will-o-the-wisps have invaded the forest, making it impossible to know whether you were surrounded by a benign glowing ball of magic or a hateful fey luring you to your death. 
Strange things go on in South Eston these days as well. A monster of fearsome strength has moved in, and the Mourning has turned him invisible, however, when touched by rays from the light of South Eston, it becomes perfectly visible. The monster is working in concert with the will-o-the-wisps, having them draw prey to satisfy in unseen hunger.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*167)* characters crossing an open field near an abandoned military camp when one of the players makes a search check with a DC 20 sees a Spell mine or sets off if failed (Firetrap cast 3rd level) the players have walked into a spell field {physical description it a small 4 inch soft brass disk with a spring loaded lid that springs open if the player steps on it setting off the Fire trap spell}

*168)* The players moving along the edge of the mourn lands will notice if they make a (Save vs. Will DC 30) a 4 foot high monolith made of Astral Driftmetal capped with a Khyber Shard covered in ancient Draconic runes. The monolith flickers in and out of the astral plane. If someone makes the will save they can view the monolith without forgetting it is there. Other wise they forget it is there and do their best to avoid the monolith or view it.

*169)* the players come across a small caravan outside the Mournland that is camped for the night. If the players investigate the find it very quiet in fact they walked into the area of a living silence spell the only  problem is it’s friends the Gibbering Mouthers that are hunting down the caravans populace.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Ra-Tiel:*

Hi.

Just to add my own nightmares to the collection:

*(170)*
The characters come to a lonely village. The only sound they hear are screams of lust and pain mingled together. It's coming from a single house, near the town square. When the characters investigate, they'll find a young man and woman, engaged in the act of loving. What the characters see will be too much for them (DC 30 Will Save or _panicked_): The flesh of the couple has been fused together, and worms and maggots are eating their ways through the bodies. But each second, the flesh heals, and the wounds the parasites cause close again. The couple is captivated in pleasure and torment, for all eternity.

*(171)*
Near a tree, the characters find the corpse of a human girl. Next to the corpse, a slain horrid rat lies there. From the tree, the body of a human soldier hangs, softly swinging in the breeze. He holds a letter in his hand, reading "Forgive me my daughter, that I couldn't save you."

*(172)*
The characters come to a river that is flowing red with blood and they see some people in it. When they get closer, they see that the adults are bound, while a young girl walks up and down before them. In front of each adult, she stays and slits their bellies open with a long knife, saying "Please forgive me dad", "Please forgive me, mom", "Please forgive me, uncle", whatever is appropriate. After she has maimed all of her family, she walks up and down again, this time pouring her tears on the wounds, which then heal. Then she continues to slit her relatives open again...

*(172)*
Each night, each character finds a single bone in his hand when waking up. On the bone is a single word inscribed: "Help"

*(173)*
After a night of rest, suddenly each character is alone. Each character is incorporeal, and made _improved invisible_ by the strange magic of the Mournland.

*(174)*
The party discovers two wizards, one from Cyre, one from Breland, both separated from their troops and engaged in a magical duel. The whole scene is as if frozen in time, with one wizard discharging a _lightning bolt_, and the other one trying to raise a _lesser globe_. Both casters have a macabre _mirror image_: instead of whole images, only parts of their bodies are mirrored; the skeleton is one image, as is the nervous system, the muscles, and the blood vessels, also the internal organs form a different image for the spell.

_Ra-Tiel.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*175:* The scene is a moderately sized town, or perhaps a smaller part of a large town.

Everyone is dead, as you'd expect. All the coins in the area have been changed. The head side no longer bears the traditional image (usually Galifar I) but instead the face of whoever last touched the coin. The expression matches that held at the moment of the Mourning.

The coins are of course no longer legal tender. If several are melted down, an audible scream can be heard coming from the metal. If only one or two are melted at the time, the screams are inaudible to all but the keenest ears.

A few places and faces:
A man lies fallen in the street next to a stall, the coins which fell from his hand all bear a horrified expression.
A changeling shopkeeper, slumped over his counter, has some coins under his hand. The face is that of a bored but handsome half-elf.
In a tavern, a man's corpse at the bar carries coins in his purse. In the right light you can see his tipsy expression blush in the copper's shine.
The Cyrian Society for Peace was collecting for their charity on a street corner. The coins in the bucket show dozens of faces from around the town.
In the home of an explorer, there is a chest full of ancient coins from the Dhakaani empire. While the uppermost coins bear the face of the explorer (who was halfway through a haircut at the time) the deeper coins bear hobgoblin skulls. Some of them are broken and some of them show nothing more than specks of bone.
At an interrupted funeral, the casket is still lying open, and the old woman inside has a serene expression, which is matched by the gold coin on each of her eyes.
In a safe, the party finds a purse of platinum coins bearing the face of the person who hired them to go look at the town. All of the faces are laughing. Did he happen to hear a hilarious joke at that moment, or is something more sinister going on?
Of course, this could be useful as a clue if your players are looking for someone who passed through here before the day of mourning.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by timothyx:*

*(176)* A roaming band of Warforged Scouts (6, cr 2) are scavenging a Warforged fighter unit that became inert. Taking thier heads, arms and even hacking apart the bodies of their fallen brethren, taking weapons, and armor, and anything of any value. 

Have they gone mad? or there something else going on here? Who is the cloaked figure in the distance the Scouts run to when they hear a whistle revealing the approaching party?

*(177)* Along the river across from Loom Keep, the party see's a woman in pearlescent robes walk towards the last few trees living on the edge of the Mournland. She kneels before it, and brings it down with a single swipe of her Scythe. She brings her scythe down on the remaining 20 trees. The screams in the wind begging for help can be heard for the next 3 days, and 3 nights. 

Is it the Trees wailing? Or did the trees have a Fae bound to it, and those are the screams of the dying dryads. Who is the woman in the robes and why does she only come out during the height of the full moon?

*(178)* Angwar Keep is under attack by a small army of Warforged (1 Human Artificer, 16 Warforged Fighters, 3 Warforged Scouts, 2 Warforged titans) across the river. Their siege engines hurling rocks, and fire are buffeting the walls. In the mist covered mornings the sounds of something being built can be heard. For 2 days and nights the onslaught continues unabated, until from the mists can a bridge be seen. Large enough for the titan's to cross and level the Keep. It will be less than a full day before the bridge is completed.

Can the Party defeat the Warforged? What's really going on? Is the bridge a diversion or the vanguard of a much larger force testing the resistance of the Keep's Tactical Position?

*(179)* A young girl is to marry another man, but she is kidnapped from Vathirond by a jealous House Heir whom she'd previously rebuked his advances. During the flight with his personal soldiers, they cross into the Mournland. A day later, the Heir's horse rides alone back out, blood splayed with arrows in its barding. 

Is the girl alive? is the heir alive? Is this an elaborate ruse by the party's arch-nemesis to capture or kill them?

The Father and the House representative both (without knowing) hire the party to find the girl and the Heir. The captain of the guard however, offers an additional reward to leave the girl in the Mournland. Is the tracker that comes along with the party working for the Father or the House? Or is there something more sinister afoot?

*(180)* A jeweled necklace is for sale by a traveling halfling merchant who skirted the Mournland, but doesn't speak nor read common. Engraved on the back are the Royal House of Cyre's family crest. 

Who did it belong to? Where did he get it? Tracing his steps for the last few weeks brings up more questions than it answers. Maybe someone sold it to him, maybe he killed someone for it. Maybe the royal family member is still alive.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by oorlof:*

Great stuff here! Just saw that my DM posted here...poor me and my party...

Anyways, my addition to the Mournland:

*(181)* Investigating the ruins of a Cyran village, the PCs find no trace of the normally ever-present undecaying corpses. The Mourning wiped the corpses from the face of the earth (or maybe a carcass crab collected them). Now, the restless spirits of the villagers crave bodies and sensations. They start hounding the PCs, trying to merge their incorporeal forms with the PCs' bodies and fooling themselves that they're incarnating. Apart from a cold tingle, and the creeping idea that an undead apparition is somehow moving inside you, following your every movement, this does no harm...or does it?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*(182)* Two Colossal pseudo-natural jellyfish who fly through the air like they would through water find each other before the PC's eyes and begin mating. The female bears millions of eggs. (Just think about it)

*(183)* An obsidian black unicorn lies near her mate: a nightmare. Both are watchers over a grove of trees which mysteriously flourish. They are quite mad and the trees need blood to flower...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by oorlof:*

*(184)* In a sudden warp of life-energy, the PCs are losing vital fluids, suffering bruises that come out of nowhere, growing wrinkles, losing hair, all whilst they feel stabbing pains in the gut. Meanwhile, their gear is absorbing the lost life-energy: wooden arrows start to grow buds and leaves, leather items become bloody patches of skin that look like they've just been ripped off the animal.

*(185)* Some of the PCs' gear loses corporeality overnight. (Of course, the party is attacked in the morning!) Once every couple of rounds, the afflicted items turn incorporeal (still visible as a dense patch of mist roughly shaped like the item) or back corporeal. Or maybe the items behave once every few rounds as if they've got the _Ghost Touch_ ability?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by lapson:*

*186.* The battlefield of one of the last confrontation in the Last war. Except that instead of the normal nations, three factions are engaged in eternal battle: The skeletons of the soldiers, their zombified flesh and their animated armor and weapons.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by yossarius:*

*187)* The PCs witness a battle between undead warriors (corporeal only, zombies & skeletons and such). They attack each other relentlessly, never pausing to even notice the PC's (unless they try to interfere, of course). When any of the combatants is too damaged to continue fighting, they slowly reassemble themselves from spare parts lying on the ground (not necessarily their own parts, or even the right parts for the location they're being placed). Any attempt to interfere in the battle will cause the undead to suddenly notice the offending PC; they will delightfully honor the PC's desire to participate. Treat the undead as having fast healing 5, and destroying them or turning them only causes them to ignore you for ten rounds. 

*188)* The PCs find some kind of reflective surface (mirror, pool of water, etc.) where images constantly appear. Apparently these images replay the last 60 seconds of life of every person who died in the Mourning (assuming that was a million and a half people, it would take two years and ten months to play them all). These images are neither illusory or divinatory in nature. It is entirely possible for the PCs to see images of people they knew. Whether or not the images are true is anyone's guess.

*189)* One random non-magical object that a random PC is carrying becomes magical (and intelligent). Its attributes and abilities may be determined randomly, or the DM may drop in any item he likes. It's a good bet that the item's desires and goals will be counter to the party's.

*190)* At some random point during a battle, all participants are healed of all hit point & ability damage (but not raised). Not just the PCs; everybody.

*191)* During a 24-hour period, all missile weapons halt in mid-air as soon as they leave the PC's hands (not including rays or other results from spells, such as _magic missile_). The next day, the PCs are all right again (or as all right as you can be in the Mournland).

*192)* During the next hour, a random PC knows the name and the name of the next of kin of every corpse he sees. The ability ends after the hour, but the affected PC's remembers all the information.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*193)* The PCs rest the night away. When they wake up one of them sees Death standing nearby. Every now and then he checks the time as if waiting for something. Only one PC can see and interact with him. Once a PC that cannot see him reaches a set amount of Hp he instantly kills them. Once the PC that sees him is alone he will bargain with him/her for the lives of his/her friends. Something horrible, like bring me the souls of the children. Once that is completed the PC wakes up screaming the morning that they first saw Death watching. Making the entire thing seem like a dream. For added creep factor you could have Death standing on a hill in the distance.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Jimmifett:*

*194)* The PCs come across a plot of land with many trees surrounding a house. The in several areas, trees have been semi uprooted and twisted around each other on the ground in a spiral starburst pattern. The tops of the trees are mostly devoid of leaves. Around the house lies pieces of roof and contents of the house as if sucked or exploded out. The front door lies in the middle of the common room. In the kitchen, food is strewn everywhere and the very large oven appears to have been dragged 5 ft away from the wall and spun around backwards. The stove is heavy enough that 4 PCs would have difficulty moving it. On the opposite side of the wall the stove originally was located, is a den area. The roof looks to have been ripped off. Against the wall on the opposite side of where the stove was, stands an ornate cabinet holding 3 dozen glasses on 3 shelves. The cabinet doesn't have a single scratch on it. The glass doors are not cracked or damaged in any way. On the second shelf, one glass is half full of dirty looking water. The actual contents are up to you.

(This scene is actually my house from after Hurricane Andrew, only the stove was a fridge that got pulled off the wall and spun around (the cord was wrapped around the bottom). Still can't figure out how water got int the glass....)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*195.)* As long as the players remain in the Mournland, whenever the players think they're heading in one direction, the DM should secretly roll 1d8 (1=North 2=NE, etc) to determine the direction they are actually heading. If a character succeeds by 10 or more on a Survival check to keep from getting lost, the party can move in the correct direction that day. 

*196.)* Mounts and beasts of burden are terrified in the Mournland, requiring characters to "push" them once each day. A successful check means the mount will behave normally for that day. If a character fails on his Handle Animal check, the animal bolts as fast as possible towards the nearest possible exit from the Mournland.

This one is a variation on #153
*197.)* The PC's come across what appears in the distance to be a statue of two people embracing in a final, loving kiss. As they get a little closer, they realize that it is actually a statue of a Warforged and a female human. Finally, if they approach the statue, they see that it is in fact an real, living Warforged. He remains perfectly still holding the woman tightly, his "lips" pressed to hers in an eternal kiss. The woman was his love and was petrified in this final embrace as the cataclysm that befell the Mournland swept over them both. For some reason the Warforged was unaffected. 
He has not moved a single inch since the tragedy occurred those many years ago, preferring to stay locked in the embrace of the woman who once loved him. He will not speak to anyone and will not willingly be separated from his true love. He is quite insane and cannot be reasoned with. If he is forced away from her or if she is disturbed, destroyed or attacked in any way, he will fly into a rage and attack the party mercilessly and to the death.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*198.* As the PCs make their way through the maddening terrain of the Mournland, those with large amounts of sheet metal being to notice an oddity. Every time they stop to stare at an unrotting corpse, the face of the departed begins to form in a place in their gear. Be it a shield, sword, piece of armor plate, or what have you. 
No item is so horribly warped that it becomes unusable, but the more bodies they investigate, the more faces form upon their equipment. 

Can you imagine the looks they'd get going anywhere? And what of a relative of one dead on the Day of Mourning who recognizes the face locked in an eternal scream in the center of the fighter's shield?

[EDIT] And if you have an intelligent item that can speak, imagine it now talking using the face imprinted upon its surface.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by nurgan_the_drunked:*



> 133. In an abandoned house, an open journal sits on the table, the date the day of the Mourning. The entry speaks of a young woman's joy at going to visit her uncle in Sharn, who promises her an end to her wartime worries.




Variant on 133:

*199:* Amongst a set of soldiers, the party find one writing a letter. The letter is to a loved one, saying how relieved he is to have finally got out of the dump he'd been in over the last few months, and has finally been moved to Cyre. The letter is unfinished

*200:* The PCs find a traveling fair. Brightly colored cover the grounds, and happy music and the sound of laughter can be heard somewhat distantly, but there are no people or bodies anywhere. There are a hall of mirrors, rides (be imaginative on what carnival rides can be done in Eberron), some illusions on display, freak shows, houses of horrors, and unmanned food stalls whose food has since turned foul.

*201:* A shape roams the land, causing incredibly rapid plant growth in the area. Forests and bushes spring out of the ground almost like fountains. However, as soon as the shape moves on, these plants wither and crumble as quickly as they appeared.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*202*
Have anyone here read a certain Stephen King novel?
After all, what works better than finding *GASP* survivors, huddled in a house...moments after the PCs enter, a fog rolls in. It's thick enough to give them mere meters of sight at best. In the darkness beyond, beings like Living black tentacle spells, horrid monstrous spiders, pseudonatural mephits, horrid giant eagles and worse prowl... the fog refuses to lift, and these beings all navigate via smell...instead of hearing or vision.
A warforged can get away easily, if he washes and doesn't touch his teammates. but what about the humanoids?

Edit: indexed


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by oorlof:*

*(203)* On an otherwise empty plain, the party stumbles across a vast field of totally invisible bones. Only by touch can they identify the invisible items they keep bumping into as skeletons and bones. The DM ought to include oddly malformed bones and bones from nonhumanoid origin. Of course, a nasty DM will attach vengeful, _vengeful_ ghosts to the bodies the PCs have disturbed and demand they reposition the corpses in the proper burial position. Could turn into a farce, so watch out for that. Use the ghosts to ensure the PCs don't leave Cyre with invisible bonecrafted weaponry.

_edit: removed index-nag_


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*204*) The Glowing Chasm that dominates northern Cyre swallowed many towns when it erupted on the day of Mourning. Sometimes the towns reappear, beckoning to adventurers to explore or seek respite in them, unfortunately, the towns' reappearance is strictly illusory, a fact that becomes "strikingly" clear once an unwary adventurer, fooled by the _mirage arcana_, steps off an unseen cliff and into eternity.
*205*) All who touch the purple light of the chasm are driven insane with its arcane power, but this power manifests in different ways. Of late, animals and vermin that would otherwise never possess the strength of personality have developed warlock powers and have begun preying on travelers.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by euangelion:*

*206 *The party comes across a thorp entirely intact. The buildings are in great shape, the people are alive and glad for it. If any members of the party are from Cyre, it might remind them strongly of their hometown (or maybe it is!) When the party enters the thorp, they discover that healing works just fine. Then they learn that every resident who has tried to leave the thorp since the Day of Mourning died just past the last building of the thorp, that they are the first outsiders to make it to the thorp, and that for some reason all of the other denizens of the Mournland avoid the thorp altogether. The residents are happy to welcome the adventurers in, but they are very reluctant to let them try to leave, fearing for their safety (and hoping that they might serve to replenish their dwindled population.) When the party does leave, the Day of Mourning finally comes to the thorp: all the residents drop dead and their buildings instantly crumble (a fate that might be avoided if the party meets certain conditions set by the GM).


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Gurv:*

*207.* While traveling across the Mournland, the party comes to a *HUGE* city hidden in a deep valley. The place is just fantastic, with towers almost too tall to take in with one glance, large enough to house buildings inside, skybridges connecting them, and all kinds of other miraculous architecture. No city like it has ever existed in Cyre. It covers several square miles, and like other places in the Mournland it is populated only by the undisturbed dead.

The city is Sharn.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by chaotix42:*

*208)* Known for their talent in breeding hunting dogs, the ir'Tamaress were a Cyran noble family held in high regards in their homeland. Before the Mourning they bred masterful hunting dogs for all the young nobles, during a time in which hunting was quite popular. Also a family versed in diplomacy, their close-knit country club hunting companions were able to pull many strings and call in a sizable amount of favors for their benefit, being noble-bred as they were. 

Legend has it that on the night of the Mourning, the ir'Tamaress grand estate was sparred a physical destruction, though left in ruin nonetheless. According to the myth the Tamaress-bred hounds went utterly mad, driven insane by the Mourning. They proceeded to viciously attack and maul any they crossed paths with, until all that remained was the stain of death. To this day the supposed ir'Tamaress estate is home to a roving pack of yeth hounds, some fifty strong. Such a gathering of beasts has discouraged treasure hunters from attempting to plumb the depths of the estate for treasure, but a few of the yeth hounds have been killed, with a most disturbing and common occurrence accompanying these kills. As one of the yeth hounds dies, in its final spasms it convulses and vomits something up. It collapses to the ground, finally dead, as the regurgitated mass squirms, and then begins to cry. An infant's cry.

Closer inspection reveals it to be a human newborn baby. Both males and females have been found after killing these specific yeth hounds, and some have been brought out of the Mournland to be cared for by foster parents. It is unknown the exact significance of this phenomenon, but the children are getting older, and have so far remained quite healthy. In fact, a few may even be old enough to speak a few words...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*209)* the party is engulfed by the soil and is confronted by a giant baby with a poopie diaper and he's crying...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Gurv:*

*210:* The party must cross the Mournland to reach a far away goal. Going around wasn't an option, so they equipped themselves and prepared themselves mentally for the worst. They cross the entire Mournland, seeing the well-known fields of unrotting corpses, the barren wastelands left behind, and crumbling towns.

Other than being an unpleasant place to look at, nothing bad happens.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by timothyx:*

*(211)* The group of heroes descend on a battle field of wounded... the party mage can carry 14 of them with his spells, but the party has to leave one person behind....


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hida_gaimetsuma:*

*212)* a huge battle with two armies charging each other. When a solider is killed and he hits the ground, the body stays but a copy of him charges in again. So the armies are fighting on hundreds of copies of their own corpses.

*213)* a magnificent manor sitting in the middle of no where. As the party approaches they see that every thing, the walls, the roof, the things inside of the house, are made from still-bleeding flesh and bone.

*214)* A town where all of the clothes are animated going about their normal lives, taking, working, playing etc, and knit new children instead of giving birth

*215)* a creature covered with barbed tentacles, bleeding from dozens of wounds. To hurt the party the beast cuts it self. Killing it seriously injures a party member ( maybe kills him)

*216)* same as above but if party member dies, he resurrects the next day and transforms in to one of these beasts and begins to hunt his former friends.

*217)* a pile of loot. if the party tries to take something they are assaulted by winds screaming " PUT THAT BACK!"


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by rizzolfish:*

*218.* The PCs find an abandoned lightning rail station with a working lightning rail, no stones are left around but the rail itself is intact. Inside, the ghosts of all the passengers that were supposed to use the lightning rail that day are patiently waiting for it to leave the station. Any member of House Orien who boards the Rail is asked when it will be leaving and what the hold-up is. If the PC's can get some conducting stones and move the Rail, all of the passengers will be more than happy to talk about what has happened for the last few years they have been waiting. Once the Rail leaves the Mournland, the PC's have a now-haunted but happy group of ghosts that ride around with them.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*219.*

The party find a small girl, dirty, ragged and unhappy, but alive and well. She apparently has been subsisting off what knowledge her farmer parents taught her to forage; interestingly, the mutated, sparse vegetation and animals of the Mournland are purified by her touch, and she heals the small portions of the land as she goes (she can heal the PCs), however the corruption soon returns. The girl is frightened and lost, and the PCs are the only people shes seen in the years since the Mourning. If the PCs attempt to take her out of the Mournland however she sickens within a fortnight, at which point her gift starts to corrupt normal life into the horrors of the Mournland, she doesn't die for 3 months but becomes an invalid one month after being removed from the Mournland. Food and water turn grey, to ash or blood etc. and seem barely to keep her alive. The only way to heal her is to return her to the Mournland, where she must live; the only one who can survive there, condemned to a lonely life.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Here are some “lighter” ideas to actually give some people a little hope within the Mournland 

*220:* Once the PC’s reach the peak of a hill, cliff etc. a visible semi-transparent multi-colored dome surrounds a small village.  In the center of the village is a 40ft tower (50ft total with a large pole), the dome seems to be centered at the peak of the tower and covers the majority of the village, the parts of the village that are not covered and appear to be rubble, while the rest seem to be persevered…(this is completely left open)

*221:* An obvious entrance to a cave has been barricaded.  Deep (very deep) within the cave are survivors of the Mourning…It would appear that a small town has made their home here.  The people seem to have a magical artifact the can create food and drink at will!

*222:* PC’s come to the ridge of what was once forest, the trees are now blackened and withered.  Deep within the wasted forest blackened trees have been turned into living constructs, VERY much like the warforged.  In fact a warforged has discovered them and has been teaching them…

*223:* PC’s discover a Temple of the Sovereign Host within the temple nine priest (one for each god) worshiping their Sovereign.  The priest dare not exit the temple in fear that breaking the blessing that their gods have given them…

*224:*  PC’s discover a small pond where the water is 100% clear.  A white sand spreads about 15’ from the edge of the water in all directions (including underneath it).  The pond radiates with magic and no evil creature can get within 15’ of the pond, however the protection does not prevent missile weapons from evil beings to enter.  The water is pure and has the ability to heal wounds (1hp/1hr while touching the water or something like that)  Buried under the sand (under the water), is a greater dragonshard attuned to House Jorasco (this should be extremely difficult to find and is NOT in the center).

Remember, just there are probably issues or something odd about all of these (except 224, but you can have a great encounter with evil critters to offset things) Maybe, some survivors are content with the way they are, maybe others want to leave but are afraid, or maybe some are willing to go but are being prevented by the leader of the survivors.  Others could be some peoples could have deformities and where actually rescued after the Mourning etc.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by aelryinth:*

*225)* The party feels the ground shake from immense footsteps...poom...poom...poom...getting closer. Little pools of water all about are vibrating with each heavy step...

A very large Warforged Titan comes out of the mist, and sees them. It's head is surrounded by sickening yellow-green flames, and the construct's features are overlain by the spectral visage of the fiend possessing the construct. The warped and distorted spectral body of the fiend seems to trail after every motion the warforged makes as the trapped and insane fiend screams, and the Titan heads for them...

*226)* As above, heavy footsteps, but this time, a half-fiend tyrannosaur looms out of the mists and gives a happy cry on seeing fresh meat. It looks impossibly gaunt, almost skeletal, but that doesn't change its hunger at all...

For even more fun, give it some elite barbarian halfling riders in a hookah, all with filed teeth and gibbering with laughter as they shoot bone-tipped arrows that wail in the air...

*227)* A swath of ground, blasted to sand in a cone, purest, unnerving white. Nothing grows there, and the mist seems to avoid the area entirely. It points a short distance away, where a viscous black smear bubbles and emits the Mournland mist, and each gasp of mist wails as it is pulled free of the corruption and rot and into the mist all about. Indeed, as the bubbles rip free of the tar-like filth, the oozing strands looks like malformed limbs trying in vain to hold onto the bubbles of screaming mist, as if clutching at pieces of their souls...

*228)* A crowd of people on their knees, heads back and mouths open, flesh blasted off petrified bones, arms spread wide, yet clothes immaculate. They are all facing due east. A priest of Dol Arrah leads this congregation who faced the doom coming for them.

*229)* Two lines of soldiers, swords buried point down in the glistening green grass. They wear the mark of Brellish and Cyran troops. Some of them are clasping hands as warriors, and all have resolute expressions on their perfectly preserved faces from where they lay.

*230)* The ground rumbles, and a stampede is coming! The ground seems to be open and there is no cover. A screaming horde of Dhakaani troops bursts out of the mist, screaming in terror as they whip mounts, throw away weapons and shields, and otherwise run howling for their lives. Just behind this whole legion of troops are others...humans, mostly, but a wild assortment of races in varying gear and nationality.

Sharp eyed party members will notice the goblins are all undead. If they can survive the stampede, being trampled, and being swung at by goblins frantic to get them out of the way, and the people behind them, too, they are fine. If any PC's are killed, one round later their corpse rises and runs screaming after the rest of the stampede, bound to try and flee the Mournland with the rest of the victims of the fleeing Dhakaani.

===Aelryinth


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*231)* A living Animate Object spell, inexplicably given a radius. The PCs see what looks like a patch of water moving through the ground towards them. They can't outrun it. As the "water" draws near, each and every inanimate object animates and begins moving around in a listless, largely aimless fashion. This includes all of the PCs' gear. Clothing might struggle to get free of the PC, or might give the PC a hug. Weapons might pull free of their sheathes and flop around like fish. The "water" effect is caused by every individual particle of dirt for 5 feet down animating and squirming around. I'd treat this as being caught in a bog or swamp as far as movement goes. Once the PCs stop moving, the spell passes over them, continuing off into the distance.

*232)* An alternative to the above. A living Animate Object spell has gained sentience and moves from one object to another until it finds an object it likes, then stays there. Imagine the fun if it's favorite object is a PC's helmet, doubly so if it's impossible to dispel. The PC would have to reason with the spell, offering it alternative places to inhabit.

*233)* A salamander (or other suitable extra-planar creature) was summoned by a wizard on the Day of Mourning and was protected from the disaster by the Wizard's containment wards. The Wizard's wards broke down long ago, allowing the salamander to roam around as it pleases, but the salamander has no way to get back home. It offers a reward to the PCs if they can somehow get it out of this dead, dangerous, grim wasteland and back to its lovely firepits.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by owatkiam:*

*234)* The party, marching along, looks back, and sees that what is behind them is a completely different scene! More over, if they all turn around to see, then when they turn back around, they see something completely different than where they were headed to! (DM decision whether this keeps happening every time they turn around, or whether its a single teleport like effect)

*235)* I just have to do this one... the players walk into a strange mist (even for the Mournland), when they emerge, they find the kingdom of Cyre COMPLETELY INTACT. One slight problem... Dorothy, Toto and company ain't in Kansas anymore...or Eberron for that matter. Welcome to the newest Dread Realm of RAVENLOFT!

*236)* Traveling along, a purple mist settles over the area, lit periodically by green lightning. Horribly, the PCs now have to make a fort save or be mutated themselves! Succeeding the fort save results in some damage, but no mutation (leaving the numbers out on purpose...size them to the party and the threat you want). Mutation won't give the PCs any bonuses, but will sure give them negatives on social interaction.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*237) *A demented and evil giant is putting on a macabre puppet show using human corpses

*238)* At the center of a never-ending blizzard, one that glows an eerie shade of purple, a woman of pale and frail beauty dances and sings to Cyran folk song. Those that see her become entranced by the song, and when they succumb to sleep their body is disintegrated into a fine violet dust that comprises the blizzard.

*239)* A man tills his fields in the middle of the Mournland. When asked why, he states plainly that his children need to be fed. He invites the party in for a meal, and offers to shelter them against the Mournland horrors as best he can for a night. Upon reaching his hut, however, the party finds that the man's family, unlike the man himself is dead. What's more, they've risen as ghosts, haunting their former home and driving their father mad with grief.

*240)* As with 239, but instead of the man's family rising as ghosts, their corpses instead sit, propped up, at the kitchen table by the man.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*241)* The PCs are going through a town.It, like most towns, appears unchanged.However, after a while the PCs hear a sound behind them.Those who turn around to see a large statue, or something similar, following them.It has a living animate object on it.Once it catches up with the PCs, it will attack until either all the PCs are dead or it's current "body" is destroyed.If that happens, the living spell jumps onto another convenient thus starting the whole process over again.The PCs either have to stop the spell from jumping to another object, destroy everything in town, kill the living spell, or simply leave as quickly as possible.It won't leave the borders of the town.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by Marshall_Stone:*

*242(?)* Okay, this is totally unoriginal but I feel it's fitting. As the day pass a fog/mist forms. A while later humanoid shapes can be seen coming in the direction of the party; Zombies. Zombies that want, "Brains!" Completely immune to Turning or control and with out an initiative penalty, Zombies, as many as the DM wants, formed from fallen soldiers roam the Mournland. They are in search of Brains to eat, the only thing that alleviates their awareness of their condition. They can respond to questioning but only say that they need to brains to no longer feel their suffering. The only way to truly put them down is to destroy the head. Otherwise if brought down to 0 hp they will heal, stand up and join their fellow zombies once more. If a Zombie is truly destroyed another New zombie soldier from some battlefield, somewhere in the Mournland, "awakens" and joins the band of zombies.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*243)* As the party enters the ruined metropolis of Metrol, they notice that every gate and door has been changed into the same single image. The gates themselves are wrought iron supported on two stone pillars. A frieze above depicts a fearsome infernal being tearing a solar apart. Wrought into the gate are the following words in Draconic: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." On doors, there is a depiction of the Traveler handing Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn (that dude in New Cyre) and Merrix d'Cannith a sealed envelope. Infernal writing encircles the image, warning viewers to "Beware the gifts of the Traveler."

-Gaunt's Ghost


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hola:*

*244)* the Tarrasque wanders casually stepping over your camp in the night DC 5 listen check to notice.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by missekat:*

*245)*
the players come upon a school, blasted but still reasonably intact. Inside the burned and blasted corpses a la nuclear bomb of the 5 grade students and their teacher still sit at the tables. On the blackboard someone has wiped half of the calculating lectiure and written in a badly shaken hand:

"And the lesson today is HOW TO DIE!"

*246)* same as above with this added: a bloody piece of chalk lies on the floor in front of the blackboard and bloody footprints lead from one torn opening in the classroom across it to the blackboard and on through the room, out another blasted opening.

They could belong to the principle of the school or an surviving but maimed teacher or student who now roam the halls of the school. He is flayed but alive, and quite insane.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I'm personally all about subtlety

*247) *The PC's shadows seem to be cast in different directions from one another.

*248)* Upon waking each PC that was sleeping (not on watch) has dreams of being attacked by a beast and wakes to find claw marks around them. The camp however, was not disturbed.

*249)* Dwarves find that they cannot stand the taste of ale

*250)* One of the PC's hair begins to slowly change color over the course of a few days. This is permanent.

*251)* A lone Dirgesinger (See _Libris Mortis_) is found walking around near the open graveyards singing laments to the corpses. As long as the PC's are within ear shot of his songs, no undead seem to rise. Any time the PC's try to communicate with the Bard, he looks at them and weeps, but continues doing his thankless task.

*252)* Anytime a cleric tries to use a cure spell, his hands go numb and he cannot move them for 2 rounds.

*253)* The PC's witness about 60 corpses rise (20 Cyre, 40 Thrane) and proceed to battle each other. The Cyran soldiers continually call out to the PC's to fall in line and assist them. If the PC's help the Cyran soldiers they lay down to rest for good once the battle is over. If they do not, the Thraneites start advancing on the party.

*254)* A child's corpse is fused into a wall at this torso, the child slowly scratches and claws slowly at the building and tries to attack the party, however, it can't move from it's spot.

*255)* As soon as one of the PC's tries to sleep (pick the biggest *******) he hears his mother's voice shriek in agony and it startles him awake. No one else hears the sound and the PC cannot sleep for the remainder of that night.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by hola:*

*256)* as the PCs travel across the Mournland they can hear a soft _"scrape.....scrape...."_ many times over that seems to travel with them, it is in fact the disembodied limbs of many Mourners crawling along powered by the effect of the Mourning and turned invisible by it following the PCs out of some fiendish desire to rend living flesh. They catch up to the PCs when they stop to sleep for the night.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

The collective efforts of this board have been breathtaking over the past few months. I knew we were making headway when my group absolutely refused to step foot in the place "I hate the Mournland. It's filled to the brim with creepy Children of the Corn and I can't heal there to boot." A PC said to me. 
'Twas a good day, it was. Then again, I am a sadist...

*257)* While sleeping, each PC hears and feels everything that happens to its body. Bugs crawl over their face and into their mouth (maybe up the nose!), you hear a distant wolf howl at a moon that never sets. An ogre growls right next to the ear and its hot breath on the face. Maybe the din of some not-so-far-off battle. Despite the stimulus, the PCs *cannot* wake up, nor open their eyes until a full 8 hours have passed. They experience it all as a waking nightmare, although one that shouldn't affect them beyond creeping them out.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 23, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*258)* the party stumbles upon a circus tent with undead clowns, animals and attractions continuing to perform even after their deaths. 

*259)* the players see a large group of people heading deeper into the Mournland they seam to be refuges who are lost in reality they will roam this land forever as ghosts.

*260)* haunting pipe music seams to be coming from up ahead when the player approach the music it seams to drift farther away till it gets to a woman with white hair and ivory skin her face is covered by her hair she continues to play no matter what the players do if the move the hair away from her face she has no face.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I prefer horrors that are more realistic, I find that truth is stranger than fiction, and that if the PCs can imagine something being feasible, then it lends to more fear. (Even though the stuff like melting puppy dogs still freaks me out as well.)

*261.)* The PCs lose time. They seem to be running out of supplies faster than they thought. Seem to be standing in the midst of battle while they were previously camping. They are not all losing time at once, some members can recall having detailed conversations with the ones that have lost time, which could have spanned any given amount of time, minutes, hours, days.

*262.)* Similar to the one above. The PCs finally make it home after accomplishing the task they went to the Mournland for. They spend some time at home, recounting their events, talking with friends, having a decent meal, when they slowly realize that they aren't really home, they never made it home. Little things are different, like people not remembering them, or their favorite pub closing down for no reason, or people they know to be dead they share a casual conversation with. When the feeling of wrongness hits them, they immediately snap back to reality, not knowing how that happened. It doesn't have to happen while they sleep either, just suddenly, they are standing, in the Mournland, weeping, screaming... "This can't be happening!" Roll a sanity check!

*263.)* Slow, droning music starts to play over the terrain, a dirge, slowly building... slowly making you sad, or angry, reminding you of how much you hate the other PCs... Why did you come here? It was all the wizard's idea, right? You hate the wizard, and his superiority complex. A well placed dagger in his neck should do the trick. (wizard is killed by the rogue) Music still plays... Why did you come here? It was all the paladin's idea, right? You hate the paladin and all his hypocrisy...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Howdy all, first time poster on these boards. I hope my humble contributions are up to par.

*264.* As the PCs enter the Mournland, they start to experience short spurts when they're short of breathe, which after a few days feels like choking feelings. This goes on for a week, fatiguing them, as it feels as they can never find enough air to breathe normally. After 7 days a random PC goes into a coughing fit and dislodges a bloody piece of dirt from his throat, that looks to have bits of his own lungs and aesophagus in it. He/She is unharmed but probably should be shaken up. A few days later the whole group experience the same thing, except the coughing causes full body tremors and spasm, racking them with pain. The same random PC from before starts to feel something moving underneath his/her skin on the left arm, and when examined a large, blood covered maggot bores out and leaves a horrible, gangrenous wound. The night of this incident all PCs will suddenly wake up to find them themselves buried just below the surface of the ground, struggling fruitlessly to free themselves from the earth, just as they can feel hundreds of the maggots come from all sides, biting and squirming into them. If they can't make strength checks in time to free themselves and their comrades, they're infested and slowly eaten alive over the course of a day.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*265)* The party comes across Orinsh, a village just inside of the Mournland. All the inhabitants of the village, despite being of myriad races, ages, and genders, acts in a singularly calm, serene manner eerily similar to one another. They are model neighbors, expert dancers, surprisingly good psions, and fond of headdresses. 
The reason becomes clear after encountering the mayor: a Kalashtar Telepath of unsurpassed power named Ravqitar. He has been using _mind seed_ in an effort to create as many Kalashtar as possible, starting with every man woman and child of Orinsh, and the PCs may be next...

EDIT:Just as a note of clarification, Ravqitar's efforts are entirely futile. Mind Seed can overwrite personalities, but it can't transfer the quori essence of the Kalashtar Soul. Rav is one of the few surviving members of his line, driven to madness by grief and fear for the survival of his race, and, unaware of the futility, sees this as a necessary evil to winning the war.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by raziel_brokodar:*

*266)* At night (or all the time when in the Mournland) the PC's skin etc. can be seen through, allowing their bones to be visible. Creepy when you look at your fellow party members and you see their skeletons. 

*267)* The party comes across a tree that has corpses hanging from all of it's branches! I call it, the Corpse Tree! All corpses can either have their mouths open as if screaming or if you want them to, they can be screaming! (then you can call it the Screaming Corpse Tree) 

OR if you're feeling crazy, there can be dozens or more trees like that... maybe the screaming corpse tree forest! (if you're really feeling insane)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*268)* In Metrol, the shattered Jewel of Galifar...
A bard sits on a hill, bringing surreal calm to the the Mournland. Suddenly the place feels like a mundane twilit landscape, The party approaches, and he bids them hello cheerfully. He's preternaturally happy, and speaks thus:
"The name's Grinner. Why am I so happy, you ask?" He speaks gleefully as the party mounts a grand staircase outside of Vermishard palace "I'm one of the lucky half of this city. Vermishard's mists stole my life the minute I breathed of them. The rest died like _that_" 
The party mounts the stairs, and the merry bard points down the lane, revealing a pile of bodies. Inspection reveals every one of them strangled each other to death... men, women, even children clasping each others' throats while locked in a wide-mouthed, teary eyed death grimace.
"What are you fooling with that pile for, sir?" The bard continues, walking through the pile as though it were air. "I was pointing beyond it. Trust me, they got off lucky too. You wanna see people I *really* feel sorry for? Come right this way..."

Frankly, I've tried and I can't think of a worthy follow-up to this, though I imagine someone else can. I welcome any effort


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> *268)* In Metrol, the shattered Jewel of Galifar...
> A bard sits on a hill, bringing surreal calm to the the Mournland. Suddenly the place feels like a mundane twilit landscape, The party approaches, and he bids them hello cheerfully. He's preternaturally happy, and speaks thus:
> "The name's Grinner. Why am I so happy, you ask?" He speaks gleefully as the party mounts a grand staircase outside of Vermishard palace "I'm one of the lucky half of this city. Vermishard's mists stole my life the minute I breathed of them. The rest died like _that_"
> The party mounts the stairs, and the merry bard points down the lane, revealing a pile of bodies. Inspection reveals every one of them strangled each other to death... men, women, even children clasping each others' throats while locked in a wide-mouthed, teary eyed death grimace.
> ...



How about:

Opening a grand set of double doors reveals a chamber splattered with flesh. Like the rest of the bodies in the mournland, none of it has decayed. The room actually seems to be packed with refugees. Their badly mutilated bodies seem to have had the flesh carved away from the bone. Inspection reveals large, ***** boils on some parts of the skin and on the pieces of flesh which are scattered all about the room.

"They all came here to hide after not initially dying. Then the boils appeared. It pained them, prevented sleep, and began driving them mad. Then that poor fool (he gestures towards a smiling near-skeleton) went and cut out one of those boils. He told them it felt better. They carved the flesh from their own bones!"

Looking around the room some more shows little food and a knife, which had been out upon a makeshift shrine. It not only detects magic, but leaves an evil taint which shows up as a moderate aura with _Detect Evil_.

"But that wasn't the worst. The wounds didn't kill them. They just kept cutting themselves to pieces and not dying. They actually starved to death."

Grinner begins playing again and anybody from Breland recognizes the song as a lullaby about getting food tomorrow sung to the beat of a bawdy pub song about getting drunk and womanizing.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by missekat:*

Grinner walks singing and smiling from the room and you follow him outside again. He walks to the back of the building, where the stables are. Time seems to be frozen here. Birds hang in the air, trees and grass seems to be frozen in a movement suggesting a whipping wind and the people..

Only two people remain upright here. Four lies on the ground, dead, with stab wounds in their hearts. Two small boys, an very old woman and an even more elderly man. In front of these dead people is a fair-haired woman dressed in a bright green dress and a crown of summer flowers. On her right hand a golden wedding band can be seen. She is kneeling in front of a man wearing a matching band of gold, and wielding a bloody sword. Both of their faces show terror and desperation. His sword is only inches away from striking her heart.

"Ah!" Says Grinner and smiles that merry smile. "This is my favorite. The farther.." He points to the standing man. "Knew of the coming doom and hastened to save his family from a fate worse than death. He reasoned that no horse would be able to outrun the fog, so he lined up his parents, his children and his wife and killed them as fast and merciful as he was able. He wasn't quite fast enough though." He walks to the man and waves his hand in front of the stiffened face. "He IS aware that you are here, my friends. And he is also aware of what he has done. So is she." He turns to point at the blonde woman. "But do you know what the best part is?" He looks at you and then slowly smile. "Time DO actually move here.. just very VERY slowly. His sword has only moved a fraction of an inch since the day of mourning. But some day.. in maybe 50 or 100 years.. the sword will reach her, and just imagine how many eons it will take for it to push through her flesh, to reach her heart and kill her?" He smiles again and shrugs.. "But such is the curse of the Mournland. We all have our own little piece of hell here. Now just watch your step, or you might get one of your own." He winks at you and laughs, then takes up the tune again.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by sereno:*

*269)* After cresting a hill, you come upon a tranquil pond in a sheltered hollow amid the hills. The area around the pond seems untouched by the effects of Mourning, for at least a few yards or to the tops of the surrounding hills.

A large willow tree shades one bank of the pond and cattails and rushes sway and rattle lightly in a cooling breeze. The occasional croak of a frog can be heard and somewhere, out of site, a splash of a jumping fish can be heard. 

Even the gray mists overhead can be mistaken for normal clouds on a slightly overcast day, the sun seems to be actually shining through a little. Like most ponds, the water is slightly greenish with algae and the bottom of the pond cannot be seen.

Nothing will come to harm traveler who choose to camp here. The sense of peace and comfort will continue, so long as no one touches the water of the pond.

If anyone does touch the water, however, the entire pond shatters like a mirror struck by a hammer and collapses into the bowl of the pond. The bottom of the pond is parched and cracked like desert clay and littered enough bones to be the population of an entire village.

Soon after, the willow tree and the cattails and the rushes dry up and turn to dust. The unaffected land quickly succumbs to the effects of the Mourning and the hollow between these hills becomes like all the other; dead and blasted. The sense of peace departs at the shattering of the pond.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by capfalcon:*

*270.*

While the party is traveling through the Mournland, they come across a man who is building a large house. He notices them and begs them to help him finish the house because he has been working since the day of mourning. Every morning the house returns to its original state as if the man had done no work on it. if the party decides to help he is ecstatic and offers them food and shelter so they will be ready to start the next day. After they finish the next day, he grabs a parchment and runs into the house, telling the party to stay out. Moments later the building explodes and the Enlarged fireball cast from the scroll engulfs the house and the party. After the fireball passes, the party sees the house exactly as they found it the previous day with the corpse of the man man burning in the window.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*271:* The PC's see a man (or woman in the distance) as they approach describe one of the players (not the characters) as well as you can saying that he/she is shackled to a stone wall connected to ruins. If they try to draw his/her attention he/she will look up at the PC's and say "I've been waiting for you now help me get out of here!" he/she will then draw a dagger from his/her side and begin cutting his/her leg. Whether the PC's help or not he/she will disappear when they cut off his/her leg or leave him/her (metagamers may be more shocked as roleplayers but both will probably be disturbed)

*272:* The PC's find a ruined keep with no one inside but it is obvious that a battle took place there...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by missekat:*

*273.* Any kind of evidence that earlier parties of adventurers has been here and failed to escape alive, such as an abandoned camp with scattered bodies. Make the faces of the dead terrified and the hair white. Or make the bodies mangled beyond recognition, though the terror works better for me 

Footprints from a large group of people with horses, leading beyond the next hill and then suddenly disappearing.

An airship flying overhead and then crashing when it gets beyond sight, (they WILL hear it and see the smoke), and when they get there all passengers are dead or just gone.

A great thing could be to make several of these events all with a common theme in the deaths of the people, so that your players will be terrified of meeting the "creature" that does this.. and pretty sure they will too. The dangers of this is that it might create an anticlimax if they never meet the thing. This may be somewhat avoided by a lot of mysterious rolling of the dice when ever they camp, walk, or just look over their shoulder. They would then feel they just narrowly avoided the Thing.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I think the airship thing once it crashes you cant find the body or the ship but you can find the site of the crash (IE: scarred land and rubble) O and the story is called "Around the world in 80 days"


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by nurgan_the_drunked:*



> Biped zombie babies.



gave me this terrifying image:
*274*: The party come across a dead woman, who has a giant bulging glob of flesh coming from her stomach. A patch of this seems to sink inwards, repeatedly, until eventually it is released, appearing as a hole into her bloody flesh. Two pudgy fleshy hands rip the hole of skin apart, and an grotesquely obese infant, grown since the womb and surviving by eating his dead mother's flesh, begins to emerge towards the party.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*274)* The ruins of a House Jorasco enclave lie on top of a hill. One room is filled with dead pregnant women, who were obviously going to give birth before the Mourning occurred. If they are inspected, one notices that small thumping noises are coming from inside the pregnant belly. . . is this the children, saved by their mothers' wombs from the Mourning, or have they, too, been mutated by the Dead-Gray Mists?


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*275:* The party finds group of another group of adventurers that ask to accompany them because "There's safety in numbers" the other group will talk about the beauty of the land before the Mourning and how their families died during it. After several days (or hours whichever you prefer) the PCs will find a graveyard and the other group will tell them to wait there as they do something. The other group will go into the graveyard and won't comeback. If the PCs go in to search for them they will find several graves marked with the other groups names.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*276.* When camping for the night in Mournland, the characters wake up to find out their clothing and armor bearing rips, tears and bloodstains like those made with weapons. 

*277.* The characters find a desolate and obviously ruined farmhouse. Upon further investigation they find the bodies of the family huddled in the cellar, preserved for eternity. 

*278.* A gruesome scene of a man pierced by an arrow from behind. Preserved inside a clear block of glass. The man's eyes turn to follow the characters around. His mouth is open in an eternal cry of pain and small droplets of blood still hang "in air" inside the glass.

*279.* A Woman crucified to a dead tree. When approached, the woman begs the character to help her down. If they do, she attacks like a ghoul. (the paralyzation effect on touch replaced by intense pain felt when hit by her)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*280.* Thick black sludge covers the ground. It is of very thick and oily consistency and it smells quite bad. If the characters sift trough the substance they find a pile of weapons and armor. All the non-metallic parts seem to have been dissolved, leaving only metal and minerals. The black substance is crude oil, resulting from the soldiers' bodies and the organic parts of their equipment.

*281.* A field of helmets. A field of military helmets from all countries covers the ground. Most of the helmets are cracked or pierced, bearing obvious marks of battle. The helmets are placed in neat rows and lines and the field covers quite a lot of ground.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*282.* The Party enters a destroyed house in a ruined village. Among the rubble are the bodies of the family, along with several valuable possessions. However, anything the PC's pick up melts into blood

*283.* While in Metrol the party sees the ashes of a parent huddling over two small children burned into the wall

*284.* Upon entering the Mournland, the PC's see a corpse just a foot away from the border, hand extended in a futile attempt to escape.

*285.* If one of the PC's is from Cyre, they enter their home town to find their mother's perfectly preserved corpse sprawled over a letter asking why the PC hasn't written her recently, and expressing worry that something has happened to him.

*286.* A variant of the previous one, the PC finds the corpse of the boy/girl next door slouched over a letter which tells how they are finally ready to tell the character they love him/her

*287.* They find corpses of Cyran, Brelish, and Darguun warriors all kneeling in a circle, heads bowed in silent prayer.

*288.* A Carcass Crab has the corpse of someone the PC's know attached to it


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> *281.* A field of helmets. A field of military helmets from all countries covers the ground. Most of the helmets are cracked or pierced, bearing obvious marks of battle. The helmets are placed in neat rows and lines and the field covers quite a lot of ground.



A variation on this one:

*289.* The PCs hear shouting from over a hill. "Sound off! One, two, three..." It sounds like a drill sergeant for an army. When they walk over the hill, they see a field covered in army boots. The boots are laid out as if their owners were standing in their ranks, at attention for the drill sergeant. The officer's ghostly voice whips across the still field. . .


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> A variation on this one:
> 
> *289.* The PCs hear shouting from over a hill. "Sound off! One, two, three..." It sounds like a drill sergeant for an army. When they walk over the hill, they see a field covered in army boots. The boots are laid out as if their owners were standing in their ranks, at attention for the drill sergeant. The officer's ghostly voice whips across the still field. . .



*290)* As above, both the boots are marching in place.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*291)* A seemingly unaffected village is filled with people... Except only their eyes and clothes are visible.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by manyfist:*

*292.)* As the PCs enter the Mournland each PC hears a Small female or Male child depending on gender, "Mother (or Father), you came home!" yet only each other is present.

*293.)* Upon staying in the Mournland for two days, the PCs come upon a group containing two Karrnathi Skeletons and Two Karrnathi Zombies. Should the PCs go any closer the undead will not attack instead they will ask for the PCs help, should the PCs help the Undead they will crumble into dust. Should the PCs attack the Karrnathi Undead will let off a Scream before disappearing, 1d4 rounds later a Soldiers Journal should tell you how they died, upon opening the journal, it will disappear as well.

*294.)* On the Darkest Night and when a full moon shines in the sky, Mournland will 'Rewind' it self before the event known as "The Mourning" this includes ghostly images of those who died. Should the PCs see such event they all must make a will save (DC 15) or go Mad, if they succeed they will see first hand what happen. Yet, that night they will lose all memory of such event, until next time.

*295.)* 1d4 days after traveling inside The Mournland you'll see a Pair of Halfling children and a Pair of Ghouls Playing and singing ring around the rosies. Should the PCs approch or attack, the group will disappear yet you can still hear "Ring around the rosies, pocket full of posies, Ashes to Ashes, we all fall Down" as long they stay in that area. Should they let the song go on the group will fall down, and 1d4 Skeletons will rise from the Middle, then attack the PCs.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*296:* a PC finds a near perfect replica of a town that they grew up in, however, the childhood friends appear to be puppets, with button eyes and skin sewn together like cloth. they try to get the PCs to play with them as if they were peers. If they stay long enough pair of puppet parents come to him the PCs "home for dinner now" were they try to keep them in the twisted version of the house, in which the PCs can never escape - the house twists and morphs into a never ending collection of more hallways. The mother and father puppets appear around each and every hallway trying to get the PCs to come eat with them so they can have there presents after dinner. The present is in the basement, were they force the PCs onto a table with unearthly strength and starts "sewing" them into puppets.

I got this creepy thing from a very creepy book called Coraline, and I'm afraid I just didn't do it justice.
You should read the book:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

*297:* The PCs find an abandoned house totally empty. If they spend more than 3 minutes there they start hearing a argument upstairs. When they reach the room upstairs, they find all the pictures and portraits have there faces cut out. on one wall, all of the faces are stuck to it with bloody pins, surrounded by flies. in the closet there are corpses of the people with there faces removed.
This one is too gruesome to use in my campaign, but I figured some of you could use it


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*298)* The players find a sort of swamp giant. It has several humanoids that are obviously long dead and have parts of their bodies slit and sticks jammed into them. The giant puts on a "puppet show" with his gruesome makeshift puppets. If he is attacked the puppets will come alive and attack the PCs (spellstitched zombies with +10 against turning, they can be of any medium or smaller species and there are about 11 of them) if they are all killed the giant will begin fleeing or attacking (depending on the Level of the PCs)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by raziel_brokodar:*

*299)* After I night of nightmares the PC's wake up with blood-soaked bedrolls, clothing and whatever else you see is fair, maybe their waterskins are filled with blood.

SWEET! #300 is next!    ...and it better be good!


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Hey everyone, thanks for the huzzah, Missekat, this is the only thing I ever put on the boards that was remotely popular, so I'm happy too. In addition, I hope nobody minds if I take number 300...

*300)* Driven to find shelter by a supernaturally cold night, the party is drawn toward a small manor with a smoking chimney. Those that explore the basement find a still-burning furnace raging with a sinister green flame. The trapdoor of the furnace lies open, and sparks fly onto the fine Aundairan rug, threatening to set the rug on fire and burn down the house. Approaching the rug, the last thing an unwary explorer sees is a charred skeletal hand poking out of the furnace before the carpet rolls them up and tosses them inside. Even if they get out of the fire, the green flame burns their very soul and cannot be put out by mortal means...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*#301.* A free standing ladder that disappears out of sight into the sky. DM decides where or if it goes anywhere.

*#302.* A field of nooses growing from the ground. Something appears to fill the center part of the loop, but otherwise appears to be drawn tight as possible. If the PCs put something through the loop to see what's holding it open the loop tightens, the other nooses spring to life and try to entangle the PCs, and gravity reverses pulling anyone caught in the noose skyward. Otherwise loops are normal rope, and they can be broken/destroyed like any other rope. Once the loops entangling a person or items they're holding/using gravity goes back to normal.

*#303.* A stack/inverted pyramid of coins disappears out of sight into the sky. All a PC needs to do to get a coin is remove it from the stack. The coins are normal, stay in PCs possession after removal from the stack, and the PCs can take as many as they want. However, DM or dice roll may decide that removing a coin destabilizes the stack and causes it to collapse on PCs. If PCs try to climb the coins DM decides where if anywhere they go.

*#304.* A freestanding closed/open door is found. PCs may open/close it easily. DM decides affects of changing the doors positions. Perhaps a great unending wind/wall of water comes out of it, the PCs find themselves immediately locked behind the door in some room, the weirdness of the Mournland drains into the now opened door leaving normal barren land behind, or whatever the DM wishes. If PCs go through the door DM decides what if anything happens.

*#305.* PCs see a long line of humanoid figures dancing. If they get close they see a Warforged Piper at the head of the line, notice that the dancers are various undead as well as other living adventurers (always near the line's end), and hear music at which point they must make a check to see if they're drawn into the line of dancers. If drawn in they can be knocked out by other PCs but cannot leave of their own will. All others in the line may also be knocked out of it. Undead attack without question. Other living adventures may or may not attack. All non-undead aside from the the Piper must continue to make checks until getting far enough away not to hear to the music. If the Piper is disturbed he may or may not be friendly at DM's discretion. If unfriendly treat him as a high or Epic level Bard and the undead attack party as well. If friendly perhaps he promises dancing and joy for all after death or during life for Warforged since the dancers only die form starvation. Maybe he wants to be guided out of the Mournland to bring his message to the world at large and if done could grant spells to followers.

*#306. *A giant sphere of objects (weapons, clothes, food, chairs, etc) is seen traveling at varying speeds. It can make 90 degree turns instantly without losing speed and perform other bizarre maneuvers. Objects are cast off the sphere at random and other objects lying unattended fly to it at random. Any objects in the PCs possession that touch it are stuck, and the PC as well if they don't let go/take it off. Living and undead do not stick to the sphere, but it can crush them. If the PCs attempt to talk to it the sphere stops and talks with them, but it says nothing useful. Indeed it seems generally unaware of most everything. However, it is willing to talk for as long as they are, and it will ask for guidance outside of the Mournland. It mentions that it may be more aware/knowledgeable outside of the Mournland. In any event PCs cannot remove items from the sphere, and it cannot willing relinquish any item though it claims it would if it could. If led outside the Mournland it begins to make increasingly bizarre claims such as saying it is a god, is come to create a new afterlife, is come to heal the world, it come to end the world, etc. Where it has rolled the land becomes like the Mournland.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*#307:* Every night, one of the PCs hears a sinister voice, cackling evilly. The voice is unidentifiable at first, but it eventually becomes apparent it is the player's own voice. From that night forward, the character must make a wisdom check (DC 10+ number of checks succeeded) or take one point of temporary Wisdom drain. this drain lasts until the PC leave the Mournland. Should the PC's Wisdom reach 0, the PC takes one step towards evil, and their wisdom returns to normal. When the character's alignment changes, the process starts over. Should the character reach evil before leaving the Mournland, it becomes permanent, and nothing short of a Wish spell, or a cursed item can change it back. The PC then becomes obsessed with slaughtering their old comrades, and, when successful, release the evil cackle that started it all.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*308.* The characters have survived their harrowing trip to the Mournland and have returned home. Then one evening the fog starts to rise from the manholes and creeping towards the characters. Is it just their imagination, or has the Mournland followed them home? (Insert glimpses of familiar horrors inside that fog for effect)


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*309)* The party smells something terrible from miles away. Should they approach it, they find a band of filthy cannibals surrounded by a squalid camp full of half-eaten human corpses that are still disturbingly fresh. At the center of it all, a crystal statue lies. It's a Kalashtar who crystallized himself on the day of mourning, and now any who look upon him can't bear to leave...


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*310)* one of the male characters has drawn the attention of a female ghost who is in love with him and will rush up and hug and kiss said victim.
 If the character does not leave the Mournland soon he will soon be loved to death.
*311)* a wagon with undead oxen walks past the party on a path the back of the wagon has a mound of moldy hay with the sounds of a man and a woman talking about what they are going to do when they get to Vathirond.
*312)* the players notice a field of white snow? In reality it is a field of finger bones crawling toward then like inchworms.
*313)* the players see moonlight filtering through the brown mists illuminates an orchard of apple trees the apples have screaming faces on them.
*314)* the players come across a little wall made of skulls surrounding a little house made of bones.
*315)* a paper floats down from the mists on the paper is scrawled please leave this cursed land for it watches you as you stand on hollowed bones of those once dead, it waits and eats on those it finds, with in its meadow you do stand.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*316)* In the ruined city of Metrol the party finds a Warforged standing in the ruined town square. He is fused from the waste down with the podium that great announcements were made from. Approaching him the party can hear the presentation, strange alternate pronunciations in which Cyre has won the war. 

*317)* House Sivis has just received a missive from the city of Metrol, timed and Dated minutes before the Mourning. Its from House Cannith, and in the background of the sending the cries of terror can be heard as the mist rises...

*318)* The party finds the royal gardens in the middle of Metrol miraculously normal.In them stands a man seemingly unharmed and rigid as a statue. He turns slowly and as he does the last traces of normal life in Cyre vanish as the Blighter lets loose his destructive power.


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by raven_dark_02_dup:*

*319)* When the PCs find themselves in a child's playroom in one of the Mournland's ghost towns, all of the doors and windows slam shut trapping them inside (locking as an arcane lock spell) and several of the toys come to life (as per animated objects) to ambush them.

When the toys spring to life, a milky white substance begins to pour from their eye sockets.

Also, you can throw this little puppy into one of the adventurer's packs when they aren't looking. Have it haunt them long after they leave the Mournland.


> *THE UGLY DOLL*​
> Bards tell tales of an ancient witch who manufactured evil dolls to go out and spread her vile form of evil throughout the lands. This tale is usually dismissed as the beginnings of a child’s horror story, but little do most know that the story does have some truth to it.
> 
> *Ugly Doll (Minor Artifact):* The ugly doll appears to be little more than a crude doll made of buttons, cloth, and straw. However, when held up prominently (usually in the direction of a chosen target or targets) and the proper command word uttered, the doll allows the wielder to create a _Cause Fear_ effect (DC 11) up to five times per day, a _Fear_ effect (DC 16) up to three times per day, a _Phantasmal Killer_ effect (DC 16) once per day, or a _Weird_ effect (DC 21) once per week. If used in this manner, the doll appears to transform into that which the target most fears. The Ugly Doll does not radiate a magical aura of any kind nor does it radiate an evil aura. In addition, this doll is also an intelligent item and shares the statistics of the following ugly doll example:
> ...



Wouldn't it be neat if Betty ended up in the hands of a noble's daughter? Trying to destroy the artifact would certainly upset the young girl...and throw her father into an outrage ("_Trying to steal from my little girl!? Take them away!_").


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## RealAlHazred (Sep 24, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*320.* In the middle of the Mournland the characters find a large hole in the ground that appears to be a whirlpool formed from earth. Although it is a very slow process, it is still sucking the ground inside it. Where it goes, nobody knows.

*321.* The characters come across a Cyran prison camp. Originally housing prisoners of war, it is now filled with undead. Some of the undead are still wearing the uniforms of the characters unit...


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by jpwyrm:*

*322)* The party enters a ruined village. Everything is burned and corpses litters the ground. In a square, burned children lie everywhere with marks of slashing weapons living gaping wounds in their small bodies. If a worshiper of the Silver Flame or the Sovereign host is in the party, the children rise and begin to weep. They advance slowly towards the character and hugs him/her in despair, calling their mom and asking the "Nice woman" or "Benevolent man" to help them.

*323)* Something looking like a cloud of mist approach the party. On closer inspection, the mist is in fact a distortion in reality in which they can see soldiers form Thrane and Aundair in deadly battle. As the mist move, so does the image and combatants shifts. If the players thread to close to the phenomenon, it jumps on them, sucking them into the middle of a battlefield from the Last War. (Idea on a Major Image Living Spell)


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*324)* While taking a hike through the ashes, the party hears crying coming from within a farmhouse. If they inspect, they find a small girl huddled in the rafters of the barn. She begs the party to help her escape the Mournland, and introduces herself as Maslin ir'Wynarn. if the party does help her, than upon exiting the Mournland, she turns to ashes and is blown away on a breeze (DC 10 listen or so and the PC's just might hear a whispered "Thank you" trailing of into the wind) Her brooch, which bears the symbol of the ir'Wynarns, could be used as a plot hook (trying to inform relatives of hers, and possibly finding out that she was Queen Aurala's little sister or something)


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*325.* All the corpses in a ruined town resemble the PCs.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*326.* The party stumbles across a lake that has turned into a perfect mirror. Apart from being a very slick and dangerous surface it doesn't show the players reflection, just their gear. 

*327.* on the banks of aforementioned lake a petrified fisherman stands, a mirror-sided trout hooked on his frozen line. 

*328.* There's a glassified shark fin poking out of the mirror lake...


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*329)* Globes of light roam the Mournland, moving at tremendous speed. When they pass, you can hear a child giggling.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by timespike:*

*330)* Rain that falls UP instead of down.

*331)* Mushroom patches with screaming faces patterned into the brown spots on the mushroom caps.

*332)* Armor that obviously used to belong to a paladin, inscribed with holy symbols and celestial writings, curled on the ground in a fetal position, completely empty.

*333)* The silhouette of an adult racing to shield the silhouette of a child, burned onto a wall.

*334) *All food the PCs have, from anywhere, screams in agony and begs for mercy in the voice of a terrified child when eaten. New screams issue forth with each successive chew, and the pleadings grow ever more desperate as the food item dwindles from consumption.

*335)* A wall made of little skulls, all of them too small to have been adults and with the wrong skeletal traits to have been a halfling or gnome...

*336)* A warforged, with its limbs burned down to stumps and its face cloven off, writhing on the ground in the middle of a small crater, completely oblivious to any outside stimuli. Anyone trying to establish telepathic contact is subjected to a _phantasmal killer_ spell, CL 15

*337)* A single, perfect flower growing in the middle of a field of total devastation. Looking at the flower reveals a skull pattern on all of its petals and what appear to be the finger-bones of sentient creatures incorporated into its stem.

*338)* An enormous (Gargantuan-sized) humanoid shaped indentation in the ground with an inch of fresh blood inside. No footprints of any sort are visible around it.

*339)* The ground suddenly develops footprints and gets churned up as though an army of thousands were marching over it.

*340)* Water that the PCs brought with them bursts into flame when poured on the ground.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by missekat:*

I saw the movie "war of the worlds" and the one image that really terrified me was the burning train crossing in front of the main character. 
The thought of being trapped inside a burning train, with no way to get off, just driving on on the rails, never stopping, always burning. *Shudders*

*341)*
The characters comes to a lightning rail trail, (_conductor stones_ and all) and as they make to pass through they hear the warning bell sound. A few seconds later they hear other sounds as the train nears: Screaming can be heard and the roaring of flames. As the characters watch, the burning train drives by with flames trailing from the windows and the screaming, burning forms of the passengers clawing at the windows. The shocked characters stand awhile looking after the train as it rushes on in the predetermined path, with the ringing everyday sound of the warning bell in their ears.

If the characters tries to stop the train or find the end station, they discover that the train simply stops when it reaches the border and starts driving the opposite way in its trails. The doors are stuck, melted shut.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Felton Glimmergrimms was a true bookworm. Once a member of the Korranberg Library, he was driven out by Gnome politics and resettled in Cyre in 975 YK, where he constructed a seaside tower using warforged Labor. _Prestidigitations_ and _unseen servants_ kept the books dry, despite the weather, and his warforged guards kept everyone from tax collector's to Darguun marauders out. He had hoped to live out his life studying the books he loved and plotting the downfall of the Korranberg Library. Unfortunately for him, the Mourning had other things in mind...

*342)* removing a book from its place on a shelf causes the others to fly forth and pelt the offender 
*343)* the ghost of Felton, a hideous, giant earthworm with a gnome face haunts the upper tower
*344)* merely touching a book does 1d6 of fire damage as the flesh instantly loses all moisture and becomes cracked and leathery
*345)* Looking over the tower balcony on the top floor reveals several corpses lying at the base; suddenly the character feels a shove forward...
*346)* A pen writes in a book all by its own; no hand guides it. It's writing pleas for help...
*347)* ALTERNATE: the pen in 346 is describing a grisly murder
*348)* Dire Maggots infest the earth beneath the tower and attack any who tread near...


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

:evillaugh Warning, this post will make the weak of stomach puke!

*#349*
Have the players hear a terrible scream coming form a large and mostly intact house. If they go to investigate they hear the scream again followed by the giggle of a small girl. When they arrive in the kitchen, they see a 5 year old girl (actually a ghost) with a bloody white dress and on the table is a corpse that has been ripped to pieces and has been blood-eagled (had its rib cage split and its lungs wrapped over them) and is of indeterminable gender due to massive grafts and shredding. On the stove is a pot that has red steam floating over it. In the pot are eyes, fingers, and any other body part that the girl could fit in, all of which are being boiled on the blood of the corpse on the table. When the girl sees the party have her say "Oooh, more play-mates! Let's play hide and seek." and then disappear. The door's and windows to the place lock and the party hears giggling at random moments and find mutilated corpses all over the house, some appear to have bite marks in them.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*350.* There is a intact house in the middle of the waste. The mortar smells fresh, the flower-beds are just planted and the paint on the window-shutters is still wet. It has been this way from the day of Mourning, as proven by the ever fresh corpses of a young man and a pregnant young woman. There's some fruit in the garden and the fields outside have just been planted. Somehow their home survives

*351.* A massive sword, still bloody and battered from an apparently recent battle lies in the ground next to a corpse of an ogre. The sword cries softly lamenting the deaths it has caused. It calls out the names of it's victims between sobs.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by count_nerindil_...:*

I have not read all of this thread yet so sorry if there is something out there that resembles these.

*352)* The PC's enter a small town that looks to be unaffected by the cataclysm. However the people that live there all have knives protruding from gaping wounds all over their bodies. They all have a knife sticking out of each eye. They seem to see the party and attempt to greet them cheerfully. They approach them smiling but as they open their mouths to greet them all that comes out is the shriek of a dying rabbit (or some other animal. But that is one of the most disturbing sounds I can think of.) If the PC enter the city hall they find the mayors office. Inside they find a creature that resembles a drider except that the upper body is human and it seems to have the affliction as the rest of the town. His arms and his eight legs, however, are long shards of black glass.

*353)* As the PC's cross a barren stretch of land they see an infant in the middle of the flat field, playing with some toys. It seems to be oblivious to the party. If any of the PC's attempt to touch it or pick it up, it lets loose a scream of pure anguish. Its flesh melts away and its toys burst into flame. It's tiny skeleton sprouts wings and flies away.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Note: This is a guide for GM's who want to make a scary story out of a mere traveling trip through Mournwood, but it's fun to read anyway...

*354.)* As the PC's enter a swamp, they hear an earthquake-like sound coming from the ground beneath them. As soon as the party looks down, a group of
disgusting, squirming, bloody tentacles (2 ft. diameter) rip out from the ground below! They push, crush, and finally impale the entire party within an elapsed time of 15 seconds... 

Suddenly, the entire party awakens, without a big hole through their chests (from the impaling) and notices one of the tentacles lying on the ground next to each PC. Suddenly, 1 PC feels a nausea and vomits out a small, black ball which shapes into...

_Level 1-5:_ Shadow
_Level 5-10:_ 3 ghouls 
_Level 10-15:_ 10 owlbear skeletons
_Level 20-30:_ Nightwalker
_30+:_ Your choice (Must be undead, and over 150 HP overall)

*355.)* There is a mysterious area in a dark, cold part of Mournwood where a small, wooden log lies. If your party enters this area for some reason, they will HAVE to stop by this house for some reason. As the party enters through the door, the PC's see a random humanoid of small or less size, crouched in a corner of the first floor of the house, holding either a crossbow or spear. In front of this humanoid is an icy-white girl about 10 years old. She is wearing a black robe, and is floating in the air, staring at the small creature curled up in the corner, who is paralyzed with fear.

Suddenly, the girl lifts up her hand, pointing it at the poor little thing in the corner of the cabin. Immediately, the creature squints it's eyes, then opens them. The creatures' eyes are instantly turned black, it's as if the creature's whole eye has become a pupil. The creature jumps up onto a table, either shooting itself in the face, or stabbing itself with a spear (depends which weapon you gave the thing.) A greenish-blue specter rises from the now-dead being and floats, disappearing into the floating ghost girl. She suddenly turns around.

The PC's can see her eyes, red, with a white pupil. She instantly screams and flies toward the party. List of possible actions and results...

_Run:_ Nearest to ghost will be victim
_Stab the ghost:_ The sword will instantly turn back on the owner, stabbing the PC's head, killing it instantly, regardless of HP.
_Shoot the ghost:_ Arrow will stop, turn back, and kill the PC who shot it.
_Cast magic on the ghost:_ Magic will be negated
_Attempting negotiation:_ Oh, you know...
_Trying to be a hero, and jumping towards the ghost: _The "hero" will fly towards a pillar and is stabbed , instantly dying 
_Trying to distract the ghost:_ LOL : The "distractor" will meet me "hero" shown above 
_Holding up a lantern or torch (lit):_ The ghost will scream and disappear
_Holding up a lantern of torch (unlit): _Eek:

The victim of the ghost will have to make a will save (DC 35) or instantly kill itself. The idiot who tried to distract the ghost and the people who died will instantly remove the sword or arrow from their head and be recovered to full health after their bodies are dragged at least 100 ft. away from the house, or after the ghost disappears. The idiot who killed itself will have temp. Constitution penalty until the PC rests for at least 10 hours. If you checked carefully, where the ghost disappeared will be a memo stating...

She's dying, our precious Kirsty is dying. She is dying because of a disease in some meat, because of those chefs! Why? Why did it have to be our precious baby!? I hope, in death, this memo will explain to her why she died. So that she may not haunt this place, killing everything! Oh, why? I wish I could stop this from happening, but I can't. Oh, I pray that in death, she will live a peaceful afterlife. And I hope, IF she does haunt this place, someone can bring light to this place and send her to a happy afterlife. Please, someone help us. Help...

I'm going to have nightmares for weeks now!


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*356)* The PCs find a tall disfigured skeleton that seems to be charred thoroughly. If touched it will groan and its fleshless rib cage will begin slowly moving up and down as if breathing but will not attack.

*357)* 2 copper pieces are lying on the ground. If one is removed below it there is a glowing eye and a hand will reach up out of the ground and grab the offenders (the person who took the copper piece) neck and they will hear in a hoarse voice "Give it back! I need that to pay the ferry man!" If they do not give it back they PCs will be haunted with horrible nightmares and the next time they come to a river or stream there will be a tall, ragged looking humanoid with sunken eyes and cuts on her body. She will attack the PC who took the copper and try to drown them screeching that she is trapped on "this side forever without the ferryman". If they replace the copper with a more valuable piece the PC will be visited in a dream by a beautiful woman who gives them 3 uses of the _speak with dead_ spell free.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by jelmore:*

These are great... I've only read up to about 100, but I'm going to throw in my own ideas. (Apologies if I accidentally swipe someone else's ideas.)

Aurual environment:
*357)* The players enter an area where all sound bleeds away to dead silence, except for the voice of one of the party members; each player hears a different party member.
*358)* The players enter an area where all sound is time-shifted; they can see peoples' mouths moving and watch their movements, but voices and the sounds of armor clanking, weapons creaking, etc. don't reach them for 30 seconds.
*359)* As the players walk through a wooded area, they occasionally hear murmured voices from 20-30 feet away, in all directions. Investigating the sounds turns up nothing. Cyran players may hear familiar voices.
*360)* The players enter an area where words in spoken conversation are occasionally replaced with random words.
*361)* A gentle rain falls on the players, yet where it meets uncovered metal armor or unsheathed metal weapons, drops hit with the sound of a hammer falling.

Visual effects:
*362)* The players enter an area where all color washes out of the light. Everything appears in shades of grey.
*363)* The players enter a misty vale that seems to refract light oddly; everything seems to be 5 feet away from where it actually is. Players bump into trees, trip over rocks, collide with each other, etc.
*364)* For Cyran players: every once in a while, one of the other players looks like a friend or family member you lost in the Mournland out of the corner of your eye.
*365)* Looking at the color red causes' players eyes to sting and burn. 

Tactile effects:
*366)* The hilt of your weapon, staff, or bow occasionally seems to squirm or wriggle in your grasp.
*367)* A gentle breeze blows past the party; every once in a while, it feels like the caress of a hand on the player's cheek.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

Liane the Wayfarer said:


> *Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*
> 
> Note: This is a guide for GM's who want to make a scary story out of a mere traveling trip through Mournwood, but it's fun to read anyway...
> 
> ...




*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> Right. That's such a good way to get a nice, scary game. "DO ANYTHING BUT HOLD UP A LIT TORCH AND IT'S A TPK!".
> No. Just..no.



Ok, you've got a point, but I'll change it into...

The PC's can see her eyes, red, with a white pupil. She instantly screams and flies toward the party. List of possible actions and results...

_Run:_ Nearest to ghost will be victim
_Stab the ghost:_ The sword will instantly turn back on the owner, stabbing the PC's head, killing it instantly, regardless of HP.
_Shoot the ghost:_ Arrow will stop, turn back, and kill the PC who shot it.
_Cast magic on the ghost:_ Ghost disappears
_Attempting negotiation :_ Oh, you know... 
_Trying to be a hero, and jumping towards the ghost:_ The "hero" will fly towards a pillar and is stabbed , instantly dying 
_Trying to distract the ghost:_ LOL : The "distractor" will meet me "hero" shown above 
_Holding up a lantern or torch (lit):_ The ghost will scream and disappear
_Holding up a lantern of torch (unlit):_ The ghost will ponder a bit, then disappear.
_Make a will/fort. save (DC 25):_ Ghost will disappear

The victim of the ghost will have to make a will save (DC 35) or instantly kill itself. The idiot who tried to distract the ghost and the people who died will instantly remove the sword or arrow from their head and be recovered to full health after their bodies are dragged at least 100 ft. away from the house, or after the ghost disappears. The idiot who killed itself will have temp. Constitution penalty until the PC rests for at least 10 hours.

Don't worry, those who died resurrect with full HP after the ghost disappears or the bodies are dragged at least 100. ft way from the house. By the way, the ghost has 50 ft. speed, okay??? NOW, is it better?


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> Ok, you've got a point, but I'll change it into...
> 
> NOW, is it better?



Honestly, I think it was fine before. You just have to give clues as to how to defeat the enemy. If they find the note before they enter the house, and perhaps see someone else try to attack the ghose and see the result, that might be enough for the wary PC. For the less puzzle inclined, a prophecy given to the cleric or paladin with daylight as one of their granted spells: no option.

You could do this days in advance. They could have a week of travel and encounters before this spell becomes useful. But the gods refuse to let them take another until the menace is defeated.

On that note:

*368)* The cleric prays for spells, but seems to only be granted _Inflict_ spells. Puzzled, and slightly alarmed, the party proceeds to find a band of Silver Flame missionaries. The clerics are undead, but still believe they are living. They turn towards the characters and declare that the PC's are near death, but not to fear, for the clerics will cure them. The spells they cast are indeed _Cure_ spells, but instead of not working, they are changed into _Inflict_ spells. When the PC cleric casts an _Inflict_ spell, it casts as a _Cure_ spell and can heal party members and damage the undead clerics. Experimentation reveals that this zone is less than 100ft across, and though sinister, they can heal here.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by jelmore:*

More creepy environment/minor effect stuff...
*369)* The hungry party stops to rest and break opens their rations to the horrific smell of spoilage and decay. The food is actually fine, and is perfectly edible; but meat smells rancid, fruit smells rotten, and bread reeks of mold.
*370)* Along similar lines, the party finds any dried or cooked meat they brought with them has reverted to a raw state. Meat cannot be cooked -- even sitting directly in a fire, any meat stays wet and raw.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by jelmore:*

While I think most of the ideas here are pretty good, I'm not a fan of the ones that break certain basic assumptions about the Mournlands or Eberron in general.

For me, the "you cannot heal in the Mournland" rule is a pretty fundamental one to me. I'd be worried about a lazy DM throwing in zones that allow for natural or magical healing to give beleagured players a break, even if they are counterbalanced by risk. (As a reality check: unless entering such a region meant near-certain death, regions in the Mournland that allowed for natural or magical healing would have quickly become the site of encampments and outposts, as people searched for survivors of the Day of Mourning.)

Another thing to remember is that as we enter the campaign setting, Eberron is in a state of pretty serious change. The destruction of Cyre, the end of the war, the freedom of the warforged -- those are all recent events in Eberron's history, about as far back in the past as 9/11 is in the real world. Things in Eberron today are not the same as they were during the Last War, especially where warforged are concerned.

Just my two cents, and YCINMC (Your Campaign Is Not My Campaign)

Jay (=


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*371)* your party continually finds Riedra Monoliths in the Mournland.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by jelmore:*

Four ideas for living spells (because I don't have time to work up the stats  ):
*372)* An amalgam of _spectral hand_ and _shocking grasp_; a bluish-grey ooze, being pulled along by scores of hands with jolts of electricity arcing to the ground, nearby metal objects, etc.
*373)* Arrowpudding: a spiky ooze, bubbling and hissing, with tiny jets of flame issuing out as it crawls. It can fire _flaming arrows_ and _Melf's acid arrows_ at nearby creatures
*374)* Holdooze: A dark grey ooze that hits creatures it touches with _hold monster_, knocks them prone, and smothers them.
*375)* Sphereblobs: Bouncing, rolling balls about 8 feet in diameter start bounding across a plain towards the party. If they hit a creature, they envelop him or her in an _Otiluke's resilient sphere_ and won't let go...


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Here's one that'll get the PCs killed:

*376)* A small house, seemingly unaffected by the Mournland. When they looks in the windows, all they see is their own reflection. (One-way Mirrors)
There is no door. If a wall is broken in, an orb of nothingness slowly floats towards them.

OR

*377)* The house has a door. If the PCs enter, they see that they're in a small laboratory. Beakers and test tubes, and several machine parts lie around, as well as a flight of stairs going down. If they go down, they see several operation tables, each holding down a corpse with warforged parts grafted onto vital parts of their body. (Head, Stomach, etc.) An old man sits in front of one of the tables, scribbling over paper. If the PCs try to disturb him, he turns around just before they do, exclaiming in a raspy, psychotic voice. "Done. This time it'll work for sure... Just come here and let me test it." The stairs collapse, and the man produces a rusty knife. (Make his ECL 5 levels higher than the Pc's Party Level.)


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by sereno:*

*378)* The PCs come upon a small brook that seems to appear out of nowhere and flows for a few hundred yards along a rocky, mossy bed, and then disappears into thin air, again. From a distance, the water looks clean, wholesome, and drinkable; but, when the PCs draw closer, they see that the deeper parts of the stream are filled with schools of animated fish skeletons. Anyone drinking the water will be affected as by an Inflict Light Wounds. Anyone bathing in the stream will be attacked by a swarm of piranha-like skeleton fish.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by londhiel:*

*379)* Dead warforged raise from the dead and start hailing PCs something like yes sir, Slash (name of warforged) reporting to duty, enemy broke through our last defense line... If PCs tries to make a verbal contact with him he ignores them and he continues with his battle reports.

*380)* Wind which whispers the names of soldiers who fought and fell for Cyre

*381)* Huge rocks from black and blood red stone so sharp that everyone just touching it gets 1d6 slashing damage and if a spell is cast at least 30 feet away from rock 1d4 ghosts are summoned from one rock and attack the Spellcaster


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by gunbunny:*

*382.* A monster that is feeding off of souls of those who died fighting in the battle creating the Mournland, producing a horde bent on leaving for the outside world and feeding on new souls because they are running out.
*383.* A gateway that defies the laws of Eberron that allows them you to move from plane to plane by go through it.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*384)* The party is walking along, and they notice the air around them turn bright red, tinting everything around the crimson. Then the lighting gets funny. Light shimmers and dapples in shafts and patterns similar to being underwater. Then a party member tries to speak. Nobody can hear him, but the bubbles are a dead giveaway for being underwater. Behind him, sinister fins loom a dire shark appears, swimming through a bloody sea that appeared out of nowhere.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by Draconan:*

*385)* The characters come to a small still pond, looking down into the water they see a pair of frantic teenagers hammering on the underside of the surface as if it is made of unbreakable glass.(you decide if it is or not).

*386)* The party comes to an area where the air is much cooler and they can see their breath but they might not like what they see.Instead of the usual transparent mist they exhale thick greasy black noxious smoke.

*387)* A small roadside shrine to the Silver Flame, it has an inscription: "For those who have fallen a flame still burns" around the base of the shrine there are a few items (sword, shield, helm, holy symbol, etc). If a character should take one of the items a silver flame appears about a foot above their head (_continual flame_ spell) and defies any means to get rid of it (a blessing and a curse).


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by serpentine:*

All of the following are based on the short story "The Mound" by Zealia Bishop, written in the Lovecraftian style. 

*388)* The party comes across the frantic journals of a Stavriel d'Phiarlan detailing an urgent message from Phiarlan HQ to get out of Cyre immediately, by any means necessary, dated just before the date of The Mourning. With the journals is a medallion of an unknown metal. 

On it's own, this could be a lead in to see what House Phiarlan knew about the cause of the Mourning, if anything. Their heads of House all survived, despite the headquarters' base being in Cyre. 

The journals do not need to be in the Mournland for the PCs to get them -- but they were found in the Mournland fairly close to the border. 

*389)* Near the edge of the Mournland, there is a hill marked by a particular apparition: a headless woman holding a flickering, blue-flamed torch. This is visible through the mists on some nights from the safe side of the boundary, when three or more moons are full.

*390)* Exploration of the surface of the hill produces another manuscript in Stavriel's handwriting, written in the polite dialect of Elven. It details the subterranean society of the inhabitants below the mound, who are seemingly ageless. The elf remarks that time flows differently underneath, and below the rich and decadent city of Tsath is the dark realm of N'kai. He wants to leave, although he has been treated well within the city for nearly forty years? 

His last escape attempt was a failure, and the woman of Tsath he tried to escape with was beheaded and killed in the hideous Arena of Tsath. The manuscript details the passage into the mound, as well as explaining that the passage is protected by the dead and partially material. Stavriel mentions that he believes that he has mastered the art of shadow walking, having developed his dragonmark over the years he has spent in confinement.

The manuscript, sealed in a metallic tube, ends saying that he must go.

*391)* Inside the entrance to the mound is a narrow passageway with carvings on the walls. There are artifacts from Cyran history laid neatly in the passageway: some very old, and some fairly new. Ghostly hands pull and pluck at the characters' clothing and limbs in this passage. 

*392)* At the end of the passageway, silently padding forward on the stumps of severed legs is a naked dead thing with no arms, genitals, lower legs, or head. Its skin is white and scarred with gashes, and its chest is slender and hairless. It stands like a sentry, moving jerkily through the animation of the undead. 

A huge and well-developed Greater dragonmark spreads across the scarred chest like a brand.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by sereno:*

*393)* (Similar to Draconan's 386) Another area of cold air, where breath turns to fog. However, the exhaled breath takes on the form of a wailing ghost, crying out in anguish. The breath-vapor phantoms slowly dissolve and their cries fade slowing into the silence.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*394)* A gigantic flying spaghetti monster appears above the characters and pasta sauce rains from the sky. Wherever the sauce touches, a noodly appendage grows. Treat this like a _Evard's black tentacles_, but with a strength of 6. The saucy, noodly appendages are edible, and may have some sort of additional effect.

See http://www.venganza.org/ for more information on the flying spaghetti monster.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by sooperspook:*

*#395.*

This should be somewhere in the center of the Mournland. The PCs come across a large building, somewhat weather worn but otherwise intact. Surrounding the building are walls, towers and other military defenses. Those with military training should easily identify it as a minor base though the defenses might be more than they would expect. within the building they find a cathedral like room. Those with religious knowledge will recognize various symbols and decorations around the room are connected to Syrania and Shavarath. The Cs will continually hear a very soft whispering but wont be able to make out what is being said. In the center is a strange metal/stone obelisk looking very out of place. Artificers and wizards will be able to work out this is an eldritch machine but they wont be sure what its use is. Closer inspection will reveal that it is hollow and through a hole in the side they will see and unearthly beautiful if somewhat androgynous humanoid strapped to a crucifix. The humanoid has what appears to be the bloody remains of wings on his/her back and feathers surround him/her on the floor. This close they can clearly hear that the whispers are numerous voices repeating "I'm sorry.. Please Forgive me.. I didn't know..." over and over again. There is no way for the PCs to contact this being as it seems unconscious.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*396)* If a party member is a native and the party enters his/her home town they find a dead young woman (could be sister, aunt, cousin, niece, old friend, even lover) cradling an infant. The weird part is that the infant is alive and well. If they take the child with them the party discovers that it never needs to be fed, have it's diaper changed, it never cries and it never grows and is immune to any effects of the Mournland. The baby giggles incessantly whenever something creepy or disturbing etc. happens. If taken out of the Mournland it starts functioning as a normal baby but still it never cries. It would grow up normally to be a perfectly functioning adult, kind and caring but with a dark sense of humor and still finds the morbid and creepifying to be funny. The cool part about this is that it could be the lost child of a party member.

For added weirdness, the child could be completely aware of what's going on. It's cooing sounding almost like speech.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Holly crap! That last one actually gave my right half a shiver! Not much scares me so I want to see more posts from you lol

Hmmm
*
367:* The PC's find a dog that seems quite well for something in the Mournland, it has dirty matted hair and flees but otherwise it's fairly well feed if not a little hungry and is friendly towards the PC's it also has peculiar fur markings of a totally white head, black body, white legs, and black spots around its eyes and along it's spine. After sometime the PC's may find a cave with similar dogs and about 50 humanoid skeletons but the dog continues to follow them. If any of the PC's is knocked down to 0 hp or lower the dog grabs them with its jaw and drag's them off (Treat as a war dog with 35 Strength) trying to drag them back to the cave for food...


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*398)* it begins to get very cold and snow begins to fall the only thing it is red with a hint of blood.

*399)* the party comes across a group of looters stripping bodies the only problem is their dead too.

*400)* the mists thicken into humanoid shapes coalesce into twisted parodies of people they know all crying out dark secrets about the after life.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

Hmmmm... I just realized this thread goes to 23 pages and over 1200 entries. At this rate, I won't finish in time, and I do have other gaming stuff to do. Time to post whole pages as a single entry, I guess.


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## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*401.* As the PC's make camp, darkness descends. They can't quite put a finger on it but this darkness seems somewhat.... off. As the watch drags on, the patrolling character starts beginning to hear faint whispers on the wind. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a dark shape run past into the shadow. Stepping out further to inspect he almost feels as though someone were barely putting their hands on his shoulders, whispering words he can't make out. The barest feeling of a kiss on one check and a soft caress on the other and he sees, again out of the corner of his eye, a dark shape, as insubstantial as shadow, running past (towards the camp this time). He finds nothing there but his comrades, deep in sleep. 

...But he hears the constant sussurus of soft and silent whispers that follow him into dreaming.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*402:* Your party comes across a town that looks like every other town left in Mournland, except that the lights are all on in the meetinghall. If the pc's look through the windows or door they see what looks like a dance going on. On closer inspection they see that all the people are quite dead, moving more as if jerked around than mobile themselves. Entering the building reveals a crazy wrinckled little old man playing a fiddle on the stage. He cackles loudly if the pcs try and talk to him offering someone for them to dance with. Once he offers corpses from chairs on the side of the room get up to dance with the players. They must save vs. Otto's Irresistable dance or join in. They can save as often as the DM likes, vs the DC appropriate till they escape the dance. Attacking the old man causes the whole building to colapse and the corpse to drop to the floor inert.

*Originally posted by serpentine:*

More dancing...

*403)* The characters discover footprints in the sand/dust/dirt. The footprints are moving and covering over themselves almost as if there was an invisible dancer caught perpetually up in the dance. (Alternatively, there can be more than one dancer.)

The dance is a Cyran tago, which most Cyrans would know; it was the national folk dance of Cyre. The only way to free the ghost of the dancer is to enter the dance as the dancer's partner and run through the entire series of steps in proper time. (Make a successful Perform: Dance check, DC 15 or 20)

*404)* A failed Perform: Dance check means that the PC's steps overlapped the dancer and gets locked into the dancer's routine, and it will take another PC to free the first one. 

Another Mournland explorer, who is too exhausted to talk, can be encountered locked in the routine: if so, the dance needs to be performed correctly twice; first to free the explorer and the second to free the ghost.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*405)* The PCs encounter a cluster of puppies, all of different breeds, that greet them with wagging tails. They bark like normal puppies, play like normal puppies, and otherwise act like normal puppies, except for one thing: They all appear as if they had the pseudonatural template

*Originally posted by nurgan_the_drunked:*

*406)* The charcters come across some very wet ground. While walking, of the feels somehting hit the underside of his chin, and feels a bit of a dribble there. Another feels something hit the underside of his hand, and within a minutes the PCs find themselves in the middle of a torential rainstorm, except that the water rains _upwards_ forming massive dark clouds in the clear sky.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

A Pile of something (weapons/bones/goods-doesn't really matter), and above this Pile, flies a dozen severed birds heads, constantly bleeding and making faint noises not usually attributed to birds (like cats/sheep/whales).

A giants hand turned to stone, being used as a ants nest, or something similar?

A ordinary pool, full of ordinary fish and wildlife, but floating 2 foot of the ground, with no discernable way of keeping it their!

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*408.* After a few night sin the mournland one of the elves in the party begins to have odd dreams at night. in them he relives the day that just went by but the light shed on his team is the light of diferent moons of the eberron world. Each morning the elf would awake with an odd tingle in his skin and as always shaken by the eery dream but right it off as nerves on edge form the mournland around them. The fourth night or so how ever the dream is diferent. The day is relived as always but the light is shed by a glowing orb he does not recognize. And furthermore as the day progresses in the dream something odd continues to occur. the elf begins to notice etching like markings in his own skin, blood red in apearance but only visible form time to time. Then as the dream nears its end everything the elf touches begins fading to dust, or wilting or dying if it be living. 
 When the elf awakes horrified by this odd occurance the markings on his/her skin are very evident in his/her waking form. they are a deep maroon tatoo across his/her whole body, and then a 13th moon joins the others in the sky over him/her and the horrific realization hits him/her about the same time a dark whispe rbegins in his/her head. He/she realizes that they have manifested the mark of death and the dark whispers in their head is the calling of the blood of vol to continue what she had started.

 Upon realizing this the elf woudl scream and awaken his fellow party members. They rush to them to see what si the matter and find the elf curled into a fetl position rambling about the mark of death. but the elf has no markings and even he/she can no longer see it, or hear the eery voice. but every night they remain in the mournland the dream of the thirteenth moon and the horrid red tatoo returns and the elf awakes in the same manner. Just another horror of th mounrland? or some evil truth hidden in the elf's past? Dm's Choice

Love this thread and have survived with out nightmares myself

KAMIKAZE! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*409)*As the party travels through the Mournlands along a deserted road, they see a bedraggled farmer staggering towards them. The man looks up and sees the characters and starts to run towards them loudly shouting “Hey people Yayyy”. As he gets close to them they can see that he is unarmed and despite his ragged clothes unharmed. He moves close to a female or least armored pc and weeping with relief hugs them and says in a hollow whispery voice “I need a new moooommmmy”. With a sickening  splitting sound a wet bloody little fetus climbs out of the farmers mouth and attempts to climb across and down into the characters throat (use a stirges stats sans flying).

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*410.* In the PC's dreams, he envisions himself walking through a densely wooded forest. Mist fills the air and its white tendrils sway entrancingly in the half-light. The moon is full and a deep orange; its massive shape obscurred by dark, wispy clouds like a lover laying amid carelessly tousled sheets. Almost floating between the trees, so graceful and lithe are its movements, a darkly cloaked shape beckons with a pale, perfect finger.

 The PC follows for a short while, catching glimpses of almost luminescent white from under the cloak as the mist slowly deepens. Coming to a halt in the shadow of an immense tree, the figure turns. A slender human woman stands before him, naked, her face hidden by the cowl drawn tight. So pale is she that she almost seems to glow, the tincture of night brightened by her seeming incandescence.

 The mist comes from all around, flowing, ebbing, brimming and cascading over all, and yet.... And yet... In passing her it seems possessed of new life. The mist coils in new forms and contours, shapes new silhouettes and semblances as though even the frosty night air were beckoning you closer.

 The barest of perfumes wafts through the night air, it's rich redolence a whisper, a promise, and an invitation all in one. The PC is drawn closer and the pale, flawless arms reach out, drawing the PC into a deep embrace.

 There the dream ends.

The PC slowly stirs, dragged through ragged clouds of unconciousness as light winds silver traceries across his eyelids with one last sentence softly breathed through his ears: "Wake... It is morning."

 Opening his eyes to the chill air he finds himself in the midst of his and his comrades' camp. Everything lies in its place, the fire long doused and his fellows bedded down for the night. 

It would be a beautiful morning had he not woken cradling a human skeleton in his arms, its soft curves so pale as to almost glow.

*411.* As the PC's walk along, anyone they're not looking directly at looks rotted and decayed. So as you're going, you keep catching glimspes of befouled corpses and zombies walking beside you.

*412.* As a bard starts playing (at any time), dozens of hands slide up from the ground (this isn't a violent action. More like you just slowly come aware of it) and start snapping in tune to the music.

*413.* Also for when the bard starts playing or singing have a voice sing the accompaniment, or a choir sing the whole thing along with him.

*414.* Anyone who travels with a flute-playing bard notices something strange that they haven't seen yet. When he puts his pipe to his lips and evokes its magic, the airhole at the end takes on the appearance of a singing face.
(Looks something like this: Dire Destiny )

*415.* Ooooor the pipe writhes and twists like a snake in his hands.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*416)* As the players travel through the Mournlands a very thick mist rolls in surounding them in moments. Vision is reduced to 5ft and the thick fog is cold, wet and slightly sticky, as the characters take in these conditions they start to make out faint outlines of people milling all around them.Then from behind one of the party members a thin breathy whisper softly pleads in their ear "please oh.....uurrrhhhh... gods please.....no more .........stop......... stop.....hurts so much......stop......arrrgggg........ breathing us".

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

:evillaugh 
*417*- You might want to speak to each player alone for this. As the PCs make there way through the mournland their tempers begin to grow thin. An ally may appear to be undead for an instant out of the corner of ones eye but a second glance sows nothing. They begin to notice their friends whispering conspiratorily and glancing at him/her. Sow the seeds of paranoia, maybe get them to think that Dopplegangers/Undead imposters/etc. 

*418*-One of the Pc's sees a loved one being tortured horribly and calling to the PC to help them. The pc's comrades hear and see nothing. The pc may have to make a Will save not to rush to their loved one's aid (or may do so willingly) In his/her haste the pc won't see the ravine full of jagged rocks, pit of serpents, etc.

*419*-Or to really freak them out have the bait not be an illusion but the real deal. Someone kidnapped unbeknowst to them and kept invisible to ones comrades. Just think, getting home just to realize that you left them behind.

wow...I'm evil

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Three ideas. Not really scary, but interesting.
*420)* In a relatively rocky area, the Party comes across a deep pool under a cliff, which bears a carving of a young woman, her face calm, yet sad. As the party watches, tears form from her eyes and drop into the pool, keeping it refreshed. The water is perfectly drinkable, although anyone partaking is overcome with a feeling of melancholy and loss. Anyone who adds his or her own tears to the pool gains a +1 moral bonus on attack rolls and saving throws against fear effects for an hour.
*421)* As they're walking along, the party spots a dot in the sky, in the distance. As they near it, they realise it's an airship, hanging in the air about half a mile above the ground. No matter how strong the wind, it does not move. If the party can gain access to the ship (through flight or teleportation, for example), they find it completely deserted, objects dropped haphazardly, and half eaten meals in the galley. A DC 20 search check reveals a Fine Khyber Dragonshard wherever an object is out of place. If they make their way into the hold where the Dragonshard binding the Fire Elemental should be, they either find it cracked (as though "Freedom" Had been cast upon it), or they don't find it at all.
*422)* The party comes across a plain of dust, in reality extremely fine ash. As they travel through it, they find that the dust under their feet hardens to stone when their foot nears the ground. Attempting to dig with anything other than a pick is useless, as the grounds is too hard to break through normally. An optional encounter is a group of Swarm-shifting undead, formed from the ash... either Wights, or skeletons.

Edited for grammar

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*423)* The wall of Dead-Grey Mist turns into a giant freezing fog spell. Everyone and everything slowly feels their body slow down, thier speech slur, and their senses dull until they are left in a horrible state of suspended animation, aware of every waking moment but unable to move. After about a minute, they find themselves suffocating after losing control of their lungs.

*424)* The party sees the wall of dead grey mist miles before they actually enter the Mournland. Looking ahead, they see the wall twist into a screaming face, perhaps a loved one, yelling at the party to turn back. A whispered plea arrives on a stale smelling breeze a few moments later, a crying sobbing beg that the party turn back or lose their lives among the horrors.

*Originally posted by mr._twist:*

*425)*    Right at the beginning of the “day”, pull one of the players aside (with everyone else watching).  Run the encounters as planned, passing a note the player that you talked to telling him that his character is thirsty.  The next morning, the PC wakes up screaming.  When questioned, he remembers nothing of the previous day, just endless sessions of torture.  Marks are still visible on his body, and he is severally dehydrated from loss of blood.  In his pack, lying on top of the empty waterskin is a note…
“Thanks for the drink.”

*426)*    As the group comes across the scene of a tremendous battle, one of the players (shield carrier) comes across his own shield.  It is the spitting image of the shield he presently carries (down to the present signs of damage / use – nicks in the paint, loose rivets, etc…) only much older (the “new” shield shown signs of repairs not yet made on the original).
Flipping the shield over, the PC sees his own arm still caught in the wrap (including any scars / tattoos / dragonmarks).  It has been burnt off at the elbow, and clenched in the dead fist is an unfinished letter in the PC’s own handwriting (although somewhat shakier then normal).
_  “Dearest Nathakra,
We have done all that we can, and my heart breaks to tell you that we have failed, my darling.  We all followed the instruction you gave, but they didn’t work.  Now all of the oil is consumed, and the hoards are closing in.  It’s almost as through we walked right into a tra”_
At that point, the letter stops.

*427)*    After the party returns from the Mournlands, and has had time to heal and forget, they are involved with a minor bureaucrat in some little office.  Everything is normal, until the Officials assistant introduces herself.
“Hello, my name is Nathakra.”

*Originally posted by Nived:*

*428)*A small hamlet is found in the mournland, everyone is dead, of course, however thier bodies have been defiled in an odd and disturbing way. The eyes are gone, they don't look like they were torn out or cut out... they're just gone. Also everyone's faces from the young, to the old, even an infant are twisted into demented grins. 

Later the eyes are found in a low depression outside of town, they are laid out in a strange pattern that look similar to a dragonmark... if this isn't just plain pants wettingly creepy enough, the eyes are all pointed one way (pick a character) and will follow that character should they move within sight of the 'symbol.'

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

You know folks, I find the ideas presented much more interesting if they don't involve combat (with the minor exception of Living Spells. Those guys, especially if used judiciously, are lots of fun)

I want to add one thing to one of my favorites from page 1:

*428*
_(Adapted from #31)_

In a medium sized town or small city, everywhere in town has the word "Why?" scrawled on it. The walls, tables, doors, carts outside, even the fountain in the square. Nothing else appears wrong with the town, just everyone is missing. Investigation reveals no signs of struggle.

As the characters eventually make their way out of town, and the buildings fade into the distance behind them, a soft whisper in draconic speaks to one of the PCs at random, saying:

_"Because they told me to."_

*Show*
[sblock]This is actually part of one of my three explanations for the Mournland. I use a different one in each of my Eberron campaigns, so players can play in multiple games and not have the story ruined for them by knowing the secrets ahead of time. In this case, Cyre was destroyed by the Chamber using draconic magic because House Cannith was trying to use Giant/Dragon magic in an Eldritch Machine. The voice belongs to the soul of one of the dragons who participated in the ritual. All of the dragons who participated were slain by the magic involved, something that even the Chamber didn't expect. Somehow the ritual went horribly wrong, but the Chamber ordered that it be completed regardless. In the end, a number of the now dead dragons who participated haunt the nation of Cyre as formless, powerless souls.[/sblock]

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*429:* Now for the horrifying and ludicris: The players come across a small group of what they think are halflings. That is until the group of them start gibbering in a strange language. If a fight breaks out these strange lil halflings use weapons that make a hoopack sound and keep pulling the strangest things out of their pockets. (Thats right the horror of horrors, kender have invaded Eberron)

*430:* If the party becomes lost in the mist, have them find a small pleasant village. Everything here is fine, the people are happy and healthy, the fields are green, the sky is blue. The only odd thing is the wall of mist around the town. Now the thing is people freak out if you wear any read, it attracts those from the mist. Anything red is destroyed and the people in the town try and make the players stay at almost any cost in fear of them angering those in the woods. (Loose the village inspiration)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Here's one. 
*431:* On a last war battlefield, the bodies of the dead lie everywhere. A small white cloaked girl walks up to the body of a soldier. After she finishes the body rises up, a look of terror on its face.

*Originally posted by Nived:*

*432)* Earlier in the game have the party meet and relate to another adventuring party (say in Sharn for instance) preferably the two parties will have friendly relations. Much later in the game while the party is in the mournland have them come across those NPCs, slaughtered in a horrible and brutal way... but not all of them are there. A little scouting around finds one survivor nearby, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth. If asked about what happened he'll start muttering. 

"They were tainted, all of them, this place... it got inside them. It wants to spread you see? Eventually everywhere will be the Mournland. It's already started... everyone that comes and goes, every piece of salvage brought out carries with it the taint... and now... it's in you! Don't you see? The mist is supose to keep it IN! BUT WE TAKE IT OUT!" At this point the lone survivor flips out and attacks the party. While undeniably mad, it's up to the DM to decide if this disturbed adventurer has any merit to his words.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*433)* The characters walk along and encounter a shantytown. Crates, canvas, and boxes form shelters of some sort. Rough utinsels and dishware litter the ground. People begin coming out of their shelters. Obvious wounds puncture their body. Some have limbs amputated, ohers carry malformed children, but one fact is undenyable. They are all undead. Dozens and dozens.

The lead one calls out to the Cleric (or Paladin, or other good-aligned character) and asks "Hey brother, can ya spare a copper? I got kids to feed..."

*Originally posted by missekat:*

Or how about:
*434)* The people isn't undead but Mongrelmen. Humans, elves and other races mutated by the blast of magic that razed the rest of Cyre. Somehow these people was spared the brunt of the blast and "merely" mutated. Now they hesitate to venture out into the surrounding lands fearing - and probably rightly so - the reaction to the "mutants" and "twisted beings".


----------



## RealAlHazred (Oct 5, 2015)

*Originally posted by solarious:*

Salutations, Poetic Justice! May a neverending torrent of nightmares flow from this thread and infest Mournlands across people's imaginations. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 They don't deserve any less. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




435) Randomly, in any location possible (within the Mournlands ), the PCs come across a number of statues made out of living, pulsating flesh, growing right out of the ground, walls, even the ceiling. And no, they're not any living, pulsating, flesh statues (is there even any such thing? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). The statues are blocky and rough, as if some mad sculptor began working, got bored, and decided to cast _Clay to Flesh_ on it for good measure. The only exception is that the faces are in exacting, calculating, perfect detail. Still and unmoving, although the rest of the statue might roil and squirm, the faces won't even be jogged an inch. And each of those faces/figures are easily recognizable as a significant person in the PC's quest and lives.

However, the real rub of all this is that its a vital clue in the PC's journey, no matter how gruesome one it might be. The PCs will likely be protrayed in an unflattering way, displaying some hidden vice that they must overcome at a later date. They might recognize one particular statue: actually, it's a single statue with multiple faces they can all recognize, a sign that a certain someone with multiple identities is stalking them. Wither it is a changling or a Thunnai/Philiarn operative is up to the DM. A person they know to have saintly qualities might have a towering shapless figure they can't determine what is directly connected from the back. Quori possession? Touched by Xoriat? Maybe. The PC's patron could have the most pleasent expression on his face, but is holding something you can't determine behind him because it's too rough. Is it a sign that they'll be betrayed? Is the patron hiding his true motives because he is being stalked by the Emerald Claw? Who knows?

And the final touch will be a completely unfinished statue in the midst of the other statues that's clay, in contrast to the other fleshy things, representing the PC's ultimate (insert DM cackling here. :evillaugh) archnemisis. Might a vaugely lizardlike statue represent a dragon? A Draconlich? A Demon? The Devourer of Dreams? Vol who just got supercharged? Or maybe a huminoid statue can be anything from a dragon in huminoid form to Orlassk the Daelkyr Lord of Stone. Sora Kell herself? Arren d'Cannith with some mad plot to turn the entire world into the Mournlands for his Warforged children?

Be creative! Be dastardly! Be utterly mysticaly-counfounding and cruel!

But above all, be disturbing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I haven't read this whole post, so if someone has done this then I am sorry.

436) As the players cross the endless plains of the mournland they see either a person standing with his arms behind his back and a look of pride on his face. Should they aproach he will laugh, then rapidly switch to crying and begin to thank them. He will hold out a dragon shard. However unlike normal this shard is without any internal color or power. When a player takes the shard from his hand a blast of white light, identical to a sunburst spell knocks all the players down. However no one can be killed from this effect. The player must then make a will save. If he fails the shard pulls free from his hands and becomes Living Imprisonment. If it imprisons any player the shard turns back into the person who the players originally saw. However the true power is worse if he succeeds on the save. All the players pass out and awake 3 days later. When the player with the shard awakens he hears a voice in the shard telling him about how to undo the mourning if he will only ask. Once he asks the shard fills his mind with the exact knowledge of how the mourning came to be and how it can be emulated. This knowledge drives him entirely insane. He immediatly begins to claw out his own eyes and tear at his own flesh. Once he has done enough damage to kill himself his body is turned into a 12 HD allip. The shard turns back into the person holding it and assumes the same position as before the players encounter it.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Thank you Solarious and everyone else for their kind words. I appreciate them, I really do, but I can only take so much of the blame for inflicting the horrors. Most came from the other, more talented posters on this board.

436.5) _The group woke to Arnaud's frantic, high-pitched squeal. It would have annoyed Tonal, had it not surprised him so; after all, it was the first time he had heard the Cyran laugh in four years.
"Yes! Tell me how to undo this! I beg of you!" But a moment later Arnaud's face turned to a vision of terror. Choked with tears, red eyes, and bloody snot streaming from his face he screamed. "It wasn't her! She couldn't have! SHE...SHE...I DON'T BELIEVE SHE..."
And with that he raked his face with dirt-caked nails. Tonal rose to stop him, but Arnaud had the strength of madness and kicked him solidly to the throat, sending him, choking, to the ground. Coughing, Tonal rose a few seconds later to find his friend with a ruined face clutching his chest and dying of a heart attack. Arnaud breathed deep, and on his dying breath Tonal could swear he heard the name "Mishann". After all was through, Tonal could hear a babbling and saw a black shroud hovring in front of him. Mindless drivel about betrayal, curses, and riddles filled the air as it lurched forward...
Tonal's enchanted sword made short work of the allip, and thankfully after being destroyed it fell, sucked by some unknown force, into Arnaud's body. He sat up coughing, face still marred with scratches, but remembered nothing of the event, nor of what the Dragonshard whispered that drove him to madness. For that Tonal could only shudder a little and be grateful._

I don't believe in killing off PCs (90% of the time, at least), and I think this scene would be good without the lethality, so I fiddled with it a little. Hope you don't mind, Rogue_Newb.

*Originally posted by solarious:*

Well, the Daelkyr has thousands of years head start on us. Even the Mournlands itself has a 2 year lead. The only way to even the odds is to pool our collective twisted minds to make our very own chorus of screams. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




And I would very much appreciate it that everyone who posts on this thread and/or comments to add at least a single idea to the list, even if its a one liner. It would make the thread look more credible, and who knows, the rest of us can expand on it for you... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Speaking of which... 

437) A grove of trees ahead in the mists has masses of hair instead of leaves growing on the branches. If investigated, severed heads appear to be growing hidden within the stands of hair, very dead, and dripping blood/smelling rotten/host to maggots/etc.

*Originally posted by Marshall_Stone:*

Sorry if this has been done before

438) As the party travels across the mournlands they come to a fallow field with nothing but an old scare-crow on a cross as it’s last inhabitant.  A farmer’s house stands at the edge of the field. The house is empty with nothing but a few pieces of furniture strewn about the place.  That party moves on and make camp some place else that night.  In the morning the scarecrow is found in the middle of their camp…and in the distance the party can hear the sounds of something big and mean coming their way.  If they manage to defeat whatever creature the DM sent against them, the next day the same thing happens.  If they destroy the scarecrow afterwards, the next day it’s back hole and sound, somehow attracting a monster towards the party.  Only a Dispel Magic and Remove Curse cast at the same time, while it gets burned, will stop the scarecrow from appearing each day.  And as it burns it screams out gibberish and madness.

439) The party comes upon an abandoned farmer’s house.  Inside it’s empty except for a few pieces of furniture strewn about.  Out the windows they can see a barren field with nothing but a lone scarecrow guarding it.  The party decides to make camp in the abandoned farmer’s home for the night.  Anyone on guard duty that night that looks out at the field will think he saw the scarecrow a little closer to the house then where it was before.  But as he stares at the scarecrow nothing happens. Not every time, but every so often when the guard looks out he could swear that the scarecrow is closer than it was before, until it seems to be near the edge of the field.  Finally the last time before he’s duty is up he looks and the scarecrow is gone…but suddenly there is a knock on the door.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*



> 436.5) _The group woke to Arnaud's frantic, high-pitched squeal. It would have annoyed Tonal, had it not surprised him so; after all, it was the first time he had heard the Cyran laugh in four years.
> "Yes! Tell me how to undo this! I beg of you!" But a moment later Arnaud's face turned to a vision of terror. Choked with tears, red eyes, and bloody snot streaming from his face he screamed. "It wasn't her! She couldn't have! SHE...SHE...I DON'T BELIEVE SHE..."
> And with that he raked his face with dirt-caked nails. Tonal rose to stop him, but Arnaud had the strength of madness and kicked him solidly to the throat, sending him, choking, to the ground. Coughing, Tonal rose a few seconds later to find his friend with a ruined face clutching his chest and dying of a heart attack. Arnaud breathed deep, and on his dying breath Tonal could swear he heard the name "Mishann". After all was through, Tonal could hear a babbling and saw a black shroud hovring in front of him. Mindless drivel about betrayal, curses, and riddles filled the air as it lurched forward...
> Tonal's enchanted sword made short work of the allip, and thankfully after being destroyed it fell, sucked by some unknown force, into Arnaud's body. He sat up coughing, face still marred with scratches, but remembered nothing of the event, nor of what the Dragonshard whispered that drove him to madness. For that Tonal could only shudder a little and be grateful._
> ...




*Originally posted by nurgan_the_drunked:*

440) The PCs find a region, possibly a city, possibly not, inside a massive _invisibility sphere_. They find themselves fading from view as they enter, and cannot dispel the effect. Even a See Invisiblity reveals nothing

Of course this is accompanied by an invisible monster attack, (after ominous sneaking noises from somewhere nearby in plain sight or the sound of a frenzied charge), or possibly a Cute Little Girl (tm o' doom), who could actually be virtually anything.

Any way, can I suggest people might also want to check out the "creepy events thread" in d20 horror. There's a lot of modern stuff there, but still some suitable weirdness for the mournlands.

*Originally posted by baronvertigo:*

441.) _"By Dol Arrah's locks, man, move!" Kessus and Averan kept running, sweat pouring down their faces. They'd been on the run for the last 4 hours, and their companions had fallen behind. They'd cast a glance behind them, every so often, to see if it was still giving chase. It was. "Oh, sweet Sovereign Host, I swear I'll go to temple every day of the week if you can just get me out of this one," Averan muttered under his breath. Averan felt the call of paladinhood early in his life. He wanted to promote goodness, and purity. He wanted to save people. He did not want to be on the run from something so horrible that he'd have nightmares for the rest of his life even if he did escape. "Shut up, fool! Move!" Kessus screamed at him. Every time Averan looked behind him, it was still there. Always at the same pace, though surely it couldn't keep pace at this speed, given its form. "I have to keep moving... have to keep moving... we have to do something besides run, Kessus." Averan looked to his side. Kessus wasn't there. "Kessus?" Nothing but low-lying mist surrounded him. Kessus was gone. "Kessus!" Averan became frantic. Go out into the mists to look for his companion, or keep moving, lest it catch up with him? A scream erupted from behind him. Averan could make out Kessus's form, on the ground, reaching his hand out to Averan. "Averan... help." Kessus let out another scream, and Averan saw his friend of three years sucked back into the mist. Another scream, this one higher... higher than Averan thought Kessus's deep, gruff voice could go. This time, the scream trailed off into a gurgling, incoherent death rattle. Averan ran as hard as he could, tears of fear streaming down his face. The mist was getting thicker, and he was having trouble navigating over obstacles in his way. He cast another glance behind, though he knew he shouldn't have. It was right behind him. He felt his foot strike something hard, and he knew the sensation of falling. Averan tumbled down into a ditch, landing on his back. He tried to rise, and keep moving, but the pain in his lower leg was a good indicator that he wasn't going anywhere. He could feel it out there, giggling at him. He wished he could tell his children how much he loved them. He wished he could kiss his wife goodbye. Instead, he saw it creeping towards him, finally emerging from the mist. Averan tried to steel himself... tried to be brave. He watched as the little girl pulled herself out of the mists, stumps where her legs used to be trailing blood behind her. He was so paralyzed with fear that he couldn't move. She grinned at him, and then screamed. Her mouth opened wide, wider than any young child should have been able to do. Four long tentacles slinked out of her mouth, and gave an anticipatory wiggle. She closed her mouth, and the tentacles slid back into her mouth, giving her the appearance of a little girl again. She slowly pulled herself up his armor. She was cold. Finally, face to face with his death, Averan opened his eyes one last time. She gave him the grin of an innocent child... and held up a scalpel in her right hand. 

"Play with me."

Averan's screams lasted longer than any of his companions. For 3 days, his screams sounded throughout the surrounding area._

A recurring dream the PCs have when they actually manage to sleep. Their waking hours begin to be much worse than the night... when they start hearing giggling coming from behind them....

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

442: A wretching tearing sound echos across the land in the early morning just before the group sets out after camping for the night. After a relativly uneventful day the PC's find a body missing it's head with a trail of blood going north twards a patch of extremley thick fog. As they enter they see that the fog is covering trees... foul trees with rotten wood and hooked branches reachinig up mournfully twards the sky like an upside down weeping willow. Occasionaly a random PC will notice a tree seem to shrug or shake. After only 30 miniutes of travel through this forest the PC's find a large tree with 2 bodies beside it and 3 heads twisted in the branches as if the tree had tried to choke them...

443: The ground splits open in an bone chilling gasp revealing blackened teath and a hole with a radias of about 40 feet. A feted breeze passes in and out of this gap as it rises out of the ground knoking everyone around it away (Treat like a bull rush from a monster with 80 strenght) that only knocks the creature 10 feet away and dosn't move with the creature, It rises high into the air revealing a long snakelike body with blackened bones. (If the PC's attack it it has an AC of 47 and HD50 it's 80 feet long, It does not attack back) and flies off fading into nothingness.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

444) The characters encounter a pit which smells strongly of rotten eggs. Eminating from the pit are sounds of lamentation and gnashing of teeth. Looking into the pit, it is surprisingly shallow and ordinary. If anyone jumps into the pit, sound stops. All sound. The characters are effected as if they are in a silence spell till the person climbs out of the pit. The problem is movement is now different. Every 10' traveled is only an inch. The pit is only 7' deep, but the character must completly climb out for the effect to end. Once out, sound starts again, teeth gnashing and all.

445) The characters feel different. It feels like tendrils are grappling at them all over. Especially at their heads. After a few minutes, they realize they are feeling, acutely, their own hair touching their skin. Releaved that this poses no threat, they continue. And then all their hair falls off and gathers up into a (Insert name of hairy creature that has an electrical attack. It was in the 1st Ed Field Folio.), which wanders off, seemingly oblivious to the characters. Then the Dwarf begins to cry...

*446)* A Dire black Unicorn is busily eating a human corpse. It is muttering to itself "...eat them, gain their power..." It will attack any Humans in the party, but excuses itself to any Elves or Orcs for the rudeness of having to eat their friend. (Remember that Orcs in Eberron are Druids...) Oh yeah, it breathes it's hit dice as a fiery breath weapon. Mercilessly ripped off from _Legends from Darkwood_. Very cool. Go out and buy it.

*447)* A spiral staircase, silvery in color, extends upwards from the ground. It alse extends downwards, but is made of a hard, cold, unintifiable black rock. No end can be seen in either direction. The beautiful sounds of a flute eminates from the upwards spirals. (Ripped off a song AND a book. Let's see if I can do better...)

*Originally posted by capfalcon:*

The PCs are on an average scavenger hunt mission, but when they get to where XXXXX of Doom (tm) is, they find that it is missing with a note saying "Hello and good day to you fine adventurers. If you want that which was once here, go 3 miles to the north and knock, then you will be shown the way to where the xxxxxx of Doom and myself are."

If the pc's follow the directions they arrive at a tree. If they knock on the tree a door opens, revealing a ladder straight down. at the bottom of the ladder is a room with a door on the other end and a gnomish skull, with the top of the skull cut off, on a pedistal. The second a person enters the room, the ladder flies up and vanishes, and the skull starts speaking. 
"A forest without any trees, a lake without any water, a city without any buildings. What am I?"
The answer to the riddle is a map, of course. But if you look closely you notice that the skull doesn't ask that. The skull asks what am i. which is a talking skull. If they answer wrong, they get 3d6 of skull exploding goodness, with a reflex of dc 16 for half.

Next room.

Same room as before except a lever is infront of the skull, with the skull saying,

Push me.

If they pull the lever, they get 5d6 of skull shards. if the PUSH the lever, they get 3d6 of skull dust in the eye. both with a reflex dc of 16 for half. Then what are they supposed to do you ask? Push the skull.

final roomish thing.

There is a fork in the hallway. when they get to the end, they find the same room as before minus the lever. The Skull says "WRONG SIDE (insert evil guy laugh here)"

so what do you do?

if you go back to the other fork, you see and hear the exact same thing. if you go back AGAIN, you see and here the exact same thing, IF YOU GO BACK AGAIN... i think you can see where this is going.

what do you do? go around the pedastal and press the button on the RIGHT side. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




if the pcs are still alive and they havent killed you yet, there is a gnome sitting on the floor, surrounded by a pile of brains. all of the brains are connected to his skull. He is quite insane and will complement the pc's on getting this far, then he'll start asking about how the pcs can live with only one brain.

If they ask where the xxxx of doom is, he points under a pile of brains. as soon as they touch the pile to get to the xxxxxx of doom, he yells and collapses and starts writhing in agony and beg them not to touch them.

and im stuck. i cant think of anything else.

*Originally posted by sereno:*

*449)* The PCs encounter a small farm where an sickly, emaciated farmer tends crops that are obviously dead or blighted. He even throws feed to skeletal cows and chickens (animated, but harmless). Inside the farmhouse, the skeletons of the rest of his family (wife, 4 children) sit around the kitchen table where they died on the Day of the Mourning. No amount of persuading can convince the farmer that his farm is dead.

*Originally posted by trobon_the_orange_02:*

First of let me give a BIG 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 to all of these. I was reading them at 11 in the morning and was still creeped out by them. I am about to begin an Eberon campaign with my friends and will be doing a large Mournland adventure using a large combination of these.

This is basically what I am thinking of:

It starts out with the players heading along the old tracks of the lightning rail. They are supposed to make there way into the mournland and then head south towards the field of ruins. They are going to retrieve a family symbol for a widow of one of the soldiers. After a day of travel they begin hearing sounds and a light coming from right ahead of them. If they head towards it then they reach a group of young girls in bloodstained gowns dancing around a person hanging from a tree. They are all singing in very eery voices, "Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies. Ashes, Ashes we all fall down." At this point I will make a Will check for all of the players secretly and mark the one who scored the lowest. If they interact with the girls nothing happens and the girls get back to the circle as quickly as the can.

That night the player who scored the lowest wakes up hearing the sound or hears it during his watch. He can make a willpower check (DC 25) to not follow the sound. If he does follow the sound then he sees the same girls dancing around another corpse. Upon furthur inspection the chartacer finds that the corpse is his own. At this point they make a Fort Check (DC 20) or vomit and pass out. If they fail the check then they wake up either in their bed or in the chair where they were keeping watch although they still smell of vomit.

As they continue on the player with this vision will see every once in a while, out of the corner of his eye a pale horse and a rider dressed all in black. However, before the can do anything to find out about this person the fog will swallow the figure up.....

I plan on doing more for this and will add the new parts as they come to me, but for now I have to make the adventures I'll be running for the month until then.

*Originally posted by missekat:*

Hail Trobon the Orange.

This thread is a godsgiven gift from Poetic Justice. I just ran SotLW in my campaign and I freaked the H*** out of my players.

WARNING! SPOILERS!!

I started out with having them make several Will and Fort saves as they entered the mist at the border.. just to freak them out. They all had high rolls, so everyone feels safe for now. :evillaugh 

The landscape was bleak, burned, dead, and the earth crunched and cracked beneath their feet.

Then I dropped the rain of blood on them, and that almost made them turn around.

Walking along, drenched in still-warm humanoid blood, they encountered a wheat field, half harvested, with six burned, (think hiroshima), corpses, all old men and women. The wheat and the wheat stumps all were rust-red.
Not far from there, still on the little dirt road betwen the field, was a woman turned to stone, crouched protectingly over two small children, (also stone), the womans eyes cried blood. 

Here the nosy sorcerer made a mistake, and tried to cast some divination magics on the "statue". He saw the mist of the mourning approach rapidly, saw himself try to protect "his" two children, and then everything turned black, and he had an epilectic seisure and passed out, (1d4 dam).

They camped out in an old battlefield and had an encounter with some skeletonwolves. And just when they thought they would get a chance at rest, the ghost of a woman started singing an old cyran funeral chant. She kept that up the rest of the night. The morale really wasnt that high at the end of the night.
It turned worse when all their water tasted foul, the food rotten and the wine like vinegar.

The next morning they passed through a burned out hamlet. Here they found the school with the children still at the tables, (again, hiroshima), screams from inside the building, (they prudently avoided the sounds), and the bard Grinner from this thread. (The palace became the townhall).
They got directions from him and went on toward a frozen forest with a corpsetree at the middle, ruled by a freezing apparition with a scythe. Having burned her away, (and not getting bad effects from the magic - 60% risk), they found the corpsemound with the carcasscrab. They then went on to the mine, killed the vulture and went inside. Where they found a quite insane halfelf trying to scratch out his eyes. He was ranting and whining about the Mournland trying to spread, and that the mist was to contain it. And that everyone who went inside was contaminated.. AND EVRYTHING CONTAMINATED BROUGHT OUTSIDE WAS SPREADING THE MOURNLAND!
He then went bersek and tried to kill the players. They subdued the obviously insane man, and he then tried to kill himself, (when one of the players pointed out to the halfelf aldo would be contaminated). Further into the mine they found the pathetic corpse of a gnome mage and a shifter ranger. All killed by something horribly dismembering thing. 

They never found out what did it, but they are still afraid they will meet it 

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

I am thrilled to hear that your session went so well, Missekat!
Just wanted let everyone know that I'm in the process of indexing all the Horrors into a Directory of sorts. If all goes to plan you'll be able to look up specific types of horrors, such as 'haunted towns' or 'mutants'. A fickle internet connection has been plaguing me, but I already have the first page done.
88 down, 350 or so to go!

*450)* An old man sits in a library deep in old Cyre. The library's floor is covered in ink. The PCs find his emaciated form staring at a book. Peering over his shoulder, they see the book is blank, and the man weeps
"Where have all the stories gone! Why has Art forsaken the land of her children? Where has she gone?"
The old man mistakes a female party member for the incarnation of Art, and demands that she stay and help him rewrite the books, and reacts violently if she leaves.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*451)* The PCs, weary of travel through the dreadful Mournelands and much in need of rest climb to the top of a small bluff and look out over the barren landscape before them without much hope- but then, joy of joys, one of them spies the unmistakable shape of thatched rooves, all intact, complete with smoke wafting from the chimnies and birds nessting in the eves. Brightly clad people may be seen moving about in the streets below, and the PCs hasten twords the town. They reach the village just as dusk settles in- the walk from the bluff took a strangely long amount of time-, so when they arive, the town's inhabitants are already inside, with their windows shuttered and barred, but the happy sounds of families at dinner can be heard through the doors and windows. The PCs head twords the town square, hoping to find an inn in this unanticipated owasis, when their ears are asailed by the groan of wagon weels and the clang of a bell... and screams for aid, for pitty, for anything really. A wagon rolls into view, pulled by the shambling corpses of horses. Tied to the frame are the forms of a handful of emancipated but very much alive Cyrans. Driving and surrounding the wagon are about 20 walking human corpses. The air is punctured by a periodic cry of "Bring out your living! Bring out your living!" From the driver of the wagon. A few houses open at this, with families of zombies dragging the screaming, kicking forms of their now live-once-more relatives twords the wagon. One of the zombie children may be heard remarking through her tears of blood to her mother as a young boy is hauled twords the wagon by his zombie father -"Why did Timmy have to come to life? It just isnt fair!" When the zombies catch sight of the PCs, they will recoil with horror, and mobalize the town millitia to try to subue the dangerous live horrors which they precieve the PCs to be.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Wow i jsut read all 9 pages and WHEY theres some creepy\nasty stuff here, miner currently in Xen'Drik, but ill be sure to get em to visit the Mournland eventually. I ESPECIALLY liked the one with the shield and note about the Nar sumin or w\e. Really freaked me out. 

*(452)* The PCs end up right near the edge of the Mournland (very close to their much anticipated exit) They take refuge in an abandoned church (surprised no ones come up with this yet), the stain glass windows are suspiciously in great condition while the rest of the interior and exterior is burnt and otherwise damaged. Inside they hear whispered prayers to some god. (Dms choice) At the far end behind the altar there is a set of badly burnt wooden stairs, the bottom half has broekn down so that the lowest part to grab onto it about 12 feet up. Should they stand directly under the steps and look up into the darkened hallway, they see a dark silhouette run into the side wall revealing a moonlit window. Screams of a young boy echo from the hall above the stairs " HELP ME! PLEASE!, he's gone mad!!" Should thy PCs investigate (by going up the stairs) there is only one door, which says "Preists Quarters" When the door is opened they see a grisly old man in bloody robes, there are several dismembered bodies of young boys wearing altar boy clothes. The old preist simply stares at the PCs, he attacks in a blind rage should the PCs make any sudden movements. 
Should the brave PCs decide to spend the night downstairs in the main hall, they fall asleep easily to the sound of three young boys whispering their thanks, they will wake up fully healed and well rested. (remove any fatigue). this is ofcourse providing they have killed the old priest.

*Originally posted by Nived:*

I just reread the thread again. (why do I do this to myself late at night?) and realized that a lot of us are apearently terrified by creepy childlike things.... perfectly reasonable... the twins from The Shining creep me out to this day. However all this creepy Children of the Corn stuff gave me an idea.

*453)* Near the end of the day when the party is getting ready to find a place to pitch camp they see the form of a man stumbling over the hill. Could it be another zombie, or mournspawned horror? This time no, and a successful spot check will reveal that info... if not this encounter could be comedically short (for the DM anyway)/ No this man (elf, dwarf, up to you really) is the last survivor of another expidition into the mournland. And this one *gasp* isn't insane! He's just hurt, and really really exhausted. When he sees the PCs he'll call out for help. _"Stop! Please stop, wait, help, please, I'm alive, for the love of the Host please wait!"_ he'll call.

If the party is kind enough to stop for him, this ragged man looks severely dehydrated, is wounded (several stab wounds to his arms, sides and one leg) and is carrying little other than the armor on his back (that seems to have taken a lot of punishment) and the bloodied blade in his hand. His armor style seems to mark him of Aundarian stock. He's tired, very tired. _"My name is Tarn please you have to help me. I came here with some other adventurers... one of my, comrades she... she had family here she... wanted to say goodbye. But everything went to **** and now they're dead they're all dead! Please, I'm tired, I've been on my own for two days now, I'm lost, I can't tell which way I'm going in this thrice damned land. Please!" _ Any sense motive check will let you know the man is telling the truth. If queried about how his party died he'll suggest they talk later, after they break camp... it's getting dark and they should find someplace less visible.

Once camp is set he'll start talking, sitting, and (if the party is brave enough to lite a fire in the Mournland) staring into the fire he'll start recounting what happened. _"There were five of us when we set out, we were making for the hamlet of Inas to the South, we never made it there."_ Have him recount the deaths of his party members, borrowing liberally from these fine suggestions on the boards. _"The little ones the children, you have to watch for them, this blasted land twisted everything good and pure... the children are the worst. Arden was the first, we heard the sounds of children playing... he wanted to investigate... they wanted to play all right... they went for the eyes..."_

Continue, feel free to foreshadow any encounters you plan on running with your party, throw in a lot of terrible events and narrow escapes for Tarn. _"Ilsa was hurt bad... she wouldn't have lasted long even if Takk hadn't lost it started screaming about how the land was getting inside us, tainting us. He killed her and turned on me... I-I... I did what I had to."_ When it finally comes time for his story to come to a close have him finish with _"I don't know why you're here, but if your smart you'll beat a straight path out of here... if not. I don't think I'll make it much farther on my own, if you'll have me I'll follow you to whatever insanity brought you here."_

When this is all done, if you have casters in your group Tarn will ask if they have any spells that will make him sleep. As tired as he is he doesn't think he'll be able to sleep. Whether or not they cast a sleep spell on him eventually he falls into a fitful sleep.

The next morning when the party wakes up and tries to wake him they'll find he's dead. Not that he was dead when they found him, nor did anything come to kill him. A DC 15 heal check will reveal he died of seemingly natural causes, a check of 25 or more will show signs that his heart just stopped sometime durring the night... his body had been running on so much adreniline his poor heart just couldn't take it anymore.

*Originally posted by mr._twist:*



> It's the Mournlands. The PCs have probably lost someone already. It'd be a refresshing break.



Or, you can notify them three weeks later that the healing has been provided by the bent astral construct that the priest had been keeping at bay.  In return for the service provided by the PCs, the "thing" healed them the only way it knew how, but the consumption and annihilation of the children’s souls that it had harvested.  Frightfully inefficient, it took 1 or 2 children per hp healed.  The PC now detect positive to Detect Evil (DM's option as to for how long).

For all gifts there is a price.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Here's my own contributions to the thread. Hope none if these have been done already.

*454.* Strange glowing lights drift across the sky above the PCs, seemingly in an aimless fashion and similar to fireflies. However, if a break in the clouds appears, the lights can be seen as ghostly airships, glowing with an unholy light, their crews forced to work for eternity.

*455.* Same as #454, except the lights are actually strange luminescent creatures similar to jellyfish, squids or octopi. If a large enough fire or other light source is built, some will actually descend, making strange sounds akin to a whale's song.

*456.* The terrain around the PCs follows them, such as a hill that follows behind like a stray dog.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Alright- I'm going to expand on this latter, becouse right now I'm up to my neck in homework, but this one doesn't seem to have been done before, and It would make a great way for some DM to get his PCs involved in the Last War, should he feel so inclinded...

*457)* The PCs make camp at then end of another tiresome, horrific day, on the outskirts of a great battlefield. The evening progresses smoothly, and the PCs bed down, probably establishing a watchm. At exactly midnight, any PC still awake suddenly are overcome by unbearable fatuige (let them make saves to stay awake if they want, but it won't do any good), and join their sleeping comrades in the realm of dreams. Each sleeping PC expiriences a horribly realistic nightmare inwhich they find themselves back in their homes, gripping a letter in trembling hands which informs them....
 (Insert PC's Name Here),
You have been drafted by order of the Korth/Wroat/Flamekeep Movement into service in the reserve forces of Karrnath/Breland/Thrane, and are to report to the nearest recruiting station at sunrise one week hence. From their, you and your unit will move to the Cyran front, where futher orders await you.
 - (Insert name of functionary/head of Office of War here).

The PCs awake in cold swet.... in their own beds at home, a letter held crumpled in a trembling fist. They have been shunted backwards in time to the last few years of the War, and are to depart for Cyre in one weeks time... with the dreadful knowledge that they are not only marching to battle, but marching twords the Day of Mourning.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*458.* At the edge of the forest, a large black tree looms far above the others. Though in line with the forest's edge it appears that no other trees grow within 200 feet of this one. It must be over a hundred feet tall and you can see that its gnarled, claw-like branches have somethings hanging from them. About midway to the tree you can see that it looks like bodies hanging from the branches as well as a figure sitting at its base, surrounded by coils and coils of rope. Coming even closer reveals that each body in the tree is, in fact, a marionette and the sitting man is carving up another; he's almost done by the looks of it. The marionettes are the most realistic and lifelike puppets you have ever seen, every feature almost perfect and flawless in its design and each seems carved in the garb of a Cyran soldier.

He notices you and opens with a hello. If enquired as to who he is and what he's doing he tells you that he was the Cyran military commander. Every soldier in the army was his to order into battle for the glory of Cyre, every last soldier was his responsibility. Completely and utterly his responsibility. He had promised them victory and promised that each of them would make it home safe. But with the Day of Mourning came their utter obliteration and defeat. He died like all the others that day, but consumed by guilt he seeks to honor their memory. Now he carves a marionette for each and every soldier who died on that day.

As he finishes his story, he also finishes his carving. Standing up, he takes the figure in one hand and a coil of rope in the other. Lifting them towards the tree, the nearest marionettes reach down from their hanging position and take up the new figure. Passing him up or over from puppet to puppet along the branches, they tie a noose and fit it around his neck and hang him from the tree as well. Then all as one they bow their wooden heads in a moment of silence and remembrance for the fallen son of Cyre.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Thank you very much.

Perhaps another puppet themed one.....

*459.* As the PCs walk past a house they see in the fenced yard alongside it a figure industriously working. As they approach closer they see that it is a large wooden puppet stitching together bloody human remains and attatching cord to its arms, head, and feet...

And I haven't seen very many about Warforged in a while.

*460.* An immense field stretches some quarter of a mile (at least!) filled with crosses and headstones. On each one rests the head of a Warforged, its eyes still glowing.

*461.* The PCs come across a great battlefield. The bodies of Warforged, undead, human, etc, lie everywhere amidst broken swords and shields. Spears litter the ground and arrows protrude from corpses like vile porcupines. After a while of walking through (/past/around) the field they come across a strange sight. A Warforged cleric (you can tell by the shining armor plate figuring the holy symbol of _____) is slowly working his way across the field and laying each body out ceremoniously and delivering the last rites. Each body is laid out with its feet towards the west, so that the rising sun will shine upon its face. Arrows are plucked out, eyes are closed and hands crossed on the chest. As he delivers a benediction each corpse's face moves into a smile, never to move from that position again. (You can see the cleric's work stretching far behind him, all the bodies in neat rows and columns, each with its arms across its chest and a faint smile on its face.)

*462.* A marching batallion of Warforged armored in human skins (I imagine that's how they might view a human in full-plate).

*Originally posted by dagda_mor:*

*463:* The party comes across another adventurer (perhaps one they encountered earlier) who is desperately fighting for his life against. . .nothing. Although he continually acts as though in a pitched battle, urging the others to run, there is nothing there; no invisible creatures or any spells in effect. However, with a DC 15 spot check the party realizes that he his wounds are more numerous than they were a minute ago, and a 20 on the check allows them to witness one such wound being inflicted as though he had been hit by an invisible blade. If the party succesfully restrains the man he is immediately coup de graced in a brutal fashion. There is nothing they can do to help him.

*Originally posted by Territan:*

*464:* A field of livestock. Most of them simply died where they stood, and could be mistaken for sleeping, except that their eyes are open. Some of them have been chewed up. (If they spend long enough watching, they may notice that the corpses regenerate.) Elsewhere in the field, there is an undead cow grazing... on another dead cow. That's what chewed up the other cattle. It now has sharp teeth for just that task.

(There is no real threat to the party here; the zombie cow is content to feed on its kind. But it should unnerve them.)

*465:* What looks like a weeping willow tree, with several thick main branches, a single one and a group of four. In that configuration, it looks almost like a hand. The illusion is aided by the various furrows dug in the dirt in front of it, as if the hand were clutching at the ground. And the pile of bones and occasional warforged parts around its base.

(And yes, it will attack if someone gets within range.)

*466:* Tethered to a tree, they find an abandoned airship. The fire ring surrounding it appears stable, if low-powered. There are no provisions on board.

(If they think "Hey, free airship!", they're in for a surprise. The fire elemental bound to the ring is quite angry after being left alone for so long, and will behave unpredictably.)

*467:* A man, apparently alive and well, wanders the mist aimlessly. He appears thin and emaciated, but politely refuses food or water. Why? If they ask him, he tells them, "Because earth elementals don't need to eat or drink."

(He's human, just delusionally mad. If they could cure him, he might be of help to them in some way because while he was deluded, he was able to wander quite a bit of the land without injury, for some reason.)

(Or what if in the process of curing him, they inflict upon an earth elemental in human form the delusion that he's human? GMs, have fun with this one!)

*Originally posted by Nived:*

*468)* While exploring a city the party comes across a middle aged man walking through the ruins with a stick in front of him. The man is obviously blind, but what is an appearently alive blind man doing so far into the Mournland. If the party approches silently he'll hear them and try to get away, figuring they're zombies, or worse... if the party hails him or trys to talk to him he'll have an innitial attitude of unfriendly and be convinced they're ghosts or spirits. It'll take a high diplomacy check to convince the man that the party isn't just another trick of the mournland come to taunt him. He's a bitter, suspicious, short tempered old man, whose survived this long in the worst enviroment on Eberron.

The man isn't insane... exactly, however he has come to some rather strange conclusions. Having been blind most of his life he really has no idea of the scope of whats happened. In all honesty the man believes that he is dead and he is in Dolurrh, and through cosmic injustice he's still blind on the other side. The strange fact of the matter is for some reason the Mourning just did not kill him. He's survived this long largely through luck and a really high listen check (which he's used to avoid the worse this land has brought to his ruined town) the real reason though is he wears a ring of sustinance, a gift from his father, and just never thought to take it off after the Mourning.

If asked about the Mourning or 'the day he died' he'll say he was sitting on his porched when he saw a flash of white... which is odd because he's been blind for 30 years when an illness took his sight... after that all he could find was rubble and bodies.

It will take a lot for the party to convince the man that he's not dead (he really isn't) and that if he comes with them they can take him someplace safe. (All diplomacy checks made with this man are at a -10) as for why the lack of healing hasn't killed him... well he's been very lucky. If they can't convince him he'll just assume they were crazed spirits of Dolurrh and go back to living and hiding amongst the ruins of his town.

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

*469)*Among the ruins of some forgotten village lies a house Sivis listening post. Within, a palm-sized emerald shines brilliantly amidst the ashen corpses of those who fell in the Mourning and the wreckage of the building. 
During the investigation of the building, a hulking horror lumbers closer, and the stone begins to glow, vibrate, and emit a high-pitched chime. It lumbers into the distance, and the clamor from the stone fades.
Could the stone have a connection to the horrors that allows it to detect them? If so, how was that bond forged, and why?

Oh, and if anyone reading is wouldn't mind clicking on the link in my sig and voting for Thondred's Trusty Wrench, I'd appreciate it greatly.

*Originally posted by Territan:*

For the first thing, just picture it: A city setting, like Eston or Metrol, or perhaps one of the larger communities caught in the Field of Ruins. And in there somewhere, a bath house. Some place that workers (or adventurers) go to cleanup after a hard day's work.

But this is the Mournland, so assume that _nobody's_ getting clean in them now. There are five below, sorted approximately in shock value order.

*470:* A bath house. It looks appropriately run-down and disheveled. There are one or two dead bodies in there. In other words, Mournland typical. If they study it more carefully, though, they'll see no blood or stains on the floor, but the ceiling is discolored with them. That's because within that bathhouse, all liquids (including spilled blood and water from the taps) fall upwards instead of down. The effect ends outside the bathhouse and otherwise does them no harm, but should unnerve them for a little while.

*471:* A bath house, clean and inviting. There's a warm bath already drawn for them. And oh look! It's getting up out of the tub and advancing on them threateningly! It's a water elemental, and it's not happy to be trapped in the house.

*472:* A bath house. It's perfectly clean, well-lit, has fresh towels, and is warm and inviting. In one of the empty tubs, the top half of a corpse relaxes—everything below the chestline which would be touching the water is _missing_. The tub is perfectly clean, plain, white enamel. And if they watch long enough, unseen hands turn on the controls to fill the tub with hot water.

(And that's because it's a strong acid that periodically empties out and refills. The top half of corpse should be sufficient warning that something is wrong. So should the vapors filling the room which, if breathed, would probably cause a good bit of damage.)

*473:* Another bath house, again quite clean and inviting. Maybe _too_ inviting: the adventurers' favorite drinks and some light foods are served up on a tray near the entrance, the waters are clean and scented, and more significantly, _healing works_ there. If they bathe, it will be quite relaxing but their clothing will be taken away to _somewhere_.

(You've heard of invisible stalkers? This place is inhabited by invisible masseuses. They'll see to the adventurers' every need in order to have someone to take care of. But they'll also do everything in their power to make sure that the adventurers never leave.)

*474:* Another bath house, which appears to have been used repeatedly for slaughter. Dead adventurers and their equipment practically fill the tubs and their blood appears to have splashed _irregularly_ onto the walls. Their equipment can be searched for valuables (and may contain some nifty stuff). Since kills don't rot, the tubs are filled with fresh liquidy blood as well as body parts and treasure, so scrolls and books will likely be useless.

Of more interest is a sigil carved into a large tile on one wall, surrounded by a mosaic that could be considered interesting and attractive under other circumstances.

Occasionally, as they regard the tubs filled with bloody treasure and body parts, there's an almost inaudible >klak<. When they look to the source, they may notice that some tiles have changed color or reversed.

When they're sufficiently off their guard, a large section of the tile, including that sigil tile, will come off the wall and assemble itself into a monster with slivered tiles for sharp teeth.

(I call this creation the Folding Beast, a golem-like construct of tiles. Stats should depend greatly on the level of the party fighting it. The sigil tile, even if in two or three pieces, would probably fetch obscene amounts of gold from most dragonmarked houses and even a few "strangers" of unknown origin. It could be the start of their next adventure, in fact.)

*Originally posted by zombiegleemax:*

Those were pretty good!

*775:* An entire forest has taken on the phusdo-natural templet, including the trees and ground (Getting back to the basics)

*776:* An old man is resting against a tree seeming to be arguing with himself. He is arguing to an unheard voice about wheter or not to leave (He is arguing the point to leave) the mournland. If the pc's come close he jumps up and the adventurers see another humaniod fused to his back.


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