Living Dead Attack
Pinned to The notice board
A heavily muddied, torn, and messily written parchment reads:
Living dead attack Breyton - Adventurers and Mercenaries are needed immediately.
Undead are spilling out from the ruins near the village. The guards sent to help are barely able to hold them off let alone recover in time for the next wave. So long as the sun is above the horizon we have peace but it isn't enough.
Please, if you are capable, we need fighters to either bolster our ranks or delve into the ruins in hopes of setting the dead to rest once and for all. We are also growing desperately in need of food and healing supplies.
1 GOLD per day fighting or healing - 1300 GOLD to whomever ends the undead siege.
Ways to approach
This quest opens the opportunity for your party to do a variety of fun, quintessential fantasy TTRPG activities; Fight off waves of undead hoards, bolster and fortify an outpost, and, of course, dungeon delve. Although delving into the ruins is required to ‘complete’ the quest, the other tasks can play a vital role in the village’s survival. Consider what would happen if the party went straight to the ruins; how many villagers would be lost in the next wave? Even helping to provide strategic and structural support before departing could increase their chances. This is an instance where choices early on could affect the larger picture.
Regarding why undead are spilling forth from the ruins, such a massive and ongoing amount would likely mean one of two things; a tremendous amount of power, or a gateway of some sort. Or both. This brings to mind a variety of cliche ideas, like somebody building an undead army, or trying desperately to pull back the soul of their loved one, which are still perfectly fun and valid villain motivations. However, if I were to give this a unique spin, somebody has managed to bind a grim reaper in a ritual for immortality or is in the midst of the long and grueling process of it. If the reaper is already bound, this is what little they can do to summon the aid of someone strong enough to free them. If in the midst of a ritual, these undead are simply a byproduct. The party will either have to free the reaper and hunt down the near-immortal jailer, or fight in a boss battle where they can only win by freeing the reaper first.
Possible Repercussions
Depending on which route you take, this town is unlikely to survive for much longer without your party intervening. Whatever experts it had will no longer be available and will have a greater effect on the region’s supplies and economy. Moreover, undead may be roaming the land, and an immortal mage is on the loose, with undoubtedly nefarious objectives.
Spotlight
Looking for more inspiration on how to use this notice board poster? Check out this episode of the Quest Board podcast where they come up with ideas on the spot: Episode 110: Reduce, Reuse, Reanimate
