The Ivory Zombie (5e Quest)

Adventure Background

The Heroes have been hired by the Magocracy College of Dar-El-Saalam in the Sultanate of Quajjar. to find one of their missing Teachers who sailed down to port of Enugu in the south. Her name is Zahara and it was said that she had a secret affair with an outcast Magi.

On arrival in Enugu (Possibly on the border of Njani and Gwongo but this can also take place on almost any region neary Gwongo and also one of the various unnamed Islands of Tlaxcala), The Heroes are approached by a Council of Elder Vooduns, They said they are aware of an Quajjari Magi who came by and she headed west towards the nearby Forests of Mbara. There is rumor that a Ankole Man (their own ethnic group) lives in the forest in a great plantation and he practices forbidden magic and rules over the land with a vast sugar cane plantation toiled by undead slaves. Both Slavery and Dark Voodun is forbidden in many regions of the continent of Gondwana and by the order of the Elder councils. Players can ask about "High Voodun" also known as House Rua aka the "Serpents of the Light" dc. 12 persuasion which is considered white magic. Powerful hedge magic which is known for healing potions that cure diseases, snake poison and deal with sexual health issues. Players can learn about the other two accepted houses of spirits in Voudun, such as the wild house "Kongo" and the dark but elegant house "Ghede". They also communicate with the spirits of the dead to guide families and occasionally craft controversial "love potions". Forbidden Voodun in contrast raises the dead and uses humans as magically dominated slaves. It deals with mind control, undead, slavery and drugs with human sacrifice for attaining power and wealth. All three major houses reject the Forbidden Voudun and the magic originates only from the psychopomps of Xibalba such as Comazotz, 1 Death, 7 Death, Blood Gather and Bone scepter.

Overview

The players will first be given a notice of this quest from a magocratic scout at a Caravansari or personally. Players will then have to travel towards the Plantation of this supposed "Ivory Zombie" and from their they will have to trek through a dangerous rainforest with Twa scouts and eventually reach the great sugarcane plantation. They can choose to perform a brutal but quick frontal assualt or a much slower but safer underground expedition to ambush the "Ivory Zombie" and possibly save the two lovers.

In summary, the adventure follow these steps: Step 1: The Savannah journey Step 2: The Rainforest path Step 3a: Assault on the Plantation Walls Step 3b: the undergrounds river Step 4: the walled manor

Hook

Players can get word at any local Caravansari bulletin board, they can have a Quajjari scout personally approach them as well... if they are of Quajjari descent then they might even be childhood friends with the two lovers.

1. The Savannah Journey

Scene 1. The Hyena Man Caravan

On their journey from Enugu port to Mbara, the party passes a trope of "hyena men" impoverished wanders entertaining the local people with dancing Hyenas and baboons, wearing live cobras as necklaces. When they see the characters... the entire trope stops, everyone looks at them and even all the beasts stare at the heroes. This is a large congregation of villagers, wandering entertainers and their pet beasts.

If the players ask their caravan leaders what is going on they have to DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a failure, they are given evasive answers like "oh they are simply dancers" and possibly "stop asking questions".

On a success, they learn that among the impoverished ethnic people who lives in the big ports and cities, many of them practice "Grey Voodun" and dominate several beasts with magic and drugs. They generally treat these animals well but they still occasionally use them for bloody animal fights for good money.

Generally "Hyena men" are technically not evil but when wronged can become extremely deadly enemies. Some cults of "Hyena men" are known to go bad and become deadly raiders in the deserts and forests of the deep continent of Moto'Jua. Tragically "Hyena men" are gangs of ethnic tribes born from poverty and are a byproduct of great wealth disparity among the kingdoms and sultanates of Moto'jua. In more Egalitarian Kingdoms like Uwanda and Axum Hyena men are rarely seen because the farmers have more wealth and live in greater comfort. These groups need the animals for survival, the make medicine from the serpent venoms and use the Hyenas and baboons as guardians of their villages. They make good money from animal fights.

Scene 2. Arriving in Mbarra

The party arrives in the Mbarra Savannah which is the edge of the forest, they are greeted by a trio of Aka people who are short hunter gatherers from the Mbarra forest. These scouts will offer their services to the Heroes to find the Sugar plantation deep in the Mbarra forest but they will not go any further because the valley is cursed.

2. The Rainforest Path

The Heroes arrive in the Valley after they have traveled through a rather hostile bamboo forest filled with aggressive stinging ants, spitting cobras and territorial tribes of baboons which is very strange even to the local Aka guide.

3. The Plantation

Eventually they come to see a vast clearing in the forested highlands, a great valley of red palm trees and sugar cane fields and thousands upon thousands of people and walking dead working in these fields at the bottom of the valley. a river flows through the bottom with several pools filled with fish. They living and dead work side by side gathering red dates, sugar cane and fish and take them back to their compounds on the opposite side of the hill... several clay brick houses made from the red clay and various crude adobe ovens to make molasses and brown sugar or to dry and salt fish. The Aka guides tell the heroes that they are leaving but there is some secret underground river in this valley that can be found in the forest somewhere... and that might be a safer way into the walled village.

Scene 1a. Assault on the Plantation Walls

If Heroes attack walled compound from the front they will face wave after wave of zombie axe wielders and Giant Zombies (turned from local giant gorillas) who in turn are supported by mercenary "Hyena men" who morph in Jibi (gnolls) or even Bouda (Were hyenas) and shoot poisoned arrows at them or ambush them with sabers coated with poison.... all the while Ivory will be raining down clouds of poison and other necromantic magic on players.

Features

Whatever traps are found are mostly organic forest traps like bamboo ground spikes (punji traps), Log traps...etc.

Scene 1b. The Underground River

If Heroes enter the Underground river tunnel; they will encounter some zombies and ant swarms, they will also find a strange hut located deep in the underground river on an island and they will find journals written by Ivory (Mzuka Ndovu) and Ayubu. eventually they will come to a stairwell that will lead up into a sugar mill with several zombies and a few giant zombies pushing the mill to grind the sugar cane into a powder, which is then collected and taken to ovens. The local zombies are all undead in this room and can be cleared. Killing living zombies is considered an act of evil and players have an option to knock them out with subdual damage. "Jabari" can be found in the caverns and she will whisper to the players... as long as they dont kill her... She is useful. She informs players that this sugar cane mill is connected to a room where rum is being distilled and from there, there is a secret door that goes past Ivory's walls and right into his manner where Rum is delivered into his cellar.

4. The Walled Manor

If the party fights it's way or sneaks it's way into Ivory's (Mzuka Ndovu) personal manor from the caverns below, Ivory senses their presence and silently orders Zahaira to threaten kill herself and Ayubu if they get too close. She has a saber but the heroes can sneak up on her and grab her hand from behind, making her drop the saber and walk away. Remind players they dont get money if Zahara or Ayubu dies.

Ivory (Mzuka Ndovu) will flee to his courtyard when this happens and climb a tall tower where he commands his zombies and hyena men guardians to kill the heroes. If Ivory is knocked or killed during the attack the zombies will turn on the hyena men and or begin fighting amongst themselves... living zombies will revert to normal and simply run away. Ivory will be standing on top of a tall tower during the final confrontation surrounded by his mercenary bodyguard of "Hyena men" or Bouda... he can be knocked off the tower and knocked out, sneak attacked and or killed...Ivory is too dangerous to be left alive. once Abuyu and Zahara is freed, Abuyu can either be imprisoned for forcing Zahara into marriage through Dark Voodun and serve at least one decade in the Magocratic dungeons below Dar-El-Saalam or he apologizes to Zaharia and she forgives him if he never comes back to Quajjari, flees into the deep deserts of Talisham and lives a life of purity. He voluntarily agrees to her and she magically strips him of his power and places it in a ring. This ring in turn is called "false love" and given as a gift to the heroes.

Developments

The players can chose brutal frontal assault which can get the lovers killed or the players can be more subtle and have a higher chance of survival for lovers.

Conclusion

If the lovers are freed and the Ivory zombie is slain then the players have a favorable rating with the Quajjari Sultinate and with Sundiata

Appendix I - Adventure Bestiary

Zombies, Zombie Ogres, Servants, Giant Apes, Apes, Hyena Men (Bouda) (Quaggoths), Quori Ismoris (Hag/Werewolf), The Ivory Zombie (Undead Necromancer), Popobawa (cyclopean Vampiric Werebats), Molomba (Magical serpent Familiars), Giant Hyenas, Giant Serpents...etc.

Savannah: basically Hyenas and some bandits

Rainforest: Apes and possibly giant Apes, Giant Toads, Giant Serpents, Saifu Ant Swarms and colony

Appendix II - The Journals

Summary of Ivory's Jade Journal

Ayubu's love of Zahara prompts him to meet "The Ivory Zombie" secretly in Ivory's sugar cane mill, operated entirely by zombies. Ayubu wants to convince Zahara to marry him and solicits Ivory's supernatural assistance. Ivory states that the only way to help Ayubu is to transform Zahara into a zombie with a potion. Ayubu agrees and takes the potion, and surreptitiously gives it to Zahara back at the port of Enugu. Shortly after Zahara and Ayubu's wedding ceremony, the potion takes effect on Zahara, who soon dies and is buried. Ivory and Ayubu enter Zahra's tomb at night and bring her back to life as a living zombie they the cross Enugu and go into the forest of Mbarra...not yet undead but completely dominated and controlled by Ivory himself.

The players realize that the living zombies are controlled by mind leeches which cling to the back or sides of their skulls and twin themselves around their bodies.

Summary Ivory's Obsidian Journal

This is the story of Ivory's life who was born "Mzuka Ndovu" a Albino child among his tribal people of the Banyamulenge. Since he was a child we was knick named Mzuka Ndovu or white ghost and treated very badly for his Albinism. This forced him and several untouchables to flee his village and work with the wandering Bouda or "Hyena men". He had a knack for Voodun and at first he was dominating beasts and making them enough money to eat well... He quickly began to climb amongst them and they worshipped him, but he began to consume the "nectar of the red poppy" and smoke it...to deal with the trauma of such an abusive life and drink heavily with the local rum... Tragically it seems like he was partially possessed by a powerful Lao spirit who gave him great magic and wealth if he would turn his Voodun dark... which he happily did. In the beginning of his career as a Voodun he would heal others and dominate beasts.... but slowly be began to dominate people and raise the dead... at first his fellow gang of Hyena men were worried but he offered them the idea of fabulous wealth and a great plantation... with all the food, drink and sinful hedonism they could ever want. This was far too tempting to a wandering group of impoverished hoodlums and beast masters who were far too happy to have these pleasures of life... even if it required a few dark sacrifices... and sacrifice they did... they returned to their previous village where they were outcast and forced them into slavery...either through necromancy or mental domination with potent drug usage.

Summary Ayubu's Burgundy Journal

At the walled manor, Ayubu has begun to regret Zahara's transformation and begs Ivory to return her to normal self, but Ivory refuses. Ayubu discovers he has been tainted by Ivory's (Mzuka Ndovu) dark Voodun and is also slowly transforming into a living zombie. Ayubu and Zahara are kept as hostages, fed well but not allowed outside of Ivory's personal manor and write to their wealthy aristocratic families who in turn send bags of gold coins to Ivories servants and has them brought back to his manor. Ayubu notes that the Dead zombies can only be hacked to pieces to end their suffering but living zombies can simply be knocked out and they will 'be cured' after they awaken. One female "Jabari" pretends to be a zombie but actually awoke in such a way and she quietly sneaks around Ivory's compound stealing food or bribing the Hyena men to say quiet.

Players can discover from the readings that the Ivory Zombie actually is an aristocrat who sends gold to Soumaro and there are other Ivory Zombies who have received zombie slaves and protection from Soumaro's forces and in turn live decadents lives of great wealth.

Appendix III - Rewards

This is a transcript of everything to be awarded the players, and the conditions attached to those rewards, at the end of the adventure. Think of it as a sort of checklist to make sure everything was covered.

Experience

Combat Awards

Name of Foe	XP per foe
Bouda	450XP
Qori Ismaris	1,800XP
Zombie Ogre	450XP
Zombie	50XP
Mind Leech	450XP
<-Name->	<-XP->

Non-Combat Awards

Task or Accomplishment	XP per Character
Free the lovers	4000XP
Free the Mind Controlled Slaves	4000XP
<-Name->	<-XP->

The minimum total award for each character participating in this adventure is ? experience points.

The maximum total award for each character participating in this adventure is ? experience points.

Treasure

The characters receive the following treasure, divided up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not their purchase price. There are plenty of gold and silver caches and chest located in the underground river and in the plantation ranging from 250gp-500gp-1000gp. There can be some masterwork arms and armor as well as the occaisonal wand and or low level enchanted item.

Consumable magic items should be divided up however the group sees fit. If more than one character is interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly should the group be unable to decide.

Permanent magic items are divided up according to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards permanent magic items.

Treasure Awards

Item Name	Sale Value
Treasure Cache	500XP
Large Treasure cache	1000XP

Unique Magic Item

Players could possibly find the "Ring of the Servant" here.

Enmity

Soumaro and the Benefactors will have a order placed to assassinate or captured these Heroes and players might encounter Assassins and mercenaries on their travels.

Renown

Sundiata and the Quajjari Magocracy will be allied to players.

Treasure

The underground river and Plantation should have several sizeable catches of gold and gems.

Downtime

Each character receives 14 downtime days at the conclusion of this adventure.

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Quests