Chapter 2: It's a Dead Man's Party

And the Dead Shall Rise

If anyone was talking with Ptemenib, he excuses himself early from the auction, saying that he needs to work out a few clues in the missing Sunrise Fellows. Much later in the evening, there is a wave of negative Ka energy rolling through Kurma. Any player that can channel energy must make a fortitude save (DC 15) or be sickened by the flow of energy for 1d4 minutes.

Dead Man’s Party

The auction is interrupted by the arrival of zombies, skeletons, and one mummy. The wave of negative Ka has animated many of the mummified dead that were presented at the auction. There is virtual chaos with 36 explorers and 50 “civilians”. Depending on the relationship, Gaffe Sethom will confer with the PCs on what the action will be. Ideally the Explorers will escort the civilians out to somewhere safe, like the Ades’ Temple, Army Barracks, or even the Pharaoh’s minipalace. For the first 3 round any movement is difficult terrain as the crowds are trying to escape.
After that, the people have been evacuated leaving the PCs dealing with the remaining undead.

---

During the combat, one skeleton comes towards the ring bearer or the adventurer who saw the vision from Book 2. The skeleton’s stance and walk is like the vision of Ariseti on the rooftop. If the player says her name, she collapses at his feet, remaining motionless. Ariseti is unable to remove the Ka from her bones, but her will is strong, and will not engage in combat, knowing that someone remembers her. Her hope is that her bones, now reformed, will be taken to rest by her beloved in Eto.

Time Track

Things are in motion. Players don’t have time to rest. These are the general sequence of events as they play out during the Night if the players don't engage.

• Hour 1: The dead are rising from the necropolis and are trying to leave it as the Mask has left the tomb. Ptemenib is inside the Necropolis, following a secret tunnel under the wall. Cultists that have infiltrated the gangs of Wati, dawn their masks and head toward the Necropolis. The Necromancer has descended to the lower level of Sherpes Crypt.


• Hour 2: The Necromancer has corrupted the temple altar, allowing the released necromancer energies to reach here. Ptemenib is captured by the Silver Chain Thieves when he arrives at their hideout, finding that the Sunrise Fellows got into a skirmish with the Silver Chain gang at the old brick factory and left for the ghouls. Rakesh is the only survivor, gravely wounded and hiding. Panic in the streets as people flee Keruma ahead of the flow of undead from the necropolis.


• Hour 3: The Cultists reveal themselves and take over the Silver Chain gang as they have felt the mask calling to them. The Thief King is imprisoned along with Ptemenib. The Undead have surrounded Keruma. No place is safe from the undead.


• Hour 4: The Cultists have determined where the necromancer is at, and are finding a path to reach him through the undead. The tunnels under the necropolis fill with the bones of the dead. The thief king and Ptemenib die and become part of the undead army.


• Hour 5: More powerful and intelligent undead have risen (Wraiths) and Graveknights striking down Ades’s Katapesh and Gaffe. No one is left to protect the city.


• Hour 6: The Necromancer will have completed the ritual and Gaffe Sherpes will have begon to rise. The Forgotten Pharaoh Cultists have reached the Necromancer and have taken the mask away.
• Hour 7: Undead Gaffe Sherpes awakens as a Death Knight. The undead army galvanizes under his leadership and starts the next purge of Keruma. Cultist escape with the mask in the chaos.

Conflict Type

Skirmish