Page 227 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

LIBR R Y V A U L T E M E R ALD C L AW C A M P AIGN TH M E S
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Map 4.9 shows a library vault maintained by the Order At low levels, adventurers can clash with Emerald Claw
of the Emerald Claw. The order collects dark materials skeletons and zombies. As the characters grow more
and forbidden magic and holds them for safekeeping in capable, the threats escalate. They might have to protect
these heavily defended locations. Each vault also func­ a village from a necromancer who is sucking the life out
tions as a chapter house or a sanctuary for a local cell. of the land, or race through a dungeon to acquire a nec­
romantic relic before the Claw can claim it. The Emer­
LIBRARY V A ULT FEATURES ald Claw is ideally suited to pulp action; it's a force that
Library vaults can be found in a variety of locations. is blatant in its villainy and has hordes of evil minions
Some of them are crypts or dungeons secreted away to do its bidding. Defeating the schemes of the Emerald
underground, while others are hidden in plain sight Claw should always feel like the right thing to do.
inside a home or a business. Whatever its specific loca­ Although many members of the Emerald Claw believe
tion, a vault is always equipped with defensive features, that they are fighting for Karrnath, they are truly serving
some of which remain active even after the outer door the lich Lady Illmarrow (see chapter 6). The greatest
is breached. necromancer of the age, she seeks to unlock the secrets
of her inactive dragonmark, the Mark of Death. If she
LIBRARY V A ULT ADVENTURES succeeds, she could come to possess unimaginable
The Library Vault Adventures table outlines some possi­ power. This makes her a formidable villain to drive the
bilities for adventure involving one of these locations. action of an entire campaign.
LI B R ARY VA L T ADVEN T U R E S E M E R ALD L AW AD E N TURE HOOKS
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d6 Adventure Goal
The Emerald Claw Adventure Hooks table offers some
Destroy a scroll containing an incantation that allows options to kick off adventures featuring the Emerald
even non-spellcasters to animate the dead. Claw that take place outside their sanctuaries.
2 Steal the journal of a powerful necromancer that's
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being held in the vault's collection. E M E R ALD CLAW AD E N T U R E HOOKS
3 Trade a powerful dark magic weapon in return for the d8 N P C
rescue of important hostages taken by the order. What at first appears to be a renegade group of
4 Steal a suit of armor that contains the soul of a hero Aundairian soldiers turn out to be undead under the
slain during the Last War. order's control.
5 Search the collection for information on the Queen of 2 The order strikes at a small keep, demanding the
"
the Dead, or L ady Ill marrow," as she is known. inhabitants surrender a particular volume from their
6 Infiltrate the vault to get close to a new Emerald Claw library.
recruit, then convince them to come to their senses 3 Investigating strange lights and sounds emanating
and return to their fa m i ly. from a crypt in the dead of night reveals the Emerald
Claw experimenting on the corpses within.
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ORDER OF H E 4 The Emerald Claw violates graves near a small village,
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E M E R ALD L AW P C s animating the corpses into undead laborers to help
build an eldritch machine.
Given the undeniable nature of the order, villains asso­
ciated with the Emerald Claw present an opportunity to 5 The Emerald Claw claims a village's town hall for its
provide characters with adversaries that are memorably own use, and any who come near are attacked. The
evil, and that revel in their villainy. sounds of torture ring out from within the building.
6 I n vestigating disappearances among an elf commu­
E M E R A L D CLAW N P Cs nity reveals that the Order of the Emerald Claw has
d
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d6 N P C been atte p ting to inscribe something like a r agon­
Though mortal, this fanatical warrior drinks the blood mark in their skin, then reanimating the failed experi­
of those he slays in battle. ments as zombies.
2 A cleric tries to convince her enemies to embrace the 7 While searching for a magic item in Dhakaani ruins
order, promising eternal life through undeath. across southern Khorvaire, the characters discover
that Emerald Claw agents are looking for the same
3 A noble with sympathies toward the order hides a
thing and seem to have access to information the ad­
cell's library vault within the grounds of their estate.
venturers lack.
4 A suave vampire would rather charm its enemies than
crush them in battle. 8 A large force of Emerald Claw knights offers the char­
5 An artificer is obsessed with infusing necromantic acters a choice: join the order, or submit themselves
curses into their construct creations. to death and an eternity of servitude from beyond the
grave.
6 A changeling necromancer often poses as a vampire
or a mummy, even though it's still alive.

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