A Lecture on Ghosts

by Lady Gumdrop

Recommended for games set during the 'Reign of the Dragon Overlords' time period.

Narrators who want to add a little undead fun to their campaign can use the following lightly fleshed-out adventure hook. It takes place in Palanthas, and it shouldn't take more than half a day of game time to complete. It is highly recommended that any heroes who partake in this adventure have the appropriate weapons to deal with a ghost. Statistics for the ghost have been provided, but Narrators will need to add a bit more work to make the adventure hook more suitable for their campaigns. Access to the dramatic supplement Palanthas by Steven "Stan!" Brown is also recommended.

Adventure Background

Recently at the University of Palanthas, one of the instructors decided that it was time to have a more "hands-on" class. Amantha Leriden, an instructor who specializes in undead lore and identification, asked a local spiritualist to come to her evening class. The spiritualist summoned a rather powerful ghost, which promptly possessed Leriden. Leriden, who has a previously unknown talent in a variety of sorcery schools, is now loose in the university. The heroes must capture Leriden and take her to Paladine's Temple in the New City or destroy the ghost once it is forced to leave Leriden's body at dawn.

At the University

It is up to the Narrator to get the heroes to the university, which can include something as simple as having one of the heroes' contacts ask them to help. Once there, however, the spiritualist Delen Anvers greets them. Delen is concerned that Leriden is possessed by a powerful priest-mage of Sargonnas. He believes that Leriden is on the fifth floor in one of the student's dorms. In the meantime, the faculty has evacuated the building and has sent those who suffered from the ghost's wrath to Paladine's Temple.

It is up to the heroes how they want to pursue the ghost. They can work their way through the fifth floor. They can ask Anvers to help them find the ghost. Here is some information to help Narrators adjudicate this adventure:

* Leriden is possessed by a priest-mage of Sargonnas named Saleniun.

* Saleniun wants to leave the university, but he has reason to believe that there is a book of his in the library on the seventh floor of the building. The book has a spell hidden within its chapters and is called Variations on Rites of Vengeance.

* Saleniun knows that he can hold Leriden only until dawn. If the heroes can reach him before dawn, he fights them using Leriden's inherent powers.

* If the heroes don't find possessed Leriden before dawn, Saleniun withdraws from the university and lurks in the local temple to Sargonnas.

* Anvers unluckily drew Saleniun forth by mere chance while trying to speak to him. Saleniun had been haunting the Palanthas sewers, where he died many years ago (Narrator can make the call as to when).

* Leriden's schools of sorcery are not available to her unless Saleniun is guiding her in their use. Otherwise, she knows of her affinity to pyromancy (elemental fire), though she never explored it. Once the adventure is completed, and if she still lives, she will continue to have access to pyromancy. Treat it as a wild talent (or wild magic in AD&D rules).

Rewards

If the heroes succeed in driving off the ghost, they can be asked to go find it and destroy it (Narrator's discretion). If they destroy it, not only does the University of Palanthas thank them most heartily, but the person who originally asked them to perform this service can reward them as well. The Narrator should send the heroes to a dinner banquet honoring them, where the benighted Leriden (if she still lives) and other professors make speeches about the heroism of the group in ridding the university of an evil spirit. Narrators can then allow the heroes to use the resources of the university whenever they visit Palanthas. If the campaign is based in Palanthas, this could be very useful for them. If not, then the heroes should receive some gift, such as a magical tome or set of scrolls.

Character Descriptions

*Leriden/Saleniun: Human adult female, studious (wrathful under Saleniun's possession) demeanor. Co 6, Ph 5, In 8 (64), Es 9, Dmg +2 (dagger), Def 0 (common clothing), also sorcery (cryomancy, hydromancy, pyromancy).

Leriden/Saleniun, female human W16*: AC 10; MV 12; hp 4; THAC0 11; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4 (dagger); SZ M (5'7" tall); ML fearless (20); Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 15; AL NG (LE as Saleniun).

Wizard Spells (5/5/5/5/5/3/2/1): 1st—burning hands (3), wall of fog (2); 2nd—flaming sphere (3), fog cloud (2); 3rd—fireball (5); 4th—fire shield, ice storm (2), wall of fire, wall of ice; 5th—cone of cold (5); 6th—Otiluke's freezing sphere (3); 7th—delayed blast fireball, prismatic spray; 8th—Serten's spell immunity.

*Her normal level is a 0-level nonplayer character. Saleniun's influence has opened her up to spells that he knew when he was alive. If the Narrator needs a less powerful enemy, he or she should feel free to lower Leriden/Saleniun's character level, which will also decrease the number of spells available.

*Saleniun: Ghost. Co 5, Ph 6, In 7, Es 8, Dmg N/A, Def N/A, also drain (Spirit), fear (aura), incorporeal, invisible, mentalism, resistant to silver weapons, and immune to mentalism, normal weapons, and poison.

Saleniun (ghost): AC 0 or 8; MV 9; HD 10; hp 76; THAC0 11; #AT 1; Dmg special; SA fear (age 10 years and save vs. spell or flee for 2d6 turns), magic jar effect; SD hit only by silver (half damage) or magic (full damage) weapons, spells affect ghost only when caster is ethereal; SW holy water, turning; SZ M (5'7" tall); ML fearless (20); Int exceptional (16); AL LE; XP 7,000.

*Delen Anvers: Human adult male, grandiose demeanor. Co 6, Ph 6, In 5, Es 9 (81), Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing), also mysticism (necromancy, sensitivity, spiritualism).

Delen Anvers, male human C16: AC 10; MV 12; hp 100; THAC0 10; #AT 1; Dmg 1d2; SZ M (5'5" tall); ML steady (11); Str 12, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 13; AL N.

Spells (9/9/8/7/4/3/1)*: 1st—cure light wounds (3), detect evil (2), invisibility to undead; 2nd—aid (6); 3rd—feign death (2), negative plane protection (3), speak with dead; 4th—cure serious wounds (3); 5th—cure critical wounds, raise dead; 6th—heal; 7th—restoration.

*Delen used many of his spells already during the initial havoc created by Saleniun's possession of Leriden.

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