Living Relic

Welcome to The Living Relic, an adventure that challenges both the morality and the limits of magic and technology. Set in a world where death is not the end but a resource for innovation, your players will delve into the shadowy world of the Collectors—a faction dedicated to the necromantic and technological manipulation of the dead. The adventure follows the retrieval of a mysterious Living Relic, a being on the brink of death with the uncanny ability to raise the dead at will. As your players are thrust into a complex web of intrigue, they must navigate moral dilemmas, decide whether to exploit this power for the betterment of society, and confront the ethical implications of manipulating life and death itself. Will they use this power to reshape the world, or will they respect the natural order and the sanctity of life? In this adventure, every decision carries weight, and the lines between right and wrong are blurred in the face of inevitable change.

GM Notes

• This adventure is designed for 4 level 1 characters.
• This adventure is designed for Ultra Modern 5 Redux, but could be adapted for Dungeons and Dragons 5e
• This adventure is designed to be given by the Collectors. However, with a little work it could be easily modified to be given by Necromancers or The Dark Path instead if those factions are better represented within the party.
• This adventure allows for how ever many short/long rests the players choose to take as the focus is more on investigation and roleplaying rather then on the resource management and combat.

Themes

Exploitation vs. Respect for Life

The quest forces the adventurer to confront the ethical dilemma of exploiting the Living Relic—a being on the cusp of death who is both alive and dead. The question arises: Is it right to use this person for the advancement of society and knowledge? Should their life (or death) be respected, or is their body just another resource? This theme explores the moral boundaries between what is acceptable in the pursuit of progress and the value of an individual's autonomy.

Moral Ambiguity of Progress

The Collectors combine necromancy and technology to push the boundaries of what’s possible, but this progress comes with a cost. The adventurer is forced to decide whether the potential benefits of innovation—magical or technological—are worth the risks. Is progress always good, or can it become dangerous when it disregards human dignity and morality? This theme challenges the adventurer to consider how far they’re willing to go for advancement.

The Nature of Humanity and Technology

With the Collectors' blending of necromancy and advanced technology, there’s a constant question of what makes someone human, especially in the context of a person being transformed into something else (a sentient object or magical artifact). The adventurer will face decisions about how humanity can be preserved or altered when it intersects with magic and technology. What does it mean to remain human in a world that constantly evolves, both magically and technologically?

Components

Goals

Investigate the Living Relic and safely deliver it to the The Sanctum of the Undying where it can be further researched.

Hooks

Xalith informs the adventurer that a Living Relic has been spotted on the outskirts of Necropolis, where a strange sickness has begun to take hold. The adventurer must track down the source of this illness and find the Relic before anyone else does.

Xalith's fingers drummed lightly on the table, his eyes calculating as he regarded you. "There's something... new. A rumor, perhaps. But where there's smoke, there's fire." He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"I've heard whispers from the outskirts, from those who deal with things we prefer to keep under wraps. They speak of a being—an entity—that can raise the dead at will. Corpses, fresh or long dead, brought back to life as if the very laws of nature are bent to its will." He paused, letting the weight of the words settle.

"They're calling it a Living Relic. A force tied to death and life, a tool—or weapon—that could be more valuable than any necromantic discovery in recent history." Xalith’s gaze sharpened, his tone turning colder, more precise. "We’ve only just begun to hear about it, but I suspect it’s only a matter of time before someone else finds it first. And if they do, it could change everything—our research, the way we operate, the future of the dead themselves."

He straightened, his face hardening. "I want you to find it. It's a dangerous task, but one with enormous potential. You find it, you bring it back to the Sanctum, and you'll have my gratitude—and rewards fitting your efforts." Xalith's smile was thin and sharp, his intent clear.

Stakes

Failure to Obtain the Relic

If the adventurer fails to recover the Living Relic, the consequences will be twofold. First, the Collectors will lose the opportunity to control such a powerful tool, potentially allowing it to fall into the hands of other factions or rogue necromancers who could exploit its power for their own gain. This could shift the balance of power in Necropolis and beyond, plunging the world further into chaos. Second, Xalith, the Collector who entrusted the adventurer with this task, will see it as a personal failure. Displeasing him would not only risk the adventurer’s standing within the Collectors, but also their standing with Xalith himself. Xalith is not one to take failure lightly, and his wrath could lead to dire, irreversible consequences for the adventurer.

The Living Relic’s Power Unchecked

If the Living Relic is found and used without careful consideration, its power to raise the dead at will could quickly spiral out of control. It could turn the tides of battles, create an unstoppable army of the dead, or even raise individuals from the past whose motives and loyalties are unknown. If mishandled, the Relic could undo the natural order, potentially leading to a world overrun by the undead and a collapse of society as the very boundaries between life and death are blurred.

The Collectors’ Influence

If the Living Relic falls into the hands of rival factions—those who do not share the Collectors' pragmatic view of life and death—its misuse could lead to further destabilization of Necropolis. The Collectors would lose their edge and their claim to dominance in the field of necromantic research. Other factions, such as The Dark Path or even the Necromancers themselves, might use the Relic's power to further their own agendas, creating bitter rivalries that would spill over into the streets of Necropolis and beyond.

Relations

Competitors

Adversaries

CR 1 Undead

CR 1 Zombies

Backdrops

Locations

Necropolis: The Outskirts

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Note: The quest takes place in Sector 5 of the Outskirts

Living Relic Quest Map

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Map to display the location of clues and NPCs relevant to the quest.

Plot type

Adventure

Related Characters

• Living Relic
• Xalith

Related Organizations

• Collectors

Related Locations

• Necropolis

Lore and Information

In the Living Relic's Bedroom

Abandoned Necromancer's Camp

NPCs

If the Adventurer speaks to NPCs in the area, they will get the following clues:

• Directions to the Necromancer's house
• the Necromancer has been missing for a week
• There has been strange movements and sounds coming from the Necromancer's house during the past week
• People have been getting sick over the past few days.
• A week ago there was a commotion over by the Necromancer's house. Sounded like there was a fight.

There is no DC for this information as the people living in the area would like to see an end to the strange events in the area. For each person that the adventurer speaks with, provide an additional clue.