Oath of Ashes
Synopsis
The adventurers are summoned by Doctor Stu Marley Kendal, a guilt-ridden physician whose experimental treatments once aimed to cure incurable diseases—until one patient, Ilsa, emerged transformed by shadow and flame. Now leading a fanatical cult known as the Shrouded Flame, Ilsa spreads her dark blessing to others, granting power through pain and reshaping the sick into fervent disciples. The doctor pleads with the party to find Ilsa, reason with her if possible, and stop the cult’s expansion. As the heroes delve into the temple ruins where the cult thrives, they must navigate twisted loyalties, corrupted miracles, and a perilous choice: destroy what Ilsa has become, or accept that her salvation may look like damnation to everyone else.
Themes
Redemption vs. Condemnation
- Core Dilemma: Ilsa believes she has been “saved” and transcended mortality. The players must decide whether she can be brought back or must be destroyed.
- Doctor Kendal’s guilt mirrors this—can one atone for past sins, or is it too late?
The Corrupting Nature of Power
- Ilsa's magic gave her freedom from death, but it also twisted her beliefs.
- The cult’s members think they’ve found purpose and power—but at what cost?
- This theme invites players to reflect on how power shapes identity and morality.
Identity and Transformation
- Ilsa’s change is both physical and psychological. Is she still the person she was?
- Cult members adopt new names and roles. The idea of becoming someone else—better or worse—is pervasive.
Components
Hooks
Doctor Kendal seeks skilled, adventurers to handle a sensitive matter. He posts on the job board, leaving the details vague. He will meet with the players at the clinic.
Resolution
Outcomes:
- Redemption: Players remind Ilsa of her old self. If they show compassion or bring proof of her past, she could surrender and disband the cult.
- Combat Victory: Ilsa is slain. Cultists scatter and/or surrender.
- Partial Corruption: Players let Ilsa live and/or accept her ideology. The cult survives with the party members as part of it. They may sway the cult to change their methods.
- Failure: Ilsa escapes and becomes stronger. The cult spreads. They can become a recurrent villains in the campaign.
Win Conditions:
- Ilsa is no longer a threat.
- The cult is disbanded or defeated.
- Return with evidence for Kendal.
- Optional: Rescue prisoners.
Note: the party must meet the win conditions to receive the rewards from Kendal.
Rewards
- Experience is awarded according to the encounters they over come (see locations)
- The doctor will give them rewards if the win conditions are met
- 200$ for each party member
- 1 jar of honey
- Each character will get 3 renown with The Doctors
Stakes
Innocent Lives
- Immediate: The cult is actively abducting or “awakening” villagers—some may not survive the transformation, while others become violent initiates.
- Failure to act means more lives are altered, possibly irreversibly.
Ilsa’s Soul (and Legacy)
- Personal: This is a deeply personal story for Doctor Kendal, who hopes there’s still a spark of humanity left in Ilsa. If she’s killed, she becomes a tragic mistake. If saved, there’s a sliver of redemption for both.
- Philosophical: Can someone radically transformed by magic and trauma be brought back—or do they become something entirely new?
The Spread of the Cult
- The cult, if allowed to grow, could destabilize the region, preying on the weak and reshaping others into beings of shadow and fire.
- A small fire now could become a wildfire across neighboring lands.
Moral Quandaries
Save or Slay Ilsa
- Quandary: Ilsa is clearly dangerous—she’s altered herself and others through dark magic. But she believes she’s helping people and offers meaning to the outcast and hopeless.
- Question: Is she a villain, a victim, or something in between? Can she be redeemed? Is killing her mercy or murder?
Responsibility of the Creator
- Doctor Kendal’s experiments gave rise to this horror. He claims to regret it—but is he seeking to undo his mistake or just silence it?
- Question: Should the doctor face justice? Is he using the players to do his emotional cleanup?
Killing the Cured
- Some cultists are former patients, sick or dying, who see this new life as a gift. They may plead with the players not to take it from them.
- Question: Is killing them murder—or a necessary act to stop the cult’s spread?
Using the Forbidden Knowledge
- If the players find Ilsa’s research or magical rituals, they face a tempting choice:
- Burn it all, or
- Preserve it (for study, or for power).
- Question: Can dangerous magic be used responsibly? Or must it be erased entirely?
Backdrops
Past Events
Doctor Stu Marley Kendal once treated a dying patient, Ilsa Var, with experimental healing science. She survived—and changed, becoming one of The Others. Able to wield the Dark and twisted by the belief that her transformation is transcendence, she disappeared. Years later, she returned as the leader of The Shrouded Flame, recruiting others into her ideology by binding them with the Oath of Ashes.
Now, villagers of Camp Hope report disappearances and strange lights in the old ruins of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The doctor, fearing what he’s unleashed, calls upon the players.
Investigation
If the players want to have a chance at talking Ilsa Var down, they must first learn about her.
- Doctor Stu Marley Kendal can tell them that she was a field medic.
- The Doctors would be able to give more information about her
Table of Contents
Click on a heading to go to that section
GM Notes
- System: Ultra Modern 5 Redux Version 1.2
- Designed for a party of 4–5 characters at Level 3.
- A balanced party with at least one magic user and one charisma-based character is recommended due to both combat and social challenges.
- Combat is challenging but avoidable through roleplay or clever tactics.
Information Around Camp
The Flying Pig
If the party goes to the tavern, they can over hear people talking about how people have gone missing. No one can give them any specific details. It is all rumor and gossip. But it is clear that the people are scared.
Town Watch
If the party goes to the Town Watch, they will confirm that there are people missing. They will be reluctant to provide the party with details unless they are also members of the watch or have a renown of 5 or more with the Town Watch. In which case, they will provide them with a list of names of the missing. There are 4 who are missing and 3 that are confirmed dead. In all cases, they left town and weren't seen alive again. The dead were found at the camp's wall a few days after the left the camp. The dead have been taken by the Doctors to be investigated.
The Doctors
If the party goes to the doctors, they confirm that they are investigating the cause of death for the 3 bodies that were left at the wall. They will be reluctant to provide the party with details unless they are also members of the doctors or have a renown of 5 or more with the doctors. In which case, they will tell them that all 3 of the bodies were burned badly and they all appear to have been infected with the Sonohoka Syndrome virus. It appears that the cause of death was the virus and the bodies were burned post mortem.
Travel
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is only a mile away from Camp Hope and will only take the party a half hour to travel to while moving at a normal pace. Thus, the travel rules will not come into play during this adventure.
Comments