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Necromancers of Set

The Necromancers of Set, the most recent faction to arrive in Barrowmaze, have been called by their god to seek The Tablet of Chaos. They managed to and and plunder a series of secret crypts and now use the location as their primary lair. They are a small but formidable faction led by the 10th level magic-user Nathalas the Despicable.

Nathalas, and his right hand Thala-Kul, have been slowly recruiting apprentices from the surrounding villages and teaching them the Black Art. Nathalas has been using the loot from plundered crypts to build special golems, called Steel Skeletons, to fight the Acolytes of Orcus. They also maintain a force of undead.

In addition, Nathalas has hired a mercenary tribe of bugbears from the Blackened Wood called the Red Fangs. They are led by Gblug, their chief, and Kakta, the tribal shaman.

The Necromancers are aware that somehow Nergal’s power yet lingers in the maze. They are currently unaware of the final resting place of The Tablet, but Nathalas’ study can provide the PCs with clues.

Acolytes of Orcus

The Acolytes of Orcus entered Barrowmaze a year before the Necromancers of Set and immediately set about creating a defensive position. They converted one of Nergal’s largest temples to the worship of The- One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Acolytes have been given divine instruction to recover The Tablet. Led by Zur the Black and his foremost pupil Emnuron, they are aware that the forces of the Necromancers have grown.

Like the Necromancers, the Acolytes have captured and pressed wayward youth from surrounding villages into the faith.

Zur maintains a standing force of undead and recently recruited a group of trolls from the Barrowmoor. The Acolytes believe The Tablet rests somewhere to the North of their temple, but they do not know its exact position. They have formed an alliance with Vultrix and the Barrow Harpies and have an uneasy truce with Grizelda’s ghasts.

Like the Necromancers, they are aware that somehow Nergal’s power lingers in the maze. The Acolytes commonly raise their own dead to serve as foot soldiers.