Need some inspiration and help with a new campaign with a little zombie flavour

[Barttjuh]

Hello folks,
I am gonna start a new campaign and I am busy with setting out the base storyline for the campaign.
In which I could use some help and inspiriation. Mine friends and I are addictive to the board zombicide so I would like a zombie theme.
So I could use those miniatures for some tabletop battles. The book Libris Mortis will help me to create runners and fattys so that is settled :P
Their starting level should be about 3 or 4.

The first part will resolve around a cleric in the Temple of Pelor, which is in secret a servant of Nergull.
That has the ambition in becoming a Lich. Before he becomes a lich he is required to obtain the following items;
- Libris Mortis (book of Undead); To learn how to make a Phylectary.
- Components for his phylectary

The idea is that the PC's will help the cleric unaware of his ambitions for a time. I don't mind if they are smart enough to figure out he is the bad guy.
This will lead into the options;
1. Helping him complete the ritual (evil)
2. Trying to stop him complete the ritual (good)

Whatever happens the cleric will succeed and become a Lich. From this point the lich will turn them into sentient zombies. This should be around lvl 8.
This will bring us to the second part of the story. In their zombie form they cannot harm the lich and must obey him, but if they are seperated from the lich they can disobey his orders.
So they can try to figure out to return to the land of the living and try to defeat the lich (they might know what his phylectary looks like).
Or they could just help destroy the world.

Knowing my friends they like to be evil, but hate being ordered to do so, thus they will want to destroy the lich. This brings us to part three of the story killing the lich, where they should be around level 12 (strong enough to beat a lich).

But firt things first. I need some help with determining the components for the phylectary. The books are not really clear and just say 120k gold.

I was thinking about a special made jewelry boxs made of adamantine, which the cleric needs the temple money for.
So when the donations are send to the main church he lets some bandits steal it for him. Only the bandits find out that they stole a lot more then they were paid to and betray their employer.
Which will lead to a quest in which the cleric sends the PC's out to find the bandits.

Another Item they need to find for the cleric will be the book of the dead. How they will find it would be probably in some dungeon.

I also was thinking they will need a pure soul/ holy maiden/etc. but I don't know how I could get her/he to the temple without the PC's knowing the clerics true goal.
Or where to even get such a soul.

What do you people think of this storyline? And do you have some ideas for adventures or how to fill the gaps?
I appreciate your advice ;)

Greetings,
Barttjuh

[Cirtona Pox]

I was thinking about a special made jewelry boxs made of adamantine, which the cleric needs the temple money for.

Scratch the box as the actual phylactery. They can still get it but it is more of a protective case than a necessary component. The actual receptacle could be a tiny bottle made from a single, perfectly cut diamond with a stopper made from the wood of an ancient Cyprus tree. Maybe a finely embroidered pouch filled with a pious man's dried flesh.


I also was thinking they will need a pure soul/ holy maiden/etc. but I don't know how I could get her/he to the temple without the PC's knowing the clerics true goal.
Or where to even get such a soul.

Why a pure soul? I always wondered why dark deeds needed pure souls. If a living sacrifice is needed/wanted then it should be a powerful cleric of Pelor. The Cleric could use his influence to get him there and the PC's will need to do him in. Perhaps your would be lich convinces them that the other guy is the one trying to become a lich?

[Val666]

Go full harry potter and secretly turn someone, not something, into the lich's phylactery

[Barttjuh]

Scratch the box as the actual phylactery. They can still get it but it is more of a protective case than a necessary component. The actual receptacle could be a tiny bottle made from a single, perfectly cut diamond with a stopper made from the wood of an ancient Cyprus tree. Maybe a finely embroidered pouch filled with a pious man's dried flesh.

Good idea, much more logical :)


Why a pure soul? I always wondered why dark deeds needed pure souls. If a living sacrifice is needed/wanted then it should be a powerful cleric of Pelor. The Cleric could use his influence to get him there and the PC's will need to do him in. Perhaps your would be lich convinces them that the other guy is the one trying to become a lich?

Good point, I could even use the other guy as a back up lich. I like this idea very much. Thanks

[Barttjuh]

Go full harry potter and secretly turn someone, not something, into the lich's phylactery

If I do that the lich is not able to exist forever. And its something very unlich like to turn a living thing in a phylectary when they are obsessed with dead.
But i could something which an ancient tree. I will consider it. Thanks for the idea ;)