Black Desert

The Black Desert is a colossal cavern in the Deep Underfoot. It is covered in black sand that forms dunes and sand storms as it blows about. The desert connects to the Pits of Fire to the north and... to the south. The drop from the Darklight Wood has players land in the northern end of the desert. Near the center of the zone, a series of three imposing pyramids of black stone lie in a row. Around the three there is a ring of fifty-meter tall black obelisks spaced fifty meters apart.   The westernmost pyramid has an entrance at its base. However, the entrance is flanked by a pair of bestial statues that face each other. Any who attempt to pass the statues without saying the proper phrase and making the correct sacrifice are struck by deathtouch. The statues can see through all forms of invisibility, camouflage, and sneak. Inside the pyramid there is a single chamber containing a pool of black liquid. Drinking the liquid is fatal, however, instead of either lingering around their corpses or whizzing off to the nearest priest, the PCs' spirits are free to walk around the chamber. In their ghostly form they can see a series of diagrams on the chamber walls. If the players follow the instructions, a door in the floor will open to a tunnel below. If they leave through the main entrance, they immediately are pulled to the nearest priest.   Following the tunnel will lead to the middle pyramid. The inside of this pyramid comprises a labyrinth full of wraiths that can attack the PCs in their ghostly form. PCs cannot use their abilities or fight in this form unless they have unlocked spectral combat from... If a PC is slain by a wraith while in ghost form, the pieces of their essence fly off the a random priest somewhere on Norrath. Upon resurrection, the character will suffer from a debuff with unlimited duration. This debuff applies an insanity and sets all stats to the lowest value possible that will not impede the character's movement. The debuff is removed when the player returns to their body in the first Pyramid. If the PCs are able to fight through the wraiths and find the center of the maze, they will find another staircase leading down. These stairs will take them to another tunnel that leads to the east Pyramid.   The east pyramid contains a garden illuminated by braziers. Upon ascending into the garden, the PCs are returned to life with all of their equipment and possessions.  

NPCs

  Basalt Servant (55-59): a humanoid figure of black rock. Non-aggressive.   Basalt Sorcerer-King (75-77): a humanoid figure of black rock. Casts Sorcerer spells. Aggressive.   Basalt Warlord (73-75): a humanoid figure of black rock. Drops basalt weapons and armor. Aggressive.   Basalt Warrior (70-72): a humanoid figure of black rock. Drops basalt weapons and armor. Aggressive.   Granite Jackal (64-66): a jackal made of dark rock. Op-aggressive.   Obsidian Scorpion (69-71): a rhinoceros-sized scorpion made of shiny black rock. Aggressive.   Onyx Beetle (66-69): a rhinoceros-sized beetle made of shiny black rock. Non-aggressive.