[BloodWitch]Jarad's Hideout

Jarad vod Savo, a Devkarin elf Lich, was the former guild leader of the Golgari Swarm. Jarad is a pragmatic and cunning leader, not particularly evil by the normal standards of many necromancers or liches, but driven by a cold, calculating view of life and death. His primary concern is continued survival. He wields significant political power and maintains a delicate balance of alliances and rivalries with other guilds, particularly the Dimir and Gruul.

The relationship with Vraska:

Vraska, a gorgon assassin and a high-ranking member of the Golgari, seeks to overthrow Jarad to become the guildmaster of the Golgari Swarm. The Golgari's leadership has historically been competitive and violent, with power often passing through coups, assassination, or direct confrontations. Vraska’s ambition to rule the Golgari, an ambition she nurtures for a long time, makes her see Jarad as a direct obstacle to her goals.

Vraska’s involvement with Nicol Bolas, also plays a role. Bolas offers her a deal: if she helps him, he will give her the power to take control of the Golgari. This offer fuels Vraska’s ambition and gives her the confidence that she can defeat Jarad, as Bolas grants her additional power and resources. Vraska’s alliance with Bolas is a crucial turning point that motivates her to eliminate Jarad and take his place as guildmaster.

While Jarad is deeply connected to the traditional necromantic practices of the Golgari, Vraska brings a new perspective. She wants to modernize and strengthen the Golgari’s political influence in Ravnica. She also seeks to position the Golgari as a more powerful and independent force, rather than merely a guild that dwells on the fringes of society, as Jarad’s leadership seemed content to do. Vraska’s vision for the Golgari contrasts with Jarad’s, and this ideological difference creates a rift between them.

Players will have an opportunity to meet both characters. They can help Vraska hunt down Jarad or help Jarad fake his death, (they could finish both quests if they smark enough). As a cunning lich, the combat with Jarad could be challenging.

Manipulative Diplomacy: During the combat, Jarad will attempt to manipulate the party by offering boons or valuable information in exchange for favors. He might even offer the ultimate secret of the eternal life, becoming a lich like him.

Tactical Genius: In combat, Jarad would use the terrain to his advantage, summoning hordes of undead armies and utilizing the environment for ambushes. He may also have hidden necromantic traps or glyphs that debilitate the players or weaken them over time. His combat tactics would rely on delaying his enemies while sapping their strength, using his minions to keep distance from melee attackers.

Escape Master: Jarad is eager to survive. He will attempt to retreat when the battle isn't going in his favor. Even if he is defeated, if the player can not find his phylactery, he will revived somewhere else.

The player becomes a lich:

Lich probably is not the most powerful path for a mage, but it provides a feasible way to eternity. With the help of Jarad, the player can choose the path of the lich:

Phylactery Shard

• Wondrous Item (legendary, requires attunement by a spellcaster)

• This ancient shard of dark crystal hums with necromantic energy. It holds part of the ritual to transform into a lich.

Abilities:

• Lichdom’s Path: The holder of the shard can perform a special ritual over the course of 7 days, offering rare and valuable materials worth 50,000 gold pieces, in an attempt to become a lich. Unlike traditional liches, a Golgari lich might have vibrant green moss, vines, or fungal growths covering its skeletal frame. Rotting flesh and blackened tendrils could be seen sprouting from their limbs, indicating their deep connection to the cycle of life and death.

• Control the dead: As an action, A lich can target one undead creature you can see within 45 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey your commands for the next 24 hours. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your level is immune to this effect.

• Necromantic Resistance: As a lich, the player gains immunity to Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, and Poisoned status.

• Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.

Combine other Golgari maps to create a larger adventure:

More variations of this map: