'Grroovvy' Bad Ash from Army of Darkness & The Evil Dead Films For Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition With New Sword of Cepheus Adventure!

 Here is a complete, ready-to-use stat block and profile for Evil Ash from Army of Darkness, built specifically for the Sword of Cepheus (2nd Edition) ruleset. This blog post picks right up from 

'I'll Swallow Your Soul '- The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (also referred to as "Naturom Demonto" and "Book of The Dead") for Sword of Cepheus 2nd edition & Adventure Encounter

In Sword of Cepheus, Evil Ash fits perfectly as an Undead Lord or a powerful Undead Rival with high physical resilience, command over hordes, and a terrifying psychological impact.

Evil Ash (Undead Rival / Lord)

Characteristics

STR	DEX	END	INT	EDU	SOC
11 (+1)	10 (+1)	12 (+2)	9 (+0)	7 (+0)	2 (-2)

• Stamina: 23

• Life Blood: 12

Skills

• Combat (Melee/Blade): 2

• Combat (Unarmed): 1

• Leadership: 2

• Deception: 1

• Athletics: 1

Traits & Special Abilities

• Undead Resilience: Immune to poison, disease, suffocating, and psychological effects (Fear, Morale checks). Evil Ash does not suffer DM penalties from minor injuries.

• Terrifying Presence: When Evil Ash first enters combat or reveals his true nature, all living opponents must make a MDR (Mind-Damage Resistance) check or a Willpower (INT) check against a Difficulty of 8. Failure results in a -1 DM to all actions for 1d6 rounds due to sheer terror.

• Unnatural Reassembly: If reduced to 0 Stamina, Evil Ash does not fall unconscious. He continues fighting using his Life Blood. If killed (Life Blood reduced to 0) by non-magical or non-fire means, he will reassemble into a skeletal or mutated form within 1d6 hours unless his body is thoroughly burned or hacked to pieces and scattered.

• Necromantic Command: As a minor action, Evil Ash can issue commands to any lesser undead (skeletons, ghouls, Deadites) within 30 meters. They receive a +1 DM to their next attack roll.

Equipment & Combat Profile

• Armor: Weathered Plate & Chain (Armor Protection: 6, weighs down Agility-based checks slightly if using optional encumbrance, but ignored for his undead nature).

• Weapon (Broadsword): 2d6+2 slashing damage (includes STR bonus).

• Weapon (Claws/Fists): 1d6+1 bludgeoning/piercing damage.

Tactics and Roleplaying Notes

Evil Ash is arrogant, cruel, and highly vocal. Unlike typical mindless undead in Sword of Cepheus, he retains Ash Williams’s quick-witted, cynical personality—twisted into pure malice.

• In Combat: He uses his lesser skeleton forces to tie down the party's frontline while he targets the leader or anyone holding a relic (like the Necronomicon). He mocks his opponents constantly, attempting to break their morale.

• Using Him in a Campaign: He makes an excellent mid-to-high-tier campaign villain. If the players "kill" him early on, don't hesitate to have him return later in the adventure, sporting horrific battle scars, a detached jaw, or fully decaying features, seeking personal revenge.
  
  

Here is a short, action-packed adventure module for Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition featuring Evil Ash. It is designed to be played in one or two sessions.

The Book and the Bad

• Setting: A rugged, mist-shrouded valley housing a ruined fortress and a desperate border abbey.

• The Hook: The adventurers are hired by a local religious order to retrieve a forbidden tome before a heretical warlord can unearth it.

• The Twist: The warlord is already dead, replaced and reanimated by his own twisted reflection—Evil Ash.

Part 1: The Request at Brother’s Keep

The party arrives at St. Jude’s Priory, a fortified monastery guarding a mountain pass. Abbot Gregory is frantic. He reveals that a local warlord, Lord Ashwood, went mad, dug up an ancient, flesh-bound book from a cursed crypt, and was subsequently overthrown and killed by his own men.

However, scouts report that Ashwood’s ruined castle is buzzing with unnatural activity. Shadows are walking, and the dead are digging. Gregory fears the book—the Liber Damnatum—is being used to raise an army. He offers the party 1,500 silver pieces and a Potion of Healing each to infiltrate the ruins, destroy the book, and ensure Ashwood stays buried.

Part 2: The Ashwood Wilderness

To reach the ruins, the party must traverse the blighted valley.

• The Encounter (The Scouting Party): The party is ambushed by 3 Deadite Skeletons (Use standard Skeleton stats from Sword of Cepheus, but give them a twisted sense of humor; they cackle and mock the players).

• The Clue: One of the skeletons is wearing Lord Ashwood’s personal heraldry, but its skull has been crudely smashed and stitched back together with rusty wire—a hint at Evil Ash's Unnatural Reassembly trait.

Part 3: The Ruined Courtyard

The fortress is heavily damaged, its walls breached. The courtyard is a grim assembly line. Dozens of skeletons are digging up old graves, sharpening rusted swords, and assembling siege equipment.

• The Challenge: Stealth is highly recommended here (Difficulty 8 Dexterity/Stealth check). If they fail or choose to fight openly, they must face waves of 4–6 skeletons.

• The Sub-Boss: Leading the courtyard work is a bloated, reanimated lieutenant who tries to alert the castle. If interrogated, he simply laughs and says, "The King is back, baby. And he’s got a brand new bag."

Part 4: The Throne Room (The Final Showdown)

The party confronts Evil Ash in the ruined grand hall. He sits on a throne of bone and splintered wood, casually tossing a dagger into a table. The Liber Damnatum sits open on a stone altar nearby, pulsing with sickly green light.

The Scene: When the party enters, Evil Ash stands up, draws his broadsword, and delivers a classic, arrogant taunt: "You social misfits think you can stop me? I'm the King around here. Now, who wants some?"

The Encounter Dynamics:

• Evil Ash: Use the stat block provided previously.

• The Minions: 4 Skeletal Guards stand between the party and the throne.

• The Environment: The Liber Damnatum on the altar provides a +1 DM to Evil Ash's Necromantic Command ability while it remains open.

• The Ticking Clock: Every 3 rounds, the book pulses, animating 1 fresh skeleton from the debris piles around the room.

Tactics:

• Round 1: Evil Ash activates his Terrifying Presence trait immediately upon drawing his sword. He orders his 4 guards to engage the party's heaviest hitters.

• Round 2 and beyond: Evil Ash fights dirty. He will kick over tables to create difficult terrain, throw debris, and target whoever looks the weakest or smartest (like spellcasters or scholars). He uses his Necromantic Command as a minor action every round to buff his skeletons' attacks.

Resolving the Adventure

• Defeating Evil Ash: If reduced to 0 Stamina, Evil Ash laughs off the pain and keeps fighting using his Life Blood. Once his Life Blood hits 0, he collapses into a pile of ash and bones.

• Destroying the Book: To stop the skeletons from rising and permanently prevent Evil Ash from reassembling, a character must spend an action to slam the Liber Damnatum shut and either burn it, cast a holy ward on it, or hack it to pieces (Requires a Hard (10+) Strength or Education/Magic check depending on the method).

• The Aftermath: If the book is destroyed and Evil Ash is defeated, the remaining skeletons collapse into lifeless dust. Returning to Abbot Gregory secures the reward. However, if the players didn't thoroughly burn Evil Ash's remains, rumors will reach them in a few weeks of a one-handed, scarred warlord terrorizing the next town over...

'I'll Swallow Your Soul '- The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (also referred to as "Naturom Demonto" and "Book of The Dead") for Sword of Cepheus 2nd edition & Adventure Encounter

 The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (loosely translated as "Book of the Dead"), also known as the Naturom Demonto, is an ancient, sentient tome of ultimate black sorcery. Bound in human flesh and inked in human blood, it acts as a gateway to the dark, chaotic dimension of the Kandarian Demons (or "Deadites"). This blog post picks right up 'Hail To The King Baby!' Ashley 'Ash' Williams From The Evil Dead Films For Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition

In Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition, this book is not a mere passive spellbook; it is a malevolent, semi-sentient artifact that actively seeks to corrupt, possess, and destroy anyone foolish enough to unlock its secrets.

Artifact Statistics

• Type: Eldritch Artifact (Unique)

• Encumbrance: 2 items (Chunky, heavy, and bound with iron clasps)

• Requirements: Literacy (Ancient Sumerian or Dead Tongue), Sorcery 1+ (to read safely; anyone reading without the skill automatically triggers a mishap).

Core Mechanics & Curses

1. The Trigger: Whispers of the Damned

The book is constantly looking for a voice to speak its words into the physical world.

• Accidental Reading: If an adventurer attempts to translate or read the text aloud (intentionally or by playing a recorded reading), they must make a Formidable (10+) INT + Sorcery check.

• On a Failure: The Kandarian Demon is summoned into the surrounding wilderness, immediately seeking hosts to possess.

• On a Critical Failure (Natural 2 or Effect -4): A player character or nearby NPC is immediately targeted for possession (see Deadite Possession below).

2. Eldritch Spells Contained

A sorcerer who studies the book gains access to forbidden, high-tier Eldritch magic. The Necronomicon contains the following spells (standard casting time is 2D6 minutes, or 1 combat round if channeled):

• Animate Corpse (Eldritch): Reanimates nearby remains. Unlike normal necromancy, the GM secretly rolls; there is a 50% chance the corpse is possessed by a hostile Deadite rather than obeying the caster.

• Chains of the Forest (Arcane): Nature itself turns hostile. Trees, vines, and roots attack a targeted zone, trapping victims (treat as an attack with the Grapple trait).

• Demonic Possession (Eldritch): The caster attempts to force a Kandarian spirit into a living target.

• Temporal Rift (Eldritch): A chaotic portal opens, swallowing anything nearby and scattering them across time (or sending them to a desolate, ash-covered wasteland).

3. The Toll of the Flesh (Rapid Corruption)

The Necronomicon accelerates spiritual decay.

• Study Toll: Merely spending a week studying the book grants 1 permanent point of Corruption.

• Casting Toll: Every time a spell from this book is cast, the caster gains 1 Corruption (or 2 Corruption if channeled).

• The Kandarian Mishap Table: If a sorcerer rolls a Critical Failure (natural 2 or Effect -4 or worse) while casting a spell from the Necronomicon, they do not roll on the standard Sorcerous Mishap table. Instead, roll on the table below:

2D6	Necronomicon Mishap Effect
2-5	The Blood Tears: The caster's eyes weep blood. Apply a -2 penalty to all physical actions requiring sight for 1D6 hours.
6-8	The Laughing Woods: The surrounding environment begins to cackle and mock the caster. All characters within 100 meters must make an END or INT check (8+) to avoid being Shaken by terror.
9-10	Spontaneous Decay: One of the caster’s limbs (roll randomly) turns gray and begins to rot. It is treated as useless until amputated or cleansed with holy magic.
11-12	Instant Possession: The caster’s mind is temporarily shattered. A Kandarian demon takes control of their body for 1D6 rounds, attacking allies.

Creature Profile: The Deadite (Kandarian Host)

When a human body (living or dead) is possessed by the spirits unleashed by the book, they become a Deadite. They are mocking, hyper-agile, and physically devastating.

Deadite Host
STR 11 (+1), DEX 10 (+1), END 12 (+2), INT 8 (+0), EDU 5 (-1),

 SOC 0 (-3)

Life Blood: 23 
Armor: 2 (Unnatural, rubbery flesh)
Skills: Athletics 2, Melee (Unarmed) 2, Deception 2, Gunbat/Archery 1
Combat: Claws/Bite (2D6 damage) or improvised weapons.

Special Traits:

• Psychological Warfare: Deadites use the memories of their host to torment their loved ones. They can use a standard action to mock an opponent. The target must succeed on an INT check (8+) or suffer a -1 DM to all rolls for the rest of the encounter due to distress.

• Unnatural Resiliency: Deadites do not feel pain and cannot be knocked unconscious by damage. They are immune to poisons, disease, and standard mind-altering magic.

• Severed Limb Survival: Even if a limb is severed (via a slashing weapon or critical hit), the limb remains animated and hostile. A severed hand has STR 3, DEX 8, and will crawl to choke opponents (1D6-2 damage).

• The Only Way Out is Dismemberment: A Deadite host can only be truly destroyed by reducing its Life Blood to 0 and explicitly dismembering the body (burning, hacking it to pieces, or using a heavy slashing weapon).

The Cabin at Deadman's Ridge

A thick, unnatural fog has swallowed the pine forests of the Grey Spine Mountains. High up on the pass sits Stone-Hollow, a vital iron-mining and logging outpost that has suddenly gone silent. The local baron hires the adventurers to investigate, offering a handsome bounty under a simple premise: find out why the ore shipments have stopped, and get the miners back to work.

The Setup

When the party arrives, they find no signs of an external siege—no burned palisades, no arrow-riddled doors. Instead, they find an eerie, absolute silence.

• The outer gate swings lazily on squeaking iron hinges.

• Half-eaten meals sit rotting on tables in the mess hall.

• The draft animals in the stables have been violently slaughtered, their ribcages pried open from the inside.

The Hook

At the center of the mystery is Scholar Caleb, a disgraced academic from the capital whom the miners hired to translate "ancient tablets" they unearthed deep in the iron vein.

Instead of tablets, they found a stone coffer containing a book bound in leathery, scarred human flesh: the Naturom Demonto. Unaware of its true nature, Caleb read the opening Sumerian incantations aloud to an audience of curious miners.

Now, the unseen Kandarian force has claimed the hollow. The miners are no longer human.

The Grim Realities

To survive and resolve the situation, the adventurers must contend with several horrific challenges:

• The Whispering Woods: The forest surrounding the outpost has turned actively hostile. Pine branches claw at backpacks, roots rise up to trip fleeing characters, and the wind carries the mocking, echoing laughter of deceased loved ones. Attempting to flee the valley requires a Difficult (10+) Navigation (or Survival) check; failure means looping right back to the slaughterhouse of Stone-Hollow.

• The "Living" Deadites: The possessed miners retain their tools. Players will face Deadites armed with heavy wood-cutting axes (3D6 damage) and mining picks (2D6+2 AP 2). They will play dead, use the voices of crying children to lure characters into dark corners, and mock the party's deepest personal failures mid-combat.

• The Ritual in the Mine: Deep in the damp, dark tunnels of the iron mine, Scholar Caleb’s body has been horribly mutated. Suspended from the ceiling by thick, thorny vines, his half-possessed, cackling form is clutching the book, continuously chanting to open a permanent rift.

The Choice

To stop the spreading plague, the party must retrieve the book. However, the tome cannot be easily destroyed by mundane fire or steel—burning it only causes the book to scream in agony while releasing a wave of choking, toxic black smoke (Hard END check to avoid suffocation).

The party must make a choice:

1. Dismember the Possessed: Wage a bloody war of attrition through the mines, hack Caleb to pieces, and risk taking the cursed book with them to find a high sorcerer capable of sealing it.

2. Seal the Mine: Use the mining guild's black powder reserves to collapse the entire ridge. This will bury the book and the Deadites, but it will also destroy the baron's valuable mine, forfeit their reward, and seal any surviving, unpossessed miners in a dark grave forever.

'Hail To The King Baby!' Ashley 'Ash' Williams From The Evil Dead Films For Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition

 Here is a 2nd Edition Sword of Cepheus write-up for Ashley "Ash" Williams, custom-built to reflect his descent into a sword-and-sorcery, "weird science" planetary-romance, or dark fantasy campaign.

In Sword of Cepheus 2e, characters utilize a streamlined 2d6 task resolution, slot-based inventory (you can carry items equal to your Strength), and standard characteristics. Below is Ash's fully formatted character block, followed by his signature gear translated directly into the system's rules.

Ashley "Ash" Williams

Background: Commoner / Outlander

Career: Soldier (Turned Reluctant Monster Slayer)

Age: 34 (4 Terms)

Characteristics

• STR: 9 (+1) (Brawny, accustomed to hauling heavy lumber and machinery)

• DEX: 8 (+0) (Solid hand-eye coordination)

• END: 10 (+1) (Vastly durable; ignores horrific physical trauma)

• INT: 7 (+0) (Pragmatic, but prone to foolish mistakes)

• EDU: 5 (-1) (S-Mart retail training, not classical academia)

• SOC: 6 (+0) (A loudmouth, blue-collar retail clerk)

Combat & Health

• Stamina: 11 (END 10 + Athletics)

• Lifeblood: 20 (2x END)

• Armor Protection: 1 (Leather harness/S-Mart blue shirt)

Skills

• Athletics-1 (Used for scaling walls, heavy lifting, and sprinting from deadites)

• Artifice-2 (Mechanics, jury-rigging prosthetics, and engineering black-powder weapons)

• Melee Combat (Chainsaw)-2 (Brutal, high-damage close-quarters hacking)

• Ranged Combat (Boomstick)-2 (Point-blank black-powder devastation)

• Survival-1 (Staying alive in terrifying, untamed wilderness)

• Carousing-1 (Drinking, boasting, and smooth-talking at the local tavern)

• Deception-0 (Spinning wild tales that usually get him into deeper trouble)

Traits

• Indomitable Will: When rolling to resist fear, horror, or mind-affecting corruption, Ash gains Advantage on the 2d6 check.

• Jury-Rigger: Ash can repair damaged machinery, vehicles, or complex physical mechanisms without the proper tools, suffering no penalties to his Artifice roll.

• Iron Fist: Ash's unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage instead of the usual unarmed damage, thanks to his metal, gauntleted prosthetic.

Signature Equipment (Slots: 9 Max)

1. The "Boomstick" (Ranged Combat)

A heavy, double-barreled break-action flintlock or black-powder shotgun.

• Damage: 3d6 (at close range) / 1d6 (at medium range)

• Range: Close (up to 5 meters) / Medium (up to 15 meters)

• Aspects: Reload-2 (Takes two actions to reload both barrels), Deafening (Deals morale damage to beasts on a successful hit).

• Inventory Slots: 2 slots

2. The Chainsaw Hand (Melee Combat)

A noisy, gas-powered logging saw adapted to mount directly onto Ash’s right wrist stump via a leather and brass harness.

• Damage: 3d6+1 cutting/slashing damage

• Aspects: Fuel-Dependent (Requires oil/kerosene), Vicious (On a roll of natural 12, the target suffers an immediate, bleeding critical injury), Noisy (Guarantees loss of stealth).

• Inventory Slots: 2 slots (mounted on forearm)

3. The Metal Gauntlet (Prosthetic Hand)

A hand crafted from scrap metal, gears, and clockwork springs.

• Function: Restores basic manual dexterity to his right arm.

• Aspects: Counts as a small shield (+1 to parry) when blocking melee attacks.

• Inventory Slots: 0 slots (worn)

4. The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (Unidentified Ancient Tome)

An ancient book bound in human hide and inked in blood.

• Aspects: Cursed. Anyone attempting to read or translate this book must make an INT + Religion check (Target Number: 10). Failure triggers a localized Eldritch Mishap, waking up nearby deadites, summoning forest spirits, or driving the reader temporarily insane.

• Inventory Slots: 1 slot

Playstyle Notes

Ash behaves as a classic high-Stamina, high-damage frontliner. Because combat in Sword of Cepheus 2e is incredibly deadly, his strategy relies on blasting enemies with the "Boomstick" at close range before charging in to finish them off with his chainsaw hand. He functions as the ultimate "weird science" survivor in dark fantasy or planetary romance campaigns, using his Artifice skill to build makeshift devices from ancient ruins.