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Summary:
The PCs happen across a woman being sacrificed to yrthaks. A nearby village must give over the sacrifice to avoid attack by the yrthaks, who are the servants of a vampiric gulgar that has decimated its own clan and now seeks humans to slake its thirst. The PCs ascend into the hills to defeat the gulgar and save thevillagers.
Assumptions:
The PCs are journeying near or through Xonochouco near the foothills of the northern King's Peaks.
Location:
Near the village of Anachtlat
Historical Date:
701 A.C. Hunahpuinatl (late spring/early summer)
DM's Introduction:
The village of Anachtlat (population 300) has always dwelt in the shadows of the foothills of the King's Peaks, in the nation of Xonochouco. The villagers are, for the most part, hardy peasant farmers and hunters, with a mixture of fur trappers who venture into the hills in the winter to trap furs.
In the nearby hills dwelt a clan of gulgars. The clan, as is the wont of their kind, always kept to themselves, and although estranged from the villagers, relations were cordial on the rare occasions humans encountered gulgars. Unbeknownst to the villagers, the gulgars have been instrumental in keeping the native yrthaks from running wild and attacking the village and its livestock. Instead, the gulgars have domesticated all of the yrthaks native to the nearby hills.
The villagers call the gulgars the "crystal people of the hills" and from ancient compact, once a year the gulgars emerge from their caverns and come to a plave near the village to trade gems and metal ores for items the villagers have crafted, as well as leather and wooden items and feathers for their bows. This day, known as "Earth Day" occurs every 1st day of Ixchelinatl, and is the cause of much excitement amongst the villagers.
This last Earth Day, for the first time that even the village elder can recall, the gulgars did not arrive to trade. This caused much concern amongst the villagers, and the local priestess of Matlalceuitl cast her divinations to learn that some trouble had come to the gulgars.
Amongst the gulgars was one of their number who heard strange vibrations during his mining in one location that hinted at a large cavern nearby. Breaking into the cavern, he found a wealth of crystals on which to feed. He also found the ancient shrine and tomb of the Azotchtlan vampire Conahuitachtl, a scourge of the region centuries ago who had been imprisoned in his tomb by those who defeated him but could not locate his coffin and so, instead, merely entrapped him in his cavern.
The gulgar, unfamiliar with humans and their customs, had no hope of recognizing the place he had stumbled into as a tomb. Opening the coffin, Conahuitachtl leapt out, ravening with hunger, and attacked the gulgar. A great struggle ensued, and the gulgar defeated the vampire, though not before he was drained of much energy and blood and survived only by dint of the potion of bear's endurance he had quaffed during the battle. Now seeing the vampire's gaseous form retreat into the coffin, the gulgar, knowing that his potion was soon to expire, came to the open tomb and drawing his bow, shot an arrow right into the heart of the vampire. This slew the vampire, and the gulgar then used its warhammer to literally smash the vampire's head into a pulp, effectively destroying it utterly.
Just then the potion expired, and so did the gulgar, his Con now reduced to zero. The gulgar slumped forward into the coffin and there it expected its life to end.
Its life did end, but not its unlife. The gulgar awoke the next evening as a vampire, with the coffin and its grave earth now effectively his. For several days the gulgar accustomed itself to its new identity, all the while its blood thirst growing until it snuck back to the clan and began to feed on its own kind. Over the course of the next few weeks the gulgar, now reveling in its undead status, slew its entire clan, taking control of the surviving clan yrthaks as well. Now it decided that it must have a steady supply of blood, and so it trained its yrthaks to grab villagers.
It was a week after Earth Day that the yrthaks attacked, sweeping into the village ignoring the livestock corralled on the outskirts and instead grabbing three villagers and flapping off with them into the hills. Several other villagers had been injured and one slain during the attack. The villagers met in council and it was decided that the priestess and four warriors would leave the village to get help. They did not make it far before they were grabbed by a yrthak that was tasked with making sure no villagers left the area surrounding the village.
Upon seeing that his situation might be endangered should the villagers decide to flee the village en masse, the gulgar vampire used an amulet of tongues to announce to the villagers that the crystal people of the hills were angry with them for their lack of piety to the gods. In recompense, he announced that they should sacrifice to him one person per month, on the 10th day of the month. Should they do so, then he and his yrthaks would not come and take everyone from the village. Furthermore, the gulgar has warned the villagers that any who try to escape the village will be slain. The villagers have reluctantly agreed, sometimes grabbing a visitor to the village to give as a sacrifice, but other times having to sacrifice one of their own.
Part One - The Sacrifice (EL 9)
The PCs come upon a sacrifice left at the tree outside of the village, just as a yrthak comes to take her away. They rescue the sacrifice and learn of the village's predicament.
As the PCs pass near to the village (which they can see in the distance), travelling on whatever journey they are making, they will hear a female scream in terror, followed by a strange high-pitched roar. Should the PCs investigate, they will come into a small clearing where a large tree grows. Tied to the tree by stout hemp cords is an elderly woman. Harrying the woman and tugging at the rope bonds is a huge, yellowish-green winged creature, somewhat draconic looking.
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YRTHAK CR 9 Explosion (Su) A yrthak can fire its sonic lance at
the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or the like to create
an explosion of shattered stone. This attack deals 2d6 points
of piercing damage to all within 10 feet of the effect’s
center. This counts as a use of the sonic lance attack and thus
is usable only once every 2 rounds, and never on the round following
a sonic lance attack. |
| TRETHETIHUA
CR 2 Female human Commoner 3 N Medium humanoid (human) Init -1; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Azotlan AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 hp 5 (3 HD) Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee unarmed -1 (1d3-2 nonlethal) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +1; Grp -1 Abilities Str 7, Dex 8, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 11 Feats Negotiator, Self-Sufficient, Trustworthy Skills Craft (cooking) +8, Craft (weaving) +8, Diplomacy +4, Gather Information +2, Handle Animal +7, Heal +4, Profession (farmer) +9, Sense Motive +4, Survival +4 Possessions peasant outfit |
Tactics: The yrthak will immediately turn to attack anyone who interferes with its mission, which is to snatch up the sacrificial victim and fly it back to the gulgar vampire's lair. In combat, the yrthak will use its Flyby Attack and sonic lance and explosion abilities to attack from the air, only closing if its prey is immune to sonic attacks or if it thinks it can snatch a victim and fly it back to the gulgar vampire lair. If it appears that it may be sorely pressed, the yrthak will try to grab the old woman or another person and flee to the vampire gulgar's lair.
Developments: If the yrthak manages to flee with a victim, it will fly it to the gulgar vampire's lair. The PCs can either attempt to follow it in flight, or use magic to locate the victim later (especially if a PC). The victim will be confined in the vampire's lair for later dining.
Assuming the PCs manage free and protect the woman, she will thank them and give her name as Tretethihua. She will gladly tell the PCs her circumstance...that her own people placed her here to be given over to the crystal people of the hills, who have demanded a sacrifice at the start of each month, lest they destroy the village. The woman will be worried now that the village will be endangered, and that the other villagers will be angry at her for her failure to mollify the crystal people of the hills.
If asked more questions, the woman will say that it would probably be best if the PCs come to the village to speak with the elders.
Part Two - The Village
The PCs speak with the village elders and learn the village's predicament.
Note: The remainder of this scenario assumes that the PCs managed to slay the yrthak in Part One. If this is not the case, then the DM should adjust certain situations in this Part to match the circumstances.
The villagers have heard of the strangers who have come from the lands far to the north across the sea, and they know that the gods have granted them their freedom. That said, they will still be both fascinated and wary of the PCs.
If the PCs bring Tretethihua with them the villagers will be quite upset, worrying that the crystal people of the hills will now wreak their vengeance upon them.
Whether the PCs insist or not, they will eventually be brought before (or vice versa) the village elders. The village elders consist of two elderly men and an elderly woman, heads of the three families of the village that claim the closest lineage to the village founders (and therefore the best ability to convince the ancestor spirits that guard the place to plead on the villager's behalf to the gods for whatever might be wanting).
The elders will at first insist that the PCs return Tretethihua to the tree and bind her (they will provide ropes). If the yrthak has been slain and the elders are told this fact, then they will be extremely worried and upset, accusing the PCs of bringing ruin down upon them. The woman will say that maybe they could present Tretethihua and another one or two persons to the crystal people as recompense for the loss of the yrthak, to which a male elder will reply that even on the basis of size alone that would not be an even exchange and that the village is now likely to be destroyed and all within slain or taken away.
Once the elders calm down, they can be made to tell the situation to the PCs. Of course, they only know certain parts of the true story:
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This is the village of Anachtlat, founded many lives and lives of lives ago by the great priestess Anachtlat who was, during the time of Okoth, guided to this spot by the Green Mother Itzoatl as thanks for saving the tree spirits of a nearby forest. Anachtlat was a priestess of Matlalceuitl and so the lands here became fertile, and when she passed into the Land of Dust to join the gods, her people continued in her stead and so the village prospered. The crystal people of the hills have always dwelt in the hills overlooking the village. In all our history we have had no trouble with them. They kept to themselves and we kept to ourselves and our meetings were rare and fleeting. But it is known that the crystal people tame the yrthaks, and so this was good for Anachtlat, for we were not troubled by the great beasts as are other villages and towns near other parts of the hills and King's Peaks. For centuries it was so. And every Earth Day, which is the 1st day of the month of Ixchelinatl, the crystal people would come down from the hills near to the village in the clearing where Tretethihua was bound. There, on that day, they would trade with the village, providing us with gems and precious metals and other things from the mountains, and we would trade to them feathers and wooden shafts and things from the lowlands. But this last Earth Day, for the first time since the days of Anachtlat's grandchildren, the crystal people of the hills did not come to us to trade. We were very worried about this, though we could certainly survive without their goods for trade. The priestess of Matlalceuitl offered to give manatlan to her goddess to see if she knew the reason for the crystal people's absence, and her portents were grave, for Matlalceuitl told her that a grave trouble had settled over the crystal people. Althought his troubled us, the business of the crystal people of the hills is not our business, and so we did nothing. But then, a week later, three yrthaks came and attacked the village. They grabbed three of our people before flying off to the hills, but their attack destroyed several homes and injured several and slew one of the villagers. We called a council, thinking that maybe the crystal people had left or perished and the yrthaks were now wild, but the priestess pointed out to the council that the yrthaks that had attacked had flown right over corrals of unguarded livestock and instead grabbed villagers. The priestess and our four best warriors were sent to travel to the nearest large town to get aid, but they are long overdue and have not been heard from and no aid has arrived. A week later, a single yrthak flew into the center of the village, and a crystal person of the hills was riding it. He announced to us that the crystal people of the hills were angry with us for our lack of piety to the gods. In recompense, he announced that we should sacrifice to the crystal people one person on the tenth day of each month. Should we do so, then they and their yrthaks would not come and take everyone from the village. He also warned us that any who try to escape the village will be slain. We have made three sacrifices to the crystal people since then. We have been fortunate in that the first was an old man who was dying. And the other two were of travellers who came to the village. But now we have had to choose one of our own in Tretethihua, and we are a small village. Soon we will run out of the elderly and will have to give our young and then our children. We cannot sustain the loss of a villager every month...which is eighteen every year! But what choice do we have? The gods have either abandoned us or they are angry with us and require this manatlan. We cannot say, and without our priestess to guide us we cannot know the truth of it. |
If the PCs offer to aid the village by investigating the situation amongst the crystal people of the hills, the village elders will take only a little time to agree, as they now feel that they have no choice in the matter anyways. They will tell the PCs that the sacrifice will be missed shortly and that they guess a reprisal will be forthcoming within a matter of a day or two. The villagers will, of course, allow the PCs to spend the night in the village, but will urge them to set forth early the next morning.
As far as the crystal people of the hills, the villagers can describe them as follows:
The crystal people of the hills
are hulking beings, almost as broad as they are tall. They have
thick, long heads and their lower face and jaws slope down over
their chests. They have two short, pointed ears high on their
head and small black eyes set deep into their faces. Their chin
bears a thick crystal horn that points forward, and two small
crystal tusks protrude upward from their lower lip. Their skin
is dark grey, and crystal protrudes from their shoulders and knuckles
as well as their chin. Their hands have two broad, stubby fingers.
They are very strong and as tall as a tall man. They normally
do not speak, or at least we cannot hear their speaking, except
on Earth Day when they are somehow able to speak with us and vice
versa. They wear armour of iron and metal shields and wield large
hammers and use powerful bows, but they are no snake-friends...at
least not before now. They tame and ride yrthaks, something no
other people are known to do, and they dwell in caves up near
the top of Anu-hathmichtl, the largest hill visible to the west
of the village during a clear day, perhaps 10 miles from here.
Nothing else is known of the crystal people of the hills. Of the
yrthaks, the villagers can describe them and say that they use
their sounds to destroy things and they seem to have no eyes,
yet can see.
The villagers really have no aid to give the PCs beyond the normal type of equipment a small rural village might have (i.e. hemp rope, torches, etc.). The two best warriors and only spellcaster in the village are now missing, and the rest are militia at best (level 1 warriors with a level or two of commoner or expert). If the PCs really want some villagers to come along, then a Diplomacy check to change the villagers from indiffferent to friendly will net two warriors, while a helpful disposition will net four warriors.
| VILLAGE WARRIORS
CR 1 Male human Commoner 1/Warrior 1 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +1; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Azotlan AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 11 hp 9 (2 HD) Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee spear +3 (1d8+2) Ranged sling +2 (1d4+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +1; Grp +2 Combat Gear spear, sling, bullets (10) Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10 Feats Alertness, Skill Focus (spear) Skills Climb +3, Craft (various) +4, Intimidate +3, Listen +2, Profession (various) +4, Spot +2, Swim +3 Possessions combat gear plus padded armour |
Part Three - The Gulgar Clan
The PCs travel to Anu-hathmichtl and search the gulgar clan dwellings. They find evidence that the gulgars have been massacred, and meet some of the vampire's handiwork in the form of the missing priestess and two warriors from the village. They also find a map leading them to the vampire's lair.
The journey to Anu-hathmichtl will be uneventful. The 10 mile journey is through cultivated plains for about 2 miles, then rough plains for another mile, and then trackless hills for the last 7 miles.
At movement of 30 ft the journey will take 45 minutes to traverse the cultivated lands, half an hour to travel the rough plains, and then 4.5 hours to negotiate the hills. This means that the PCs will arrive at the base of the hill about an hour before sundown.
At movement of 20 ft, the journey will take 1 hour to traverse the cultivated lands, 45 minutes to travel the rough plains, and then 7 hours to negotiate the hills. This means the PCs will arrive at the base of the hill an hour after sundown after an hour of forced marching. If they intend to go further, then they will have to make further forced march rolls.
Climbing the hill to the top involves about an hour and a half of rough going at a rate of 30 ft and two hours at 20 ft. The going is rough enough that even if rested, PCs must make a forced march check (once for going up the hill, even if it takes more than an hour) and failure means the PC is fatigued (but no nonlethal damage is taken). If the PCs are ascending the hill and not rested, but are instead forced marching, then the ascent merits an additional forced march check (in addition to any such checks due to the time required to ascend) with all of the usual consequences.
Travelling at night halves the movement rate.
When the PCs arrive near the top
of the peak, read the following:
| Near the top of the hill is a small plateau that faces west, toward the interior of the range of hills. The plateau is roughly 100 yards in diameter, and strewn with large boulders and tall grasses. Set into the sheer cliff face above the plateau are about half a dozen large round cave openings roughly 20 ft in diameter. There appears to be no obvious way to gain access to the cave openings from the plateau. At the base of the cliff face are a pile of large bones. |
On closer look, once the PCs actually enter the plateau and have a look around, many of the large boulders are actually dwellings. These dwelling boulders are about 10 ft tall and 15 ft in diameter and have entrances carved half into the face of the bottom of the stone and half dug out of the earth of the plateau. Within it can be seen that the boulder is basically hollow, and the earth beneath it has been dug out for about 10 ft. Earthen steps lead down from the entrance opening to the floor of the place.
There are a total of 25 such boulders on the plateau, along with other boulders that are simply normal boulders.
Each such "hut" has two levels, one basically below the level of the floor of the plateau and one inside the boulder. Between the two levels is a stone floor made out of the bottom of the boulder, polished smooth. In the center of the "hut" is a 5 ft diameter hole with a metal ladder that allows ascent and descent between the levels.
The huts have a variety of crudely fashioned but functional furnishings sized for heavy, bulky creatures hovering on the border of Large and Medium size. The furnishings indicate that 1-3 beings dwelt in each "hut". The interior walls of the huts have carvings that seem to show stocky humanoids armed with hammers and bows battling muscular humans in flowing robes who seem to be served by rocky beings.
A DC 10 Knowledge (planes) check will verify the rocky beings as earth elementals, and a DC 20 Knowledge (planes) check will verify the muscular humans as dao genies.
Larders in the dwellings evidence both meat and plants as meals, and these are rotted, as if having sat untended for several months. Strangely, amongst these foodstuffs are various raw crystals and pieces of quartz.
The huts are abandoned, and dust indicates abandonment for at least several months. Many of the huts have dried grey splashes on the floors, walls, and even the ceilings and some of the furnishings are broken or toppled over, as if a struggle has taken place. In some cases, pieces of what might be metal armour, and Large warhammers and bows are present, often covered with greyish blood.
A variety of gems and nuggets of precious metals can be found within each hut. Allow the PCs (as a whole using the best Search bonus and allowing up to 4 other PCs to attempt to aid the search) a single Search check per hut, such a check taking 5 minutes (or take 20 by spending 1.5 hours). Consult the chart below, with a given result also turning up all of the items for lesser results. Once a hut is searched, that is all that will be turned up, even if the hut is searched again. This method not only reflects the ability of the PCs to search, but also serves to randomly determine whether anything is there to find.
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| 10 | Nothing |
| 15 | 1d6 semi-precious gems worth 10 gp each |
| 20 | 1d6 nuggets of precious metals |
| 25 | 1d6 gems worth 2d10x10gp each |
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double the below results |
Nuggets are randomly determined to be copper, silver, or gold. Each nugget is worth the equivalent of 25 coins and weighs the equivalent of 50 coins.
In the bottom floor of each "hut" is a metal trap door that opens into a 5 ft square shaft that descends by means of handholds carved into the side. The shaft descends 15 ft before emerging into a 5 ft diameter tunnel that connects with other such tunnels and leads eventually to a 10 ft diameter tunnel that head east for about 100 yards before emerging into a large meeting chamber (see below).
Yrthak Aeries (EL 6):
The six large openings set into the sheer cliff wall were the dwelling holes of the clan's yrthaks. The cliff towers some 200 ft above the plateau, reaching the peak of the hill, and the bottom-most hole begins about 50 ft above the plateau level, while the highest is some 150 ft above it. Each hole burrows straight back into the rock of the cliff face (burrowed and smoothed over time by the yrthaks' sonic powers) about 50 ft and ends in a den that contains a nest of tree trunks and branches punctuated by bits of fur, bones, and teeth. The latter, on a DC 20 Knowledge (nature) or Heal check, will be determined to be from local animals (not humans or humanoids).
The aeries are all empty, and show no sign of recent use in the last few months.
Creatures: The pile of bones at the base of the cliff is actually a yrthak skeleton. The yrthak was slain by the vampire when it wiped out the gulgar clan, and when the vampire dominated the priestess from the village, he commanded her to animate the skeleton. The skeleton now guards the plateau for the priestess, who is currently in the meeting chamber (see below). If any intruders come within 20 ft of the skeleton or interact with it in any way, it will attack. The DM can allow someone who is suspicious of the bones and looking at them to see if they seem to be aligned as if to make up a creature a DC 20 Spot check to notice that this is the case.
| YRTHAK SKELETON
CR 6* NE Huge undead Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Spot +0, Listen +0 AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 11 hp 78 (12 HD); DR 5/bludgeoning Immune cold Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +9 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee bite +9 (2d8+5) and 2 claws +4 (1d8+2) Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +19 Abilities Str 20, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1 SQ undead traits Feats Improved Initiative * Because this creature was created by an animate dead spell, no XP should be awarded for its CR, as it is subsumed in the CR of the priestess who animated it. |
Tactics: The creature will rush to the attack, pursuing anyone on the plateau. If no targets are on the plateau, it will eventually return to its starting position, awaiting the return of the priestess.
Meeting Chamber (EL 8):
The tunnels below the plateau converge and then form a larger tunnel that runs under the cliff face and blossoms into the meeting chamber.
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The tunnel opens suddenly into a massive chamber, some 150 ft in diameter with a ceiling that vaults up to 50 ft high. Massive granite pillars hold up the ceiling, these being formed into the graceful shapes of yrthaks rising up from the floor towards the ceiling. All around the chamber, stone seats and steps have been carved to form an amphitheater, and the walls of the place are decorated with beautiful carvings of the same types of battles as depicted in the boulder dwellings. Over the center of the place, the ceiling shows the stocky beings fleeing the muscular humanoids and rocky creatures and leaping into a well or hole of some sort and falling into the sky over a set of hills or mountains. The falling beings seem to be landing on yrthaks and flying down towards the hills. On the floor of the amphitheater to the south are a variety of metal mining tools, including picks, drills, pulleys, along with thick ropes and wound metal cables. Nearby are several forges and smithing equipment leading to a large chimney that rises into the ceiling. On the other side of the amphitheater, to the east, is what appears to be several sets of strange-looking large saddles and other items that might be some form of riding equipment. |
There seems to be five sets of riding equipment here, and a DC 20 Ride check will determine that they could be used to ride yrthaks and are definitely made to ride a flying beast (as evidenced by the various restraining straps and hooks on the saddles).
Creatures: The priestess of Matlalceuitl and her four warriors were captured by a yrthak and taken to the vampire. Two of the warriors were made into vampire spawn that now serve the gulgar vampire, who has now continually dominated the priestess and remaining two warriros using his gaze attack. The vampire keeps them imprisoned in his lair until they are dominated, then releasing them to perform certain tasks that he and his spawn cannot due to the threat of daylight. The vampire has also forced the priestess to animate dead, and so she has a retinue of skeletons and zombies with her.
Currently, the vampire has sent these three humans here to retrieve some of the riding equipment, as his current set is starting to show signs of wear and tear. They are tasked with retrieving a set of riding equipment, and have standing orders to slay any intelligent beings they meet at the plateau.
The PCs will likely notice the priestess' light spell at the far end of the amphitheater. She will approach the PCs and smile, asking them in Azotlan what they are doing here and whether they know it is dangerous here. As she does this she and her warriors will try to get within striking distance of the PCs
The wolf skeleton is completely hidden amongst the forging equipment, and will emerge to attack when the priestess gives the word. The only chance to spot the skeleton is if a PC is flying and high enough to see down past the total cover.
One of the zombies is with the humans, helping to lift equipment. The other two are waiting against the cave wall to either side of the entrance. They will remain absolutely silent and still unless molested or called to attack by the priestess. Unless a PC is specifically looking to the sides of the entrance, they will not notice the zombies (otherwise, assume they are hidden with a Hide check of 10). The zombies appear to be dressed as normal villagers (and were created from the drained bodies of the sacrifices given to the vampire over the last 3 months).
P = Priestess
W = Warrior
Z = Human Zombie
S = Wolf Skeleton
| VILLAGE PRIESTESS
CR 5 Female human Cleric 5 (Matlalceuitl) NG Medium humanoid (human) Init +1; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Azotlan, Terran AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 hp 28 (5 HD) Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +7 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee morningstar +3 (1d8) Ranged dart +4 (1d4) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +3; Grp +3 Special Actions Divine Vigour, turn undead (5/day, +2 synergy bonus) Combat Gear morningstar, darts (6), potion of cure light wounds (2) (CL 1), divine scroll of bull's strength (CL 3), unholy water Spells Prepared (CL 5, melee touch +3, ranged touch +4): 3rd - dispel magic, prayer(d), summon monster III 2nd - barskin(d), desecrate, hold person (DC 15), silence (DC 15) 1st - cause fear (DC 14), command (DC 14), entangle(d) (DC 14), lesser shivering touch, obscuring mist, shield of faith 0 - create water, detect magic, guidance, light [cast], resistance Domains: Community (+2 on Diplomacy checks, calm emotions 1/day), Plant (rebuke plant creatures 5/day, Knowledge (nature) class skill) Abilities Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 15 SQ spontaneous casting (cure) Feats Divine Vigour, Sudden Silent, Sudden Still Skills Concentration +7, Diplomacy +4, Heal +8, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Profession (farmer) +8 Possessions combat gear plus leather armour, light wooden shield, spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol to Matlalceuitl, silver dust (25 gp/ 5 lbs worth for desecrate spell), map to vampire cave |
| VILLAGE WARRIORS
(2) CR 4 Male human Commoner 1/Warrior 4 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +4 Languages Azotlan AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 hp 31 (5 HD) Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +1 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee klanth axe +7 (1d8+2) Ranged javelin +5 (1d6+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear klanth axe, javelins (6) Abilities Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8 Feats Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (battle axe) Skills Cllimb +6, Intimidate +3, Jump +6, Listen +4, Spot +4, Use Rope +6 Possessions combat gear plus studded leather armour, heavy wooden shield |
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HUMAN ZOMBIES (3) CR 1/2* * Because this creature was created by an animate dead spell, no XP should be awarded for its CR, as it is subsumed in the CR of the priestess who animated it. |
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WOLF SKELETON CR 1* * Because this creature was created by an animate dead spell, no XP should be awarded for its CR, as it is subsumed in the CR of the priestess who animated it. |
Tactics: The priestess will begin an attack by casting her desecrate spell and ordering her undead to attack, unless outside in which case she will begin with an entangle. She will then attempt to cast her protective spells if she has time, otherwise using whatever spell seems to be most appropriate.
Developments: If the priestess and/or the warriors are removed from their domination, whether by way of a protection from evil or a dispel magic, she will be quite wroth at what was been done to her. She does not know that the gulgar who has imprisoned her is a vampire, but instead will claim he knows vile magicks and sapped her will with his eyes. She will immediately dismiss any animated dead that remain under her control.
She can also say that she was taught Terran by the crystal person who captured her, though it cannot seem to actually make sounds and so she had to learn to read its lips. It also used its amulet of tongues to communicate with her.
If given the choice, she and her warriors will wish to return to the village, both to protect the villagers and to cleanse themselves and atone for their sins. In reality she is also quite afraid of falling under the will of the gulgar again. If her disposition is changed form friendly to helpful by means of Diplomacy, then she will reluctantly accompany the PCs.
Whether slain or not, she has a map that shows the location of the vampire's den. She has this so that she can find her way "home".
If alive she will hand the map to the PCs, telling them that as far as she knows there is one crystal person left, and he seems to have slain the rest of his kind. She knows he is master of several yrthaks, and that the crystal person, who calls his kind gulgars, sometimes rides one of the yrthaks. The gulgar dwells in a large cave complex, though she has not seen much of it, having been kept in a cage near the entrance.
Should the PCs not engage the priestess and her minions, they will grab the riding gear and travel to the vampire's den. The PCs can easily follow or track them to this lair. Should they return to the den, the priestess and the two warriors will be found in area 3, in the unlocked cage. The zombies will also be there, while the yrthak skeleton lairs just inside the entrance way (area 1).
Handling the Domination:
The vampire's domination of the priestess and warriors is maintained by him by concentrating for 1 round at or around midnight of each night. At this time, the vampire will be able to receive full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of the subject. This could, depending upon the circumstances, alert the vampire as to the presence of the PCs or at least the fate of his dominated subjects.
Normally, the master of a dominated subject knows what the subject is experiencing at all times, but when the vampire is asleep, usually during daylight hours, he will be unaware of what his subjects are experiencing. In this way, the PCs can deal with the priestess and warriors during daylight hours and the vampire will not know what has happened.
When the vampire wakes up at sundown, he will then be able to know what the three dominated victims are experiencing, and so the DM will have to judge what he gleans from this. He does not get to actually know what the subjects sense unless and until he concentrates, and he does not do that until midnight. So, for example, if the PCs were to confront the priestess and warriors during daylight hours, tie them up and blindfold and gag them, then at sundown the vampire will know they are bound and gagged and blindfolded. If they are, instead, unconscious, then the vampire will not sense any experience at all and will believe they are asleep most likely.
If any of the three are slain, the vampire will not know for sure they are dead when he wakes up at sundown, but merely that the domination is gone. He might just as well assume that the domination was dispelled or ended for some reason. In this case he is likely to concentrate on the others to see if he can figure out what happened.
Missing the Subjects:
The mission the vampire sent the priestess and warriors on should not take more than a full day. However, given variables like weather and beasts and the weight of the equipment, he will not be too concerned if the three are gone for up to another day. If, however, the three are still missing as of sundown on the day after the PCs have encountered them, then he will suspect something has happened. That said, he is not willing to emerge to investigate. The priestess and warriors are simply not that important to him. They are merely slaves and cattle. If he has not been able to divine what has happened to them by means of the dominate effect, then he will simply assume they were attacked and slain by some ravenous beast inhabiting the hills.
Part Four - The Vampire's Den
The PCs follow the map to the vampire's lair and there, seek to defeat him and free the village from its peril.
The Journey:
Examination of the map reveales a hasty, hand-scrawled map on vellum that seems to show the village, the hill Anu-hathmichtl with an area at its top marked and labelled, and a dashed line indicating a path deeper into the hills, across two rivers or streams and near a lake where some sort of cave is indicated. There is no set scale on the map, but if the distance from the village to Anu-hathmichtl is any indication, this other cave appears to be about 4 miles away.
Labels are hand-written in a form of quasi-cuneiform Azothlan used for handwriting. If translated the labels read:
"Anachtlat" where marking the village.
"Anu-hathmichtl" where marking the hill.
"Crystal People" where marking the plateau at the top of the hill.
"Fast Stream" where marking the first river or stream.
"Small Stream" where marking the second river or stream.
"High Lake" where marking the lake.
"Master's Cave" where marking the other cave.
The journey is through relatively trackless hills, though the route depicted on the map gives a way to easily travel and so counts as following a path or track.
At a speed of 30 ft it will take 2 hours to follow the map and find the other cave.
At a speed of 20 ft it will take just under 3 hours to follow the map and find the other cave.
Unless the DM desires, there will be no encounters along the way. However, as the PCs approach the High Lake, allow a DC 20 Knowledge (nature) or Survival check for a PC to notice that animal sounds are becoming unnaturally scarce for spring, and by the time the PCs reach the High Lake, the silence will be "deafening", allows a DC 10 Knowledge (nature) or Survival check to notice this phenomenon.
The High Lake (EL 11):
 |
The PCs will approach the High
Lake from the southwest, passing through a narrow valley between
two ridges before entering a roughly half-mile wide bowl that
gradually descends to the lake a couple of hundred feel below
the level of the PCs' entrance to the bowl. Assuming the PCs can
see a good distance (i.e. it is daytime), then the DM should read
the following:
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Passing through the narrow valley you emerge at the top of the wide bowl set between steep hills. The bowl is perhaps a half-mile in diameter and slopes gradually down to a placid, crystalline lake a couple hundred feet below the level of your observation. The lake is fed by a stream that flows into the bowl from a narrow gorge to the north, and stands of conifers surround the lake, mostly to the southwest and even moreso to the east and northeast. The surrounding hill walls are rather steep, and rise over 400 ft into the air. Ascending them would be a rugged climb. |
The hills walls are quite steep, requiring a DC 10 Climb check (being not quite a cliff but much steeper than a steep slope) to negotiate.
The confiers are native pines, treated mostly as typical trees with very little undergrowth.
The remainder of the bowl is covered in short grass and punctuated with medium to small sized boulders.
The lake is filled with crystal clear water, quite cold and devoid of life. The water is potable and the lake itself is steep and descends to a depth of 50 ft at its center.
As the PCs walk near or through the trees, they will notice, on a DC 10 Spot check, that some of the trees are literally shattered, as if some great force caused them to explode. The trunks of such trees will be visible, with jagged pieces of wood splayed out from the trunk. Usually the rest of the tree will be lying nearby, with the bottom of its trunk exploded outward as well and branches and pine cones smashed around amongst the churned earth. This is, of course, the handiwork of the yrthaks, and may serve as a warning to the PCs.
Creatures: Two yrthaks keep watch here, slaves of the gulgar vampire. The yrthaks are tasked with watching the bowl and entrance to the cave, and they are almost always present where indicated on the map (Y), perched on the high hills.
The yrthak are hidden. Not well, as their Hide bonus is -6, but the DM can assume they have a check of 4. Given the distances involved, this is likely to keep them hidden until the PCs close with them.
Because of their unique physiology, the yrthaks are not able to "see" the PCs at any sort of long distance. However, their hearing is rather acute, and the dynamics of the bowl make sounds echo and carry farther than normal. Listen checks are only denigrated by -1 for every 50 ft of distance instead of every 10 ft.
If the PCs are intentionally moving silently, then the DM should match their rolls to the yrthaks' Listen checks, modified by distance. If the PCs are talking, the DC to hear them is 0. If they are walking at normal speed in light or no armour then the DC is 5, and if in medium or heavy armour the DC is 0.
At a DC of 0, the maximum range a yrthak can make its Listen check is just over 1500 ft or 10 squares on the High Lake map. It will make its check against DC 0 in a 10 or higher at a range of 1100 ft or just over 7 squares. The DM should not alert the PCs to any danger by asking the players if their PCs are being quiet. Instead, if any of the players talk in character, the DM should assume that is a DC 0 Listen check by the yrthaks.
If a yrthak hears intruders, it will alight and fly low along the hillsides and the tree tops as much as possible to have cover, using its Move Silently skill to remain unheard and come upon its prey. Once within 120 ft it will be able to "see" the source of the sounds and determine the identiy of the intruders. Any intruders that are not recognized (i.e. not the priestess and her warriors and undead) will be attacked (even if accompanied by the priestess, et al).
When one yrthak hears the intruders, it will not alert the other, as it does not wish to blow its cover. Therefore, until battle is joined, the other yrthak, if it has not already noticed the intruders on its own, will have to wait until the sounds of battle reach it.
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YRTHAKS (2) CR 9 Explosion (Su) A yrthak can fire its sonic lance at
the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or the like to create
an explosion of shattered stone. This attack deals 2d6 points
of piercing damage to all within 10 feet of the effect’s
center. This counts as a use of the sonic lance attack and thus
is usable only once every 2 rounds, and never on the round following
a sonic lance attack. |
Tactics: The yrthaks will stay out of reach, using Flyby Attacks and their sonic lances or explosion attacks to harry the PCs. If the PCs flee the bowl, the yrthaks will pursue, and given their low Intelligence, it wouldn't be too hard to confuse them. Of course, simply using a silence spell could allow the PCs to walk right past the beasts.
Developments: If the PCs do not rouse the yrthaks, then they will be available to the gulgar vampire should he ever be close enough to the surface to call for them. Sounds of the yrthak's screeching and using their sound lances will not rouse the cavern inhabitants, as the yrthaks are wont to make a ruckus from time to time.
Secret Doors: High up on the hill face about 250 ft above the cave entrance is a hidden opening, covered from casual viewing at ground level because of protruding rocks below it and to the sides. The only way to observe this opening would be to fly directly above it or at a 45 degree or greater angle to it. The opening is 15 ft wide and 15 ft tall, though it is slanted so that it essentially faces 45 degrees up. The opening leads to a long shaft down to the gulgar vampire's lair and is used by him to fly his yrthak mount out at nighttime. Refer to the "Vampire Den" section below.
Vampire Den:
Conahuitachtl's lair was located in a cave at the base of the other side of the hill. From this remote location, the vampire terrorized the surrounding villages, using a series of caves to lair in when the sun was up and then striking at night to consume his victims. When the vampire was defeated and his lair was located, the hunters searched for the location of his tomb, but it was well-hidden, and as the hunters began to fear that the vampire would reform and attack them, making their hard-fought victory in vain, they instead collapsed and sealed the cave, hoping that they would be lucky and the vampire would be sealed in, even enough to stop his gaseous form from emerging.
As luck would have it, the plan worked. Conahuitachtl was too arrogant to have planned for multiple escape routes, and it never occurred to him that he could be trapped in his own cave. The hunters collapsed and sealed the passage he had at ground level that emerged at the base of the hill to the east, and they also discovered and sealed a small passage that emerged at the top of the hills that was the vampire's aerial route of egress to the from the cave.
When the gulgar vampire came to the High Lake as a living being, searching for crystals, he began to mine at the location of the current cave opening on the western side of the hills. As he mined, he noted vibrations in the stone that hinted at caverns within. Caverns often mean crystals, and so he delved straight into the mountain over the course of several weeks, until he broke into the cavern and discovered both the crystals and the tomb of Conahuitachtl.
When the gulgar vampire awoke in his undead state and passed his initial disorientation, he spent the next few weeks attacking and slaying his clan members, eventually defeating all of them through his newfound powers and subterfuge. He also secured four of the clan's yrthaks, two having been slain (and one having been animated by the village priestess), and brought them to the High Lake, to which he was now bound as a vampire.
Over the course of the next few months he worked at expanding his lair, using his crystalline bones and the yrthaks. He discovered the sealed escape passage leading to the top of the hills and he unsealed and widened, using his spider climb ability, that so that the shaft and entrance could accommodate his yrthak mount. He also discovered the original sealed entrance leading to the east, but this entrance he felt was too exposed and so he left it sealed.
Below is a side view of the vampire den.
 |
West is to the left of the map, where the entrance to the cave is shown, while the sealed eastern entrance is to the right. The shaft leading up to the hidden yrthak entrance is also shown.
 |
The vampire's den is comprised of hewn stone walls (hardness 8, 540 hp per 3 ft, break DC 50, Climb DC 25) and hewn stone floors (DC 10 Balance check to run or charge). Passages are as tall as they are wide for the most part, and chamber height is roughly 10 ft tall unless described in the text below. Unless otherwise stated, there are no light sources within the den. Dotted lines represent elevation changes as a result of natural steps or short ledges. Each like is a drop of about 5 ft and requires a DC 0 Climb check and 10 ft of movement to ascend/
1. Entrance
| The entrance to the cave is littered with debris and stone piles outside of the cave mouth. Within, the cavern is solid stone. |
2. Wolf Den (EL 5)
| This smallish side cavern contains many bones that have been gnawed and gouged. A slab of bloody meat lies amongst the white bones. |
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DIRE WOLVES (2) CR 3 *A dire wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. |
Developments: If the wolves hear the sound of battle anywhere in the complex, they will come to investigate. This is most likely to be in area 3. Sounds of battle here will bring the earth elemental from area 3 to join the battle and may bring the yrthak in area 6.
3. Holding Pen (EL 7)
| Dominating this cave is a large metal cage, 15 ft square. There is a key lock on the cage, which bars are set close together. Within the cage, hanging from its ceiling some 8 ft high, are sets of metal shackles. Within the cage is a stone barrel and several fur pallets. |
The stone barrel contains water for the prisoners.
Creatures: A huge earth elemental dwells here, one-time servant of the gulgar clan and now servant to the gulgar vampire as a result of his possession of the commanding stone. The elemental serves as a guardian of the holding pen, though it is not now occupied. The elemental normally rests within the stone of the cave, right at the entrance, with only its "face" exposed. Since its "face" has no real discernible features and looks much like stone, it would take a passive DC 30 Spot check to notice something strange about the stone near the entrance.
The elemental will emerge and attack anyone it does not recognize who is not locked within the cage. If the priestess and her warriors are here, the elemental allows them outside of the cage until the vampire tells it that they are to be confined to the cage. Currently, as they are dominated, the elemental has orders to allow the priestess and her minions to roam freely. However, should they attack the elemental (e.g. the PCs remove the domination) then the elemental will consider them to be enemies.
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HUGE EARTH ELEMENTAL CR 7 Earth Mastery (Ex) An earth elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the elemental takes a -4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.) Push (Ex) An earth elemental can start a bull rush maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity. The combat modifiers given in Earth Mastery, above, also apply to the elemental’s opposed Strength checks. |
Tactics: The elemental is commanded not to kill defeated opponents, but to grab them and proceed to alert the gulgar vampire by taking captives to area 7 and rumbling a deep, basso yell up the shaft. As the elemental is present on the Material Plane by means of a conjuration (calling) effect, it is not subject to hedging by protection from evil spells and the like.
Developments: Sounds of combat from this chamber will likely bring the dire wolves from area 2 to join the attack and may bring the yrthak in area 6. The reverse is also true.
4. Larder
| This cave is a grizzly sight, for hanging from metal hooks set into the ceiling are a variety of corpses of deer, wolves, and other native creatures. Below these are metal urns with funnels set in their openings. Several stoppered metal urns sit on the floor nearby. |
5. Crystal Vein
| This 15 ft tall niche is covered in crystals that have grown out of and down the northern and eastern walls. There are bare patches in the growths and some appear to have been snapped off. |
If this area is examined, a DC 20 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check will determine that this cave is relatively new construction as the gulgar vampire did some excavating here while pursuing a vein of crystals.
6. Stable (EL 10)
| This cavern is 20 ft tall and contains a nest of tree trunks and branches punctuated by bits of fur, bones, and teeth towards the far end. A metal cabinet of large size rests along the eastern wall near the entrance. |
The metal cabinet holds an exotic riding saddle, bit and bridle, and saddlebags for the yrthak.
Creatures: The vampire's yrthak lairs here. It is intensely loyal to the gulgar vampire, and its service is less of a slave as are the other yrthaks and more of a willing mount and companion. Under normal conditions, the yrthak is not wearing its saddle, bit and bridle, and saddlebags.
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VAMPIRE'S YRTHAK MOUNT CR
10 Explosion (Su) A yrthak can fire its sonic lance at
the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or the like to create
an explosion of shattered stone. This attack deals 2d6 points
of piercing damage to all within 10 feet of the effect’s
center. This counts as a use of the sonic lance attack and thus
is usable only once every 2 rounds, and never on the round following
a sonic lance attack. |
Tactics: The yrthak will generally fight as is the wont of its kind, attacking from a distance whenever possible. Unlike its fellows, this beast knows the Hover feat, which allows it to ascend and descend the shaft in area 7. This feat also lets it hover and flap its wings, kicking up a dust cloud. There is no such suitable debris within the caves, but should the yrthak have to fight outside for some reason, the entire bowl surrounding the High Lake is suitable for a dust cloud.
Developments: This yrthak will respond to the sounds of combat or intrusion anywhere in the caves, including areas 2 and 3. Likewise, any combat here may attract the denizens of areas 2 and 3.
7. The Great Shaft
This area is large enough that even PCs with darkvision will not be able to see the whole cavern from the entrance. In fact, even the presence of the shaft in the ceiling will be veiled. As such, the description of the place is separated into 3 parts.
When the PCs first arrive at the
entrance:
| The passageway ends abruptly in a massive cavern that widens quickly. The ceiling also raises quickly, and the floor slopes down somewhat, such that the ceiling towers 40 ft overhead just within the cave. Several natural stone columns seem to be supporting the ceiling. |
| In what may be the center of the cave, should it prove to be roughly circular, is a large shaft that pierces the ceiling and ascends out of sight. |
| The shaft appears to be roughly 30 - 35 ft in diameter and acsends vertically, with no obvious handholds in the visible portion of the vertical sides. |
During daylight hours, before noon little to no light is visisble at the top of the shaft from below (due to the position of the sun behind the hill). At around noon there can be seen a very faint gloaming from the bottom of the shaft, as sunlight diffuses in, but this gloaming would not even be recognizable as sunlight. From around 1 PM to 3 PM the sun is shining directly into the opening above. Because of the ledge and configuration of the shaft, direct sunlight never actually falls on or down the shaft more than the top 10 ft or so, but the sunlight will be clearly visible from the bottom of the shaft during this time and recognizable as sunlight with a DC 10 Survival or Knowledge (nature) check. The light can be recongized as not being from a daylight spell by an appropriate Spellcraft check to recognize a spell in effect (refer to the Player's Handbook).
The shaft serves as a means of egress for the vampire's yrthak mount. The vampire uses this way when mounting his yrthak for a nighttime flight. The yrthak is, of course, quite capable of crawling out the main cave entrance (at area 1), but the shaft allows it to use its Hover feat to fly straight up at half speed, land on the ledge at the top, and then alight into the sky. With its wingspan, the yrthak is just able to fly in the shaft. Were the shaft any smaller or the yrthak any larger, it would not be able to spread its wings enough to fly up or down the shaft.
A DC 20 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check will reveal that this shaft is new excavation..
Secret Doors: Halfway up the shaft, on the eastern wall, are a series of small cracks amidst some granite protrusions. These cracks are fairly innocuous, and unless any PC states that he is examining the walls, there should be almost no chance to notice them (unless the PC is an elf, see below). The cracks are not secret doors, per se, and as such the detect secret doors spell will not locate these cracks.
The cracks provide egress to the gulgar vampire's coffin chamber, by means of his gaseous form ability. The gulgar vampire excavated a chamber beyond the walls of the shaft, being careful ot preserve the chunks of the shaft wall he had broken through, and moved the previous vampire's tomb (now the gulgar vampire's resting place) to that chamber. He then plugged the entrance with the granite chunks like a jigsaw puzzle tightly enough that only the cracks remained exposed.
If the PCs are carefully searching the shaft wall, they will locate these cracks and notice that the cracks seem quite deep and that a tiny bit of air seems to be circulating through them (thus indicating a space beyond) on a DC 25 Search check. Similarly, an elf who passes within 5 ft of the cracks can also have a passive DC 25 Search check to notice the faintest wisp of air coming out of the wall.
Refer to the section entitled "The Vampire's Coffin" for more details.
8. Old Tomb
This was the location of Conahuitachtl's tomb. The ancient vampire had placed his tomb at the end of a long passageway and then carefully collapsed the passage, leaving spaces enough to pass through by means of his geaseous form ability When the gulgar came to this place, he excavated the passageway, feeling there might be crystals beyond, and broke into the tomb chamber beyond.
At the entrance to the passage
leading to this chamber:
| The passageway that heads south from the large cavern is strewn with stone rubble, comprised of large chunks of granite similar to that forming the walls of these caverns. |
At the entrance to the cavern
proper:
|
An elaborate marble arch frames the entrance into a cavern beyond. This arch is clearly crafted, as opposed to the rest of these caves, which appear to be natural or hewn out of the rock. The arch contains worn carvings of bats, wolves, and rats and humans bowing down to these creatures. In the center of the 10 ft high cave beyond the arch are carved marble steps that leads up 5 ft to a marble platform some 10 ft long and 5 ft wide, the long ways facing east and west. |
An examination of the chamber will turn up dried and faded grey splotches on the floor and on the steps leading up to the platform. These splotches bear a similarity to the splashes of grey found in the boulder huts of the gulgar clan (see Part Three above).
A close examination of the platform will reveal that the top of the platform is comprised of rough protrusions of marble, almost as if the platform were a relief map of a vast series of mountain ranges. A DC 15 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) or Craft (stonemasonry) check will reveal that it appears that something marble was attached to the platform, as if both the platform and whatever was attached were carved from the same piece of marble, but then someone or something forcibly removed the top of the structure so that only the jagged platform remained. A DC 25 check will reveal that a large hammer or similar object separated the top of the structure from its base.
A DC 25 Search check of the chamber will reveal a small pile of ashes near the platform. These are the destroyed remains of Conahuitachtl. A DC 40 Knowledge (religion) check can determine that they are vampire ashes from a destroyed vampire.
9. Broken Plinth
As the PCs approach this area
(presumably from area 7) they will hear the sound of running water
and feel a dampness in the air. The sound is by no means thunderous,
and implies more water than a trickle but much less than a torrent.
When they enter the side passage and round the final curve, read
the following:
| Blocking the way ahead, a cascade of water emerges from the ceiling and flows into a crack in the ground. The water forms a sheet over the passageway and is flowing fast enough and in enough volume that nothing behind it can be seen. However, the volume of water flowing here is definitely not strong enough to cause even a weak person to stumble or suffer any ill effects by passing into or through it. The crack in the ceiling from which the water emerges is about 6 ft wide and between 6 inches and 1 ft thick and falls 8 ft into a crack in the floor that is of similar dimensions. The floor around the crack slopes down to the crack a few inches, forming a funnel for the water |
If the PCs look through or pass
through the curtain of water, they will see the niche beyond:
| This small, 8 ft tall niche in the tunnel wall is unremarkable except for what appears to be a square of stone that rises directly from the stone floor and abruptly stops an inch or two off of the ground in jagged pieces, as if a square structure of stone about 2 ft on each side was smashed. Not coincidentally, pieces of smashed stone that were clearly worked at one time and on some faces of which runes or writing of some sort is apparent lie on the ground around the square base. |
The niche is not very big, and is only about 5 ft square. Were the plinth in place, it would be difficult for a person to be inside the niche and not come into contact with the curtain of water unless he literally climbed atop the plinth.
The plinth was 2 ft square by 5 ft tall and obelisk-shaped when it was whole. The pieces lying on the ground can be examined, and if this is done, tantalizing snippets of writing can be found in Azotlan. The DM should roll randomly amongst the following snippets to determine what a PC finds as a result of a DC 10 Search check. If a PC can take 20, then all of the snippets will be found. Pieces of the plinth are missing, having been blown off of the plinth and washed down the crack in the floor to who-knows-where.
Once a snippet is found, it will not be found again, and a new snippet should be randomly determined on subsequent successful Search checks.
A DC 20 Knowledge (history) by an Azotchtlan or someone versed in Azotchtlan lore will reveal that the style of writing is centuries old.
1. ...beware his wiles, for to look upon him is to lose your soul everlasting. Your will will be his, and his evil, which knows no bounds, will be yours...
2. ...like the gods' desire, but foul and profane...
3. ...of stone has trapped Conahuitachtl here in his lair. we have done our best to make sure that even the smallest way is blocked, but we cannot be sure of...
4. ...looked everywhere but could not find it. We fear he will return to exact his vengeance and are left with little choice but to let down...
5. ...committed great evil against the people of the nearby lowlands and Oromoxco himself has pronounced judgement against him, for he is anathema to all that is...
6. ...doomguide and hunter place this stone as marker and warning...lest...King of the Dry Lands...sacred purifier Axymochtli leads us...
7. ...tomb...everywhere high and low...
8. ...touch is the chill of the grave and...beasts large and small...
9. ...flee and re-seal that which you have breached, for no matter how long the song of years, still he will foul its melody and seek to slake himself...
10. ...not die but...return...the heart...
11. ...from the water...
12. ...many children of the villages...
13. ...normal man of thirty circles but with feral eyes and a wolfish grin...armour of bones and skulls...
14. ...mirror is...
15. ...thralls serve him unquestioningly...
16. ...darkness of his once-soul against the glare of the gaze of Oromoxco...
17. ...preserve your very soul...
18. ...prayers to ward corruption and death...
19. ...life everlasting...
20. ...day of the month of the moon 1919 Okoth...
This collection of snippets, as a whole, should easily alert the PCs that they face a vampire, though not a gulgar one to be sure. A few notes are in order concerning some of the above.
The name "Conahuitachtl" will be recognized by a DC 35 Knowledge (history) check by someone familiar with the history of the Azotchtla. Conahuitachtl was a known evil man who was found to have committed a great many murders and abductions over a long period of time in the Okothian Empire after the Creation Cyst Blast. This person was known to have existed for a span of time much longer than a human's lifetime, and eventually it was pronounced that he had become one of the unliving who fed on the manatlan of others. He was hunted by the greatest of the undead hunters of his time and eventually vanquished, though the exact tales of his demise seem to leave out precisely how he was killed, only that he never appeared again to bother the people.
The phrase in snippet 20 is Okothian dating, and shows that the plinth predates the founding of the Azotchtlan nations. The date corresponds to 307 A.C. in Azotchtlan reckoning, some 400 years ago.
The plinth and the runes can be identified as having been formed by a stone shape spell on a DC 25 Spellcraft check. This will be given away by telltale ripples in the stone, the shape of the writing, etc.
The phrase "thirty circles" in snippet 13 is a known Azotchtlan means of describing years. In Azotchlan (and Okothian human) culture, the term circles refers to years, as in the cycle of the seasons and also in reference to the circular stone calendars used by the Azotchla and Okothian humans.
The phrase "King of the Dry Lands" in snippet 6 is a reference to the God of Death. A DC 5 Knowledge (religion) check will reveal this to the PCs.
Developments: With the plinth gone, there is certainly a little room for the PCs to take refuge behind the curtain of water. However, unlike Conahuitachtl, the gulgar vampire has the means to simply tunnel around the water and get to the PCs rather quickly, so this place is of dubious use as a refuge.
10. Spawn Den (EL 4)
| This 10 ft high chamber contains the rotting husks of various animals, including several wolves and a deer along with smaller creatures like rabbits and rats. The newer carcasses are emaciated and drained of blood but otherwise intact. A 5 ft high stone shelf in the back of the cave has a cairn of stones set upon it. |
Creatures: One of the two spawn of the gulgar vampire lairs here. The spawn was once one of the warriors that escorted the priestess from the village. He appears as an emaciated and pale Azotchtlan male still dressed in a simple and now ragged warrior outfit.
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VAMPIRE SPAWN CR 4 Dominate (Su) A vampire spawn can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must take a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell from a 5th level caster. The ability has a range of 30 feet. The save DC is Charisma-based. Energy Drain (Su) Living creatures hit by a vampire spawn’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 14 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the vampire spawn gains 5 temporary hit points. Fast Healing (Ex) A vampire spawn heals 2 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its coffin, it is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round. Gaseous Form (Su) As a standard action, a vampire spawn can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 6th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Repelling a Vampire Spawn Vampirespawns cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire spawn - they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire spawn at bay takes a standard action. Vampire spawns are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all. Slaying a Vampire Spawn Reducing a vampire spawn’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampire spawns. Exposing any vampire spawn to direct sunlight disorients it: it can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire spawn in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion. Driving a wooden stake through a vampire spawn’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent). Spider Climb (Ex) A vampire spawn can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. |
Tactics: This spawn will is cunning and clever and will use its abilities to their uttmost. Its first reaction to the presence of intruders will be to let out a warning shriek and then try to flee to warn its master, the gulgar vampire, of the presence of intruders. The spawn is instructed by the vampire not to proceed directly to the location of his coffin, thereby giving away its location to intruders, but instead to proceed to the shaft in area 7, climb up perhaps 10 ft or so, and let out a warning shriek, thereby alerting the gulgar vampire. Thereafter, it will attack as the vampire directs.
11. Spawn Den (EL 4)
| This 10 ft high chamber contains the rotting husks of various animals, including several wolves and a deer along with smaller creatures like rabbits and rats. The newer carcasses are emaciated and drained of blood but otherwise intact. A 5 ft high stone shelf in the back of the cave has a cairn of stones set upon it. |
Creatures: One of the two spawn of the gulgar vampire lairs here. The spawn was once one of the warriors that escorted the priestess from the village. He appears as an emaciated and pale Azotchtlan male still dressed in a simple and now ragged warrior outfit.
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VAMPIRE SPAWN CR 4 Dominate (Su) A vampire spawn can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must take a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell from a 5th level caster. The ability has a range of 30 feet. The save DC is Charisma-based. Energy Drain (Su) Living creatures hit by a vampire spawn’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 14 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the vampire spawn gains 5 temporary hit points. Fast Healing (Ex) A vampire spawn heals 2 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its coffin, it is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round. Gaseous Form (Su) As a standard action, a vampire spawn can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 6th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Repelling a Vampire Spawn Vampirespawns cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire spawn - they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire spawn at bay takes a standard action. Vampire spawns are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all. Slaying a Vampire Spawn Reducing a vampire spawn’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampire spawns. Exposing any vampire spawn to direct sunlight disorients it: it can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire spawn in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion. Driving a wooden stake through a vampire spawn’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent). Spider Climb (Ex) A vampire spawn can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. |
Tactics: This spawn will is cunning and clever and will use its abilities to their uttmost. Its first reaction to the presence of intruders will be to let out a warning shriek and then try to flee to warn its master, the gulgar vampire, of the presence of intruders. The spawn is instructed by the vampire not to proceed directly to the location of his coffin, thereby giving away its location to intruders, but instead to proceed to the shaft in area 7, climb up perhaps 10 ft or so, and let out a warning shriek, thereby alerting the gulgar vampire. Thereafter, it will attack as the vampire directs.
12. Collapsed Entrance
The tunnel here continues another 25 ft to the east before ending in a massive collapse of boulders, both large and small. The collapse is complete, and the stones pressed tightly together, such that it appears unlikely that even a small crack remains to pass far into the collapse.
The collapse extends another 40 ft until it reaches the ancient cave entrance on the other side of the hill.
There is no easy way through the collapse, which is air tight and allows no gaseous form to the outside.
A DC 20 Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check will reveal that the collapse was intentionally engineered, and likely augmented with fitted or placed rocks. From the other side, the collapse looks just like a part of the hillside, overgrown as it is with grass, bushes, and eroded soil.
The Vampire's Coffin
The entrance to the vampire's coffin chamber is described in area 7 above and is reproduced here. The map below shows the shaft (the shaded area) and the passage behind the rocks leading to the coffin chamber.
Halfway up the shaft in area 7, on the eastern wall, are a series of small cracks amidst some granite protrusions. These cracks are fairly innocuous, and unless any PC states that he is examining the walls, there should be almost no chance to notice them (unless the PC is an elf, see below). The cracks are not secret doors, per se, and as such the detect secret doors spell will not locate these cracks.
The cracks provide egress to the gulgar vampire's coffin chamber, by means of his gaseous form ability. The gulgar vampire excavated a chamber beyond the walls of the shaft, being careful ot preserve the chunks of the shaft wall he had broken through, and moved the previous vampire's tomb (now the gulgar vampire's resting place) to that chamber. He then plugged the entrance with the granite chunks like a jigsaw puzzle tightly enough that only the cracks remained exposed.
If the PCs are carefully searching the shaft wall, they will locate these cracks and notice that the cracks seem quite deep and that a tiny bit of air seems to be circulating through them (thus indicating a space beyond) on a DC 25 Search check. Similarly, an elf who passes within 5 ft of the cracks can also have a passive DC 25 Search check to notice the faintest wisp of air coming out of the wall.
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The PCs can breach the vampire's coffin chamber by means of gaseous form or becoming incorporeal. In addition, spells that allow passage through stone walls, as well as spells like stone shape can easily allow the PCs egress to the chamber. If the PCs simply wish to excavate their way in, the wall between the shaft and the passageway beyond is 3 ft thick (hardness 8, 540 hp, break DC 50).
Within, a 5 ft diameter passageway
winds its way to the east, quickly expanding to 10 ft diameter
before reaching a wide chamber that is 12 ft tall.
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The chamber is 12 ft tall and the interior is dominated by a massive, ornately decorated block of marble about 10 ft long and 5 ft wide. The block rests unevenly on the stone floor of the cave, as its bottom appears to be jagged as if the block had been shorn off of a base or a lower part of a structure. The decorations seem to mostly deal with bats, rats, and wolves attacking human figures and gruesomely devouring them, including woman and infants. The top of the block has been ornately carved to portray a feral-looking Azotchlan male dressed in rich-looking robes of feathers and bones sucking the lifeblood out of a female, while small human figures bow prostrate at his feet. Piled to the north of this block is a stack of crystals some 3 ft high and 5 ft in diameter. |
The pile of crystals resembles those found in area 5, and serve as the gulgar vampire's crystalline food source to maintain his crystalline bone and gore ability. The crystals are quartz and other non-valuable varieties.
Creatures: The gulgar vampire dwells here, usually asleep in his coffin until roused or hungry to feed. DMs should remember that the vampire may only energy drain once per round!
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GULGAR VAMPIRE CR 11 Blood Drain (Ex) A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. Children of the Night (Su) Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. Create Spawn (Su) A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. Crystalline Bone (Ex) A gulgar's slam and gore attacks are treated as adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and hardness. The protrusions of crystal from a gulgar's knuckles, chin, and shoulders are made of an organic material that is as hard as adamantine, but it turns as brittle as quartz when detached from the gulgar. Dominate (Su) A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet. The save DC is Charisma-based. Energy Drain (Su) Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. The DC is 18 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. Fast Healing (Ex) A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round. Gaseous Form (Su) As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Repelling a Vampire Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire - they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay takes a standard action. Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all. Slaying a Vampire Reducing a vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampires. Exposing any vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: it can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion. Driving a wooden stake through a vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent). Sonic Pulse (Ex) As a standard action, a gulgar can emit a 30 ft cone of sound that deals 3d6 points of sonic damage and may deafen foes. Any creature in the area must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be deafened for 1 hour. Deafened creatures cannot be further deafened, but they still take the sonic damage from other sonic pulse attacks. Once it has used this ability, a gulgar must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again. This is a sonic effect. The save DC is Charisma-based (due to it being a vampire). Spider Climb (Ex) A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. Stability (Ex) A gulgar gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, riding a flying mount, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). Subsonic Speech (Ex) A creature must have the tremorsense ability, or the blindsight or blindsense ability based on a keen sense of hearing or snesitivity to vibrations, to hear the subsonic speech of gulgars. Such creatures can hear the subsonic speech of gulgars using the normal Listen checks rules; they do not need to have the speaking gulgar within range of their tremorsense, blindsense, or blindsight ability. A gulgar's subsonic speech carries five times as well and as far as normal speech. This means that to hear a gulgar talking, a creature who can hear the subsonic speech takes a -1 penalty on Listen checks per 50 feet of distance from the speaker. A door increases the Listen DC by just 1, and a stone wall increases it by 3. These modifiers replace those given on page 78 of the Player's Handbook. Creatures without the ability to hear the subsonic speech of gulgars can still read their lips using the Spot skill. The base DC to read a gulgar's lips is 20, and the creature reasing lips must speak Terran. |
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COMMANDING STONE This spherical rust-coloured stone is etched with faint eldritch runes along its surface. A commanding stone is always bound to a single huge earth elemental at the time of its creation. The bearer of the stone can command that earth elemental, which will respond to his mental commands. If the elemental is ever slain, the stone crumbles to dust. Otherwise, the elemental serves the bearer indefinitely, though the identity of the bearer can change based upon whomever wields the stone. Commanding the elemental is as simple as talking to it, though such communication is mental and limited to 100 ft range. The elemental also understands Terran. The stone alters the initial conjuration (summoning) of the elemental to a conjuration (calling ) effect upon binding. As such, the commanded elemental is not treated as summoned and is not hedged out by protection from evil effects and similar spells. The elemental is an extraplanar creature and may be banished or dismissed from a plane that is not the Elemental Plane of Earth. Such an elemental is still under the control of the bearer of the stone. Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster
VII |
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AMULET OF TONGUES This jade amulet is shaped like an open mouth with sharp crystalline teeth. When activated, an amulet of tongues allows its wearer to benefit from the effects of a tongues spell (caster level 5th). This item functions 1/day. Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, tongues |
Tactics: The gulgar vampire's tactics will depend greatly on the circumstances, and his reactions to the PCs are detailed in the section below entitled "The Battle Rages On". Suffice to say that he has learned to rely on his natural weapon attacks, due to the benefits of energy draining opponents, and if possible he prefers to fight from the back of his yrthak (see area 6). One of his first acts, at the first sign of trouble, will be to use his children of the night ability to summon 3d6 wolves (or bat swarms if the combat is taking place in the shaft or in the air) and use the wolves to trip and flank opponents.
Developments: The vampire gulgar will respond to any sounds of intrusion or battle in his lair. He is still in awe of his newfound powers, and as he has yet to meet any foe that could stand up to him, he has not yet learned discretion and fear, and will initially favour straightforward confrontation of intruders. Refer to "The Battle Rages On" below.
Treasure: The tomb interior contains a small pile of uncut gems that the gulgar vampire has come across during his excavations. There are 60 such gems, ranging in value from 10 gp to 500 gp. The total value of the gems is 15000 gp and if these are properly cut they can be worth up to double that amount (it would require a master gemcutter to get them to double the value, and hiring such a person would be costly in and of itself, but a 25% to 50% increase from a moderately skilled gemcutter should be possible).
In addition, Conahuitachtl's suit of exoskeleton armour lies here. The armour is sized for Medium creatures, and is therefore useless to the gulgar vampire.
The Battle Rages On
First Encounter:
While it is possible for the PCs to figure out that they face a vampire (most likely by dispelling the domination effect of the village priestess in the guglar clan amphitheater and having her describe her will being sapped by the gaze of a vile gulgar), it is not likely...especially since PCs from other lands like Jerranq will not be familiar with gulgars and may think of the domination as a gulgar-specific ability.
As such, the PCs are likely in for quite a surprise when they first face the gulgar vampire. However, upon seeing the vampire use his children of the night ability, as well as his fast healing and eventually, if defeated, his change to gaseous form should finally alert them to the fact.
Of course, if the PCs manage to make it all the way to area 9 without alerting the vampire or his spawn, then they will have a very good opportunity to figure out that they are indeed in the lair of a vampire by reading most or all of the plinth snippets there. Of course, those snippets describe Conahuitachtl, not the gulgar vampire, but nevertheless it should give the PCs an idea of what they are facing.
All of the inhabitants of the caves are aligned with the gulgar vampire and serve him. As such, they will respond to any disturbances they hear elsewhere in the caves. This means that the PCs could be in for a single massive battle should they, for example, sneak to area 6 and then begin a loud fight with the yrthak mount (and any battle with a yrthak will be quite loud).
The gulgar vampire will emerge from his coffing chamber in gaseous form and then likely change to his normal form and cling to the wall of the shaft using his spider climb ability. He will then assess the situation, use his children of the night ability, and head down the shaft to aid in the battle. He will also likely use his amulet of tongues to communicate with his minions in battle.
The gulgar vampire's first instinct is to mount his yrthak in area 6. The yrthak does not have its saddle and bit and bridle on (this takes a good minute or two to secure), and so will suffer a -5 penalty to his Ride skill when riding the yrthak barebacked. Nevertheless, he will attempt to do so if at all possible.
As mentioned, the vampire will initially underestimate the PCs and simply attempt to energy drain, dominate, and, if possible, blood drain them. Once he learns that the intruders are puissant foes, he is likely to back off, using spider climb to climb up the shaft out of reach or gaseous form to escape. The vampire is very aware of the fact that intruders cannot know the location of his coffin, and so he will not be stupid enough to attempt to flee into his coffin chamber if he is being observed by the PCs.
The dominated village priestess and her warriors do not know the location of his coffin chamber (nor even that he has one, for they are not familiar with vampires). The vampire spawn do know the location of his lair, though they are instructed to do nothing to give away its location either.
If the PCs intrude into the caverns during nighttime, then the vampire has more options. He can climb up the shaft and emerge outside, possibly then scaling the hill down to the main entrance and coming at the PCs from behind. He can also attempt to find and rally the yrthaks dwelling in the High Lake vale and mount one of them or rally them to join the fight in the caves (assuming they are still alive, of course).
Whatever the exact circumstances, the vampire knows that in any battle, time is on his side because of his fast healing ability. As such, he is more than ready to withdraw from battle and heal up and then engage in hit-and-run tactics against the PCs. Similarly, the vampire spawn can practice this same strategy to a limited extent.
That said, the vampire will not entirely flee his lair, for he is quite protective of his coffin, and should it be destroyed, he would be at exreme risk until he can create a new one (which will take quite some time and energy). So, in the end, should the PCs prove persistent and likely to eventually discover his lair, he will press the attack to the death and, should he be defeated and forced to return to his coffin, trust in its hidden location to protect him until he can rise again.
Long-Term Strategies:
It is very likely that, upon realizing the nature of their foe, the PCs will wish to withdraw from the caves. After all, vampires are much like dragons in D&D, whereby they are fearsome creatures if the PCs are unprepared to face them, but with proper preparation and foreknowledge, they can be defeated much easier.
If it is daytime, the PCs will essentially be able to withdraw once they reach the outside, though any surviving yrthaks still in the High Lake vale may be aware of them and attack. The dire wolves in area 2 of the caves will also pursue unless ordered to halt by the vampire. If it is nighttime, then they are in for a chase through the wilderness in the dark unless they can outrun, out-trick, or somehow hide from the vampire and his minions.
Once out of the cave and away from pursuit, it is likely that the PCs will want to hole up somewhere to rest the night (or longer), prepare better spells for vampire hunting, and then resume the assault the next day.
The gulgar vampire, once his lair is penetrated, will be very worried that the intruders will either prepare magic that will be more effective against him or will return to the Azotchlan Lands and rally reinforcements. Should the PCs escape, the gulgar vampire would have to take his coffin and relocate, and he really likes his current lair given its rich crystal veins and the set up he has with the nearby village.
Once night falls, the vampire will almost certainly emerge from his lair and search for the intruders (mounted on his yrthak). His other yrthaks will also be sent out to search, but their limited vision (120 ft blindsight) makes them unreliable scouts (though their hearing is keen). The yrthaks will have orders, should they find the intruders, to return to the cave and await his orders. They will be instructed not to attack unless somehow engaged or cornered.
If the PCs have simply made a normal camp somewhere, then the ease with which the vampire will find it depends on what precautions they have taken. If they camp in the open with a campfire, then the DM can assume the vampire automatically finds it. If they attempt to camp in a secluded area, the DM should allow one PC to make a Survival check. That check will essentially serve as their camp's Hide check, matched against the vampire's Spot check. It can be assumed that the vampire comes to within about 60 ft of the ground when searching (so that he can use his darkvision). If the PCs have attempted to hide their campsite but still use a fire, then apply a -10 penalty to the Survival check unless the fire is well-shielded, in which case the penalty is -5.
Of course, PCs of the level appropriate for this scenario likely have magical means to encamp, including the various shelter-spells and the ever-useful rope trick.
The DM should not seek to foil any measures such as rope-trick that the PCs have taken to ensure their safety. After all, that means they have forsaken other spells to memorize these magical means of encamping.
If the vampire locates the PCs camp and feels he has not been discovered, he will desire to return to his den, gather whatever minions he has, and assault the PCs. If he has been discovered then he will fight or flee as appropriate. Of course, if the PCs have encamped far enough away or it took the vampire long enough to find them such that he could not return, gather his minions, attack, and then make it back to the den before sunrise, then he will either have to attack by himself (with his yrthak mount) or perhaps only use any surviving yrthaks as reinforcements, since they travel much faster than his other minions.
Whether or not he locates the PCs' camp, if he returns to his den without the PCs being completely vanquished, then he will ready himself for another assault. As he is not a spellcaster, there is not a lot of preparation he can take, but certainly any surviving yrthaks will now actively patrol the High Lake vale and he will be out of his coffin and at a good ambush point in his den.
If the PCs do not assault the lair for a full 48 hour period, then the vampire's thoughts will turn to the village, and he will begin to assault in in retaliation for the intrusion...for unless the PCs have somehow disguised themselves as non-humans or are, in fact, all comprised of non-humans (non-humans means no elves, half elves, or any other race that could be mistaken for human by the gulgar) the vampire will assume they were sent by the villagers.
In addition, if the vampire believes he can spare the time, he will even begin to raid the village even should the PCs have just attacked. If he cannot locate the PCs' encampment, but they end up retreating from the den and the vampire believes they are retreating because they have expended their resources and need to rest, then he will assume the PCs won't be back until the next day and will make a quick foray to the village. Travel to and from the village takes about 1.5 hours each way, and an assault on the village will take at most 15 minutes. So assume about 3 hours for an entire raid. Such a raid is likely to begin after the second time the PCs assault the den (or after the first time they assault the den after the vampire could not locate their encampment).
The vampire will only assault the village if he has a yrthak left to ride. The yrthak will destroy many of the village houses and the vampire will take with him enough victims to get up to his full complement of vampire spawns (5 in total). If such spawn are slain, then he will replenish from the village, possibly even taking live captives and holding them in the cell in area 3. Each time he does this, he will destroy more buildings and, if he has the use of his amulet of tongues he will demand that the villagers cease sending intruders into his lair and that they resume the sacrifices.
Should he raid the village enough times, the villagers will eventually flee en masse. A few villagers will remain, those too old or stubborn to flee, but for the most part the village will be abandoned.
No matter what, after a certain amount of time, the vampire will simply give up his den and leave if he does not feel that he has vanquished his foes and can re-establish his authority over the villagers. He will have to take his coffin (which, despite its weight he can carry) and his minions with him, but he will pack up and withdraw deeper into the mountains, resting during daylight hours in caves or other places sheltered from the sun. Whether he later establishes a new lair and one day returns to exact vengeance on the PCs is up to the DM.
How long it will take him to leave depends upon the circumstances and is left to DM discretion. Certainly, the vampire will not wait long enough for reinforcements to arrive from the Azotchtlan centers of power, so that after a week or two if the PCs keep raiding his lair or if they fled and have not returned, he pack up and leave, taking all treasure with him.
Part Five - Denoument
Should the PCs slay the vampire, they will be feted by the villagers and offered livestock and mundane items as gifts (e.g. a red scarf, a nice leather cap, pretty feathers, etc.) and given a feast in their honour. The villagers are poor and don't have much in the way of wealth to give, however. The tale of the defeat of the vampire will, however, spread in the region, allowing the PCs to begin to claim renown (e.g. as a bonus to their Leadership score).
If the village is abandoned, the vampire can, in theory, still be defeated, but convincing the villagers to return will be a difficult task, as they will have scattered to the winds.
Experience Points:
In addition to normal experience (which in Therra is half of that recommended in the DMG), each party member should be rewarded as follows: