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Summary:

The PCs must retrieve the legendary sword Fedifensor in order to remove the Fimbulwinter curse from the Kingdom of Slumber

Assumptions:

The PCs are the Heroes of the Gem and rule the Kingdom of Slumber.

Location:

Eracuss' Canton in the Kingdom of Slumber

Historical Date:

N.S. 35, Summer

A Note to DMs:

Elements of this scenario are taken directly from the scenario entitled "Fedifensor" from Dragon Magazine issue #67. Others are borrowed from issue 100 of Dungeon Magazine.

This scenario assumes the participation of the Heroes of the Gem. Should the DM wish to use other PCs, he should adapt the scenario accordingly.

This scenario is a loose sequel to both The Fimbulwinter and Cold Anger in that the events detailed therein are presumed to have occured and the historical outcomes as well. In this case, the PCs defeated the Fimbul but did not confront the demonlord Kostchtchie. Five years later, the PCs, seeking to reverse the Lothar's cleansing spell the Fimbul had cast in the heart of Korvar's Canton, sought out Kostchtchie on his home demi-plane in an effort to slay him and thereby end the curse. The PCs fought their way to Kostchtchie, but the demonlord escaped and fled in to the depths of the netherplanes. For about 5 years the PCs have sought out the location of Kostchtchie, but it is clear the demonlord knows the PCs are after him and that they are powerful enough to defeat him, and so he has not been located. DMs are encouraged to read both scenarios, at least the introductory texts, to get an idea as to what has happened.

DM's Introduction:

The massive fury of the Fimbul's Lothar's cleansing epic spell still remains raging in the heart of Korvar's Canton. Even though the Fimbul was slain by the Heroes of the Gem in his iceberg temple, and so his plan to cover all of the Kingdom of Slumber in an icy glacier was defeated, his initial strike remains. Korvar knows what is required to dispel the effect, but the ritual cannot be activated as long as the source of the power of the spell remains alive, and that source is none other than the demonlord Kostchtchie, who fled from the Heroes and is now in hiding.

The manifestation of Lothar's cleansing is a 20 mile radius of frigid temperatue and blizzard conditions. While the description of that spell (as detailed in the scenario The Fimbulwinter) states that an epic dispelling magic can dispel the effect, this is not true as long as the spell is still being powered by the demonlord Kostchtchie, for while the cord between the Fimbul and the demonlord was snapped when the Fimbul was slain, a more subtle mystic cord still exists between Kostchtchie and the Fimbulwinter raging in Korvar's Canton.

Slaying Kostchtchie will sever the cord and allow epic magic to dispel the effect. But the demonlord, having determined why the Heroes of the Gem are after him and having no desire to be hunted all of the remaining days of the Heroes, has come upon another means to sever the mystic cord...a means that does not involve his death.

The mystic cord linking Kostchtchie to the effect is akin to the silver cord that links an astral traveller to his material body. And it is well known that the silver swords of the githyanki can sever such connections where little other magic can. So, Kostchtchie suspected, the legendary Fedifensor, the silver sword of the lich queen of the githyanki herself, would be powerful enough to sever the epic cord linking himself and the Fimbulwinter. Subsequent research confirmed this suspicion, and now the demonlord has sent an emissary to the Heroes of the Gem in order to make a proposal...that the Heroes should retreive Fedifensor and he will use it to sever the cord. In this way the Heroes can dispel the Lothar's cleansing that is causing the Fimbulwinter and he gets to live and not be hunted down by the Heroes of the Gem.

What the PCs and Kostchtchie do not know is that the githyanki queen does not have the blade. It was stolen from her by a daring band of githzerai many years ago and taken to Limbo.

Note: This scenario is a plane-hopping adventure. Any subtypes contained in the statistic blocks for this scenario reflect the current plane that the PCs are on. Thus, creatures that normally have the extraplanar subtype on the Material Plane but are native to the Astral Plane will have the native subtype when encountered on the Astral Plane, and creatures that are not native to the plane in question will have the extraplanar subtype, meaning they are subject to spells like dismissal and banishment.

Also, DMs should note that most of this adventure takes place on planes not coexistant with the Ethereal Plane or the Plane of Shadows. Any spells that require travel through such planes will not function throughout most of this adventure (e.g. ethereal jaunt). However, spells that summon or call creatures or items from the Ethereal Plane, such as secret chest, will function.

Part One - Not a Seduction

The Message:

Kostchtchie has sent a succubus to parley with Eracuss. He has chosen Eracuss because, while that worthy hates evil outsiders particularly, he is also most knowledgeable about extraplanar matters and will be best able to understand Kostchtchie's proposal.

The succubus is a normal specimen of her type, and so statistics are not presented here. She has changed shape to appear as an ordinary male labourer of no exceptional appearance. She has then used her charm monster and suggestion abilities while disguised to convince a low-ranking soldier of Eracuss' palace guard to demand a personal audience with Eracuss over a matter of extremely grave importance. Under the influence of the succubus, this soldier absolutely believes that if he does not deliver his message directly to Eracuss (and no one else) something extremely grave will happen to the land (though he is not quite sure what).

As such, this soldier attempts to burst his way into an audience with Eracuss, with about as much success as one might expect...none at all. But the soldier, heretofore an exemplary and sober individual, is so insistent, yelling that he MUST see Lord Eracuss, that finally Marius Avronne, Commander of the Arcanil Guard, decides to bring it to Eracuss' attention.

Marius will politely knock on Eracuss' laboratory door, while the archmage is busy crafting a magic item of some sort. Marius is very loathe to interrupt Eracuss in such circumstances, but he does so nonetheless.

Assuming Eracuss will eventually open the door and speak with Marius, the Commander will explain that he is very sorry for bothering his lord, but there is a soldier of the Arcanil Guard who has been quite literally raving for several hours now that he absolutely must deliver a message to Eracuss personally, lest some great tragedy befall the land, the nature of which he cannot or will not define. If asked, Marius can vouch for the man's behaviour before this incident. The man has not been checked for magic or spells (via a detect magic), but a mage can be found to do so quickly if Eracuss does not desire to do so himself.

The man will, at Eracuss' request, be brought forth. Initially, Marius and a guard will desire to be present, but the man, whose name is Firyntomy, will insist that his message is for Eracuss only. If Eracuss insists that Marius or others remain, the soldier will shrug and then deliver his message:

Lord Eracuss. You are requested to meet with the labourer Hemsil of Glant in the Mystic Fog Tavern here in Arcanil. You will know him by the lavendar feather in his cap. Hemsil assures you that such a meeting will be well worth your time. He awaits you even now.

With that, the suggestion cast on the soldier will have been fulfilled, though the charm monster remains. If the soldier is questioned about Hemsil, he will merely remark that he is a friend whom he knows. The soldier will vouch for Hemsil as a very serious, honest, and stand up fellow, though if questioned further it will become clear that he has only just met the man a day ago. If asked why he thinks something bad would happen had the message not been delivered, he will shrug and say that is what Hemsil said and he believes him.

Should the enchantments cast on the soldier be dispelled, he will be a bit disoriented, not quite sure why he thought his message was so all-fired important and wondering why he was so eager to please Hemsil, a drinking buddy he had only met the day before. He will certainly crave Eracuss' pardon for being so taken and for any affrontery he has committed.

The Meeting:

The succubus, disguised as Hemsil the Labourer and wearing a lavender feather in "his" tan cap, is at the tavern indicated. She will wait there for 24 hours before sending another person (this time possibly not a soldier) to deliver the same message to Eracuss. She will continue to do this for a week before giving up and coming to see Eracuss personally. Should this attempt fail, then the scenario is effectively over.

Assuming Eracuss does come to the tavern, either alone or with an escort, Hemsil will nod to him, order two mugs of ale, and then motion Eracuss into a curtained back room. There, she will sit down at a table and invite him to sit. She will advise Eracuss that they should speak in private, as there are important matters to discuss, but if Eracuss insists on having others around, she will shrug and speak anyways.

It is quite possible that Eracuss or another person present will have some means to see through the succubus' disguise. She doesn't really care, as her disguise is really for the benefit of ordinary folk. Of course, should Eracuss divine her true nature and seek to slay her, she will beg he at least hear what she has to say before doing so. Should Eracuss slay her out of hand anyways, then she will make one last attempt the next day to parley with him. If she cannot, then the DM can have her attempt to contact other Heroes of the Gem in the same fashion or simply give up and the scenario is at an end. Should Eracuss announce that he intends to slay her after they speak, she will shrug and not be too concerned, as her form will be destroyed but her soul will return to her body in the netherworld. Should Eracuss not have the means to divine her true nature, but suspects she is more than a labourer, she will be somewhat coy, but will not vehemently deny her true nature if pressed.

Assuming a parley begins, she will explain herself as follows:

I serve a one whom you know. The one called Kostchtchie. He is in hiding...from you and your fellows. But he has come to make an offer to you. This is an offer that will benefit both parties and will obviate your need to slay my master.

When you first assaulted Kostchtchie, he was quite confused and angry, and he assumed you had somehow gotten wind of his intent to wreak revenge on humankind for the affrontery inflicted on him by the human Fimbul. Kostchtchie is normally an angry being, and he tends to lash out first and think and plan afterwards. But your assault upon him in his own plane, and in his own citadel, slaying his son and forcing him to flee, caused him to engage in a bit of self reflection after the requisite period of anger and depression.

And what he realized was two things. First, you were not responsible for his imprisonment and the siphoning of his very being to power the Fimbul's magic. Indeed, you slew the Fimbul and at least ended the prospect of years and years of such abuse and indignity. And although you certainly did not perform this freeing of my master out of any kindness towards him, nevertheless, free him you did.

Second, he realized that you attacked him because he was still, in some way, powering the winter that blazes in the heart of your Kingdom. In slaying him you could end the Fimbul's curse.

So my master calmed down and actually engaged his intellect, which is quite formidable once he puts his mind to use it, and he has come up with a way to sever the mystic bond that links him with the Fimbulwinter. In so severing this bond, the Fimbulwinter could then be dispelled using magic that I know you Heroes can acquire or must have already if you sought to slay my master in the first place.

Now...the question becomes how can this mystic cord be severed? Well, Kostchtchie figured out a way! You are, I imagine, familiar with the githyanki...the race of mortals that plies the Astral Plane? And these githyanki have swords known coloquially as silver swords, which are known to be able to cut the silver cord that links astral travellers with their material bodies. Cutting the silver cord is not an easy thing to do. Even the most powerful of creatures cannot do so, and even the most powerful of magic cannot either. But the githyanki swords can!

Now, the cord that binds my master to the winter is far stronger than even a silver cord. But it can be cut...by a powerful enough silver sword. And one such exists. It is called Fedifensor. It is the silver sword of the Queen of the Githyanki herself. If you could procure that sword, you could return it here to me. I would then take it to my master and he would sever the connection. In so doing, both parties would benefit. My master is free of a drain on his spirit and hopefully free of being hunted down by you Heroes, and you will be able to dispel the blight that ravages the very heart of your Kingdom. It seems to my master, and to me, that your interests are aligned and, even more delicious than that, there is little chance or need of treachery by either party.

So that is my master's proposal. He has done research and knows that the Queen will be travelling in her floating castle yacht in three day's time. If you agree to deliver Fedifensor to me, I will give you the astral coordinates to the castle. How you obtain the sword is no concern of my master. And he is willing to turn over the sword to you or the githyanki afterwards. He does not wish to keep it. All he wants is to be free and left alone.

Will you do this?

Under no circumstances will the succubus or Kostchtchie agree to allow the PCs to hand the sword directly over to the demonlord, for he still fears the Heroes and is afraid they will slay him. He will insist that the sword be delivered to the succubus.

Should Eracuss agree, then she will inform the PC that he has 3 days to gather what resources and allies he desires. She will say that in 3 days she will return to this chamber (or some other place if Eracuss wishes it) with the coordinates to the castle.With that, she will ethereal jaunt away.

The Send Off:

In three days the succubus will return and deliver to the PCs a metal plate about 1 ft square upon which many sigils and diagrams are stamped. She will explain that this is an astral map that "shows" the location to the castle (or at least the vicinity of where it will be). She will warn the PCs that the castle floats along the astral currents, and so any delay will move it farther and farther from the coordinates on the metal plate and will make it harder and harder to find. It would take her master quite some time to recalculate and divine a new location. To use the plate, one merely meditates on the symbols while on the Astral Plane, and one will progress towards the point mentioned.

With that, the succubus will announce that she can be contacted in the tavern and that she will await their return with the sword.

Part Two - The Bitch Queen

Traversing the Astral Plane:

Characters that are the level of the PCs should have no difficulty at all getting to the Astral Plane. Astral projections, gate, and plane shift are but some of the more common methods.

The Astral Plane of Therra is similar in most wa ys to the Astral Plane of the standard D&D cosmology, at least as far as operating within it is concerned. There are distinct differences as to where the plane leads, and DMs should look over the article entitled "The Heavens Above and the Hells Below" for information specific to the Therran cosmology.

DMs should also look over the description of the Astral Plane in The Manual of the Planes. A brief summary is presented here:

• No Gravity: Those travelling through it move by thought. Objects and creatures with no Intelligence score cannot move in the Astral Plane, though they may be pushed.
• Timeless: Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing don't function in the Astral Plane, though they resume functioning when the traveller leaves the Astral Plane.
• Infinite Size
• Alterable Morphic
• No Elemental or Energy Traits: Some small regions on the plane may have one or more of these traits, but the plane as a whole does not.
• Mildly Neutral-Aligned
• Enhanced Magic: All spells and spell-like abilities used within the astral may be employed as if they were improved by the Quicken Spell feat. Already quickened spells and spell-like abilities are unaffected, as are spells from magic items. Spells so quickened are still prepared and cast at their unmodified level. As with the Quicken Spell feat, only one quickened spell can be cast per round.

It is most important for the DM to remember the enhanced magic trait of the plane, as this will increase the capability of spellcasters immensely. The choice whether to quicken a spell or spell-like ability is up to the caster.

Travelling through the Astral Plane simply involves thinking, and so movement is conducting as if flying with perfect maneuverability at a speed equal to 10 ft per Intelligence point.

Travel to the yacht is treated as having a description only of the location desired, and will take 1d10x50 hours to reach it. During this time, the DM should check for Astral encounters as per The Manual of the Planes. Githyanki will be hostile towards the PCs if they perceive the PCs as weak, or unfriendly otherwise. If the PCs can change their attitude to helpful, they can be convinced to describe the queen and her yacht, but since none of them know of her route, they cannot quicken the PCs' journey.

The Royal Yacht:

The queen of the githyanki, Vlaakith, normally dwells in her palace in the great floating city/fortress of Tu'narath. However, at this time she is travelling in her royal "yacht", which is actually a fortress of its own that is normally docked to the upper reaches of her palace. It is this "yacht" that the PCs will be intercepting.

Directions like "up" and "down", locations like "floor" and "ceiling", have no universal meaning in this weightless environment. However, terms like these are used in the area descriptions for simplicity and clarity; when interpreting such terms, consider the surface depicted on the map as the "floor", as though you are looking "down" on the outpost from overhead.

In addition, for purposes of guiding the DM's and players' descriptions, "north" is towards the top of the map.

The descriptions of the yacht's interior are briefer than normal place descriptions. This because the details of the place are less important that its denizens, and because it is quite likely that the PCs will elect to parley with the lich-queen rather than fight her, and therefore detailed descriptions would unecessarily lengthen this scenario. Enough detail is given to allow the DM to run a defense of the yacht and to provide the PCs with magical treasure. Monetary treasure should be extrapolated from the descriptions of the chambers.

Tactics are not given for most of the creatures. The DM should be able to develop suitable tactics from the abilities set forth for each denizen. The githyanki are highly intelligent and formidable opponents aware of the capabilities of their own abilities and most of the more common ones possessed by the PCs.

It should be noted that creatures on the Astral Plane do not need to eat or sleep or excrete waste. As such, facilities such as dining halls and barracks are not included on the yacht.

Yacht Features:

Unhallowed Halls - The entire place radiates an effect similar to the unhallow spell that prevents nonevil summoned creatures from entering. Moreover, evil creatures within the yacht gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves against attacks made or effects created by good creatures. However, the usual effect of suppressing possession and magical compulsion is not present with this effect.

All turning checks made to turn undead within the yacht take a -4 penalty, and turning checks to rebuke undead gain a +4 profane bonus. Spell resistance does not apply to this effect.

Lastly, the unhallow effect also dispels all invisibility effects, as per the invisibility purge spell.

Walls, Ceilings, and Floors - The obsidian surfaces of the yacht (walls, floors, and ceilings) regenerate 10 points of damage per round, such that any hole made in the structure is soon repaired. Any creature that passes through a wall, floor, or ceiling using passwall or similar spells is exposed to the cries of tormented souls trapped within the yacht and must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or succumb to an insanity spell. This effect cannot be dispelled and must be made each round that the victim remains within the walls.

The walls, ceilings, and floors are considered magical, and are thus allowed a save against magical effects directed at them with a +14 save bonus. The interior walls, ceilings, and floors are 2 ft thick, while exterior versions are 6 ft thick. Each 2 ft of such material has a hardness of 20, 200 hp, break DC 68, Climb DC 20.

Ceilings in the yacht are 50 ft high unless otherwise noted.

Windows - The yacht's opaque, crimson-coloured glass windows measure 4 ft across and 7 ft tall. They are as strong as iron, making them difficult to break. In addition, Vlaakith has inscribed a rzydu'un symbol on each window, set to activate if it is shattered or a creature attempts to pass through it using magic.

Windows are 1 inch thick, have hardness of 10, 30 hp, and a break DC of 28.

Rzydu'un Symbol Trap CR 7; magic device; variable trigger (see text); automatic reset; spell effect (rzydu'un symbol, 25th-level wizard, 60 ft radius, 11d6 white-hot astral ectoplasm damage plus shaken for 4d6 rounds [treated as mind-affecting spell], DC 27 Will save half and negates shaken effect); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31.

Doors - The yacht contains five different types of special doors: ectoplasmic doors, grey mist doors, zombified doors, and secret doors. Each type of door is described below and the door type is noted in the area descriptions.

Non-special doors are standard iron doors.

Ectoplasmic Doors (EL 4) - These doors look like a 7 ft wide, 10 ft tall oval portal filled with a translucent mass of rippling ectoplasm reinforced with writhing energy strands. Each ectoplasmic door sheds light in a 5 ft radius and provides shadowy illumination out to 10 ft. An ectoplasmic door has limited psionic awareness such that it can be willed open or closed, as a swift action, by any creature with psionic ability that stands within 5 ft of the door. Creatures vying for control of the door make opposed Intelligence checks to determine who controls the door. An ectoplasmic door cannot be opened wih a knock spell.

Any attack made against the door causes a strand of ectoplasm to lash forth and strike the attacker. The strand has a maximum ranged of 40 ft; treat it as a ranged touch attack that duplicates the efects of a touch of idiocy spell (CL 25). An ectoplasmic door that is destroyed reforms in 1d4 minutes. Ectoplasmic doors are soundproof.

These doors are 2 inches thick, have 90 hp, DR 10/magic, and a break DC of 25.

Grey Mist Doors (EL 6) - These doors look like a 7 ft wide, 10 ft tall oval portal filled with opaque, silvery-grey mist similar in colour to the Astral Plane itself. The mist blocks all sound and cannot be dispersed or dispelled. Any living creature that passes through the door suffers horrible wounds as the fabric of time tears apart its will and exposes the creature to grievous injuries suffered in the past. The creature takes 10d6 points of damage, or half damage with a DC 26 Will save. This is a mind-affecting attack.

Zombified Doors (EL 4) - These doors look like a 7 ft wide, 10 ft tall oval portal filled with stitched flesh. A zombified door is unaffected by a knock spell but peels open when an undead creature comes within 5 ft of it. It can also be forced open or closed with a command undead spell or successful turning check; treate a zombified door as a 16 HD undead creature for turning purposes (modified by the unhallow effect). The door quickly restitches itself when damaged and has fast healing 10. Zombified doors are soundproof.

These doors are 6 inches thick, have 180 hp, DC 5/good, fast healing 10, and a break DC of 28.

Secret Doors - Secret doors are indicated with an "S" on the map. These rectangular slabs of obsidian blend neatly with the surrounding stonework and require magic (such as a detect secret doors spell) or a successful DC 30 Search check to locate. Unless otherwise noted, all secret doors are 20 ft off the floor and 20 ft below the ceiling. The secret doors are soundproof and open into rooms; a secret door that connects two rooms opens into the larger room.

Illumination - Rooms in the yacht are dark unless noted otherwise. Githyanki within the lich-queen's yacht carry light sources with them when they navigate the various halls and chambers.

Scrying and Detection - The interior of the royal yacht is not specifically warded against scrying spells, although the lich-queen always uses screen spells to conceal the contents of her throneroom (area 7). Vlaakith can, however, sense whenever someone uses scrying in her yacht, and she automatically spots scrying sensors in her presence (even if the invisibility purge effect of the unhallow is negated).

As long as she remains in the yacht, Vlaakith can detect the presence of every living creature in the yacht. She can also communciate with and view any creature in the yacht as the clairaudience/clairvoyance spell (as a standard action). She uses this ability to to spy on intruders, coordinate the yacht's defenses, and prepare for the arrival of enemies. If she leaves the yacht for any reason, the lich-queen can no longer sense the presence of living ceatures in the yacht.

1. Astral Carrack Port (EL 16)

The smaller inner doors (which lead to area 2) are both of obsidian and are treated as 1 foot thick (half the hit points of a 2 ft thick wall section). The doors are locked by an arcane lock spell (CL 25) that can be bypassed by Vlaakith and anyone she designates as capable of bypassing it. Currently, all denizens of the yacht are designated to bypass the arcane lock.

The ships are astral carracks (see Manual of the Planes page 52).

The four passages (A, B, C, and D) lead away from the sphere, each of them a 60 ft long corridor capped by a small, transparent pyramidal tower 40 ft square and 40 ft tall that holds three githyanki guards and a watch sarth (sergeant). The transparent portion of these watchtowers is treated as a window (see above for window descriptions). The guards keep watch on approaches to the port opening and set on a 35 ft long iron rod descending from the apex of each pyramid is a fist-sized glowing faceted crystal of deepest red that, if it is touched, allows the toucher to broadcast a telepathic alert throughout the entire yacht to all creatures within with an Intelligence of 3+ who can understand whatever language the toucher chooses to think in.

Creatures: Each watchtower contains 3 githyanki guards and a watch sarth (sergeant).

WATCHTOWER GUARDS (3) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

WATCH SARTH CR 9 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 8 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 hp 60 (8 HD) PR 13 Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +4 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee +1 greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+5) Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+3) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +9 Atk Options Deep Impact, Power Attack, Psionic Weapon Special Actions Psionic Meditation Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 32/day Powers Known (ML 8, melee touch +9, ranged touch +9) 3rd - psionic keen edge, vampiric blade 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 4): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Deep Impact, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +14, Concentration +14, Jump +8, Knowledge (psionics) +5, Search +6 Possessions combat gear plus +2 breastplate, ring of protection +1

2. Corridor (EL 8)

Traps: Inscribed into the floor 80 ft up from the southern double doors is a G'hel'zor symbol which is set to activate against any nondenizen of the yacht that is not touching a denizen. When the githyanki escort nondenizens into the yacht, the guards will lay their hands upon the nondenizens' shoulder as they walk this hall.

G'hel'zor Symbol Trap CR 8; magic device; variable trigger (see text); automatic reset; spell effect (g'hel'zor symbol, 25th-level wizard, 60 ft radius, feeblemind spell on total of 250 total hp affecting closest creatures first and skipping creatures with too many hp to affect [treated as mind-affecting spell], DC 28 Will save negates); Search DC 32; Disable Device DC 32.

3. Entry Hall (EL 9)

DOOR GUARDS (2) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving touch, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

4. Mount's Chamber (EL 15)

The doors are ectoplasmic doors.

Bundled near the north wall are the exotic combat saddle, bit and bridle, and saddlebags sized for the red dragon, along with the kith'rak's magical lance.

Because of the ectoplasmic doorway into this place, the dragon cannot come and go without aid from its kith'rak master.

Creatures: The kith'rak's red dragon mount who serves a tour of duty with the githyanki as part of the pact between dragonkind and the githyanki will be found here. This tour of duty is usually for a decade, and the dragon does not bring any of its own horde with it, the pile here having been provided by the githyanki.

ADULT RED DRAGON CR 15 CE Huge dragon (extraplanar, fire) Init +0; Senses blindsense 60 ft, darkvision 120 ft, keen senses; Listen +26, Spot +28 Aura frightful presence (180 ft, 21 HD or fewer, DC 24) Languages Draconic, Gith AC 29, touch 8, flat-footed 29 (+1 AC when ridden by Kith'rak) hp 253 (22 HD); DR 5/magic Immune fire, magic sleep effects, paralysis Vulnerable cold SR 21 Fort +18, Ref +13 (+14 when ridden by Kith'rak), Will +17 Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 150 ft (30 squares) (poor); Hover, Wingover Melee bite +31 (2d8+11) and 2 claws +26 (2d6+5) and 2 wings +26 (1d8+5) and tail slap +26 (2d6+16) Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft (15 ft with bite) Base Atk +22; Grp +41 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions breath weapon (12d10, DC 25), Cleave, crush (2d8+15, DC 25), Flyby Attack, Recover Breath, Snatch Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 7, melee touch +31, ranged touch +20) 3rd (5/day) - dispel magic, haste 2nd (7/day) - mirror image, resist energy, scintillating scales 1st (7/day) - mage armour, protection from good, shield, shock and awe, targeting ray 0 (6/day) - arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, mage hand, message, read magic, resistance Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7): 6/day - locate object Abilities Str 33, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 16 Feats Cleave, Enlarge Breath, Flyby Attack, Hover, Power Attack, Recover Breath, Snatch, Wingover Skills Appraise +25, Bluff +10, Concentration +24, Diplomacy +20, Gather Information +14, Hide -8, Jump +37, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (local) +18, Listen +26, Search +25, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +15, Spot +28 Breath Weapon (Su) 50 ft cone, 12d10 fire, Reflex DC 25 half. Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. Crush (Ex) This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents). A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1½ times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down). Frightful Presence (Ex) A young adult or older dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 30 feet × the dragon’s age category are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons. Keen Senses (Ex) A dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

FEATS: Enlarge Breath (Drac p70) - length of breath weapon increases by 50%, add +1 to rounds needed to use breath weapon again. Recover Breath (Drac p73) - reduce interval between uses of breath weapon by 1 round (minimum of 1 round). SPELLS: scintillating scales (Drac p80) - r personal, 1 rd/lvl; gain deflection bonus to AC equal to Con bonus x 1/2. shock and awe (SC p189) - swift, r close, 1 creature/lvl no two more than 30 ft apart, 1 rd, SR; cast in surprise round vs flat-footed causes -10 penalty to initiative. targeting ray (SC p219) - r med, 1 rd/lvl; ranged touch attack provides +1 insight bonus per 3 CL on ranged attackes at subjects.

Treasure: The coins are of a bewildering variety of mints and total 50,000 cp, 25,000 sp, 8,000 gp, and 1,000 pp.

4a. Kith'rak's Chamber (EL 13)

The door to the north is an ectoplasmic doorway.

Creatures: The kith'rak (captain) is here 50% of the time, otherwise he will be in the cockpit (area 8).

KITH'RAK CR 13 Male githyanki Psychic Warrior 12 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 22 (+1 AC on red dragon) hp 90 (12 HD) PR 17 Fort +11, Ref +7 (+8 on red dragon), Will +6 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee +1 silver sword +14/+9 (2d6+5) Melee +2 lance (1H mounted) +14/+9 (1d8+5) Ranged +1 composite longbow +13/+8 (1d8+4) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft (10 ft with lance) Base Atk +9; Grp +12 Atk Options Deep Impact, Power Attack, Psionic Weapon Special Actions Combat Reflexes, Psionic Meditation Combat Gear+1 silver sword, masterwork greatsword (for psychokinetic weapon), +1 composite longbow (+3 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), adamantine arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 50/day Powers Known (ML 12, melee touch +12, ranged touch +12) 4th - psionic freedom of movement, psychokinetic weapon, weapon of energy 3rd - empathic feedback, psionic keen edge, vampiric blade 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 6): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 12), psionic dimension door, telekinetic thrust (DC 14) Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12 Feats Combat Manifestation, Combat Reflexes, Deep Impact, Githyanki Dragonrider, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +14, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +1 (+7 with red dragons), Jump +8, Knowledge (psionics) +7, Ride +11 (+13 on red dragons), Search +6 Possessions combat gear plus +2 full plate armour, ring of protection +2

FEATS: Githyanki Dragonrider (MM4 p202) - Gain +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks with red dragons and +2 on Ride checks when riding a red dragon. Rider and red dragon gain +1 bonus on Reflex saves and +1 insight bonus to AC. POWERS: psychokinetic weapon (CP p96) - r close, 1 weapon, 1 rd/lvl, sv Will (obj), PR (obj), PP 7; animate unattended or possessed weapon, flies spd 20 ft (perfect), uses your BAB plus Wis mod plus weapon bonuses, dmg plus Wis mod; Augment: +3 PP gives +1 insight bonus to attack, +1 PP grants +5 ft to spd. MAGIC ITEMS: silver sword (MM p128) - silvered greatswords that suffer no damage penalty and a target hit must make a Fortitude save (DC 16 + effective enhancement bonus) or lose psionic abilities for 1d4 rounds.

5. Knight's Quarters (EL 17)

The doors are ectoplasmic doors.

Creatures: Twelve knights dwell here, elite guards and warriors of the githyanki.

GITHYANKI KNIGHTS (12) CR 10 Male and female githyanki Fighter 7/Blackguard 2 LE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Draconic AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 17 hp 81 (9 HD) PR 14 Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +5 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee +1 silver sword +15/+10 (2d6+9/17) Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+4) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft (10 ft with lance) Base Atk +9; Grp +13 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Cleave, Improved Sunder, smite good 3/day (+0 att, +2 dmg) Combat Gear +1 silver sword, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), adamantine arrows (6), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2), potion of cure moderate wounds (CL 3) Blackguard Spells Prepared (CL 2, melee touch +13, ranged touch +9): 1st - corrupt weapon, resurgence Power Points 3/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 5): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door, telekinetic thrust (DC 13) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9): At will - detect good Abilities Str 18, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10 Feats Cleave, Extra Smiting, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword) Skills Bluff +5, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +0 (+2 acting), Hide +4, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (religion) +3, Listen +1, Ride +5, Spot +1 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, gauntlets of ogre power, ring of protection +1

FEATS: Extra Smiting (CW p98) - gain 2 extra smites per day. SPELLS: resurgence (SC p174) - r touch, creature touched, SR; subject can made a second save vs ongoing spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural power.  MAGIC ITEMS: silver sword (MM p128) - silvered greatswords that suffer no damage penalty and a target hit must make a Fortitude save (DC 16 + effective enhancement bonus) or lose psionic abilities for 1d4 rounds.

6. Main Hall

The iron portal leading to area 11 is locked (Open Lock DC 35) with the key on the jailer in that area.

The 20 ft wide passage leads down to area 21.

7. Throne Room (EL 24+)

Note: This room has a screen (CL 25) spell cast upon it. The spell hides the bloody symbol on the chamber floor and all of the room's undead occupants except for the lich-queen. The portion of the description below in red indicates items hidden by the screen spell.

The symbol plainted in blood on the floor is a githyanki tir'su that spells the name "Vlaakith" (see Trap below). The suspended corpses are all that remains of slain githzerai spies and assassins, and they have similar symbols carved into their foreheads, but these symbols are nonmagical and purely ornamental.

Vlaakith's Throne of Bones: The throne of bones is horridly illuminated by red continual flame spells (CL 25) made permanent by a permanency spell (CL 25) cast within it. A creature seated on the throne can use the following spell-like abilities, although no ability can be used more than once per day: circle of death (centered on the throne), crushing despair, geast/quest, mass suggestion, mind fog, power word kill, and scare. Caster level 25th; save DC 14 + spell level. The throne has hardness 5 and 600 hit points and can be repaired by negative energy effects just like an undead is healed by the same (although positive energy effects do not damage it and the throne is not undead).

Creatures: Vlaakith, the lich-queen, is likely to be found here, whether parleying with the PCs or simply contemplating her many hatching schemes and strategems. Assume a 50% chance she is here if, somehow, the PCs have come upon her unaware. Otherwise, she will be in area 10 or 10b. Refer to the Vlaakith section following these area descriptions for her statistics and more details.

Additionally, 2 kr'y'izoths and 2 tl'a'ikiths are always present in the this chamber, awaiting their queen's pleasure or acting independently if she is not at hand. They normally are positioned with the 2 tl'a'ikiths flanking the double doors to the east and the kr'y'izoths flanking the front edge of the dais.

Finally, there are 2 skeletal adult red dragons that are programmed to obey the lich-queen or, if she is not present or giving orders, the kr'y'izoths and tl'a'ikiths. These dragons rest in the very western corners of the room, to the far north and far south.

KR'Y'IZOTHS (2) CR 20 Dungeon Magazine issue 100 page 136 Githyanki Wizard 16 NE Medium undead (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +4, Spot +4 Languages Gith, Draconic AC 24, touch 13, flat-footed 21; Miss 20% (heat mirage) hp 104 (16 HD), blackflame shield SR 21 Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +15 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee blackflame touch +8 (1d4 negative levels plus 1d6+16 fire) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +8; Grp +8 Combat Gear staff of necromancy (50 charges), arcane scroll of greater dispel magic (CL 15), arcane scroll of clenched fist (CL 15) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 16 [18 to penetrate SR], melee touch +8, ranged touch +11) 8th - horrid wilting (DC 24), polar ray 7th - greater scrying (DC 23), power word stun, spell turning 6th - disintegrate (DC 22), flesh to stone (DC 22), greater dispel magic (2) 5th - cone of cold (DC 21), dominate person (DC 21), feeblemind (DC 21 or 25 vs arcane caster), mind fog (DC 21), waves of fatigue 4th - dimensional anchor, fire shield, magic missle (maximized) (2), stoneskin 3rd - arcane sight, fireball (DC 19), greater magic weapon, hold person (DC 19), lightning bolt (DC 19) 2nd - bull's strength, cat's grace, detect thoughts (DC 18), eagle's splendour, resist energy, scorching ray 1st - chill touch (DC 17), expeditious retreat, magic missile (2), ray of enfeeblement, shield 0 - daze (DC 16), detect magic, read magic, resistance Psionics (CL 16): 1/day - plane shift (DC 17) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 10), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 15) Abilities Str 10, Dex 16, Con -, Int 22, Wis 10, Cha 10 SQ +4 turn resistance, undead traits Feats Brew Potion, Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armour, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, Forge Ring, Maximize Spell, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Spell Penetration Skills Concentration +19 (+23 casting defensively), Craft (alchemy) +13, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (planes) +14, Listen +4, Ride +6, Spellcraft +18, Spot +4 Possessions combat gear plus bracers of armour +6, ring of protection +2, gloves of dexterity +4, cloak of resistance +5, headband of intellect +4 Blackflame Shield (Su) Any creature striking a kr'y'izoth with its body or handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of fire damage, plus an additional point of fire damage for each of the kr'y'izoth's character levels or Hit Dice. Weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way. Blackflame Touch (Su) The mere touch of a kr'y'izoth bestows 1d4 negative levels on the target and deals 1d6 points of fire damage, plus an additional point of fire damage for each of the kr'y'izoth's character levels or Hit Dice. If a kr'y'izoth uses blackflame touch, it can't use spell conversion for 1d4 rounds. Heat Mirage (Ex) The heat from a kr'y'izoth's flames creates mirages and haze in the air around it, giving the kr'y'izoth concealment (20% miss chance). Opponents who have true seeing or use nonvisual means to discern their targets are unaffected. Spell Conversion (Ex) By tapping a conduit to the Negative Energy Plane, a kr'y'izoth can convert any unused spell slot into an inflict spell of the appropriate level. This functions just as spontaneous inflict casting by clerics, except that the spells are probably arcane. If a kr'y'izoth uses spell conversion, it can't use its blackflame touch for 1d4 rounds.

TL'A'IKITHS (2) CR 20 Dungeon Magazine issue 100 page 138 Githyanki Fighter 16 NE Medium undead (incorporeal, native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Draconic AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 21; Miss 50% (incorporeal) hp 104 (16 HD) SR 21 Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +7 Spd fly 30 ft (6 squares) (perfect) Melee +3 silver sword +24/+19/+14/+9 (2d6+11/17) Ranged +2 composite longbow +19/+14/+9/+4 (1d8+6) Ranged +2 composite longbow +17/+17/+12/+7/+2 (1d8+6) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +16; Grp - Atk Options Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, silver sword Special Actions Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Sunder, Rapid Shot, Ride-By Attack Combat Gear +3 silver sword, +2 composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), +1 arrows (20), arrows (30) Psionics (CL 16): 1/day - plane shift (DC 20) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 13), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 18) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16): At will - darkness, detect thoughts (DC 15), dimensional anchor, true seeing, weird (DC 22) Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 16 SQ +4 turn resistance, ghost touch, incorporeal traits, undead traits Feats Alertness, Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (silver sword), Great Cleave, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Sunder, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Ride-By Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword) Skills Craft (armoursmithing) +8, Craft (weaponsmithing) +9, Listen +3, Ride +8, Search +3, Spot +3 Possessions combat gear plus +3 breastplate, gauntlets of ogre power, cloak of resistance +3 Ghost Touch (Su) Any weapon, shield, or suit of armour touched by the base creature when the tl'a'ikith rises is thereafter considered a ghost touch weapon or armour as long as it is worn or wielded in the hand of the tl'a'ikith. The tl'a'ikith gives this ability to the object; the object doesn't possess it on its own. If the tl'a'ikith is slain or drops the weapon or removes the armour, the object instantly loses the ghost touch property. Silver Sword (Su) A tl'a'ikith may use its silver sword to attack astral travelers' silver cords. The normally insubstantial cord is treated as a tangible object with the owner's AC, hardness 10, and 20 hit points.

MAGIC ITEMS: silver sword (MM p128) - silvered greatswords that suffer no damage penalty and a target hit must make a Fortitude save (DC 16 + effective enhancement bonus) or lose psionic abilities for 1d4 rounds.

SKELETAL ADULT RED DRAGONS (2) CR 8 Draconomicon page 192 N Huge undead (native) Init +4; Senses blindsense 60 ft, darkvision 120 ft, keen senses; Listen +0, Spot +0 Aura frightful presence (180 ft, 21 HD or fewer, DC 24) AC 12, touch 8, flat-footed 12 hp 165 (22 HD); DR 5/bludgeoning Immune cold, fire SR 21 Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +13 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee bite +31 (2d8+11) and 2 claws +26 (2d6+5) and 2 wings +26 (2d6+5) and tail slap +26 (2d6+16) Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft (15 ft with bite) Base Atk +22; Grp +41 Abilities Str 33, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 16 SQ undead traits Feats Improved Initiative Frightful Presence (Ex) A young adult or older dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 30 feet × the dragon’s age category are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Cha modifier) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons. Keen Senses (Ex) A dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Traps: The symbol painted on the floor is a Vlaakith symbol (identical to a symbol of death) that triggers whenever it is touched by any living creature.

Vlaakith Symbol Trap CR 9; magic device; variable trigger (see text); automatic reset; spell effect (vlaakith symbol, 25th-level wizard, 60 ft radius, symbol of death, DC 29 Fortitude save negates); Search DC 33; Disable Device DC 33.

8. Cockpit (EL 16)

The metal block is the control device for the yacht. It is a very powerful and complicated device that cannot easily be intuited. Only the lich-queen and the kith'rak (area 4a) know how to properly pilot the yacht, although it can be set on "auto-pilot" so that the captain only needs to spend about half of his time in here. This device is made of astral driftmetal and other exotic materials and is magically protected with a hardness of 24 and 900 hit points.

The four pillars are essentially charged aster (stuff of the Astral Plane) flowing through the cockpit almost like a ramjet engine would work for a spacecraft. Touching a pillar is painful and can be deadly. Merely touching one is enough to cause 1d6 damage. Prolonged contact (i.e. for most of a turn) will cause 3d6 damage per round. Total immersion will cause 12d6 damage per round. This damage is untyped and not subject to resistance or damage reduction and is not magical.

The double doors to the south are ectoplasmic doors. The door to the southwest is a grey mist door.

Creatures: The kith'rak (area 4a) will be here 50% of the time, otherwise he will be in area 4a. See area 4a for his statistics.

Additionally, the statue of the lich-queen is a greater stone golem. It will respond to the commands of the lich-queen or kith'rak or will attack any living nongithyanki present in the cockpit not escorted by the kith'rak or lich-queen.

GREATER STONE GOLEM CR 16 N Huge construct (native) Init -2; Senses darkvision 120 ft, low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0 AC 27, touch 6, flat-footed 27 hp 271 (42 HD); DR 10/adamantine Immune magic Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +14 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 slams +42 (4d8+13) Space 15 ft; Reach 15 ft Base Atk +31; Grp +52 Special Actions slow Abilities Str 37, Dex 7, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1 SQ construct traits Immunity to Magic (Ex) A stone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A transmute rock to mud spell slows a stone golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points. A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem's structure, but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round. Slow (Su) A stone golem can use a slow effect, as the spell, as a free action once every 2 rounds. The effect has a range of 10 ft and a duration of 7 rounds, requiring a DC 31 Will save to negate. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Developments: Allow an untrained person to make a DC 30 Knowledge (arcana) check to confirm what the device is for. A DC 40 Knowledge (arcana) check will allow an untrained person to attempt to move the ship, although it is a psionic device and requires the efforts of someone with the psionic subtype. To navigate somewhere untrained will require a DC 40 Knowledge (planes) check. In theory, if the PCs manage to capture the yacht and spend a long time studying it, they could eventually become "trained" in its usage, although it will always require a psionic creature to pilot it and, if the lich-queen is gone it will also require a very powerful source of power to run it. The exact details as to how long it might take to become trained on the device and what source of power might substitute for the lich-queen's will is left up to the DM.

Secret Doors: There is a secret door along the northern wall of the room, just west of the statue.

9. Upper Level Access

10. Queen's Chamber

The net is a net of matter transmission. Not formally a magic item, per se, the net is unique to the yacht. The net is a 10 ft square net of coarse mesh that can be thrown like a normal net (see Player's Handbook page 119), except that it can ensnare up to Large creatures, and any creature ensnared by the net (by a ranged touch attack) will be instantly teleported into one of the empty suspension cells (see area 10a).

The door to the northeast is a grey mist door.

Creatures: The lich-queen will be in area 7 50% of the time if caught unaware of the PCs' intrusion. If she is not in area 7, then she will be here half the time or in area 10b the other half. Refer to the Vlaakith section following these area descriptions for her statistics and more details.

Treasure: In one of the drawers is a set of four scroll cases. These contain the following:

1. Two scrolls are within.

The first is an astral map showing the location and pattern of a colour pool that is noted, in Gith, as leading to the "Shores of Limbo". This map can be used to gain access to the area of Limbo, which is the edge of the Astral Plane where the oceans of chaos lap against its shore. Using the map requires a DC 25 Knowledge (planes) check and it takes 1d10x50 hours to find the colour pool; a failure indicates that after 1d10x20 hours the PCs are lost and must make another check.

The other scroll is a very strange and complicated series of patterns and swirling lines of colour with complicated-looking symbols and notations. There are a few notations in Gith, notable being "Spawning Stone - great danger", "Shra'kt'lor - city of filth and scum", and "Zerth'Ad'lun - where it is held"

2. A single scroll is within. This is a map of the area around and the exterior walls of the monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun, and the name is emblazoned across the top of the map. An arrow points to one area about 250 ft north of the entrance to the monastery building proper and is labelled in Gith: "Treasury under here". This corresponds to area 19 on the Zerth'Ad'lun map.

A notation on the back of the scroll reads in Gith:

"I believe the thieving bastards have my blade here, underneath the monastery, in a warded vault of some sort. I need to find out what guards are in place and then I can best tailor my choice of who or what I shall send to retrieve it."

3. An arcane scroll of greater dispel magic (CL 20).

4. A scroll of deep black paper with thin, silvery diagrams of immensely complicated patterns and traceries with the center being a star-like symbol and the words in Gith in a circle around it: "Sargasso".

A DC 25 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal the scroll to be a map to a location on the Negative Energy Plane. A DC 30 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal that it leads to a planar touchstone called the Sargosso of Entropy (see Manual of the Planes page 185). A DC 35 Knowledge (planes) check will allow the map to be navigated and the touchstone to be located.

10a. Suspension Cells

The barrier between area 10 and this chamber looks like a thick piece of frosted glass, shaped in a hexagon 10 ft in diameter. The glass has a hardness of 20, 450 hit points, and damage reduction of 15/magic and serves as a magical door to the chamber beyond. The glass can also be opened via a knock spell or a dispel magic (successful against a CL of 25).

If a creature stands in front of the frosted portal for 1 round without striking or touching the glass, the center section of the glass (1 ft in diameter) will begin to glow red. If any object is brought into contact with this red area right away, it will be seen that the object can be passed into or through what is now an opening. The rest of the portal will still be impervious to normal passage; however, if the red area is left untouched for another round after it first appears, it will expand to envelop the entire portal, allowing passage through the 10 ft diameter hole into the small chamber beyond. The full-sized opening will close within 1 round after it has been activated. This aperture operates in both directions.

Within the chamber are four more "frosted" portals, each a 5 ft diameter hexagon, which are identical in nature to the larger portal and can be opened in the same way except that these portals only operate from the outside. These smaller portals are seals for 5 ft square cells in which prisoners (taken by the net of suspension or otherwise captured) can be placed.

The cells are enchanted with a permanent dimensional lock effect that is centered on the Astral Plane, such that even those in astral form (e.g. from an astral projection spell) cannot penetrate the effect. The only mode of magical transport that functions is the specially keyed net of suspension from area 10.

Additionally, each cell contains a permanent silence effect, negating the ability to cast spells with verbal components.

Both the dimensional lock and the silence effects still function within the cell even if the glass door is partially or fully opened.

These cells are used by the lich-queen to hold dangerous prisoners that can easily escape from more traditional incarceration.

Creatures: Currently, 2 of the cells are occupied. In the westernmost one is a mind flayer, and the easternmost contains a night hag. If either or both of these cells is partially or fully opened, the resident creature will do everything in its power to escape and overcome those who released it.

Note the mind flayer has no material components on hand, limiting its ability to cast its spells.

MIND FLAYER CR 13 Mind flayer Sorcerer 9 LE Medium aberration (extraplanar, psionic) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +13, Spot +13 Languages Illithid, Undercommon, telepathy 100 ft AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13; Dodge hp 109 (17 HD) SR 34 Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +16 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee 4 tentacles +15 (1d4) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +10; Grp +10 Atk Options improved grab Special Actions extract, mind blast (DC 21) Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 9, melee touch +10, ranged touch +14) 4th (5/day) - greater invisibility, stoneskin 3rd (8/day) - fly, haste, ray of exhaustion (DC 20) 2nd (8/day) - minor image, resist energy, see invisibility, touch of idiocy 1st (8/day) - chill touch (DC 18), mage armour, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shocking grasp 0 (6/day) - arcane mark, daze (DC 17), detect magic, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound (DC 17), light, read magic Psionics (CL 8): At will - charm monster (DC 21), detect thoughts (DC 19), levitate, plane shift (DC 24), suggestion (DC 20) Abilities Str 10, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 24 Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (tentacle) Skills Bluff +14, Concentration +22 (+26 casting defensively), Craft (alcemy) +13, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +7 (+9 acting), Hide +11, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (planes) +15, Listen +13, Move Silently +11, Spellcraft +13, Spot +13, Survival +4 (+6 planes) Extract (Ex) A mind flayer that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent's brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras. Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a mind flayer must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent's head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger opponent, but only if it can somehow reach the foe's head. If a mind flayer begins its turn with at least 1 tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the mind flayer gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of its opponent's turn. Mind Blast (Sp) This psionic attack is a cone 60 ft long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 21 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. Mind flayers often hunt using this power and then drag off one or two of their stunned victims to feed upon. The save DC is Charisma-based. This is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

NIGHT HAG CR 9 NE Medium outsider (evil, native) Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +15, Spot +15 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 21 hp 68 (8 HD) SR 25 Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +8 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee bite +12 (2d6+6 plus disease) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +8; Grp +12 Atk Options Special Actions Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8): At will - detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, magic missile, polymorph (self only), ray of enfeeblement (DC 12), sleep (DC 12). Abilities Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 12 Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Mounted Combat Skills Bluff +12, Concentration +15 (+19 casting defensively), Diplomacy +5, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), Intimidate +14, Listen +15, Ride +12, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +11, Spot +15 Disease (Ex) Demon fever - bite, Fortitude DC 18, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d6 Con. Each day after the first, on a failed save, an afflicted creature must immediately succeed on another DC 18 Fortitude save or take 1 point of Constitution drain. The save DC is Constitution-based. Dream Haunting (Su) Night hags can visit the dreams of chaotic or evil individuals by using a special periapt known as a heartstone to become ethereal, then hovering over the creature. Once a hag invades someone's dreams, it rides on the victim's back until dawn. The sleeper suffers from tormenting dreams and takes 1 point of Constitution drain upon awakening. Only another ethereal being can stop these nocturnal intrusions, by confronting and defeating the night hag.

10b. Queen's Annex

The alcove to the north (just east of the area with the sheath) is a closet with various of the lich-queen's ostentatious and overwhelmingly evil-looking garb floating from hangers attached to wires strung across the place. None of these items of clothing is magical.

The shelves hold, in addition to oddities and curiousities, material components for all of the spells in the lich-queen's spellbook, as well as foci for the same.

Creatures: The lich-queen will be in area 7 50% of the time if caught unaware of the PCs' intrusion. If she is not in area 7, then she will be here half the time or in area 10 the other half. Refer to the Vlaakith section following these area descriptions for her statistics and more details.

Secret Doors: There is a secret door along the northern wall of the room, in the closet alcove.

11. Dungeon (EL 15)

The iron cages are 20 ft square and 20 ft high, with the upper tier beginning 5 ft above the top of the lower tier. The floors and ceilings of the cages are solid metal. The cages are magically treated for hardness, and so have a hardness of 20, 180 hit points, and a break DC of 50, as well as a save bonus of +14. The key locks on the cages are very well made (Open Lock DC 40) with the keys on the jailer (see Creatures below).

The manacles attached to the pillar are made of adamantine and are masterwork manacles (hardness 20, 40 hp, break DC 48, Escape Artist check 35). They are sized to be able to fit creatures ranging in size from Small to Large. The keys to the manacles are on the jailer (see Creatures below).

Creatures: The jailer, G'zashur, is a powerful githyanki assassin who has mystical red dragon parentage that makes him a duthka'gith, or fiendish half-dragon githyanki. He is the queen's favourite torturer and often also called upon to undertake assassination or to ferret out the seeds of rebellion. He is also one of the elite cadre the queen uses to track down githyanki who reach 16th level to mark them for eventual conversion by the crown of corruption. However, he is not certain what happens to these high level githyanki, except that they are never seen again, and he has begun to worry that his time may be soon approaching.

The jailor maintains two cover identities that are not relevant to this adventure.

G'ZASHUR CR 19 Complete Adventurer page 76 Male githyanki Soulknife 5/Assassin 5/Spymaster 5 LE Medium dragon (augmented humanoid, fire, native, psionic) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Listen +15, Spot +15 Aura magic aura (CL 5) Languages Gith, Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal AC 30, touch 18, flat-footed 30; Combat Expertise, improved uncanny dodge, uncanny dodge hp 124 (15 HD); DR 10/magic Immune fire, paralysis, sleep Resist cold 10; PR 20, SR 20 Fort +8, Ref +19, Will +10; +2 vs poison, scrying defense (+5 vs scrying), slippery mind Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 mind blade +17/+12 (1d6+7/17) and bite +10 (1d6+3) Melee mind blade +14/+9 (1d6+6) and mind blade +14 (1d6+3) and bite +10 (1d6+3) Melee +1 mind blade (2H) +17/+12 (1d10+10) and bite +10 (1d6+3) Melee 2 claws +15 (1d4+6) and bite +10 (1d6+3) Ranged +1 mind blade +16 (1d6+6) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +9; Grp +15 Atk Options Combat Expertise, psychic strike +1d8, smite good (1/day, +15 damage), sneak attack +4d6 Special Actions breath weapon (1/day, 30 ft cone of fire, 6d8 damage, DC 13), death attack (DC 19), Deft Strike, dispel scrying (7/day), free draw, Improved Trip, mind blade, shape mind blade, throw mind blade Combat Gear wand of freedom of movement (CL 7, 37 charges), wand of sniper's eye (CL 7, 29 charges), potions of cure serious wounds (CL 5) (3), potions of haste (CL 5) (2), potions of lesser restoration (CL 3) (2), potions of protection from good (CL 5) (3) Assassin Spells Known (CL 5, melee touch +11, ranged touch +11) 3rd (1/day) - amorphous form, wraithstrike 2nd (3/day) - cat's grace, fell the greatest foe, phantom foe (DC 17) 1st (5/day) - blade of blood, bloodletting, disguise self (DC 16), true strike Power Points 5/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 7): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 13), psionic dimension door, telekinetic thrust (DC 15) Abilities Str 22, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 14 SQ cover identity (2), poison use, quick change, scrying defense, undetectable alignment Feats Combat Expertise, Deft Strike, Improved Critical (mind blade), Improved Trip, Skill Focus (bluff), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (mind blade), Wild Talent Skills Autohypnosis +9, Balance +11, Bluff +13 (+15 in cover identity), Climb +11, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +13, Disguise +14 (+16 acting, +4 bonus in cover identity), Escape Artist +16, Forgery +9, Gather Information +12 (+14 in cover identity), Hide +15, Intimidate +15, Jump +13, Knowledge (psionics) +9, Listen +15, Move Silently +15, Open Lock +14, Search +14, Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +15, Survival +2 (+4 to follow tracks), Tumble +15, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone) Possessions combat gear plus +2 glamered mithril chain shirt, ring of protection +3, amulet of natural armour +2, ring of invisibility, cloak of resistance +2, masterwork potion belt, masterwork disguise kit (10 uses), spell component pouch, keys to the cells in area 11, keys to the manacles in area 11 Cover Identity (Ex) A spymaster has one specific cover identity. While operating in that identity, he gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff and Gather Information checks. A spymaster can add an additional cover identity to his reperatoire at 4th level and another at 7th level. Should a spymaster with to "retire" a cover identity and develop a new one, he must spend one week rigourously practicing subtle vocal intonations and body language before he earns the bonuses. Cover identities do not in themselves provide the spymaster with additional skills, proficiencies, or class features that others might expect of the professions pretended. This a spymaster must be careful to choose identities that can withstand ordinary scrutiny. Death Attack (Ex) If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. Dispel Scrying (Su) At 5th level and higher, a spymaster can dispel a scrying sensor as if casting a targeted greater dispel magic. His caster level is equal to his class level + 10. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. Free Draw (Su) At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the mind blade per round, however. Magic Aura (Sp) At 3rd level, a spymaster gains rhe abiliry ro use magic aura at will with a caster level equal to his class level. Most spymasters use this ability to shield their own magic items from detection. Poison Use (Ex) Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade. Psychic Strike (Su) As a move action, a soulknife of 3rd level or higher can imbue his mind blade with destructive psychic energy. This effect deals an extra 1d8 points of damage to the next living, nonmindless target he successfully hits with a melee attack (or ranged attack, if he is using the throw mind blade ability). Creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to psychic strike damage. (Unlike the rogue’s sneak attack, the psychic strike is not precision damage and can affect creatures otherwise immune to extra damage from critical hits or more than 30 feet away, provided they are living, nonmindless creatures not immune to mind-affecting effects.) A mind blade deals this extra damage only once when this ability is called upon, but a soulknife can imbue his mind blade with psychic energy again by taking another move action. Once a soulknife has prepared his blade for a psychic strike, it holds the extra energy until it is used. Even if the soulknife drops the mind blade (or it otherwise dissipates, such as when it is thrown and misses), it is still imbued with psychic energy when the soulknife next materializes it. Quick Change (Ex) By 2nd level, a spymaster has become adept at quickly switching from one identity to another. He now can don a disguise in one-tenth the normal time (1d3 minutes) and don or remove armour in one-half the normal time. Scrying Defense (Ex) Starting at 2nd level, a spymaster adds his class level to Will saves against divination (scrying) spells, as well as to Spot checks made to notice the sensors created by such spells. Shape Mind Blade (Su) At 5th level, a soulknife gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade. As a fullround action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a longsword (damage 1d8 for a Medium weapon wielded as a one-handed weapon) or a bastard sword (damage 1d10 for a Medium weapon, but he must wield it as a two-handed weapon unless he knows the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) feat). If a soulknife shapes his mind blade into the form of a bastard sword and wields it two-handed, he adds 1½ times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon. Alternatively, a soulknife can split his mind blade into two identical short swords, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.) However, both mind blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the soulknife would otherwise create with a single mind blade. Slippery Mind (Ex) Starting at 4th level, a spymaster has a second chance to wriggle free from any enchantment spells and effects. If a spymaster with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails hissaving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw. Throw Mind Blade (Ex) A soul knife of 2nd level or higher can throw his mind blade as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 30 feet. Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown mind blade then dissipates. A soulknife of 3rd level or higher can make a psychic strike (see below) with a thrown mind blade and can use the blade in conjunction with other special abilities. Undetectable Alignment (Ex) The web of different identities and agendas inside a spymaster's mind makes it impossible for others to detect his alignment by means of any form of divination. This ability functions like an undetectable alignment spell, except that it is always active.

FEATS: Deft Strike (Cadv p106) - standard action and Spot check vs target AC to ignore armour and natural armour bonuses on next attack made no later than next turn, must be within 30 ft for ranged weapon. SPELLS: amorphous form (SC p9) - r touch, willing corporeal creature, 1 min/lvl, SR; subject and gear becomes oozlike, may pass through openings 2 inches in diameter, immune to poison, polymorph, stun, flanking, and crits, gain swim spd = land spd, size, Dex, deflection, and force armour bonuses apply to AC, cannot cast spells with verbal or somatic or material or focus, lose all supernatural abilities, cannot use magic except for those providing bonuses to AC as above. blade of blood (PHB2 p103) - swift, r touch, weapon, 1 rd/lvl or discharge; next time weapon strikes living creature +1d6 dmg or +3d6 dmg if caster takes 5 dmg, loses property if dropped or contact lost. bloodletting (CM p97) - swift, r touch, light weapon held, SR; next time light weapon deals dmg to living creature, wound bleeds for 1d6 dmg each round, DC 15 Heal check or 1 pt magical healing stops bleeding, spell lasts 3 rounds and bleeding continues from strike to end of spell, loses property if dropped or contact lost. fell the greatest foe (SC p90) - r touch, creature touched, 1 rd/lvl, SR; +1d6 dmg on melee attack for each size cetagory larger. phantom foe (SC p156) - r touch, creature touched, 1 rd/lvl, sv Will disbelief; subject is flanked, caster gains 50% miss chance if attacked by subject. sniper's eye (SC p193) - r pers, 1 rd/lvl; gain +10 competence bonus to Spot, darkvision 60 ft, ranged sneak extended to 60 ft, cannot move more than 5 ft from the spot cast. wraithstrike (SC p243) - swift, r personal, 1 rd; melee attacks become touch attacks.

12. Secret Passage

The existence of this passageway is officially known only to the lich-queen and the kith'rak. However, the jailer in area 11 knows of it as well. It connects via secret doors with areas 8, 10b, and 13.

13. Treasury

The coins effectively grant concealment (20% miss chance) to anyone within the chamber.

The door to the southwest is a grey mist door.

Secret Doors: There is a secret door along the northern wall of the room.

Additionally, there is a circular secret panel at the very bottom of the sphere of this room. The panel is 5 ft in diameter and requires a DC 35 Search check to locate. The panel is arcane locked (CL 25) and the lich-queen always casts an extended sequester spell on the panel that hides the aura of the arcane lock, the magical trap (see Traps below), and its very existence as a secret door to spells like detect secret doors.

Beyond the panel is a small 3 ft square lead-lined alcove

Traps: There is a symbol on the underside of the panel that is triggered if the panel is removed by anyone other than the lich-queen. The symbol is a mirhanac symbol. One or more creatures within 60 ft of the symbol, whose combined total hit points do not exceed 150, are turned to solid crystal; the effect is otherwise similar to the flesh to stone spell (except stone to flesh will not reverse the effect, only spells like break enchantment have a chance to succeed). The symbol affects closest creatures first, skipping creatures with too many hit points to affect. A successful Fortitude save slows the victim for 2d6 rounds instead.

Mirhanac Symbol Trap CR 9; magic device; variable trigger (see text); automatic reset; spell effect (mirhanac symbol, 25th-level wizard, 60 ft radius, flesh to stone or slow spell, DC 29 Fortitude save partial); Search DC 33; Disable Device DC 33.

Treasure: The coins floating around the place total 56,000 cp, 49,000 sp, 26,000 gp, and 12,000 pp.

The niche beneath the panel contains, set into black velvet cushions, six astral diamonds (worth 10,000 gp each, but counting as 100,000 gp each for the purpose of developing epic spells or magic items).

14. Communications Room

The mirror is a sort of view-screen that enables the yacht to communicate with the Palace of Whispers in the capital city of Tu'narath. If a being with an Intelligence of 3+ stands within 5 ft of the mirror and remains stationary for 1 round, the image of a powerful githyanki official in the Palace of Whispers will come into view. After one more round, the image seen by the githyanki on the other end of the connection will also become clear to him. If what the official sees is not the lich-queen or the kith'rak, the official will move away immediately to sound an alert. This will bring a pair of astral carracks (see Manual of the Planes page 52), each with a kith'rak (exactly like the one in area 4a), a githyanki magister (Wizard 14), a carrack captain (Fighter 11), a first-officer (Fighter 8), five lieutenants (Fighter 4), and forty crew (Fighter 1). These will arrive in 1d4x6 hours.

15. Corridor

This area is reached by going up through the passage in area 9. It leads to another up passageway that opens into area 18.

The double doors to the south are ectoplasmic doors. The door at the northeast end of the corridor is a normal iron door.

16. Warlocks' Quarters (EL 17)

Most of the table drawers contain mostly ordinary and valueless items, as well as masterwork tools for any Craft skills they possess, along with materials for same, and material components and foci for any spells they have in their spellbooks. However, see Treasure below.

Creatures: At most times the 3 warlocks are present here, meditating or practicing their crafts. One of the warlocks is a wizard, another is a shadow mage, and another is a psion. The psion has an enslaved demon who has a a permanent continual flame cast on a steel spike driven into its forehead, with instructions to always have it within 30 ft of the psion so that he can use his fiery discorporation power to save his life. The demon is enslaved by rituals and eldritch bargains and could be convinced to switch sides if made helpful (assume it is indifferent to powerful evil creatures, unfriendly to powerful neutral creatures, and hostile to powerful good creatures).

SYMAFYA CR 13 Female githyanki Wizard 12 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elf, Ignan, Infernal AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 hp 42 (12 HD) SR 17 Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +10 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 dagger +7/+2 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +6 Special Actions Improved Counterspell Combat Gear +1 dagger, wand of displacement (CL 5, 18 charges), wand of dimensional anchor (CL 7, 25 charges), potions of cure serious wounds (CL 5) (2), potions of protection from good (CL 3) (2), potion of resist energy (fire) (CL 7), potion of resist energy (electricity) (CL 7), potion of resist energy (acid) (CL 7), potion of resist energy (cold) (CL 7), potion of resist energy (sonic) (CL 7), arcane scroll of black tentacles (CL 7), arcane scroll of disintegration (CL 11), arcane scroll of teleport (CL 9) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 12 [14 to penetrate SR], melee touch +6, ranged touch +8) 6th - chain lightning (DC 23), greater dispel magic, mass bear's endurance 5th - baleful polymorph (DC 22), faithful hound, feeblemind (DC 22, +4 vs arcane casters), wall of force 4th - arcane sight, confusion (DC 21), dimension door, stoneskin 3rd - lightning bolt (2) (DC 20), nondetection, protection from energy (2), tongues 2nd - acid arrow, darkness, mirror image, scorching ray (2), see invisibility 1st - magic missile (3), ray of enfeeblement, shield, true strike 0 - detct magic (2), light, touch of fatigue (DC 17) Psionics (CL 12): 1/day - plane shift (DC 19) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 12), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 17) Abilities Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 24, Wis 15, Cha 14 Feats Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Improved Counterspell, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Skill Focus (concentration), Spell Mastery (clairaudience/clairvoyance, shield, greater dispel magic, nondetection, dimension door, teleport, true seeing), Spell Penetration Skills Concentration +19 (+23 casting defensively), Craft (bookbinding) +22, Craft (calligraphy) +22, Decipher Script +22, gather Information +4, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (history) +22, Knowledge (local) +22, Knowledge (planes) +22, Spellcraft +24 Possessions combat gear plus pearl of power (3rd level), amulet of natural armour +1, bracers of armour +2, ring of protection +2, headband of intellect +2, masterwork potion belt, spell component pouch, spellbooks (2) Spellbook spells prepared plus: 6th - analyze dweomer, eyebite, legend lore, mass suggestion, true seeing 5th - contact other plane, magic jar, teleport 4th - detect scrying, locate creature, scrying 3rd - clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, haste 2nd - detect thoughts, invisibility, locate object 1st - identify, mage armour, unseen servant 0 - all

MORIKEMOE CR 13 Male githyanki Psion (kineticist) 12 LE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +5 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 20 hp 54 (12 HD) PR 17 Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +12 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 dagger +7 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +6 Atk Options Dazzling Energy (cold), Overchannel, Privileged Energy (cold), Talented Special Actions Linked Power, Psionic Meditation Combat Gear +1 dagger, dorje of shatter mind blank (ML 9, 42 charges) Power Points 165/day Powers Known (ML 12, melee touch +6, ranged touch +8) 6th - dispelling buffer, stygian bolt (DC 22), temporal acceleration 5th - crystal body, energy current (DC 21), fiery discorporation, psionic true seeing 4th - dragonhearted, energy ball (DC 20), intellect fortress, wall of ectoplasm 3rd - body adjustment, dispel psionics, energy cone (DC 19), psionic blast (DC 19) 2nd - biofeedback, damp power, ego whip (DC 18), energy missile (DC 18) 1st - defensive precognition, empty mind, force screen, synchronicity, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 6): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 13), psionic dimension door, telekinetic thrust (DC 15) Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 14 Feats Combat Manifestation, Dazzling Energy (cold), Linked Power, Overchanneling, Privileged Energy (cold), Psionic Mastery, Psionic Meditation, Talented Skills Autohypnosis +19, Concentration +17 (+21 manifest defensively), Craft (gemcutting) +16, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Knowledge (psionics) +23, Psicraft +23, Spot +15, Tumble +9 Possessions combat gear plus psychoactive skin of ectoplasmic armour, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +2, third eye aware

FEATS: Dazzling Energy (CP p49) - if manifest cold energy power that specifies single target(s), foe dazzled for 1 minute unless sightless. Linked Power (CP p62) - expend focus and pay PP for two powers (max PP = ML) and second power automatically activates on target or area specified on the next turn for no extra PP or actions. Privileged Energy (CP p57) - +1 dmg/die for cold energy powers. Psionic Mastery (CP p59) - can take 10 on ML checks. POWERS: crystal body (DrM p76) - r pers, 1rd/lvl (D), PP 13; gain DR 5/adamantine, immune to blind, crits, ability dmg, deaf, disease, drown, electricity, poison, stun, sleep, paralysis, all spells affective physiology or respiration, 1/2 dmg from acid, cold, and sonic, unarmed attack deals shortsword dmg, vulnerable to attacks affecting crystal, cannot drink or play wind instruments, x5 weight. damp power (CP p82) - immed, r pers, PP 3; all variable numeric effects of powers or spells or psi-like or spell-like abilities bfore end of next turn minimized; Augment: 4 PP to minimize all selected targets in area of effect that affects manifester. dragonhearted (RoDR p120) - r pers, 1 min/lvl (D), PP 5; choose red or white to gain immune fire vulnerable cold or vice versa respectively; Augment: 4 PP to manifest as immed action. energy missile (CP p88) - r med, up to 5 creatures or objects no two more than 15 ft apart, sv Ref 1/2, PR, PP 3; choose cold or electricity or fire or sonic, missile deals 3d6 dmg to each target, you cannot target multiple missiles to same target: cold = +1 dmg per die electricity = +2 to save DC and ML checks fire = +1 dmg per die sonic = -1 dmg per die and ignore object hardness Augment: +1d6 dmg/PP and +1 DC for each +2d6 dmg. stygian bolt (CP p100) - 120 ft line, sv Ref neg, PR, PP 11; 1d4 negative levels, undead gain 2d4x5 temp hp for 1 hr; Augment: +4 PP for +1d4 neg lvls or +2d4x5 undead temp hp. synchronicity (CP p103) - r pers, 1 rd, PP 1; ready action without specifying conditions; Augment: 2 PP to not specify the action being readied. MAGIC ITEMS: psychoactive skin of ectoplasmic armour (CP p110) - +8 AC, +2 max Dex, -6 check penalty, 25% arcane failure.

ENSLAVED HEZROU CR 11 CE Large outsider (chaotic, native, evil, tanar'ri) Init +0; Senses Blind-Fight, darkvision 60 ft; Listen +23, Spot +23 Aura stench (10 ft, DC 24) Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 100 ft AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 23 hp 138 (10 HD); DR 10/good Immune elecrticity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 19 Fort +16, Ref +7, Will +9 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee bite +14 (4d4+5) and 2 claws +9 (1d8+2) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +10; Grp +19 Atk Options improved grab, Power Attack Special Actions Cleave, summon demon Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13): 3/day - blasphemy (DC 21), gaseous form At will - chaos hammer (DC 18), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), unholy blight (DC 18) Abilities Str 21, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 18 Feats Blind-Fight, Cleave, Power Attack, Toughness Skills Climb +18, Concentration +22, Hide +13, Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +17, Listen +23, Move Silently +13, Search +15, Spellcraft +15, Spot +23, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Use Rope +0 (+2 with bindings) Possessions steel spike with permanent continual flame spell cast on it (CL 12) Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a hezrou must hit with both claw attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Stench (Ex) A hezrou’s skin produces a foul-smelling, toxic liquid whenever it fights. Any living creature (except other demons) within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save or be nauseated for as long as it remains within the affected area and for 1d4 rounds afterward. Creatures that successfully save are sickened for as long as they remain in the area. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same hezrou’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes either condition from one creature. Creatures that have immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Constitution-based. Summon Demon (Sp) Once per day a hezrou can attempt to summon 4d10 dretches or another hezrou with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

OKEMOCIK CR 13 Tome of Magic page 111 Female githyanki Shadowcaster 12 NE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 90 ft, low-light vision, see in magical darkness 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +17 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Infernal AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 10 hp 66 (12 HD) SR 17 Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +10 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 dagger +7/+2 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +6 Special Actions Extend Mystery, Maximize Mystery, Quicken Mystery, Reach Mystery, Shadow Cast Combat Gear +1 dagger, wand of afraid of the dark (CL 5, 26 charges), wand of shadow evocation (CL 7, 15 charges), potions of cure serious wounds (3) (CL 5) Mysteries Known (CL 12, melee touch +6, ranged touch +9): Initiate paths (spells, 1/day) 6th - flood of shadow 5th - echo spell, languor (DC 20) 4th - bolster, shadows fade, warp spell Apprentice paths (spell-like abilities, 2/day) 3rd - killing shadows (DC 18), sharp shadows 2nd - piercing sight, sight eclipsed 1st - bend perspective, steel shadows Fundamentals (supernatural abilities, 3/day) 0 - arrow of dusk, black candle, caul of shadow, mystic reflections, shadow hood (DC 15), umbral hand (DC 15) Psionics (CL 12): 1/day - plane shift (DC 22) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 15), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 20) Abilities Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 20 SQ sustaining shadow Feats Extend Mystery (2), Maximize Mystery (2), Quicken Mystery, Reach Mystery, Shadow Cast Skills Concentration +16, Hide +18, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (planes) +14, Move Silently +13, Spellcraft +21, Spot +17, Survival +2 (+4 on other planes) Possessions combat gear plus orb of shadow (level 3), ring of nullification, shroud of night, potion belt Sustaining Shadow (Ex) When you reach 5th level, your bond to the Plane of Shadow allows you to absorb dark energies, mitigating certain biological needs. You need eat only a single meal per week to maintain health. At 10th level, you need only 1 hour of sleep per night (but you must still rest for 8 hours to regain your mysteries for the next day). Umbral Sight (Su) When you reach 3rd level,your vision extends slightly into the Plane of Shadow. You gain darkvision out to 30 feet. If you already have darkvision, or gain it from some other source, the effective distance of that vision is increased by 30 feet. At 11th level, you become able to see perfectly in complete darkness, even magical darkness, out to 60 feet.

FEATS: Extend Mystery (ToM p136) - 1/day double mystery duration as full-round action. Maximize Mystery (ToM p136) - 1/day maximize mystery as full-round action. Quicken Mystery (ToM p137) - 1/day cast mystery as swift action. Reach Mystery (ToM p137) - 1/day touch mystery becomes ray with range of 30 ft. Shadow Cast (ToM p137) - no AoO when casting spell or spell-like ability if adjacent square is not threatened. MYSTERIES: afraid of the dark (ToM p141) - r med, 1 living creature, sv W 1/2, SR; shadow image unerringly touches foe causing 1d6+1/4 CL (max +5) Wis damage. arrow of dusk (ToM p141) - r med, ray; ranged touch deals 2d4 nonlethal (x3 crit). bend perspective (ToM p142) - r pers, 1 min/lvl (D); viewpoint to line of effect within 25 ft plus 5 ft/2 CL, shift between eyes and view as swift action, move 10 ft/rd but each move counts as 1 min of duration. black candle (ToM p142) - r touch, object, 1 rd/lvl (D); as light or darkness (choice when used). bolster (ToM p142) - r touch, 10 min/lvl or discharge (D), SR; grant 5 temp hp/HD. caul of shadow (ToM p143) - r pers, 1 min/lvl (D); +1 deflection to AC and +1/6 CL (max +4). dancing shadows (ToM p144) - r touch, 1 creature/5 lvls, 1 rd/lvl (D), SR; subjects gain concealment, if cast on single subject then gains total concealment, see invisibility and piercing sight do not genate but true seeing and truth revealed do. echo spell (ToM p145) - r cl, repeat previously cast spell or mystery, see text, sv see text, SR see text; recast spell or mystery cast by another within range in previous round, use your CL and Cha for save DC, cannot echo higher than you can cast and never more than 4th lvl. flood of shadow (ToM p146) - r cl, 20 ft r, 10 min/lvl (D); DC 15 + spell lvl Spellcraft to cast spells in area, mysteries or spells of shadow subschool originating in area empowered. killing shadows (ToM p146) - 30 ft cone, sv W 1/2, SR; 1d8 dmg/CL (max 10d8). languor (ToM p146) - r cl, 1 creature or 1/lvl no two more than 30 ft apart, 1 rd/2 lvls (D), sv W neg, SR; as slow or hold monster. If latter affects 1 subject. mystic reflections (ToM p147) - r pers, 1 rd/lvl (D); as detect magic but 30 ft range. piercing sight (ToM p147) - r pers, 1 min/lvl (D); as see invisibility and darkvision 60 ft. shadow evocation (ToM p148) - as shadow evocation spell but mimic a spell of 5th level or lower rather than 6th. shadow hood (ToM p148) - r cl, one creature, 1 rd/lvl (D), sv W neg; -1 to attack and Dex checks. shadows fade (ToM p150) - r med, 1 creature or object or 20 ft r; as dispel magic. shadow skin (ToM p148) - immed, r pers, 1 rd or less see text; gain DR (Cl 4- = 5/magic, 5-9 = 10/magic, 10-14 = 10 silver, 15-19 = 15 silver, 20 = 15/-) until beginning of next turn. sharp shadows (ToM p150) - r pers, 1 min/lvl (D); foe striking with nonreach handheld or natural weapon takes 1d6 dmg +1/CL (max +15), SR applies to dmg which is treated as nonmagical for DR purposes and not a weapon for spells that affect weapons. sight eclipsed (ToM p150) - r pers, 1 rd/lvl (D); Hide even if observed. steel shadows (ToM p150) - r pers, 10 min/lvl (D); +3 armour and +3 shield bonus to AC, not a force effect. umbral hand (ToM p152) - r cl, one unattended object up to 5 lbs/lvl, 1 rd/lvl (D), sv W neg; as mage hand but can effect magic items, free action each round to direct effect or ends. warp spell (ToM p153) - immed, r cl, spell or mystery cast by other, sv see text; cast at moment of other casting, beat CL check to counter spell, if countered, gain additional use of apprentice mystery you know for 1 hr (can be cast as part of the immed action of this mystery). MAGIC ITEMS: orb of shadow (ToM p156) - extra use of mystery of appropriate level 1/day. ring of nullification (ToM p157) - standard action to specify type of attack to nullify for 20 dmg or 2 ability points and then dormant for 24 hours. shroud of night (ToM p157) - +2 deflection bonus to AC and dancing shadows and shadow skin on self 1/day.

Treasure: Two of the drawers in the table closest to the door contain metal scroll cases, one holding an arcane implore spell (CL 17) [refer to obscure spells for details],and the other an arcane circle of death spell (CL 13).

One of the drawers in the table furthest to the east contains an iron flask with a gelugon inside. The command word for the flask is unknown to the githyanki (hence why it is stowed away and not being used) and would have to be divined by the PCs using suitable magic. The ice devil will attack any who release it, though a rushed Diplomacy, Intimidate, or suitable Bluff check could convince it to parley and even help the PCs against the githyanki if made helpful and promised suitable reward.

ICE DEVIL CR 13 LE Large outsider (baatezu, evil, native, lawful) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft, see in darkness; Listen +25, Spot +25 Aura fear (10 ft, DC 22) Languages Infernal, Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 100 ft AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 23 hp 138 (10 HD), regeneration 5; DR 10/good Immune fire, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 25 Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +13 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee spear +20/+15/+10 (2d6+9 plus slow) and bite +14 (2d6+3) and tail +14 (3d6+3 plus slow) Melee 2 claws +19 (1d10+6) and bite +14 (2d6+3) and tail +14 (3d6+3 plus slow) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +14; Grp +24 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Cleave, Combat Reflexes, summon devil Combat Gear spear Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13): At will - cone of cold (DC 20), fly, ice storm (DC 19), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), persistent image (DC 20), unholy aura (DC 23), wall of ice (DC 19) Abilities Str 23, Dex 21, Con 23, Int 22, Wis 22, Cha 20 Feats Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (spear) Skills Bluff +22, Climb +23, Concentration +23, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +5 (+7 acting), Intimidate +24, Jump +27, Knowledge (any three) +23, Listen +25, Move Silently +22, Search +23, Sense Motive +23, Spellcraft +23, Spot +25, Survival +6 (+8 following tracks) Possessions combat gear Fear Aura (Su) An ice devil can radiate a 10-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 13th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same ice devil’s aura for 24 hours. Other devils are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based. Regeneration (Ex) An ice devil takes normal damage from good-aligned weapons and from spells or effects with the good descriptor. Slow (Su) A hit from an ice devil’s tail or spear induces numbing cold. The opponent must succeed on a DC 23 Fortitude save or be affected as though by a slow spell for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Summon Devil (Sp) Once per day an ice devil can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures or 1d6 bearded devils, 2d4 bone devils with a 50% chance of success, or another ice devil with a 20% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

Finally, amongst other less conspicuous garments is a colourful cloak of vermillion, indigo, yellow, and turquoise that is actually a cloak of poisonousness.

17. Guest Quarters

18. Upper Tower Chamber (EL 10)

Creatures: The gish Kadzar has his quarters here.

GISH KADZAR CR 11 Male githyanki Fighter 4/Evoker 6 (banned illusion and necromancy) LE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +4, Spot +4 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Infernal AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 63 (10 HD) SR 15 Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +7 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+6) Melee dagger +9/+4 (1d4+2) Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+2) Ranged dagger +9 (1d4+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +7; Grp +9 Atk Options Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot Combat Gear +1 greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (20), silver arrows (12), cold iron arrows (12), daggers (2), wand of bull's strength (CL 3, 37 charges), potion of cure serious wounds (CL 5) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 10, melee touch +6, ranged touch +6) 3rd - dragonskin, haste, hold person (DC 17), lightning bolt (DC 17) 2nd - acid arrow, glitterdust (DC 16), infernal wound, scorching ray (2) 1st - magic missile (2), ray of enfeeblement, shield, true strike 0 - detect magic, ray of frost (2), message, resistance Psionics (CL 10): 1/day - plane shift (DC 16) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 9), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 14) Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 8 Feats Githyanki Battlecaster, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Practiced Spellcaster, Precise Shot, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword) Skills Concentration +12, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (planes) +7, Listen +4, Ride +8, Spellcraft +12, Spot +4 Possessions combat gear plus +2 chain shirt, headband of intellect +2, ring of protection +1, masterwork potion belt, spell component pouch, spellbook Spellbook spells prepared plus: 3rd - dispel magic, protection from energy 2nd - darkness, see invisibility, sonic weapon [SC p195], spider climb 1st - burning hands, grease, sleep 0 - all except illusion and necromancy

FEATS: Githyanki Battlecaster (MM4 p202) - ignore arcane spell failure in light armour. Practiced Spellcaster (CA p82) - add +4 to CL for one spellcasting class but never more than total HD. SPELLS: dragonskin (SC p73) - r pers, 10 min/lvl; select chromatic dragon, gain +1 natural AC/2 CL (max +5 at CL 10) and energy resistance 10 appropriate to colour (increasing to 20 at CL 10). infernal wound (SC p122) - r touch, weapon, 1 rd/lvl; creature injured by weapon loses 2 hp per round for duration (regardless of how many times struck), bleeing stopped by DC 16 Heal check, cure spell, or heal spell.

19. Upper Observation Post (EL 9)

The guards keep watch on approaches to the port opening and set on a 35 ft long iron rod descending from the apex of easch pyramid is a fist-sized glowing faceted crystal of deepest red that, if it is touched, allows the toucher to broadcast a telepathic alert throughout the entire yacht to all creatures within with an Intelligence of 3+ who can understand whatever language the toucher chooses to think in.

Creatures: 2 warriors are on guard duty here.

WATCHTOWER GUARDS (2) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

20. Pinnacle Post

21. Commons (EL 16)

Three passages lead downward from this area to the other tower chambers: passage A to area 22, passage B to area 23, and passage C to area 24.

Creatures: Stationed here normally are 16 guards and 2 sarths. They switch off with the other guards at various times.

GITHYANKI GUARDS (16) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

WATCH SARTHS (2) CR 9 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 8 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 hp 60 (8 HD) PR 13 Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +4 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee +1 greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+5) Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+3) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +9 Atk Options Deep Impact, Power Attack, Psionic Weapon Special Actions Psionic Meditation Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 32/day Powers Known (ML 8, melee touch +9, ranged touch +9) 3rd - psionic keen edge, vampiric blade 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 4): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Deep Impact, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +14, Concentration +14, Jump +8, Knowledge (psionics) +5, Search +6 Possessions combat gear plus +2 breastplate, ring of protection +1

Developments: If the alert is sounded, half of the guards here will take up stations in the pinnacle posts (2 each in areas 20, 28, 29, and 30).

22. Lower Tower Chamber (EL 11)

Creatures: The gish Zigrack has her quarters here.

GISH ZIGRACK CR 11 Female githyanki Fighter 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 4 NE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Common, Draconic AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Dodge hp 54 (10 HD) SR 15 Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +5 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+4) Melee dagger +9/+4 (1d4+2) Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+2) Ranged dagger +9 (1d4+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +7; Grp +8 Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear +1 greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (20), silver arrows (12), cold iron arrows (12), daggers (2), wand of sorching ray (CL 3, 20 charges), arcane scroll of black tentacles (CL 7), potions of cure moderate wounds (2) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 10, melee touch +7, ranged touch +8) 4th -blast of sand (DC 17), fire shield 3rd - dispel magic, haste, protection from energy, scintillating sphere (DC 16) 2nd - false life, mirror image, resist energy, see invisibility 1st - guided shot, magic missile, persistent blade, protection from good, shield 0 - caltrops, detect magic, mending, no light Psionics (CL 10): 1/day - plane shift (DC 17) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 10), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 15) Abilities Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Githyanki Battlecaster, Practiced Spellcaster, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Balance +4, Concentration +11 (+15 casting defensively), Intimidate +4, Jump +6, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Listen +2, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +13, Spot +2, Survival +0 (+2 on planes) Possessions combat gear plus +1 chain shirt, gauntlets of ogre power, potion belt, spell component pouch, spell book Spellbook spells prepared plus: 4th - dimensional anchor, force missiles [SC p98] 3rd - blink, ray of exhaustion, stinking cloud 2nd - cloud of bewilderment [SC p48], ghoul touch, power word sickien [RoDR p116] 1st - burning hands, charm person, resist planar alignment [SC p174], silent image 0 - all

FEATS: Githyanki Battlecaster (MM4 p202) - ignore arcane spell failure in light armour. Practiced Spellcaster (CA p82) - add +4 to CL for one spellcasting class but never more than total HD. SPELLS: blast of sand (Sand p112) - r 30 ft cone, sv R 1/2; 1d6 dmg/CL (max 10d6), full dmg to objects. caltrops (SC p42) - r cl, see text, 1 rd/lvl; 5 ft square covered in caltrops, +0 att vs entering creature unless moving at 1/2 spd (no shield, deflect or worn armour bonus to AC, shoes give +2 AC), 1 dmg and stop run or charge and Sm or Med or Lg creature land move 50% for 24 hrs or until DC 15 Heal check or 1 pt magical healing, +1 5 ft square and +1 att per 2 CL above 1st (max CL 9). guided shot (SC p108) - swift, r pers, 1 rd; no ranged distance penalty, ignore cover bonus and concealment for less than total cover or total concealment. no light (BoVD p100) - r cl, 20 ft r, 1 min/lvl; creates area of no illumination by light sources, darkvision can see in area. persistent blade (SC p154) - r cl, 1 force dagger, 1 rd/lvl, SR; blade created flies spd 40 ft (perfect), attacks target at your BAB + 1/2 Cha or Int mod for 1d4 dmg (crit threat 19-20), automatically flanks with ally, force effect, standard act to switch target.

23. Lower Tower Chamber (EL 11)

Creatures: The gish Tomorcus has his quarters here.

GISH TOMORCUS CR 11 Male githyanki Psychic Warrior 4/Wizard 3/Cerebremancer 3 LE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Common, Draconic AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 hp 54 (10 HD) SR 15 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +9 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +2 flaming greatsword +9 (2d6+3 plus 1d6 fire) Melee dagger +6 (1d4+1) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+1) Ranged dagger +7 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +5; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Combat Gear +2 flaming greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+1 Str bonus), arrows (20), silver arrows (12), cold iron arrows (12), daggers (2), wand of rainbow blast (CL 7, 39 charges), potions of cure moderate wounds (2) (CL 3) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 10, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 3rd - elation, heroism, steel dance 2nd - bear's endurance, malevolent miasma (DC 15), mirror image, sting ray 1st - lesser orb of cold, magic missile, protection from good, shield 0 - detect magic, message, no light, resistance Power Points 25/day Powers Known (ML 7, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 3rd - vampiric blade 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - expansion, force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 5): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door, telekinetic thrust (DC 13) Abilities Str 13, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 10 Feats Githyanki Battlecaster, Power Attack, Practiced Manifester, Practiced Spellcaster, Psionic Weapon, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +9, Concentration +13, Decipher Script +4, Jump +6, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (psionics) +12, Psicraft +11, Search +8, Spellcraft +14, Survival +2 (+4 to follow tracks) Possessions combat gear plus +1 chain shirt, potion belt, spell component pouch, spell book Spellbook spells prepared plus: 3rd - dispel magic, haste, manyjaws [SC p138] 2nd - bull's strength, chain of eyes [SC p45], see invisibility, sadism [BoVD p103] 1st - fire bolt [PHB2 p116], hypnotism, spirit worm [SC p202], unseen servant 0 - all

FEATS: Githyanki Battlecaster (MM4 p202) - ignore arcane spell failure in light armour. Practiced Manifester (CP p57) - add +4 ML for one manifesting class but never more than total HD. Practiced Spellcaster (CA p82) - add +4 to CL for one spellcasting class but never more than total HD. SPELLS: elation (BoVD p98) - 80 ft r, 1 rd/lvl, SR; +2 morale bonus to Str and Dex, +5 spd. lesser orb of cold (SC p151) - r cl, one orb of cold; ranged touch does 1d8 cold dmg +1d8/2 CL above 1st (max 5d8). malevolent miasma (SC p137) - r cl, 15 ft r, sv F neg; 1d4 nonlethal dmg per lvl (max 5d4), immunity to poison negates. no light (BoVD p100) - r cl, 20 ft r, 1 min/lvl; creates area of no illumination by light sources, darkvision can see in area. rainbow blast (SC p165) - r 120 ft line, sv R 1/2, SR; 1d6 dmg of each of the 5 energy types, 1d8 per type at CL 7, 1d12 per type at CL 11. steel dance (SC p206) - r med, 2 swords or daggers, 1 rd/lvl; 2 blades hover and attack adjacent foes on your turn att at CL + ability mod, dmg is normal + ability mod, weapons magic for DR purposes, can be sundered or disarmed. sting ray (SC p206) - r cl, ray, 1 rd/lvl, sv W part, SR; ranged touch, save each round, victim gets single move or standard action per round, -2 to AC, and to cast spell must make Concentration check = to spell DC + lvl of spell cast, Will save negates all but AC penalty.

24. Lower Tower Chamber

Creatures: The gish Quazmo has his quarters here.

GISH QUAZMO CR 11 Complete Warrior page 79 Male githyanki Fighter 4/Wizard 3/Spellsword 3 LE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Common, Draconic AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 hp 64 (10 HD) SR 15 Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +7 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee +1 greatsword +13/+8 (2d6+7/17) Melee dagger +11 (1d4+1) Ranged mwk composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+3) Ranged dagger +10 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +8; Grp +11 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear +1 greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+3 Str bonus), arrows (20), silver arrows (12), cold iron arrows (12), daggers (2), gloves of spell disruption, wand of sleet storm (CL 5, 18 charges), potions of cure moderate wounds (2) (CL 3) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 9, melee touch +11, ranged touch +10) 3rd - mass curse of impending blades, slow (DC 16) 2nd - death armour, glitterdust (DC 15), resist energy 1st - magic missile, power word pain, protection from good, shield 0 - detect magic (2), message, resistance Psionics (CL 10): 1/day - plane shift (DC 17) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 10), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 15) Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Githyanki Battlecaster, Improved Critical (greatsword), Power Attack, Practiced Spellcaster, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword) Skills Concentration +10 (+14 casting defensively), Intimidate +5, Jump +8, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (planes) +5, Listen +3, Spellcraft +12, Spot +3, Swim +5 Possessions combat gear plus +2 mithril breastplate, potion belt, spell component pouch, spell book Spellbook spells prepared plus: 3rd - dispel magic, fireball 2nd - cloud of bewilderment [SC p48], incendiary slime [CM p108], mirror image, scorching ray 1st - burning hands, disguise self, ectoplasmic armour [SC p77], floating disc, obscuring mist, true strike 0 - all

FEATS: Githyanki Battlecaster (MM4 p202) - ignore arcane spell failure in light armour. Practiced Spellcaster (CA p82) - add +4 to CL for one spellcasting class but never more than total HD. SPELLS: death armour (SC p60) - r pers, 1 rd/lvl; creature striking with body or nonreach handheld weapons takes 1d4 +1/2 CL (max +10) dmg. SR applies to dmg. mass curse of impending blades (SC p57) - r med, enemies in 20 ft r, 1 min/lvl, SR; targets suffer -2 to AC, cannot be dispelled but removed with break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish. power word pain (RoDR p116) - r cl, 1 living creature 100 hp or less, see text, SR; target takes 1d6 dmg per round, duration is 50 hp or less = 4d4 rds, 51-75 hp = 2d4 rds, 76-100 hp = 1d4 rds but never more than 1 rd/CL. MAGIC ITEMS: gloves of spell disruption (MiC p107) - creature hit while casting a spell adds +5 to Concentration check to avoid losing spell.

25. Lower Observation Post (EL 9)

The guards keep watch on approaches to the port opening and set on a 35 ft long iron rod descending from the apex of easch pyramid is a fist-sized glowing faceted crystal of deepest red that, if it is touched, allows the toucher to broadcast a telepathic alert throughout the entire yacht to all creatures within with an Intelligence of 3+ who can understand whatever language the toucher chooses to think in.

Creatures: 2 warriors are on guard duty here.

WATCHTOWER GUARDS (2) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

26. Lower Observation Post (EL 9)

The guards keep watch on approaches to the port opening and set on a 35 ft long iron rod descending from the apex of easch pyramid is a fist-sized glowing faceted crystal of deepest red that, if it is touched, allows the toucher to broadcast a telepathic alert throughout the entire yacht to all creatures within with an Intelligence of 3+ who can understand whatever language the toucher chooses to think in.

Creatures: 2 warriors are on guard duty here.

WATCHTOWER GUARDS (2) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

27. Lower Observation Post (EL 9)

The guards keep watch on approaches to the port opening and set on a 35 ft long iron rod descending from the apex of easch pyramid is a fist-sized glowing faceted crystal of deepest red that, if it is touched, allows the toucher to broadcast a telepathic alert throughout the entire yacht to all creatures within with an Intelligence of 3+ who can understand whatever language the toucher chooses to think in.

Creatures: 2 warriors are on guard duty here.

WATCHTOWER GUARDS (2) CR 7 Male and female githyanki Psychic Warrior 6 CE Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Gith, Abyssal, Draconic AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 hp 45 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +3 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee mwk greatsword +8 (2d6+3) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8+2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon Combat Gear masterwork greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), arrows (16), cold iron arrows (12), silver arrows (12), tanglefoot bags (2), thunderstones (2) Power Points 19/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +6, ranged touch +7) 2nd - body adjustment, dissolving weapon, specified energy adaption 1st - force screen, offensive precognition, thicken skin Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - concealing amorpha, far hand, psionic daze (DC 11), psionic dimension door Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 11 Feats Combat Manifestation, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation, Psionic Talent, Psionic Weapon, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Autohypnosis +12, Concentration +12, Jump +6, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Search +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 breastplate, ring of protection +1

28. Pinnacle Post

29. Pinnacle Post

30. Pinnacle Post

Vlaakith the Lich-Queen:

Commanding vast armies in citadels across the Astral Plane, the thousands-years old lich-queen is she to whom all githyanki owe fealty (or at least pretend to). She rarely ventures beyond her obsidian Palace of Whispers in the capital city of Tu'narath, but when she does, she packs up her throne onto her royal yacht and travels in style and security with the large entourage present. Even when she is abroad, her eyes, ears, and mind-probing instruments are everywhere.

Vlaakith is the reason why there are no githyanki clerics. A would-be demigoddess herself, Vlaakith cannot abide the notion of a githyanki worshipping anyone else. In githyanki society, offering a prayer to anyone other than Vlaakith is a capital crime.

The lich-queen's phylactery is well-hidden in her palace in the city of Tu'narath. Only she knows the location of it, and she has many fake ones guarded by powerful denizens and deadly traps to throw off pursuers. Therefore, slaying her here on her yacht will only cause her to reform in 1d10 days back at her phylactery. If the PCs are insistent upon finding her phylactery and slaying the lich-queen for good, the DM can use the description of her palace and her phylactery as presented in Dungeon Magazine issue #100.

VLAAKITH - LICH QUEEN OF THE GITHYANKI CR 28 Female githyanki lich Wizard 25 CE Medium undead (psionic) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +11, Spot +26 Aura fear (60 ft, under 5 HD affected as fear, DC 29) Languages Gith, Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Ignan, Illithid, Slaad, Terran, Undercommon AC 33, touch 20, flat-footed 27 hp 180 (25 HD); DR 15/bludgeoning and magic Immune cold, electricity, fire, mind-affecting, polymorph SR 30 Fort +8, Ref +14, Will +17 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee touch +18 (1d8+5 plus paralysis [DC 29], negative energy touch [DC 29] ) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +13; Grp +16 Special Actions Empower Spell, Extend Spell Combat Gear crown of corruption, scepter of Ephelomon, arcane scroll of prismatic sphere (CL 17), arcane scroll of time stop (CL 17), arcane scroll of protection from spells (CL 15), arcane scroll of shapechange (CL 25), arcane scroll of stoneskin (CL 15) Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 25 [CL 29 to penetrate SR], melee touch +16, ranged touch +19): 11th - time stop (empowered) (2) 10th - dominate monster (extended) (DC 30), horrid wilting (empowered) (DC 31) 9th - foresight, gate, spell turning (empowered), wail of the banshee (DC 32), wish 8th - circle of death (empowered) (DC 29), horrid wilting (DC 31), maze, protection from spells, screen (DC 29) 7th - eyebite (extended) (DC 29), finger of death (DC 30), greater teleport (2), mage's sword, waves of exhaustion 6th - disintegrate (2) (DC 29), enervation (empowered), greater dispel magic (2), true seeing 5th - dismissal (DC 26 + CL - HD), hold monster (DC 26), magic jar (DC 28), vampiric touch (empowered), wall of force, waves of fatigue 4th - animate dead, contagion (DC 27), dimensional anchor (2), enervation, haste (extended) (2), heroism (extended), scrying, stoneskin 3rd - dispel magic, displacement, lightning bolt (DC 24), magic circle against good, ray of enfeeblement (empowered), slow (DC 26), spectral hand (extended) 2nd - bull's strength, detect thoughts (2) (DC 23), mirror image, touch of idiocy (2) 1st - disguise self, magic missile (2), obscuring mist, shield (2), unseen servant 0 - detect magic (2), mage hand, open/close Psionics (CL 25): 1/day - plane shift (DC 24) 3/day - blur, daze (DC 17), dimension door, mage hand, telekinesis (DC 22) Abilities Str 16, Dex 22, Con -, Int 32, Wis 16, Cha 25 SQ +4 turn resistance, undead traits Feats Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (silver sword), Extend Spell, Forge Ring, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (transmutation), Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Spell Capacity (10th), Improved Spell Capacity (11th), Scribe Spell, Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Focus (transmutation), Spell Penetration Skills Concentration +28, Craft (alchemy) +37, Diplomacy +9, Hide +14, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +39, Knowledge (history) +23, Knowledge (planes) +39, Listen +11, Move Silently +14, Search +34, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +14, Spot +26 Possessions combat gear plus headband of intellect +6, bracers of armour +8, gloves of dexterity +6, cloak of charisma +6, ring of wizardry IV, ring of protection +4, robe of eyes, ring of 12 iron keys (unlock the chests in area 13), blessed book in a harness around her chest (containing a myriad of spells of all sorts - about half of every wizard spell in the Player's Handbook [approximately 800 pages], including those prepared by the lich-queen and those mentioned as having been cast by her in the descriptions of this yacht, and others [approximately 200 pages] of the DM's choice; the book is completely full of spells), spell component pouch, enough components for spells with costly material components to cast her daily compliment x3, costly foci for all of her spells.

CROWN OF CORRUPTION (artifact) Price (Item Level): n/a Body Slot: Head Caster Level: 25th Aura: Overwhelming; (DC 27) enchantment and necromancy Activation: standard (command) Weight: 3 lbs. This slender, black and silver diadem has rested atop Vlaakith's head for more than 900 years, serving as her badge of office and the means of testing any githyanki who would threaten her. Those who have beheld the crown say it twitches of its own volition, and that the 5,000 gp rubies that adorn the crown's spires look something like flickering eyes. The crown has the following command-word activated powers: energy drain (Fortitude save, DC 23 negates) mass suggestion (Will save, DC 19 negates) control undead (Will save DC 20 negates) In addition, if the wearer of the crown of corruption touches the corpse of a creature killed by its energy drain attack, the corpse transforms in one of three ways. Each transformation takes 10 minutes. Ritual of the Tl'a'ikith: The corpse rises as a tl'a'ikith under the control of the wearer of the crown. Ritual of the Kr'y'izoth: The corpse rises as a kr'y'izoth under the control of the wearer of the crown. Ritual of Death's Ichor: The corpse liquifies, then congeals into an ectomplasmic substance useful for magic item creation or spellcasting. Each corpse provides enough ectoplasm to count for 100xHD experience points when making an item or paying the experience point cost of a spell. The crown of corruption has 30 hit points. However, only a magic weapon with the holy and disrupting special qualities can damage it. If the crown of corruption is destroyed, all tl'a'ikiths and kr'y'izoths created by the crown are destroyed as well.

SCEPTER OF EPHELOMON (artifact) Price (Item Level): n/a Body Slot: - (held) Caster Level: 30th Aura: Overwhelming; (DC 30) conjuration Activation: standard (command) Weight: 5 lbs. This ruby-encrusted, dragon-shaped scepter was Ephelomon's gift to the githyanki centuries ago when the pact with the red dragons was forged. Ephelomon gave the scepter to the first Vlaakith (the current Vlaakith's ancestor) saying "go forth and conquer all". The scepter has the following powers: The bearer has total control over red dragons. Any red dragon who approaches within a half-mile of the scepter must succeed at a Will save (DC 35) or be affected as a dominate monster spell cast by a 30th-level caster. The bearer is immune to fire and fear effects. Once per week, the bearer can create a gate through which a very old red dragon flies (see Draconomicon for the very old red dragon's statistics). The dragon must immediately make a Will save (DC 35) or serve the scepter-bearer without reward. Even if the dragon makes its save, it is considered controlled as described in the gate spell and may be ordered to fight the scepter-bearer's foes, or the dragon can bargain with the bearer of the scepter. The scepter of Ephelomon has 60 hit points and can only be damaged by the claws of Bahamut or one of his chosen vassals, a magic weapon with the bane (evil dragons) special ability, or by the cold breath of a good-aligned silver dragon. If the scepter is destroyed, the pact between the githyanki and the red dragons dissolves. The red dragons do not immediately turn against the githyanki, but only the most subservient ones continue to serve or assist the githyanki in any way. Red dragons in Vlaakith's service continue to serve the lich-queen out of fear, but not loyalty.

Tactics: Once Vlaakith becomes aware of the PCs she will begin using her clairaudience/clairvoyance ability granted by the magic of her yacht to spy on the interlopers. If the PCs are hostile, he will begin to prepare in earnest.

Defensive Tactics:

While her minions keep the PCs busy, Vlaakith prepares for battle. She casts 1-2 empowered time stops so that she may cast the following array of spells on herself before entering battle.

Round 1 - foresight (lasts 250 minutes, can't be surprised or flat-footed, +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves) and quickened displacement (lasts 25 rounds, attacks suffer a 50% miss chance).

Round 2 - stoneskin (lasts 250 minutes or until discharged, DR 10/adamantine, spell can absorb up to 150 points of damage) and quickened protection from spells (lasts 250 minutes, gains +8 resistance bonus on saves against spells and spell-like abilities).

Round 3 - empowered spell turning (lasts 250 minutes or until expended, 1d4+6 x 150% levels of targeted spells are turned back at the caster) and quickened bull's strength (lasts 25 minutes, +4 Str).

Round 4 - true seeing (lasts 25 minutes, sees through darkness and illusions, recognizes true forms) and quickened magic circle against good (lasts 250 minutes, +2 resistance bonus on all saves against good creatures, prevents bodily contact by nonevil summoned or conjured creatures).

Round 5 - extended heroism (lasts 500 minutes, +2 morale bonus on attacks, saves, and skill checks) and quickened mirror image (lasts 25 minutes, creates 8 images).

Round 6 - extended haste (lasts 50 rounds, gains extra attack during full attack action, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, +30 ft speed) and quickened shield (lasts 25 minutes, +4 shield bonus to AC, immune to magic missile).

Further rounds available will be used to cast offensive spells that are effective if cast ahead of time such as extended spectral hand and mage's sword.

Offensive Tactics:

Vlaakith has a vast array of offensive powers available to her, including her two artifacts.

In a pinch she will open a gate with her scepter to call forth a very old red dragon to aid her in combat.

She will also use her shapechange spell as appropriate in combat, usually to thwart magic that is aimed at her undead status by changing into a creature that is not undead. Forms that allow her to continue to cast spells are favoured, such as a mature adult red dragon or a klurichir demon (Fiend Folio page 48). Even a titan or beholder are possible choices.

She can use her own gate spell to call forth a paeliryon devil named Urrfestro that owes her a favour.

URRFESTRO CR 22* Fiend Folio page 58 LE Huge outsider (baatezu, evil, lawful, native) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft, scent, see in darkness, see invisibility; Listen +25, Spot +25 Aura intoxicating scent (30 ft, DC 24) Languages Infernal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Undercommon, telepathy 100 ft, tongues AC 36, touch 16, flat-footed 33 hp 171 (18 HD); DR 15/good and silver Immune fire, poison Resist acid 20, cold 20; SR 32 Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +16 Spd 40 ft (8 squares), burrow 20 ft (4 squares), fly 100 ft (20 squares) (poor); Hover Melee 2 fingernails +23 (2d6+7 plus deform/17x3) and bite +21 (2d8+3) Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft (30 ft with fingernails) Base Atk +18; Grp +33 Special Actions belittle, Quicken Spell-Like Ability, summon baatezu Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20): 1/day - dictum (DC 22), dispel good (DC 20), forbiddance (DC 21), greater command (DC 20), implosion (DC 24), imprisonment (DC 24), soul bind (DC 24), word of recall 3/day - blasphemy (DC 22), enervation, meteor swarm (DC 24), permanent image (DC 21), screen (DC 23), shadow walk, symbol (any) (DC varies), vampiric touch At will - animate dead, antilife shell, charm person (DC 16), create undead, desecrate, detect chaos, detect good, detect magic, fireball (DC 18), greater dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus maximum load of objects only), hold monster (DC 20), magic circle against good, major image (DC 18), mind blank, produce flame, suggestion (DC 18), unhallow, unholy aura (DC 23), wall of fire Abilities Str 25, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 21, Cha 21 Feats Alertness, Hover, Improved Critical (fingernails), Multiattack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability, Skill Focus (gather information), Skill Focus (knowledge [local]) Skills Bluff +23, Concentration +23, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +23 (+25 acting), Forgery +22, Gather Information +28, Hide +13, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (local) +25, Knowledge (planes) +22, Listen +25, Move Silently +21, Sense Motive +23, Spot +25, Survival +5 (+7 on other planes) Augmented Critical (Ex) A paeliryon's fingernails threaten a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 17-20 due to the creature's augmented critical ability and its Improved Critical feat. On a successful hit with its fingernails, the paeliryon deals triple damage. Belittle (Ex) As a standard action, a paeliryon can belittle creatures by hurling insults and epithets that seem to strike at the heart of the foe's insecurities. This is a mind-affecting effect that originates from the paeliryon and extends outward in a 60 ft cone. All opponents within the cone must make a DC 24 Will save or be stunned for 1 round. Those who succeed on their saves but remain within the cone must continue to save each round that the paeliryon continues to belittle them. After being stunned, opponents become shaken for 3d4 rounds, though they cannot be stunned again by that paeliryon for 1 day. Deform (Su) A paeliryon can twist and deform victims struck by its fingernails. Those struck by the fingernails must make a DC 24 Fortitude save. Success indicates the victim takes only normal fingernail damage. Failure indicates the victim takes 1d4 points of Charisma damage in addition to normal damage. Fingernails (Ex) A paeliryon's fingernails are its deadliest weapon. It can extend them from its hands, which enables it to attack foes up to 30 ft away with them as if it had 30 ft reach/ Those struck by a paeliryon's fingernails may fall prey to its deform special attack, as well as take normal damage. A paeliryon can extend or retract its fingernails at will (a free action). Intoxicating Scent (Su) Any creature that comes within 30 ft of a paeliryon must make a DC 24 Will save or be intoxicated by the monster's pernicious aura. This ability works like a mind fog spell cast by a 20th level caster; its effects persist as long as the victim remains within 30 ft of the devil; plus an additional 2d6 rounds. A creature that succeeds on its Will save against the devil's intoxicating scent remains immune to that paeliryon's intoxicating scent for 1 day. See Invisibility (Su) Paeliryons continually see invisibility as the spell cast by a 20th level caster. Summon Baatezu (Sp) 1/day, a paeliryon can automatically summon 4 lemures, 4 osyluths, 4 barbazu, 2 erinyes, 2 cornugons, or 2 gelugons (paeliryon's choice). This is treated as a 6th level spell. Tongues (Su) A paeliryon can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell cast by a 20th level caster. This ability is always active. * no XP for CR due to the fact that this creature is called from Vlaakith's gate spell.

Meeting Tactics:

If the PCs meet peacefully with Vlaakith, she will prepare for them by casting any and all of the spells listed under Defensive Tactics (above) that have a duration measures in minutes rather than rounds. In this case she will not have cast any of her time stop spells. She will also gate in the very old red dragon using her scepter, so that the creature will be seen lurking behind her throne.

Approaching the Yacht:

If the PCs approach the yacht in a peaceful and open manner, they will be engaged by the Kith'rak on his red dragon mount (areas 4 and 4a) and all twelve knights (area 5). These will emerge from the outer doors in area 1 and meet the PCs at a distance of about 500 ft from the yacht. There the PCs will be warned to halt and asked to state their business.

The Kith'rak is initially unfriendly. If his attitude is made friendly or better then he will agree to take the PCs into area 1 of the yacht to petition the queen for an audience. Otherwise, if indifferent he will order the PCs to remain without while a knight is sent back to the yacht to inform the queen. If unfriendly, he will order the PCs away. If hostile he will order an attack.

If the PCs manage to gain the attention of the queen, she will ask, through her intermediaries, who the PCs are and why they have come. This will likely be the Kith'rak asking these questions to the PCs in area 1 or outside the yacht as appropriate. Assuming the PCs reveal their identities as the Heroes of the Gem, the lich queen will be intrigued enough to grant them an audience. If the PCs do not reveal their identities, then they will have to state their business. In this case it will be up to the DM to decide if the PCs have explained themselves well enough to intrigue the lich queen into an audience.

Dealing with the Queen:

Should the queen agree to meet the PCs, it will be in the throne room (area 7). She will first order her Kith'rak to detain the PCs for about 5 minutes in area 1. During this time, she will use her clairaudience/clairvoyance to observe them and listen in on their conversations. If the PCs are not thoroughly disguised, she will recognize them as the Heroes of the Gem instantly.

Thereafter, she will cast her long-term defensive spells and gate in her red dragon using her scepter. After a total of about 6 minutes she will command the PCs be escorted into the throneroom. There, they will be directed to bow before the lich queen and positioned so that they do not pass over the hidden symbol on the throne room floor. Four knights will remain in the throne room, positioned along the walls flanking the entry door. The Kith'rak and the remaining knights will return to their posts.

The queen will cast a quickened detect thoughts spell, though she doesn't really expect to be able to read the minds of the PCs (especially if they have told her they are the Heroes of the Gem, in which case she will expect them to be under the effects of a mind blank spell at all times). At all times the DM should remember that Vlaakith has a Sense Motive bonus of +29! She will likely see through any attempt to dissemble by the PCs...especially any attempt to lull her into complacency before attacking.

If the PCs are disguised and her clairvoyance/clairaudience attempts did not work, then she will not recognize them as the Heroes of the Gem. Any Disguise attempts will have to get past her formidable Spot check and true seeing spell.

The lich queen will certainly recognize the PCs as potent individuals. If she is still not made aware that the PCs are the Heroes of the Gem, then she will tend to treat the PCs menacingly and will underestimate them. This is dangerous because a random group of mortals requesting to borrow her silver sword will likely put her into a rage and result in a fight.

On the other hand, if the PCs announce themselves as or are recognized as the Heroes of the Gem, then Vlaakith will be more patient in a parley. She has heard of the Heroes of the Gem and, more importantly, that they slew Lolth and drove Kostchtchie from his own citadel on his own home plane. While she does not fear the Heroes of the Gem, she does respect their power and definitely does not want to become another tale in their story.

If the PCs will not bow before her, the reaction of the lich queen depends upon whether she knows they are the Heroes of the Gem. If she does not, then failure to bow will result in a single warning from her and then combat.

If she does know they are the Heroes of the Gem, she will remind them that it is common courtesy even for rulers of other lands to bow before a liege in her own court. Nevertheless, failure to bow, while having Vlaakith steaming at the affrontery (which she will try to hide), will not cause combat against the Heroes of the Gem.

When the PCs ask to borrow the queen's silver sword, a startled hush will fall over the throneroom. With a gasp, one of the githyanki knights in attendance will take a step forward, draw his sword, and rail at the PCs for their affrontery for daring to even suggest such a thing. At this, the queen will wave her hand in an offhanded manner, and cast a quickened finger of death at the knight. For dramatic purposes, the DM should assume that the knight fails his save and dies instantly. The queen will then address her court, announcing that it is for her, and her alone, to decide what offends her and what does not.

The stunned knights will gulp visibly and remain quiet as the queen then turns to the PCs and asks why they would dare request such a thing.

Assuming the PCs give a good response, the queen will then ask why she should agree to their request. She will point out that a githyanki's silver sword is more than a mere tool...it is a badge of honour and a token of station. The PCs can give whatever answer they wish, appealing to her non-existent conscience or promising treasure or favours for the use of the sword.

Whatever the response, the queen will snicker amusedly, and then order her knights out of the chamber. They will scramble out quickly, removing the remains of the slain one as well. The queen will then turn to the red dragon she gated in and in Draconic remind it of its sacred and mystic oaths of fealty. The dragon will acknowledge this.

The queen will then turn to the PCs and inform them of her situation:

It seems fate has conspired to aid us both this day, and that is mete. You see...I have lost my silver sword. Or rather, it has been stolen from me. This is not known amongst my people, for as I mentioned a silver sword is a token of authority and honour, and were it known that mine had been stolen...well it might result in a loss of prestige for me and might embolden certain factions amongst my people to consider moving against me. While I would win such a conflict and might find it amusing the drive these plotters into the open...now is not the right time to do so.

Normally, and I speak openly with you, I would not agree to lend you my sword. I would have laughed in your face and sent you packing like so many astral beggars. But, as you have heard, I have a situation at hand.

Here is my proposal. One that benefits both of us and so there is no need of treachery by either party. I will tell you where my sword is. Yes...I know where it is. You see, a githyanki has a special bond with his silver sword. He knows at all times where it is and who wields it. This is why few people ever dare to steal such blades, for they know that the githyanki will unerringly hunt them down and stop at nothing to recover the blade.

But my situation is...special. I cannot hunt the blade myself nor rally my people to do so for the political reasons I have stated. As well, those who have stolen it are no doubt alert to a githyanki reprisal. But from a group such as you they will be off of their guard.

And so, here you are...come seeking that selfsame blade for your own uses. It seems to me then that we could strike a bargain whereby I tell you where my blade is and you agree to retrieve it. You may then use the blade for your purpose and then return it to me. In this way, we are all satisifed...we bear no outstanding debts or grudges against one another...and there is no need for any further intercourse between us.

Will you agree to this bargain?

If the PCs insist upon knowing who stole the blade before agreeing, the lich queen will balk, telling them that the information she has is her only bargaining chip with the PCs. If the PCs claim that they need to know the nature of the stealers in case the blade was stolen by the forces of good, Vlaakith will tell them that no creature of good has the blade, but will say nothing further on the matter until she has an agreement.

Should the PCs agree, Vlaakith will ask that they swear upon their lives, their souls, and their gods to return the blade once it has been used for the PCs' purpose. If the PCs make Vlaakith swear similarly, she will, though she will point out that it will be the PCs who have her blade, while she will have nothing of theirs. Nevertheless, she will swear that if the PCs return her blade to her, she will grant them safe passage on a one-time basis to leave her yacht and return to their home plane.

If the PCs agree, then Vlaakith will tell them that the blade was stolen by one of her people's most hated enemies, the githzerai. She will state that the githzerai took her blade to one of their monasteries where the craven cowards hide on the edge of reality from the mighty githyanki. The blade currently resides in the monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun on the shores of Limbo. She will give the PCs her map to the colour pool leading to Limbo (see area 10) and will warn them that the githzerai are rigid in their beliefs and absolutely unswayable by emotion or appeals.

Further, she warns the PCs that the githzerai are somewhat relaxed in their posture normally, for unlike the githyanki, they are obedient drones who do not question authority. However, once alerted and roused they are supremely organized and very potent foes. Additionally, the theft of her silver sword Fedifensor is such a prize for the githzerai that there is no way they will ever give it over to the PCs willingly, especially not to return it to the githyanki. Therefore, the lich queen recommends that the PCs strike the githzerai fiercely and without warning, before they can organize and react properly to an assault. Their rigid, inflexible thinking should hinder their initial response. If the PCs can cause enough damage before they can organize, or even better slay the leaders of the monastery, then the githzerai will be unable to mount a defense and the blade should be easy to take. In fact, she says, if the PCs can gain an audience with the leader of the monastery and then strike at him with surprise, then the hive minds of the githzerai are likely to be so befuddled that the PCs can locate the blade and retrieve it with almost no further trouble.

Part Three - The Edge of Reality

Traversing the Plane of Limbo:

The PCs, armed with the planar map from Vlaakith's yacht, should be able to locate the colour pool that leads to Limbo. Even more importantly, this particular colour pool leads to a location somewhat close to the monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun.

The Plane of Limbo of Therra is similar in most ways to the Plane of Limbo of the standard D&D cosmology, at least as far as operating within it is concerned. There are distinct differences, and DMs should look over the article entitled "The Heavens Above and the Hells Below" for information specific to the Therran cosmology.

Briefly, in the Therran cosmology, Limbo is not a plane so much as the border between two "planes". It uses the option Limbo, the Edge of Reality as highlighted on page 95 of The Manual of the Planes.

Limbo is the beach where the seas of pure chaos lap upon the shores of astral reality. In a sense, Limbo is the merging of chaos and reality...a place where reality begins to break down and become unreal. There are two distinct "parts" to Limbo. One part is best conceptualized as the actual beach of the shoreline. This is the area of Limbo that is "real" and solid. The other part is best conceptualized as the shallows of chaos. This area is where the slaadi dwell. It is where raw chaos begins to be affected by reality enough to take some vague substance.

Beyond the "shallows" is the deep ocean of primal chaos known as the Outre Realm or Far Realm...an infinite void of madness and endless potential from which the universe was fashioned by the gods.

The shore of reality is maintained, in part, by the githzerai, whose monasteries serve as bastions of law and bulwarks against the tide of chaos. While the shore of reality existed long before the githzerai came to Limbo, it was, prior to their arrival, a highly fungible border, with chaos often ascending like a high tide and washing across swaths of the astral plane, and other times ebbing back towards the Far Realms.

DMs should also look over the description of the Plane of Limbo in The Manual of the Planes. Limbo, as presented in the book, represents the "shallows" of chaos, and stabilized Limbo represents the "beach". A brief summary of the planar traits is presented here, and more detailed descriptions below:

• Subjective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravity is the same as on the Material Plane, but individuals choose in which direction it pulls. Limbo has no gravity for unattended objects, but worn, held, or carried objects share the subjective gravity of their owner. This can be very disorienting to the newcomer.
• Normal Time
• Infinite Size: While Limbo itself is limited in one dimension, in the sense that its "beach" and "shallows" eventually give way to the Astral Plane and Far Realms respectively, the plane is infinitely wide in that the shoreline traverses an infinitely wide sea of chaos and and infinitely wide shore of reality. While the width of the beach and shallows varies, the beach is generally 1d10 x 50 miles wide and the shallows is generally 1d20 x 100 miles wide. Anyone staring intently at the wall of chaos must make a single saving throw that serves as both a DC 20 Fortitude and a DC 20 Will save. Failing the Fortitude save results in sickness for 1d4 rounds (or if already sick, then nausea). Failing the Will save results in being dazed for 1d4 rounds (or stunned if already dazed). Creatures of the chaotic subtype, native to the Far Realms, or with the purity of body class feature, are immune to this mind-affecting effect.
• Highly Morphic: Limbo is continually changing, and keeping a particular area stable is difficult. A given area, unless magically stabilized somehow, can react to specific spells, sentient thought, or the force of will. Left alone, it continually changes. For more information on stabilization, see Controlling Limbo in The Manual of the Planes.
• Sporadic Element-Dominant: No one element constantly dominates Limbo. Each element (earth, water, air, or fire) is dominant from time to time, so any given area is a chaotic, dangerous boil. The elemental dominance can change without warning.
• No Energy-Dominant Traits
• Strongly Chaos-Aligned: Creatures without the chaotic subtype suffer a -2 penalty on all Charisma-, Wisdom-, and Intelligence-based checks. However, the strongly chaos-aligned trait disappears within the walls of githzerai monasteries.
• Wild Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities in Limbo function in wildly different ways. Any spell or spell-like ability used in an untended area of Limbo, or an area temporarily controlled, has a chance to go awry. The spellcaster must make a level check (1d20 + spellcaster level) against a DC of 15 + the level of the attempted spell. If the caster fails the check, roll on the table below. Creatures with the chaotic subtype and are native to Limbo are not subject to this check.

d%		Effect
01-19		Spell rebounds on caster with normal effect. If the spell cannot affect the caster, it simply fails.
20-23		A circular pit 15 ft wide opens under the caster's feet; it is 10 ft deep per level of the caster.
24-27		The spell fails, but the target or targets of the spell are pelted with a rain of small objects (anything from flowers to rotten fruit), which disappear upon striking. The barrage continues for 1 round. During this time the targets are blinded and must make Concentration checks (DC 15 + spell level) to cast spells.
28-31		The spell affects a random target or area. The DM should randomly choose a different target from among those in range of the spell or center the spell at a random place within range of the spell. To generate direction randomly, roll 1d8 and count around the compass, starting with north. To generate range randomly, roll 3d6. Multiply the result by 5 ft for close range spells, 20 ft for medium range spells, or 80 ft for long range spells.
32-35		The spell functions normally, but any material components are not consumed. The spell is not expended rorm the caster's mind (a spell slot or prepared spell can be used again). An item does not lose charges, and the effect does not count against an item's or spell-like ability's use limit.
36-39		The spell does not function. Instead, everyone (friend or foe) within 30 ft of the caster receives the effect of a heal spell.
40-43		The spell does not function. Instead, a deeper darkness and a silence effect covers a 30 ft radius around the caster for 2d4 rounds.
44-47		The spell does not function. Instead, a reverse gravity effect covers a 30 ft radius around the caster for 1 round.
48-51		The spell functions, but shimmering colours swirl around the caster for 1d4 rounds. Consider this a glitterdust effect with a save DC of 10 + the level of the spell that generated this result.
52-59		Nothing happens. The spell does not function. Any material components are used up. The spell or spell close is used up, and charges or uses from an item are used up.
60-71		Nothing happens/ The spell does not function. Any material components are not consumed. The spell is not expended from the caster's mind (a spell slot or prepared spell can be used again). An item does not lose charges, and the effect does not count against an item's or spell-like ability's use limit.
72-98		The spell functions normally.
99-00		The spell functions strongly. saving throws against the spell suffer a -2 penalty. The spell has the maximum possible effect, as if it were cast with the Maximize Spell feat. If the spell is already maximized with the feat, there is no further effect.

Creatures fall at a rate of 150 ft in the first round and 300 ft in each succeeding round. In order to stop, one has to slow one's movement by changing the designated down direction, again moving 150 ft in the new direction and 300 ft per round thereafter. Momentum is not conserved. However, it takes a DC 16 Wisdom check to set a new direction of gravity as a free action; this check can be made once per round. Any character failing Wisdom checks in successive rounds receives a +6 bonus on any subsequent checks until he or she succeeds. Creatures native to Limbo or with the chaotic subtype always succeed on their check to change their gravity.

Additionally, teleportation is a difficult thing in the ever-shifting "shallows". While some portions of the shallows remain "in place" this is really a misnomer, for in Limbo, "in place" simply means in a constant relation to the only landmark in the shallows by which creatures can navigate, that being the Spawning Stone (see Manual of the Planes page 96). The Spawning Stone itself drifts in Limbo, or, more precisely, the plane of Limbo drifts past the Spawning Stone. Whatever the semantics, the effect is the same. Teleportation and similar spells will only allow movement to the limit of sight or, lacking sight, a maximum of 100 ft per caster level. Even such spells that normally have no distance limit, such as greater teleport will not function beyond this range due to the shifting nature of Limbo. This restriction applies only to the "shallows" of Limbo.

The Shores of Reality:

The established "beach" of reality is stabilized. This means that reality and the githzerai monks have established some rules and planar traits that provide consistency in this area.

Within the area called the "beach", traits are as follows:

• Normal Gravity
• Normal Time
• Infinite Size: While Limbo itself is limited in one dimension, in the sense that its "beach" and "shallows" eventually give way to the Astral Plane and Far Realms respectively, the plane is infinitely wide in that the shoreline traverses an infinitely wide sea of chaos and and infinitely wide shore of reality.
• Alterable Morphic
• No Elemental or Energy Traits
• Mildly Neutral-Aligned
• Wild Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities in Limbo function in wildly different ways. Any spell or spell-like ability used in an untended area of Limbo, or an area temporarily controlled, has a chance to go awry. The spellcaster must make a level check (1d20 + spellcaster level) against a DC of 15 + the level of the attempted spell. If the caster fails the check, roll on the table above. Creatures with the chaotic subtype and are native to Limbo are not subject to this check.

You will note that the Wild Magic trait is maintained. The githzerai have not been able to negate this property, as magic is simply too uncontrollable and too filled with raw power to be "tamed" in such close proximity to the seas of chaos. However, the teleportation restriction does not affect teleportation that starts and ends on the "beach".

When the PCs first step through the colour pool that takes them to the shore, they will end up on the beach.

The correct direction to the monastery is with the sea to their right. Assuming the PCs can successfully use divination magic, this should be easy to determine. Otherwise, they can simply set off in a given direction.

If the PCs set off in the proper direction, then there is nothing necessary for the DM to do with regard to the journey to the monastery. They will arrive after a journey of 260 miles or so. If the DM likes, he can punctuate the journey with random encounters, including, perhaps, an encounter with a slaadi raiding party.

If the PCs travel in the wrong direction, they will come across, after a time (as long as the DM likes) a group of githzerai pilgrims. This group includes six githzerai meditants (LN Monk 3) and a pilgrimage leader (LN Monk 6). This group is clad only in plain robes and they carry no possessions but hard rations and some water. No statistics are provided for this group. They are heading with the sea to their left (away from the monastery) and are peaceful and willing to speak with the PCs. So calm and meditative are these pilgrims that they will not take offense to anything the PCs might say, even if they say they have come to destroy the monastery at the behest of the githyanki lich queen! The pilgrims will simply shrug and say that whatever will be will be.

The monks will defend themselves if attacked, and will fight to the death, which they do not fear in the least. If asked for directions to the monastery, they will direct the PCs, telling them it is back the way they came from and perhaps 260 miles past the point the PCs entered the plane.

If questioned about the monastery, they will merely state that it is run by Master Belthomais and that Zerth's teaching is practiced therein. They will not elaborate and will not have any knowledge of Vlaakith's silver sword Fedifensor.

If allowed to proceed, the pilgrims will head for several more days into the wastes and then perform an unremarkable ritual in a circle for a couple of days before returning to the monastery.

The Monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun:

Encounter - The Coming Storm

As the PCs approach the monastery, when they are perhaps within 50 miles of it, they will come across a group of githzerai.

If the PCs ask if the githzerai seem to be staring at a specific point in space, allow a DC 25 Spot check to realize that they are, indeed, looking at a single space. Staring into the wall will subject the PCs to the effects as outlined previously, but those who are able to do so may make a DC 25 Spot check to notice a single small point of blackness high in the sky that does not move or roil with the rest of the colours and is never covered or obscured by them.

If the PCs speak to the githzerai or interrupt them in a nonhostile way, one of their number will stand up and greet the PCs in an impassive but cordial manner. This monk, named Azervimon, will be happy to direct the PCs to the monastery, only 50 miles distant, and can tell them the same information that the pilgrim monks can (see above).

If Azervimon is asked what he and his companions are doing, he will say that they are meditating on a strange phenomenon that has appeared within the seas of chaos. He will then point to the black spot. He and the githzerai do not know what this manifestation is. They have seen nothing like it nor read of any such thing in their codices. Azervimon and his companions are trying to meditate on its nature to try to learn something of it. The manifestation appeared only a short time ago...perhaps a couple of weeks as time is measured on the Material Plane, and it has grown larger, though this growth has only been observable to the keenest of eyes after long periods of meditation.

If Azervimon's group is attacked, treat them all as LN Monk 5 (and refer to similar statistics detailed in the description of area 15 below).

DM's Note: The black spot is a manifestation of the Far Realms, which has been awakened by certain actions that have taken place on Therra. The invasion of Therra by the Far Realms is the subject of an epic level campaign, and this event is merely one foreshadowing of this event. Under no circumstances should the PCs be able, at this time, to divine the significance of the black spot. All divinations, no matter how powerful, will fail to divulge anything, even a general menace will not be discerned.

The Monastery Exterior:

The monastery is visible from about 25 miles away as a stone structure set against a steep ridge. When the PCs get close enough to see details, they will note the following.

Where the doors are shown on the map leading north from areas 6 the wall ends and the passageway continues beneath the rock of the ridge. Thus, the majority of the monastery itself is underground, sprouting from the cliff face of the ridge. Area 9 is also underground where the inner arc of pillars ends.

Curtain walls and exterior structures are 40 ft tall and 2 ft thick and battlemented on top. Interior walls are 1 ft thick. All such walls are made of magically treated superior masonry (per 1 ft thick, hardness 16, 180 hp, break DC 55, Climb DC 25, +10 save bonus). Floors are of smooth stone. Doors are iron (hardness 10, 60 hp, break DC 28).

Interior rooms and passages are lit every 20 ft with oil lamps set into cressets carved into the walls at a height of 4 ft. Even though the githzerai have darkvision, they prefer natural light whenever possible.

Unless otherwise stated, ceilings inside the monastery are 30 ft high.

1. Entrance Gates and Towers (EL 15)

Each gate is 4 inches of iron reinforced by magic (hardness 20, 180 hp, break DC 48, +10 save bonus). Both gates are normally barred, each bar being operated by a mechanism set atop the walkway over the gate.

Atop each of the six towers is a plinth of glowing blue crystal set in the center of the tower top. Also towards the outer edge of the rooftop is a 5 ftsquare iron trap door. These trap doors are normally barred shut and lead to the tower interiors.

Each plinth is over 6 ft tall and 3 ft square and carved with glowing golden runes of power. Ringing the tower top are six stone carvings of githzerai faces in cowled hoods staring towards the plinth in the center. Hovering a foot above the heads is a halo of blue energy, spinning in a clockwise circle some 30 ft in diameter. The energy casts a blue glow over the entire top of each tower.

These plinths are weapons used by the githzerai to defend their monastery. Each plinth is crafted from a special crystal that is grown in the courtyard of the monastery (see area 4); this crystal being the embodiment of pure law. To operate the plinths, a being without the chaotic subtype must place his hands upon the plinth and intone the proper ritual. Additionally, a single power point of psionic power must be invested into the plinth. The ritual takes a DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check to activate properly and takes a full round to enact. When enacted properly, the halo of energy surrounding the plinth whirls up suddenly to a height of 30 ft above the plinth and spirals in on itself until it becomes a ball of blue energy about 10 ft in diameter. It then explodes into a beam of energy that lances down at its target(s).

The beam has a range of 300 ft and strikes a 30 ft cubic area (i.e. a cube 30 ft to each side). It's effects are identical to an empowered order's wrath spell cast at caster level 20.

Once discharged, it takes a full round of inactivity for the energies to resume and the whirling halo to reform. Thus, each plinth can be fired once every 2 rounds. When the halo is active, the glow that bathes the top of the tower provides those within the benefits of a dispel chaos spell. A creature of the chaotic subtype does not gain these benefits and, if within the glow, instead suffers the effect of an order's wrath spell (caster level 20).

Each plinth has an arc of fire. The two plinths to the south can essentially fire anywhere outside the bounds of the monastery. Each of the central plinths can fire anywhere outside the monastery on its side only. The two northern plinths can only fire into the courtyard of the monastery. Additionally, all 6 plinths can fire within the gatehouse courtyard (area 3) and can fire at any target more above the level of the curtain walls and towers.

The towers contain a chamber inside of each. These chambers are accessed via iron doors accessible from the gateyard (area 3) and are seperate from each other (i.e. the tower interiors are not connected to each other). These iron doors can be barred from the inside. Each tower interior consists of a single chamber 30 ft in diameter and 30 ft tall. Within are spartan living quarters for 3 tower guards, including 3 beds, a wooden table and 3 chairs, a store of food and water, personal effects, and a crate of 120 crossbow bolts, 30 silver bolts, and 30 cold iron bolts. An iron ladder along the outer wall of the chamber leads up to an iron trap door that leads to the tower roof top. The trap door can be barred from the inside and normally is so secured.

Creatures: At all times there are 6 githzerai zerths atop the entrance, one at the top of each tower. Additionally, 2 off-duty zerths are inside the towers, sleeping or otherwise resting. Given their lack of reliance on wearing armour, these off-duty zerths can be summoned to combat very quickly.

ZERTH TOWER GUARDS (18) CR 7 Male and female githzerai Psychic Warrior 3/Monk 3 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Common AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13; Deflect Arrows hp 33 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +7 (+2 bonus vs enchantments and illusion); evasion Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee unarmed strike +8 (1d6+2) Melee flurry of blows +6/+6 (1d6+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +9 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Stunning Fist (3/day, DC 15) Special Actions Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 3) Power Points 10/day Powers Known (ML 3, melee touch +6, ranged touch +8) 1st - force screen, thicken skin, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 Feats Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed Strike, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Skill Focus (knowledge [arcana]), Spellwise, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +7, Concentration +11, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Tumble +7 Possessions combat gear plus ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, iron key to the doors in area 6.

FEATS: Spellwise (PGF p44) - gain +2 to Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft checks and to saves vs illusions.

2. Rift Chasm

This chasm begins when the ridge rises out of the floor of the plain and follows the ridge all the way along its length, running parallel to it and always within 50-100 ft of it. The chasm is 20 - 30 ft wide and roughly 50 ft deep and is filled with running water. This water begins at the western end of the chasm and flows eastward past the monastery until it reaches the chasm's eastern end. The walls of the chasm are relatively sheer, requiring a DC 20 Climb check to negotiate.

Examination beneath the water at either end will show that the water does not emerge from a crack or hole in the chasm wall, nor does it drain into anything similar at its terminus. Rather, the water seems to magically begin and end at either end of the chasm. While it flows, the water is considered fast-flowing (DC 15 Swim check, current moves at 60 ft per round) and is 20 ft deep.

Where the chasm flows under the entrance gate complex of the monastery, the stone walls of the towers plunge down the chasm to within a few inches of the surface of the water. There, iron portculli descend to the floor of the chasm, allowing the water to flow but blocking access to the inner gateyard from the chasm. These portculli are magically hardened (hardness 20, 120 hp, break DC 48) and would allow a size Diminutive creature to pass through easily. A Tiny creature that is not exceptionally narrow (e.g. a snake) must make a DC 15 Escape Artist check to pass through. A Small creature would need a DC 30 Escape Artist check to pass through, and anything larger would need epic-levels of Escape Artist to somehow squeeze through the portculli.

Waste from the monastery is dumped into the rift from the easternmost towers of area 1. As such, the water is clear and potable from its origin in the west until it reaches the monastery. On leaving the monastery, while not horribly polluted, the water is less potable.

3. Gateyard and Bridge

The bridge is quite sturdy, and has been magically treated so that it is as hard as magically treated iron (hardness 20,540 hp).

The buckets and yokes are used by the githzerai to draw water from the chasm for the use of the monastery.

The engravings on the bridge walls show githzerai monks fighting mind flayers (a DC 10 Knowledge [planes] will reveal the humanoids fighters to be githzerai and a DC 20 Knowledge [dungeoneering] will reveal the octopoidal creatures to be mind flayers).

It should be noted that all six of the surrounding towers can fire their order's wrath blasts into this gateyard, effectively turning it into a killing zone.

4. Courtyard (EL 17)

Creatures: Five creatures can be found in the courtyard.

A massive construct resides in the courtyard, usually resting halfway between the southern gate and the entrance to the monastery (precisely where the number "4" is on the map). This is an anhydrut, an intelligent construct of the inevitables. This specimen was given to the monastery for services rendered centuries ago, and it now serves loyally and willingly. As a construct, the creature had no particular need of quarters or entertainment, and so simply rests in the courtyard until it is needed. The anhydrut is intelligent, and so will react to situations of its own accord. It will also respond to alarms raised and will follow the direct orders of any of the masters of the monastery.

ADVANCED ANHYDRUT CR 14 Sandstorm page 191 LN Huge construct (lawful, native) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Listen +20, Spot +20 Languages Gith AC 30, touch 8, flat-footed 30 hp 156 (24 HD), fast healing 5; DR 10/chaotic SR 20 Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +12 Spd 30 ft (6 squares), burrow 30 ft (6 squares) Melee 2 pincers +32 (4d6+12) and tail +32 (2d6+6 plus 1d6 fire) Space 15 ft; Reach 15 ft Base Atk +18; Grp +34 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8): 1/century - global warming 1/day - hold monster (DC 18) At will - clairaudience/clairvoyance, desert diversion, dispel magic, halo of sand, locate creature, true seeing Abilities Str 34, Dex 11, Con -, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 16 SQ construct traits Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Weapon (pincer), Improved Natural Weapon (tail), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Large and in Charge, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Multiattack Skills Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +5, Listen +20, Search +14, Sense Motive +20, Spot +20, Survival +4 Possessions +1 plate barding

FEATS: Large and in Charge (Drac p71) - successful AoO against opponent moving in threatened area forces foe back to the spot before it provoked (and ends all movement) if opposed Str check made (+4 per size advantage and +1 per 5 dmg done by AoO). SPELLS: desert divserion (Sand p113) - r med, ray, 1 min/lvl, SR; ranged touch att, target struck has dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, greater teleport, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, teleport object, teleportation circle, and similar spells and spell-like abilities diverted to a chosen wasteland location or a random one, until duration ends subjects cannot use these spells to leave the location (the spell is used and subject appears at the spot he cast the spell), when duration ends subjects returns to point of origin. global warming (Sand p130) - epic, 10 min casting, 100 mile r, permanent; temperature increases to warm or by 1 step, open water and moisture evaporates creating desert conditions. halo of sand (Sand p117) - r pers, 10 min/lvl; +1 deflection bonbus to AC (+1 per 3 CL above 3 to max of +4 at CL 12).

Additionally, a pack of axiomatic winter wolves roam the courtyard. These creatures are extremely loyal to the masters of the monastery and will attack intruders or anyone they deem a threat.

AXIOMATIC ADVANCED WINTER WOLVES (4) CR 11 Planar Handbook page 110 LE Huge magical beast (cold) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent, Track; Listen +10, Spot +10 Languages Gith, Giant AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 16 hp 189 (18 HD) Immune cold Resistance electricity 10, fire 10, sonic 10; SR 23 Vulnerable fire Fort +16, Ref +12, Will +8 Spd 50 ft (10 squares) Melee bite +25 (3d6+12 plus 1d6 cold/19) Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +18; Grp +34 Atk options smite chaos 1/day (+18 dmg), trip (+12) Special Action breath weapon (DC 24) Abilities Str 26, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ linked minds Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon), Alertness, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Track, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Hide -5*, Listen +10, Move Silently +7, Spot +10, Survival +8* Breath Weapon (Su) 15-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 4d6 cold, Reflex DC 24 half. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes the bonus for the Ability Focus feat. Freezing Bite (Su) A winter wolf deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage every time it bites an opponent, as if its bite were a frost weapon. Linked Minds (Ex) Axiomatic creatures of the same kind within 300 feet of one another are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No axiomatic creature in the group is considered flanked unless all of them are. Trip (Ex) A winter wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the winter wolf. * Their natural coloration grants them a +7 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of snow and ice. A winter wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

.

5. Crystal Patches

These crystals are grown by means of meditation and rituals known to the githzerai. If harvested, the crystals could be used to create lawful-aligned magic items such as axiomatic weapons. Additionally, a bit of crystal can be added as a material component to any lawful spell to add +1 CL to the spell.

Any chaotic subtype creature that approaches to within 20 ft of a patch will begin to feel uncomfortable unless protected by a protection from law effect. Any chaotic subtype creature who touches a crystal will suffer 1d4 points of damage per contact or round of continuous contact.

6. Defensive Curtain Wall

7. Observation Posts (EL 7 each)

ZERTH WALL GUARDS (4) CR 7 Male and female githzerai Psychic Warrior 3/Monk 3 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Common AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13; Deflect Arrows hp 33 (6 HD) PR 11 Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +7 (+2 bonus vs enchantments and illusion); evasion Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee unarmed strike +8 (1d6+2) Melee flurry of blows +6/+6 (1d6+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +9 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Stunning Fist (3/day, DC 15) Special Actions Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 3) Power Points 10/day Powers Known (ML 3, melee touch +6, ranged touch +8) 1st - force screen, thicken skin, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 Feats Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed Strike, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Skill Focus (knowledge [arcana]), Spellwise, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +7, Concentration +11, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Tumble +7 Possessions combat gear plus ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, iron key to the doors in area 6.

FEATS: Spellwise (PGF p44) - gain +2 to Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft checks and to saves vs illusions.

8. Main Entrance (EL 17)

A DC 10 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal the humanoids to be githzerai, while a DC 20 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal the toad-like creatures to be slaadi.

Creatures: There are two sets of creatures here.

Two justicators stand sentry, flanking the double doors. They are bound to service by ancient pacts and obey the masters of the monastery. They are willing and able to act on their own as well and will, at all times, seek to protect the monastery and its inhabitants from threats.

JUSTICATORS (2) CR 13 Monster Manual III page 85 LN Large outsider (lawful) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +24, Spot +24 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Gith, Infernal AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 23 hp 110 (17 HD); DR 10/chaotic Immune paralysis SR 24 Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +16 Spd 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (12 squares) (good) Melee +1 greatsword +23/+18/+13/+8 (3d6+8/17) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +17; Grp +26 Special Actions smite chaos 4/day (+1 att, +17 dmg) Combat Gear +1 greatsword Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10): 1/day - dispel chaos (DC 16), greater command (DC 16), plane shift (DC 16) 3/day - cure serious wounds, dimensional anchor, invisibility purge, silence (DC 13) At will - bless, detect chaos Abilities Str 21, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 12 Feats Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Spell Penetration, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Concentration +22, Diplomacy +3, Heal +24, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (planes) +21, Knowledge (religion) +21, Listen +24, Sense Motive +24, Spellcraft +21, Spot +24, Survival +4 (+6 on other planes) Possessions combat gear plus +1 mithril full plate Smite Chaos (Su) Four times per day, a justicator can attempt to smite chaos with one normal melee attack. It gains a bonus on the attack roll equal to its Charisma modifier and +1 to damage per HD. If a justicator accidentally smites a creature that is not chaotic, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

The 4 pillars are actually the quiescent forms of a quartet of psionically-endowed walking walls. These massive creatures slumber in pillar form until roused by one of the masters of the monastery. They can be roused by a mental command issued by one of the masters within 100 ft of the pillars, and are usually roused to provide cover for githzerai troops venturing forth to battle the slaadi. Until then, they will not rouse unless the pillars are attacked. When in their quiescent form, they are assumed to be using their stony defense.

ADVANCED PHRENIC WALKING WALLS (4) CR 11 Miniatures Handbook page 72 LN Large humanoid (native, psionic) Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +22, Spot +22 Languages Terran, Gith AC 17, touch 8, flat-footed 17; stony defense hp 243 (18 HD) PR 28 Fort +20, Ref +5, Will +10 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee slam +22 (3d10+13/19) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +13; Grp +26 Atk Options Power Attack Special Actions Combat Expertise, Improved Sunder, stony defense Power Points 1/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 18): 1/day - aversion (DC 14), conscussion blast, body adjustment, brain lock (DC 14), energy current (DC 17), fission, force screen, psionic dominate (DC 16), psychic crush (DC 17), tower of iron will 3/day - defensive precognition, empty mind, intellect fortress, mind thrust (DC 13), psionic teleport Abilities Str 28, Dex 8, Con 28, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 14 SQ elemental traits Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Natural Weapon (slam), Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Climb +18, Listen +23, Spot +23, Survival +23 Stony Defense (Su) As a full-round action, a walking wall can stand as a solid barrier, becoming 5 ft tall, 1 ft thick, and as wide as its space in a straight line, providing cover and toughening its own defenses. Its natural armour bonus increases by +10 until its next turn. It can remain in this defensive position as long as it desires, but if it takes any other action, its Armour Class returns to its normal value and it no longer provides cover.

9. Central Gallery (EL 19)

The other doors in the place are all usually unlocked, but can be barred from the other side.

The arc of crystal pillars radiates strong abjuration magic. If a master of the monastery gives a mental command within 100 ft of any of the pillars, they will form a prismatic wall (CL 20) that extends across the entire arc of the pyramids, from the southeast corner of the western area 11 to the southwest corner of the eastern area 11. The wall reaches all the way to the ceiling and emanates in such a way that the pillars are set just behind the wall when it is manifested. A master can issue a similar command to deactivate the wall.

If one of the pillars is destroyed, the wall will fail. Each pillar has a hardness of 20, 400 hp, and a +10 save bonus.

The statues of robed humanoids are of githzerai (as a DC 10 Knowledge [planes] check will reveal). They represent famous past grandmasters of the monastery.

Creatures: Each of 8 statues is a stone golem. They are programmed to obey the masters of the monastery, and will also act to defend the monastery if an attack is in progress or is they are attacked. Additionally, any slaadi present and not in direct escort of the master will provoke an attack.

It should be noted that the golems are immune to the prismatic wall between the pillars since that spell allows spell resistance.

ADVANCED STONE GOLEMS (8) CR 13 N Large construct Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0 AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 hp 146 (21 HD); DR 10/adamantine Immune magic Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +7 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 slams +24 (2d10+10) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +15; Grp +29 Special Actions slow Abilities Str 30, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1 SQ construct traits Immunity to Magic (Ex) A stone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A transmute rock to mud spell slows a stone golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points. A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round. Slow (Su) A stone golem can use a slow effect, as the spell, as a free action once every 2 rounds. The effect has a range of 10 feet and a duration of 7 rounds, requiring a DC 20 Will save to negate. The save DC is Constitution-based.

10. Private Meditiation Shrines (EL none or varies)

The beam of light has no effect, beneficial or detrimental, except that it collects and channels some of the colours and essence of the diffused chaos in the skies overhead and is useful to the githzerai to meditate on the nature of chaos and seek to contain its entropic effects. The githzerai meditants would usually sit on the mat positioned so that the beam of light would fall directly upon their head. Some would then lift their gaze and stare directly into the beam for hours on end.

Should a PC touch or sit in the beam, he will feel a slight strange tickling within, but nothing else.

Creatures: There is, at any given time that there is not an alert raised, a 25% chance that a given shrine is being used. In this case, the DM should assign one of the monks from area 15 to the chamber in question.

11. Armory and Storage

There are two storage areas in the monastery, each redundant in the sense that each holds the same equipment. The githzerai created this redundancy in case they were cut off from one side of the monastery, they could still resupply their warriors.

As monks, the need for armour and melee weaponry is greatly diminished amongst the githzerai. Instead, the storage chambers focus more on water, food, ammunition, and general supplies.

Each storage area contains a 20 ft square antechamber accessed by iron doors from the south and from the west or east wall respectively. These outer doors are locked by a key lock (Open Lock DC 35), with the key being in possession of the masters and the quartermasters.

Within the antechamber is the living and administrative quarters of the quartermasters.

The three doors lead from the antechamber into the small storage chambers are iron, but with a small barred window cut into the upper half that allows viewing the contents within. These doors are not locked, but are merely latched shut from the antechamber side.

Creatures: The quartermaster is found here, keeping records of the monastery and watching over the supplies. The quartermaster is a lifetime position, usually reserved for githzerai monks who are not able to complete more advanced training or who have become too old or have become infirm due to injury.

QUARTERMASTERS (2) CR 7 Male githzerai Monk 3/Expert 4 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +9 Languages Gith, Common AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13; Dodge hp 28 (7 HD) PR 12 Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +10 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee unarmed strike +7 (1d6+1) Melee flurry of blows +5/+5 (1d6+1) Ranged mwk light crossbow +8 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +5; Grp +6 Atk Options Stunning Fist (4/day, DC 16) Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 3) Power Points 2/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 12), inertial armour Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 12 Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Appraise +7 (+9 with alchemy, weapons, and wood), Balance +4, Concentration +8, Craft (alchemy) +7, Craft (weaponsmithing) +7, Craft (woodworking) +7, Diplomacy +9, Jump +3, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Profession (quartermaster) +8, Sense Motive +9, Spot +9, Tumble +7 Possessions combat gear plus iron key to the doors in area 6, iron keys to the doors to area 11, iron key to the chest in area 11

Treasure: The chest is locked (Open Lock 30) and contains funds of the monastery given to the quartermaster to purchase supplies from merchants that visit the monastery on occasion. Stored here are 1,200 cp, 1,600 sp, 2,400 gp, and 700 pp, all of varying mint, and small sacks of gems worth a total of 6,500 gp.

Northern Chamber:

The northernmost storage chamber is 20 ft by 10 ft and the walls are covered in runes and sigils (a DC 15 Knowledge [arcana] check will reveal them as transmutation related and a DC 20 check will reveal that they relate to the purify food and drink spell). The room radiates faint trnasmutation magic and is dweomered to provide a continuous purify food and drink effect. Treat this as a magic item that is built into the structure of the chamber.

As befits its enchantment, the place contains food and water. The former consists of all sorts of strange and exotic foods, stored in crates, pottery, and sacks. There is enough food in each chamber for 600 man days of meals (1200 lbs). Water is stored in metal barrels, and there is enough water in each chamber to provide 600 man days of water (600 gallons).

Southern Chamber:

The southermost chamber is 10 ft square and contains weapons and ammunition for the monastery along with special items. The weapons and ammunition consists primarily of the following inventory in each chamber:

• 24 light crossbows
• 12 masterwork light crossbows
• 240 masterwork crossbow bolts
• 600 crossbow bolts
• 120 silver crossbow bolts
• 120 cold iron crossbow bolts
• 48 adamantine crossbow bolts

Additionally, set upon shelves along the walls, are special items as follows:

• 24 acid flasks
• 12 acid neutralizers
• 24 alchemist's fire
• 24 axiomatic waters
• 24 antitoxins
• 12 antitrait greases
• 6 atramen oils
• 6 healing salves
• 36 tanglefoot bags
• 16 thunderstones

Middle Chamber:

The middle chamber is 20 ft by 10 ft and contains numerous mundane items, ranging from githzerai robes to candles or lamp oil to needles and thread, wooden planks, etc. A full list is not given, but the DM can assume that any mundane item that would be of use to the monastery is stored here. Plenty of rope can be found, including 500 ft of earthsilk rope.

Also here is a workbench and masterwork artisan tools and an alchemist's lab, along with raw materials for making crossbows, bolts, and the various alchemical items stored in the southern chamber.

12. Purifying Baths

The flanking pools are normal pools with crystal clear water that is fed from pipes and magical pumps that draw water from the rift chasm (area 2). The middle

The central pool is normal in all respects except that when the githzerai conduct a special hour-long ritual, the runes and sigils on the lip begin to glow and the pool becomes magical. As such, when inactive the central pool radiates dim divination magic. When active it radiates strong divination magic.

The githzerai use these pools for various purification rituals that form a part of their routine. However, on special occasions the ritual of the bath is performed and the pool gains the powers of a planar touchstone as detailed on page 163 of the Planar Handbook. The githzerai do not, themselves, usually partake of the benefits of the pool. But they do allow favoured guests to use it (as detailed in the description of the planar touchstone). Of course, using the pool requires that a PC take the Planar Touchstone feat.

13. Masters' Chambers

There are four masters of the monastery (not counting the grandmaster; despite their name the quartermasters are not considered masters.). They lair in these four chambers, with the lesser masters in the northernmost chambers and the greater masters in the southernmost chambers.

Each chamber is as follows, the with great masters' chambers having slightly more ornate furnishings and more lavish hangings.

The wardrobe contains plain monk robes and more ornate ceremonial vestments.

Creatures: The masters are the day-to-day leaders of the monastery. The lesser masters report to the greater masters, who in turn report to the grandmaster.

LESSER MASTERS (2) CR 13 Complete Psionic page 43 Male and female githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 6 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +10, Spot +10 Languages Gith, Common, Slaadi AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 18; Dodge, Mobility hp 78 (12 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 17 Fort +10, Ref +16, Will +14 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 70 ft (14 squares) Melee unarmed strike +15 (2d8+5) Melee flurry of blows +14/+14 (2d8+5) Ranged mwk light crossbow +14 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +8; Grp +11 Atk Options Stunning Fist (8/day, DC 19) Special Actions backslip 2/day, Combat Reflexes, precognition 1/day, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, temporal distillation (standard or move action), timeless step (3 rounds) 1/day Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), monk's belt, amulet of mighty fists +2, psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 7) Power Points 16/day Powers Known (ML 6, melee touch +11, ranged touch +13) 2nd - body adjustment 1st - force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 6): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 12), inertial armour Abilities Str 16, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +10, Balance +7, Concentration +11, Escape Artist +12, Jump +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (psionics) +8, Listen +10, Tumble +21, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone) Possessions combat gear plus ring of protection +2, cloak of resistance +2, deep red sphere ioun stone, iron key to the doors in area 6, iron keys to the doors to area 11 Backslip (Ps) At 2nd level, your mental mastery of temporal flow grows sufficiently large that you can gaze a few instants into the past. Using that knowledge, you can then slightly alter events that have just occurred. Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll one roll that you have made before the DM declares whether the roll results in success or failure. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. At 6th level you can use the backslip ability twice per day. Precognition (Ps) Once per day at 4th level and higher, you can glimpse fragments of potential future events. This imperfect foreknowledge is good enough to grant you a +2 insight bonus that you can apply to an attack roll, a damage roll, a saving throw, or a skill check. You can elect to apply the bonus to the roll after you determine that your unmodified roll is lower than desired. Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn. At 5th level, you are able to accomplish even more during the accelerated period, and can instead take an additional standard action (or move action) during your turn. Timeless Step (Ps) Once per day as a standard action at 3rd level and higher, you can step forward in time a number of rounds equal to or less than your Wisdom modifier (always into the future, never into the past). In effect, you seem to disappear, then reappear the appopriate number of rounds later. You reappear in the same orientation and condition as before. For you, no time has passed at all. If the space from which you departed is occupied upon your return to the time stream, you appear in the closest unoccupied space, still in your original orientation. Determine the closest space randomly if necessary.

GREATER MASTERS (2) CR 17 Complete Psionic page 43 Male and female githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 8 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +12, Spot +12 Languages Gith, Common, Slaadi AC 24, touch 24, flat-footed 19; Dodge, Mobility hp 91 (14 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 19 Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +21 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 70 ft (14 squares) Melee unarmed strike +18 (2d8+6) Melee flurry of blows +17/+17 (2d8+6) Ranged +1 light crossbow +16 (1d8+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +10; Grp +13 Atk Options Stunning Fist (9/day, DC 22) Special Actions backslip 2/day, Combat Reflexes, precognition 2/day, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, temporal distillation (standard or move action) 1/day, temporal strike 1/day (DC 21), timeless step (5 rounds) 1/day Combat Gear +1 light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), monk's belt, amulet of mighty fists +3, psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 7) Power Points 37/day Powers Known (ML 8, melee touch +15, ranged touch +15) 3rd - hostile empathic transfer 2nd - body adjustment 1st - force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 7): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 13), inertial armour Abilities Str 16, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 14 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +12, Balance +7, Concentration +15, Escape Artist +14, Jump +10, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (psionics) +8, Listen +12, Tumble +21, Sense Motive +14, Spot +12, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone) Possessions combat gear plus crystal mask of mind armour, ring of protection +3, cloak of resistance +3, deep red sphere ioun stone, incadescent blue sphere ioun stone, iron key to the doors in area 6, iron keys to the doors to area 11 Backslip (Ps) At 2nd level, your mental mastery of temporal flow grows sufficiently large that you can gaze a few instants into the past. Using that knowledge, you can then slightly alter events that have just occurred. Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll one roll that you have made before the DM declares whether the roll results in success or failure. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. At 6th level you can use the backslip ability twice per day. Precognition (Ps) Once per day at 4th level and higher, you can glimpse fragments of potential future events. This imperfect foreknowledge is good enough to grant you a +2 insight bonus that you can apply to an attack roll, a damage roll, a saving throw, or a skill check. You can elect to apply the bonus to the roll after you determine that your unmodified roll is lower than desired. Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn. At 5th level, you are able to accomplish even more during the accelerated period, and can instead take an additional standard action (or move action) during your turn. Temporal Strike (Ps) at 8th level and higher, once per day, when you damage a foe with your unarmed attack, you can attempt to send that foe reeling through the continuum of time. Declaring a temporal strike is a swift action that follows a successful melee attack. The target of the strike must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + you Wis modifier). if your foe fails his saving throw, he is hurled forward in time in addition to taking damage normally. The subject is propelled 10 rounds forward in time by the violence of the strike. In effect, the subject seems to disappear through a hole punched in space, then reappears 10 rounds later. The subject reappears in the same orientation and condition as before. From the subject's point of view, no time has passed at all. In each round following the strike before the subject falls back into the time stream, on what would have been the subject's turn, it can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom check. Success allows the subject to return. The subject can act normally on its next turn after returning to the time stream. If the space from which the subject departed is occupied upon its return to the time stream, it appears in the closest unoccupied space, still in its original orientation. Determine the closes space randomly if necessary. Timeless Step (Ps) Once per day as a standard action at 3rd level and higher, you can step forward in time a number of rounds equal to or less than your Wisdom modifier (always into the future, never into the past). In effect, you seem to disappear, then reappear the appopriate number of rounds later. You reappear in the same orientation and condition as before. For you, no time has passed at all. If the space from which you departed is occupied upon your return to the time stream, you appear in the closest unoccupied space, still in your original orientation. Determine the closest space randomly if necessary.

14. Dining Halls

15. Private Living Quarters

The 12 quarters that run along the north-south corridor (6 on each side of the monastery) are reserved as guest quarters. At any given time roughly half of these are empty. The other half contains githzerai monk visitors (LN Monks lvl 1-6).

The remaining 32 quarters (16 on each side of the monastery) contain the monks that are officially a part of the monastery and in training. At any given time half of these are out of the monastery on duties. For this purpose, the Azervimon and his 11 companions who are meditating on the black dot in the sky should be considered as part of those away from the monastery.

Creatures: The 16 monks who are in the monastery spend much of their time meditating in their chambers, performing menial chores, and training in the various practice rooms. Nevertheless, statistics for these are presented here, to be used wherever they might be encountered.

GITHZERAI LEVEL 5 MONKS (4) CR 6 Male and female githzerai Monk 5 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +2, Spot +2 Languages Gith, Common AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13; Dodge hp 28 (5 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 10 Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +6 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee unarmed strike +6 (1d8+2) Melee flurry of blows +5/+5 (1d8+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +7 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +3; Grp +5 Atk Options Stunning Fist (5/day, DC 14) Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), tanglefoot bags (2), psionic tattoo of body adjustment (ML 3) Power Points 2/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 2): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall (20 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +10, Concentration +9, Jump +4, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Sense Motive +7, Tumble +11 Possessions combat gear plus iron key to the doors in area 6

GITHZERAI LEVEL 6 MONKS (4) CR 7 Male and female githzerai Monk 6 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Common AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13; Dodge, Mobility hp 33 (6 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 11 Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 50 ft (10 squares) Melee unarmed strike +7 (1d8+2) Melee flurry of blows +6/+6 (1d8+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +8 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Stunning Fist (6/day, DC 15) Special Actions Combat Reflexes Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), tanglefoot bags (2), psionic tattoo of body adjustment (ML 3) Power Points 2/day Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +10, Concentration +10, Jump +4, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Listen +3, Sense Motive +7, Spot +3, Tumble +12 Possessions combat gear plus iron key to the doors in area 6

GITHZERAI LEVEL 7 MONKS (4) CR 8 Male and female githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 1 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Common AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13; Dodge, Mobility hp 39 (7 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 11 Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +9 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 50 ft (10 squares) Melee unarmed strike +7 (1d8+2) Melee flurry of blows +6/+6 (1d8+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +8 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +6 Atk Options Stunning Fist (6/day, DC 15) Special Actions Combat Reflexes, temporal distillation (move action) 1/day Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), tanglefoot bags (2), psionic tattoo of body adjustment (ML 3) Power Points 4/day Powers Known (ML 1, melee touch +7, ranged touch +7) 1st - force screen Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +5, Balance +10, Concentration +11, Escape Artist +4, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Listen +3, Sense Motive +7, Spot +3, Tumble +12 Possessions combat gear plus iron key to the doors in area 6 Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn.

GITHZERAI LEVEL 8 MONKS (3) CR 9 Male and female githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 2 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Common AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14; Dodge, Mobility hp 44 (8 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 12 Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +11 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 50 ft (10 squares) Melee unarmed strike +8 (1d10+2) Melee flurry of blows +7/+7 (1d10+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +9 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +5; Grp +7 Atk Options Stunning Fist (6/day, DC 16) Special Actions backslip 1/day, Combat Reflexes, temporal distillation (move action) 1/day Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), tanglefoot bags (2), psionic tattoos of body adjustment (2) (ML 3) Power Points 6/day Powers Known (ML 2, melee touch +8, ranged touch +8) 1st - force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 4): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +5, Balance +10, Concentration +11, Escape Artist +4, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Listen +3, Sense Motive +7, Spot +3, Tumble +12 Possessions combat gear plus ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, iron key to the doors in area 6 Backslip (Ps) At 2nd level, your mental mastery of temporal flow grows sufficiently large that you can gaze a few instants into the past. Using that knowledge, you can then slightly alter events that have just occurred. Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll one roll that you have made before the DM declares whether the roll results in success or failure. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn.

GITHZERAI LEVEL 9 MONK CR 10 Male and female githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 3 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +3, Spot +3 Languages Gith, Common AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14; Dodge, Mobility hp 50 (9 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 14 Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +12 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 60 ft (12 squares) Melee unarmed strike +9 (1d10+2) Melee flurry of blows +8/+8 (1d10+2) Ranged mwk light crossbow +10 (1d8) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +8 Atk Options Stunning Fist (6/day, DC 16) Special Actions backslip 1/day, Combat Reflexes, Psionic Fist, temporal distillation (move action) 1/day, timeless step (2 rounds) 1/day Combat Gear masterwork light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), tanglefoot bags (2), psionic tattoos of body adjustment (2) (ML 3) Power Points 8/day Powers Known (ML 3, melee touch +9, ranged touch +9) 2nd - body adjustment 1st - force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 4): 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 11), inertial armour Abilities Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Psionic Fist, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +6, Balance +10, Concentration +12, Escape Artist +4, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Listen +3, Sense Motive +8, Spot +3, Tumble +13 Possessions combat gear plus ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +2, iron key to the doors in area 6 Backslip (Ps) At 2nd level, your mental mastery of temporal flow grows sufficiently large that you can gaze a few instants into the past. Using that knowledge, you can then slightly alter events that have just occurred. Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll one roll that you have made before the DM declares whether the roll results in success or failure. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn. Timeless Step (Ps) Once per day as a standard action at 3rd level and higher, you can step forward in time a number of rounds equal to or less than your Wisdom modifier (always into the future, never into the past). In effect, you seem to disappear, then reappear the appopriate number of rounds later. You reappear in the same orientation and condition as before. For you, no time has passed at all. If the space from which you departed is occupied upon your return to the time stream, you appear in the closest unoccupied space, still in your original orientation. Determine the closest space randomly if necessary.

16. Training Halls

Creatures: There is a 50% chance that 1d4 monks from area 15 are training in each of these chambers. If so, they will be sparring and training for another 1d3 hours before returning to their quarters.

17. Training Hall Antechambers

18. Private Sparring Chambers

These chambers are used for more dangerous practice sessions, usually involving psionic powers (especially ones that affect areas). As such, they are usually reserved for single participants and then only zerth cenobites.

19. Temple of the Mind (EL 18 or 21)

Entry:

This place is accessed via two sets of double doors to the south.

The southernmost set of double doors are similar in all respects to the golden doors at area 8.

A DC 10 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal the humanoids to be githzerai, while a DC 20 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal the toad-like creatures to be slaadi. A DC 35 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal that one of the githzerai figures on each door near the junction of the two portals is that of Zerthimon, the great prophet leader of the ancient githzerai.

The double doors are magically warded by a powerful warping effect. Anyone who opens the doors or enters the chamber beyond without enacting the proper bypass will find that the doors lead to a 10 ft long and 20 ft wide passageway that ends in still another set of golden double doors. This final set of double doors is, however, actually the double doors at area 8. In other words, opening those doors will be tantamount to opening the double doors at area 8 and it will lead into area 9. In this way, entrance to the Temple of the Mind is denied.

In order to bypass this spatial "loop", the first set of golden double doors must be touched with two hands, one on each door at a precise spot where an engraving shows the likeness of Zerthimon. At the same time, the third teaching of Zerthimon must be uttered:

Endure. In enduring, grow strong.

Careful study of this set of doors as compared to those at area 8 will reveal that the figure of Zerthimon (who bears a distinctive tattoo on his forehead) is replaced by a generic githzerai figure.

The first set of double doors and the entire small room between the two sets of doors radiates strong conjuration magic. The spatial looping effect is technically triggered by entrance into the small chamber between the doors. Therefore, even methods of entry that bypass opening the first set of doors (such as gaseous form) will still trigger the effect. However, the effect can effectively be bypassed by simply teleporting or using other such means to travel past the small chamber and directly into area 19 proper.

If the proper ritual is performed on the first set of doors, then when they are opened, the 10 ft by 20 ft chamber is revealed and a different set of double doors presents itself to the north.

The doors are silver covering magically hardened iron (hardness 20, 120 hp, break DC 48). They are warded by a psionic lock (ML 20) that is specially keyed to be passed and opened by a master of the monastery.

The Temple Proper:

Beyond the silver doors is the Temple of the Mind proper. The Temple of the Mind resides in an area that has been pinched off from time. This effect is partly what allows the spatial loop detailed above. It also means that some aspects of time do not pass within the Temple. As in the Astral Plane, no food or drink is needed while within, nor is sleep required. Furthermore, those within do not age. Time does pass with regard to spells and items that have a duration and chronologically, a minute spent inside the Temple means a minute has passed without as well.

Additionally, the Temple cannot be scried, nor can any divination effect cast from without affect anyone or anything within. This includes scrying as well as spells such as locate object or circle dance. Even augury and divination cannot reveal any information about any part of the Temple. Divination spells cast from within the Temple to targets or locations also within the Temple function normally.

Furthermore, teleportation effects and any other effects that require travel through or from another plane cannot function across the temproal boundary of the Temple. This means that a dimension door, for example, can be cast inside the Temple and transport the caster to another location inside the Temple. But such a spell cannot transport a caster outside the Temple to the inside or vice versa. This prohibition also includes conjuration (summoning), conjuration (creation), and conjuration (calling) effects. These spells simply fail and are expended if cast within the Temple since they need to reach out to other planes to work. A conjured item or creature manifesting by means of a calling or creation spell can enter the Temple once present. Summoned creatures, however, simply wink out of existence if they attempt to enter the place.

The 8 glowing runes on his fingertips represent the 8 teachings of Zerthimon (sort of a Ten Commandments of the githzerai). A DC 40 Knowledge (planes) check is required to identify the teachings (unless the PCs are githzerai or have studied githzerai lore specifically, in which case they will gain a +30 circumstance bonus to the check).

The eight teachings are:

1. Strength lies in knowing oneself; those who do not know themselves are lost and open to the manipulations of others.
2. A willingness to learn is a sign of strength.
3. Endure. In enduring, grow strong.
4. Learn to see the whole, or be blinded to the truth.
5. Many in unison can accomplish more than many alone.
6. Seek balance, or lose sight of your goal.
7. Patience is a virtue.
8. Focus and discipline are the key to strength; diversion is the key to weakness.

The golden emanation from the crystalline walls bathes the entire room in a psionic true seeing effect (ML 20) and a psionic mind blank (ML 20). As such, any and all creatures in the chamber are affected as if they had manifested a psionic true seeing at ML 20 for as long as they remain in the chamber. Furthermore, all creatures in the chamber are affected as if they had a psionic mind blank cast on them at ML 20 for as long as they remain in the chamber. These emanations, which are also conducive to extremely advanced meditation techniques, are what give this chamber its name. The crystalline walls are, for all intents and purposes, indestructible by anything less than epic magic and the effects of the emanations are treated like magic items (in that they can only be dispelled for 1d4 rounds).

Creatures: At all times there are 2 powerful justicators on guard here. These unwavering sentinels serve a century of duty for the monastery for past bargains, and then are replaced by 2 others who serve for a century. The justicators serve the grandmaster of the monastery directly, but will act on their own to protect the monastery from all threats.

ADVANCED JUSTICATORS (2) CR 16 Monster Manual III page 85 LN Large outsider (lawful) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +33, Spot +33 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Gith, Infernal AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 23 hp 149 (23 HD); DR 10/chaotic Immune paralysis SR 24 (28 vs mind-affecting) Fort +15, Ref +16, Will +19 Spd 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (12 squares) (good) Melee +1 greatsword +30/+25/+20/+15 (3d6+10/17) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +23; Grp +33 Atk Options Greater Spell Penetration, Power Attack Special Actions smite chaos 4/day (+1 att, +23 dmg) Combat Gear +1 greatsword Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10): 1/day - dispel chaos (DC 16), greater command (DC 16), plane shift (DC 16) 3/day - cure serious wounds, dimensional anchor, invisibility purge, silence (DC 13) At will - bless, detect chaos Abilities Str 22, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 12 Feats Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Psychic Refusal, Spell Penetration, Weapon Focus (greatsword) Skills Concentration +25, Diplomacy +4, Escape Artist +10, Heal +26, Intimidate +30, Knowledge (planes) +26, Knowledge (religion) +26, Listen +33, Sense Motive +33, Spellcraft +21, Spot +33, Survival +4 (+6 on other planes), Use Rope +3 (+5 to bind someone) Possessions combat gear plus +1 mithril full plate Smite Chaos (Su) Four times per day, a justicator can attempt to smite chaos with one normal melee attack. It gains a bonus on the attack roll equal to its Charisma modifier and +1 to damage per HD. If a justicator accidentally smites a creature that is not chaotic, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

FEATS: Psychic Refusal (DoU p51) - +4 SR vs mind-affecting.

The grandmaster of the monastery, Belthomais, receives visitors in this chamber for private council. It is also where he performs most of his esoteric meditations, as the emanations radiating from the crystalline walls are conducive to this. The grandmaster rarely leaves the Temple, as the anti-aging properties are helpful in providing continuity of leadership for the monastery.

GRANDMASTER BELTHOMAIS CR 19 Complete Psionic page 43 and Planar Handbook page 110 Male axiomatic githzerai Monk 6/Zerth Cenobite 10 LN Medium humanoid (native, psionic) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +14, Spot +14 Languages Gith, Common, Slaadi AC 27, touch 27, flat-footed 22; Dodge, Mobility hp 104 (16 HD) Immune natural diseases Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, sonic 10; PR 21, SR 21 Fort +15, Ref +21, Will +20 (+2 bonus vs enchantments); evasion Spd 80 ft (16 squares) Melee unarmed strike +20 (2d10+7) Melee flurry of blows +19/+19 (2d10+7) Ranged +1 shocking burst light crossbow +17 (1d8+1 plus 1d8 electricity) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +11; Grp +14 Atk Options smite chaos (1/day, +16 dmg), Stunning Fist (9/day, DC 23) Special Actions backslip 2/day, Combat Reflexes, Greater Psionic Fist, precognition 2/day, precognitive surge (+16) 1/day, Psionic Meditation, temporal distillation (full-round action) 1/day, temporal strike 1/day (DC 22), timeless step (5 rounds) 1/day Combat Gear +1 shocking burst light crossbow, bolts (20), silver bolts (10), cold iron bolts (10), evader psicrown (300 pp, catfall, hustle, psionic fly, psionic freedom of movement, wall walker), monk's belt, amulet of mighty fists +4, psionic tattoos of body adjustment (3) (ML 7) Power Points 54/day Powers Known (ML 10, melee touch +16, ranged touch +16) 4th - energy adaption 3rd - hostile empathic transfer 2nd - body adjustment 1st - force screen, vigour Psi-Like Abilities (ML 8): 1/day - psionic plane shift 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze (DC 13), inertial armour Abilities Str 16, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 14 SQ linked minds, slow fall (30 ft) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Psionic Fist, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +13, Balance +7, Concentration +16, Escape Artist +15, Jump +10, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (psionics) +8, Listen +14, Tumble +22, Sense Motive +26, Spot +14, Use Rope +5 (+7 to bind someone) Possessions combat gear plus crystal mask of discernment, ring of protection +4, cloak of resistance +5, deep red sphere ioun stone, incadescent blue sphere ioun stone, dusty rose prism ioun stone, iron key to the doors in area 6, iron keys to the doors to area 11 Backslip (Ps) At 2nd level, your mental mastery of temporal flow grows sufficiently large that you can gaze a few instants into the past. Using that knowledge, you can then slightly alter events that have just occurred. Once per day as an immediate action, you can reroll one roll that you have made before the DM declares whether the roll results in success or failure. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. At 6th level you can use the backslip ability twice per day. Linked Minds (Ex) Axiomatic creatures of the same kind within 300 feet of one another are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No axiomatic creature in the group is considered flanked unless all of them are. Precognition (Ps) Once per day at 4th level and higher, you can glimpse fragments of potential future events. This imperfect foreknowledge is good enough to grant you a +2 insight bonus that you can apply to an attack roll, a damage roll, a saving throw, or a skill check. You can elect to apply the bonus to the roll after you determine that your unmodified roll is lower than desired. Precognitive Surge (Ps) At 9th level, you gain a powerful sixth sense that can be called upon once per day. This extraordinary precognition grants an insight bonus equal to your combined monk and zerth cenobite levels (maximim +25) on any single attack roll, opposed ability check or skill check, or saving throw. Alternatively, you can apply the insight bonus to you AC against a single attack (even if flat-footed). Activating this ability is an immediate action. You must choose to use a precognitive surge before you make the roll it is to modify. Smite Chaos (Su) Once per day, an axiomatic creature can make a normal attack to deal extra damage equal to its Hit Dice (maximum 20 points) against a chaotic subtype opponent. Temporal Distillation (Su) Once per day, you are able to enter another time frame, moving much more quickly than other creatures around you. This concentrated burst of time essence allows you to take an additional move action during your turn. At 5th level, you are able to accomplish even more during the accelerated period, and can instead take an additional standard action (or move action) during your turn. Temporal Strike (Ps) at 8th level and higher, once per day, when you damage a foe with your unarmed attack, you can attempt to send that foe reeling through the continuum of time. Declaring a temporal strike is a swift action that follows a successful melee attack. The target of the strike must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + you Wis modifier). if your foe fails his saving throw, he is hurled forward in time in addition to taking damage normally. The subject is propelled 10 rounds forward in time by the violence of the strike. In effect, the subject seems to disappear through a hole punched in space, then reappears 10 rounds later. The subject reappears in the same orientation and condition as before. From the subject's point of view, no time has passed at all. In each round following the strike before the subject falls back into the time stream, on what would have been the subject's turn, it can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom check. Success allows the subject to return. The subject can act normally on its next turn after returning to the time stream. If the space from which the subject departed is occupied upon its return to the time stream, it appears in the closest unoccupied space, still in its original orientation. Determine the closes space randomly if necessary. Timeless Step (Ps) Once per day as a standard action at 3rd level and higher, you can step forward in time a number of rounds equal to or less than your Wisdom modifier (always into the future, never into the past). In effect, you seem to disappear, then reappear the appopriate number of rounds later. You reappear in the same orientation and condition as before. For you, no time has passed at all. If the space from which you departed is occupied upon your return to the time stream, you appear in the closest unoccupied space, still in your original orientation. Determine the closest space randomly if necessary.

Secret Doors: The throne covers a passageway that leads underneath the Temple of the Mind. This secret way is very well hidden, requiring a DC 35 Search check.

Even once found, the throne cannot be moved except by expending a psionic power point while touching the top of the chair. Doing so will cause the throne to slide to the front noiselessly, revealing a 5 ft square opening with steps leading down. After 2 rounds the chair will automatically slide back over the passageway.

The Basement:

The steps from above lead down 20 ft to a single room. This area is considered a part of the Temple of the Mind and all of the temporal effects and restrictions function here.

Just to the right of the stairway entrance into this chamber is a small switch. This switch opens the stone chair above allowing access to the Temple proper.

The books and scrolls are a rich repository of the teachings of Zerthimon, ancient githzerai martial art techniques including works on the Zerthin technique, the history of the githzerai, and of many things planar, including treatises on the slaadi. Also here is information on the illithids and a few of these express alarm at the recent interaction between humans and the mind flayers and worry that the humans may have unwittingly aroused the illithids from their chtonic ignorance.

The library is quite valuable, being worth at least 50,000 gp if not more to the right buyers. The library can also be used to stock a PCs' library, wherein they will grant a +2 competence bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks if consulted and a total of +5 cometence bonus on checks relating to the githzerai, slaadi, illithids, or Limbo.

Study of these books can be made to find the location of Ssendam the slaad lord. This will take a DC 40 Knowledge (planes) check, with it taking 1d6 hours to make a check and each subsequent check gaining a +1 cumulative bonus to the check (maximum cumulative bonus of +20). The location will include directions for finding him (refer to Navigating the Shallows below).

Also included here is a planar atlas (providing a +2 to Knowledge [planes] checks) and a karushe.

A karushe is a device used for navigating the shallows of Limbo. It appears to be a metal pyramidal frame small enough to fit in the paml of one's hand and shaped like a d4 from which hangs a crystal similar to those found in area 5. It weighs about a pound. This crystal is shaped into a starburst shape with many delicate spikes (almost like a tiny sea urchin) and the crystal is attached to the pyramidal frame by means of very delicate threads that appear as thin as spidersilk. The karushe radiates dim divination magic and faint law. The karushe is able to measure very minute changes in the flow of chaotic miasma in the shallows and by observing the spin and vibration of the crystal within directions can be followed.

Attempting to use the karushe is difficult without instruction. A DC 25 Knowledge (planes) or (arcana) check is needed just to identify it as some sort of planar navigational device. A DC 40 Knowledge (planes) or (arcana) check is needed to figure out its function without any instruction or field trials. If the device is taken into the shallows and observed, then a DC 25 Knowledge (planes) or (arcana) check will be able to identify its function, and with practice (each practice session taking 1 day of shallows maneuvering) subsequent DC 30 Knowledge (planes) checks will provide an additional +1 bonus to one's Survival check to navigate the shallows correctly, until the maximum of +10 is achieved.

Because it radiates only dim magic, an identify or analyze dweomer will not work on the device. The magic that it is radiating is merely the remnant of magic used in its creation.

Secret Doors: A secret door is present on the wall opposite the stairway (DC 35 Search check). It can only be opened by expending a psionic power point while touching it with both hands. Within is the treasury.

Treasury:

This chamber is lined in lead and is therefore warded from many divination spells.

None of the containers is trapped or locked, the githzerai figuring that any thieves that made it this far would not be thwarted by such measures.

There is a total of 50,000 cp, 40,000 sp, 35,000 gp, and 5,000 pp stored here, all of coins of varied and esoteric mintings.

Additionally, there are gems and jewelry here worth a total of 40,000 gp. There are literally scores of such gems and jewels of all types.

Magic items are much fewer and include:

• 3 dorjes of psionic repair damage (ML 2, 40 charges each) used to repair the constructs in the monastery.
• the Sword of Mighty Thews (substitute Aghorrit for Kord) [MIC p60] (note that this is a greatsword and although its description does not indicate silver anywhere, it is possible the PCs will confuse this for Fedifensor)
• a bow of mighty pulling [AEG p102]
• kyton armour [MIC p19]

20. Main Audience Chamber

This is the place where the monks are mustered to hear pronouncements and teachings and lectures by the masters. The place can comfortably hold just under 50 people in the audience. The acoustics of the chamber are such that someone standing atop the central speaking platform can be heard throughout the chamber without raising his voice.

All of the doors here can be barred from this side, though they are usually left unlocked.

Dealing with the Githzerai:

The githzerai are wary of strangers, but are not hostile to them by any means and willing to parley with any who show themselves to be reasonable and honourable.

When the PCs approach the monastery, the tower guards at area 1 will hail them, first in Gith and then in other languages. They will ask the PCs their names and business. Assuming the PCs state that they wish to enter the monastery, the guards will ask them to wait while they take the request to one of the masters.

If the PCs state who they are, then when word is brought to the masters, they will inform the grandmaster, who will certainly agree to see them. These githzerai have heard of the Heroes of the Gem, both for their exploits against Lolth and Kostchtchie and because the Heroes of the Gem were responsible for making the first contact between the illithids and the surface worlders and the githzerai now speculate that the illithids, having learned of the surface world from consuming the brain and memories of Khenni the Thief, will now wish to infiltrate and one day conquer this new world full of "human cattle".

If the PCs do not state who they are or lie about it, then what they claim their business is with the monastery will determine the likely reaction. If the PCs are merely trying to bluff their way into the monastery in order to then, perhaps, search for Fedifensor, then the DM can guage how likely the githzerai are to believe them via Bluff checks versus the githzerai Sense Motive skills, or any other appropriate means.

The githzerai are used to petitioners coming the monastery in order to use the planar touchstone in area 12, and so if the PCs come claiming to wish to learn the lore of zerthin, then they will be allowed to meet with one of the lesser masters, who will likely arrange for a sparring or test in a training room to determine their worthiness to gain access to the touchstone (refer to the touchstone description in the Planar Handbook for more details).

If the PCs do not give their true identities, then it will be very difficult for them to come up with a reason to meet with the grandmaster directly. However, should they do so, with a possible addition of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate checks, then such a meeting could be possible.

If the PCs meet with a lesser master, it will be in area 20. In this case, unless the conversation touches on Fedifensor or some other very important topic or the PCs reveal their identities, the lesser master will simply accommodate the PCs assuming whatever it is they request is reasonable. If the PCs begin to sneak around the place, the DM should have the githzerai react appropriately. There are certainly places that no non-githzerai should be without leave, including areas 11, 12, 13, 18, and especially area 19.

Ultimately, unless the PCs intend to try to take Fedifensor by stealth or force (both of which are doomed to fail since the blade is not here!), they will have to meet with the grandmaster.

Dealing with the Grandmaster:

Assuming the PCs meet with the grandmaster, he will see them in area 19, seated on his stone chair. The two greater masters will be present as well (along with the justicators). If the PCs have revealed themselves to be the Heroes of the Gem, then the lesser masters will be present too, as they wish to hear what the Heroes have to say.

The grandmaster will be cautious but cordial with the PCs. He will explain that the PCs should not attempt to dissemble in his presence, as the githzerai value truth greatly and are adept at detecting falsehoods. If the PCs have not revealed their true identities, he will ask them to do so now. If they have revealed false identities, then after warning them against lying, he will ask them to confirm their true identities. Remember that there is a psionic true seeing effect in area 19, so unless the PCs have fabulous mundane disguises (that would have to fool the Spot checks of the justicators in area 19), they are likely to be recognized in their true forms.

The grandmaster is familiar with the Heroes of the Gem from the texts in his basement library, and so assuming he or the justicators see through their disguises, he will recognize them.

If the PCs are caught in a direct lie to the grandmaster, he will be emotionless, but will admonish the PCs and refuse to cooperate any further with them. The PCs will then have to either use Diplomacy or Intimidate to change the grandmaster's attitude from unfriendly to helpful.

Assuming the PCs get around to identifying themselves and tell the grandmaster what they seek and why, he will appear thoughtful for a long moment before revealing to the PCs that while it is indeed true that his monastery had possession of the githyanki lich-queen's silver sword, he no longer has it. He will, however, be willing to tell the PCs where the sword is, but only under certain conditions.

If the PCs inform the grandmaster that the lich-queen assured them the blade was within the monastery and that due to the bond between a githyanki and his silver sword, she knows precisely where it is, he will chuckle to himself but say nothing about it at this time.

Belthomais will tell the PCs that some 2 years ago, a group of slaadi managed to infiltrate the monastery and they managed to break into the monastery's treasure vault. While the grandmaster believes that the slaadi were interested in a certain other item contained within the vault, they looted the vault entirely of magic items, leaving only coins behind. One item they took was the very blade the PCs seek.

Belthomais will tell the PCs that he knows where the blade is. He will assure the PCs that of a certainty the blade is where he says it is, and that they will not be led on yet another wild chase. However, he assures the PCs that there is no way they will ever be able to find and gain the blade without his aid. In return, Belthomais simply requires that the PCs, once they use the blade for the purpose they have explained, return the blade to him so that it may be returned to the vault.

If the PCs balk at this notion and explain why (i.e. their promise to the lich-queen), Belthomais will look pleased and will nod approvingly to the PCs. He will say that it is very good that the Heroes value their oaths so seriously that they would hesitate to violate their word, even to one as treacherous and apt to deceive as the lich-queen. Nevertheless, Belthomais will point out to the PCs that, indeed, the githyanki do have an unsunderable bond with their silver swords, and that the lich-queen knew precisely that her blade was not in the monastery. The grandmaster will speculate that the lich-queen sent the PCs in order that they should attack the githzerai in an attempt to gain the sword, and thereby injure grievously this monastery. If asked why the lich-queen wouldn't have simply told the PCs where the sword is, Belthomais will answer that the way to the blade is complicated, and while the lich-queen could tell where the blade is, she has no way to guide the PCs to the location. Therefore, she likely concluded that the PCs would not gain the blade, but would strike a blow against the githzerai. Perhaps, as well, he speculates that the lich-queen hoped that there might be some clue or guide in the monastery that would allow the PCs to find the blade. Alas, he assures the PCs, that is not so, for the way lies only in his own mind.

Belthomais will then explain that a bargain that is made under false pretenses is not a bargain at all. There is no honour in such an agreement and, in fact, there is no agreement. Therefore, the PCs will not violate their word by agreeing not to return the blade to the lich-queen.

If the PCs agree to accept Belthomais' terms, then the grandmaster will require that they swear solemn oaths to their gods and the multiverse to abide by the terms. He will warn that failure to honour this oath will earn the emnity of all githzerai and likely bring the wrath of the inevitables upon them as well. Belthomais tell the PCs that the lord of insanity Ssendam has claimed the blade as his own. He will warn the PCs of Ssendam's powers...mainly his energy drain ability, his change shape ability, and most importantly, his word of chaos ability, which will possibly slay the PCs the moment they hear the word. If the PCs ask for advice to defend against this latter ability, the grandmaster will recommend induced deafness as a possible solution, despite the effects it will have on spellcasting. He will also warn the PCs to strike quickly. Ssendam is a lord of chaos and his forces will be initially quite disorganized. But if the PCs rouse him and allow him time to rally his considerable forces, they may find that recovery of the blade is all but impossible.

Succeeding without the Grandmaster:

Unlike the githyanki, where the PCs could proceed to the next step of the scenario without peacefully dealing with the lich-queen (by defeating her and finding her notations and maps in area 10, or by sneaking into area 10 and stealing the documents), there are no direct clues or trails to be found here. The mundane denizens of the monastery know about the break in of the monastery a couple of years ago, and they are also aware that one item was recovered and returned by a githzerai named Zerimon, but they are certain it was not the sword. They do not know where the blade is now.

The masters of the monastery know the full details of the break in, what they stole (including the item recovered by Zerimon, which was a prison key for a trapped white slaad [see the scenario "The Key to Chaos" for more details]), and who is in possession of the blade currently (the slaad lord Ssendam). They do not know, however, how to reach Ssendam. Nevertheless, once the PCs know that Ssendam has Fedifensor, then the PCs could use the library in the basement of area 19 to research his location.

In the event that the PCs have slain the githzerai, then spells like speak with dead could elicit the information needed. Otherwise, the PCs can torture, magically compel, or otherwise extract the information from one of the living masters.

Part Four - Beyond the Pale

The slaad lord Ssendam has Fedifensor. When the slaadi broke into the treasure vault of Zerth'Al'dun, they were seeking the prison key to free the white slaad Issganndemm from his imprisonment in the continent of Sazhansiir on the Material Plane. The slaadi looted the vault, taking other items as well, the most powerful of which was Fedifensor.

This blade they brought to their lord Ssendam as tribute, and the chaos lord, sensing its power, coveted the blade and now keeps it always with him. He regards the blade as a great trophy and token of status, with which to one day usurp Ygorl and claim lordship over all of the slaadi.

Ssendam dwells in his lair deep in the "shallows" of Limbo. Finding his lair by merely wandering the plane randomly is basically an impossibility. Instead, the PCs will have to get directions to his lair either from the grandmaster himself or from research in the grandmaster's library.

Navigating the Shallows:

Directions are somewhat meaningless in Limbo, except that there is always a current in the sea of chaos that relates to the location of the Spawning Stone (see Manual of the Planes page 96). By carefully watching the currents in Limbo and relating their direction and strength to the location of the Spawning Stone one can make one's way carefully across the shallows. If the grandmaster has aided the PCs in locating Fedifensor, then he will have lent them several scrolls of charts and a strange device called a karushe. He will instruct a lesser master to teach the PCs how to read the karushe and use the charts. With the aid of a master, the PCs can learn to use the device at double the rate detailed in area 19, even despite the fact that they are not getting field practice.

Armed with proper directions and the karushe, the PCs can make their way into the shallows. Properly navigating the shallows requires a base DC Survival check of 30. Using the karushe at full expertise grants a +10 bonus to the check. Furthermore, having a planar atlas at hand grants a +2 circumstance bonus to the check.

The distance from the monastery to Ssendam's lair is measured in time rather than miles. This because the nature of raw Limbo means moving at any speed is a function of one's Wisdom and ability to exert control rather than one's speed. Even if the PCs are immune to fire and can fly and breathe under water, large chunks of earth can stand in their way. Basically, there are three elemental components in Limbo that affect movement. Air is not an impediment, because it allows breathing and subjective gravity means anyone can simply will himself to fall through it in the direction desired. For the other three elements, refer below to their effects when dominant:

Earth-dominant: The area is solid earth or massive chunks of rocks. Travelling at high speed is quite dangerous as the traveller risks either being pummeled and cut by shards of rock or slamming into larger rocks as if falling. Precise damage is left to the DM. The means to counter this trait include having the earth glide ability or becoming incorporeal.

Fire-dominant: The area is full of flames, magma, and bursting fireballs. Unprotected wood, paper, cloth, and other flammable materials catch fire almost immediately, and those wearing unprotected flammable clothing catch on fire (see Catching on Fire in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). In addition, individuals take 3d10 points of fire damage every round they are in a fire-dominant area. Passing through at high speed will still subject individuals to 2d10 points of fire damage if half a round or less is spent in the area. Creatures made of water suffer double damage from the fire in these areas. Having enough fire resistance to ignore even the maximum damage from these areas is sufficient to counter this trait.

Water-dominant: These are usually massive blobs of liquid, sometimes divided into smaller globs and occasionally coming in spurts, gouts, or even cyclones. Hitting these areas at high speeds will result in damage equivalent to jumping into water from a great height. Creatures made of fire suffer 1d10 points of damage each round or fraction of a round they are within this area. Being able to swim (i.e. make a DC 15 Swim check even when rolling a 1 on the d20 or having a swim speed) or being incorporeal will allow one to counter this trait.

The base time to locate Ssendam's lair is 240 hours. For each of the three elemental traits that the PCs can counter, reduce the time by 1/4th. Thus, if the PCs can counter all 3 traits, then the time it will take is reduced to 60 hours.

For each 8 hours spent navigating, a navigation check must be made (DC 30 Survival check, modified as previously indicated). If the check is failed, then that 8 hour time has been spent wandering aimlessly, and a new check must be made to relocate the path (which takes another 8 hours). If the relocation check fails, then another one can be made every 8 hours. Time spent wandering aimlessly and relocating the path does not count towards navigating to the lair. Remember that time passes normally in Limbo, and so 8 hours of travel does not count the time needed to camp, rest, and eat. Thus, unless the PCs can mitigate normal travel needs, they can only travel 8 hours in any 24 hours period.

Wisdom has an effect on controlling raw Limbo, and so the Wisdom of the PC exerting control can speed up the PCs. Use the highest Wisdom score amongst the PCs. Do not count any Wisdom bonuses unless they last for at least 4 hours. Treat such bonuses that last between 4-7 hours as half effective and bonuses that last 8+ hours as fully effective. Then consult the following table:

Wisdom 1-3 = No ability to travel unless all 3 traits are countered.

Wisdom 4-7 = Multiply all travel times by 15 due to the almost complete inability to control raw Limbo and the tiny region controlled when successful.

Wisdom 8-11 = Multiply all travel times by 3 due to the difficulty in controlling raw Limbo and the small region controlled when successful.

Wisdom 12-15 = Multiply all travel times by 1.5 due to the difficulty in regularly controlling raw Limbo and the modest region controlled when successful.

Wisdom 16-19 = Normal travel times due to the normal ability to control raw Limbo and the normal region controlled when successful.

Wisdom 20-23 = Multiply all travel times by 2/3rds due to the greater ability to control raw Limbo and the somewhat larger region controlled when successful as well as the ability to stabilize small areas.

Wisdom 24+ = Multiply all travel times by 1/3rd due to the exceptional ability to control raw Limbo and the much larger region controlled when successful as well as the ability to stabilize areas.

When the PCs bed down for the night, unless they are able to stabilize some of the plane, they will need to have at least one person awake and exerting control for the entire time or will need to have the means to protect themselves such as rope trick.

Creatures native to the "shallows" (pretty much only slaadi and chaos beasts) can automatically control the raw Limbo around them in a tight sheath, and can do so even if asleep or unconscious, allowing them to essentially move unhindered by the environment.

Remember the restriction on teleportation in the shallows. Because of this, the PCs will not be able to simply locate Ssendam's lair, retreat back to Zerth'Ad'lun by means of greater teleport, and then greater teleport back to confront the slaad lord.

Shallows Encounters:

The chance of an encounter is 8% per 6 hour period. If an encounter is indicated, roll again to see if another encounter occurs in the same period, and so on until the 8% chance is not rolled. To determine the nature of the encounter, roll a d10 and consult the following chart:

1-2 = slaadi encounter (refer below).
3-4 = chaos beasts (refer below)
5-7 = abyssal encounter (refer to page 149 of Manual of the Planes). Reroll any results of petitioner.
8-10 = beatific encounter (refer to page 152 of Manual of the Planes). Reroll any results of petitioner.

Note that slaadi can also be encountered on the abyssal table as well. In that case use the numbers and types as indicated on that table.

For slaadi encountered by a roll of 1-2 above, refer to the following table by rolling d100:

01-20 = blue slaad (1d4)
21-35 = death slaad (1)
36-55 = grey slaad (1d2)
56-75 = green slaad (1d4)
76-90 = red slaad (1d4)
91-00 = mixed group, roll twice (and keep doing so as long as this result is rolled, so it is possible to have 3, 4 or even 5 or more groups encountered together)

For chaos beasts encountered by a roll of 3-4 above, they are always Large and have 1d12+12 Hit Dice and are encountered singly. Four sample chaos beasts are presented below.

CHAOS BEAST CR 11 CN Large outsider (chaotic, native) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +16, Spot +16 AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 16; Dodge, Mobility hp 111 (13 HD) Immune critical hits, transformation SR 15 Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +8 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 claws +18 (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +13; Grp +23 Abilities Str 22, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Ability Focus (corporeal instability), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Mobility Skills Balance +3, Climb +22, Escape Artist +17, Hide +13, Jump +18, Listen +16, Search +16, Spot +16, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks), Tumble +19, Use Rope +1 (+3 with bindings) CHAOS BEAST CR 12 CN Large outsider (chaotic, native) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +19, Spot +19 AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 16; Dodge, Mobility hp 152 (16 HD) Immune critical hits, transformation SR 15 Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +12 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 claws +21 (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +16; Grp +26 Abilities Str 22, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Ability Focus (corporeal instability), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Iron Will, Mobility Skills Balance +3, Climb +25, Escape Artist +20, Hide +16, Jump +21, Listen +19, Search +19, Spot +19, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks), Tumble +22, Use Rope +1 (+3 with bindings) CHAOS BEAST CR 14 CN Large outsider (chaotic, native) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +23, Spot +23 AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16; Dodge, Mobility hp 190 (20 HD) Immune critical hits, transformation SR 15 Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +14 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 claws +25 (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +20; Grp +30 Abilities Str 22, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Ability Focus (corporeal instability), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility Skills Balance +3, Climb +29, Escape Artist +25, Hide +21, Jump +25, Listen +23, Search +23, Spot +23, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks), Tumble +27, Use Rope +2 (+4 with bindings) CHAOS BEAST CR 16 CN Large outsider (chaotic, native) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +27, Spot +27 AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16; Dodge, Mobility hp 228 (24 HD) Immune critical hits, transformation SR 15 Fort +20, Ref +18, Will +16 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee 2 claws +29 (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +24; Grp +34 Abilities Str 22, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Feats Ability Focus (corporeal instability), Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility Skills Balance +5, Climb +33, Escape Artist +29, Hide +25, Jump +31, Listen +27, Search +27, Spot +27, Survival +0 (+4 following tracks), Tumble +29, Use Rope +2 (+6 with bindings) Corporeal Instability (Su) A blow from a chaos beast against a living creature can cause a terrible transformation. The creature must succeed on a DC 19, 22, 24, or 26 (respectively) Fortitude save or become a spongy, amorphous mass. Unless the victim manages to control the effect (see below), its shape melts, flows, writhes, and boils. The save DC is Constitution-based. An affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. Clothing, armor, rings, and helmets become useless. Large items worn or carried - armor, backpacks, even shirts - hamper more than help, reducing the victim’s Dexterity score by 4. Soft or misshapen feet and legs reduce speed to 10 feet or one-quarter normal, whichever is less. Searing pain courses along the nerves, so strong that the victim cannot act coherently. The victim cannot cast spells or use magic items, and it attacks blindly, unable to distinguish friend from foe (-4 penalty on attack rolls and a 50% miss chance, regardless of the attack roll). Each round the victim spends in an amorphous state causes 1 point of Wisdom drain from mental shock. If the victim’s Wisdom score falls to 0, it becomes a chaos beast. A victim can regain its own shape by taking a standard action to attempt a DC 15 Charisma check (this check DC does not vary for a chaos beast with different Hit Dice or ability scores). A success reestablishes the creature’s normal form for 1 minute. On a failure, the victim can still repeat this check each round until successful. Corporeal instability is not a disease or a curse and so is hard to remove. A shapechange or stoneskin spell does not cure an afflicted creature but fixes its form for the duration of the spell. A restoration, heal, or greater restoration spell removes the affliction (a separate restoration is necessary to restore any drained points of Wisdom). Immunity to Transformation (Ex) No mortal magic can permanently affect or fix a chaos beast’s form. Effects such as polymorphing or petrification force the creature into a new shape, but at the start of its next turn it immediately returns to its mutable form as a free action.

Combat in Limbo:

DMs should refer heavily to the appropriate pages of the Manual of the Planes, as it details the precise effects of controlling raw Limbo, which is useful during combat. Additonally, subjective gravity is dealt with.

Sighting distance is heavily dependent upon the traits present in a given area of raw Limbo. The DM should first determine the nature of the local raw Limbo and then set a suitable encounter distance.

Despite the fact that the PCs may be travelling at extreme rates of speed across Limbo, most creatures can easily match this speed, especially if they can counter some or most of the traits, or if they are native to the plane their amazing control of the traits allows them to move at extremely fast speeds and extremely precisely. Such beings are adept at altering and matching their trajectories with that of their prey.

Planned Encounters:

The following are a series of planned encounters designed to better acquaint the PCs with the unusual environment in which they are travelling and to provide some opportunity to intereact with or combat creatures on the plane. The DM does not have to use any or all of these encounters, as they are not necessary to finish the scenario. The chronological spacing of these encounters is left up to the DM.

Planned Encounter #1 - Orphan Rescue (EL 18)

A chaos dragon female has stabilized a portion of raw limbo in order to create a creche for its eggs. Now the eggs have just hatched and the hatchlings emerged.

Unfortunately for the mother dragon, the mewling of the hatchlings has caught the attention of a ravenous pack of limbo stalkers that are also in the throes of maternity and desperately seek a large corpse in which to lay their eggs.

As the PCs travel through Limbo they will espy a large round boulder some 100 ft in diameter with a 20 ft diameter hole in its face. The boulder slowly tumbles and revolves as it drifts through the Limbo currents and is approximately 2000 ft away.

The PCs will also notice the corpses of two limbo stalkers floating towards them through the chaos. One of these creatures has been horribly melted by acid and the other is coated in frosty rime. The stalkers are floating away from the boulder and towards the PCs.

Suddenly, a massive roar will sound from the boulder. The roar will literally shake the boulder slightly before suddenly becoming cut off.

The PCs have arrived in the vicinity just as the battle with the dragon mother has ended. The roar was the final death rattle of the beast. Now the limbo stalkers are beginning to plant their eggs within the corpse and will soon turn to the eggs and hatchlings of the dragon, eating them one at a time.

This encounter is effectively run on the clock. From the moment the PCs hear the death roar of the dragon mother, the DM should keep precise track of time.

The limbo stalkers within the dragon creche will take 5 minutes or 50 rounds to lay their eggs. Once this is done, they will begin to slay hatchlings at a rate of 1 per 10 rounds (they enjoy teasing and playing with each hatchling before they slay it, rip it apart, and consume it). After the 3 hatchlings are slain, they will turn to the eggs, consuming 1 egg every 5 rounds.

Therefore, after a total 90 rounds, they will have slain all of the draconic progeny. After another 10 rounds of loitering, they will leave the creche, abandoning their eggs to the whimsy of fate.

The hatchlings, if at least one is alive, will be mewling piteously, allowing the PCs a DC -5 Listen check to hear it from within (modified by distance).

Creatures: A total of 10 limbo stalkers are present. The pack originally numbered 12, but two died in their assault on the dragon and any wounds inflicted on the survivors have healed via fast healing. 4 of these are outside the boulder, keeping watch. They are using their limited invisibility to hide amongst the raw Limbo outside the boulder. The remaining limbo stalkers are within the boulder, where they cannot utilize their limited invisbility because the boulder is stabilized and thus cannot be controlled.

ADVANCED LIMBO STALKERS (10) CR 11 Planar Handbook page 126 CN Large magical beast (chaotic, native) Init +2; Senses darkvision 90 ft, low-light vision, scent, Track; Listen +6, Spot +7 AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 21 hp 158 (15 HD), fast healing 5 Immune electricity, fire Resist acid 5, cold 5 Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +8 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee 2 claws +22 (1d10+7) and bite +19 (2d8+3) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +15; Grp +26 Atk Options Power Attack Special Action Improved Bull Rush, limited invisibility Abilities Str 24, Dex 15, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Feats Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (claws) Skills Listen +6, Spot +7 Limited Invisibility (Ex) Just as other predators use their environments as camouflage, a limbo stalker is able to exert its will over its immediate surroundings in Limbo to conceal its own presence. By making a DC 16 Wisdom check as a free action, a limbo stalker can wrap itself in an area of controlled Limbo so that it seems to vanish. If this check fails, a limbo stalker can attempt the check once per round as a free action. Once a limbo stalker establishes control, it need not check again. This effect ends the moment the limbo stalker moves or attacks. It likewise ends if another sentient creature exerts control over the same area of Limbo and uncovers the limbo stalker. Because this effect is not magic and is not actually invisibility but rather a sort of camoufage, spells like see invisbility will not locate a limbo stalker under limited invisibility.

Tactics: The limbo stalkers hiding outside the boulder will attempt to ambush intruders that try to approach or enter the boulder. Their hoots and yells will alert those inside. Once those outside attack, they will still always attempt, once per round as a free action, to revert back to invisibility, usually after they have attacked.

The stalkers within, once alerted to conflict outside, will emerge and begin to aid their fellows.

If half of their number is defeated, the rest will attempt to flee, hooting and howling, into the raw Limbo.

Developments:

The boulder is shown on the map above. The interior is roughly 20 ft high and should be treated as hewn stone.

Hewn Stone Floor A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across such a floor. Failure means the character can still act, but can’t run or charge in this round.

The mother dragon's body is splayed out in the main chamber just after the entryway. It is clear she has been disemboweled and if the body is examined, well over 40 small eggs about the size of a fist have been implanted within.

A DC 30 Knowledge (arcana) will determine that the eggs inside the dragon are not dragon eggs. A DC 25 Heal check will determine that the eggs are not in the proper place to have been the dragon mother's eggs. Grant a +5 circumstance bonus if the character is of the dragonblood subtype or of a class or prestige class that deals with dragons. Grant a +10 circumstance bonus to the check if the character is of the dragon type.

In the final chamber are the progeny of the mother dragon. These are alive or dead depending upon the amount of time that passed before the PCs were able to draw the limbo stalkers away from the creche. If dead, the mostly consumed corpses will litter the floor, along with broken egg shells in a small stone depression. If alive, 3 egg shells will be split open from the hatching and two others will be intact sitting in a small stone depression. Three mewling hatchling chaos dragons will be groping around searching for their mother and wailing pitifully.

Newly born hatchlings cannot fly, have a -2 to Dexterity, and a -2 to attack rolls. These penalties will disappear after an hour.

CHAOS DRAGON HATCHLINGS (3) CR 11 Draconomicon page 177 CG Small dragon (chaotic, native) Init +4; Senses blindsense 60 ft, darkvision 120 ft, keen senses; Listen +13, Spot +13 Languages Draconic, Celestial AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 16 hp 51 (6 HD) Immune compulsion, paralysis, sleep Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +7 Spd 60 ft (12 squares), fly 150 ft (30 squares) (poor); Hover Melee bite +6 (1d6) and 2 claws +1 (1d4) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +6; Grp +2 Atk Options Special Action breath weapon (40 ft line or 30 ft cone, DC 15, 2d4) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1): 1/day - cloak of chaos (DC 21), dispel law (DC 18), mind fog (DC 18), mislead (DC 19), word of chaos (DC 20) 3/day - entropic shield, protection from law, chaos hammer (DC 17) Abilities Str 11, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 16 Feats Alertness, Hover, Improved Initiative Skills Concentration +11, Diplomacy +9, Escape Artist +9, Intimidate +12, Listen +13, Search +10, Sense Motive +8, Spot +13, Survival +2 (+4 to follow tracks) Breath Weapon (Su) Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a chaos dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. Even though a chaos dragon has more than one type of breath weapon, it still can breathe only once every 1d4 rounds. A blast from a breath weapon always starts at any intersection adjacent to the dragon and extends in a direction of the dragon’s choice. If the breath weapon deals damage, creatures caught in the area can attempt a DC 15 Reflex save to take half damage. Saves against nondamaging breath weapons use the same DC. The save DC against a breath weapon is 10 + ½ dragon’s HD + dragon’s Con modifier. A chaos dragon has two types of breath weapon, a line of energy and a cone of confusion gas. The energy type of its breath weapon is determined randomly each time it uses the breath weapon by rolling d%: 01-20 acid, 21-40 cold, 41-60 electricity, 61-80 fire, 81-100 sonic. Even the dragon itself doesn't know which type of energy it will emit before it actually breathes. Creatures within the cone of confusion gas must succeed on a Will save or be confused for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per age category of the dragon. Keen Senses (Ex) A dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

The PCs have several options once the fighting is done. They can attempt to adopt the hatchlings and/or incubate the eggs. Precise details are left to the DM, though reference should be made to page 11 of the Draconomicon, which gives rules for incubating and hatching eggs and page 13 of the Draconomicon, which gives rules for rearing dragons. The DM should give suitable penalties to rearing these dragons due to their highly chaotic nature.

The eggs will be ready to hatch in 1d100 hours (check for each intact egg).

Alternatively, the PCs can attempt to revive the dragon mother from the dead. This will require the normal checks in Therra for Mergurr's Touch. Assuming the PCs are able to revive the mother dragon, she will be very grateful, especially if her young are still alive. The mother is chaotic good and will be helpful to the PCs if they are also good-aligned and friendly if neutral. Even if evil, she will be indifferent to them and cordial.

While the mother dragon would usually be inclined to accompany the PCs on their mission against Ssendam as thanks, she will not wish to leave her progeny or to take them with her into danger. She will refuse this even if the PCs devise ways to protect the younglings. However, she will give her name to the PCs and will agree to do them a favour in the future once her hatchlings have grown.

The dragon mother has no treasure in this creche. Unlike most dragons, chaos dragons do not keep hoards. They tend to be too flighty and fickle to stay in one place long enough to amass a hoard and quickly lose interest in wealth anyways.

Planned Encounter #2 - Beyond the Beyond (EL 24)

The invasion of the Far Realms into reality has begun in Limbo, as evidenced by the black spot being observed by the githzerai monks of Zerth'Ad'lun. But the invasion's tendrils are reaching into multiple points in the shallows, corrupting those creatures it touches.

Creatures: One such creature is a chaos beast that has been warped by a Far Realm tendril. This has driven an already chaotic creature insane and it now ravens across raw Limbo seeking victims.

The PCs will be travelling through the shallows when the espy a speck of blackness (similar to that see by the monks outside the monastery). The speck is small, but whether that is from size or distance is not discernible. As they watch, the speck will grow, until after a mere moment it is clear that a massive tendril of blackness has stretched an impossible distance at an impossible speed. As it nears the PCs, it will suddenly slow and stop and spit out a horrific looking creature that is a jumble of ever-changing organs, body parts, and tentacles, all shifting preternaturally. This is the pseudonatural chaos beast and it will immediately attack the PCs.

Despite being nonnative to Limbo, the beast has complete control of raw Limbo, just as a normal chaos beast. The creature can be banished or otherwise removed from this plane and back to the Far Realms by normal means (assuming its rather massive spell resistance can be overcome!).

EPIC PSEUDONATURAL ADVANCED CHAOS BEAST CR 24 Epic Level Handbook page 212 CN Large outsider (chaotic, extraplanar) Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +20, Spot +20 Aura alternate form (-1 to oponent attack rolls) AC 50, touch 15, flat-footed 44; Dodge, Mobility hp 231 (14 HD) Immune critcal hits, transformation Resist acid 30, electricity 30; SR 70 Fort +17, Ref +15, Will +14 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee 6 tentacles +45 (2d8+17 plus corporeal instability) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +14; Grp +35 Atk Options constant insight, improved grab Special Action rotting constriction Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20): At will - blur, dimension door, shield, unhallow Abilities Str 44, Dex 22, Con 27, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10 SQ alternate form Feats Ability Focus (corporeal instability), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Mobility Skills Climb +34, Escape Artist +23, Hide +19, Jump +30, Listen +22, Search +17, Spot +22, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Tumble +25, Use Rope +6 (+8 with bindings) Alternate Form (Su) At will, an epic pseudonatural creature can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (or another appropriately gruesome form determined by the DM), but all its abilities remain unchanged despite the alien appearance. Changing shape is a standard action. Other creatures receive a -1 morale penalty on their attack rolls against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate form. Constant Insight (Su) An epic pseudonatural creature makes all its attacks with a +15 insight bonus. The creature is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target. Corporeal Instability (Su) A blow from a chaos beast against a living creature can cause a terrible transformation. The creature must succeed on a DC 27 Fortitude save or become a spongy, amorphous mass. Unless the victim manages to control the effect (see below), its shape melts, flows, writhes, and boils. The save DC is Constitution-based. An affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. Clothing, armor, rings, and helmets become useless. Large items worn or carried - armor, backpacks, even shirts - hamper more than help, reducing the victim’s Dexterity score by 4. Soft or misshapen feet and legs reduce speed to 10 feet or one-quarter normal, whichever is less. Searing pain courses along the nerves, so strong that the victim cannot act coherently. The victim cannot cast spells or use magic items, and it attacks blindly, unable to distinguish friend from foe (-4 penalty on attack rolls and a 50% miss chance, regardless of the attack roll). Each round the victim spends in an amorphous state causes 1 point of Wisdom drain from mental shock. If the victim’s Wisdom score falls to 0, it becomes a chaos beast. A victim can regain its own shape by taking a standard action to attempt a DC 15 Charisma check (this check DC does not vary for a chaos beast with different Hit Dice or ability scores). A success reestablishes the creature’s normal form for 1 minute. On a failure, the victim can still repeat this check each round until successful. Corporeal instability is not a disease or a curse and so is hard to remove. A shapechange or stoneskin spell does not cure an afflicted creature but fixes its form for the duration of the spell. A restoration, heal, or greater restoration spell removes the affliction (a separate restoration is necessary to restore any drained points of Wisdom). Immunity to Transformation (Ex) No mortal magic can permanently affect or fix a chaos beast’s form. Effects such as polymorphing or petrification force the creature into a new shape, but at the start of its next turn it immediately returns to its mutable form as a free action. Improved Grab (Ex) If the creature hits an opponent smaller than it with a tentacle, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Rotting Constriction (Ex) Once the creature has hold of an opponent, each successful grapple check it makes during subsequent rounds permanently drains 2d4 points of Constitution. At the same time, the creature regains 10 lost hit points.

FEATS: Improved Toughness (MM4 p203) - gain 1 hp per HD.