Return to the Therran Scenario Page
Summary:
The PCs are heading from Thella-lu towards the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon when they come across an unconscious githzerai who is attempting to prevent a slaad lord from being released from his ancient prison.
Assumptions:
The PCs are all from Jerranq. They have left Thella-lu and are heading to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon.
Location:
Eastern terminus of Mallar's Peaks, Sazhansiir
Historical Date:
N.S.33, month of Sowing (summer)
DM's Introduction:
In ancient times the scaled ones employed slaadi as slaves in their battles against the Okothians. The slaadi were useful as slave-soldiers because they were not technically evil and therefore they were immune to or able to bypass many of the wards and magicks of the Okothians. The most powerful of these slaadi warriors was a white slaad named Isganndemm. Issganndemm was eventually imprisoned by powerful priests of Okoth aided by hierarchs of the Sapphire Eidolon and by a coterie of githzerai who had long opposed Issganndemm in Limbo and now sought to finally defeat the slaad lord while he was away from his many servants and thus vulnerable. The slaad lord was imprisoned because he was simply too powerful to defeat with his immense fast healing ability and his prodigious magical powers and chaos abilities. The key to his prison was kept in the event that one day he could be destroyed, and this key was given to the githzerai to keep safe on Limbo.
Recently, a group of slaadi attacked the githzerai monastery where the key was hidden. These slaadi are ancient servants of Issganndemm and they seek to release their master. Promising a term of service to a group of yuan-ti led by a sorcerer, the slaadi were summoned to Sazhansiir by the yuan-ti and they immediately headed to the place of imprisonment.
When the githzerai determined that the key had been stolen, they organized a rrakkma or hunting party (usually applying to illithid hunting parties but technically applying to any mission-specific hunting party) and travelled to Sazhansiir using their leader's psionic plane shift ability*. They emerged about 200 miles from the Temple of the Sapphire Hierarchs and travelled to the temple and requested aid from the Hierarchs. Such aid was granted, and a war party of skarns led by Ysati Harkedde was sent with the rrakkma to intercept the slaadi and prevent them from releasing Issganndemm.
The combined warparty sought to catch the slaadi by surprise and slay them, but their yuan-ti allies used divination spells to become aware of the ambush, and the ambushers became the ambushees. The slaadi and yuan-ti fell upon the warparty and decimated both the rrakkma and the skarns, though at great cost to themselves. They then turned to the prison in order to release the trapped white slaad. However, the prison itself was warded by guards and traps, and more of the slaadi and yuan-ti fell to these. But the few remaining survivors are now close to their goal of releasing Issganndemm and unleashing him upon Sazhansiir for a time and then upon the githzerai of Limbo for an eternity.
The PCs could be heading to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon for various reasons. Perhaps they wish to join the order. Or perhaps they need advice from the Hierarchs. In the historical campaign, the PCs explored some ancient ruins in the depths of Mallar's Peaks and uncovered magic items and ancient writings relating to incarnum and the Sapphire Eidolon, and inquiring about them at Thella-lu, they learned that such a temple exists far to the west along the northern edge of Mallar's Peaks. The goliath stonespeakers of Thella-lu could not say for certain how far to the west the Temple lies, but they are certain it is well past the Yithtanitl River.
If the PCs have journeyed from Thella-lu, it is up to the DM to make the journey as eventful or uneventful as possible. This scenario begins as the PCs approach the vicinity of the prison site.
* Githzerai, not being outsiders and having originated on the Material Plane, are not warded by the Cosmic Barrier surrounding Therra and can travel to the Material Plane using plane shift. Furthermore, they come in full body (and not just an astral projection) when they do so travel
Note: The slaadi have been called to this plane (not summoned) using planar binding spells, and as such are able to stay in Therra until their task (freeing the slaad lord) is completed, at which time they will return to Limbo. Having been called across the Cosmic Barrier, the forms they wear in Therra are their astral bodies, and as such, when they die, they do not perish but return to their slumbering forms in Limbo. Any equipment they brought with them would also vanish (though they only brought the key with them, and since that was forged originally on Therra, it can remain on Therra indefinitely and will not return to Limbo with the slaadi).
Preamble - Possible Encounters:
Presented in this section are some encounters that the PCs can run across on their way to the battle site in Part One below. The DM should feel free to use these or not as desired and to space them out or bunch them together. These encounters assume that the PCs are travelling along the vale between the Erinquiril Jungle and Mallar's Peaks.
Encounter One - Snapping Bones (EL 8)
In the tall grass of the vale, a pack of bonesnappers skulks in the grass approaching the PCs. They will attempt to creep up as close to the PCs as possible before attaching.
|
ADVANCED BONESNAPPERS (4)
CR 4 * bonesnappers have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in their natural environment. |
Tactics: The bonesnappers will, as is their wont, fight to the death. However, if one is able to grab a Small or smaller opponent, it will try to carry it off.
Encounter Two - Death from the Trees (EL 11)
A company of girallons hides in a copse of trees that the PC approach. As the PCs pass by, they cimb down from the trees and attack, seeking to grab prey and withdraw with it high into the trees to rip it apart and consume it.
| GIRALLONS (5)
CR 6 N Large magical beast Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; Listen +1, Spot +6 AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 15 hp 58 (7 HD) Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5 Spd 40 ft (8 squares), climb 40 ft (8 squares) Melee 4 claws +12 (1D4+6) and bite +7 (1D8+3) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +7; Grp +17 Atk Options rend 2D4+9 Abilities Str 22, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7 Feats Iron Will, Toughness (2) Skills Climb +14, Move Silently +8, Spot +6 Rend (Ex) A girallon that hits with two or more claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2D4+9 points of damage. |
Tactics: The girallons will attack savagely, but are inclined to flee if reduced to 10% of their hit points or less. Each will flee individually. In addition, if they can grab size Medium or smaller prey they will try to drag it back up a tree to consume it at their leisure. However, this is likely to attract one or more other girallons to climb the tree and squabble over the meal.
Enterprising PCs can simply throw food and run, in which case the girallons will likely go after the food (some or all depending upon how much is left behind).
Encounter Three - An Orphan called Trouble (EL 10)
The PCs are peacefully approached by a crew of dakons, who approach from the nearby foothills.
| DAKONS (18)
CR 1 Tome of Horror 3.5 page 86 LN Large magical beast Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +6, Spot +6 Languages Azotlan AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 13 hp 13 (2 HD) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4 Spd 30 ft (6 squares), climb 30 ft (6 squares) Melee 2 claws +6 (1D6+5) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +2; Grp +11 Abilities Str 21, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10 Feats Alertness Skills Climb +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Spot +6 |
Developments: The dakons will approach cautiously, but with a hand upraised in peace. If the PCs are aggressive, they will flee as a group, only fighting if cornered or if flight is impossible. Should the PCs allow them to parley, they will speak in Azotlan. If the PCs cannot understand them, then they will attempt to pantomime to convey their desires.
The dakons wish to trade with the PCs. The only thing they have to offer is a baby dragonnel, a hatchling that has just broken from its egg and is still blind and quivering and about the size of a housecat. The thing is mewling and seems under a bit of distress.
If asked, the dakons will say that they found the orphaned creature in an abandoned clutch of eggs, the other having been smashed. The dakons will say that they know the humans to the north of the jungle sometimes value these creatures and train them as mounts, and the dakons were heading there to trade. However, seeing the PCs, they hope they can avoid a long journey and trade the youngling to the PCs.
If the PCs refuse, the dakons will simply head north into the jungle and attempt to make their way to the Azotchtlan Lands and trade the creature.
If the PCs wish to bargain, they will have to offer the dakons items in kind. The dakons do not value coins or gems, nor armour or weapons. They do value other magic items, such as cloaks and potions (no scrolls) and would be willing to make a trade along those lines. Per Draconomicon, dragonnel wyrmlings sell for 7,500 gp. However, in order to save themselves the time and danger of a journey, they are willing to settle for half that price.
In a pinch, they will accept coins and gems, as they know those are valued by the humans to the north, but they will only value them at half price, since it would take them a similar journey to cash them in.
If the PCs make the trade then the dakons will head back towards their home in the peaks. In any event, should the trade happen (or the PCs take the dragonnel wyrmling by force), then at some time later (the same day or perhaps a different day), a pack of dragonnels will accost the PCs, seeking to free their kin.
The dragonnels will fly above the PCs and roar, hoping to shake up the PCs and cause them to be disoriented and out of sorts. Then they will demand that the PCs turn over the wyrmling. The dragonnels will not "purchase" their kin...they do not believe anyone can own one of their kind and will not be at all sympathetic to the PCs' claims that they spent a fortune to get the orphan. If the PCs do not turn over the wyrmling, the dragonnels will attack.
Threatening to slay the orphan will not deter the dragonnels. In fact, they are more angry at the affrontery of attempting to own one of their kin than they are actually concerned with the well-being of the wyrmling.
| DRAGONNELS (9)
CR 4 Draconomicon page 151 N Large dragon Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; Listen +12, Spot +12 Languages Draconic AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 15 hp 45 (6 HD) Immune magic sleep effects, paralysis Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6 Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 90 ft (18 squares)(average) Melee bite +9 (2D6+4) and 2 claws +4 (1D8+2) Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +7; Grp +15 Special Actions roar 1/day Abilities Str 19, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10 Feats Ability Focus (roar), Alertness, Improved Initiative Skills Hide +6, Listen +12, Move Silently +10, Spot +12 Roar (Ex) Once per day, a dragonnel can unleash a mighty roar. All enemies within a 30 ft radius spread who can hear the dragonnel must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or become shaken for 1D6 rounds. |
Tactics: The dragonnels will attack relentlessly, though they will not all throw their lives away even for the wyrmling. If more than half of their number are slain or defeated, any further dragonnels brought to less than 15 hp will flee the battle.
Developments: If the PCs keep the wyrmling, they can attempt to raise it. For the next 4 weeks, the wyrmling is so young that it is subject to infant mortality and each week a DC 15 Heal check , DC 20 Handle Animal check, and a DC 25 Knowledge (arcana) check need to be made to care for the creature. Different individuals can make the checks, but only a single attempt may be made for each skill. Two of the three checks must be made to keep the wyrmling alive. If only one is made, the wyrmling grows sickly. Any further further failure results in its death. If all three checks are failed, the wyrmling expires.
Once past the 4 week period, the infant is past the danger stage and it is up to the DM to handle raising the creature. At some point the PC must change the wyrmling's attitude from indifferent to friendly, by way of feeding it, playing with it, and otherwise caring for it. If the PCs cannot speak Draconic, a -5 penalty will apply to the roll. As mentioned in Draconomicon, it takes 6 weeks of work and a DC 30 Handle Animal check to train the now friendly youngling, and even then it will not be large enough to bear a rider until it matures (which takes years).
Part One - The Aftermath Begins:
In this part the PCs come upon the aftermath of the battle between the rrakkma and the Eidolon warparty and the slaadi and yuan-ti. Shortly thereafter, they find an unconscious githzerai warrior and manage to learn of the attempt to free Isganndemm. The githzerai warrior requests the PCs' aid in thwarting the slaadi.
|
|
The First Battle (EL 8)
| In a small vale formed like a shallow bowl surrounded by grass-covered rises is a scene of battle. Flies buzz in the summer heat around bodies that lie amongst rust coloured swaths of grass and bits of broken weapons, cloven shields, and other debris of conflict. |
The bodies include 4 yuan-ti purebloods, 2 skarns, and 4 githzerai (2 mud slaadi also perished, but their bodies disappeared). The DM should not name the creatures whose bodies are found, but describe them generally and then allow a Knowledge check of the proper type to determine the exact name of the creature. In the case of the slaad and githzerai it would be Knowledge (planes). In the case of the purebloods and skarn, given that the PCs likely do not have much or any exposure to these creatures, no amount of Knowledge skill will divulge their exact names or natures.
The purebloods appear to be male and bear remnants of purple tunics embroidered with serpent symbols.
The first skarn is a female and wears a cerulean cloak (torn and ripped in many places) and deep blue tunic and pants. Near her neck is a wooden disk on a torn leather thong, the disk emblazoned with an eye carved into its face. The disk is a holy symbol of Ularinn and the body is that of Ysati from the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon.
The second skarn is a male and wears what appears to be shredded hide armour.
The githzerai wear the battered and bloody remnants of dun coloured hooded robes.
There is no treasure on the bodies, which appear to have been looted. A DC 15 Heal check will determine that the creatures were slain perhaps 48 hours ago and will also reveal that the creatures all died of violence, including hacks from weapons, crushes from bludgeons, and in at least one case (the skarn) burn marks as if from magic.
A close search of the battlefield debris will divulge shreds of leather armour, a cloven wooden light shield, an obsidian dagger, and the shards of what may have been a scimitar.
Creatures: In addition to the clouds of normal flies, a swarm of giant flies hovers around the area, landing to dissolve and suck up some part of a corpse before alighting once again and hovering around the area. There are a total of 8 giant flies in the area, and though they are prone to carrion, if they are disturbed they will attack living creatures en masse.
| GIANT FLIES
(8) CR 2 Tome of Horrors 3.5 page 202 N Medium vermin Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft, scent; Listen +0, Spot +4 AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 hp 16 (3 HD) Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1 Spd 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (12 squares)(average) Melee bite +4 (1D6+3) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +2; Grp +4 Abilities Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 9 SQ vermin traits Skills Spot +4 |
Furthermore, there are a total of 12 giant maggots in the various bodies, each about a foot long and aggressive only if its body is touched or disturbed. Assume each of the half dozen bodies has 2 such maggots in it.
| GIANT MAGGOTS
(12) CR 1/2 Underdark page 88 N Small vermin Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +0, Spot +0 AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 12 hp 11 (2 HD) Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +0 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee bite +3 (1D6-2) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +1; Grp -5 Abilities Str 7, Dex 13, Con 13, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2 SQ vermin traits Feats Weapon Finesse |
Developments: If the PCs attempt to track around the battlesite to see who might have entered or left it, a DC 8 Track check will turn up a trail to the northeast, a DC 12 Track check will turn up a trail to the southwest, and DC 7 Track check will turn up a third to the northwest towards the jungle.
DMs should note that the first and third trails, being DC 10 or less difficulty, may be followed even without the Track feat.
The trail to the northeast represents the yuan-ti and slaadi group heading to the battlesite. The trail to the southwest represents the skarn and githzerai approaching from the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon. The trail to the northwest represents elements of both groups that, after the initial clash at the battlesite, headed towards the jungle, the skarn and githzerai being pursued by the yuan-ti and slaadi.
The Second Battle
Following the third trail will be easy, as long the way will be found sling bullets, arrows embedded into trees, and dried blood drops. Some 15 minutes along the trail the PCs will come across a second battlesite, larger than the first and buzzing with normal sized flies. This site contains the bodies of a githzerai, 7 skarns, and a yuan-ti abomination (a red slaad was also slain, but its body disappeared). The githzerai is adorned as at the first battlesite and the skarns, a mixture of male and female, are accoutered in shredded leather armour. The githzerai and skarns all shows signs of massive claw and bite marks as well as burns and weapon wounds and most have arrows embedded in them.
The trail continues to the northwest, but is now a DC 10 Track check as it represents the 18 yuan-ti and slaadi that survived the battle and continued on towards the prison.
As the PCs examine the site, they will hear a faint moaning coming from the grass nearby. Investigation will turn up an unconscious githzerai lying face down in the grass atop a pool of dried blood. Examination of the githzerai will reveal nasty bite marks on the shoulder and neck and a horrendous claw mark across his chest and abdomen. If the wounds are examined thoroughly, a DC 16 Heal check will reveal a small blue pellet embedded deeply in the abdominal wound. This is an egg pellet and requires a remove disease spell or a DC 25 Heal check to remove. The egg was implanted 2 days ago and in 4 more days the githzerai will suffer a -10 to all ability scores (minimum 1) and then die the next day as the blue slad hatchling eats its way out of the body.
The githzerai is the last remnant of the rrakkkma, and a junior member at that. He is at -3 hp and has stabilized so far. Should he be healed, he will attempt to speak to the PCs.
| ZERTH ZERIMON
CR 8 Expanded Psionics Handbook page 24 and 199 Male githzerai Psychic Warrior 1/Monk 6 LN Medium humanoid (extraplanar, psionic) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +5, Spot +5 Languages Gith, Celestial, Draconic AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13; Dodge, Mobility hp 39 (7 HD) Immune natural diseases PR 12 Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2; evasion, +2 vs enchantments Spd 50 ft (10 squares) Melee unarmed strike +7 (1D8+1) Melee unarmed strike +6/+6 (1D8+1) Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1D8+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4 ; Grp +5 Combat Gear masterwork composite longbow (+1 Str), arrows (11), cold iron arrows (10), silver arrows (10), adamantine arrows (6), potion of cure moderate wounds (CL 3), potion of haste (CL 5), axiomatic water (6) Atk Options Improved Unarmed Strike, ki strike (magic), Psionic Fist, Stunning Fist Special Actions Combat Reflexes, Improved Disarm Power Points 3 Powers (ML 1, melee touch +7, ranged touch +7): 1 - force screen Psi-Like Abilities (ML 3): 3/day - catfall (30 ft*), concussion blast, psionic daze (6 HD*)(DC 13), inertial armour (+5 AC*) * these represent the augmented effects Abilities Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10 SQ slow fall 30 ft Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Psionic Fist, Psionic Meditation, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Autohypnosis +7, Concentration +11, Jump +8, Listen +5, Search +5 (+6 with mechanus eye), Sense Motive +6, Spot +5, Tumble +13 Possessions combat gear plus belt pouch, masterwork potion belt, mechanus eye |
Zerimon, if brought to consciousness, will be grateful to the PCs and attempt communication with them. As most of his kind, Zerimon is stoic and shows little emotion, speaking in a strange rasping monotone with weird inflections and emphases. His speech is prosaic and inundated with metaphors. Below is a sample of what he might say initially:
I give you my thanks, you who seem to be strangers to me and to this land. I am Zerth Zerimon, one of many islands of stability in the tossed seas of chaos. It is my duty and my obligation to bind myself to my task, and that task is now a single branch amidst an erupting volcano. For my destiny was my rrakkma, which lies sundered at your feet in pools of rust. Yet, I must continue, even in hopelessness, for who can gainsay his fate? It is my weird to follow the rrakkma to its end and in the doing of this I ensure the continuance of my order, even in my death.
If questioned, Zerimon will say that he was part of a rrakkma, or githzerai hunting party that dwelt in its monestary on the plane of Limbo, which lies on the edge of the universe. This rrakkma was formed when a key was stolen by the servants of chaos called the slaadi. The slaadi seek to release an ancient evil that was imprisoned in this land millenia ago. This evil was a lord of slaadi-kind, who was so powerful that it could not be slain and had to be imprisoned. The rrakkma came to this land from Limbo using the powers of the leader of the rrakkma, for it was believed that the slaadi had found some way to come to this land from Limbo, possibly with the help of mortal spellcasters.
The rrakkma made its way to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon and enlisted the aid of the hierarchs there, in honour of ancient alliance between the two. They then hastened toward the prison, but where ambushed by the slaadi and scaled ones who seemed to be waiting for them. There were two battles...a fight somewhere nearby and the slaadi and their allies had the best of the rrakkma and skarn. The survivors fled in this direction, trying to find someplace to regroup, but as far as he knows all of his companions were cut down. He was knocked unconscious but managed to stagger and collapse in the tall grass and knew nothing until now.
Zerimon will welcome any aid from the PCs, though he will express some bemusement as to why they would wish to involve themselves in this matter, but he will not be too curious as to the PCs' origins in some far-off land, except to say that he was not aware that humans practiced arcane magic should any PCs display such ability. If questioned as to whether Zerimon knows of Jerranq, he will say that he has never heard of it. His people always have come to this land when travelling to the center of the multiverse, though he knows others of his kind have mentioned other lands far away.
Should he be asked about this land, he will say that his knowledge is extremely limited, for he has never been here and his kind rarely travel here, except in the ancient time to battle the imprisoned entity, whose name is Issganndemm, and imprison him. It is his recollection that the scaled ones of ancient times summoned the slaadi to fight for them in wars against the humans and their allies.
If asked about the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon, he will say that it is a monastery high in the mountains to the west where humans and others practice a strange magic involving the manipulation of the souls of echoes of souls of the universe and also worship the sun god. The temple opposes the forces of evil and chaos and are, as far as his people are concerned, reliable allies.
The prison, he will say, is under the canopy of the jungle, perhaps about 40 or 50 miles away...though that could be a few days of travel all told since some portion of it will be through the trackless jungle. Furthermore, the prison was well warded and the ritual of opening with the key was complicated and time consuming, and so there could still be time to stop the slaadi before Issganndemm is released. Zerimon knows where the prison is located and should be able to find the general area and then locate it with some searching, even should they lose the trail of the enemy.
Part Two - Into the Eaves:
In this part the PCs and githzerai enter the eaves of the Erinquiril Jungle as they approach the prison. They encounter some of the denizens of the jungle and meet an outlier group of yuan-ti warding the approaches to the prison.
The journey to the prison should take about 3 days should the PCs travel by normal means at a speed of 30 ft. The journey to the edge of the jungle is about 30 miles through trackless plains, which means a rate of 18 miles per day or just over a day and a half of travel. The prison site itself is about 10 miles into the jungle, which is trackless and necessitates travel at 6 miles per day or another day and a half. Should the PCs be tracking the slaadi and yuan-ti, then their speed through the jungle would normally increase to 12 miles per day since they will be following a trail that has been blazed and partially hacked out by the slaadi, but unless one takes a -5 penalty to the Survival check, tracking characters move at half speed, meaning that following the slaadi trail is normally a wash.
Of course, the PCs could elect to track at normal speed with the penalty, and then it is possible they could gain a time benefit from doing so if their Survival skill is high enough that the -5 penalty and the hour to refind a trail does not consume more time than it saves. The exact mathematics of this is left to the DM.
During the course of their journey, the PCs will encounter three groups of creatures. Two of these are "random" encounters, and the last is an outlying patrol of yuan-ti patrolling the area and foraging and hunting for supplies. The DM is free to decide the timing of the first two encounters. The final encounter should be an hour or two from the prison. Given the "ticking clock" nature of this adventure, the DM should probably try to schedule the first two encounters on the day or days before they arrive at the prison. Otherwise, there could be too many encounters for the PCs to handle in a single day.
Jungle terrain is considered dense forest, with predominant heavy undergrowth.
Encounter One - Slash (EL 11)
A pack of mad slashers has been roused by the yuan-ti and are now angry and on the hunt for prey. They will attack en masse.
| ADVANCED MAD
SLASHERS (10) CR 3 Miniatures Handbook page 64 CE Medium aberration Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +0, Spot +0 AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 hp 39 (6 HD) Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +5 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee 2 claws +8 (1D8+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +4; Grp +5 Special Actions Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claw), Whirlwind Attack Abilities Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6 Feats Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack Skills Survival +9 |
| ADVANCED MAD
SLASHER LEADERS (2) CR 5 Miniatures Handbook page 64 CE Large aberration Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +0, Spot +3 AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Dodge, Mobility hp 102 (12 HD) Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +8 Spd 40 ft (8 squares) Melee 2 claws +12 (2D6+5) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +9; Grp +18 Special Actions Combat Reflexes, Whirlwind Attack Abilities Str 21, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6 Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw), Whirlwind Attack Skills Spot +3, Survival +9 |
Tactics: The slashers will simply roll through the jungle or plains (depending upon when this encounter occurs) and swarm into the midst of the PCs, using their Whirlwind Attacks to best effect. They will attempt to chase down any who flee, thinking to come back and feed on any downed opponents later.
Encounter Two - And Burn (EL 8, possibly EL 10)
This encounter will always take place under the eaves of the jungle.
A group of wild dwarves has heard that a raiding party of yuan-ti is in the area (animals informed their druid), and they have mustered up a hunting party of their own to roust the serpents. This hunting party includes four plant creatures created by the wild dwarf druids, and unfortunately for the PCs, these plant creatures are under orders to attack any group of strangers who are scaled or wearing metal armour or wielding metal weapons.
The plant creatures are jack-o-lanterns, but in Sazhansiir they take the form of humanoid-like plants with gourds for heads (not pumpkins) and they are called, by the wild dwarves, akkaumfulits, which means ("fire gourds"). The druids of the wild dwarves have no compunction about unleashing fire-using minions in the jungle, since the flora is far too wet and green to pose a danger of starting any sort of out-of-control fire.
Note: The jack-o-lanterns in Tome of Horrors 3.5 are allowed to imbue a single seed with their fire seed ability. This is far too powerful for a CR 3 creature, as it allows it to do 11D8 points of fire damage! Instead, for Therra, this is changed so that they have to imbue four seeds each doing 3D8 damage.
The akkaumfulits will become aware of the PCs unless the PCs are being stealthy. This will simply result from the PCs rustling their way through the undergrowth as well as any conversation or the clanking of metal armour. If the akkaumfulits hear the clanking of metal, then they will immediately consider the PCs to be yuan-ti or allies and will begin to sneak closer to attack. If they simply hear rustling or conversation but nothing to suggest metal arms or amour or anything else suggesting yuan-ti, then they will sneak closer to investigate. The only real differences between the two is that in the case of the former, the akkaumfulits will take a standard action to activate their fire seed ability before sneaking forward.
If the akkaumfulits are merely sneaking forward to investigate, then they will attempt to get within spotting distance of the PCs (2D6x10 ft for a dense forest) and then observe to see if they have any scales on them or wear metal armour or wield metal weapons. If so, they will spend a standard action to activate their fire seeds and then attack.
If, while sneaking up to the PCs, they are attacked, then they will assume the PCs are enemies and fight back.
If the PCs do not in any way meet any of the criterion for attack by the akkaumfulits, then the plant creatures will observe the PCs for a few rounds and then continue on their way to look for the yuan-ti. In this case, it is possible that the PCs will never even know they were being observed.
If the PCs are stealthy and do not alert the akkaumfulits, then it is possible that the PCs come upon the plant creatures and observe them scouring the jungle for something (yuan-ti, of course). The PCs will also occasionally observe them leaving trail signs (DC 10 Survival check to realize this is what they are doing) for their wild dwarf masters. If the PCs continue to follow them, they could run into the wild dwarves coming at them from behind, following the akkaumfulits.
|
ADVANCED AKKAUMFULITS (JACK-O-LANTERNS)
(4) CR 4 Fire Seeds (Su) Once per day as the spell cast by an 11th level druid. The jack-o-lantern can only make use of the first version of this spell, and it casts them on its own seeds rather than on acorns. Range is 100 ft and it requires a ranged touch attack to hit. The effect must be placed on 4 seeds, and each seed will do 3D8 points of fire damage along with splash damage (DC 19 Ref save for half damage vs splash damage only). Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a jack-o-lantern must hit with at least two slam attacks. It can then start a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to constrict or rend the foe following round. Rend (Ex) A jack-o-lantern that hits with at least two slam attacks on a single opponent deals 2D6+3 points of damage at it wrenches and tears the flesh. |
Tactics: The creatures will open up with a volley of fire seeds before closing for melee. While not very intelligent, they have been trained to fight yuan-ti, and as such are aware of spellcasters and will often step out of melee and use their remaining fire seeds to attack spellcasters and disrupt their spells.
Developments: The akkaumfulits have been leaving trail signs for their wild dwarf masters, who are not far behind. As such, it is likely that the sounds of combat will draw the wild dwarves, who will arrive in 1D10+10 rounds after combat begins with the plant creatures.
The wild dwarves will assume that anyone their akkaumfulits attack are enemies, and will be hostile initially. If the PCs use any arcane magic, wear metal armour, or wield metal weapons, then this will simply confirm their judgment.
Note: In Therra, wild dwarves are actually small humans, and they lose the dwarf subtype and gain the human subtype. They also gain their racial attack bonus against yuan-ti rather than orcs and goblins and gain their dodge bonus against size Large or larger scaled ones.
|
WILD DWARF HUNTERS (12) CR
2 Poison Use (Ex) Wild dwarves work with poison from an early age, and they never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon. Stability (Ex) A wild dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). |
|
WILD DWARF HUNT LEADER CR
4 Poison Use (Ex) Wild dwarves work with poison from an early age, and they never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon. Stability (Ex) A wild dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). |
|
WILD DWARF DRUID CR 4 Poison Use (Ex) Wild dwarves work with poison from an early age, and they never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon. Stability (Ex) A wild dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). |
|
WOLF ANIMAL COMPANION CR n/a * Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. |
Tactics: The druid will cast barkskin on himself, putting him half a round behind the rest of the wild dwarves. His animal companion will attempt to stay within 5 ft of him to benefit from the spell himself and to guard the druid. After that, he will cast entangle to best advantage and then enter the fray. At a key moment he will use his mass snake's switfness to try to turn the tide of battle. As such, the dwarves will tend to fight in a tight group, to support each other and eliminate flanks. Should their enemies summon animals, the druid will use hide from animals or daze animal to hinder the creatures.
Developments: The PCs can try to use Diplomacy to calm the wild dwarves. Their attitude will have to be made unfriendly to get them to stop attacking long enough to then try to prove they are not scaled ones. Any such checks have a -5 penalty if the PCs use any obvious common arcane magic (i.e. magic missile or fireball) or wear metal armour or wield metal weapons. Of course, the PCs may rush this check at the usual penalty.
If the dwarves are made unfriendly, they will still brandish their weapons and attack unless the PCs immediately commence speaking with them. This will require a further Diplomacy check to get the dwarves to indifferent or better. Indifferent dwarves will simply melt back into the jungle, with no apology and no information given to the PCs. If made friendly, they will talk enough to advise the PCs that a group of scaled ones is said to be in the area and they are hunting them. The dwarves will not join forces with the PCs, however. If somehow made helpful, they will agree to accompany the PCs in their assault on the slaadi and yuan-ti, though they will let the PCs lead the way. If made unfriendly or hostile, they will commence their attack and not stop until they prevail or flee.
In essence, 2 Diplomacy checks are required. The first to end the fighting and the second to establish relations. Should the first check result in an attitude better than unfriendly, then the dwarves will be less suspicious when parleying but will stil require a second Diplomacy check to establish a set attitude. Of course, it is easier to make the second check if the first check results in a better attitude.
The dwarves will break and flee should their druid fall and they lose half of their number. If they prevail, they will take captives back to their camp, eventually to be questioned and possibly set free once it is determined they are not scaled ones. However, this will take valuable time away from the PCs' quest, at least a day or two.
Encounter Three - First Contact
This encounter will take place close to the prison site in the jungle...no more than an hour or two from the prison. This is a group of yuan-ti sent out to patrol the area and to hunt and gather supplies. Whether they surprise the PCs or vice versa is up to the DM, circumstances, and Spot or Listen rolls.
|
YUAN-TI SCOUTS (3) CR 4 Detect Poison (Sp) All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (CL 6). * A pureblood gains a +5 racial bonus on Disguise checks when impersonating a human. |
|
YUAN-TI SCOUT LEADER CR 6 Chameleon Power (Sp) A yuan-ti halfblood can psionically change the colouration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Detect Poison (Sp) All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (CL 6). Poison (Ex) Injury, Fort DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1D6 Con. The save DC is Con-based. Produce Acid (Sp) A yuan-ti halfblood has the psionic power to exude acid from its body, dealing 3D6 points of damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5D6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti's body, and the yuan-ti is mmune to its effects. * Yuan-ti halfbloods using the chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. |
Tactics: The yuan-ti are well trained in the ways of combat, though they will certainly not be expecting humans to wield arcane magic, and will not initially take precautions against them. In fact, if they see foes wearing metal armour or using metal weapons or wielding arcane magic, they are likely to think the PCs are yuan-ti in changed form or at the very least favoured slaves of some powerful yuan-ti and will try to communicate with the PCs in Slith. However, the yuan-ti are very smart and very wise, and any such hesitation or ruse is likely to be very short-lived unless the PCs can go to great lengths to convince the yuan-ti that they are not yuan-ti or yuan-ti allies.
The yuan-ti will use their spell-like abilities to best possible effect, especially their multiple entangles. Given they are all capable of Blind-Fighting, they will use their darkness ability to affect the battlefield. The yuan-ti are especially trained to fight spellcasters, and are well aware of most common spells. The leader will, especially, use his bow to target spell casters to try to take them out quickly. If not, then another yuan-ti will be reserved to ready an action to shoot any spellcasters.
Developments: The yuan-ti will not surrender, and will not consider fleeing to warn their mistress of the PCs. They know that failure to slay the PCs will result in their own deaths at the hand of their superiors.
Part Three - Closing the Door:
The PCs and githzerai enter the prison and attempt to stop the release of Issganndemm.
Timing is Everything
This scenario requires elements of timing that can be changed and even thrown off by the subsequent actions of the PCs. As such, a timeline is presented below, with Day 0 = the day the PCs stumble across the battle sites. The columns with the various speeds to the right show the likely progress of the PCs at given movement rates so that the DM can time their approach to the activities of the slaadi and yuan-ti.
| Day |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| -2 | The slaadi and yuan-ti ambush the rrakkma and skarn and defeat them in two sharp battles at about midday. Zerimon is left unconscious but hidden by tall grass near the field of the second battle. | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| -1 | The slaadi and yuan-ti head northwest towards the edge of the jungle. They arrive at the verges of the jungle at nightfall. | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| 0 | The PCs stumble across the battle site at about midday (assuming they travel during the day). Meanwhile the slaadi and yuan-ti travel through the jungle. | . | . | . | . | . | . |
| +1 | The slaadi and yuan-ti arrive in the area of the prison in early afternoon and spend the rest of the day searching for the entrance. They find it just before sundown and work in shifts clearing the opening. | . | . | A e | A a | A m |
A b B e |
| +2 | The slaadi and yuan-ti enter the prison and fight its defenses. Some of their number perish to the various guardians and traps. They penetrate all the way to area 15 by midday. They then remain in the prison and rest to memorize spells and regain hp. | . | A e | . | B e | B m | . |
| +3 | The sorceress begins a careful study of the ritual room at area 15. By midday she begins the opening ritual, which proceeds through the night. | . | . | B m | . | . | . |
| +4 | At just after dawn, the opening ritual is complete and the prison begins to thaw. The sorceress maintains her vigil at area 15 in order to make sure the thawing process goes as planned. | A m | . | . | . | . | . |
| +5 | The prison continues to thaw. The sorceress in area 15 begins to bargain with the awakening slaad lord. At around midnight, the thaw is complete and the white slaad is free. | . | B m | . | . | . | . |
A = the PCs arrive at the edge
of the jungle
B = the PCs arrive at the prison entrance (add 1D4 hours if not
following the slaadi's trail via Track)
e = end of the day
m = midday
b = beginning of the day
a = afternoon
Example: If moving at a speed of 30 ft, the PCs will arrive at the verge of the jungle canopy at sundown on day +1 and will arrive at the prison entrance at midday on day +3.
As can be seen from the above timeline, a party moving at speed 15 ft will simply arrive too late and likely either find nothing here or possibly have to encounter and flee from the white slaad. However, given that such a speed would only occur with an armoured or encumbered gnome or halfling, it should be easy for the PCs to alleviate this problem by unarmouring or encumbering the PC(s) in question.
Zerimon will be very anxious to proceed in a timely manner, and any speed below 30 ft will have him urging the PCs to figure out a way to go faster. Any speed below 20 ft will cause him to proceed ahead without the PCs, possibly to his doom or possibly to simply observe the enemy while waiting for the PCs and then, at the last minute, proceeding to his doom.
At speed 20 ft, the PCs will arrive somewhat late and have very little time to defeat the sorceress and reverse the thawing process. A half a day after they arrive, the white slaad will be free.
At speed 30 ft the PCs will arrive just as the sorceress begins the opening ritual, meaning they will have the rest of that day and night to defeat her, otherwise the thawing process begins. However, they will have another 2 days, technically, to overcome the yuan-ti and slaadi and attempt to reverse the thawing.
At 40 ft the PCs will arrive after the slaadi and yuan-ti have explored the entire prison but before the ritual has started. The slaadi and yuan-ti will be down some hit points and have used some of their daily abilities, and the sorceress will be quite low on spells.
At a speed of 50 ft the PCs will pretty much arrive under the same circumstances as 40 ft as far as the disposition of the slaadi and yuan-ti.
At any speed above 50 ft (generally only possible with mounts or magic), it is possible the PCs will catch the slaadi and yuan-ti before they penetrate the prison. In fact at 60 ft the PCs will catch the enemy outside of the prison and before they have entered it. In this case the DM should "resurrect" the enemy presumed to have fallen to the guardians and traps of the prison and the PCs will have to decide if they wish to attack the enemy en masse before they enter the prison, or to let them try to penetrate and soften themselves up in the prison before launching an attack upon them.
If the PCs do arrive before the enemy has penetrated the prison, Zerimon will counsel strongly that the PCs wait, for he knows that the prison contains many wards and guardians and sees no reason why they should attack the enemy at full strength instead of waiting until they have used their magic and perhaps lost some of their numbers to the prison.
Unless otherwise stated, all passages and chambers are 10 ft tall and unlit. Walls (and floors and ceiling) are magically treated superior masonry (hardness 16, 180 hp, break DC 55, Climb DC 25) and floors are flagstone. The walls are immune to passwall spells and gain a save against other spells that can affect it.
All stairways descend at a 45 degree angle, meaning they descend the same amount of feet they cover in length.
Note: Abilities and statistics marked with a ** symbol designate those used up during Day +2, and if the PCs encounter these creatures before they have had a chance to rest between Day +2 and Day +3, then the DM should take this into account accordingly. Similarly, hit points of damage should be adjusted after Day +2 to allow for healing each night (equal to 1 hp per HD or level).
 |
1. Entrance
The entrance to the prison is concealed by the jungle growth that surrounds it. Nevertheless, the slaadi and yuan-ti have had to hack away at the opening to gain access, and as such it is now visible, with the remnants of the hacked away branches and vines and even loose soil in piles near the opening.
The entrance itself takes the form of a moss and ivy-covered stone block 15 ft square and 10 ft high. In the south face of the block is a 10 ft wide opening that is 8 ft tall that leads to a landing and then descends in steps into the darkness below. Clearing away the ivy from the stone block's exterior reveals crude stone carvings of humanoid figures and flying snakes battling what could be slaadi led by a massive slaad lord. These carvings cover the entire outside of the stone block.
Any trail the PCS were following will have their Track DC increased by 5 once inside the entrance, due to the hard ground of the stone floor.
Once inside, the landing, which is 10 ft square, bears runes in Celestial which abjure the reader to leave this place undisturbed and let the great destruction that is trapped within sleep in eternal confinement.
2. Antechamber (EL 8)
| This chamber is bare, but the floor seems to be covered with large bits of what appears to be a shattered stone statue, though the stone from which it is made is crudely formed and appears almost wet, like clay. The body of a snake man lie in dried pools of blood on the floor, their heads and torsos crushed to a pulp. |
Creatures: 2 mud slaadi are here, posted as the first guards by the yuan-ti sorceress. The slaadi hide in the southeast corner of the room, ready to spring upon intruders.
|
MUD SLAADI (2) CR 6 Disease (Ex) Supernatural disease - any creature hit by a mud slaad's bite attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or be infected with a disease that tranforms the victim over the next week into a mud slaad. The infected creature can attempt a new save each day (DC 15) to throw off the infection. Feign Death (Ex) If an opponent strikes a mud slaad and reduces it to 10 or fewer hp, it can immediately attempt to feign death. This ability comes into use on the opponent's turn. Any creature that witnesses a mud slaad feigning death, including those creatures that watch it fall, can make a Sense Motive check (DC 22) to determine if the slaad's death is genuine. A Spot check will not reveal that the slaad's death is feigned, and even a Heal or Search check isn't guaranteed to discover the deception, so adroit is the mud slaad at stilling its breathing and reducing its heart rate. A successful check using either skill (DC 22) is required to reveal that the mud slaad still lives. Sonic Screech (Su) Once per day, a mud slaad can emit a tremendous screech. Every creature within 30 ft must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or take 5D6 sonic damage. Summon Slaad (Sp) Once per day a mud slaad can attempt to summon 1 mud slaad with a 40 % chance of success or 1 red slaad with a 20% chance of success. Summoned slaadi automatically return whence they came after 1 hour. A slaad that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. |
Tactics: The mud slaadi will use their sonic screech ability if available, as soon as their prey bunch up. They are not very intelligent and will tend to leap into combat after screeching and simply attempt to devout and claw their foes. Only if severely threatened will they back off and use their summon ability to attempt to summon a slaad. They will use their cringe ability sparingly, only to try to fast heal back to health, and will feign death as a last resport, seeking again to fast heal back to health or to ambush PCs as they come within reach or pass by.
Developments: If the mud slaadi use their sonic screech, then everyone in the prion will know there is trouble. They will not necessarly leave their posts, but they will not be caught by surprise and will be ready to spring into action. Even if they do not, their croaking and sounds of battle will certainly alert their companions in area 2, who will come to help. Similarly, should these slaadi here be aware of a fight in area 3, they will leap to aid their fellows.
Treasure: The scout leader's body has the same equipment as the scout leader in Part Two (above).
3. Secondary Chamber (EL 8)
| This chamber is covered with carved glyphs and runes. The floor and walls contain black streaks and blooms of ashes as if various explosions or streams of fire or heat happened here recently. |
Creatures: 2 mud slaadi are here, posted as the first guards along with the two in area 2 by the yuan-ti sorceress. The slaadi hide behind the corners to the north and south of the eastern entrance to the room, ready to spring upon intruders.
|
MUD SLAADI (2) CR 6 Disease (Ex) Supernatural disease - any creature hit by a mud slaad's bite attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or be infected with a disease that tranforms the victim over the next week into a mud slaad. The infected creature can attempt a new save each day (DC 15) to throw off the infection. Feign Death (Ex) If an opponent strikes a mud slaad and reduces it to 10 or fewer hp, it can immediately attempt to feign death. This ability comes into use on the opponent's turn. Any creature that witnesses a mud slaad feigning death, including those creatures that watch it fall, can make a Sense Motive check (DC 22) to determine if the slaad's death is genuine. A Spot check will not reveal that the slaad's death is feigned, and even a Heal or Search check isn't guaranteed to discover the deception, so adroit is the mud slaad at stilling its breathing and reducing its heart rate. A successful check using either skill (DC 22) is required to reveal that the mud slaad still lives. Sonic Screech (Su) Once per day, a mud slaad can emit a tremendous screech. Every creature within 30 ft must succeed on a DC 15 Fort save or take 5D6 sonic damage. Summon Slaad (Sp) Once per day a mud slaad can attempt to summon 1 mud slaad with a 40 % chance of success or 1 red slaad with a 20% chance of success. Summoned slaadi automatically return whence they came after 1 hour. A slaad that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. |
Tactics: The mud slaadi will use their sonic screech ability if available, as soon as their prey bunch up. They are not very intelligent and will tend to leap into combat after screeching and simply attempt to devout and claw their foes. Only if severely threatened will they back off and use their summon ability to attempt to summon a slaad. They will use their cringe ability sparingly, only to try to fast heal back to health, and will feign death as a last resport, seeking again to fast heal back to health or to ambush PCs as they come within reach or pass by.
Developments: If the mud slaadi use their sonic screech, then everyone in the prion will know there is trouble. They will not necessarly leave their posts, but they will not be caught by surprise and will be ready to spring into action. Even if they do not, their croaking and sounds of battle will certainly alert their companions in area 2, who will come to help. Similarly, should these slaadi here be aware of a fight in area 2, they will leap to aid their fellows.
4. Massive Sprung Pit
| The passageway here is widens into a 20 ft square chamber. The entire floor of the chamber is open into a pit that descends out of sight. |
There is a hidden lever to close the pit on the wall on either side of the pit (Search DC 25 to locate). The pit will open when any weight greater than 10 lbs is put upon the center of the room. The floor splits in half, each side swinging to the west and east respectively.
The pit is empty save for a splatter of fresh blood. The body of the mud slaad disappeared when it died.
5. Runic Floor
| The northern end of this passageway is comprised of four distinct 5 ft square flagstones each of which has a large, deep rune engraved in it. Beyond, the room itself has flagstones each with a single large, deep rune engraved upon it. In the center of the chamber is the scorched body of a snake-woman. |
The room is a ward, geared to four strains of githzerai monastic philosophy. One essentially chooses one of the four strains of philosophy by stepping on one of the four initial flagstones, and then follows that by choosing, in a logical progression, the states of being or conditions that are a part of that particular path to enlightenment.
The puzzle is fairly easy for any githzerai to complete, and a learned monk zerth like Zerimon can handle it with only a moment's thought. Therefore, this chamber should be easy for the PCs to pass through if the githzerai is with them.
If not, then a DC 30 Knowledge (planes), Knowledge (religion) or Profession (philosopher) check can reveal a pattern to take. Give a +4 circumstance bonus if a monk is present to advise, and a +2 circumstance bonus if a PC is a member of a class devoted to mysticism or philosophical concepts of any sort.
Lacking this knowledge, the PCs can, of course, simply try to randomly blunder their way through. Flying does not help, since the magic of the place extends from each flagstone all the way up to the ceiling. There are no set patterns listed. The DM can simply make up four random paths that wind through the chamber and assign each to one of the four initial concepts.
Any failure to follow the proper pattern results in the entire room becoming filled with electricity, and anyone therein suffers 5D6 of electricity damage for each flagstone incorrectly stepped upon or passed over. A DC 16 Ref save results in half damage.
The body in the center of the chamber is of a pureblood scout that was slain while trying to cross the room. Eventually, a lengthy period of trial and error coupled with the fast healing ability of the slaadi allowed the yuan-ti to determine at least one safe path through the chamber (in fact, they do not know that there are four separate safe paths).
The function of this chamber is not, per se, a magical trap and cannot be disarmed. It is, instead, a magical construction activated by ancient lore of the sapphire hierarchs and the githzaerai.
Treasure: The pureblood scout has all of the equipment that the scouts have in Part Two (above).
6. Blue Room
| The walls of this chamber to the west of the sourthern entrance are comprised of a bright blue crystal along the entirety of the north and south walls from floor to ceiling. |
7. Niche Chamber (EL 8)
| Three large niches flank the western and eastern walls of this chamber. Scattered around the room are chunks of sapphire blue crystal, many of which seem to have some sort of carved shape to them, possibly pieces of a humanoid statue or statues. |
Creatures: A fearsome blue slaad stands here, preventing intruders from passing beyond. This brute will viciously attack any intruders and will fight to the death.
|
BLUE SLAAD CR 8 An affilicted humanoid reduced to Cha 0 by slaad fever immediately transforms into a red slaad. It retains none of the features, traits, memories, or abilities of its former self, and is a normal red slaad in all respects. If the infected being is an arcane spellcaster, the disease instead produces a green slaad. Summon Slaad (Sp) Once per day a blue slaad can attempt to summon another blue slaad with a 40 % chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th level spell. |
Tactics: The blue slaad considers itself the master of this expedition, despite the fact that it was ordered into it by a death slaad. The slaad will open any assault with a hold person if appropriate, saving its chaos hammer if assauted by lawful creatures (remember, in Therra a creature is not considered lawful or chaotic unless it has the lawful subtype...simply having a lawful or chaotic alignment does not subject a creature to spells that target lawful and chaotic creatures).
After that, it will tend to leap to the attack, trusting to its physical prowess to carry the day. If attacked at range, it will use the niches of the room as cover and its telekinesis ability to hurl 8 pieces of the sapphire guardians at a time at a target within 80 ft, each piece doing 1D6 damage. There are enough pieces for 24 such throws.
The slaad cannot use its passwall ability on the walls of the prison, due to the magical treatment of the walls, ceilings, and floors, but it can use it to bypass effects such as wall of stone.
Developments: The blue slaad will not generally move forward towards the entrance even if it hears the sound of conflict. It will, however, respond to conflict deeper in the prison (for example, if the PCs somehow sneak around him or bypass him). His telekinesis ability can be especially potent in area 9.
8. Northwest Bridge Room
This room is completely unadorned. The only feature is a secret door to the southeast. However, the door consist essentially of a piece of the wall cut out and then attached to a lifting mechanism. The net result is that the door is just as heavy as the wall surrounding it and is therefore difficult to detect. A DC 30 Search check is needed to find the door.
However, the lever used to raise the door is rather easier to find, requiring a DC 25 Search check to locate the hidden panel that conceals it. Pulling the lever will raise the door, exposing area 9 beyond.
9. Bridge and Chasm
| A stone bridge, 10 ft wide with no railing, spans a deep chasm before ending at a blank wall. The bridge is not arched at all, and seems unadorned. |
The chasm surrounding the bridge is shown on the map by a dotted line. The chasm is 100 ft deep and its walls are fairly sheer (DC 20 Climb check). The bottom of the chasm contains nothing but sharp boulders and stalagmites.
The secret door at the southeast end of the bridge is ever so slightly open. As it opens by rising into the lintel, the opening is a 1 inch gap between the door and the floor. Since there is no illumination in the room behind the opening (area 10), no light shines through this opening. A DC 16 Spot check (modified by distance of course) will reveal the opening.
At either end of the bridge, on the wall next to the secret doors, is a lever hidden behind a concealed panel (Search DC 25) that opens the adjacent secret door (to area 8 or area 10 respectively).
10. Southeast Bridge Room (EL 9)
This room is completely unadorned. The only feature is a secret door to the southeast. However, the door consist essentially of a piece of the wall cut out and then attached to a lifting mechanism. The net result is that the door is just as heavy as the wall surrounding it and is therefore difficult to detect. A DC 30 Search check is needed to find the door.
However, the lever used to raise the door is rather easier to find, requiring a DC 25 Search check to locate the hidden panel that conceals it. Pulling the lever will raise the door, exposing area 9 beyond.
Creatures: 2 red slaadi are here, watching the bridge. If they hear activity in area 8 (for example, opening the secret door makes a rather pronounced stone on stone sound that they will hear) then one will crouch down and peer with a single eye under the opening, waiting for intruders to reach the middle of the bridge. Once done, one red slaad will pull the secret lever here opening the door and the other will leap out onto the bridge.
|
RED SLAADI (2) CR 7 Often the slaad implants an unconscious or otherwise helpless creature (which gets no save). The egg gestates for one week before hatching into a blue slaad that eats its way out, killing the host. 24 hours before the egg fully matures, the victim falls extremely ill (-10 to all ability scores, to a minimum of 1). A remove disease spell rids a victim of the pellet, as does a DC 25 Heal check. If the check failes, the healer can try again, but each attempt (successful or not) deals 1D4 points of damage to the patient. If the host is an arcane spellcaster, the egg pellet hatches into a green slaad. Pounce (Ex) If a red slaad charges, it can make a full attack int he same round. Stunning Croak (Su) Once per day a red slaad can emit a loud croak. Every creature (except slaadi) within 20 ft must succeed on a DC 16 Fort save or be stunned for 1D3 rounds. The save DC is Constitution based. Summon Slaad (Sp) Once per day a red slaad can attempt to summon another red slaad with a 40 % chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. |
Tactics: When the secret door is raised, the other slaad will charge and pounce on its victim on the bridge. Thereafter, it will attempt to grab and throw or overbear its victim over the bridge. Meanwhile, the other slaad, having opened the door, will guage the situation and if it appears he is facing determined foes, he will try to summon slaad and then use his stunning croak before wading into the fray.
11. Open Spiked Pit
The hallway here is interrupted by an open spiked pit trap that spans the entire width of the hallway. The trap is 10 ft square and 40 ft deep, ending in wicked looking spikes.
A person falling into the pit would suffer 4D6 falling damage and then be subject to 1D4 spikes (a Large or larger creature is subject to 2D4 spikes) which attack at a +10 bonus and cause 1D4+5 damage each.
The pit can be raised by a hidden lever on either side of the pit along the wall (Search DC 25 to locate).
Inside the pit, impaled on the spikes, is a yuan-ti abomination.
Treasure: The body of the abomination possesses all of the same equipment as the abomination in area 14 (see below).
12. Chamber of the Flame (EL
6)
|
This large chamber contains a large stone bowl some 10 ft in diameter that appears to serve as a brazier, as red hot coals are piled within and huge flames leap up towards the ceiling. To the south, massive stone doors stand closed. |
The stone doors to the south were trapped by a greater glyph of warding and locked, but the key opened them and bypassed the wards. As such, the glyph remains, though the lock is now gone.
Traps: Upon the stone doors is a greater glyph of warding, which will activate if the doors are touched or distrubed in any way unless the key is within 20 ft of the door. The elemental will attack anyone not possessing the key.
| Greater Glyph of Warding Trap CR 6 spell; spell trigger; no reset; spell effect (greater glyph of warding [spell], 11th-level cleric, summon monster VI [large fire elemental]); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31. |
|
LARGE FIRE ELEMENTAL CR n/a
(included in the CR of the trap) Creatures hitting a fire elemental with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the elemental’s attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save. |
13. Carved Chamber
| The east and west walls of this chamber are covered with carvings of leaping and cavorting slaadi of all sorts whose mouths are open holes of an inch or so in diameter. There are literally over a hundred such holes in each wall. |
14. Abominable Chamber (EL
7)
| This room is unadorned, flanked by two niches to the west and east. |
Creatures: A single yuan-ti abomination is here, companion to the one that perished in the spiked pit trap (area 11). It serves as the sorceress' prime bodyguard, and will perform its duties with supreme devotion.
|
YUAN-TI ABOMINATION CR 7 Aversion (Sp) A yuan-ti abomination can psionically create a compulsion effect targeting one creature within 30 ft. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or gain an aversion to snakes for 10 minutes. Affected creatures must stay at least 20 ft away from any snake or yuan-ti, alive or dead; if already within 20 ft, they move away. A subject unable to move away, or one attacked by snakes or yuan-ti, is overcome with revulsion. This revulsion reduces the creature's Dex score by 4 points until the effect wears off or the subject is no longer within 20 ft of a snake or yuan-ti. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as the spell (CL 16). The save DC is Charisma based. Chameleon Power (Sp) A yuan-ti abomination can psionically change the colouration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Constrict (Ex) An abomination deals 1D6+6 points of damage with a successful grapple check. Detect Poison (Sp) All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (CL 6). Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, an abomination must hit a Large or smaller creature with its bite 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 can constrict. Poison (Ex) Injury, Fort DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1D6 Con. The save DC is Constitution based. Produce Acid (Sp) An abomination has the psionic ability to exude acid from its body, dealing 3D6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling, constricting, or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5D6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti's body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects. *Yuan-ti abominations using chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. The statistics above reflect a mage armour spell that has been cast on the abomination by the yuan-ti sorceress (CL 6). |
Tactics: The abomination will use its aversion power liberally against warrior types, in an effort to break up any attacks, though it will almost certainly imbibe its haste potion just before or immediately after it is engaged in melee (it does not wish to waste its valuable potion just to have intruders back off and let its duration expire). It will save its baleful polymorph ability for a troublesome spellcaster, and use fear only as a last resort. If engaged in a standoff battle, it will use its deeper darkness to grant itself concealment and then ply its longbow.
Developments: The abomination will not retreat, as it knows it is the last guardian before its mistress. If the mistress in area 15 is finished performing her ritual and merely watching the thaw, then she will aid the abomination with her spells. If not, she will be consumed with the ritual and will not interfere with this combat.
In addition, depending upon Issganndemm's state of thaw, he may have abilities that can reach into this area. As such, he may extend his powers to aid the abomination against the PCs. Refer to area 16 for details.
15. Chamber of Opening (EL
8)
| This room contains a glowing sapphire blue circle of runes inscribed into the floor in its center. The runes seem to pulsate and ripple as if alive. |
Creatures: The leader of this expedition, a halfblood sorceress, is here. She is not particularly high-ranking or powerful, as this mission was considered highly risky, both because of its distance from traditional yuan-ti lands, and because the slaadi are so unpredictable that there was no telling what the slaadi would do on the expedition nor what Issganndemm would do once awakened. The sorceress was deemed capable but expendable. Of course, she took the job eagerly, as a means to elevate her status.
If the ritual of opening is still happening, then the sorceress will be here in the center of the circle of runes, chanting in Slith and Draconic and gesturing and swaying with the prison key in one or both hands. Her attention will be entirely on the prison in area 16 and she will even ignore the sounds of combat as near as area 14, hoping that her elite guardian can take care of any problems. However, if she is attacked or disturbed in any way or if her guardian is defeated, then she will anrgily break off the ritual and defend herself.
If, on the other hand, the ritual is complete and she is simply waiting for the thaw to occur, then she will take an active part in any battle in area 14, remaining in this chamber but casting spells as appropriate.
|
YUAN-TI SORCERESS CR 8 Chameleon Power (Sp) A yuan-ti halfblood can psionically change the colouration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Detect Poison (Sp) All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (CL 6). Poison (Ex) Injury, Fort DC 18, initial and secondary damage 1D6 Con. The save DC is Con-based. Produce Acid (Sp) A yuan-ti halfblood has the psionic power to exude acid from its body, dealing 3D6 points of damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5D6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti's body, and the yuan-ti is mmune to its effects. * Yuan-ti halfbloods using the chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. The statistics above reflect a mage armour spell that has been cast on herself (CL 6). |
| VIPER FAMILIAR
CR - N Tiny magical beast Init +7; Senses scent; Listen +11, Spot +11 languages speak with master AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 17 hp 36 (13 HD) Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +11 Spd 15 ft (3 squares), climb 15 ft (3 squares), swim 15 ft (3 squares) Melee bite +15 (1 plus poison) Space 2.5 ft; Reach 0 ft Base Atk +10; Grp -1 Abilities Str 4, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 2 SQ familiar abilities (deliver touch spells, empathic link, share spells) Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Skills Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +20, Listen +11, Spot +11, Swim +5 Poison (Ex) A viper snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1D6 Con. Fort DC 10. The save DC is Constitution-based. |
Tactics: The sorceress is anything but subtle. If she is directly threatened, she will cast mirror image to buy time and then shield to raise her AC. Beyond that, or if supporting her guardian in area 14, she will simply hurl fireballs and scorching rays as appropriate, using Energy Substitution if she sees any protection spells against fire or notices any resistance or immunities to fire amongst her foes. Ranking low in the yuan-ti hierarchy, she knows the price for failure in this mission is horrible torture and then a slow-agonizing death. Therefore, she will fight to the death rather than surrender. She will tend to be stingy in the use of her magic items, as they are difficult to replace, and so her potions, scrolls, and wand will only be used in extremis or when potentially very effective.
Developments: The status of the thawing of Issganndemm in area 16 will have a profound effect on any combat in this area. As such, DMs should read carefully the description of area 16 before running any combat in this area if the thawing process has begun.
If the sorceress is defeated, then the PCs and Zerimon can conclude their quest. Refer to Part Four below for more details.
Treasure: The prison key appears as a sapphire blue crystal trapezoid about 6 inches by 6 inches at its base and 3 inches high. It weighs about 5 lbs. and radiates strong abjuration magic as well as a strong aura of law. The key is indestructible by any normal means and has no function other than to open or close Issganndemm's prison.
Anyone who holds the prison key while standing in the runic circle in area 15 is completely immune to any and all effects of Issganndemm until he is fully free of the prison. Only a single being can hold the key and be granted this immunity at any given time.
Set in a pile to the side of the chamber are items taken from the bodies of the slain skarn and githzerai. This pile includes a suit of +1 lesser soulbound studded leather, a +1 lesser soulbound obsidian spear, a leather pouch holding 3 essentia jewels.
16 The Prison Chamber
Note: The description of this
room could change depending upon the thaw level of the slaad lord.
The strength og the cucoon will be weaker and, if the slaad lord
has been released and is gone, the cocoon will be gone and the
four statues will be smashed to bits.
|
This chamber's ceiling is 25 ft tall, arching into a vaulted dome in the center. Stone steps at the entrance to the room lead up 5 ft to a stone platform, upon which is set a 15 ft square of glowing blue pedestal that rises 3 ft up from the normal stone of the platform. Standing on this blue pedestal is a large figure, perhaps 12 ft tall and upright...possibly humanoid. It is difficult to tell for certain because a miasma of crackling blue energy whirls around the figure, forming a cocoon of sorts. Along the walls of the chamber are four large statues that flank the pedestal, two of humanoid creatures with reptilian spikes along their backs and arms and weiling greataxes, and two humanoid creatures in robes that appear much like Zerimon. |
The cocoon is epic magic, entirely unpenetratable by any means whatsoever. The DM should simply rule that any attempt to interact with the prison or the slaad lord inside or to somehow disrupt the stone around the prison simply fails utterly. The DM can be as mysterious and all-encompassing in this matter as he needs to be to thwart any PC attempts to circumvent the epic prison. The builders of this prison had powerful magicks available to them and were accomplished casters and constructers of magical prisons and did not create a prison that could be easily broken or thwarted.
Creatures: The slaad lord Issganndemm, a white slaad is here, Refer to page 218 of the Epic Level Handbook for full details. No statistics are presented for the slaad lord because, quite simply, if he escapes the PCs better stay far away from here. See Part Four below should this occur.
However, if the opening ritual has been completed, then a long process of thawing of the prison will occur. The thawing process, as set forth in the timeline at the start of Part Three, takes about 2 days (or more properly, from dawn of one day to midnight at the end of the following day (42 hours to be precise). During this thawing process, Issganndemm begins to awaken and his powers begin to pierce the diminishing prison. Refer to the chart below.
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
Chaos Spittle 1D4, shatter (DC 20), (CL 10), ranged touch +9 |
| 2 |
|
Chaos Spittle 2D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), (CL 11), ranged touch +10 |
| 3 |
|
Chaos Spittle 3D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), cloak of chaos (DC 26), (CL 12), ranged touch +11 |
| 4 |
|
Chaos Spittle 4D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), cloak of chaos (DC 26), deeper darkness, (CL 13), ranged touch +12 |
| 5 |
|
Chaos Spittle 5D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), cloak of chaos (DC 26), deeper darkness, dispel magic (CL 14), ranged touch +13 |
| 6 |
|
Chaos Spittle 6D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), cloak of chaos (DC 26), deeper darkness, greater dispel magic (CL 15), ranged touch +14 |
| 7 |
|
Chaos Spittle 7D4, shatter (DC 20), chaos hammer (DC 22), cloak of chaos (DC 26), deeper darkness, greater dispel magic, animate object (CL 16), ranged touch +15 |
|
|
|
Issganndemm is free. Run away! |
Unless stated otherwise, all effects are usable at will. Remember that effects against law or chaos only work in Therra against creatures with the law or chaos subtype. Simply having an alignment of lawful or chaos does not count for purposes of these spells.
If it is necessary to determine a skill check for Issganndemm, simply take his skill check bonus from the Epic Level Handbook, divide it by 8 and then multiply it by the thaw level. For example, at thaw level 3 his Spot check is +13. He has darkvision 60 ft.
Chaos Spittle (Ex) A while slaad can spit a glob of chaos at any target it can see within 60 ft as a ranged touch attack. That chaos deals the indicated amount of chaos damage (no splash damage). Unless the chaos is somehow neutralized, the glob deals secondary damage equal to half of the dice of damage dealt initially every subsequent round for a number of rounds equal to the thaw level. For example, at thaw level 5, a spittle does 5D4 damage and then does 2D4 damage each subsequent round for 5 rounds. Creatures protected against chaos (such as by a magic circle against chaos) take half damage from this spittle.
Should he use his animate objects ability, it will be directed upon the four stone statues. These are istensibly the only objects in the area that can be animated, but if slain they can be reanimated over and over again unless somehow disintegrated or pulverized or otherwise physically decimated.
| ANIMATED STATUES
(4) CR - N Large construct Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Listen -5, Spot -5 AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14; hardness 8 hp 52 (4 HD) Fort +1, Ref +1, Will -4 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee slam +5 (1D8+4) Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +3; Grp +10 Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 1, Cha 1 SQ construct traits |
Tactics: The slaad lord will use whatever tactics it deems most effective, as all of its abilities are usable at will, and those availble to it are restricted by its thaw level.
Developments: These are covered more appropriately in Part Four below.
Part Four - Outcomes:
The various possible outcomes of Part Three are detailed.
There are basically three outcomes to this scenario: the PCs thwart the ritual of opening before it is completed, the PCs gain control of the prison key after the ritual is completed but before the thawing is finished, or the PCs fail and Issganndemm is free.
1. The PCs thwart the ritual of opening
If this happens, then all is well. Once the sorceress is defeated, the scenario is over. Zerimon will request the prison key to take back to Limbo, where he promises it will be guarded even better than before. Since Zerimon cannot plane shift by himself, he will wish to make his way to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon to try and arrange for a way home and, in any event, he needs to report what happened here, including the fact that a skarn hierarch and her servants were slain. as such, if the PCs are inclined to head to the temple anyways, Zerimon would be delighted to continue to accompany them to the temple.
2. The PCs defeat the sorcererss but the thawing process has begun
In this case, the thawing process will continue, which will be evident to the PCs if they observe the prison chamber (area 16) over the course of a couple of hours, as the miasma dims noticeably. Fortunately, the prison key and the runic circle in area 14 can be used to reverse the thawing process. If the PCs cannot initiate an inquiry along this line by themselves, the DM can have Zerimon suggest it.
It will require a DC 30 Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (planes) check to master the ritual. This check must be made by a person with the prison key in the runic circle. Thankfully, anyone in the runic circle with the prison key is immune to the slaad lord's effects.
A check can be made once per hour and, once it succeeds, the unthawing will begin to take place. Unthawing will take exactly as much time as the slaad lord has thawed, and during this time the unthawer who made the skill check must remain in the runic circle with the prison key. The slaad lord's power effects will still be available to him and will degrade as his thaw level decreases. Once thaw level 1 has been passed, then thaw level zero equates to the prison being fully closed once again.
Once the prison is fully closed, Zerimon will request the prison key to take back to Limbo, where he promises it will be guarded even better than before. Since Zerimon cannot plane shift by himself, he will wish to make his way to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon to try and arrange for a way home and, in any event, he needs to report what happened here, including the fact that a skarn hierarch and her servants were slain. as such, if the PCs are inclined to head to the temple anyways, Zerimon would be delighted to continue to accompany them to the temple.
3. The PCs fail and the slaad lord is released
It is wrong to say that a great evil will have been loosed upon Sazhansiir, as the DM should remember that slaadi, though an embodiment of the brutal, destructive force of chaos, are not evil. Nevertheless, once free, the sorceress has been given instructions to bargain with Issganndemm in exchange for his freedom.
The exact details of this bargain are left to the DM, and the slaad lord's response is also left to the DM. It could be that the slaad lord agrees to aid the scaled ones in their ongoing struggle for dominance of Sazhansiir, and perhaps he returns as a nemesis to the PCS when they reach epic level.
Or perhaps, as befitting his nature, Issganndemm simply thanks the sorceress, listens to what she has to say, and then slays her and any surviving yuan-ti and then returns to Limbo to reconsolidate his power and wreak revenge upon the githzerai.
In any event, once released, the yuan-ti, the slaadi, and Issganndemm will leave the prison complex quickly. The PCs will simply find the complex abandoned, the bodies of the fallen yuan-ti present but looted of all valuables. Some of the traps (such as the glyphs in area 12) will remain and could pose a danger to the PCs, but otherwise, it will be clear from the broken statues and Zerimon's distress that they have come too late.
Since Zerimon cannot plane shift by himself, he will wish to make his way to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon to try and arrange for a way home and, in any event, he needs to report what happened here, including the fact that a skarn hierarch and her servants were slain. as such, if the PCs are inclined to head to the temple anyways, Zerimon would be delighted to continue to accompany them to the temple.
Part Five - The Gratitude of the Hierarchs:
The PCs and githzerai travel to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon and the PCs receive their thanks.
The PCs will likely, not matter what the outcome of their foray to the prison, wish to travel to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon, to report on the loss of the skarns, to escort Zerimon there, and to tell what happened in the prison and with the slaad lord.
The journey to the temple can be as eventful or mundane as the DM desires. Some of the encounters presented in the Prologue can be used during this leg of the journey if not used before, or a few encounters are presented here.
Encounter One - The Root of the Problem (EL 10)
The PCs will come upon a stretch of land that, from a distance looks likes twisted patches of veins bulging from the earth's surface. A little closer look reveals these veins to be furrows of earth, as if some mad farmer dug furrows in the ground in random directions.
A few minutes later, the PCs will spy, about 300 ft away, a large antelope that staggers into view, brays pitifully, and then stumbles on its hind legs, as if sitting down. However, the lower half of the animal suddenly is pulled beneath the soil, and with another bray the entire thing disappears beneath the earth.
Five rounds later, the PCs are attacked by a burrow root, a companion to the one feeding on the antelope, and 2 rounds later a third joins the fray. The original burrow root will not engage in combat, being content to feed on the antelope and then burrow deep beneath the surface. Only if it is somehow molested or attacked will it fight back.
The two active burrow roots will burrow beneath the earth, about 20 ft underground, and then their speed burrow ability to lurch up amongst the PCs and launch a surprise attack.
|
BURROW ROOTS (2) CR 8 Split (Ex) When a burrow root is reduced to half of its full normal hit points or fewer, it splits in half. The new root's game statistics are identical to those of its parent. Divide the parent creature's remaining hp evenly between the two organisms. The older burrow root cannot split again for 24 hours, and the younger burrow root cannot split for 24 hours after it emerges. Wounding (Ex) Any living creature damaged by a borrow root continues to bleed, losing 1 hp per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative blood loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 21 Heal check or the application of healing magic. |
Tactics: Although they congregate in colonies, the burrow roots do not coordinate their attacks in any way. They will simply burst up through the ground and try to wound as many people as possible, so as to spill as much blood as possible. If reduced to 9 hp or fewer they will retreat beneath the ground and simply absorb the blood that has seeped into the topsoil.
Encounter Two - Not So Boring (10)
The PCs are traversing a sparsely wooded area when they run into a swarm of boring beetles out looking for prey to feed their declining fungus stores. This encounter can take place at day or during the night.
The encounter will begin with the PCs having a chance to hear the approaching beetles. The beetles are not being particularly noisy, but neither are they being partilcuarly quiet. The encounter will begin at a distance of 110 ft with the beetles roughly ahead of the PCs. The Listen DC to hear the beetles is 5 (which should then be modified by distance). The DM should roll for the beetles and the PCs and determine who hears the other first. The PCs will hear strange clicking sounds and occasional cracking of branches or rustling of leaves.
Once the beetles hear the PCs, they will communicate to each other using their hive mind ability and begin to fan out in a crescent and approach the PCs. The beetles are not very good at hiding, especially while moving, but will do so at a -5 Hide check, scuttling forward at a run if possible to reach their prey.
| BORING BEETLES
(11) CR 3 Tome of Horrors 3.5 page 33 N Large vermin Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +0, Spot +0 AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 hp 37 (5 HD) Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1 Spd 20 ft (4 squares) Melee bite +6 (2D8+6) Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +3;Grp +11 Abilities Str 18, Dex 10, Con 15, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 9 SQ hive mind, vermin traits Hive Mind (Ex) All boring beetles within 1 mile of each other are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, then none of them are. No boring beetle in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are. |
Tactics: The boring beetles are driven by instinct and will fight until slain.
Developments: If tracked back to their lair (DC 11) the PCs will encounter a complex of 10 ft diameter tunnels and caves that includes 8 more beetles along with some eggs, and stores of molds and fungi which, at the DM's election, could have interesting properties. The exact details of the lair is left to the DM.
At the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon
The temple is located near the peak of a majestic mountain that overlooks the northern edge of Mallar's Peaks. About halfway up the peak, two stone plinths flank the beginning of a dirt trail that winds its way up switchback trails and across small stone bridges that traverse dizzying crevasses and small streams. Eventually, the PCs will come upon a grassy area of about 200 yards that abuts a cliff face that rises almost to the top of the peak and slopes down towards the valley below. Set against this cliff face is a smallish stone structure, which is the temple proper.
 |
It is beyond the scope of this scenario to present a full description of the temple. The above map gives the layout and brief room descriptions, as taken from Magic of Incarnum, and more information can be found in that book under the description of the Sapphire Hierarch prestige class (page 136).
DMs should note that the map presented above and in Magic of Incarnum does not well represent the numbers of hierarchs stated in the prestige class description. In Sazhansiir, the order is actually widespread though sparse, with members wandering far afield doing the work of the temple and returning occasionally to commune with the eidolon or to consult with the hierarchs. Even the ranking hierarchs tend to wander the world, and there are only two actual hierarchs permanently stationed at the temple, along with from ten to twelve initiates. The hierarchs reside in chambers 13 on the map.
In any event, the PCs will be accosted by two skarn initiate guards posted outside the front doorway. They will speak to the PCs in Azotlan, and if none of the PCs can speak that language and Zerimon is not available to translate, then one of them will enter the temple and summon a hierarch to speak to the PCs in Celestial or via a tongues spell.
Should the PCs be wearing metal armour or display metal weapons, the guards will react with hostility, one yelling in Azotlan that the yuan-ti have come and both beginning to ready for an attack. The PCs can make a rushed Diplomacy check to move the guards from hostile to unfriendly, but barring that the guards will attack.
| SAPPHIRE GUARDS
(2) CR 7 Magic of Incarnum pages 15, 20, and 136 Male skarn Cleric (Ularinn) 3/Incarnate 3/Sapphire Hierarch 1 LN Medium humanoid (reptilian, incarnum) Init +0; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2 Aura moderate law Languages Azotlan AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13 hp 36 (7 HD) Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +10 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee arm spines +4 (1D6+1) Melee mwk longspear +5 (1D8+1) Ranged javelin +3 (1D6+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft (10 ft with longspear) Base Atk +3; Grp +4 Atk Options smite chaos or evil 1/day (+1 attack, +1 damage), smite evil 1/day (+4 attack, +3 damage) Special Actions Divine Vigour, greater turning (1/day), incarnum radiance 1/day (4 rounds, +1 AC), turn undead (4/day, +2 synergy bonus) Combat Gear masterwork obsidian longspear, javelins (6), oil of magic fang (CL 1), potion of cure serious wounds (CL 5) Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 4, melee touch +4, ranged touch +3): 2nd - bull's strength, elation, heat metal (DC 14), resist energy, silence 1st - bless, entropic shield, eyes of the avoral, handfire, protection from evil, vision of heaven (DC 13) 0 - detect magic, detect poison, guidance, light, resistance Domains: Celestial (smite evil 1/day), Sun (greater turning 1/day) Essential Pool 5; Capacity 3; Chakra Binds 1; Soulmelds 3 Soulmelds and Essentia Investment (CL 4): soulspark familiar (lesser soulspark; bound to crown chakra) mantle of flame 3 (3D6 fire damage against melee attacks) spellward shirt 2 (SR 14) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2): At will - detect chaos Abilities Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12 SQ chakra binds (crown), consultation 3/level, spontaneous casting (healing) Feats Bonus Essentia, Combat Casting, Divine Vigour Skills Climb +3, Concentration +8, Heal +4, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (religion) +5, Sense Motive +4 Possessions combat gear plus studded leather armour, spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol (Ularinn), potion belt |
|
LESSER SOULSPARKS (2) CR - Soul Blast (Su) A soulspark attacks by focusing soul energy on its target as a ranged attack with a range of 5 ft. it gains a bonus on its damage roll equal to its Cha bonus (if any). This doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. |
Tactics: The initiate guards are not supremely formidable warriors, and they know it, but they have a variety of very versitile capabilities. They will, of course, adjust their essentia from round to round as they deem fit, and are likely to begin any combat with bull's strength if time allows.
Developments: The fight is not apt to continue for long, as 1D4+2 rounds after it begins, the front door of the temple will open and half a dozen more initiates (use the stats above, except they will each have 1 defensive spell already cast) along with a hierarch will appear (for the hierarch, assume the same statistics as Sister Tara on page 142 of Magic of Incarnum, except her armour is chitin armour and he shield is wooden).
Sister Tara will immediately order a halt to the fighting and, assuming the PCs back down, she will attempt to restore order and speak with the PCs. Unless they represent a threat or are insulting, she will then apologize for the guards' rash actions and invite the PCs (and Zerimon) into the temple.
If the PCs to not desist, then the initiates and hierarch will fight to the death.
Once inside, the PCs will be ushered into the greeting hall and Sister Tara will receive their report and question them. If the PCs have managed to thwart the release of the slaad lord, Tara will be quite pleased (tempered by the loss of her compatriots) and offer the PCs a leather pouch filled with sapphires. There are five of these worth a total of 5,000 gp.
No matter what the outcome of the slaad lord, she will buy back from the PCs any incarnum magic at the normal rates (half market value), paying for them with sapphires and coins to round out any amounts less than 1,000 gp. She will also be quite happy if the PCs report their discovery of the Sapphire outpost from the scenario All in Stride, offering 100 gp for that information and another 100 gp for each stone tablet fragment with writing on it that is returned to her (there were three such pieces in total).
She will also make the PCs welcome to abide at the temple for a time and offer to share information on Sazhansiir, the Azotchtlan lands, and anything else the PCs wish to know about that seems within her purview. She can even roll out a full map of the continent.
Tara will have no knowledge of the PCs' appearance in the creation cyst chamber, nor that the Azotchtla are desperately trying to track down the PCs. The temple is an extremely remote outpost that is self-sufficient due to the ability of the inhabitants to cast create food and water and rarely gets news from the Azotchtla. Tara can, however, warn the PCs that they will almost certainly be slain on sight if they persist in wearing metal armour and flaunting their metal weapons or use forbidden magic. Even just their strange appearance and mannerisms would cause the PCs to come under extreme suspicioin and scrutiny by the Azotchtla, who fear infiltration by the yuan-ti. But she will advise the PCs to submit to the Azotchtla, for they have ways to find out whether a being is of the snakes or not.
Tara will be happy to explain incarnum magic to the PCs, and might even be willing to train PCs in its use (this may take some time, but could allow the PCs to take levels in an incarnum-based class or, more likely, to take the Shape Soulmeld and Bonus Essentia feats).
The PCs will also be allowed to see the Sapphire Eidolon, though they cannot access its wisdom. The initiates and hierarch will not use one of their consultation uses on behalf of the PCs unless they feel it is of critical importance to the temple or the temple's cause.
Experience Points:
In addition to normal experience (which in Therra is half of that recommended in the DMG), each party member should be rewarded as follows: