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Summary:
The PCs learn that their once-companion Zerimon the githzerai never made it back to Limbo, but is instead prisoner in the Plane of Shadow. They travel to that plane and rescue their companion, so that he may return to his home in Limbo.
Assumptions:
The PCs have taken part in the scenarios entitled The Key to Chaos and All the Way Home. They are now residing in the Azotchtlan lands (presumably after having won the sacred ball game from The Game of Life and been reunited with other PCs from Run for the Money).
Location:
The Temple of Hunahpu in Xicalanca.
Historical Date:
NS 33, Month of Wind (autumn)
DM's Introduction:
Zerimon the githzerai's trip back home at the end of the scenario All the Way Home went awry, and he ended up on the Plane of Shadow. There he was seen and taken prisoner by a khayal genie, who is attempting to rise up the power structure of his kind and sees the githzerai and his magical stone as a potential opportunity for advancement. The khayal has imprisoned Zerimon in an extra-dimensional prison and has been questioning him as to the powers and purpose of the blue trapezoidal stone that the PCs know as the prison key, the key to a magical prison on Sazhansiir that keeps a powerful white slaad trapped inside a magical field. The genie has not yet resorted to torture of the githzerai, for he somewhat senses that such methods may not work too well on the monastic gith. Instead, he is patient and while he tries to inquire subtly of other sources as to the powers of the stone, he also hopes to wait out Zerimon and perhaps to threaten to sell the stone to parties unknown as a means of unnerving the gith and getting him to reveal the significance of the stone.
Part One - Strange Dreams
The PCs begin to receive omens and portents that alert them to the fact that Zerimon is a prisoner on the Plane of Shadow. They receive advice from the Hanaphu Temple and then make their way to the Stone of Shadows.
Zerimon's journey across the planes from Sazhansiir to the Plane of Limbo was by means of a mystical tunnel or nexus in the planar fabric caused by the Stone of Shadows. Since the gith's journey along that conduit has not been completed, the conduit still exists, linking the githzerai with Sazhansiir on a mystical level. Because of this, Zerimon's current state and his need for aid has been transmitted along this conduit, to the Material Plane, and begins to find lodging in those most attuned to the githzerai...the PCs.
The PCs have this attunement for several reasons. First, because they travelled with Zerimon for a time and became his boon companions. In addition, the PCs were present at the Stone of Shadows when Zerimon activated his latent plane shift ability. Finally, the PCs were exposed to the Stone of Shadows and likely were involved in its destruction and may even have pocketed some of the destroyed dust or splinters or shards from the Stone to keep for magical research or item creation purposes.
Whatever the reason, Zerimon's mystic pleas to the PCs manifest in several ways, including dreams, portents, and even physical manifestations. The DM should essentially continue to ratchet up the impetus for the PCs to realize Zerimon needs assistance until such time as they finally undertake to rescue him or until it is clear they intend to abandon their esrtwhile friend to his fate. In that case, it is up to the DM to decide what happens. Perhaps Zerimon expires in the khayal's prison and the khayal sells the prison key to a third party and it eventually makes its way back to the scaled ones.
A Dream:
The DM should administer this dream to one of the PCs, preferrably a PC most tied to oracular visions or divinatory magic (i.e. a divine oracle or a wizard of the divination specialization, or lacking that a psionic PC or a cleric).
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You open your eyes and gaze upon a pool of tar or black water, possibly underground or at night, for there is no light shining upon you, only a strange grey gloaming. As you gaze into this blackness, you see it shimmer and ripple in ways that seem unnatural for any sort of normal liquid, and looking further, it appears that this liquid is not only black, but an absolute absence of light. You hear a sussurus of a whisper from the pool, and as you cannot quite make it out, you lean a bit forward towards the pool. Suddenly the face of Zerimon the githzerai appears, startling you and you leap back and awake from your dream. |
It is quite possible that this dream alone will be enough to rouse the PCs into using divinatory magic or sending spells to try to see if Zerimon is OK. If not, DMs can resort to the following:
A Manifestation:
Should the PCs have any of the dust or shards from the Stone of Shadows, they will notice the pieces vibrating and humming. This will happen for several days before larger pieces suddenly pulverize into dust. Then, one day, the dust will emerge from whatever container it is in and form an image of Zerimon on the nearest table or floor.
An Omen:
Various PCs will hear vague whispers on the edge of their hearing. Over the course of a week or so these whispers will become more frequent and resolve into whispers that are short pleas from Zerimon in Celestial, such as:
These whispers seem to emanate from shadowy places, like the corner of rooms or outside under eaves of buildings. If the fact that the whispers are in Celestial is not enough to connect them to Zerimon, it will eventually become apparent that the raspy voice sounds a lot like Zerimon's.
Once the PCs are resolved to check on Zerimon, there are several methods they can use. They could cast a sending spell and speak with Zerimon. In this case the spell has a 95% chance of working. Zermin can really only say that he is imprisoned by a being on the Plane of Shadow who has his prison key and seems to be questioning him about it. The githzerai doesn't know exactly where he is nor much about his surroundings, it being quite dark and he being blindfolded.
The PCs could also cast a divination or other such spell to determine that Zerimon is imprisoned on the Plane of Shadows by some unknown entity and that the gith needs rescuing. At worst the PCs could request or pay for such spells to be cast by Malinal and the clergy at the Temple of Hanahpu. A divination spell might reveal the following:
Thy friend is held a thrall of shadows, and the broken gate may still be taken
Alternatively, consulting with Malinal, the High Priestess of Hanahpu or Pizotzin the High Priest of Xbalanque will allow them to do some research and divinations of their own to determine that the way to track Zerimon is to use a plane shift spell cast at the site of the Stone of Shadows. The spell will, if cast at the site while the stone is being touched by the caster, follow the same rift and conduit that Zerimon has used and allow the PCs to arrive at or near the same spot Zerimon arrived at on the Plane of Shadows.
Assuming the PCs cannot cast plane shift themselves, scrolls of such can be obtained from the temples of Hanahpu or Xbalanque at normal price. The PCs will need one such spell to travel to the Plane of Shadows and another to return home once Zerimon is rescued.
A Journey:
The journey to the site of the Stone of Shadows can be managed in various ways. If the PCs have befriended Malinal, the high priestess of Hanaphu will offer to use greater teleport to transport the PCs to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon free of charge, even if it takes her two trips (over two days) to do so. She will also be willing to transport the PCs back using similar means (including word of recall) if the PCs give her a sending when they return back to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon and are ready to return to Xicalanca. Otherwise, the PCs can make the long journey from Xicalanca to the cave site on their own, but this will take some time and the DM should feel free to present encounters or adventures along the way.
This scenario assumes that the PCs have availaed themselves of Malinal's generous offer and are teleported to just outside the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon.
The PCs may visit the Temple, should they desire to do so, and depending on the outcome of previous scenarios, Sister Tara may welcome them. However, she will not be able to spare any assistance for rescuing Zerimon, though she will offer to cast restorative spells on the PCs or Zerimon for free when they return from their quest.
The journey to the cave site involves travel to a specific mountain in the Mallar's Peaks range. It is called Nauhacuti, which means "little spider" in Azotlan and is so named because the mountain has eight spurs emanating from its base that recall a spider's legs. It is also known that giant spiders reside in the woods and amongst its peaks.
The journey to Nauhacuti involves a trek of about 80 miles straight as the crow flies through trackless mountains. Per the Dungeon Master's Guide, a group of PCs traveling at a speed of 30 ft will progress 12 miles per day through these mountains. The way is treacherous enough that no non-flying beings can travel faster than a rate of 30 ft. Of course, Survival checks can speed the travel so that the trackless penalty is reduced. But spells that cause creatures to move at an overland speed faster than 30 ft or creatures that do so naturally will still travel at a rate of 30 ft due to the treacherous nature of the terrain, unless the spell or travel mode involves flying. For example, even were the PCs mounted in light riding horses, it would not speed their progress, as the horses would have to proceed very carefully to avoid mishap, injury, or death.
The PCs could elect to travel down the Valast River valley to the plains and then circle around and back up into the lower reaches of the mountains to reach Nauacuti, but that would involve two full day in the mountains (1 to descend from the Temple and another to reach Nauhacuti) and an additional 160 miles of travel across the plains. It is possible that the plains route will take a shorter amount of time if the PCs are mounted on swift steeds or have some means to increase their land speed well beyond 30 ft.
In either case, the journey to Nauhacuti will be mostly uneventful, though the DM can insert any encounters he sees fit.
DMs are directed to the scenario entitled All the Way Home for details about the cave under the mountain. Unless the DM desires otherwise, it can be assumed that no new residents have taken up inside the caves...yet.
If the PCs destroyed the Stone of Shadows during their last visit here, then they will be surprised to find that the stone is regrowing, and even after a matter of weeks tiny fingers of black crystal seem to be groping up from the floor and starting to curve in to eventually form the shell of a new stone. The fingers radiate faint magic of no particular school, and destroying the stone fingers will have no effect on the ability of the PCs to travel along the conduit to the Plane of Shadows. The stone is not the cause of the nexus, but rather an effect of the same. The nascent stone will not attack with any sort of black tentacles effect as it did previously.
If the stone was not destroyed previously, then it will have all of the effects as described in All the Way Home. DMs are directed to that scenario for a full description and listing of its effects and capabilities.
If the PCs cast their plane travel spell while the caster touches the stone, they will instantly be transported along the conduit opened by Zerimon to the Plane of Shadow, to the exact point where Zerimon emerged.
Part Two - Into the Shadows
The PCs arrive in the Plane of Shadow and meet one of its inhabitants, a khayal genie who has taken Zermin captive. The khayal will attempt to bargain with the PCs and arrange a trade of Zerimon and his possession in exchange for some darkseeds gathered from a nearby forest.
DMs are encouraged to study the Therran version of the Plane of Shadows in the online document entitled The Cosmology of Therra as it contains many details about the Plane of Shadows in Therra, including some important difference between the Therran version and the standard version as presented in the Manual of the Planes.
Arrival:
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After the disconserting wrenching that accompanies planar travel, you find yourselves standing on a piece of rock that seems to be floating in a sea of roiling grey mist. The mist is not thick, and seems to radiate a sort of gloaming, such that visibility is about what one would expect on a misty twilight on the Material Plane. The rock you are on is about 60 ft in diameter, and at your feet, on the rock face, is the bluish outline of a humanoid figure in a prone position, as if some humanoid creature fell onto the ground and radiated a blue nimbus that is still present on the rock. In the distance, though it is difficult to tell how far, looms a far larger floating rock that could be hundreds of feet thick, if not more. |
If the PCs inquire, the DM can confirm that the humanoid outlined on the rock floor could resemble the outline of Zerimon.
If the PCs look carefully around the rock, they will see, on a DC 20 Spot check, that directly behind them floating in the air just above the slab, is a sort of rippling disturbance in the very fabric of the air. This is the manifestation of the conduit that Zerimon and the PCs used to arrive here. A DC 25 Knowledge (arcana) or Knwoledge (planes) check will reveal that it is, indeed, the manifestation of that conduit.
The gravity on this small slab of stone is very slight. In fact, at 60 ft in diameter the gravity on the slab is basically nil and should be treated as such. The PCs can easily launch themselves off in any direction, and with a little practice, can swim through the mist, turning and altering their trajectory by way of body motions. While gravity on this tiny slab is effectively nil in game terms, the DM should describe to the PCs that they feel the slightest emphasis of a tug on their toes towards the rock and that this ever-so-slight tug rapidly decreases to nothing by the time it reaches their ankles.
This small slab is about 10 ft thick, and the bottom is simply another bare, flat surface of stone.
The only landmark visible is that massive slab of rock off in the distance. That is where the khayal lives and where Zerimon has been taken.
Gazimuln's Demesne:
The khayal's demesne is some 2 miles from the small slab of stone upon which the PCs arrived (i.e. the entry slab). Launching themselves off of the slab using normal leg power will have the PCs arriving at the edge of the demesne's gravity well in about 12-15 minutes. The slab is, as the PCs get closer, some 600 ft thick and "top" of the slab seems to be about 200 ft above the level of the entry slab. The "bottom" of the slab is about 400 ft below the level of the entry slab. The bottom of the slab is filled with massive stalagmites that reach sharply upward up to 150 ft from the surface of the slab. Other than these structures the "bottom" of the slab is empty.
As gravity in the Plane of Shadow is subjective, the PCs can easily reach and walk upon the "bottom" of the slab or its "sides".
Gazimuln's demesne is a roughly rectangular slab of rock some half a mile wide and a 2/3rds of a mile long (totalling apbout 5.2 billion cubic feet). As such, it exerts gravity in the following bands:
The PCs will have to deal with the increasing gravity, usually by means of a fly spell or air walk or other means. If not, the PCs will effectively "fall" the final 175 ft to the slab. This is not as devestating as it sounds, since the lighter gravity in the higher bands slows the fall somewhat. Assume that each foot in the lower gravity bands counts for as many feet of falling as the fractional gravity in that band. So, for example, each foot fallen in the 1.8th gravity band counts as 1/8th of a foot. By this means, a free fall from 176 ft+ to the surface of the slab would cause 6d6 damage (i.e. treated as a 68.75 ft fall).
Once on the "top" of
the slab, the PCs can take in their surroundings.
| The top of the slab, at least from your vantage point, seems relatively flat, and made of solid stone. There are occasional ripples and small ridges and even what might be shallow craters visible in the distance. However, the only real feature seems to be a large structure or natural stone formation that is difficult to make out in the gloaming lighting conditions, but is clearly a tall, narrow shape that rises some distance above the surface of the stone slab. Other than this feature, there are no other discernible landmarks in view. |
The Hounds (EL 8 and EL 8):
Ghazimuln has two packs of dusk beasts that patrol his demesne. These are always voraciously circling the slab, as the khayal refuses to feed them, thereby encouraging them to be unceasing in their vigilance and vicious in their demeanour. The PCs will almost certainly, unless completely silent and invisible, run into at least one of the two packs.
Creatures: Each pack consists of 5 dusk beasts.
| DUSK BEASTS
(5) CR 3 Manual of the Planes page 170 N Medium outsider (extraplanar [native to the Plane of Shadow]) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +9, Spot +13 AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 hp 44 (8 HD) Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +8 Spd 30 ft (6 squares) Melee 2 bites +10 (1d8+2) and tail barb +8 (1d4+1) Space 5 ft; Reach 10 ft Base Atk +8; Grp +10 Special Actions Combat Reflexes Abilities Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 13 Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Multiattack Skills Balance +7, Climb +13, Hide +17, Jump +13, Listen +13, Move Silently +13, Spot +13, Survival +8 |
Tactics: A pack will attempt to spot intruders and then hide in the shadows and few rocky outcroppings and ambush the PCs. They will attack voraciously, and are smart enough to flank opponents and not to bubnch up if their foes exhibit the ability to cast area-effect spells.
Developments: Once the first pack attacks it will raise the alarm in a blood-curdling half-howl, half-hiss. The other pack will hear this under normal circumstances and will rush to the site of battle. The other pack will arrive in 2d10 rounds and press the attack or, if the first fight is over, set up a second ambush.
Gazimuln's Lair:
About halfway to the distant landmark,
it should be apparent with a DC 15 Spot check that the landmark
is certainly a tall structure of some sort, like a tower. Shortly
thereafter, it will be observed that the tower sprouts from the
roof of a larger structure.
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The landmark you viewed from a distance has now resolved itself into a narrow tower of black stone, some 15 ft in diameter and rising approximately 50 ft above the roof of a larger structure some 25 ft tall from which roof it springs. The tower ends in a slight bulge indicating, perhaps, a chamber of some sort within, but there are no visible windows or other means of entry directly into the tower. The structure (like the tower) is fashioned from black stone, and in fact neither portion evidences any mortar or seams, as if made from a single piece of solid stone. The structure has a slightly domed roof that is otherwise unadorned, and two large valves made of bronze or some similar material pierce a portion of the structure that juts out towards you. These doors are some 8 ft wide and over 15 ft tall and are engraved with some sort of carvings that are not quite visible at a distance. Flanking the doors are two large statues made presumably fromt he same black stone as the structure. These statues are about 12 ft tall and seem to be somewhat amorphous in shape, though, again, details are difficult to make out from a distance. There are no windows visible in the structure. |
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Audience Chamber
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This large chamber is dominated by a stone dais that rises in three steps to a grey stone throne studded with an array of gemstones of various sizes, styles, and colours. Next to the throne is a stone table upon which sits a brass bell, a large clear crystal in a metal tripod, and a small stone block with three gems set into it. Four large pillars of grey and white marble form an aisleway leading from the double doors to the south to the dais, and this aisleway is carpeted with a deep velvet carpet embroidered with scenes of various structures on floating rocks. Along the east and west walls are hung massive tapestries depicting grey-skinned humanoids in various activities, including battle, sex, bacchanalian parties, etc. |
The bell on the table next to the throne is used by Gazimuln to summon his shadow elemental servant Echtaban.
The crystal is used to peer into any room in his demesne. This works exactly like a clairvoyance/clairaudience spell except that he can both hear and see with the device and the effect lasts as long as he concentrates upon it. Activating the device is a standard action, as is moving it to a new location. The device is attuned to Gazimuln and only he can use it. This device radiates strong divination magic.
The stone block bears a purple gem, a green gem, and a red gem. Each gem may be depressed like a button and each opens or closes a set of double doors in his lair. The purple gem opens or closes the Entrance doors (and re-engages the bar lock if closed); the green gem opens or closes the doors between the Foyer and Grand Hall; the red gem opens or closes the doors between the Grand Hall and the Audience Chamber. This device radiates faint transmutation magic and has a range of 200 ft and works only on the doors in this lair.
Secret Doors: Behind the tapestries are two strong wooden doors. These are not locked and are not actually secret doors, but are merely hidden by the tapestries.
Treasure: The various gems on the throne, should they be pried loose, number a total of 75 gems worth about 20000 gp in total. Some are worth more than others, but the most valuable are not more than 750 gp each. Should the exact type and size of each gem need to be determined, the DM can choose or roll randomly.
Dining Chamber
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A massive metal dining table dominates this room, surrounded by ornate wooden chairs. Elaborate place settings are set around the table, including silver utensils and ornate crystal goblets. Cabinets with shelves set against the west wall hold various serving trays, decanters, and other service vessels. To the east, stairs descend into the floor. |
Entrance
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The doors bear, on closer inspection, engraved carvings showing various supernatural humanoid figures engaged in battles with each other and casting epic-looking magicks. The statues look something like amorphous columns of smoke or even black flames. There is no detail to either statue and certainly no recognizable features such as faces, limbs, or anything else to really identify them. |
The statues are actually models of shadow elementals. As such creatures are basically shapeless, there is almost no chance a PC could recognize this merely by looking at the statues. However, once they encounter a shadow elemental, they can certainly reflect on the fact that it appears much like the statues here.
The entrance doors are both locked by means of a stout metal bar on the other side. This can be disangaged by means of a knock spell or any other method devised by the PCs. They can also simply knock on the doors.
If the PCs knock on the doors, they will be eventually (after a few minutes) answered by Gazimuln, who will inquire (initially in Abyssal and then in Celestail and finally in Auran) as to the nature of those seeking him and what their business is with him. If the PCs evidence basic cordiality and are not overtly hostile, then Gazimuln will agree to allow them an audience with him. He will then retreat to his Audience Chamber (which will take a few rounds) and then signal to his Foyer guards to let the PCs in.
Foyer (EL 11)
| This chamber is flanked by two stone ramps that curve to the north and rise about 10 ft off of the floor to form galleries. To the north are a pair of large bronze double doors, similar to the ones in the Entrance. The ceiling of this place is decorated by a mosaic showing grey-skinned humanoids riding shadowy black winged beasts through a grey mist. |
Gazimuln has a viewing crystal in his Audience Chamber that allows him to peer into this (and any other chamber in his lair).
Creatures: Four ghrrashi are here, elite guards of the khayal. They will attack any uninvited intruders, usually being well-hidden on the gallery and waiting for intruders to reach into the middle of the Foyer before leaping down to the attack.
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GHIRRASHI (4) CR 7 Paralysis (Su) A creature hit by a ghirrash's bite attack must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis. The save DC is Constitution-based. Pounce (Ex) If a ghirrash charges, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks. Rake (Ex) Two claws, attack bonus +13 melee, damage 1d6+3. |
Tactics: The ghirrashi are smart and clever and speak to each other in Infernal to coordinate tactics. This might lead the PCs to believe these are devils of some sort, though this is certainly not the case and the ghirrashi, though dangerous, are not even evil. The ghirrashi are not interested in killing intruders, as their master prefers captives to corpses, and so they will not perform coup-de-grace attacks on paralyzed foes or attack downed foes. They will also accept any gestures of surrender. Otherwise, they will simply use their innate abilities to greatest effect and trust their prodigious defenses (including their damage resistance, resistances to energy, relatively high Armour Class, and displacement ability) to keep them going until the intruders are vanquished. If intruders flee the structure, they will not pursue.
Developments: The ghirrashi will make all sorts of noise during an attack, arousing the khayal, who will arrive at his Audience Chamber in 1d4+1 rounds and then allow the intruders to fight his guardians until half of the ghirrashi are slain or until the PCs surrender or vocally express their desire to speak with the master of the house. At this point Gazimuln will call out from the Audience Chamber in Abyssal for his ghirrashi to stand down and invite the PCs to come and speak with him.
Guest Chamber
| This room contains a comfortable-looking bed, a wooden wardrobe, a table with mirror and washbasin, and an open empty wooden chest. Several unlit oil lamps are set here and there, and a blue carpet decorates the floor. |
Grand Hall
| This massive hallway is pierced by a large spiral staircase in its center that rises through the roof. Beyond the staircase is another set of engraved bronze double doors, similar to the Entrance to this place. The walls are decorated with frescoes portraying grey-skinned humanoids armed with various weapons fighting battles against blue, green, brown, and red humanoids who wield obvious elemental magicks against the grey-skinned ones. |
Kitchen
| This smallish room is full of chopping tables, shelves with ingredients and cooking implements, and a single large metal oven that seems to have no visible vent or chimney. |
Library/Study
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Stone shelves dominate the walls of this chamber, bearing a bewildering variety of tomes, books, treatises, scrolls, plaques, charts, and other forms of lierature and diagrams. Various strange knick-knacks also are set decoratively on the shelves throughout the place. In the room's center are several tables and comfortable chairs suitable for reading. A large wooden desk holds parchment and vellum in tied stacks along with various writing implements and ink bottles. Along one wall is a large map that shows, in closeup detail, the rock slab and structure that makes up Gazimuln's demesne. |
If the map is scruitinzed, it will be apparent that there are several stone slabs marked on the map as somewhat distant from Gazimuln's slab. Gazimuln's slab is clearly marked in yellow, and the yellow boundaries do NOT extend to other nearby slabs. This point is potentially important when dealing with Gazimuln, because it shows that he is lying when he claims Zerimon was trespassing on his property.
Pantry
| This chamberis chock full of shelves, bins, barrels, and other containers, as well as hooks from which various strange carcases hang. |
Salon
| This room is luxuriously appointed with plush divans, couches, and chairs, all of ornate design and craftsmanship. Wooden and metal tables similarly fashioned are placed about the room, and the tables bear bowls of strange-looking fruits, glasses and ewers, and bottles of liquid stoppered in wax. |
Tower
The spiral steps rise some 50
ft into the air, with the gravity getting noticeably lighter once
the roof of the main structure is exceeded. By the time the steps
reach 50 ft in the air, they end in a room some 25 ft in diamater
and 15 ft tall, forming a bulb at the top of the Tower.
| Within this room at the top of the tower the air is dark and the place is unlit. However, the walls and domed ceiling of this chamber are covered with a bewildering array of glowing lines, some solid and some dashed or dotted, circles, squares, triangles, and other geometrical patterns that are all moving at various speeds and in various directions. |
PCs studying the patterns will be able to tell it is a map of some kind on a DC 5 Profession (cartographer) check or any similar Profession check. Lacking that, a DC 10 Knowledge (geography) check will reveal the same information, as will a DC 10 Intelligence check. However, any attempt to actually decipher the map so that it could be used by the PCs to navigate would require at least an hour's worth of study and a DC 30 Knowledge (planes) check along with a DC 20 Knowledge (geography) or Profession (cartographer) check. Such checks could be repeated each hour of intense study until the location desired is divined. of course, those without such skills could eventually learn to use the map if they were tutored extensively by someone with the knowledge to use the map (e.g. Gazimuln).
Training Chamber
| This large chamber is accoutered with metal weapon racks with a variety of weapons upon them. In the center of the chamber, a 15 ft square of the floor has been cut out and filled with sand. Tapestries in the place show grey-skinned humanoids in battle against shadowy creatures, some with demonic features. A wooden archery target sits near the west wall, with several quivers of arrows hanging nearby. |
The sandpit is only about 3 inches deep and used in place of a floor mat.
The weapons are about a dozen normal weapons of all types, including several pole arms, a spiked chain, a variety of axes, and spears of all sorts. There are a total of 40 arrows hanging in the quivers.
Downstairs
The stairs in the Dining Chamber lead to the downstairs portion of the lair. This portion of the lair of the place is not detailed, as it is unlikely that combat will take place down there. Nevertheless, should this occur, the DM is free to map out the bedchamber.
The stairs descend about 20 ft
into the ground, before reaching a strong wooden door.
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Behind the door is a 50 ft square chamber some 10 ft tall. The chamber is a magnificently appointed bedchamber, including a luxurious fur-covered round canopied bed. Several ornate wardrobes stand against the walls, flanked by shelves that are full of a variety of strange and exotic-looking trinkets and items. In one corner of the place, a mauve curtain is thrown open, revealing a large copper washtub, folded towels, various bottles and jars, and a toilet. |
The bottles and jars in the bathing area are perfumed, unguents, oils, and cleansing fluids. The smell of these is tinged by the meloncholy nature of this plane, and as such would likely be shunned by most mortals but highly valued by a few such mortals who were purveyors of the bizarre.
The wardrobes contain a variety of fairly fine outfits, a few of which qualify as noble's outfits and one would qualify as a royal outfit (per the Player's Handbook).
Secret Doors: Behind one of the wardrobes is a secret panel carved into the stone wall that can be opened to reveal a small niche. This door requires a DC 30 Search check to locate. The door is locked, and requires Gazimuln's key or a DC 30 Open Lock check to open. Within is a metal box about a foot cubed in volume (see Treasure below).
Treasure: Under the bed is an unlocked chest holding Zerimon's equipment (except for the prison key [see below]).
The various trinkets are strange-looking rocks tinged with shadow, quasi-magical toys, etc. All are exotic int he view of mortals on Therra and could fetch a decent price as curiousities. The entire collection is worth about 5000 gp and weighs about 100 lbs.
Two items amongst these trinkets are exceptional (one is hidden in a secret spot), but it would take a long bit of study and appropriate Knowledge skills to figure out their usage.
The first is a shadow compass. This is a metal cylinder about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch deep. The opt of the cylinder is covered by a strong, glass-like substance, allowing one to view inside. Within is a clear liquid upon which floats a sphere. Half of this sphere is coloured black, and the other white. Around the edge of the cylinder are enscribed notches, some of which are labelled by symbols. This compass is not magical. However, the floating sphere in the center is made of material such that the white half is always pulled towards the direction of the Positive Material Plane, while the black half is always pulled towards the direction of the Negative Material Plane. Since these two planes form the boundaries of the Plane of Shadow, this device is used like a compass to guide travellers throught he Plane of Shadow. The symbols essentially ascribe directions, and all directions, by convention, assume the Positive Material Plane is always on the right, as looking down at the compass. So someone might give a traveller with such a compass directions to a place by telling what notch to keep the border between the black and white halves of the sphere for a certain amount of time or distance and then a new set of coordinates for another length of time or distance and so forth. The compass is all but useless outside of the Plane of Shadow, and are fairly common amongst the more intelligent and civilized inhabitants of this plane.
The second is hidden in the box behind the secret door described above. The box is unlocked, but inside is lead-lined, defeating any attempts to use spells like locate object to find. Within are two items:
1. The prison key - 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.
2. A strip of thin silver that has been twisted into a mobius loop (that is, a loop like a figure 8 that seems to collapse in on itself and twist in logic-defying ways. This strip is essentially the key to Gazimuln's extradimensional prison chamber. The strip radiates strong abjuration magic and the strip needs to be opened to open the prison and reattached to close it. Manipulating a mobius strip in four dimensions is not an easy thing to do, and anyone not specifically trained in its use will require intense study to manipulate the prison. Even assuming a character knows he must open or reattach the strip, it still requires a DC 22 Intelligence check (with a +2 circumstance bonus if the person has 5 ranks or more in Knowledge [planes]). Each attempt takes an hour, and no person may take 10 or take 20 on this check.
If the mobius strip is opened, a mystical blue glowing doorway will appear right next to one of the wardrobes. This doorway will always only appear in this spot, and until the doorway is manifest, that spot radiates no magic. Should the mobiums strip be closed, the doorway disappears. The mobius strip must be within 50 ft of the doorway in order to function, and unless one is in the bedchamber to witness the doorway manifesting, a character successfully opening the strip might have no idea what he just accomplised.
The Prison
Assuming the PCs open the doorway
with the mobius strip (see above) and enter through, they will
emerge into a small chamber.
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Beyond the mystical doorway is a small circular chamber, about 10 ft tall and 30 ft in diameter. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the place are comprised of what can best be desribed as a glowing blue field of solid energy. Nothing is visible outside of the walls. The far half of the chamber is blocked by a set of thick metal bars, pierced by a gate with a large lock set in it. Beyond the bars are fur pallets, a metal bucket, several bowls, and a metal drinking cup. Metal shackles hang from the strange walls and are long enough to reach the floor. Near the mysical doorway is a large chest that is locked. |
The bars are of a strange, strong metal and are treated as an iron portcullis with certain reinforcements (hardness 12, 90 hp, break DC 30). The door is of the same metal and treated as an iron door with certain reinforcements (hardness 12, 90 hp, break DC 30). The lock is of normal construction (hardness 15, 30 hp) and requires the iron key on Gazimuln's person to open or a DC 30 Open Lock check.
The shackles are standard masterwork shackles and are opened by Gazimuln's iron key or a DC 30 Open Lock check.
Creatures: Zerimon the githzerai is imprisoned here. He is shackled and blindfolded and gagged and only dressed in his plain tunic and trousers.
| 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 |
Note: If Zerimon used any of his potions or other expendable items in the previous scenario, then the DM should remove them from his inventory of possession above. In addition, keep in mind that all of his possessions are located in Gazimuln's bedchamber.
Developments: If Zerimon is freed he will thank his rescuers profusely. However, he will not leave this plane without recovery of his prison key. Zerimon will state that he believes that the mystical conduit opened by the Stone of Shadows is still intact and that he can still use his latent plane shift ability to continue his journey to Limbo. In fact, he believes that having now gone through the Plane of Shadows, the disruptive influence on the conduit caused by the nature of the Stone of Shadows will be much lessened and that he is almost certain now to complete his journey.
To continue to Limbo, Zerimon merely has to return to the small slab of stone where the rift in the fabric of the plane still resides and where he originally emerged onto this plane. Once there, it will be a simple matter of meditation to finish his journey.
Once Zerimon has the prison key he will invite his rescuers, should they ever have the means to travel to Limbo, to attend the Monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun, where they can get special training from the monks there in githzerai combat techniques. This is actually a planar touchstone (see Planar Handbook page 163 for more details).
He will then be eager to depart to Limbo.
Treasure: The large chest is iron and locked (DC 30 Open Lock). Gazimuln's iron key opens the chest. Within is the khayal's store of wealth, including 4000 sp, 2500 gp, 600 pp, and an assortment of about 100 gems worth a total of 10000 gp.
Dealing with Gazimuln:
DM's Note: Gazimuln is supposed to have a Russian-like accent. If the DM can pull off such an accent, he should.
Gazimuln is not a villian per se. He is instead the epitomy of his listed alignment...Chaotic Neutral. He is by no means mad or insane or prone to doing random things for no reason, like may DMs tend to play Chaotic Neutral. Rather, Gazimuln is in it for himself and has no care whatsoever for moral or ethical distinctions. He follows his own code of conduct and has a well-developed sense of honour, but will certainly bluff or even lie or disregard any law, custom, or rule if it benefits him. But in no way does the khayal revel in the hurt to others and would never go out of his way to hurt someone solely out of amusement.
Gazimuln is an up-and-comer in the rough and tumble hierarchy of the khayal. He aspires first to become an emir amongst the local khayal in his vicinity, and then one day to the City of Onyx to challenge for the position of Malik al-Khayal. While the latter is, at the moment, just a fanciful dream, the former status is within his grasp. However, Gazimuln has two other rivals for the position of emir and he seeks to raise enough loot to bribe one of his rivals to ally with him against the third. Once the third is defeated, then Gazimuln plans to take on his ally and defeat him as well.
Currently, then, Gazimuln seeks wealth to bribe his chosen rival. Although the khayal has loot stashed in his chest, such mundane things as gems and coins will not sway his rival. Instead, he needs something truly unique or at least somewhat useful and precious to the khayal. He is hoping that the strange magical stone he got from the githzerai is just such an item, and that is why he wants to determine what it is.
Gazimuln's reaction to the PCs will likely be to attempt to parley with them. The khayal considers himself quite capable of talking circles around any group of lesser mortals, and the PCs' presence affords him an opportunity to gain certain exotic items of wealth that would be suitable for bribing his rival.
Whether the PCs have knocked on Gazimuln's door or have burst into the Foyer and fought his ghirrashi guards, Gazimuln will offer to parley with the PCs and invite them into his Audience Chamber.
Gazimuln will first clap his hands and summon one of his shadow elementals, whom he will address as Echtaban. He will demand that Echtaban fetch food and drink for his guests, and shortly the elemental will return bearing a silver tray with greyish fruit, dull grey cheese, and a dark grey bottle of wine. Gazimuln will gladly sample the food first, to show his guests it is safe to consume. If the PCs eat and/or drink, they will note that each item carries with it an aftertaste of loss or sorrow.
Next, he will inquire as to the reason for the PCs intrustion or visitation. The khayal will not deny having Zermin as his captive, but will state that he found the zerth unconscious on his property and that made him a trespasser (Gazimuln is technically lying to the PCs. Refer to the section below called Gazimuln's Lie).
The khayal will then get down to business. He will explain that he is in need of unique wealth to bribe a rival into joining him against a third. Zermin's magical stone, he hopes, may be such an item. However, he would be willing to part with both the githzerai and the magical stone if the PCs will agree to procure for him some items that can be found on the Plane of Shadow not too far from his demesne.
If the PCs attempt to threaten Gazimuln, he will sigh and shrug his shoulders and warn the PCs that he is both an accomplished warrior and powerful mage and that while it may be that the PCs can defeat him, he can almost guarantee that several of the PCs will not walk out of his lair alive. Further, he says, it is doubtful the PCs could find or release Zerimon from his prison should he be slain.
If the PCs demand proof that Zerimon is alive and present in Gazimuln's lair, Gazimuln will simply smile and say that no doubt mortals as capable as the PCs have the means to verify Zerimon's status. In any event, he suggests that if the PCs do not wish to trust him they can simply abandon their friend and leave Gazimuln to puzzle out the magical stone's function on his own.
Assuming the PCs wish to hear Gazimuln's propsal, he will say that there is a nearby forest, on another piece of rock, where can be found dark seeds...little black balls of dark shadow...deep within its eaves. These darkseeds have no power in and of themselves, and are not magical, but they do have the ability to interact with creatures native to this plane, and as such shadow dwellers prize them. Gazimuln feels that a dozen such seeds would be sufficient to bribe his rival, and he will agree to turn over both Zerimon and the magical stone in exchange for 12 darkseeds.
If the discussions have gone amicably, then Gazimuln will also tell the PCs that he would be willing to teach them the lore to summon Echtaban's kin as part of their normal summoning spells. Gazimuln will require 4 extra darkseeds to teach this lore.
If the PCs agree to Gazimuln's offer, then he will tell them that the forest slab is probably about half a day's journey from here and that he would give them a device to allow them to find their way to it. He will warn the PCs that the slab is quite large, and therefore they will almost certainly want some means to slow their descent onto the slab and a means to break away from the slab and return to Gazimuln's demesne.
If asked, Gazimuln will admit that there are likely dangerous creatures dwelling in the forest. In addition, if asked why he hasn't gone to gather these darkseeds, Gazimuln will remind the PCs that he has two other rivals for the position of emir, and if he left his lair one of them could make a move to take it from him. The loss of wealth and prestige would be such a blow to his reputation that he would likely never be able to vie for position again.
If the PCs desire to stay the night (to prepare spells, etc.) before leaving, Gazimuln will invite them to reside in his home as his guests. He will then have Echtaban bring in more food and drink and the shadow elemental will even perform a dance, flowing into bizarre shapes like some mad Rorshack test. Once the festivities end, Echtaban will show the PCs to one or two of the Guest Chambers and Gazimuln will warn the PCs not to wander around the place.
If one of the PCs is female and with a high Charisma score, Gazimuln might take a liking to her. In this case, he will cozy up to her during dinner and Echtaban's dance and, when thought is given to retiring, he will invite the woman to take a tour of his home. Gazimuln will only allow the single female to take the tour with him, and it will be readily apparent that he is attracted to the woman. Should the female character agree, then Gazimuln will prove quite the gallant host, giving her a tour of the upper level of the place, including the Tower, and finally ending the tour in his bedchamber, where he will request that she spend the night with him. Gazimuln will brag about his sexual prowess, pointing out that as an immortal he has had centuries to perfect his technique. In fact, if the DM decides that Gazimuln is very taken with the female character, he will even offer to make her his first wife. He will point out that the first wife is always the favoured in the household and that any offspring are the direct heirs of the khayal. Gazimuln will reiterate his plans to rise in the khayal hierarchy and when he becomes malik he would make the female character his queen.
If the female PC sleeps with Gazimuln, she will certainly be impressed with his knowledge and technique. If his offer of marriage is refused, he will merely sigh whistfully and nod in understanding. In any event, the female character will be escorted back to meet the rest of the PCs the next morning.
If the female PC refuses to sleep with the khayal, he will sigh and nod his head and escort her back to the Guest Chambers where the other PCs are staying.
Creatures: Gazimuln can be found anywhere in his lair until he is alerted to intruders of guests, whereupon he will generally be found in his Audience Chamber. The shadow elementals will generally be found in the kitchen or pantry area preparing meals for their master. Only Echtaban has the ability to manipulate corporeal objects (due to his Ghostly Grasp feat).
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GAZIMULN CR 10 Shadow Bound (Su) Khayal cannot survive for long away from the Plane of Shadow. If a khayal ever spends more than 24 consecutive hours away from the Plane of Shadow, it takes 2 points of Constitution drain. For each additional hour beyond 24 hours that a khayal remains away from the Plane of Shadow, it takes another 2 points of Constitution drain. Sneak Attack (Ex) Anytime a khayal's target is denied a Dexterity bonus, or when the target is flanked by the khayal, the khayal deals an additional 3d6 points of damage. |
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ECHTABAN CR 7 Shadow Mastery (Ex) A shadow elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls if both it and its foe are in an area of darkness or shadowy illumination. While in an area of bright light (such as sunlight or that caused by a daylight spell), shadow elementals take a +4 penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls. |
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SHADOW ELEMENTALS (3) CR 7 Shadow Mastery (Ex) A shadow elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls if both it and its foe are in an area of darkness or shadowy illumination. While in an area of bright light (such as sunlight or that caused by a daylight spell), shadow elementals take a +4 penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls. |
Tactics: In combat, Gazimuln will initially rely on his combat ability to defeat his enemies. He is quite fond of bringing spellcasters into melee where his Mage Slayer feat can come into full effect. If hard pressed, he can use umbral body to flee a combat and regroup for another attack, but will likely save it for any binding effects cast by his foes (such as web or black tentacles). Gazimuln will begin any combat by casting bolster on himself, granting him 80 temporary hit points. He will save his second use of bolster either for himself or more his favourite servant Echtaban.
The shadow elements are trained to flank victims so that Gazimuln can gain sneak attacks.
The khayal will not die to protect Zerimon, and if brought close to death he will agree to release Zerimon and the magical stone to the PCs. He will not, however, agree to become a captive of the PCs under any circumstances.
Part Three - The Dark Forest
The PCs journey to the forest and attempt to secure at least a dozen darkseeds, contending with various dangerous denizens of the woods.
Once the PCs are ready to head to the forest, Gazimuln will present them with his shadow compass for them to use for their journey. He will explain roughly how it works and then give them directions to the forest slab along with an approximate distance of 30 miles, and remind the PCs again of the need to slow their decent onto the forest surface.
The PCs are then able to simply launch themselves from Gazimuln's slab and float in the proper direction. If help is needed, Gazimuln can fly the PCs and launch them in the right direction, one at a time.
The journey will be largely uneventful travelling through the grey mist, and no doubt the PCs will have to make slight course corrections during their journey by swimming through the mist. As they travel, the PCs will occasionally hear whispers, voices, and distant shoutings, and a DC 15 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal that these are the echoes of sounds on the Material Plane that make their way, via shadows on Therra where the boundary between the planes is weakened, to this plane.
Eventually, the forest slab will become visible in the distance. The slab is massive chunk of rock covered with densely packed ashen earth. The whole is about 6 miles in diameter and only 100 ft thick, the underside rocky and quite barren of any features or inhabitants.
The gravity wells of this slab are based upon a total volume of 92 billion cubic feet. This is approximately 9 times the normal 1 mile radius 500 ft thick gravity used as a baseline in the description of the Therran Plane of Shadow, and as such, the gravity distances are mutiplied by 9.
Thus, anyone falling to the ground here will suffer the full maximum 20d6 of damage when they strike the ground.
The Forest:
The forest covers almost the entirety of the slab, with the exception of the very rim of the slab, never coming cloer than 100 ft to the edge. The forest is quite thick in the middle, thinning out to what could be described as a sparse forest near the edges.
The trees are quite strange. Most have few or no leaves and the trunks and branches are twisted as if the trees themselves had been frozen while writhing in agony. The types of trees are unlike anything on Therra, and those few that have leaves show dark black foliage produced by an odd variety of strangely shaped leaves. The ground has almost nothing in the way of plant-like undergrowth, and instead is punctuated by small boulders that peak up through the ashy loam. There is very little sound emanating from the forest, unlike a forest on Therra, only a soft sussuration that seems to wind amongst the trees in an almost weeping fashion.
No matter where the PCs land, they will have three encounters during their forway into the forest, though the last one will only occur if they actually travel to or near the center of the forest. The DM can space the first two encounters out as he deems fit.
Travel through the forest is at 3/4th normal speed (increased over the normal 1/2 rate due to lack of impeding undergrowth). As such, if the PCs land on the edge of the slab, it will take them a good hour and a half to march straight to the center of the slab.
Encounter #1 - The Worm Turns (EL 10)
The PCs will espy a mssaive, jet black shape unmoving on the ground before them. This is the carcass of a nightcralwer (Monster Manual page 195) that died here recently and has been implanted with an egg that has now hatched into a tenebrous worm.
As the PCs approach the shape, they will see that it resembles an immense worm covered with plates of dead black, chitinous armour. Its toothy maw is wider than a human is tall. A DC 30 Knowledge (planes) check will reveal that this is a nightcrawler, a subspecies of night shades, horrendous and evil monsters native to the Plane of Shadow.
As the PCs approach and get close to the form, it will suddenly twitch and spasm. Several rounds later, should a PC be within 10 ft of it, the tenebrous worm will emerge right through the body of the carcass and attack. However, it will not attack creatures larger than itself unless pressed by such creatures and with no smaller prey available.
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TENEBROUS WORM CR 8 Bristles (Ex) A tenebrous worm's head and upper body is covered in many small bristles. When biting, the creature thrashes about atriking with them. An opponent hit by a tenebrous worm's bristles must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. When the paralysis wears off, the opponent takes 3d6 points of Constitution damage (Fortitude DC 16 for half). A neutralize poison spell cast on the opponent before it attempts its second Fortitude save negates the poison (thus no Con damage is taken). The save DCs are Constitution-based. A creature attacking a tenebrous worm unarmed or with natural weapons must succeed on a DC 16 Reflex save each time one of his attacks hits or be subjected to the same paralysis and subsequent Consitution damage as above. This save DC is Constitution-based. |
Developments: 1 round after the tenebrous worm attacks, a gloomwing will appear, attracted to the sounds of combat. This is the tenebrous worm's mother and such a creature always remains nearby its progeny unti they wander away from the carcass into which they were hatched.
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GLOOMWINGS (5) CR 4 Implant (Ex): As a standard action, a female gloomwing can lay eggs inside a slain creature of Small or larger size. The young emerge about 2 weeks later as a tenebrous worms (see that entry), literally devouring the host from inside. While implanted, a body cannot be raised or resurrected except by the casting of a true resurrection, wish, or miracle. If remove disease or heal is cast on the body, the eggs are destroyed and the body can be raised normally. Weakness Pheromone (Ex): After the first round of combat, a gloomwing
can emit a scent in a 30-foot radius as a free action that deals
1d2 points of Strength damage to any living, non-vermin creature
(except Summon Gloomwings (Ex): Each round a gloomwing emits its weakness pheromone there is a 20% chance that 1d4 additional gloomwings arrive in the area and join the battle. Skills: *A
gloomwing has a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas |
Developments: There are a total of 4 gloomwings in the area, and each gloomwing will attempt to summon other gloomwings as above until such time as all 5 have been called to the battle. Any gloomwings not so summoned will likey approach the battle scene eventually and then search for and eventually find and attack the PCs as a separate group.
Treasure: The mandibles of the tenebrous worm are worth 1d3 x 1000 gp for the pair.
Encounter #2 - Strange Seed (EL 1/2)
The PCs will eventually encounter a single skiurid, sitting up in a tree (about 15 ft high) watching them intently. Once a PC comes within 20 ft of the little creature, it will launch its chill darkness and then skitter up higher in the 35 ft tall tree, waiting for the PCs to move on so that it can recover any darkseeds left behind. If the PCs do not move on and recover any darkseeds from the ground, the skiurid will simply flee in frustration (using its shadow jump ability) and will not use its chill darkness any further on the PCs, even if threatened.
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SKIURID CR 1/2 A creature within the radius of effect takes 1d6 points of damage and also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it succeeds on a DC 13 Fortitude save. The creature takes no further damage as long as it remains within the area of this or any other chill darkness, but if it leaves and reenters, it is subject to both types of damage again. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. At the end of the effect's duratoon, if any creature has taken damage within its area, the shadows coalesce into a small nodule, about the size of the peach pit, that provide nourishment for the skuirid. This ability has no effect on undead or creatures native to the Plane of Shadow. The shadowy illumination created by this ability is sufficient for the skiurid to use its shadow jump ability. Shadow Jump (Su) As the dimension door spell; up to 3/day; caster level 1st. The magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A skiurid can jump up to 30 ft each day in this manner; this can be a single jump or a combination of jumps whose distance totals 30 ft. This amount can be split amongst several jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10 ft increment. |
Encounter #3 - The Heart of Darkness (EL 11)
Once the PCs enter the center of the slab, they will note that the trees are quite thick here and their roots form an almost web-like lattice along the ground.
Unless the PCs are probing ahead of their steps or are taking great care to watch the floor of the forest ahead of them (requiring also a DC 16 Spot check or DC 15 Survival check) they will miss a steep dropoff in the floor that is camouflaged by a week lattice of exposed roots. Any creature size Small or larger travelling on the ground will tear through the lattice, sliding down the steep incline for about 30 ft and suffering 2d6 damage unless they make a DC 15 Reflex save to grab onto the edge of the dropoff before he falls. If the ledge is grabbed, a DC 15 Climb check as a move action is sufficient to allow the person to scramble back up to the top of the incline.
The incline forms a bowl in the forest floor, some 30 ft deep and about 40 ft in diameter at the bottom and 80 ft in diameter at the top.
Anyone falling to the bottom of the incline will be imediately attacked by the umbral banyan in the center of the bottom of this bowl, and the many skiurids dwelling in or around the banyan will aid the tree using their abilities.
Should the PCs pause at the top of the incline and look carefully into the bowl, they can attempt to see through the umbral banyan's camouflage (see below) to note somethign unusual about an especially large tree with a massive trunk in the center of the bowl that is densely packed with twisted trees.
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UMBRAL BANYAN CR 10 Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, the umbral banyan must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a tendril attack. Each successful grapple check after the first deals normal tendril damage. If it surprises multiple foes, the umbral banyan tries to grapple up to four of them, despite the reduced attack bonus for successive grapple checks. Plane Shift (Su) As a free action, an umbral banyan can shift itself and any grappled opponents to a forest on the Plane of Shadow for 5 rounds, as the plane shift spell. The umbral banyan and any creatures within 20 ft of it return to the original spot on the Material Plane at the end of that time, unless the banyan is destroyed in the meantime, in which case any surviving opponents must find their own way home. Umbral banyans native to the Plane of Shadow can plane shift to a forest on the Material Plane in the same way. Strength Damage (Su) Beginning on the round after an umbral banyan yanks its prey upward, each tendril deals 1d4 points of Strength damage each round it maintains the grapple (in addition to normal tendril damage). A successful DC 22 Fort save negates the Strength damage for that round. Yank Upwards (Ex) On the round after an umbral banyan grapples a foe, it can automatically yank the held creature 20 ft up into the air if it is still successfully grappling. Opponents who escape the grapple take 2d6 points of damage from the fall to the ground. |
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SKIURIDS (34) CR 1/2 A creature within the radius of effect takes 1d6 points of damage and also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it succeeds on a DC 13 Fortitude save. The creature takes no further damage as long as it remains within the area of this or any other chill darkness, but if it leaves and reenters, it is subject to both types of damage again. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. At the end of the effect's duratoon, if any creature has taken damage within its area, the shadows coalesce into a small nodule, about the size of the peach pit, that provide nourishment for the skuirid. This ability has no effect on undead or creatures native to the Plane of Shadow. The shadowy illumination created by this ability is sufficient for the skiurid to use its shadow jump ability. Shadow Jump (Su) As the dimension door spell; up to 3/day; caster level 1st. The magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A skiurid can jump up to 30 ft each day in this manner; this can be a single jump or a combination of jumps whose distance totals 30 ft. This amount can be split amongst several jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10 ft increment. |
Tactics: The skiurids live in a sort of symbiosis with the umbral banyan, and they will use their chill darkness on any and all intruders, hoping that the banyan slays the intruders and then they can pick up the darkseeds left behind at their leisure.
The umbral banyan is somewhat intelligent, and it will use its plane shift ability liberally to escape from any duration spells that are causing it damage or otherwise hindering it. This particular banyan plane shifts to a deep part of the Irin Forest in Sazhansiir.
The skiurids want to protect the banyan, but there is not much they can do against determined intruders. Instead, they will be apt to leap down to recover any darkseeds left behind by their chill darkness ability and then shadow jump away with the darkseeds (1 per skiurid). Once a given skiurid has a darkseed, it will retreat to its lair in a tree turnk to eat it and will no longer take part in the combat. Should the banyan be destroyed, any remaining skiurids will flee to safety, judging the intruders too tough for them to risk remaining in the area.
Developments: Any battle here is likely to leave a large number of darkseeds on the ground. If the PCs somehow have managed to completely avoid getting the requisite number of darkseeds, then the DM can either deem their quest a failure and force them to fight Gazimuln in order to free Zerimon, or the DM can provide further encounters with other skiurids to allow the PCs to gather the proper number of darkseeds.
Part Four - Rescue
The PCs return and bargain with the khayal for Zerimon's release.
Assuming the PCs return with a dozen darkseeds, Gazimuln will release Zerimon and return to the githzerai all of his equipment and his prison key. However, Gazimuln trusts no one and he will demand to be given the darkseeds first. He will be admanant about this, as he fears the PCs will simply teleport away once they have Zerimon in hand. If the PCs raise similar objections, Gazimuln will point out that he is hardly likely to teleport away from his own house, leaving it at the mercy of the PCs.
Assuming the PCs agree and turn over 12 darkseeds, Gazimuln will honour his end of the bargain. He will also inquire if the PCs recovered any extra darkseeds and, if so, will remind him of his offer to teach them how to summon up shadow elementals in addition to what he calls "lesser elementals" using their monster summoning spells. Such lore will take several days to teach. If the PCs object to the thought of summoning an evil elemental (a fact Gazimuln will not mention, so the PCs will have to cast detect evil or some other similar spell), he will laugh patronizingly and express puzzlement at mortal's preoccupation with such grand concepts as good and evil. Gazimuln will advise the PCs to leave such philosophical conflicts to celestials and demons and devils who have an eternity to work such things out and must be incredibly bored by their long lifespans to haggle over such distinctions. But mortal, he will lecture, having such a brief time of life, should be far more concerned about enjoying life, gaining power and fame and wealth while they can have it. He will even go so far as to pose to the PCs that isn't it a good act anyways to use an evil creature to fight other evil creatures?
In any event, should the PCs refuse the lore, Gazimuln will be bemused but not upset.
Finally, if the PCs have still more darkseeds or if they have caught Gazimuln in his lie (see below), he will offer to give them the location of a strange landmark in the Plane of Shadows that offers wondrous powers to mortals such as the PCs. He will not mention anything else about the place until he secures 4 darkseeds (or is caught in his lie). At that time he will reveal the location of the planar touchstone known as the Blinding Tower (Planar Handbook page 162 for more details). Gazimuln will also agree to allow the PCs to use the shadow compass to find the Blinding Tower, either right away or when they return to the Plane of Shadow (in the latter case, they will have to stop by Gazimuln's lair to borrow the compass).
Gazimuln's Lie
Gazimuln has lied about the circumstances of his abduction of Zerimon. He claimed to the PCs that he found Zerimon unconscious in his demsene. However, this is not true. Zerimon appeared unconscious on the same tiny slab that the PCs appeared in and as evidenced by the yellow shading on the map in Gazimuln's study, that small slab lies outside of the khayals' demesne.
Should this point be brought up to Gazimuln he will smirk and give a mock sigh and admit that he did lie, and as such he is bound by the honour of the khayal to pay the PCs a favour in exchange for their uncovering his deceit. This whole lying business is a sort of pasttime of the khayal. They never lie to each other (though they will often leave technical loopholes in their statements to their kind, such as Gazimuln intends to do with his rival), but consider lying to other beings to be an artform and a badge of honour.
Unlike other genies who are compelled mystically to grant favours or wishes under certain circumstances, making recompense for being caught in a lie is simply a matter of prestige amongst the khayal. Successfully deceiving supposedly smart non-khayal is a great presige boost. Beiing caught in a lie neither raises nor lowers status if recompense is made. However, were a khayal to be caught in a lie and not make recompense, then his prestige would plummet precipitously.
Since Gazimuln's current raison-de-etre is to advance in prestige and rise in the ranks of the khayal hierarchy, there is no way he would ever consider not offering recompense to the PCs. Of course, such recompense merely has to be offered, and the recompense should be comensurate with the degree of the deceit. This is one reason Gazimuln will not attempt to deceive the PCs during the actual exchange of prisoners, for he would not only instantly be caught, but the recompense required would be far beyond what he would want to pay.
In any event, khayal will admit he was caught in a small "fib" and will offer as recompense the location of the Blinding Tower. If, by some means, the PCs only call him on his lie after they have paid for the location, then the khayal will refund the darkseeds they gave him, effectively giving the location for free after all.
If the PCs try to persuade the khayal to offer more or better recompense or to demand Zerimon's return due to the lie, he will laugh and explain that he is not magically bound to offer any recompense at all, and that it is only a matter of khayal etiquette and all he need do is offer what he (and other khayal) feels to be just compensation.
Darkseeds
The darkseeds have an ability useful to anyone who casts necromancy spells. They do not radiate magic but can be used as a material component for necromancy spells. Refer to Monster Manual IV page 127 for more details. However, the listed price for darkseeds of 1000 gp is far too great given their limited power. As such, in Therra they are worth 100 gp each and even then the DM should be careful that the PCs don't get tempted to start a darkseed mining business, given how easily they can be created. A skiurid brought out of the Plane of Shadow will die in a matter of weeks and darkseeds coalesced on the Material Plane, while still nourishing to a skiurid, do not have any abilities whatsoever and no value amongst the khayal. The PCs can, however, sell or keep for their own use any darkseeds generated from their forest encounters on the Plane of Shadow that they did not turn over to Gazimuln.
Denoument
Assuming all parley and interaction with Gazimuln has been cordial and gone well, the genie will welcome the PCs to visit him any time...he considers them to be his friends. The PCs are welcome to stay with Gazimuln for a little while (a week at most) before the khayal asks them to leave for a while, as he has important business to attend to.
Once on the small slab upon which they entered the Plane of Shadow, Zerimon will heartily thank the PCs for their aid and offer to have them, should they ever have the means to travel to Limbo, to attend the Monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun, where they can get special training from the monks there in githzerai combat techniques. This is actually a planar touchstone (see Planar Handbook page 163 for more details).
Zerimon will then invoke his latent plane shift ability and disappear into the rift. The PCs can then use their own plane shift spell to travel back to the cavern of the Stone of Shadows.
Once there, they can emerge and head to the Temple of the Sapphire Eidolon, there to use a sending spell (either by the PCs or puirchased from the Temple) to alert Malinal to come and retrieve them.
Of course, if the DM intends to run the scenario entitled Betrayer's Need, then their journey to the Temple will be anything but routine!
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: