Piranha Swarm
Piranha need no introduction, but their fiendish brethren do. Found in some tributaries of the Styx, these hellish fish will strip suffering souls to the bone in seconds.
Piranha Swarm – CR 5
neutral Diminutive Animal (swarm, aquatic)
Init +8
Senses: Spot +15
AC: 19 (+4 size, +4 dex, +1 natural)
HP: 44 (HD: 10d8)
Fort: +6 Reflex: +10 Will: +4
Speed: 30 feet
Attack: swarm (4d6)
Special Attacks: Distraction
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 0 ft.
Special Abilities: immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Feats: Improved Initiative, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes
Abilities: Str 1 Dex 19 Con 10 Int 1 Wis 10 Cha 4
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a piranha swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be panicked for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Stygian Piranha Swarm – CR 10
neutral Diminutive Animal (swarm, aquatic)
Init +8
Senses: Spot +23
AC: 24 (+4 size, +4 dex, +6 natural)
HP: 133 (HD: 20d8 + 40)
Fort: +14 Reflex: +19 Will: +8
Speed: 30 feet
Attack: swarm (8d8)
Special Attacks: Distraction
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 0 ft.
Special Abilities: immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack, Iron Will, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Run
Abilities: Str 1 Dex 21 Con 14 Int 1 Wis 10 Cha 4
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a piranha swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be panicked for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Posted in Creature and tagged aquatic subtype, swarm subtype by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Fiendish Orcish Berzerker Horde
First I wanted to get a ballpark of how tough of a creature you get form SM 1-9. A little surveying and I came up with this chart. It’s just an average of some monsters you get for each level of the spell.
SM level HD CR
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 4 3
4 6 4
5 8 5
6 10 5-7
7 12 6-9
8 15 8-10
9 18 11-12
Orcish Berzerkers in your game: Feel free to borrow these bruisers for your game. If your players ever end up in archeron, or if they’re facing any type of orcish warlord these guys make a great army, or even just a crack squad or extra-bloodthirsty orcs in a group of normal orcs.
For your players, they could just as easily be re-cast as berzerkers from valhalla or another heavenly realm, summoned by a good cleric to help in their battles.
Summon Monster 1 orcish berzerker – CR 1
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 13 (studded leather +3)
HP: 9 (HD: 1d8+1)
Fort: +3 Reflex: +0 Will: -1
Resist cold & fire 5
Spell Resistance 6
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +5 (1d12 + 4)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +1 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe
Skills: Climb +5, Jump +5
Abilities: Str 17 Dex 11 Con 12 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 2 orcish berzerker – CR 2
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 14 (studded leather +3, natural armor +1)
HP: 13 (HD: 2d8+2)
Fort: +4 Reflex: +0 Will: -1
Resist cold & fire 5
Spell Resistance 7
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +6 (1d12 + 4)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +2 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe
Skills: Climb +5, Jump +6
Abilities: Str 17 Dex 11 Con 12 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 3 orcish berzerker – CR 3
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 15 (studded leather +3, natural armor +2)
HP: 22 (HD: 4d8+4)
Damage Reduction: 5 / magic
Fort: +5 Reflex: +1 Will: +0
Resist cold & fire 5
Spell Resistance 9
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +9 (1d12 + 6)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +4 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave
Skills: Climb +7, Jump +8
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 12 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 4 orcish berzerker – CR 4
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 16 (studded leather +3, natural armor +3)
HP: 37 (HD: 6d8+6)
Damage Reduction: 5 / magic
Fort: +6 Reflex: +2 Will: +1
Resist cold & fire 5
Spell Resistance 11
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +11 (1d12 + 6)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +6 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack
Skills: Climb +8, Jump +9
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 12 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 5 orcish berzerker – CR 5
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 17 (studded leather +3, natural armor +4)
HP: 44 (HD: 8d8+8)
Damage Reduction: 5 / magic
Fort: +7 Reflex: +2 Will: +1
Resist cold & fire 10
Spell Resistance 13
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +13 (1d12 + 6)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +8 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack
Skills: Climb +9, Jump +10
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 13 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 6 orcish berzerker – CR 6
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 18 (studded leather +3, natural armor +5)
HP: 58 (HD: 10d8+10)
Damage Reduction: 5 / magic
Fort: +8 Reflex: +3 Will: +2
Resist cold & fire 10
Spell Resistance 15
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +15 (1d12 + 6 / 19-20 x 2)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +10 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack, Improved Critical Greataxe
Skills: Climb +10, Jump +11
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 13 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 7 orcish berzerker – CR 8
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 19 (studded leather +3, natural armor +6)
HP: 81 (HD: 12d8+24)
Damage Reduction: 10 / magic
Fort: +10 Reflex: +4 Will: +3
Resist cold & fire 10
Spell Resistance 17
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +17 (1d12 + 6 / 19-20 x 2)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +24 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack, Improved Critical Greataxe
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 14 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Skills: Climb +11, Jump +12
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 8 orcish berzerker – CR 10
ce medium outsider
Init +0
Senses: darkvision
AC: 20 (studded leather +3, natural armor +7)
HP: 96 (HD: 15d8+30)
Damage Reduction: 10 / magic
Fort: +11 Reflex: +7 Will: +4
Resist cold & fire 10
Spell Resistance 20
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +19 (1d12 + 6 / 19-20 x 2)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +30 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack, Improved Critical Greataxe, Lightning Reflexes
Skills: Climb +13, Jump +13
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 11 Con 14 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Summon Monster 9 orcish berzerker – CR 12
ce medium outsider
Init +1
Senses: darkvision
AC: 23 (dex +1, studded leather +3, natural armor +9)
HP: 111 (HD: 18d8+36)
Damage Reduction: 10 / magic
Fort: +13 Reflex: +9 Will: +7
Resist cold & fire 10
Spell Resistance 23
Speed: 40 feet
Attack: greataxe +23 (1d12 + 6 / 19-20 x 2)
Special Abilities: rage (+2 / +3 to attacks, +36 hp, -2 AC)
Feats: Weapon Focus Greataxe, Cleave, Power Attack, Improved Critical Greataxe, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will
Skills: Climb +14, Jump +15
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6
Equipment: Greataxe, Studded Leather Armor
Posted in Creature and tagged orc by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
The Scholar’s Lair
Features of the Area:Lighting: Illuminated by wall torches every 20 feet
Walls: Polished Granite
Floor: Brown Polished Flagstone
Room of Testing:
The PC’s enter the first room of the lair from the west by a door disguised as a sarcophagus. Lining the circular room are eight more upright coffins, making nine in the room total. Inscribed in the middle of the room on the floor in common is the following riddle:
One comes in, and the Six take heart.
Fire brings death where the rest stand guard,
In the room of Nine, as time moves backward.
As the map indicates, all but the entrance and exit sarcophogi are trapped (Detect: DC 20 Thievery, Disable: 3 checks DC 25 Thievery). If one of the traps is activated, it unleashes a close blast 3, attacking all within blast at +7 vs. Reflex. On a hit, the explosion deals 3d6 + 4 fire damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone. If the players set off a trap, Jurgen will hear them, but ignore their troubles, preferring to let nature run its course on stupid people.
The Study
As the PC’s enter from the door to the north, they are welcomed in by the glow of a fireplace along the east wall, where a large pot is producing the hearty smell of stew. Flanking the hearth and lining the south and north walls there hang lush tapestries depicting tales of yore. Rows of bookshelves occupy most of the east wall, with topics ranging from the fanciful to the mundane to the outright macabre. And in a large, comfortable chair in the middle of the room sits Jurgen, appearing deep in study of an ancient tome you would imagine he could not lift.
As the door creaks open, he looks up at you with a bemused smile, saying: “Ah, welcome to my humble home, young travellers,” as he folds the enormous book and drops it unceremoniously on the table next to him.
If the PC’s wish to ask him questions, He will hand them a puzzle box, saying: “If you can open this box, I may find you worthy enough to discourse with. Otherwise I may have to show you the exit,” pointing to a large wooden door in the south wall.
Jurgen’s Puzzle Box – 125 XP
Skill Challenge:
To open the box, the players must succeed at 4 skill challenges DC 20 using either Arcana, Thievery, or Insight before 3 failures. Each time a player fails a check, the box attacks the player (+7 vs. Will), forcing her to drop the box on a successful attack. The box contains one level 2 to level 4 wondrous item, such as a Belt of Vigor or Everlasting Provisions, which Jurgen will allow the players to keep.
If the players succeed, Jurgen will allow the players to remain and offer them some of his stew while he exchanges questions and answers with them. He will answer one question for each question the players answer for him. Surprisingly, Jurgen knows much about the happenings on the surface, and will always reveal the least amount of information possible.
If the players fail to open the box, Jurgen will exchange 3 questions with them before asking them to leave his den. He will, as they are leaving, invite them to return to try the puzzle box again if they need more information.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged encounter: skill challenge level 2 by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
The Scholar’s Lair
Features of the Area:Lighting: Illuminated by wall torches every 20 feet
Walls: Polished Granite
Floor: Brown Polished Flagstone
Room of Testing:
The PC’s enter the first room of the lair from the west by a door disguised as a sarcophagus. Lining the circular room are eight more upright coffins, making nine in the room total. Inscribed in the middle of the room on the floor in common is the following riddle:
One comes in, and the Six take heart.
Fire brings death where the rest stand guard,
In the room of Nine, as time moves backward.
As the map indicates, all but the entrance and exit sarcophogi are trapped (Detect: DC 20 Thievery, Disable: 3 checks DC 25 Thievery). If one of the traps is activated, it unleashes a close blast 3, attacking all within blast at +7 vs. Reflex. On a hit, the explosion deals 3d6 + 4 fire damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone. If the players set off a trap, Jurgen will hear them, but ignore their troubles, preferring to let nature run its course on stupid people.
The Study
As the PC’s enter from the door to the north, they are welcomed in by the glow of a fireplace along the east wall, where a large pot is producing the hearty smell of stew. Flanking the hearth and lining the south and north walls there hang lush tapestries depicting tales of yore. Rows of bookshelves occupy most of the east wall, with topics ranging from the fanciful to the mundane to the outright macabre. And in a large, comfortable chair in the middle of the room sits Jurgen, appearing deep in study of an ancient tome you would imagine he could not lift.
As the door creaks open, he looks up at you with a bemused smile, saying: “Ah, welcome to my humble home, young travellers,” as he folds the enormous book and drops it unceremoniously on the table next to him.
If the PC’s wish to ask him questions, He will hand them a puzzle box, saying: “If you can open this box, I may find you worthy enough to discourse with. Otherwise I may have to show you the exit,” pointing to a large wooden door in the south wall.
Jurgen’s Puzzle Box – 125 XP
Skill Challenge:
To open the box, the players must succeed at 4 skill challenges DC 20 using either Arcana, Thievery, or Insight before 3 failures. Each time a player fails a check, the box attacks the player (+7 vs. Will), forcing her to drop the box on a successful attack. The box contains one level 2 to level 4 wondrous item, such as a Belt of Vigor or Everlasting Provisions, which Jurgen will allow the players to keep.
If the players succeed, Jurgen will allow the players to remain and offer them some of his stew while he exchanges questions and answers with them. He will answer one question for each question the players answer for him. Surprisingly, Jurgen knows much about the happenings on the surface, and will always reveal the least amount of information possible.
If the players fail to open the box, Jurgen will exchange 3 questions with them before asking them to leave his den. He will, as they are leaving, invite them to return to try the puzzle box again if they need more information.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons and tagged encounter: skill challenge level 2 by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Dream Song
Dream songs are bard song that affects dreams. When sung as the party rests, this song can transport the party to the Dream Plane as they sleep, providing the bard hits all the right notes (DC 20 Perform check).
Dream Songs can also be used to provide effects for the following day. Each standard bard song can be played as the party rests to put tunes in their heads for the next day, providing morale boosts, the ability to heal quicker, etc. These effects are equivalent to the standard bard abilities.
Bards may only place one song in the heads of their companions, and that song plays over and over until the bard wills it to stop.
Unwilling participants must make a will save (DC 10 + the bard’s level) at any time to overcome the effects.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged ability, dream, song by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Scholar in the Crypts
Appearance:Beneath the sewers and catacombs of the city lives Jurgen, a hermit scholar with the mental appetite of a terrask. For many years he traveled with adventurers in search of treasure and knowledge, but has lately retired to his lair to do more extensive research out of harm’s way. But by no means has his ambition dwindled.
Jurgen is pale, tall, and skinny, with the stoop of someone who is used to doing a lot of reading. His unkempt hair is black with patches of silver on the temples, and behind a pair of spectacles gaze a pair of piercing blue eyes. Sometimes, if one looks hard enough, she can see a glimmer of slow movement behind them. He wears simple robes of deep blue fabric with white scrollwork along the hems in Supernal. He carries no weapons on his person (he keeps his pact blade ready with Drawmij’s instant summons)
Mannerisms:
Jurgen appears to be a polite, congenial man with an easygoing tone. Sometimes he can seem to be almost absentminded, forgetting where he put something for a second, before discovering it with an affirmative “ah.” He is very patient, and never lets his true motives show.
Goals:
Jurgen is a priest of Vecna, and is by nature a keeper–and exploiter–of many secrets. He mainly wishes to further the goals of Vecna, including eliminating the influence and worshipers of other deities. In doing so he schemes to begin a new world order under Vecna, and follow in his deity’s footsteps by becoming a lich king.
Using Jurgen in your Game: It is best to introduce Jurgen to your characters early on in the game. He will be far to powerful for them to defeat at this point, and he will only be interested in helping them in order to gain their trust so that he can begin to use them to accomplish his own ends.
He will attempt to enlist the PC’s to retrieve components for the ritual to become a lich, such as: dragon’s blood, arcane phylactery pieces, and the ritual in book form. As a master of the arcane, Jurgen also longs for the Eye and the Hand of Vecna, and will pay the PC’s handsomely for them, in gold or with information. He will gladly assist the PC’s while they work to further his own secret ends, and he will part with information that will help them do so–but never more that he absolutely has to. Additionally, he will hide parts of the truth in order to set the PCs against his enemies, or cover for his own ill deeds. The priest will also enlist the aid of others to follow the PC’s and ensure that his goals are met, whether they know it or not.
If you use Jurgen in this way, it may also be good to provide them with a more reliable, if perhaps less well-informed, source of information as well.
Jurgen the Learned
| Level 18 Cleric, Multiclass Warlock(Star Pact) Human Male. Age 45, Height 6’3″ Weight 150lbs. Unaligned.
Initiative: +14 Senses: Normal Vision. Passive Insight: 30 Passive Pereption: +25Hit Points Max: 99 Bloodied: 49 Surge Value: 25 Surges per day: 7 Resist: 5 necrotic, 5 poison Saving Throws: +3 Defenses: AC: 28 Fort: 21 Ref: 21 Will: 27 Speed: 6 Action Points: 1 Basic Attacks Powers At Will: Sacred Flame, Lance of Faith, Eldritch Blast Encounter: Plague of Doom, Enthrall, Dire Radiance, Sign of Ill Omen, Dreadful Word Daily: Purifying Fire, Blade Barrier, Thief of Five Fates Utility: Astral Shield, Knights of Unyielding Valor, Divine Vigor, Ambassador Imp Feats: Pact Initiate(Star Pact): Dire Radiance Novice Power: Dreadful Word Acolyte Power: Ambassador Imp Adept Power: Thief of Five Fates Improved Initiative +4 to Initiative Action Surge: +3 to attack bonus when an action point is used Weapon Focus: Light Blade Human Perseverance: +1 to Saving Throws Linguist: Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Action Recovery: When you spend an action point to gain an extra standard action, immediately roll a saving throw against each condition affecting you a save can end. Great Fortitude: +2 to Fort Saves Devastating Critical: +1d10 on a Critical Hit. |
Skills: Acrobatics: +9 Arcana: +16 Athletics: +8 Bluff: +13 Diplomacy: +13 Dungeoneering: +15 Endurance: +9 Heal: +20 History: +16 Insight: +20 Intimidate: +13 Nature: +15 Perception: +15 Religion: +16 Stealth: +10 Streetwise: +13 Thievery: +9
Ability Scores: Str: 8 (-1/+8) Con: 11 (0/+9) Dex: 12 (+1/+10) Int: 15 (+2/+11) Wis: 22 (+6/+15) Cha 18 (+4/+13) Languages Known: Common, Elven, Giant, Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Equipment: Pact Blade +5, Sickle Rituals Known Drawmij’s Instant Summons Raise Dead Secret Page Magic Mouth Phantom Steed Leomund’s Secret Chest Planar Portal Linked Portal View Object Consult Oracle |
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Character by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Scholar in the Crypts
Beneath the sewers and catacombs of the city lives Jurgen, a hermit scholar with the mental appetite of a terrask. For many years he traveled with adventurers in search of treasure and knowledge, but has lately retired to his lair to do more extensive research out of harm’s way. But by no means has his ambition dwindled.
Appearance:
Jurgen is pale, tall, and skinny, with the stoop of someone who is used to doing a lot of reading. His unkempt hair is black with patches of silver on the temples, and behind a pair of spectacles gaze a pair of piercing blue eyes. Sometimes, if one looks hard enough, she can see a glimmer of slow movement behind them. He wears simple robes of deep blue fabric with white scrollwork along the hems in Supernal. He carries no weapons on his person (he keeps his pact blade ready with Drawmij’s instant summons)
Mannerisms:
Jurgen appears to be a polite, congenial man with an easygoing tone. Sometimes he can seem to be almost absentminded, forgetting where he put something for a second, before discovering it with an affirmative “ah.” He is very patient, and never lets his true motives show.
Goals:
Jurgen is a priest of Vecna, and is by nature a keeper–and exploiter–of many secrets. He mainly wishes to further the goals of Vecna, including eliminating the influence and worshipers of other deities. In doing so he schemes to begin a new world order under Vecna, and follow in his deity’s footsteps by becoming a lich king.
Using Jurgen in your Game: It is best to introduce Jurgen to your characters early on in the game. He will be far to powerful for them to defeat at this point, and he will only be interested in helping them in order to gain their trust so that he can begin to use them to accomplish his own ends.
He will attempt to enlist the PC’s to retrieve components for the ritual to become a lich, such as: dragon’s blood, arcane phylactery pieces, and the ritual in book form. As a master of the arcane, Jurgen also longs for the Eye and the Hand of Vecna, and will pay the PC’s handsomely for them, in gold or with information. He will gladly assist the PC’s while they work to further his own secret ends, and he will part with information that will help them do so–but never more that he absolutely has to. Additionally, he will hide parts of the truth in order to set the PCs against his enemies, or cover for his own ill deeds. The priest will also enlist the aid of others to follow the PC’s and ensure that his goals are met, whether they know it or not.
If you use Jurgen in this way, it may also be good to provide them with a more reliable, if perhaps less well-informed, source of information as well.
Jurgen the Learned
| Level 18 Cleric, Multiclass Warlock(Star Pact) Human Male. Age 45, Height 6’3″ Weight 150lbs. Unaligned.
Initiative: +14 Senses: Normal Vision. Passive Insight: 30 Passive Pereption: +25Hit Points Max: 99 Bloodied: 49 Surge Value: 25 Surges per day: 7 Resist: 5 necrotic, 5 poison Saving Throws: +3 Defenses: AC: 28 Fort: 21 Ref: 21 Will: 27 Speed: 6 Action Points: 1 Basic Attacks Powers At Will: Sacred Flame, Lance of Faith, Eldritch Blast Encounter: Plague of Doom, Enthrall, Dire Radiance, Sign of Ill Omen, Dreadful Word Daily: Purifying Fire, Blade Barrier, Thief of Five Fates Utility: Astral Shield, Knights of Unyielding Valor, Divine Vigor, Ambassador Imp Feats: Pact Initiate(Star Pact): Dire Radiance Novice Power: Dreadful Word Acolyte Power: Ambassador Imp Adept Power: Thief of Five Fates Improved Initiative +4 to Initiative Action Surge: +3 to attack bonus when an action point is used Weapon Focus: Light Blade Human Perseverance: +1 to Saving Throws Linguist: Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Action Recovery: When you spend an action point to gain an extra standard action, immediately roll a saving throw against each condition affecting you a save can end. Great Fortitude: +2 to Fort Saves Devastating Critical: +1d10 on a Critical Hit. |
Skills: Acrobatics: +9 Arcana: +16 Athletics: +8 Bluff: +13 Diplomacy: +13 Dungeoneering: +15 Endurance: +9 Heal: +20 History: +16 Insight: +20 Intimidate: +13 Nature: +15 Perception: +15 Religion: +16 Stealth: +10 Streetwise: +13 Thievery: +9
Ability Scores: Str: 8 (-1/+8) Con: 11 (0/+9) Dex: 12 (+1/+10) Int: 15 (+2/+11) Wis: 22 (+6/+15) Cha 18 (+4/+13) Languages Known: Common, Elven, Giant, Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Equipment: Pact Blade +5, Sickle Rituals Known Drawmij’s Instant Summons Raise Dead Secret Page Magic Mouth Phantom Steed Leomund’s Secret Chest Planar Portal Linked Portal View Object Consult Oracle |
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Stealing Moments Released!
This is a dungeon adventure for 10th-level characters. Finally released (in third printing!) after much deliberation and perfectionism… finally getting over that… Here’s the blurb:
A group of rogues has moved into a cave in the Silvermist Mountains a few miles uphill hike from the local town of Farreach. These false heroes were once noble and devout, but have become corrupted by loot, lust, and the desire for greater power. They are now working for, or more accurately controlled by, begotten of the old ones, who in turn are working for a stalking eye. They have been performing experiments on the Silver Orb of the Ages, a magic artifact made of magesilver, a magic metal which amplifies arcane magical power.
The Orb can help control the flow of time, making it a powerful item indeed. However, the stalking eye knows not how to wield the Orb’s power, and must rely upon the false heroes to learn its secrets.
The party steps in and time flies like an arrow.
This adventure features the veteran writing of Stephen Hilderbrand, author of six other role-playing adventures soon to be published by Unicorn Rampant and Inverspace Press.
And here’s the download link.
Posted in news and tagged release, Stealing Moments by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Dustling
These are the dust devils that we think of.
They are actually the minions of dust devils, trapped in a pact that required them to become indentured servants of these devils.
Dustling
Size/Type: Small Elemental (Air, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 100 ft. (perfect) (20 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Flyby
Special Qualities: elemental traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Spot +3
Feats: Flyby Attack
Environment: Elemental Plane of Air, deserts
Organization: Solitary or Swarms
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —
Combat
They live in a perpetual whirlwind state, allowing them to make flyby attacks against their opponents.
Posted in Creature and tagged air, elemental, small by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
The Cursed Seat of the Seer: 4th edition conversion
The Cursed Seat of the Seer (4th level encounter – 976 xp)
Dungeon Features: Secret Doors in this area are priest-doors, concealed to appear to be part of the ornately carved stone or wood they are set into, and are a DC 18 Perception check to find.
This temple is much transformed after the attack on it. It is surrounded by magical briers, and inside orcs feast on the townsfolk, who have been transformed into animals.
Surrounded by small outlying buildings, this large and stately temple is completely overgrown with gargantuan brambles, to the point where is is nearly concealed. A large double door can be glimpsed through the thorn-covered trunks of the plants.
Creatures: In order to enter the temple via the doors one must somehow pass through the patches of Brier Brambles that block the doorways. Other methods of entry include flying or climbing up and breaking through some of the stained glass windows on the east face of the temple. Either method requires navigating the brambles, which will attempt to grab the intruders. Each door and window is guarded by a pair of Offshoots. The brambles will not attack or otherwise reveal themselves until victims are within reach.
2 x Brier Bramble Offshoots (BO on map): 50 xp each
Interior
The smell of offal, greasy cooking fires and rotting flesh permeate this area. The interior of the temple is also sparsely overgrown with patches of the thorny brambles which push up through the flagstones. Several dead peasants and acolytes are caught in their branches. The stone walls are adorned with tapestries of the Seer’s visions and the stories of the petitioners helped by them. Several carcases worth of bones lie upon the floor.
Through an open set of ornately carved wooden doors a large chapel stretches. A column-lined walkway is flanked with brambles burst up through the flagstones. At the far end upon a three-stepped dias is a plain stone chair. Light through the stained glass windows above is dimmed by more thorny growths.
Creatures: Nearly 100 domestic animals cower in the temple. They are the temple priests and townsfolk who had come to observe the coronation, magically transformed into sheep, pigs and dogs. More summoned Briar Brambles guard this area, along with a group of orcs and a Dust Devil that have been left behind by the vengeful family to ensure that the temple is not re-inhabited.
3 x Brier Bramble Offshoots (BO on map): 50 xp each
1 x Brier Bramble (BB on map): 200 xp
4 x Orc Drudges (Od on map): 44 xp each
1 x Orc Berserker (OB on map): 175 xp each
1 x Dust Devil (DD on map): 175 xp
Tactics: The brutes will likely be roused by anyone entering the temple and will have assembled to defend it. The orcs may attempt to push intruders into the brambles as they fight, and will mercilessly hack at anyone caught in them. The Dust Devil will attempt to disarm and harry those in the back ranks of the party. If the group is defeated, the dust devil will attempt to flee and return to the warlock to inform him that someone has reclaimed the temple. The orcs will fight to the death.
Treasure: Almost the only thing left in the temple’s treasury is a scroll of Remove Affliction that the temple priest (in his form as a ram) will bring to the party if they are otherwise unable to disenchant the villagers. The orcs have coins totaling 90 gold and 200 silver on their persons.
Development: Once the giants are slain and the elemental has fled, the party should be able to return the remaining animals to their human forms, who creep cautiously up to the PCs once the violence has ended.
Once freed they will relate what happened: the new priestess was in the process of being anointed when a holy trance came upon her. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she began speaking in a strange, strained, voice. “I see… doom! The drake… he is brought low by his son…” The peasants go on to inform their rescuers that a witch and two warlocks, one young and one of middle age, suddenly appeared in a burst of flame and interrupted the anointing of the new Seer and turned them all into animals. One of the older villagers, the abbot of the temple, will angrily go on to identify the witch as the evil old witch who used to live in the village, but was driven off years ago. Some say she inhabits a farm nearby in the wild woods to the east, and the players will be given approximate directions by one of the village’s hunters.
Attempts to scry upon the priestess will fail, as she is in the Dragon’s lair, which is warded against scrying.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.