The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

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Background: Characters who can research the past
with magic or class abilities (such as bardic knowledge
or legend lore) can learn that the Waste was once
the dominion of titans, strangers to this world, who
constructed the Great Tunnel as a way to cut through
the glacial peaks to the plateau beyond. The titans
were said to have founded a city beyond the mountains,
where their sages took advantage of the planar nexus to
learn secrets of magic unknown to lesser races.
Legends are unclear as to the fate of the titans’ city, but
what information there is suggests that it is completely
gone from the earth – not swallowed up like Lost Athul,
but gone like morning mist. The wildest speculations
are those that have the city sucked into some gigantic
planar rift and establishing itself in an alien realm
where the titans still study their mysteries. The titans’
city is explored further in The Drow War, Book Three:
The Darkest Hour.
The Gates: The gates are made from six-inch-thick
adamantine. The lock is of good quality and can be
opened with an Open Lock check (DC 30); however,
it is frozen solid, so any attempt to use the Open Lock
skill on it without first thawing or lubricating the lock
suffers from a +4 increase to the DC. The key from
Grommen’s bag (see above) opens the lock but is hard
to turn, requiring a Strength check (DC 20). Even when
the door is unlocked, it remains heavy, stiff and hard to
open and a good deal of force is needed; it opens if a
Strength check (DC 25) is passed.
The Tunnel: The tunnel is a single straight passage with
an arched roof, 20 feet high and 20 feet wide, which
runs right under the Glacial Peaks and culminates in a
second, identical set of adamantine gates.
Event: Encounters in the Great Tunnel
Either or both of these two optional events can be
included, depending on how weary the Player Characters
are.
The Hungry Worm: From up ahead in the darkness
comes the sound of dozens of scrabbling feet. Judging
by the sound, in a few moments a horde of creatures of
some kind will come into view, racing down the tunnel;
but what they are, you cannot tell.
What the Player Characters can hear is the sound of a
pair of skitterjinxes fleeing down the passageway as
an especially large purple worm comes surging after
them. The Player Characters may think, though, that
the skitterjinxes are trying to attack them. If the Player
Characters fight the creatures, the skitterjinxes try to
scurry around and get the Player Characters in between
the worm and themselves.
The worm is 200 feet away, moving at a speed of 40
feet per round (taking double moves). It fills the entire
passageway. If the Player Characters kill it, which
is likely, they quickly realise that the tunnel is now
blocked by the dead worm. They must either dispose
of the body somehow, or deliberately climb into the
worm’s maw (and suffer acid damage) and hack their
way out of the other end.
Predatory Purple Worm: CR 14; Gargantuan magical
beast; HD 25d10+200 (337 hp); Init -2; Spd 20 ft.,
burrow 20 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC 20, touch 4, flat-footed
20; Base Atk +25; Grp +50; Atk +35 melee (3d8+13,
bite); Full Atk +35 melee (3d8+13, bite) and +30 melee
(3d6+6 plus poison, sting); Space/Reach 20 ft./15ft.; SA
improved grab, poison, swallow whole; SQ tremorsense
60 ft.; AL N; SV Fort +22, Ref +12, Will +7; Str 36,
Dex 6, Con 26, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 8.
Skills & Feats: Listen +23, Swim +25; Awesome
Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural
Armour, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved
Natural Attack (sting), Power Attack, Weapon Focus
(bite), Weapon Focus (sting).
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the purple
worm must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt
to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an
attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it
establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow the foe
the following round.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 30, initial damage
1d6 Strength, secondary damage 2d6 Strength. The
save DC is Constitution-based.
Swallow Whole (Ex): The purple worm can try to
swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than itself
by making a successful grapple check. Once inside,
the opponent is dealt 2d8+13 points of crushing damage
plus eight points of acid damage per round from the
worm’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way
out using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal
25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 18). Once the
creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another
swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The
worm’s interior can hold two Large, eight Medium,
32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller
opponents.
Skills: The purple worm has a +8 racial bonus on any
Swim check to perform some special action or avoid
a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim
check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the
run action while swimming, provided it swims in a
straight line.
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8