The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

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The Walker in Darkness: The darkness of the tunnel seems all at once to come alive, flowing into the form of a figure many times taller than a man, hunched over and loping towards you far more swiftly than anything that huge ought to move. You feel your very life force recoil at the sight of it. This is not just another foe to fight; this is one of the faces of the enemy itself, a soldier of darkness, sent from the shadow to snuff out your souls. The Dark is continually aware of the Starborn as a threat to itself. Now, with the Player Characters moving through the deep blackness under the mountains and so near to a weakness in the barrier between worlds, it can sense them more clearly. It sends a manifestation of itself, a nightwalker, to pursue and destroy them. The nightwalker becomes manifest only when the Player Characters are nearly at the gates at the end of the tunnel. There should be daylight outside for this encounter to work best (even if the Games Master has to ‘fudge’ the proceedings slightly). With a Challenge Rating of 16, it is a very tough monster for the Player Characters to face, so if they can flee from it into the daylight that it abhors, they stand a better chance of surviving. It does not pursue them into daylight. Of course, the door is stiff, so there is an opportunity for high drama as they fight to get it open while the horror bears down on them. It is technically a summoned creature, so it is vulnerable to magic that would return it to its own plane (such as dictum). The Walker in Darkness (Nightwalker): CR 16, Huge undead (extraplanar); HD 21d12+42; hp 178; Init +6; Spd 40 ft., fly 20 ft. (poor); AC 32, touch 10, flat-footed 30; Base Atk +10; Grp +34; Atk +24 melee (2d6+16, slam); Full Atk +24 melee (2d6+16, 2 slams); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft.; SA crush item, desecrating aura, evil gaze, spell-like abilities, summon undead; SQ aversion to daylight, damage reduction 15/silver and magic, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, spell resistance 29, telepathy 100 ft., undead traits; SV Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +19; Str 38, Dex 14, Con —, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 18. Skills & Feats: Concentration +28, Diplomacy +6, Hide +18*, Knowledge (arcana) +29, Listen +29, Move Silently +26, Search +29, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +31, Spot +29, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks); Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (unholy blight). *When hiding in a dark area, the walker in darkness gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks. Aversion to Daylight (Ex): If exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), the walker in darkness takes a –4 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws and skill checks. Crush Item (Su): The walker in darkness can destroy any weapon or item of Large size or smaller (even magic ones, but not artefacts such as the signature weapons) by picking it up and crushing it between its hands. The nightwalker must make a successful disarm attempt to grab an item held by an opponent. The item is entitled to a Fortitude saving throw (DC 34) to resist destruction. Desecrating Aura (Su): The creature gives off a 20foot-radius emanation of utter desecration, imbuing its surroundings with negative energy. This ability works much like a desecrate spell, except that the creature’s evil is so great that it is treated as the shrine of an evil power. All undead within 20 feet of the walker in darkness (including the creature itself) gain a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls and saving throws, and +2 hit points per HD. Charisma checks made to turn undead within this area take a –6 penalty. The walker’s desecrating aura cannot be dispelled except by a dispel evil spell or similar effect. If the effect is dispelled, the creature can resume it as a free action on its next turn. Its desecrating aura is suppressed if it enters a consecrated or hallowed area, but the creature’s presence also suppresses the consecrated or hallowed effect for as long as it remains in the area. Evil Gaze (Su): Fear, 30 feet. A creature who meets the gaze of the walker in darkness must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 24) or be paralysed with fear for 1d8 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, the same nightshade’s gaze cannot affect that creature again for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. Spell-Like Abilities: At will – contagion (DC 18), deeper darkness, detect magic, greater dispel magic, haste, see invisibility, unholy blight (DC 18); 3/day – confusion (DC 18), hold monster (DC 19), invisibility; 1/day – cone of cold (DC 19), finger of death (DC 21), plane shift (DC 21). Caster level is 21 st . The saving throw DCs are Charisma-based. Summon Undead (Su): The walker in darkness can summon undead creatures once per night: 7–12 shadows, 2–5 greater shadows or 1–2 dread wraiths. The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for one hour or until released. Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8 131
132 Location: The Glacial Peaks If the Player Characters do not want to risk the tunnel, they can always hike over the mountains. The going is rough but bearable for a well-equipped party. The Games Master should have one of the Player Characters make a suitable Survival check and give the group this information, so that they are aware that they have a choice and are not being railroaded into the tunnel. Rather than detailing every stretch of the journey and having the Player Characters make Climb checks every five minutes, the Games Master can introduce the following events: Spectres in the Mist: As the Player Characters skirt around the side of a mountain on a narrow ledge (five feet across), they encounter a difficult section to negotiate. The ledge is broken in several places, with gaps of between five and 15 feet. To make matters worse, there is a thin mist in the air, making visibility poor. All vision is obscured beyond 20 feet and creatures 20 feet away have concealment. As the Player Characters work out how to traverse this obstacle, a pair of brocken spectres (see page 158) rise up out of the valley to the west. The spectres use their shadow illusion abilities to confuse the Player Characters, making broken sections of ledge seem sound. If the Player Characters think to investigate the area from whence the brocken spectres come, they may find the remains of the climbers who became the spectres. The Player Characters have to descend into the valley to do this, which means climbing down the sheer mountainside. A Search check (DC 25) uncovers the bodies of two male humans preserved by the ice. They are wearing winter clothing and are clearly adventurers who died from falling. In addition to rope and climber’s kits, one carries a type IV bag of holding and the other has a pair of boots of the winterlands. The bag of holding contains a two-man tent, enough iron rations for four weeks, a pot-belly stove, five sacks of coal, a shovel, two bedrolls and four barrels of water. The iron rations are musty but still edible; everything else is in good condition. If the Player Characters use magic to find out who they were, they discover that they were part of a group led by Gustave Colombe of Chillhame two years ago. Gustave was attempting to find a legendary artefact called the Circlet of Chill Bone. The Living Avalanche: As the Player Characters progress along the floor of a small valley between two mountain slopes, they hear the loud cawing of birds and see a flock of arctic terns take to the air ahead of them. Immediately afterwards there is a rumble from above and to the east and a few loose chunks of ice come scattering down. The Games Master should have all the characters make Spot checks (DC 20); those who succeed notice a huge mass of snow beginning to come loose on the upper slopes to the east. This is not an avalanche, but a glacial ooze (see page 161) charging down the mountain slope. It is responding to the stimulus of the tern flock taking off and is heading towards what it thinks is food. If the Player Characters run around to escape the ‘avalanche’, it homes in on them instead. They may try to head for the opposite slope, in which case they see the white mass crash into the base of the valley and then slide up the opposite slope in pursuit of them. Encounters in the Air: The Player Characters may try to fly over the peaks with a fly spell or something similar. Even the sky is not safe. There are arctic lights (see page 157) hovering in the air above the mountains. These rabidly territorial energy beings do not like strangers invading their space unannounced. 2–3 arctic lights descend on any Player Character who enters their airspace. The brocken spectres can also fly, though not so dextrously, and look upon flying adventurers with special hate. The spectres are cursed to remain here because they fell from the crags, and seeing a group of smug adventurers go sailing overhead is an insult to them. Two brocken spectres rise like smoky giants from the mountains and try to cast the Player Characters down to their deaths. Location: The Colombe Camp On the edge of the mountains, where the crags meet the flat ice sheet, you see a collection of vague shapes that you recognise as the collapsed remains of a camp. This is no recent disaster like Ommersdale. By the looks of it, these tents were set up more than a year ago. The snow has piled against them, and many of the canvas walls have collapsed under the weight, leaving only a skeletal tangle of ice-crusted tent poles. There are no signs of life – not that you expected any. The Player Characters may remember Gustave Colombe, the mad noble from The Drow War, Book One: The Gathering Storm, who was driven insane on a trip into the Waste to seek out the Circlet of Chill Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006)
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2 Introduction Welcome to The Drow
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4 island of Chillhame, then in the
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6 the past and old ghosts will retu
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8 It is likely that at some point o
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10 that his office is not the same
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12 but it is considered very dishon
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14 for 1d3 hours after drinking. Ho
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16 Equipment & Treasure: Arrows (20
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18 dagger wounds in their chests. T
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20 break free. The control is also
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22 The people of Jehannum are not i
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24 Skills & Feats: Balance +11, Cli
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26 they announce that one of the ca
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28 them off trying that route. Some
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30 paws, adding cowardice and the p
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32 Across Unkown Oceans This chapte
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34 and electricity 10, spider climb
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36 light slashing or piercing weapo
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38 Effects of the Vortex If they ar
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40 4. Hidden Entrance The main entr
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42 The One has a +8 racial bonus on
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44 Sahuagin Lacerators The lacerato
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46 other ships are sent out. Whole
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48 If a Harrier should die and his
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50 a hull, lacking any masts or sai
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52 Environment: Temperate aquatic O
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54 listeners than watchers, since t
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56 shark’s tooth set in silver (w
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58 Tizla Leaves These leaves are mi
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60 This room is where Revekhal Suns
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62 stronghold of tunnels as if it w
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64 reduction 2/-, illiteracy, trap
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66 faith and treated her with respe
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68 5. Galekki Lairs These dank, lig
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70 It is possible to shut the mangl
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72 Ballast To add additional securi
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74 and activate or deactivate the f
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76 3. Desalinator Coils The air in
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78 +15, Knowledge (nature) +13, Lis
Page 81 and 82: 80 opportunity. If it wins the grap
Page 83 and 84: 82 If they decide to chase the Sea
Page 85 and 86: 84 Special Qualities: Amphibious, c
Page 87 and 88: 86 At Sunspite’s signal the crew
Page 89 and 90: 88 creatures, no two of which can b
Page 91 and 92: 90 The rays are grouped in sets of
Page 93 and 94: 92 Possessed By a Myrrik It is quit
Page 95 and 96: 94 until they have been to Xoth Sar
Page 97 and 98: 96 Crossroads of the World In this
Page 99 and 100: 98 Non-Player Character Group: The
Page 101 and 102: 100 The bearer of such an orb can u
Page 103 and 104: 102 SA death attack, ki strike (mag
Page 105 and 106: 104 Deathblade Poison: Injury DC 20
Page 107 and 108: 106 Note for the Games Master: In g
Page 109 and 110: 108 Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73
Page 111 and 112: 110 Brexel commands the Shadow Trou
Page 113 and 114: 112 from Svarth and 10,000 from Cal
Page 119 and 120: 118 Warriors of Winter Following ma
Page 121 and 122: 120 Player Characters will understa
Page 123 and 124: 122 Weremammoths (Frost Giant Lycan
Page 125 and 126: 124 If the Player Characters make a
Page 127 and 128: 126 Foundation Keepers Those who un
Page 129 and 130: 128 perfectly preserved bodies of h
Page 131: 130 Background: Characters who can
Page 135 and 136: 134 Surrounding the citadel are sta
Page 137 and 138: 136 These are the ice devils that s
Page 139 and 140: 138 6. The Tropical Garden As you e
Page 141 and 142: 140 The spiders are able to open an
Page 143 and 144: 142 • Her brother has angered the
Page 145 and 146: 144 ways to create one. A dagger to
Page 147 and 148: 146 Fellraven: +4 keen scythe; AL N
Page 149 and 150: 148 The Letter On the wooden writin
Page 151 and 152: 150 The books in the cases are almo
Page 153 and 154: 152 The Family Azarak, Zamelak and
Page 157 and 158: 156 ‘The dark ones, little dark o
Page 159 and 160: 158 Skills: Bluff +22, Diplomacy +3
Page 161 and 162: 160 These dreadful creatures are th
Page 163 and 164: 162 Special Qualities: All-around v
Page 165 and 166: 164 Special Qualities: Construct tr
Page 167 and 168: 166 Misdirection (Sp): To put hunte
Page 169 and 170: 168 These misanthropic, pensive imm
Page 171 and 172: 170 Tyrant of Brass This adventure
Page 175 and 176: 174 The Destriers of Heaven The Sun
Page 177 and 178: 176 News from Jehannum The merchant
Page 179 and 180: 178 Change Shape (Su): A rakshasa c
Page 181 and 182: 180 Moch and Krunna, Mummy Lords, C
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182 Paralysing Touch (Su): Any livi
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184 Atk +18 melee (2d4+7, 2 claws);
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186 Many of these ghosts are mindle
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188 Aftermath With the threat to th
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190 simply gave a name, a location,
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192 these runes with a Search check
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194 If the soldiers here have not r
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196 Shikzen Baine, Female Drow Clr1
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198 Skills & Feats: Hide +8, Listen
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200 The Dwarves: The dwarves are am
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202 18. The Prisoners Four drow war
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204 power. There are five large bas
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206 Poison (Ex): Fortitude saving t
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208 Following Darkness Like a Dream
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210 Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73
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212 Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude,
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214 Song of the Night Hags Stoke th
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216 Inside, the cathedral is desola
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218 of the stuff on the whole plane
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220 against them. A magical attack
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222 Spell-Like Abilities: At the st
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224 Skills & Feats: Bluff +33, Conc
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226 Genesis of the Ironclads Drozen
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228 The duergar suit resembles an e
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230 Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73
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232 Factory Floor A: Sheet Rolling
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234 or lying when he said that only
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236 Knowledge (the planes) check (D
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238 The drow twins Hester and Jazme
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240 The Ironclads An Ironclad is a
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242 Skills & Feats: Appraise +24, B
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244 Skills & Feats: Bluff +53, Conc
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246 If the Stars Should Fall In thi
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248 Explosion Damage: As the Concla
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250 Major Hero: Kandang Sorcerer Se
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252 and fire, immunity to poison, r
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SAVING THROWS COMBAT BONUSES CHARAC
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256 Open Game Li cense THIS LICENSE
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