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P2: ORCUS CONVERSION

P2: DEMON QUEEN'S ENCLAVE

I started out with the ambition of changing the 4th Edition adventure series H1 Keep on the Shadowfell, H2 Thunderspire Labyrinths, and H3 Pyramid of Shadows – as there was very little in the plotline that really tied these adventures together into a full story.

Having just finished up the conversion of P1 I realize that I might just as well continue doing some small tweaks to the original adventures in order to make them fit together into a common storyline better. In P1 I did a lot of changes, but I do not expect to have to do as much in P2. The focus in this conversion guide is to introduce Karavakos from the Pyramid of Shadows in the storyline. He will be the final enemy the face rather than Zirithian.

I do not expect as many changes to P2 and P3, as Orcus is quite present in the main story, but I will try to enhance these great adventures to the best of my ability.

Please note that you should read through H3 and P1 Conversion Guides first, as it gives you the full background story to the campaign.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ......................................................................... 2 Credits ............................................................................................. 4 Prologue .......................................................................................... 4 Background .................................................................................... 6 Starting the Adventure .............................................................. 7

A New Threat .................................................................................. 8 Goldrun’s Map................................................................................. 8

Journeying the Underdark ....................................................... 9 Exploring the Underdark ............................................................. 9

Underdark Locations .............................................................. 11 1. The Deep Stairs ....................................................................... 11 2. Forgotten Battles .................................................................... 12 3. Stone ruins ................................................................................ 12 4. The Miser’s Pit ......................................................................... 13 5. The Outpost .............................................................................. 13 6. The Lake of Fire ...................................................................... 13 7. Mushroom Forest ................................................................... 14 8. Tower of Zoramadria ........................................................... 15 9. God of the Lake ....................................................................... 17 10: Lolth’s Faithful...................................................................... 20 11: Phaervorul ............................................................................. 20

U1: Inheritors............................................................................. 21 Setup ................................................................................................ 21 Tactics ............................................................................................. 21 Features of the Area.................................................................... 22

U2: The Miser’s Pit ................................................................... 23 Set up ............................................................................................... 23 Tactics ............................................................................................. 24

Features of the Area.................................................................... 24 U3: Fire and Magma ............................................................... 25

Setup ................................................................................................ 25 Tactics ............................................................................................. 25 Features of the Area.................................................................... 25

U4: Mushroom Attack ............................................................ 27 Setup ................................................................................................ 27 Tactics ............................................................................................. 27 Features of the Area.................................................................... 27

U5: Scrying Students............................................................... 28 Setup ................................................................................................ 28 Tactics ............................................................................................. 29 Features of the Area.................................................................... 29

U6: Eternal Sleep ..................................................................... 30 Setup ................................................................................................ 30 Tactics ............................................................................................. 31 Features of the Area.................................................................... 31

U7: Observatory Sanctorum ................................................ 32 Setup ................................................................................................ 32 Tactics ............................................................................................. 33 Features of the Area.................................................................... 33 Development ................................................................................. 34

U8: Attack from the Deeps ................................................... 36 Set up ............................................................................................... 36 Tactics ............................................................................................. 36 Features of the Area.................................................................... 37

U9: The Ferryman.................................................................... 38 Setup ................................................................................................ 38 Tactics ............................................................................................. 38

Phaervorul .................................................................................. 40

The Undead Horde ..................................................................... 40 Moving in Undead Controlled Areas ..................................... 41 Finding Zirithian ......................................................................... 42

The Undead Threat .................................................................. 43 Setup ................................................................................................ 43 Undead Horde .............................................................................. 43

Facing Zirithian ......................................................................... 44 Setup ................................................................................................ 44 Tactics ............................................................................................. 44 Features of the Area.................................................................... 46 Development ................................................................................. 46 Parley .............................................................................................. 46

V2: The Keeper .......................................................................... 47 V11: The Gate of Shadow ...................................................... 48

Setup ................................................................................................ 48 The First Challenge ..................................................................... 48 The Second Challenge ................................................................ 49 The Third Challenge ................................................................... 50

V12: The Ziggurat ..................................................................... 51 Setup ................................................................................................ 51 Strategy .......................................................................................... 53 Tactics ............................................................................................. 53 Features of the Area.................................................................... 53 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 54

House Rule Appendix ............................................................. 56 Modified Raise Dead .................................................................. 56

XP Analysis .................................................................................. 57 Player’s Handouts ..................................................................... 58

Parthal’s Diary............................................................................. 61 Battle Maps.................................................................................. 62


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Monster Update ........................................................................ 74 U1: Stuck in the Middle ............................................................. 74 L1: Perilous Bridge ..................................................................... 75 L2: Slave Quarters ...................................................................... 75 L3: Wizard’s Labratory ............................................................. 77 L4: Ruined Merchant House.................................................... 78 L5: Fungus Farm ......................................................................... 80 L6: Occupied Embassy ............................................................... 81 L7: Ransacked Houses ............................................................... 81 L8: Barracks.................................................................................. 83 L9: Ruined Noble House ........................................................... 84 L10: slaver complex .................................................................... 85 L11: Traitor’s Villa ..................................................................... 86 L12: Templar Chapel ................................................................. 87 L13: Embattled Ruins................................................................ 89 L14: Temple Entrance ............................................................... 90 L15 Chambers of Suffering ..................................................... 91 L16: Demon Queen’s Vault ..................................................... 93 V1: Bridge of Webs .................................................................... 94 Exploring Hordethrone .............................................................. 95 V4: Bridge of Bones .................................................................... 95 V5: Gate of Death ....................................................................... 96 V6: Guard Tower ........................................................................ 97 V7: The Cages .............................................................................. 98 V8: Plaza of Howling Skulls .................................................... 99 V9: Butcher Shop ..................................................................... 100 V10: The Black Gate............................................................... 101


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CREDITS

These are the contributors in the Wizards community that have helped with improvements and new ideas and concepts to this P2 Conversion Guide.

Hershall Valuable help in design of Ziggurat encounter and other tips for the adventure.

Name Contribution

Name Contribution

Name Contribution

Name Contribution

PROLOGUE

Matron Urlvrain looked down at Zaknoril, kneeling with his back bowed in reverence for his mistress. He had just delivered yet another disastrous report on the progress of the undead army laying siege to Phaervorul. He was simpering with fear. Matron Urlvrain was filled with nothing more than contempt for the commander that had failed in defending the old drow settlement of Phaervorul. She was already looking forward to the torturing and killing of Zaknoril for his failures. Maybe death by being eaten alive from the inside by a swarm of darkspot spiderlings would be fitting for his failures. She smiled as she envisioned the screams of the subject kneeling before her. Damn this Zaknoril and his incompetence. She was almost regretting her decision to raise the lowly captain to the position of commander of the Phaervorul

army and defense. His predecessor Zirithian, a warrior-knight of Lolth, had been both more capable and intelligent. However, Matron Urlvrain had questioned his loyalty. Zirithian had been too ambitious and too dangerous to have close by. Urlvrain had ordered him killed for is insolence already three years ago. Maarth Silvereye had carried out her order, and Zirithian had met a timely end. She would have needed Zirithian’s competence right now. The undead hordes that was besieging them was not only numerous beyond reckoning. They were coming into the city through abyssal breaches throughout the city. Phaervorul’s ancient defences were useless against an enemy that could enter the city through holes in the reality, appearing all over the city as dagger cuts through the back of a cloak.

“You stupid insignificant worm, do I have to do everything around here to get it right”. Urlvarain could see pure fear in the eyes of her subject. Zirithian had never shown any fear as Zaknoril did, but it had also cost him his life. “The abyssal breaches must be stemming from somewhere within Phaervorul. Someone must have betrayed us from the inside, selling us out to the enemy. I am sure it is that treacherous necromancer Jhaelant, he has been dabbling in those necromantic arts for too long. Find him and bring him here. Once we have gotten the truth out of him, we can shut down the breaches and stop the army from entering the city. Have you understood?”

Zaknoril was almost crawling on the floor to get away from those terrifying eyes of the high priestess. “Yes Matron Urlvrain, I understand. Consider him dead already.”

“You don’t listen! I don’t want him dead. I want him alive so that I can torture the truth out of him. Be gone before I set my inquisitors on you instead for your insolence!”

As the drow commander skittered out like a wounded bird, Matron Urlvrain continued brooding. Treachery ran as natural as blood through the veins of the drow. Maybe it was somebody closer. Somebody she didn’t suspect. What about Lareen? She hadn’t paid her mistress due respect in a long time. She had also been the secret lover of Zirithian, while he stilled lived. It felt strange that she

would go to any length to revenge her lover, which would be very unfitting for a drow priestess. Men was little more than domestic

animals, not worthy any more respect than that, and definitely not any love. Maybe pleasure, but not love. But Matron Urlvrain held on to the thought. If Jhaelant proved innocent – he had to pay with his life anyway of course – maybe she should pay Lareen a call after all....

* * *

Karavakos looked out over the endless Sea of Rot that was Deadhold. The stench was terrible and the clouds of bloodflies was circling the hordes of zombies clawing at the walls of the rift serving as their prison. The jetblack ziggurat of shadow that loomed over the plateau of Hordethrone reminded him of three hundred years of imprisonment in the Pyramid of Shadows. Had he just changed one prison for another? He looked at the bloated body of Orcus standing at his side looking down on the army. The Blood Lord had given him the Kiss of Undeath as a reward for the Secret. Time would never again ravage his body – but at what price? His beard had transformed into snakes, whose viperous bites


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would not kill him but bring him eons of pain. It was his Master’s revenge for his betrayal. His twisted body brought endless pain, but also powers. He was mightier now than he had ever been as a mere tiefling.

“Master, what will my predecessor think of you replacing him on the throne of Hordethrone?” Karavakos asked his Master as if it was of minor importance.

The Blood Lord looked down on Karavakos with a smile on his swollen decaying lips, “Think nothing of it. He is currently leading my armies against a drow settlement called Phaervorul in the Underdark of your world. It is an old thorn in my side to the Queen of Spiders – a thorn that has been festering in my mind for over five hundred years. It is finally time for the webbed lady to learn who is the true prince of the demon lords of the Abyss. When Zirithian tries to return to Deadhold after carrying out my Will, he will find his entrance challenged by the Keeper. He will learn the hard way that it is not only the drow who knows about deceit and treachery.”

* * *

Zirithian stood in front of the Keeper, covered in blood. Blood of his kindred, blood of his sister and brothers from Phaervorul, people he had once lived with. They were all slaughtered now, slaughtered with his own black sword – the Nightbringer, which was all drenched in blood. Its black shadow-jewel was twinkling with what looked like stars on the night sky. Zirithian knew all too well that a new ‘star’ was lighted every time the sword devoured a soul.

“What do you mean ‘…my services are no longer required’. I am the exarch of Orcus and ruler of Hordethrone. Don’t you dare to defy me!” Zirithian screamed.

The Keeper’s grey uncaring eyes showed no fear, no reaction at all in fact. “I am just a messenger of the Great Blood Lord. Your seat at the throne of the Shambling Horde has been taken by a new

exarch, a servant whose work the Prince of Undeath has found more worthy of his blessing.”

“You will die by my sword. Nightbringer will consume your soul for defying me!” Zirithian raised the black sword threatingly.

The Keeper looked at him with nothing but pity. “Guard your feelings young one. My soul is already lost. Yours can still be saved.”

“Orcus will pay for this”, the proud drow warrior said in a challenge. “I have served his cause. Delivered his Will. I deserve the reward I was promised”

No one answered but the jet-black sword in his hand, “The Lord of the Undead will find my vengeance written in sword high letters of blood on his decaying flesh”, it whispered chillingly.


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BACKGROUND

The drow necromancer Zoramadria grew up five centuries ago in the highly religious drow enclave of Phaervorul, a small drow settlement deep in the Underdark who had dedicated their work to the Demon Queen. Later Zoramadria would be known within the drow society as the Dark Teacher – the one who taught her brethren to betray their own kin for power. Zoramadria was in her youth a priestess of Lolth, and like most of her kin she was lusting for power, but she never saw herself being selected as one of the acolytes destined to stardom within the strict pastoral hierarchy. However, Zoramadria ambitions were not quenched, instead her loyalties to her brethren grow to alienation and hatred and she turned her attention to the vile arts of necromancy looking for quick means to power. She grew fast in power and her skills got the attention of another dark being that answered Zoramadria’s prayers, were her goddess had remained quite. Orcus the Demon Prince of Undeath came to Zoramadria in her dreams, guiding her action down the path of betrayal. Orcus taught her how she could open a planar portal to the Shadowfell were her answers to ultimate power would be found. Hungry for power she listened to his whispers and used her new knowledge to perform the ritual of planar breach. Orcus had been true to his word, on the other side waited necromantic knowledge and power beyond her wildest dreams, but what also waited there he had not told her. From the Rotting Throne, Thrullzon – the exarch of Orcus waited with his undead legions. As the portal opened he commanded his horde of zombies, wraiths, and worse to invade the drow settlement, Phaervorul became the battleground of the divine struggle between the Queen of Spiders and the Lord of the Undead, and the drow and their slaves paid the price with their blood, suffering, and worse.

The war raged on in the lightless depths of the Underdark for decades, no side capable of landing the killing blow. Orcus, distracted by more pressing matters and angered at Thrullzon’s inability to win the war, turned his back on his exarch. Soon, the drow slew Thrullzon, seized the gateway to Thrullzon’s realm, and sealed it. They spent the next century rebuilding the holy site of Phaervorul both to commemorate their victory, but also to keep watch for any further incursions from Orcus and his allies.

Zoramadria was faced with execution for her crimes against the drow and the holy city of Phaervorul. But she was forewarned by the young disciple Parthal, who was secretly in love with her. She collapsed the space around her tower, transferring it and all her students in one fell swoop to a far corner of the Underdark. Parthal, one of her newest students, was instrumental in accomplishing the tower’s movement.

When the Tower of Zoramadria was moved across the Underdark through the ritual, the life force of many of its inhabitants was drained off to power that ritual. Many of Zoramadria’s students that escaped permanent destruction did so only by embracing undeath. Unfortunately for Zoramadria, the strain of the ritual was too much, and her soul shattered, leaving the heartbroken Parthal and her other students, some newly birthed to unlife, to their own devices. Zoromadria cursed the city of her birth upon her death, blaming them for her fate. Before she passed away she put her disciple Parthal on a dark path of vengeance, fuelled by the love he felt for her. And thus did her ghostly invective against Phaervorul live on over the centuries in the many halls and chambers of her tower.

Parthal, now the Archlich of the Tower of Zoramadria, has grown in power and taken on new students over the decades. His goals have shifted from when he was a young, living wizard. Instead of power for its own sake, Parthal

now seeks vengeance. He wants to wreak terrible retribution on the city whose actions slew Zoromadria.

While the drow of Phaervorul slowly but surely, forgot the threat that Phaervorul was built to staunch, instead engaging in their typical infighting and bickering, Parthal never lost sight of his promise to Zoromadria at her death bed. Parthal sent in secret his disciple Lareen to infiltrate Phaervorul and the drow court, currently run by Matron Urlvrain. During decades she has risen in power, guided by Parthal’s advice. She managed to seduce the leader of the armed forces in Phaervorul, the powerful warrior Zirithian and managed to convince him to rise against Phaervorul’s ruler, Matron Urlvrain. But Matron Urlvrain sensed the deceit, and ordered Zirithian killed. To late did Lareen find out about Matron Urlvrains order. She found him dying in his villa at the hands of Maarth the Assassin. Seeing all her work destroyed by the blade of an assassin, she reached out and “blessed” Zirithian with vampirism. Now truly his master, she sent him on a dangerous journey to reverse the drow victory and claim revenge for his earlier defeat. Lareen reached out to the Blood Lord, asked for his justice, and the Lord of Undeath answered. In exchange for their revenge he wanted their souls, and soon they both turned to worship him.

Following Orcus’s commands, Zirithian pierced the planar cyst that closed the gate to the Rotting Throne and claimed Thrullzon’s former stronghold. Orcus offered him a simple deal: slaughter the drow in Phaervorul and offer several, powerful souls as tribute, and Zirithian should become the next exarch of the Rotting Legions. History repeat itself, and Lareen was given the knowledge by Him-who-waits-in-the-Dark as had Zoramadria before her, to open the planar cyst that would allow Orcus hordes to finish what they once started five hundred years ago.

And in a lonely tower in the Mushroom Cavern sits a dead man watching his vengeance finally come true…


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STARTING THE ADVENTURE

The dying words of the Crow in P1: The Trollhaunt Warrens conversion was: “Learn the Secret, Ravensworn. The Mages of Saruun can help you”. The adventurers will most likely travel all the way back to Thunderspire Mountain to meet the Saruun Mages again.

During the travel to Thunderspire Mountain the PCs notice a strange phenomenon on the night sky, read:

There is a strange glittering red streak in the cold night sky, like a shaft of blood piercing the darkness. As the nights passes you notice its passage across the night sky until it disappear in the middle of the Raven constellation – the five stars dedicated to the Raven Queen. You ponder at what dark omen this can mean.

As the adventurer’s return to the Seven-Pillared Hall you might want to describe the changes to the Hall has undergone since the PCs departure.

You find the large cavern known as the Seven-Pillared Hall much as you left it – the huge rune-carved pillars still glowing in a soft purplish light; the stone buildings with their glowing globes of light hanging from their walls; and the mix of races within the streets carrying on their business. But you also see changes – you do not see any slave carrying hobgoblins any more. The numbers of duergars on the streets are much less now. People no longer have to fear ending up in the slave mines of the Grimmerzhul clan anymore. You smile, as pride fills you, having been part of the events that saved this whole community, make you feel good inside. Soon people recognize you and come forward to greet you. A gathering

is forming around you until a large ogre approaches with a big smile and an even bigger club. “Brugg happy see you!” he says showing all the rotten teeth in his mouth. “Brugg come take you to Mages. Mages want see you.”

HOOK: THE SARUUN MAGES The Saruun Mages are a coven of spellcasters who

dwell within the Seven-Pillared Hall, a trading post in Thunderspire Mountain. After the events that took place in H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth, the Mages dispatched the wizard Orontor, to establish new trade alliances with the drow deep in the Underdark. Having lost almost all their fortunes to the machinations of Paldemar, they badly needed a better cash flow. Orontor was given the task as a punishment, as it was his student Paldemar, under his supervision and tutorage, which almost put an end to the Mages of Saruun. However, Orontor never returned from his mission, and the last messages they received from him was disturbing if nothing else. The Mages approach the characters as friends in need.

Samazar, the aging leader of the Mages of Saruun looked troubled, “…Well, to cut the story short. We were in bad need of gold. Our organization needed to be reestablished and that was expensive. Previously we had mainly dealt with denizens of the Shallows … uh, meaning the upper reaches of the Underdark. But other interests were threatening our positions and we needed greater funds quickly, so we went looking elsewhere. We knew that greater fortunes could be made by dealing with the drow, down in the Deeps. But with greater gains, comes also greater risks, something we also were well aware of. But we had no other choice. We decided to send Orontor down into the Deeps in order to establish a trade alliance with the drow enclave of Phaervorul. We saw it a fitting

punishment based on the fact that it was his pupil Paldemar that almost brought an end to us.”

Samazar’s hands took up some letters and held it up in the light from the glowing orb. “First we received promising letters. He had managed to find the old trade route and survived its dangers. He made contact with the drow and they had not killed him on the spot. He even got a chance to initiate negotiations with their leader, a high priestess of Lolth called matron Urlvrain. But then we received this letter, which also was the last. Read it yourself”

Give the adventurers the letter from the Player’s Handout section.

Samazar almost looks regretful. “It was wrong to risk Orontors life on such a dangerous expedition, there is not many of us left. You have helped us before, and we ask of your help again. Could you go down into the Deeps and rescue Orontor, or bring back his remains to us if it is not already too late?”

The Mages give the adventurers an iron pendant shaped like a spider.

“This is some kind of diplomatic pass in the drow enclave”, Samazar says. “Orontor sent it in one of his earlier letters. It is a symbol that should allow you to pass safely through drow territory, or at least give you a chance to attempt to parley with the drow before they kill you”.

Quest XP: 1,600 XP (minor quest) for returning Orontor or his remains to the Saruun Mages. The Mages have no money or treasure to offer, but information, should the characters accept the mission, see “A New Threat”.


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A NEW THREAT In exchange for the adventurer’s commitment to try to

rescue Orontor, the Mages of Saruun are willing to help answer the characters’ questions related to Death’s Reach and Deadhold. The mages ask the characters to return in two or three days time, while the mages try to find answers to the characters questions. Meanwhile they suggest that the adventurers go equip themselves for a long journey into the depths of the Underdark.

Samazar greets them with a troubled smile. “You were right about the comet; it is an ominous sign of darker times. If my readings of the Analects of Tzunk are correct, this heralds the appearance of a great evil in our land. I believe this event in the night sky foretell the rise of a new exarch of Orcus. Maybe it is even tied to the undead hordes that Orontor talks about in his last letter. It is a portentous sign of Orcus’s growing power”.

Samazar exchange looks with this elderly colleagues Hasifir and Niame, before he continues. “We completed a series of divinations that revealed the location of the exarch’s arrival to this place Deadhold, the very same place you came and asked us to find information about. We could not find anything about the place in our own library, but when we started to search in the books that Paldemar had left us with from his dark library, we found some disturbing notes.”

Samazar pulls open a dark book with its bindings burnt as from acid. “This is a very old tome, dating back almost five hundred years, to the early days of the Nerath Empire. It is written by the Nerath high priest Arantham, which we have come to learn was one of the sages of the time that helped in the construction of the Pyramid of Shadow that imprisoned Karavakos”. Samazar smiles, “Yes, we have done some research on the subject after you

left. Anyway, Arantham seems to have been very interested in the Outer Realms – The land of the Gods. His book covers his reasoning on the laws of multi-dimensional realms, but it also describes some of these realms he have managed to find evidence about. One of them is this realm called Deadhold. This is what he has written about it:

‘… Legends speak of strange dark realms within splinters of the

Shadowfell that come into being under the influence of overwhelming evil or vast concentrations of magic. Deadhold is one of these, a desert land where an endless sea of zombies awaits the command of the demon lord Orcus to march upon his unsuspecting enemies.’

‘Deadhold was forged in eons past when Orcus seized an astral domain and slew its residents. The demon prince then raised the slain residents as the living dead and drew the realm into the Shadowfell where he could hide it and cultivate it for future use. Today, it is believed to serve as a staging ground for his once-great legion of zombies— the Shambling Horde.’

‘There are places in our world which are dimensionally touched by the presence of Deadhold, often resulting in a planar cyst, a sort of unstable gate that provides access to this strange domain within the Shadowfell. The result has been documented a few times in history, each time resulting in otherworldly infestations of zombies, wraiths and worse, leading to complete annihilation of everything living, or plagues of undead roaming the countryside for miles around the planar cyst.’

Maybe there is a connection between the appearance of this comet and what is happening deep down in the Underdark. Who knows? There is only one way to find out, and it leads down into the bowls of the earth. Here is a copy of the map of Goldrun Coinkeeper, which will lead you to Phaervorul

GOLDRUN’S MAP The adventurers receive a tattered old map from

Samazar that shows the route to the Miser’s Pit, a deep shaft hidden in the Thunderspire Labyrinth and from there a path in the Underdark leading to a large, black X. You can find the map in the Player’s Handout section.

Samazar also provides the following information if asked about the map or Gldrun Coinkeeper.

“The Miser’s Pit is rumoured to be hidden deep down in the bottom of the Thunderspire Labyrinth. It was discovered by a mad dwarf named Goldrun Coinkeeper. He supposedly buried his great personal wealth somewhere in the Underdark caverns that the pit leads into. Much of his treasure, including a holy avenger longsword, remains unclaimed.”

A History check by the characters reveals the following:

♦ DC 20: Goldrun hid his wealth in several different caches, with separate maps leading to each. He died years ago, killed trying to collect a debt from a warlock, but several maps leading to untouched treasure remain.

♦ DC 25: Goldrun was known to deal with the drow, and it is said that he made his fortune trading their goods to the surface. The drow had such surplus of gold and other valuables that they paid Goldrun handsomely for goods rare in the Underdark, such as animal furs and wood.

The map leads them to Phaervorul and into the story of the adventure. Unluckily for the adventurers, the map only depicts Goldrun’s trade route through the Underdark, not the route to one of his hidden vaults.


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JOURNEYING THE UNDERDARK

As the players’ journey through the Underdark down to Phaervorul is not described in any detail, I have decided to add some more flavor to it.

EXPLORING THE UNDERDARK Not all players want to focus on the difficult

environmental conditions of the Underdark, but if you as a DM want your game to emphasize these dangers, I have added some simple skill checks that you can use in between encounters to portray the Underdark harshness.

To simulate the endeavours the characters experience during the journey through the Underdark, let the adventurers make a skill check, during some of the travels between one encounter to the other. You can vary the challenges’ below as you see fit.

The effect of a failure means the characters are suffering some kind of penalty when they engage in the next encounter. The characters can’t do a short rest before entering the encounter area.

Each skill check has a secondary skill check that is rolled first, if this one is successful, it increases the likelihood of success on the primary skill check. Some skill checks are marked [Leader], this requires that only the character with the highest skill score needs to roll the skill check. The result of a failure then applies to everybody in the party, see the individual description.

There is also a proposal on which Encounter you can use this skill check before the adventurers reach the encounter location (which are described in the next chapter).

♦ Perception (DC 29) You are vary for sudden pitfalls, loose rocks, slippery cliffs and other dangers as you progress through the Underdark, knowing that a single mistake can prove fatal in this dangerous environment.

Failure: You slip and fall, damaging your ankle in the fall. During the next encounter and until you take an extended rest, you move at half speed.

Secondary: Acrobatics (DC 21)

Your lightning reflexes help you when you fall or happen to lose your footing.

Success: You get a +2 bonus on your Perception check.

Encounter: U3.

♦ Acrobatics (DC 29) You walk along treacherous ledges, try to get past treacherous rock falls, wade along streaming underground rivers on slippery footing, it is just a matter of time before someone hurt himself.

Failure: You slip and fall, twisting some muscles in the fall. During the next encounter and until you take an extended rest, you have a -2 penalty on Reflex and a -1 penalty to Attack Rolls.

Secondary: Heal (DC 21) [Leader]

Your healing skills are pushed to the limit in this treacherous terrain, helping your bruised comrades to continue.

Success: All of your friends get a +4 bonus on their Acrobatics check.

Encounter: U4.

♦ Dungeoneering (DC 29) [Leader] Your knowledge of these Underdark surrounding surpasses your friend. You help them navigate through the twisting tunnels; avoid dangerous natural hazards in the lightless depths. Secretly you wonder if you will find the way back...

1st Failure: You fail to notice a rock fall. All your friends are hurt from falling rocks, but you manage to get them out in time. As you enter the next encounter all your friends have lost hit points equal to their healing surge value.

2nd Failure: You get lost and loose another 1d4 days backtracking before you find the right track.

Secondary: Endurance (DC 21)

What your leader have lost in time or hardship you compensate with your superior Stamina.

Success: Each character in the party that succeeds on his Endurance check give the leader a +1 bonus on the primary Dungeoneering check.

Encounters: U6 and U7.

♦ Endurance (DC 29) You have been crawling through narrow tunnels, climbing down steep cavern cliffs, walking through boulder strewn caves for miles – and all in compact darkness. You don’t know for how long you can carry on any more.

Failure: As you reach the next encounter you are fatigued after the strenuous activities you have been through. You have a -2 penalty on Fortitude and -2 on Endurance checks.

Secondary: Acrobatics (DC 21)

Your balance and nimble reflexes help you to more easily get through the difficult terrain.


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Success: You get a +2 bonus on your Endurance check.

Encounter: U8.

♦ Diplomacy (DC 29) [Leader] The constant gloom and darkness eats on your minds. You manage to keep the spirit up in the group and the madness at bay.

Failure: The constant darkness and oppressive surroundings has affected everybody in the party. During the next encounter they have all a -2 penalty to Will.

1st Secondary: Bluff (DC 21)

You manage convince your friends that you have secret knowledge of the area, and that everything soon is going to be fine. You wish it was true…

Success: The leader gets a +2 bonus on the Diplomacy check.

Failure: Any failure gives the leader a -2 penalty on the Diplomacy check.

2nd Secondary: Religion (DC 21) [Leader]

You manage to infuse some courage and hope in you comrades by preaching your gods words.


Encounter: U9.


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UNDERDARK LOCATIONS

The Underdark consists of caverns that range in size from a few dozen feet across to monstrous, underworld realms that cover hundreds of square miles. Sunless seas and rivers run through the Underdark, while cities of drow, kuo-toa, and other creatures fill the Night Below. Most travelers use roads cleared through caverns and narrow passages—literal cracks in the earth’s crust—that connect the greater caverns to each other.

As Dungeon Master, you must evoke the alien feel of the Underdark. The Underdark is more than a series of caves that continuously leads the adventurers deeper into the bowels of the earth. It is an alien world that harbors wondrous creatures, weird magic, and deadly predators. Use the following locations to spice up your description of the Underdark. Refer to the Underdark Map for reference to the individual locations described below. The distance to each location from the Seven-Pillard Hall is also shown, along with depth from the surface and the travel time to the location, based on the assumption of speed 6 (overland speed of 15 miles per day in the difficult terrain).

1. THE DEEP STAIRS Read the following description as the adventurers

follows the Deep Stairs into Thunderspire Mountain:

The stair is carved into a natural tunnel that burrows its way down into the deeps of the Thunderspire Mountain. Looking at the smooth wet stone, round boulders and sand, it is obvious that an underground river must once have created this. Nothing remains of the river, except some occasional pools of stagnant water or stalactites in the roof.


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The steps that have been carved into the stone bear marks of dwarven craftsmanship. However, the purpose of the stairs, or where they originally lead is hard to guess.

2. FORGOTTEN BATTLES [Distance: 7.5 miles, Depth: 1 mile, Travel: ½ day]

As the adventurers get to the deepest areas of the Thunderspire Labyrinth, they come across some of the old borders of the minotaur kingdom of old. In this great cave, a battle took place centuries ago between the duergar and the minotaurs. Old bones and armor bear witness to this long forgotten battle.

If the characters succeed on a DC 21 Perception they take notice of this, read:

The winding tunnel suddenly gives way to a large cavern. Its size is enormous and you can hardly see the cavern roof high above. Yet, glowing green and purple fungi on the walls gives a dim light to the marvelous cavern, allowing you to take in its full grandeur. Enormous pillars of stalagmites and stalactites forms glistening wet pillars in the light of your torches. Among stone and debris on the ground you see remains of old armor. Not much remain. Most of it has been taken by rust. Some bones, looking to be of mixes minotauric and dwarven origin lays spread out in the corners of the cave. You conclude that a great battle must have been fought here centuries ago between the Minotaurs of Saruun Khel and the duergar kingdoms below. Who in the end won, is impossible to say. Losses seem to have been high on both sides.

There is nothing of value to be found among the remains. The area has been search thoroughly over the years by scavengers and treasure hunters.

3. STONE RUINS [Distance: 15 miles, Depth: 1.5 mile, Travel: 1 days]

Along the route leading down into the Underdark lays the ruins of a subterranean fortress. It was once one of many fortresses build at the fringes of the Grimmerzhul duergar empire, similar to the Horned Hold higher up in the mountain. It was destroyed centuries ago by the minotaurs of Saruun Khel. It laid deserted for a long time, until a pair of medusas and their stone-eyed basilisks settled in and claimed the ruins as their own. As the adventurers enter the large cavern complex they discover stone statues of drow, duergar, and any number of other Underdark dwellers.

As the adventurers enters the cavern, read: You thought the previous cavern you entered huge.

You now realize it was nothing compared to the gigantic cavern that opens up in front of you. The air is cold, but humid. You see a great black mirror of water stretching out in front of you. Pillars the size of towers disappear into the darkness above. There is a pressing silence in the cavern, the sound of dripping water is the only sound disturbing the emptiness around you. The left side of the cavern is dry and you can see a footpath leading along the side of the big lake. Disappearing in amongst all the stalagmites, raised like spear points from the cavern floor.

As the adventurers gets deeper into the cavern, read:

You immediately stop, as you see the shape of a dwarf in armor hiding behind a large stalagmite. Your hand is instantly on your weapon, but the enemy does not make a move. As you raise your torch to get a better view, the light plays over the dwarf and you realize it is just a stone statue – made of expert craftsmanship. As you get closer you are

astonished at the details that have been put in the creation of it. How can somebody afford to have such statues made just to frighten travelers passing by? Then you notice the facial expressions of the statue – it is one of terrified fear!

As the adventurers continue deeper into the cavern, they find more statues of dwarves, troglodytes, and occasional humans and drow.

When the adventurers reach the ruin, read: In front of you is a large stone ruin. It looks to have

been an old duergar fortress. The design is very similar to what you saw in the Horned Hold. However, much of the fortress has been destroyed in some old war. Not much more than the high walls remain. But they serve as an efficient barrier to anyone that wants to get to the other side of the cavern. However, you notice that the entrance stands wide open, the gates have been broken down centuries ago. You look towards its gaping maw, three stone statues crafted into the likeness of human travelers stand outside, looking into the dark entrance as if facing the gates of hell. The only other option is to swim past the fortress, entering the icy cold black waters, which looks dark and foreboding on the right side of you.

The characters have little option than to enter the old duergar ruins if they want to get to the other side of the cavern. Orontor managed to get pass the threat of the medusas, by using a passwall ritual the Mages of Saruun had created. The adventurers are not that lucky.

Tactical Encounter: “U1: Inheritors”.


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4. THE MISER’S PIT [Distance: 22.5 miles, Depth: 2 miles, Travel: 1.5 days]

The Miser’s Pit is a deep, vertical cave. The entrance opens along the wall, somewhat close to the bottom. Legends say that the cave is what remains of the volcano shaft of Thunderspire Mountain, and that the shaft eventually goes all the way to the top of the mountain. The bottom of the cave lies straight down 500 feet. Ending at a flat, stalagmite filled floor. The cave walls angle slightly outward; viewed from the side, the cave looks like an upright cone with the top chopped off.

Several side chambers branch off from the main chamber, they are home to thousands of bats that ascend out of the cave each day to find food out on the slopes of the mountain. Long time ago, the duergar carved out a stone “ramp”, or pathway that spirals down from the entrance on the interior cave walls.

As the adventurers reach the entrance, read: The tunnel suddenly ends abruptly in darkness. As you

slowly approach its end, you realize that the tunnel has opened up at the wall of a huge vertical cavern. Looking out you can hardly look out to the other side of the cave, and the bottom is nowhere to be seen. A stone pathway has been carved out to the interior cave wall, spiralling down into the darkness. Several smaller cave entrances can be seen along its way. The cave seems to be wider in the bottom, while above you it is becoming narrower. You hear the screeches of bats, circling the air on their way up and down the shaft.

As the characters come closer to the bottom of the cave, the roper becomes aware of their presence. It is careful and cunning, and waits until they reach this point in the cave complex to attack.

Tactical Encounter: "U2: The Miser’s Pit”.

5. THE OUTPOST [Distance: 33 miles, Depth: 2,5 miles, Travel: 2.25 days]

The adventurers come to a wide rift that cuts across the tunnel they follow. A narrow stone bridge leads across the rift, and on the opposite side stands a small stone building.

As the characters approach the bridge, read: The tunnel suddenly ends as the whole mountain

seems to have split, creating a wide rift that cuts across the tunnel you have been following. A narrow old stone bridge has been erected cross the chasm, and on the other side you can see a small stone building.

Everburning torches are set in the sockets on the building’s outer walls, giving you some light over the area. The building appears windowless and you can see no signs of life.

If the adventurers cross the bridge, they find the building to be windowless and featuring a single, barred stone door. If they open the door (DC 21 Strength check), they find that the building consists of a single chamber filled with dust and thick cobwebs. The skeletal remains of four humans clad in rusted platemail are all that remain of this place’s defenders. A thorough search of the room (DC 29 Perception check) reveals that the warriors died from blasts of magic, traces of acid, fire can been seen on the remains. They also find the mark of Orontor scratched into the wall.

Orontor and his expedition had to face this outpost.

They overcame them and killed them all.

6. THE LAKE OF FIRE [Distance: 82.5 miles, Depth: 5 miles, Travel: 5.5 days]

The adventurers enter a cavern lit by a dim, reddish glow. The cavern is much hotter than the passages they navigated to reach this place. In the middle of the cavern, a stream of lava about 50 feet wide bubbles and pops. A small island is set in the middle of the molten rock. A bridge suspended above the lava by iron chains provides the only access across. The flow of lava runs over the cliff edge into a huge cavern below where a lake of magma bubbles hundreds of feet below.

As the characters enter the cavern, read: The cavernous tunnel opens up into a vast cavern,

where gigantic stalagmites and stalactites meet to form natural pillars for the cavernous roof 50 feet above you.

The cavern is alight with the reddish glow of flowing lava, forming a volcanic stream that splits the cavern in half. The lava comes pouring out from a hole in the left cave wall, 30 feet above your head, forming a glowing volcanic flow of immense hostile beauty. Already from here, you can feel the heat from the lava flow, which disappears of the edge of the cavern floor to the right. Falling tumbling into a great volcanic lake way below you, in a cavern so large you can hardly imagine it.


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As the characters get closer to the lava, read: A small island is situated in the middle of the lava flow.

A seared black iron bridge hangs from chains fastened in the stalactites above. The bridge on the other side of the small island has been destroyed, taken away by the lava stream, only the loose black chains remain hanging from the stalactites above.

As the adventurers approach the bridge they are attacked by a beholder and some magma brutes.

Tactical Encounter: "U3: Fire and Magma.”

Orontor and his expedition managed to get past the

beholders and the magma brutes, losing a few men in the fight. The second bridge was destroyed in the battle before they escaped.

7. MUSHROOM FOREST [Distance: 112.5 miles, Depth: 7 miles, Travel: 7.5 days]

This huge cavern has a large gem embedded in its ceiling that provides a dim, dusky light. A forest of giant mushrooms covers the floor of this place, growing enormous in the cavern’s thick, loamy soil and warm moisture from hot springs. In the middle of this cavern, a small lake waits beneath the dim light. A stone tower extends above the water. While the adventurers travel through this place, eldritch lights flicker from the tower, and the forest around them shakes and trembles with the movement of massive, unseen creatures.

As the adventurers enter the cave, read: You have left the Lake of Fire well behind, replacing

heat and sulfurous stench with warm moist air from numerous hot springs you pass by. Leeches, fungi and luminous algae covers the walls of the caverns and the sound of dripping water is everywhere.

Gradually the cave tunnel you have been following grows larger, opening up to a large cavern hall filled with a forest of large mushrooms of every size from hand-sized to tree-like. The whole forest is glowing in a dim dusky light,

glowing colors of green, purple and blue reflecting from the strange mushrooms all around you. A small well trodden track leads straight into the enchanted forest.

If the characters decide to enter the forest, read:

Gigantic tadpools – the size of houses surrounds you, strange blue bush-like outgrowings cover the nearby ground. You have never seen anything like it. From above you have finally discovered the source of the strange light in the cavern. There is a large gem embedded in the ceiling of the enormous cavern, its purple dusky light giving a twilight feel to the whole mushroom forest. The air is humid from numerous hot springs you have passed, and there is a smell of thick, loamy soil. The track seems to be leading towards the center of the cave, were you sometime have noticed a strange eldritch light flickering between the muchroom hats. Sometimes the very ground at you feet trembles, as from earthquakes, but you are not fully sure that is causing it. You have a strange feeling of being observed, as if massive unseen creatures were watching your every step, but always staying out of sight, their earth trembling movement the only indication of their existence.

The creatures watching them are gigantic living mushrooms, titan myconoids. Like any large animals they are not dangerous, but if frightened, cornered or exposed to bright light, these monsters may attack.

Characters may notice their presence with a successful DC 29 Perception check.

Tactical Encounter: "U4: Mushroom Attack.”


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Orontor just past through this area and never

discovered the Tower of Zoramadria.

8. TOWER OF ZORAMADRIA [Distance: 115 miles, Depth: 7 miles, Travel: 7.8 days]

(Original adventure from the Open Grave compendium)

In the middle of the Mushroom cavern, a small lake waits beneath the dim light. A stone tower extends above the water. While the adventurers travel through this place, eldritch lights flicker from the tower.

The Tower of Zoramadria is an arcane academy under the tutelage of the drow lich Parthal. Parthal and his students lead serene lives of study and contemplation, except when they engage in a bout of bloody necromantic research that requires innocent souls as vital components. Parthal has a score to settle with Phaervorul, and the drow enclave itself might shudder and scream before the lich has had his revenge on those who killed his love.

ENVIRONMENT The Tower of Zoramadria is hidden in the Mushroom

Cavern of the Underdark where three hot springs provides torrents of water into a lake in the cave center.

♦ The entrance to the tower is a triangular opening on the south side. The mist from the hot waters makes visually finding the entrance difficult. A successful DC 24 Perception check while searching the outside wall

of the tower allows a PC to locate the opening. The door is locked and requires a DC 24 Thievery check to open. The door cannot be smashed open.

♦ The tower is not only invisible to easy visual identification, but also concealed from various forms of arcane scrying and divination by a permanent Forbiddance ritual (Player’s Handbook, page 305) that envelops it.

♦ The tower has six floors. Three are barren shells, and the three others are in use. The majority of Parthal’s students and servants have been expended in the build-up to his final revenge ritual. The empty levels are not depicted on the map. They contain the dead bodies of the slain servants and students.

♦ Ladders connect the floors of the tower. Each ladder is 2 squares wide, meaning that two Small or Medium creatures can ascend or descend a ladder at the same time. The hole into which a ladder extends is 2 squares by 2 squares.

♦ Each of the floors in use is sealed off from the adjacent floor or floors by a trapdoor. Each of these trapdoors is sealed by an Arcane Lock ritual (DC 29 Thievery or Strength check, or a successful Knock ritual, to open). When a trapdoor is opened, it slides to the south into a slot cut into the surface of the floor/ceiling, leaving behind an oblong hole.

♦ The ceiling of each floor (including the empty ones) is 10 feet in height.

♦ Because each ladder extends from floor to ceiling, it prevents a creature in a space north of the ladder from being pushed into the hole. Creatures adjacent to the

hole in other squares, however, can be pushed into the hole and are subject to falling damage in such a case.

♦ Floor One and Floor Two are bathed in dim light from glowing orbs embedded in the tower walls. (These light sources cannot be removed or otherwise affected.) Floor Three is brightly lit because of its location straight under the cavern crystal that provides a purple light to the room.

When the adventurers approach the tower, read: Three hot springs drop vast water into a central small

lake in the center of the Mushroom Cavern. The mist from the hot springs hides most of the area. When you focus intently, you see glimpses of an outcropping into the lake upon which a pale tower is built. The tower is there when the spray thins briefly, but gone again when it thickens. Eldritch light can be seen from its top.


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When the PCs move through the entrance, read: You are in a dark chamber devoid of any features

except for minor debris and a wide ladder stretching from floor to ceiling just north of the center of the room.

FLOOR ONE: UNDEAD BARRACKS The lowest chamber in the tower is used by the tower’s

necromancers to dissect cadavers and conduct necromantic rituals and experiments. Dozens of manacles attached to chains and are bolted into the walls of this chamber and to stone tables in the centre. No undead are currently housed here, but a few dissected bodies lies on the stone tables.

FLOOR TWO: DINING ROOM The dining room contains a long, narrow wooden table

surrounded by several high-backed wooden chairs. Two iron chandeliers dangle from the ceiling. In the northern walled off corner of the room, a wooden door leads into the kitchen.

FLOOR THREE: CLASSROOM When the characters move adjacent to the ladder and

look up (or if they just start climbing), they quickly notice the trapdoor that blocks access to the area above them. After they open the door, they get no inkling of what awaits them in the chamber above until they climb up far enough to enter the room.

Tactical Encounter: “U5: Scrying Students.”

FLOOR FOUR: RESIDENCE After the PCs open the trapdoor in the ceiling of Floor

One, they see another darkened chamber identical to the one at the bottom of the tower. Climbing the ladder and

opening yet another trapdoor puts them in position to enter the next encounter area.

Tactical Encounter: “U6: Eternal Sleep.”

FLOOR FIVE: LIBRARY This study originally belonged to Zoramadria, the

builder of the tower. It was in this room that the great necromancer penned many of her rituals. Parthal, having memorized most of its content have neglected maintaining the library. The only thing in mint condition is the portrait of Zoramadria on the wall.

When the adventurers enter the library, read: Bookcases line the outer wall of this dusty, poorly

ventilated room. A haze of mold spores hangs in the air. An empty desk sits to the north beneath a portrait of a beautiful but stern female drow. Moldy, frail tomes and scrolls are piled in heaps and scattered around the room.

Treasure: Many of the tomes in the collection in this chamber deal with the foul art of necromancy and vile experiments on living subjects. Most of the books would be banned in most societies, but if the right buyer would be found the tomes would bring a price of 10,000 gp (but with a weight of 100 Ibs.). Parthal have moved most of the more valuable rituals to his own study, one ritual scroll of Consult Mystic Sages (1,000

gp) can be found with a DC 30 Perception check.

Poem: On the desk in front of the portrait lays a single scroll with Parthal’s handwriting. It contains a poem he has written to his lost love – Zoramadria.

ZORAMADRIA

Where sun and flower are beaming,

Zoramadria's charms appear.

Her beauty's rays are streaming

Round all this earthly sphere.

The breeze, when gently blowing,

The rose that scents the grove,

The vine, when brightly glowing,

All tell of her I love.


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I hear her song's sweet numbers.

When Zephyr's breezy wings

Sweep o'er the gold harp's slumbers.

And wake its tuneful strings.

All — all the charms of nature

Zoramadria's beauty bear.

And show, in every feature,

Her godhead imaged there.

The spirits of the dying

Must quit this clay's control,

But they to rest are flying

In regions of the soul.

The floods, now onward striding,

Are foaming, fierce, and free.

Yet soon their waves, subsiding,

Will slumber in the sea.

But I must vainly languish

For joys I never can know,

And wear a cureless anguish

In loneliness and woe.

Fair goddess I shall ever

Behold thy beauty shine

Like stars above — but never

Can hope to call thee mine

Yours forever,

Parthal

There is a copy of the poem in the Player’s Handout section.

FLOOR SIX: PARTHAL’S STUDY Accessing the top floor is done in the same way as on

the floors beneath.

Tactical Encounter: “U7: Observatory Sanctorum.”

9. GOD OF THE LAKE [Distance: 135 miles, Depth: 8.5 miles, Travel: 9 days]

The characters journey through the Underdark takes them dangerously close to a submerged aboleth city. As the characters enters the immense cavern, they find the remains of an old kuo-toa settlement, who had their prayers answered – not by their dark gods, but by the first aboleth who swam up along an underground river and laid claim to the lake. The kuo-toan shrine has been lying in ruins for hundreds of years, its inhabitants all taken as servants to the underwater aboleth city, transformed by their new masters in their likeness. The spires of the aboleth city can be seen over the dark waters of the lake, a center for the aboleths’ mad dreams of power, where their slimy tentacles spread their influence over the Underdark.

The characters will have to pass the lake through means of a ferry residing at the shores of the ruins. The ferryman is nothing less than an outcast mind flayer, who has natural resistance against the aboleths’ psychic powers.

As the characters enters the cavern of the lake, read:

Your journey through the Underdark takes you endlessly deeper into its depths, until you stand in front of an impossible barrier. An underground lake spreads out in front of you, its size making the Lake of Fire look like

puddle in comparison. A black mirror of icy cold water stretches endlessly in front of you, lightened at intervals by luminous algae at the roof of the immense cavern system in front of you. Pillars the size of mountainous spires stretches into the darkness above.

To your left you see strange abandoned ruins of some strange civilization that once must have flourished by the lake. Now it lay in ruins, its stones covered in slime and algae. You notice strange carvings and glyphs carved in the ziggurat formed central structure – maybe some kind of ancient temple, depicting slimy horrors as if taken from fever induced nightmares.

There is nothing to be found among the ruins, but a character succeeding on a Dungeoneering check may reveal its true nature:

DC 25: The ruins look to be of Kuo-toan in origin. What you have read about Kuo-toa in ancient tombs, is that they live deep in the Underdark, where they are rumored to worship dark gods and work toward sinister ends, seeing themselves as superior to all other humanoids. Kuo-toas are known to build settlements around their shrines at the edge of underground lakes or seas. Within these places, dark priests called whips make up the top caste of kuo-toa society. Kuo-toa monitors are the whips’ agents as well as an elite warrior force that keeps lower ranking kuo-toas in line.

THE FERRY If the adventurers start to search the ruins or walks

towards the ruins along the shore of the lake, they soon come upon the landing of the ferry.


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As the characters approach the ferry, read: By the shores of the black lake lies what looks like a

small ferry crossing. Stones from the ruins have been pushed out into the water, creating a very crude pier. However, it seems to have seen recent use as you can spot the remains of old campfires on the stony ground nearby. On what looks to be a bone from the ribcage of a tremendous animal, raised as a post at the end of the pier, someone have fastened a large horn with an iron chain.

The large horn has been created from some strange beast. It is blue-black in color, and seems very old. Blowing in the horn makes no sound, but sends a psychic note to the mind flayer ferryman out on the lake. Two hour after blowing the horn he emerges from the darkness at the lake.

As the characters see the ferryman, read: From the darkness of the lake a strange craft appears.

The skull of some demonic beast sits in the front, the hull of the craft made from a large monstrous shell, strengthened with bones. Two large oars stick out on each side, made from the bones of some dead beast. Inside the craft you see two large minotaurs working the oars, their eyes dazed – as if looking into nothingness. The ferryman stand by the tiller drabbed in dark clothing, his faced hidden in the shadows of the hood. He carefully steers the small ship to the pier in answer to your call.

The ferryman is a mindflayer, outcast from his community. With his two minotaur thralls, he provides transport across the black lake for those who can meet his price. The mind flayer is not interested in fightning, but will defend himself if attacked by the characters.

If the characters attack the ferryman or try to force him to reveal his true nature, he defend himself.

Tactical Encounter: "U9: The Ferryman.”

The mind flayer asks the adventurers where they want to go. If they say Phaervorul, the ferryman nods his head and says, “There are rumors that there is some kind of turmoil in the drow enclave. Be wary if that is your destination”.

The mind flayer demands X gp in passage per person carried across. He wants the full payment in advance. He is willing to accept a humanoid sacrifice if that is offered.

Each humanoid “brain” is vauled to Y gp by the ferryman.

THE CROSSING If the characters accept the price, the ferryman lets

them board the craft and set out to the lake. During the crossing the ferryman may at you discretion reveal the following information:


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♦ The large lake is known as the Endless Lake, it carries on through a number of huge caverns in the Underdark. Nobody have traveled its full measure and come back to tell the story.

♦ The lake is rumored to be just as deep as it is wide. It is just the top of the cavern roof we can see above us. Under us is endless stretches of black, icy cold water.

♦ The ruins at the lakes shore was once the kuo-toa settlement of Klupotkupla. It has been deserted for over two hundred years, since the Gods of the Lake arrived.

♦ In the center of the main cavern lies the aboleth city N’gunlornuth. The gods of the lake rules supreme in the dark waters were they have build their alien city. Its spires can sometimes be seen gleaming in eerie lights above the surface of the lake.

♦ Aboleths are hulking amphibious monsters, no one know were they came from. They swim through the lightless depths of the Underdark leaving trails of slimy mucus in their wake. Malevolent and vile, aboleths bend creatures to their will, and those less fortunate are transformed into slimy horrors to please the three eyes of their cruel masters.

While crossing the large lake the ferryman ask the characters to keep still and quite – not to bring the attention of the creatures in the depths.

As the characters cross the lake, read: The ferryman suddenly raises his skinny arm and

points in the direction of the center of the huge lake. First you see nothing but darkness, but then your eyes notices strange eerie lights from the center of the black lake. Dark twisting forms of alien spires raises up from the black surface of the lake, turning torsos of alien design, as if

twisting the very fabrics of reality in their perversion. Your stomach turns by just watching them, your mind questioning the sanity of the creatures having built such aberrant architectures.

As full day passes, the ferryman steers the small ship to a little island in the midst of the lake. The ferryman says, “Up there you can make rest and camp. Me and my servants stay here and guard the boat”. Up on the small hill they find an area of smooth rock, cleared from stones by previous visitors, where they can camp.

During the night, the adventurers are attacked.

Tactical Encounter: "U8: Attack from the Deeps.”

FINAL DESTINATION If the characters survives the battle with the aboleth,

the ferryman takes them out on the lake again after they are fully rested. At the end of the day, they reach the destination. A small landing dock has been raised at the entrance to a huge tunnel were a stream of water rushes down into the depths. A small track follows its side. “There lies the track to Phaervorul. Take care, you can never trust the drow”, the ferryman says.

Adventurers can buy some valuable information about Phaervorul, from the mind flayer.

Q: What do you know of Phaervorul? (X gp) “Phaervorul has long served the drow as a

religious center. Many drow pilgrims travel the Underdark to pay homage to the temple of Lolth. It has also long served as a trading outpost in the Underdark. The drow in Phaervorul therefore tolerated other peoples within the enclave, provided such visitors don’t interfere with drow customs. The city itself is divided into three areas – the low

district were the poor, the farmers and the slaves reside; the commons were you will find mundane shops, residences of the lowborn drow, taverns, brothels, and other places to spend your money; and the high district were the noble and highborn dwell overlooking the city from their stalagmite palaces.”

Q: Who rules in Phaervorul? (X gp) “The drow enclave is rules by the Lolth high-

priestess Matron Urlvrain. I once heard a story about her, told by one visiting pilgrim. The story tells of Raelthron, a spy in her service. Raelthron brought news of Urlvrain’s rivals to her and outlined a cunning plan to undermine them, allowing her to trap and kill her chief enemy. She gave Raelthron a gift, an obsidian knife, presented to him before her inner circle of lieutenants. As Raelthron turned his back on her to display the gift to his now jealous rivals, she drew a second dagger from her belt, reached forward, and sliced his throat. As the stunned spy choked on his life’s blood at her feet, she explained to her lieutenants that any drow capable of toppling her mightiest rival was too much of a threat to her own station to be allowed to live.”

Q: Anybody else important? (X gp) “The second in command in Phaervorul is the

commander of the drow legions. Last I heard, that title was held by Zirithian, a warrior-knight of Lolth, a man just as deadly as he is competent.”


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Orontor and his expedition used the ferryman to get

past the lake. If asked about Orontor the mind flayer tells them for X gp that they did indeed pass by him. They were badly injured and only four men were still alive.

10: LOLTH’S FAITHFUL [Distance: 165 miles, Depth: 10 miles, Travel: 11 days]

This descending one-mile-long cavern is scarcely 50 feet across at its widest point.

As the characters progress down the cave, read: Along the length of this ever descending cavern, deep

niches have been cut into the rocky cave walls. Each niche holds various black, basalt idols of strange spider infused beings. Some look like large spiders with female head and torso, other like males with extra spider arms, some beautiful females but with eight eyes, etc. The idols range from 20 to 60 feet tall. Here and there, drow pilgrims have left small offerings to these statues—a small bag of copper coins here, a wreath of withered fungi there, etc. You wonder what strange culture could worship such abnormalities?

11: PHAERVORUL [Distance: 172 miles, Depth: 11 miles, Travel: 12 days]

The adventurers finally reaches Phaervorul after a long and dangerous journey through the Underdark.

Tactical Encounter: "U1: Stuck in the Middle”, from Adventure Book 2 of P2: Demon Queen’s Enclave.


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U1: INHERITORS Encounter Level 13 (4,700 XP)

SETUP 1 medusa warrior (W)

1 medusa archer (A)

3 stone-eye basilisks (B)

The adventurers start at the entrance of the fortress. They place there tokens inside the gates. With a successful DC 22 Perception check they can hear strange sounds from within the ruins, almost like claws scratching against stone.

TACTICS The stone-eye basilisks hold back within the maze of

corridors inside the fortress. Once the adventurers gets closer to the center, they try to surround the adventurers from all sides, using their baleful gaze to slow down the enemies, and then petrifying gaze to turn them into stone. Then they close in for their bite.

The medusas stay up on the 20 feet high ruin walls, using their longbows to shoot missiles on the targets below.

Any adventurers that manage to get up on the walls to face the medusas are targets for their petrifying gaze and venomous gaze attacks. The medusas do not use their gaze powers on the enemies below, unless the basilisks are out of the way.

Medusa Archer (M) Level 10 Elite Controller Medium natural humanoid XP 1,000 HP 212; Bloodied 106 Initiative +10 AC 26; Fortitude 21; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +13 Speed 6 Immune petrification; Resist 10 poison Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Serpent Hair (poison) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 4 poison damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to saving throws until the end of the medusa’s next turn).

r Longbow (poison, weapon) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, and the medusa archer makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target takes ongoing 10 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both).

Petrifying Stare • At-Will Trigger. An enemy starts its turn within 2 squares of the medusa. Effect (Opportunity Action): Close blast 2 (triggering enemy in the blast). The target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immobilized instead of slowed (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is petrified until one of the following conditions is satisfied. ♦ The use of an appropriate power, such as divine cleansing. ♦ The willing kiss of the medusa that petrified the creature (a

medusa might do this to gain information or to luxuriate in the victim's fear before returning it to stone).

♦ The medusa responsible for the petrification is killed and its blood is applied to the stony lips of the victim before a full day passes.

Skills Bluff +16, Diplomacy +16, Intimidate +16, Stealth +15 Str 14 (+7) Dex 21 (+10) Wis 17 (+8) Con 18 (+9) Int 12 (+6) Cha 19 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Common

Equipment hooded cloak, longbow, arrows (30)

Medusa Warrior [Male] (W) Level 13 Elite Soldier Medium natural humanoid XP 1,600 HP 262; Bloodied 131 Initiative +11 AC 29; Fortitude 26; Reflex 24; Will 25 Perception +15 Speed 6 Resist 20 poison Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Bastard Sword (poison, weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Effect: The medusa warrior marks the target until the end of the warrior’s next turn.

r Longbow (poison, weapon) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 10 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

M Double Attack (poison, weapon) • At-Will Effect: The medusa warrior makes two bastard sword attacks, dealing an extra 2d10 damage on a hit against a stunned target. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Mind-Venom Gaze (charm, poison, psychic) • Recharge when the medusa warrior hits with bastard sword. Trigger: An enemy marked by the bodyguard makes an attack that does not include it as a target. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Close blast 5 (enemies in the blast); +16 vs. Will. The attack must include the triggering enemy as a target. Hit: 2d6 + 4 poison and psychic damage, and if the target is the triggering enemy, the target is stunned until the end of its turn. Skills Bluff +17, Intimidate +17, Stealth +15 Str 22 (+12) Dex 17 (+9) Wis 19 (+10) Con 19 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 17 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment chainmail, longsword, longbow, arrows (30)


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3 Basilisks (B) Level 12 Controller Large natural beast (reptile) XP 700 HP 126; Bloodied 63 Initiative +7 AC 26; Fortitude 26; Reflex 22; Will 22 Perception +13 Speed 4 Immune petrification TRAITS

Baleful Gaze • Aura 5

Any enemy in the aura that attacks the basilisk is slowed until the end of that enemy’s next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 7 damage.

C Petrifying Gaze • At-Will Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target is immobilized (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is restrained instead of immobilized (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is petrified. Miss: The target is slowed until the end of the basilisk’s next turn. Skills Stealth +12 Str 20 (+11) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 14 (+8) Con 22 (+12) Int 2 (+2) Cha 8 (+5) Alignment unaligned Languages —

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim light from luminous fungi on walls.

Debris: The stone debris areas are difficult terrain.

Stairs: There are four staircases that leads up to the walls. The walls lack railing, which makes it easy to push anybody off the stairs.

Statues: The statues are difficult terrain to pass. A medium creature or smaller gets cover when standing in or adjacent to a statue square.

Walls: The ruin walls are 20 feet high. The slippery stone walls require a successful DC 25 Athletics check to climb. Falling down from the walls causes 2d10 hit points damage.

Water: A medium sized character stepping out more than 2 squares into the lake must start swimming and make endurance checks or start taking cold damage (4 squares for large creatures). A character starting his or her turn in deep water must succeed on a DC 20 Endurance check or take 10 cold damage.


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U2: THE MISER’S PIT Encounter Level 15 (6,200 XP)

SET UP 1 roper (R)

3 blackspawn gloomwebs (G)

As the characters descend into the Miser’s Pit, they attract the ire of the roper who makes its lair here. A trio of blackspawn gloomwebs has come to an understanding with the roper, having lost two of their companions to the creature already. The arrangement is simple. The gloomwebs work with the roper rather than against it, helping it acquire a constant supply of fresh food. The gloomwebs lairs in some of the lower side chambers, with the roper positioned at the bottom of the cavern, in its center.

When the characters descend to the platform 60 feet above the cavern floor, read:

The stone pathway, formed as a ramp along the interior walls of the cavern. Shallow stairs connect the stone platforms, making a spiraling pathway down into the darkness.

Perception Check DC 30 There are alcoves, or small side chambers in

the rock wall on the far side of the cave, and you can see a twitch of movement in them. There's definitely something alive in there. Is it web strands there?

DC 30 At the bottom of the cave you see a large stalagmite formation, or is it? Didn’t it just move?

Under ordinary circumstances, the characters might be able to sneak pass the roper and the gloomweb with a good Stealth check. But the blackspawn gloomwebs have web strands all over the place, immediately informing them if somebody tries to sneak past along the ramps.

The battle begins when one of two events occurs: A character heads down the stairs from the 60-foot high platform, or a character spots the creatures in the alcoves to the south (the blackspawn gloomwebs) and attacks them.

The roper extends its tentacles and starts grabbing characters from the stone ramps.

Roper (R) Level 14 Elite Controller Large elemental magical beast (earth) XP 2,000 HP 284; Bloodied 142 Initiative +8 AC 28; Fortitude 28; Reflex 23; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 2, climb 2 (spider climb) Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS Tentacle Release Before a creature makes an attack roll against the roper, it can choose to target one of the roper's tentacles. The tentacles use the same defenses as the roper. If the attack hits, it does not deal damage or otherwise affect the roper, but one of the roper's grabs end (of the attacker's choice). Stony Body The roper can retract its tentacles and closes its eye and mouth to resemble a natural rock formation. While the roper is on a horizontal rock surface, a creature must succeed at a DC 30 Perception check to see through the roper's disguise. STANDARD ACTIONS m Tentacle • At-Will Requirement: The roper must have fewer than two creatures grabbed. Attack: Melee 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage, and the roper grabs the target (escape DC 21). Until the grab ends, the target is weakened.

M Double Attack • At-Will Effect: The roper uses tentacle twice.

M Bite • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the roper), +19 vs. AC Hit: 4d12 + 16 damage. Miss: Half damage. MINOR ACTIONS M Reel • At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Melee 10 (each creature grabbed by the roper); +19 vs.


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Fortitude Hit: The roper pulls the target up to 5 squares. Skills Stealth +13 Str 19 (+11) Dex 12 (+8) Wis 16 (+10) Con 22 (+13) Int 11 (+7) Cha 9 (+6) Alignment evil Languages Primordial

3 Blackspawn Gloomwebs (G) Level 16 Lurker Large natural beast (reptile) XP 1 400 HP 120; Bloodied 60 Initiative +19 AC 30; Fortitude 26; Reflex 27; Will 20 Perception +8 Speed 8, climb 8 (spider climb) Resist 15 acid TRAITS Gloom If the blackspawn gloomweb does not move on its turn, the shadows that constantly swirl around its form settle into a cloudlike mass that grants concealment until the beginning of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (acid) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).

M Goring Charge • At-Will Requirment: The blackspawn gloomweb must charge Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, the target is knocked prone, and the blackspawn gloomweb makes a bite attack against the same target.

M Mobile Melee Attack • At-Will Effect: The blackspawn gloomweb can move up to half its speed and make one bite attack at any point during that movement. The creature doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of its attack.

R Acidic Web (acid) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: The target takes ongoing 15 acid damage and is restrained

(save ends both). Skills Stealth +20 Str 22 (+14) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 10 (+8) Con 18 (+12) Int 2 (+4) Cha 8 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages —

TACTICS The blackspawn gloomwebs stay inside the small

chambers until they detect the presence of the adventurers when they pass by outside (see marking on battle map). Then they emerge and attack, using mobile melee attack and acid web to stay outside the reach of the adventurers.

The roper uses its tentacle attack to grab characters on the ramps, and then reel to pull them of the ramps. Characters pulled of the ramp fall to the ground and take damage according to the height they fell, see platforms below. The roper use bite on enemies it has pulled adjacent. The roper fights to the death.

Characters that can speak primordial might negotiate terms of passage with the roper, which are used to sacrifices from wary travelers seeking passage through the Mister’s Pit.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Darkness.

Floor: The cave floor is difficult terrain – a jumble of rocks and bones from the roper's meals or sacrificial victims thrown into the pit to gain passage.

Side Chambers: Most of the side chambers don't contain encounters. Once the characters starts heading down to the bottom of the cave will they have to pass one of several dangerous caves inhabited by blackspawn gloomwebs before reaching the roper at the bottom.

Stairs: The stairs are part of the stone ramps and platforms. They are difficult terrain for a creature ascending them, but normal terrain for a creature descending.

Stalagmites: The stalagmites is difficult terrain to pass. A medium sized creature or smaller gets cover when standing in or adjacent to a stalagmite square.

Platforms: Each section of platform is marked with its elevation above the cave f1oor. If a creature is pushed, pulled, or slid off a platform, it takes 1d10 falling damage per 10 feet as normal.

Walls: The cave walls are rough and have many handholds and footholds, but they slope outward, making a climb more difficult than it would otherwise be. Unless otherwise noted, climbing the cave walls in either direction requires a DC 20 Athletics check.

Web: The side chambers and the white marked squares outside the chambers are covered in webs. Characters succeeding a DC 22 Perception check notice the web covered squares outside the side chambers. A character starting his or her turn on a web square takes 10 acid damage and is restrained (save ends the later). A web filled square that takes 5 fire damage or more is destroyed.


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U3: FIRE AND MAGMA Level 13 Encounter (4,800 XP)

SETUP 1 beholder eye of flame (B)

4 magma brutes (M)

A curious alliance have been formed in the bowels of the earth, a pact between a beholder eye of flame and a gang of magma brutes who have come to regard the fiery sphere as their leader.

The beholder have laid claim to a small island in the center of a volcanic stream that pours lava out into a great volcanic lake.

TACTICS As the adventurers pass near the lava stream, the

magma brutes emerge from the lava to attack, using their slam attacks.

The beholder joins the fight, hidden behind a stalagmite in the roof before his attack. The beholder uses its first round to remove the stone hindering the full lava flow from the tunnel entrance using its telekinesis ray. This result in the lava flow to increase, see Lava Flow below. It remains on the island using its range attacks effectively against any enemies approaching the island. It uses the fear ray to force enemies back, or the telekinesis ray to throw them into the lava flow.

Beholder Eye of Flame (B) Level 13 Elite Artillery Large aberrant magical beast XP 1,600 HP 204; Bloodied 102 Initiative +11 AC 24; Fortitude 24; Reflex 25; Will 26 Perception +15 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover) Darkvision, All-Around Vision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS All-Around Vision Enemies can’t gain combat advantage by flanking the beholder. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 8 damage.

R Eye Rays • At-Will Effect: The eye of flame uses two of the following eye rays, at least one of which must be a fire ray. Each ray must target a different creature. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. 1. Fire Ray (fire): Ranged 10; +18 vs. Reflex; 3d8 + 8 fire damage. 2. Telekinesis Ray: Ranged 10; +18 vs. Fortitude; the beholder slides the target up to 4 squares. 3. Terror Ray (fear, psychic): Ranged 10; +18 vs. Will; 2d8+8 psychic damage, and the beholder pushes the target its speed. MINOR ACTIONS R Central Eye • At-Will Effect: Ranged 10; the target gains vulnerable 10 fire, and any attack that deals fire damage to the target also deals ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends both). TRIGGERED ACTIONS R Random Eye Ray • At-Will Trigger: The beholder is conscious and an enemy starts its turn within 5 squares of it. Effect (No Action): The beholder uses one random eye ray against the triggering enemy.

C Fiery Burst (fire)

Trigger: When first bloodied and again when the eye of flame is reduced to 0 hit points.

Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 8 fire damage. Str 18 (+10) Dex 20 (+11) Wis 19 (+10) Con 18 (+10) Int 19 (+10) Cha 23 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech

4 Magma Brutes (M) Level 13 Brute Large elemental humanoid (earth, fire) XP 800 HP 156; Bloodied 78 Initiative +11 AC 25; Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +10 Speed 4 Immune petrification; Resist 20 fire TRAITS Cold Vulnerability A magma brute that takes cold damage is slowed until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam (fire) • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Skills Endurance +14 Str 22 (+12) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 13 (+7) Con 16 (+9) Int 5 (+3) Cha 8 (+5) Alignment unaligned Languages Primordial

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Bright while within 2 squares from the

lava stream. The rest of the cavern rest in dim light from the lava glow

Ceiling: The cavern ceiling is 50 feet high.

Chain Bridge: An iron chain bridge serves as the only means of crossing the lava flow without taking damage. The bridge is 4 feet above the lava surface and hangs from iron chains attached in stalactites above. It rocks slightly when


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walked on (Acrobatics DC 10 to cross, otherwise the character makes no progress).

Hanging Chains: The hanging chains on the other side of the island is the only thing that remains of the bridge. The chains can be used to swing across the lava flow. Make an Athletics check and divide your check result by 5 (don’t round the result). This is the number of squares you the character can swing across. You land in the square determined by the result. If the character ends up over the lava flow, he or she falls prone and lose the rest of the move action.

Natural Cavern Walls: The rough cavern walls can be easily climbed (Athletics DC 10). From a wide, jagged hole 30 feet up on the western wall comes the lava pouring out, forming a dangerous lava fall. The rubble-filled squares directly below the hole are difficult terrain. With a successful DC 20 Perception check the characters notice a large rock in the opening of the lava tunnel that prevents full access for the lava into the cavern. A successful DC 20 Dungeoneering reveals that this rock seems to be loose, almost as if it had been placed there to lessen the volcanic flow of lava.

Lava Flow: The lava flow covers the indicated squares to a depth of 3 feet. These squares are difficult terrain. The lava effectively put inanimate objects to flames and burns living flesh. A creature that enters or begins its turn in an area of lava takes 2d6 + 3 fire damage and is slowed (save ends).

When the beholder removes the boulder in the lava tunnel entrance the lava river starts to grow, increasing 1 foot in depth every round (after +5 feet it has reached its maximum growth). See the battle map for details on how the law flow increases for every round, until maximum size after 5 rounds at which point the bridge is also covered in lava.

After 2 rounds, when the lava reaches a depth of 5 feet, creatures in the lava flow must use their swim speed or make a DC 10 Athletics check to move. They are also pulled 3 squares along the flow at the start of their turn. They gain cover except against attacks from submerged enemies.

Fighting in the lava imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls except with spears and crossbows.


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U4: MUSHROOM ATTACK Level 13 Encounter (4,100 XP)

SETUP 1 myconoid titan (T)

3 myconoid stinger (M)

The myconoids stay out of sight unless the characters approach them. Like any large animals they are not dangerous, but if frightened, cornered or exposed to bright light, these monsters attack.

Let the characters put their tokens in the “PC Start area” of the battle map, before you place the myconids.

TACTICS The myconid titan first uses spore cluster before

charging the adventurers, using slam and double attack to lay down its enemies. I attacked by several enemies it uses pacification spores on as many as possible.

The myconoid giant stingers try to stay out of melee combat and instead rely on their spiny shot and decomposing spray range attacks.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim light from purple crystal in cavern

roof.

Mushrooms: The mushrooms are difficult terrain and provides cover for Medium sized creatures or smaller.

Spores: Any living creatures starting its turn adjacent to a spore patch (marked “S” on battle map) triggers the release their spores.

Attack: Close burst 1 (non-plants in burst); +16 vs. Will Effect: Target is slowed (save ends).

3 Myconid Giant Stingers (M) Level 12 Artillery Large fey humanoid (plant) XP 700 HP 98; Bloodied 49 Initiative +12 AC 22; Fortitude 24; Reflex 25; Will 22 Perception +9 Speed 6 Tremorsense 10 STANDARD ACTIONS r Spiny Shot • At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage.

C Decomposing Spray (necrotic) • Encounter

Attack: Close burst 3 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 9 poison damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). FREE ACTIONS Roots of the Colony • At-Will Effect: The myconid guard takes half damage from the attack, and the myconid ally takes the same amount of damage. Str 16 (+9) Dex 26 (+14) Wis 16 (+9) Con 20 (+11) Int 12 (+7) Cha 14 (+8) Alignment unaligned Languages —

Myconid Titan (T) Level 14 Elite Brute Huge fey humanoid (plant) XP 2,000 HP 340; Bloodied 170 Initiative +6 AC 29; Fortitude 31; Reflex 25; Will 26 Perception +7 Speed 6 tremorsense 10 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam • At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 12 damage.

M Double Attack • At-Will Effect: The myconid titan makes two slam attacks.

C Pacification Spores (poison) • Encounter

Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Will Hit: 3d10 + 12 poison damage, and the target cannot take a standard action until the end of the myconid's next turn.

A Spore Cluster (poison) • At-Will Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 7 poison damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS Roots of the Colony • At-Will Trigger: When the myconid is hit by an attack while a myconid ally is within 5 squares of it. Effect (Free): The myconid takes half damage from the attack, and the myconid ally takes the same amount of damage. Str 22 (+13) Dex 8 (+6) Wis 11 (+7) Con 20 (+12) Int 8 (+6) Cha 12 (+8) Alignment unaligned Languages –


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U5: SCRYING STUDENTS Encounter Level 13 (4,800 XP)

SETUP Leglanth (L)

Yargo (Y)

8 drow horde ghouls (G)

Upon opening the trapdoor, PCs see another ladder leading to a trapdoor positioned in the same relative position in the ceiling above them. Leglanth and Yargo, a pair of aspiring celebrants to Parthal’s power, are in this chamber when the characters arrive. Normally, these two drow wizards spend their hours meditating in the leather chairs or viewing distant vistas in the scrying basin. However, Parthal has learned of the imminent arrival of intruders in his structure (see the description of the skylight in Features of the Area in “Observatory Sanctum”), and Leglanth and Yargo are prepared to fend off the adventurers.

The drow command eight drow horde ghouls. Leglanth and Yargo believe that they and their ghoul minions are sufficient to the task of putting down any invading force.

Place the occupants of this floor on the map, then have the players locate their miniatures in any of the squares adjacent to the hole. Provide the read-aloud text, then roll initiative.

When the adventurers enter the chamber, read: This tower chamber holds comfortable leather chairs, a

table, and a scrying basin. Standing as if waiting for intruders are eight slavering undead humanoids with gruesome black claws and two drow males in umber robes.

Leflanth (L) and Yargo (Y) Level 13 Elite Artillery Medium fey humanoid, drow XP 1,600 HP 186; Bloodied 93 Initiative +7 AC 27; Fortitude 24; Reflex 25; Will 26 Perception +8 Speed 6 Low-Light Vision Saving Throws +2 (+7 against charm effects); Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Staff (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage.

A Blackening Pyre (fire, necrotic, shadow, zone) • Encounter

Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 3 fire and necrotic damage, and the target slides 1 square. Effect: The burst creates a zone that last until the end of Leglanth’s or Yargo’s next turn. Any creature that enters the zone or ends its turn there takes 5 fire and necrotic damage.

A Circle of Death (necrotic, shadow) • Daily

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6+ 11 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed, slowed and weakened (save ends all). Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Leflanth’s or Yargo’s next turn.

M or R Ghoul Strike (necrotic, shadow, zone) • Recharge 5 6

Attack: Melee 1 or Ranged 5 (one creature); +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6 + 9 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of Leflanth’s or Yargo’s next turn. Effect: The attack creates a zone in a burst 2 centered on the target. The zone last as long as the target is immobilized by this power. Any creature (except Leflanth or Yargo) that ends its turn in the zone takes 5 necrotic damage, and it grants combat advantage while in the zone. Miss: The power is not expended, and if it is used against the same target next turn, it grants a +2 bonus to the attack roll. MOVE ACTIONS Fey Step (teleportation) • Encounter

Effect: Leglanth or Yargo teleports up to 5 squares. MINOR ACTIONS R Restless Dead (shadow, zone) • At-Will 1/round

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 11 damage, and the squares adjacent to the target becomes a zone that lasts until the end of Leflanth’s or Yargo’s next turn. The ground of the zone is difficult terrain for all enemies.

Umbral Leap (shadow, teleportation) • Encounter

Requirement: Dim light or darkness Effect: Leglanth or Yargo teleports up to 10 squares to a square of dim light or darkness. They do not need to see the destination space to teleport. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Necromancy Action • Daily

Trigger: Leglanth or Yargo uses an action point. Effect (Free Action): All enemies adjacent to Leglanth or Yargo gains vulnerability 5 necrotic. Skills Arcana +17, History +12, Religion +15 Str 7 (+4) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 15 (+8) Con 9 (+5) Int 19 (+10) Cha 8 (+5) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment staff implement

4 Drow Horde Ghouls (G) Level 13 Minion Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 200 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +11 AC 25; Fortitude 22; Reflex 24; Will 20 Perception +7 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic

STANDARD ACTIONS m Claws • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 9 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Skills Stealth +16 Str 17 (+9) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 14 (+8) Con 18 (+10) Int 13 (+7) Cha 15 (+8)


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Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common

TACTICS Both Leglanth and Yargo prefer to fight from a

distance, allowing their minions to do the bulk of the melee fighting.

Round 1: Leglanth and Yargo keep to the periphery of the chamber, taking a cautious approach until they ascertain what sort of resistance they are up against. Both take minor actions to use blur on themselves, then chain lightning and disintegrate (with their action points) to quickly damage the PCs as much as possible.

The drow horde ghouls are not so cautious. They move toward the intruders, hungering for their flesh.

Round 2+: The eladrin continue to rely on ranged and close attacks as much as possible, using thunderwave at every opportunity once their other powers are expended. If they find themselves cornered, they call upon fey step to get out of immediate trouble.

If any characters remain adjacent to the hole for more than 1 round, the ghouls make bull rush attempts to shove the intruders into the opening and cause them to fall. Otherwise, the ghouls try to create flanking opportunities for each other whenever possible and rely on their claws to immobilize their enemies. The ghouls fight until they are destroyed.

If the eladrin become bloodied, they attempt to escape. Both know that their failure to stop the intruders ruins their chances to be taken into Parthal’s confidence. Thus, rather than seek aid, the two try to flee the tower.

The characters can pursue Leglanth and Yargo if the eladrin try to descend the ladder and get out of the tower. If combat continues on the ground level of the tower, use the tactical map provided here—except that the ground level contains no furnishings or light sources.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim light (orbs in walls).

Deathly Visions: Anyone who takes a short rest or an extended rest in this chamber is assailed by a variety of horrifying visions of a future filled with death and mayhem. These visions linger after a creature stops resting and leaves the area, giving it a -4 penalty to Will for 1 hour afterward or until all the encounters in this lair have been resolved (whichever comes first).

Leather Chairs: These leather chairs are especially comfortable but otherwise unremarkable. Each chair weighs 100 pounds, occupies a square, and is large enough to provide cover to a creature that is adjacent to it (but not to one sitting in it). If a chair is carted away and sold, it brings 50 gp.

Table: A number of scrolls are scattered across the table, most detailing the procedures for vivisection of various humanoid races and methods to remove organs from a living creature in such a way as to prolong the life of the victim as long as possible.

Treasure (7,960 gp): Mixed in with the vivisection scrolls are a ritual scroll of Sending (360 gp) with 4 components

(200 gp) and a ritual scroll of View Location (4,200 gp) with 2 components (3,200 gp). Each one can be discovered by a character who succeeds on a DC 29 Perception check.

Scrying Basin: This wide basin is filled with shimmering water through which streams of bubbles flow in complex, eye-catching patterns. Because of the presence of the basin, any creature who attempts to use View Location, View Object, or any other scrying ritual in this chamber gains a +2 bonus to the associated Arcana check.

VIEW LOCATION OR OBJECT

The adventurers will most likely not have access to View Object yet (requires level 18) which could have been used to find Orontor. They will not be able to use View Location to spy on Phaervorul either – as they have not seen the place earlier.

However, smart players may keep one of the wizards alive and force them to use the scrying basin in order to get a glimpse of Phaervorul.


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U6: ETERNAL SLEEP Encounter Level 13 (4,800 XP)

SETUP Kellemor (K)

Przithnee (P)

Loratha (L)

Upon opening the trapdoor in the ceiling of Floor One, PCs see another ladder leading to a trapdoor positioned in the same relative position in the ceiling above them.

Three additional aspirants to Parthal’s power reside in this chamber (which serves as the bedchamber for all the remaining students in the Tower of Zoramadria). Like the wizards on Floor One, Kellemor, Przithnee, and Loratha are aware that an attack on the Tower of Zoramadria is ongoing.

Unless the PCs retreat after their fight on Floor One, the three students in this chamber are ready for an attack up the central shaft through the trapdoor.

Place the occupants of this floor on the map, then have the players locate their miniatures in any of the squares adjacent to the hole. Provide the read-aloud text, then roll initiative.

When the adventurers view the chamber, read: This chamber contains several bierlike sleeping pallets

that look in which hundreds of tiny humanoid skulls has been carved. Three drow stand in the chamber, alert and eager to deal with intruders.

Loratha (L) Level 13 Elite Skirmisher Medium fey humanoid, drow XP 1,600 HP 242; Bloodied 121 Initiative +9 AC 29; Fortitude 23; Reflex 25; Will 27 Perception +5 Speed 6 Low-Light Vision Saving Throws +2 (+7 against charm effects); Action Points 1 TRAITS Warding Blade When a creature Loratha has cursed makes a melee attack against her, that creature takes 5 damage. STANDARD ACTIONS m Dagger (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 damage.

R Eyebite (charm, psychic) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 11 psychic damage, and Loratha is invisible to the target until the start of her next turn.

R Bewitching Whispers (charm) • Recharge 5 6

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Will Hit: Until the end of Loratha's next turn, the target treats all creatures as enemies for the purpose of opportunity attacks and must take every opportunity attack possible (with a +5 bonus to the attack roll).

R Curse of the Black Frost (cold) • Daily

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 13 cold damage. If the target moves it takes 1d8 cold damage (save ends). If the target saves, Loratha can not sustain the power. Sustain Minor: Target takes 2d8 cold damage if it moves.

R Mire of the Mind (psychic) • Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 10 damage, and Loratha and all her allies within range are invisible to the target until the end of her next turn. MOVE ACTIONS Fey Step (teleportation) • 2/Encounter

Effect: Loratha teleports up to 5 squares.

Shade a Dance (shadow) • At-Will Effect: Whenever Loratha completes a move of at least 3 squares on her turn, she can become insubstantial until the start of her next turn. MINOR ACTION Twofold Curse • At-Will 1/round

Effect: Loratha can place her Warlock’s Curse on the nearest one or two enemies she can see. Once per round, when Loratha damages a cursed enemy, she can deal +2d6 extra damage to that target. Skills Arcana +15, History +10, Intimidate +15 Str 7 (+4) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 8 (+5) Con 9 (+5) Int 15 (+8) Cha 19 (+10) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment dagger

Kellemor (K) and Przithnee (P) Level 13 Elite Artillery Medium fey humanoid, drow XP 1,600 HP 186; Bloodied 93 Initiative +7 AC 27; Fortitude 24; Reflex 25; Will 26 Perception +8 Speed 6 Low-Light Vision Saving Throws +2 (+7 against charm effects); Action Points 1 TRAITS Nethermancy Master While Kellemor or Przithnee have any concealment against a creature, they have combat advantage against it. STANDARD ACTIONS m Staff (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage.

A Dark Gathering (psychic, shadow, zone) • Encounter

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (enemies in burst); +18 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 5 psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of Kellemor or Przithnee’s next turn. If the target is in the origin square of the burst, the target is also blinded until the end of their next turn. Effect: The burst creates a zone that last until the end of their


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next turn. The zone is heavily obscured to their enemies.

A Mirage Arcana (illusion, psychic, shadow, zone) • Daily

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Will Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. The zone is difficult terrain, and creatures grant combat advantage while in it. Then make an attack. Hit: 3d6 + 11 psychic damage, and the target is dazed, cannot leave the zone willingly, and cannot see creatures outside the zone (save ends all). If the target is already dazed, it takes 5 extra psychic damage.

Wall of Gloom (shadow, zone) • Daily

Effect: Area wall 8 within 10. The wall creates a zone that lasts until the end of Kellemor or Przithnee’s next turn. The zone is heavily obscured, and squares adjacent to it ar lightly obscured. The zone is difficult terrain, and creatures (except Kellemor or Przithnee) are blinded while they are entirely in the zone Sustain Minor: The zone persist until the end of your next turn. MOVE ACTIONS Fey Step (teleportation) • Encounter

Effect: Kellemor or Przithnee teleports up to 5 squares. MINOR ACTIONS C Scare (fear, psychic, shadow) • At-Will 1/round

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +18 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 7 psychic damage, and the target cannot make opportunity attacks against Kellemor or Przithnee until the end of their next turn. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Nethermancy Action • Daily

Trigger: Kellemor or Przithnee uses an action point. Effect (Free Action): Kellemor or Przithnee space and each adjacent square become a zone of darkness that lasts until the start of their next turn. The zone is totally obscured to other creatures. Skills Arcana +17, History +12, Nature +13, Religion +15 Str 7 (+4) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 15 (+8) Con 9 (+5) Int 19 (+10) Cha 8 (+5) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment staff implement

TACTICS These students do not attempt to flee if bloodied. They

fight to the bitter end, neither seeking to run nor aid.

Round 1: All three students lead with their most damaging powers. Kellemor uses disintegrate followed by blast of flame (with his action point). Przithnee also uses disintegrate and then follows that with combust (with his action point). Loratha uses a minor action to grow wings of speed, and follows that with curse of the golden mist and bewitching whispers (with her action point).

Round 2+: The eladrin students use fey step to remain clear of melee combat as long as possible. They continue to use the most potent powers they have remaining until they are defeated.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim light (orbs in walls).

Beds: There are six stone beds in the room, each stone bed is crafted from tiny humanoid skulls. A thin sheet of linen provides the only hint of comfort on each bed. There

are one name engraved at the head of each bed: Leglanth, Yargo, Kellemor, Przithnee, Loratha and Lareen. The last bed, marked Lareen, have not been used in a long time, which can be noticed with a DC 15 Perception check. This is a clue to the adventurers that Lareen that they will meet in Phaervorul, is actually a student of Parthal.

Chests: At the foot of each bed is an iron chest. Each chest holds the keepsakes of Parthal’s remaining students.

Treasure (24,075 gp): The total worth of the valuable items in the chests is 10,000 gp in gold and gems, 5,000 gp worth of residuum, and five ritual books with the following rituals:

♦ Book One: Corpse Gate (4,200 gp) with 2 components (1,600 gp), Last Sight Vision (100 gp) with 4 components (100 gp)

♦ Book Two: Disenchant Magic Item (360 gp) with 4 components (100 gp), Enchant Magic Item (175 gp)

♦ Book Three: Phantom Steed (360 gp) with 4 components (280 gp)

♦ Book Four: Shadow Walk (2,600 gp) with 2 components (1,000 gp)

♦ Book Five: Gentle Repose (50 gp) with 10 components (100 gp), Speak with Dead (360 gp) with 5 components (700 gp)


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U7: OBSERVATORY SANCTORUM Encounter Level 15 (6,600 XP)

SETUP Parthal the Archlich (P)

1 sword wraith (W)

Upon opening the trapdoor in the ceiling of Floor Two, PCs see another ladder leading to a trapdoor positioned in the same relative position in the ceiling above them.

Parthal, the lord of the Tower of Zoramadria, waits here. He has been researching a plane-shaking ritual in his observatory sanctorum.

Few things escape his notice beneath the manycolored enchanted skylight. Parthal is well aware of the intruders in his tower. If the PCs have defeated the remaining aspiring students, Parthal knows it. He is ready to engage the PCs.

Place Parthal and the wraith on the map, then have the players locate their miniatures in any of the squares adjacent to the hole. Provide the read-aloud text, then roll initiative.

When the adventurers view the observatory, read: A majestic floating humanoid in flowing black robes

hangs in the air under slanting skylight panes that flow with all the colors of the rainbow and more. Bookcases constructed of humanoid skeletal parts sag under the weight of hoary tomes and scrollcases. The figure, whose head is fleshless, says, “I see you.”

Parthal, Archlich (P) Level 14 Solo Controller Medium fey humanoid, drow (undead) XP 5,000 HP 536; Bloodied 268 Initiative +8 AC 28; Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 27 Perception +9 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic Saving Throws +5 (+10 against charm effects); Action Points 2 TRAITS

Necromantic Aura (necrotic) • Aura 5

Any living creature that ends its turn in the aura takes 5 necrotic damage. Whenever Parthal takes radiant damage, his aura is deactivated until the end of the archlich’s next turn. Spellmaster On an initiative of 10 + his initiative check, Pharthal can use a free action to use vampiric touch or freezing claw. If Parthal cannot use a free action to make this attack due to a dominating or stunning effect, then that effect ends instead of Parthal making the attack. Soul Phylactery When Parthal drops to 0 hit points, his body and possessions crumble into dust and it disappears, but it is not destroyed. He reappears (along with his possessions) in 1d10 days within 1 square of his phylactery, unless the phylactery is destroyed. STANDARD ACTIONS m Vampiric Touch (healing, necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the lich regains hit points equal to the damage dealt.

R Freezing Claw (cold, necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one or two creatures); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 10 cold and necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Miss: The target is slowed.

A Enervating Tendrils (necrotic) • Recharge when first bloodied Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +17 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 6d6 + 7 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). Miss Half damage.

A Death pulse (necrotic) • Daily

Attack: Area burst 2 within 20 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 4d8 + 10 necrotic damage, and the target gains vulnerable 10 necrotic (save ends). MOVE ACTIONS Shadow Walk (teleportation) • Encounter

Effect: Parthal teleports up to 12 squares. MINOR ACTIONS Lich’s Control • Recharge 5 6

Effect: Close burst 10 (one enemy in the burst that is subject to an effect a save can end). The target takes a –5 penalty to its next saving throw. Skills Arcana +18, History +18, Insight +14 Str 10 (+7) Dex 12 (+8) Wis 15 (+9) Con 14 (+9) Int 23 (+13) Cha 20 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment orb implement

Sword Wraith (W) Level 17 Lurker Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 1,600 HP 90; Bloodied 45 Initiative +19 AC 30; Fortitude 29; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +14 Speed 0, fly 8 (hover), speed 0 phasing Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerability 10 radiant TRAITS Combat Advantage (necrotic) The sword wraith deals 2d6 extra necrotic damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Regeneration (healing) The sword wraith regains 10 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. If the sword wraith takes radiant damage, its regeneration doesn’t function until the end


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of its next turn. Spawn Wraith Any humanoid killed by the sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. STANDARD ACTIONS m Shadow Sword (necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). MOVE ACTIONS Shadow Glide • Encounter

Effect: The wraith shifts 6 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Death Strike (necrotic)

Trigger: The wraith drops to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): The wraith shifts 4 squares and makes a melee basic attack, dealing 2d8 extra necrotic damage on a hit. Skills Stealth +20 Str 14 (+10) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 12 (+9) Con 18 (+12) Int 11 (+8) Cha 24 (+15) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common

TACTICS Parthal fights intelligently and viciously until he is

destroyed. The dread wraith does so also, since it is bound to Parthal.

Round 1: Parthal starts with eye of the archlich (a minor action) and death pulse to soften up his opponents’ resistance to necrotic damage. He follows that up with a ray of weakness at the largest or most heavily armored intruder (with one of his action points).

Round 2+: Parthal uses eye of the archlich again as soon as it recharges. In the meantime, he lets fly with weakening

ray, black lightning, and thunderwave depending on the position of his attackers to try to affect the largest number or the most threatening intruders. He does not hesitate to use spellmaster to regain encounter powers, or Parthal’s step to gain an advantage in positioning.

The sword wraith flies to advantageous spots, using shadow glide to place its attacks better or to screen attacks on Parthal. It attacks with its shadow sword.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: dim light from the crystal at the cave

roof.

Glass Coffin: The glass coffin contains the mummified remains of Zoramadria. An illusion placed on corpse make her look like the beautiful drow woman she was when she died. A DC 29 Perception check allows a character to pierce the illusion and see Zoramadria as the rotten corpse she is.

Library: The library contains hundreds of books on numerous esoteric subjects penned by devils, demons, and mad necromancers of previous eras. The predominant

theme of them is apocalyptic cataclysms. Parthal was obviously following several leads in touching off an apocalypse all his own, beginning with the fey city that was the birthplace of Zoramadria.

Treasure (19,355 gp): The library also holds these ritual books (one ritual per book):

♦ Consult Mystic Sages (1,000 gp), with 2 components (800 gp)

♦ Consult Oracle (9,000 gp), with 1 component (3,600 gp)

♦ Discern Lies (360 gp) with 4 components (560 gp), Gravesight (680 gp) with 2 components (500 gp)

♦ Linked Portal (680 gp) with 4 components (540 gp)

♦ Secret Page (50 gp) with 10 components (100 gp), Sending (360 gp) with 4 components (200 gp)

♦ Skull Watch (175 gp) with 2 components (160 gp),

♦ Undead Servitor (360 gp) with 2 components (300 gp)

♦ Undead Ward (130 gp) with 2 components (70 gp).

Parthal’s Diaries: The library houses numerous dairies penned by Parthal through the years. One of these is a slender black tome that serves as Parthal’s phylactery. In it, a less insane Parthal describes his love for Zoramadria, how she was wrongfully accused of necromancy by a sinister drow noble, and how her death broke Parthal’s mind and heart, driving him to the revenge he currently seeks. The adventurers get a chance to piece together the story of what lead up to the current events in Phaervorul. Give the players a copy of the diaries in the Player’s Handout section.


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Skylight: This fixed crystal in the ceiling of the cavern displays a bizarre, hypnotic, and hallucinogenic light show when viewed from the top of the tower, that allows Parthal godlike omniscience when he views its ever-shifting colors. It grants any creature gazing up into it a +2 bonus to any single Intelligence-based skill for the next 24 hours. It also gives that creature a nasty headache and mild nausea.

DEVELOPMENT If Parthal finds the intruders to be strong enough to

pose a serious threat to his life, he tries to parlay. Not because he is afraid of dying – he knows that his phylactery will save him, rather that he finds the intruders valuable to serve as his pawns.

Parthal tries to beg the adventurers to spare his life in exchange of information, a DC 29 Insight check calls this bluff; or a DC 29 Arcana check make the adventurers aware of the existence of the lich immortality through his phylactery.

He is willing to offer them the following information in exchange (almost all of them lies):

The Tower of Zoramadria: The drow necromancer Zoramadria grew up five centuries ago in the highly religious drow enclave of Phaervorul, Her studies of the dark arts led her to understand that Phaervorul laid in a part of the Underdark that was dimensionally very close to the Shadowfell. Her darkest fears came true when the drow enclave was attacked from a planar breach by undead hordes from the Shadowfell, lead by an exarch of Orcus. Only her unique knowledge of the Shadowfell and the undead allowed the drow to defeat the undead horde and close the gate. Rather than being thankful, the drow accused her of being in league with Orcus. Zoramadria managed to transport the whole tower and all her disciples

to safety in another part of the Underdark, were they could hide from the drow warriors and assassins. However, that feat cost all her strength and she died in the process. The disciples that remained swore to undeath, in order to make sure that the knowledge of how the portal could be closed should not be lost. They embraced the vile craft of necromancy in order to learn their enemies weakness and be prepared they day Orcus hordes returned.

Parthal – The Guardian of Phaervorul: Phartal is the last remaining disciple that sat at the side of Zoramadria. He is a necromancer, but not a lich. Rather an undead by the magical oath he gave to Zoramadria a long time ago to preserve the knowledge how the portal to the Shadowfell could be closed and how the undead hordes of Orcus could be defeated.

The situation in Phaervorul: The evil high priestess Matron Urlvrain has fallen from the grace of Lolth. Rather than stepping down from the position and give it to Lolth’s chosen – Lareen, she has made a pact with Orcus. She agreed to betray her brethren and give over the drow city to Orcus unholy legions, in return of being the master of the undead drow that remained after the battle. Matron Urlvrain used her charms and the vampiric blessings she received from Orcus to turn the proud warrior knight Zirithian into her loyal vassal. He is now leading the hordes of undead that are attacking Paervorul, while Matron Urlvrain uses her position to make sure that the drow armies lead by Jhaelant fail in defending of the city.

How they can stop the undead threat: By killing Matron Urlvrain the adventurers can help Lareen take the position that Lolth have chosen for her as leader of the enclave. Parthal have given her all the tools and teachings she will need in order to fight the undead threat. She was

once a disciple to Parthal in the Tower of Zoramadria. Only she can put an end to Zirithian’s hordes, and only she can close the planar breach between Phaervorul and the vile domain of Orcus in the Shadowfell.

What will happen if they fail? Phaervorul is just a beach head for the dark ambitions of Orcus. Once he has taken Pharevorul his hordes will swarm the Underdark in search of prey. Sooner or later they will find a way to the surface world where the hordes will turn all the living into undead servants of Orcus.

If he manages to convince the adventurers that they have common interests he takes them to the scrying basin to allow them to get a glimpse of Phaervorul.

As the characters look into the scrying basin, read: As Parthal touches the surface of the water it grows

misty and shadows seems to play under the surface. Suddenly you see shapes in the greyish mist. You see a city built in an enormous cavern. Gigantic stalactites serves as pillars and homes for the stone houses built around the stalagmites. In the dark you see fires burning and people running in the streets. Parts of the city seem to be under occupation by undead hordes of zombies and ghouls. Drow defenders fight a losing battle against a horde of undead that just seems to grow stronger in numbers as you watch.

“Time is running out for the defenders. If you do no manage to help Lareen, Paervorul will be overrun by the hordes of Orcus”, he touches the water again. A new scene forms in the misty water.

You see a circular dome, a huge black pillar ringed with a spiral staircase at its far end. Two columns of pale blue flame burn before the pillar. A mosaic at the height of the dome shows a leering drow face, the ceiling around it strung with cocooned bodies that twist in the web above. At


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the top of the pillar stands a masked drow female in chainmail, looking down at her subjects crawling in front of the pillar.

“That is Matron Urlvrain, the general on the floor is Jhaelant. She is ordering him to increase his efforts by the southern wall. A foolish command that will only bleed their few resources, while Zirithians undead forces grow stronger every day. She must be stopped. Can you put an end to her rule and put Lareen where she belongs?”


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U8: ATTACK FROM THE DEEPS Level 15 Encounter (6,400 XP)

SET UP 1 aboleth slime mage (A)

1 kuo-toa monitor (M)

2 kuo-toa harpooners (H)

4 aboleth servitors (S)

As the characters lay resting on the small island an aboleth and its kuo-toa slaves crawls up from the depths of the lake, hungry for new servitors. Depending on what precautions the characters have taken the may or may not notice the approach of the aboleth and its servants. If the guard succeeds on a DC 20 Perception check he or she notice the creatures swarming in to attack. The mind flayer and the minotaurs stay out of the battle, happy to have had their fare paid in advance.

TACTICS The aboleth orders telepathically the kuo-toas to attack

first. The kuo-toa monitor hurls itself into melee combat, using leap kick to shift up to 2 squares before or after making a slam attack. It tries to get into flanking position and then uses lightning fist.

Th kuo-toa harpooner attaches slimy cords to its harpoons, allowing it to reel in distant enemies. Once in melee combat with a foe, the harpooner tries to impale its enemy on a harpoon, dealing automatic damage each round the target remains impaled.

The aboleth slime mage surrounds itself with the servitors that stay within 10 squares of it, protecting the

aboleth from harm, while it blasts them with ranged attacks.

It uses slime orb and slime burst to slow its enemies’ approach and tries to dominate one of them as soon as possible. When pressed into combat, it relies on its mucus haze to keep opponents away.

Aboleth Slime Mage (A) Level 17 Artillery (Leader) Large aberrant magical beast (aquatic) XP 1,600 HP 128; Bloodied 64 Initiative +11 AC 31; Fortitude 28; Reflex 28; Will 29 Perception +15 Speed 5, swim 10 Darkvision TRAITS

Mucus Haze • Aura 5

Enemies treat the area within the aura as difficult terrain. Aquatic The aboleth can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. STANDARD ACTIONS m Tentacle • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 6 damage (4d8 + 14 damage against a dazed target), and the target is dazed (save ends).

R Slime Orb (psychic) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +22 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).

R Dominate (charm) • At-Will Requirment: Target must be dazed Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: The target is dominated (save ends). An aboleth slime mage can dominate only one creature at a time.

A Slime Burst (psychic) • Encounter

Attack: Area burst 4 within 10 (enemies in burst); +22 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 psychic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

Aftereffect: The target is slowed (save ends). Skills Arcana +19, Dungeoneering +20, Insight +20 Str 23 (+14) Dex 16 (+11) Wis 25 (+15) Con 20 (+13) Int 23 (+14) Cha 20 (+13) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 20

Kuo-toa Monitor (M) Level 16 Skirmisher Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 1,400 HP 153; Bloodied 76 Initiative +15 AC 30; Fortitude 27; Reflex 28; Will 26 Perception +15 Speed 6, swim 6 Darkvision TRAITS Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 8 damage.

r Crossbow (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 15/30 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 8 damage.

M Leap Kick • At-Will Effect: The kuo-toa monitor shifts up to 2 squares and uses slam.

M Lightning Fist (lightning) • Encounter

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 8 lightning damage, and the target is stunned (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). MOVE ACTIONS Slick Maneuver • At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy. Skills Acrobatics +18, Dungeoneering +15 Str 19 (+12) Dex 20 (+13) Wis 15 (+10)


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Con 17 (+11) Int 15 (+10) Cha 16 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment leather armor, crossbow, crossbow bolts (20)

2 Kuo-toa Harpooners (H) Level 14 Soldier Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 1,000 HP 137; Bloodied 68 Initiative +12 AC 30; Fortitude 26; Reflex 26; Will 24 Perception +13 Speed 6, swim 6 Darkvision TRAITS Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. STANDARD ACTIONS m Harpoon (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the kuo-toa grabs the target (escape DC 21). Until the grab ends, the target takes ongoing 5 damage, and the kuo-toa can’t make attacks using this harpoon.

R Reeling Harpoon (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 5/10 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the kuo-toa harpooner makes a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage, and the kuo-toa pulls the target up to 3 squares. MOVE ACTIONS Slick Maneuver • At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Sticky Shield • At-Will Trigger: An adjacent enemy misses the kuo-toa with a melee weapon attack. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 1 (the triggering enemy); +17 vs. Reflex

Hit: The weapon used for the triggering attack drops in the target’s space. Str 17 (+10) Dex 17 (+10) Wis 13 (+8) Con 17 (+10) Int 13 (+8) Cha 15 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment slimy light shield, 4 harpoons, leather armor

4 Aboleth Servitors (S) Level 16 Minion Medium aberrant humanoid (aquatic) XP 350 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +10 AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +8 Speed 6, swim 6 Darkvision TRAITS Aboleth Devotion An aboleth servitor gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against enemies in an aboleth’s mucus haze aura. If an aboleth servitor is ever more than 10 squares from its aboleth master, the servitor becomes dazed, weakened, and immobilized until its master moves within 10 squares of it. Aquatic The aboleth servitor can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 14 damage. Str 24 (+15) Dex 15 (+10) Wis 10 (+8) Con 20 (+13) Int 10 (+8) Cha 10 (+8) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Darkness unless the characters have

mad up a fireplace.

Fireplace (Optional): If the characters have created a fireplace the fire is well lit and blazes brightly. Anyone

moving into the fire or starting his or her turn there takes 2d6 fire damage.

Shipwreck: Areas of shipwreck are difficult terrain.

Statues: Ancient statues have been raised by a forgotten race on the small island. The intact statues are 10 feet tall and depict strange sea creatures with many tentacles. They provide cover, and they can be climbed with a DC 15 Athletics check.

The ruined statue and the two squares adjacent to it are difficult terrain.

Ruin Walls: The remaining walls of ancient settlements are 7 feet high and provide total cover for Large or smaller creatures standing behind them. Climbing the wall to get over them requires a DC 15 Athletics check.

Well: The old well is 30 feet deep and ends in cold stagnant water. Creatures falling into the well take no damage, but climbing out of the well requires a successful DC 25 Athletics check due to the slippery rock wall.


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U9: THE FERRYMAN Level 13 Encounter (4,800 XP)

SETUP Sug’athu, mind flayer infiltrator (S)

2 savage minotaurs (M)

Sug’athu is a powerful mind flayer infiltrator who has been outcast from his community. In his wandering of the Underdark he came upon a pair of minotaurs dreaming of reinstating the long lost Saruun Khel. Sug’athu dominated the two minotaurs and is now using them as powerful thralls. He now provides transport across the Lake of the Gods, being the only one able to turn invisible to the probing minds of the aboleth. Use the battle map from “Attack from the Deeps for this encounter as well.

TACTICS If Sug’athu is attacked or if somebody tries to learn his

true nature, hidden well under his hood, he defends himself and orders mentally his thralls to attack.

The savage minotaurs charge the attacker and use goring charge or thrashing horns to throw the attacker overboard. It then continues with its greataxe.

Sug’athu unleashes its mind blast and touch of madness on nearby foes. From its dazed foes, it chooses one creature to attack with its tentacles while relying on its stalk the senseless power to avoid attacks.

If it succeeds in grabbing a victim with its tentacles, the mind flayer uses its bore into brain power. Threatening to kill the adventurer unless the other surrender or let him and

the minotaurs to escape, otherwise he continues until the victim dies or manages to free itself.

Sug’athu, Mind Flayer Level 14 Elite Thrall Master (S) Controller (Leader) Medium abarrant humanoid XP 2,000 HP 260; Bloodied 130 Initiative +9 AC 28; Fortitude 23, Reflex 27, Will 26 Perception +10 Speed 7 Saving Throws +2; Action Points +1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Tentacles * At-Will Requirement: The mind flayer must not have a creature grabbed.

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex. This attack automatically hits a dazed or stunned target. Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage, and the mind flayer grabs the target (escape DC 21) if it does not have a creature grabbed.

M Manipulate Brain * At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the mind flayer); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 10 damage, and the target is stunned until it is no longer grabbed by the mind flayer. If this attack reduces the target to 0 hit points or fewer, the mind flayer does one of the following. Eat Brain (healing): The target dies, and the mind flayer regains 20 hit points. Thrall Surgery (charm): Instead of dropping to 0 hit points or fewer, the target remains at 1 hit point. It is dominated until the mind flayer dies.

C Mind Blast (psychic) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in the blast); +17 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). If the mind flayer scores a critical hit against the target, the target is dominated instead of dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage. MINOR ACTIONS Thrall Strike (charm) * At-Will (1/round)

Effect: Ranged sight (one ally or creature dominated by the mind flayer). The target makes a basic attack as a free action. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Teleport Thrall (teleportation) * At-Will Trigger: An enemy targets the mind flayer with a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Close burst 5 (one ally or creature in the burst dominated by the mind flayer). The mind flayer teleports up to 5 squares and teleports the target to the square it vacated. The triggering attack targets the target instead of the mind flayer. Skills Arcana +18, Insight +15, Dungeoneering +15 Str 14 (+9) Dex 15 (+9) Wis 17 (+10) Con 10 (+7) Int 23 (+13) Cha 20 (+12) Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Deep Speech, Equipment dark robes telepathy 20


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2 Savage Minotaurs (M) Level 16 Brute Large natural humanoid XP 1,400 HP 190; Bloodied 95 Initiative +11 AC 28; Fortitude 32; Reflex 26; Will 29 Perception +19 Speed 8 STANDARD ACTIONS m Greataxe (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage (crit 4d12 + 23), and the target is pushed 1 square.

M Thrashing Horns • At-Will Requirements: Usable only when charging. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage, and the target slides 2 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Goring Assault • At-Will Trigger: An enemy within 10 squares of the minotaur hits it with a ranged or area attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The minotaur charges the triggering enemy. Skills Dungeoneering +14, Intimidate +14, Nature +14 Str 24 (+15) Dex 16 (+11) Wis 19 (+12) Con 20 (+13) Int 5 (+5) Cha 12 (+9) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common Equipment greataxe


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PHAERVORUL

THE UNDEAD HORDE Zirithian’s undead horde arrived to Phaervorul through

the portal raised in Lareen’s Villa (L11). They quickly overran the Slaver Complex (L10) and then took a hard fight to get control of the Noble House (L9) close by. The drow commander Zaknoril managed to put a stop to their progress at the stairs leading down to the Army Barracks (L8).

Zirithian instead brought more undead hordes from the portal and moved into the Commons (L13) soon establish control of the majority of the area and cutting of commander Zaknoril and his drow army from reinforcements from the Temple of Lolth (L14) and the Templar Chapel (L12).


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Commander Zaknoril tried to fight through the undead horde in the Commons to reach the Temple of Lolth, but the growing number of undead soon showed to be too strong. He managed to hold off the undead army from the southern part of the Commons, but to a heavy cost. Greatly outnumbered Zaknoril retreated with a majority of the forces to the Army Barracks (L8).

Zirithian’s growing horde of undead continued its advancement and overtook the Embassy (L6) and the Merchant Houses (L4). Their progress was stopped by Gort and his freed slaves that put on a terrible fight.

As the adventurers arrive to Pharevorul Zirithian’s progress have been stopped. With a new exarch in Deadhold, Zirithian no longer receive a steady flow of undead to fill his ranks. The battle between the undead hordes and the drow has reached a stalemate. The area marked in red on the Phaervorul map shows the boundaries of the undead claimed area of Phaervorul. Zirithian’s Camp (L17) is situated between Lareen’s Villa and the Slaver Complex.

MOVING IN UNDEAD CONTROLLED AREAS

The city of Pharevorul is under siege and the drow defenders take little notice of the adventurers travelling the streets, unless they engage the drow or draw attention to themselves. Travelling through the drow controlled areas is therefore quite safe for the adventurers.

The same is not true in the undead controlled areas. The hordes of zombies in the streets are individually no threat for the adventurers, but just the sheer number makes travelling the streets dangerous.

To simulate this constant threat of being hunted by raving ghouls or brain-smelling zombies, let the

adventurers make a skill check, every time the travel from one encounter to the other in undead controlled areas. You can vary the challanges below as you see fit. The effect of a failure means the characters are suffering some kind of penalty when they engage in the next encounter. The characters can’t do a short rest before entering the encounter area. Each skill check has a secondary skill check that is rolled first, if this one is successful, it increases the likelihood of success on the primary skill check. Some skill checks are marked [Leader], this requires that only the character with the highest skill score needs to roll the skill check. The result of a failure then applies to everybody in the party.

♦ Endurance (DC 29) A horde of zombies caught you scent and came in overwhelming numbers. You had to run for your lives to keep them behind. Not all of you had the stamina needed, and had to fend off the rotten corpses clawing your backs.

Failure: You have to fight of hordes of zombies in endless numbers. You lose hit points equal to your healing surge value. You have a -2 penalty to your Fortitude during your next encounter.

Secondary: Athletics (DC 21)

You manage to climb walls and jump over debris left after the rampaging hordes of zombies, to increase the distance to the pursuing zombies.

Success: You get a +2 bonus on your Endurance check.

♦ Insight (DC 29) [Leader] The signs of battle between the drow defenders and the hungry horde of zombies are everywhere. Gnawed bones are the only remaining signs of former drow defence lines. But you also see fields of undead lying in

heaps in front of barricades the drow managed to erect, which managed to withstand the terrible horde. The battle is still raging and you realize that you could use it to your advantage.

Success: By reading the battlefield the adventurers have come to the conclusion that the battle between the drow and the undead hordes has recently changed nature. Read the following text:

You see several signs on the battlefield that this must once have been a very uneven fight. The drow defenders have obviously been forced to leave several defence lines, faced by a force that far outnumbered them. Dead and mutilated drow bodies are everywhere on the battlefield – bones eaten dry of flesh. However, you notice that something seems to have changed in the balance of the battle recently. The two forces seem to have dug into their defence lines, and reached some kind of stalemate – for what reason you cannot tell.

Failure: You do not manage to read the battlefield, stepping straight into ongoing battles between the undead horde and drow defenders. You manage to get out alive, but everybody in the party loses hit points equal to their individual healing surge value. You have a -2 penalty to your initiative check when engaging in your next encounter.

Secondary: Streetwise (DC 21)

You manage to read the terrain and keep away from open areas, where the undead attackers or drow defenders are less likely to engage you.

Success: You get a +2 bonus on your Insight check.


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♦ Perception (DC 29) [Leader] You keep your eyes open while walking the dangerous streets of Pharevorul. Everywhere is lurking zombies that can spring on the unwary. Not all of your friends have been as vigilant in their watch as you.

Failure: A zombie or ghoul springs at you from a roof, doorway, corner or window. You lose hit points equal to your healing surge value.

Secondary: Streetwise (DC 21) [Leader]

Aware of the dangers of cities, you keep to the less travelled routes, where the enemies are not as likely to run into you.

Success: The leader gets a +2 bonus on the Perception check.

♦ Stealth (DC 29) [Leader] You keep to the shadow and alleys of Pharevorul, avoiding the detection of the zombies hordes looking for living creatures to eat. You wish everybody in the party was as silent as you...

Failure: Everybody in the party looses hit points equal to their healing surge value and arrives greatly damaged to the next encounter, with no time to heal themselves.

1st Secondary: Stealth (DC 21)

You keep your eyes open, stopping and melding with the shadows as soon as you spot enemies.

Failure: Each character in the party that fails his Stealth check give the leader a -2 penalty on the primary Stealth check.

2nd Secondary: Perception (DC 21) [Leader]

You keep your eyes open, stopping and melding with the shadows as soon as you spot enemies.

Success: The leader gets a +2 bonus on the Stealth check.

♦ Diplomacy (DC 29) [Leader] You all see unspeakable horrors around you as the zombies manage to get hold of living drow families. You manage to uphold the morale and wits of you comrades to not interfere, and draw attention to yourselves, even when witnessing people being eaten alive.

Failure: The horrors you have witness is terrifying and it has affected everybody in the party. During the next encounter they have all a -2 penalty to Will.

Secondary: Religion (DC 21) [Leader]

You manage to infuse some courage and hope in you comrades by preaching your gods words.


FINDING ZIRITHIAN The adventurers will not find the army camp of

Zirithian unless they specifically go locking for the army camp or receive information about where it is located. It he adventurers try to approach the army camp, they have a tough challenge ahead of them.

Tactical Encounter: "The Undead Threat”.


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THE UNDEAD THREAT Encounter Level 13 (4,200 XP)

(From “Lord of the White Fields”, Dungeon 184)

SETUP Phaervorul are overrun with hundreds of undead and

demons desperately searching for their next meal of screaming meat. Moving about their controlled area without alerting them is as crucial as it is challenging, because even the slightest noise or sighting risks bringing an unending tide of the hungry dead crashing over the characters.

The wailing howls of the undead, tear from the corrupted throats of hundreds, echoing endlessly throughout the enclave and melding into a hellish cacophony that worries at the edges of sanity. The constant assault frays at the nerves, causing even simple tasks to become difficult. At the beginning of the skill challenge, each character is subject to the following attack:

Attack: +18 vs. the lower of Fortitude or Will Hit: Target takes a -2 penalty on skill checks until the end of this skill challenge.

UNDEAD HORDE Phaervorul is haunted by hordes of undead. The party

must move cautiously or risk a messy death.

Level: 16 (XP 4,200)

Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 4 failures)

Primary Skills: Endurance, Perception, Stealth, Streetwise

Endurance (DC 22; maximum of 3 successes): The constant strain would buckle lesser people, but the

character shoulders the burden of his or her allies and trudges on.

Perception (DC 22; maximum of 3 successes): Keeping an ear to the ground and an eye out for lurking undead, the character steers the party around potential pitfalls and encounters.

Stealth (DC 22; maximum of 3 successes): Avoiding detection is key, but not everyone shares the character’s flair for slipping from shadow to shadow. Attempts to use this skill take a –2 penalty for each party member that is not trained in Stealth.

Streetwise (DC 30; maximum of 3 successes): The character is at home in the urban jungle, able to navigate quickly through the maze of streets and alleys.

Secondary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Religion, Thievery.

Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Religion (DC 22; no maximum): Through encouragement, reassurance, or bullying, you help your allies to keep their wits in this dire place. A character who succeeds on one of these checks does not earn a success in the skill challenge but instead removes the -2 penalty on skill checks for one other character for the remainder of the skill challenge.

Acrobatics (DC 30; no maximum): The character manoeuvres through rough spots, dodges back from undead, or dances along ledges to open new paths. A character who succeeds on this check does not earn a success in the skill challenge, but success grants a +2 bonus to the next Perception or Stealth check. Failure imposes a –2 penalty to the next Perception or Stealth check.

Athletics (DC 30; no maximum): Scaling buildings to gain a better view or leaping gaps to forge ahead, the character turns physical might to the cause. A character who succeeds on this check does not earn a success in the skill challenge, but success grants a +2 bonus to the next Perception or Streetwise check. Likewise, failure does not

count towards the challenge but instead imposes a –2 penalty to the next Perception or Streetwise check.

Thievery (DC 22; maximum of 2 successes): By opening locked doors or windows quickly and quietly, the character facilitates passage through the sheltered interiors of intact drow buildings. A character who succeeds on this check does not earn a success in the skill challenge, but success grants a +2 bonus to the next Stealth or Streetwise check. Likewise, failure does not count toward the challenge but instead imposes a –2 penalty to the next Stealth or Streetwise check.

Success: The characters encounter only a few easily-dispatched undead minions while crossing the enclave and reach Encounter “Facing Zirithian”.

Failure: Each character loses a healing surge immediately. The characters draw the attention of one abyssal ghoul and 1d8 + 7 drow horde ghouls. Set up a battle map with clogged streets, burned-out buildings, and other suitable features. Each round after the first, 1d8 – 1 drow horde ghouls arrive from a random direction. If a 8 is rolled, one abyssal ghoul arrives instead of seven drow horde ghouls.

The incoming tide of ghouls cannot be overcome by fighting. If the players don’t seem to be realizing that, emphasize to them that the ghouls’ screeches are spreading away from the scene, and it’s the sound that is drawing in more undead. The characters must flee the map to escape. If they leave across the map side that the first group of ghouls was blocking, they arrive at their destination and the skill challenge ends. If they leave in another direction, they remove two failures but must continue the skill challenge, with one failure and however many successes they’ve scored up to this point. You can substitute other ghouls and change this fight however you see fit. Make it difficult for characters to escape in a way that ends the skill challenge but easier for them to escape in directions that keep the skill challenge going.


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FACING ZIRITHIAN Encounter Level 18 (11,100 XP)

SETUP Zirithian (Z)

1 abyssal ghoul (G)

2 boneclaw impalers (B)

8 vampire spawn bloodstalkers (V)

Throne of Bones (T)

If the adventurers manage to get through the army camp they finally face Zirithian sitting on his Throne of Bones, holding Nightbringer in his hands. Let the players place their characters within the area marked as “PC Start”.

As the adventurers face the throne, read: You have managed to get past the hordes of undead

walking the streets of Phaervorul. In front of you lies the unholy center from where all the malice seems to be pouring. A throne of bones have been raised on a mound of bones and rotting bodies, or rather what is left of the bodies after the ghouls and zombies have had their fill. Unnatural wisps of shadows seem to be playing around the field of bones. On the throne sits an ebony black drow, his face and hands smeared with the blood of his victims. In his right hand he holds a golden chalice filled with blood, while his other hands rests upon a dark sword whose blade seems to drink blood and shadows as you breath air. His dark eyes immediately spot you. His face reveals no feelings as he speak to you. “Have you come to give your blood as sacrifice to Zirithian the Unfettered and your souls to Nightbringer, my Sceptre of Power. Or have you come to lay down your swords to enter the service of the true master of

Phaervorul?” You see how the undead servants spread out awaiting your answer, be it your life or your doom.

If the players choose to attack Zirithian and his servants go to Tactics below to see Ziritihians actions during the battle. If the adventurers try to parley with the drow vampire, see Development.

TACTICS Zirithian and his inner circle of followers fights for

glory and power, and to the death.

Zirithian begins the encounter sitting at the Throne of Bones. He waits for his followers to engage the PCs before moving to join the attack. Once battle begins, Zirithian uses Nightbringer to hew into his foes, his death grip touch to leave them immobilized, and blackfire blast to attack several foes at once. He focuses on paladins and fighters first, immobilizing them so that he can slip around to attack clerics and wizards. Until he is bloodied, he gladly accepts opportunity attacks to take on softer targets.

Zirithian saves blood feast and winds of Deadhold for later in the fight, once his followers have joined in the battle. He then unleashes the combination on a hapless PC, preferably a wizard or some other weaker character.

The boneclaw impalers begin the battle next to the Throne of Bones. They rush to attack the PCs, hoping to lure them into the field of bones.

The ghouls attend to Zirithian’s strange kitchen. When the battle begins, they attempt to attack from the hall.

The abyssal ghoul devourer joins the fight with the boneclaws and tries to immobilize the foes within the field of bones.

The vampire spawns serves as cannon fodder and tries to provide flanking for the other followers of Zirithian. They

use spider climb along the walls to get behind the enemies and to attack enemy controllers in the back.

Zirithian (Z) Level 17 Elite Controller Medium fey humanoid (undead) XP 3,200 HP 318; Bloodied 159 Initiative +15 AC 33; Fortitude 29; Reflex 31; Will 30 Perception +16 Speed 7, climb 4 (spider climb) Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Nightbringer (necrotic, weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

M Death Grip (necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

M Mighty Assault (necrotic, weapon) • At-Will Effect: Zirithian makes a Nightbringer attack and a death grip attack.

M Blood Feast (charm, weapon) • Recharge 5 6

Requirement: Immobilized or helpless targets only. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Will Hit: 4d10 + 10 damage, Zirithian heals 20 damage, and the target is dominated until the end of Zirithian’s next turn.

R Winds of Deadhold (implement, teleport) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +20 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 8 damage, teleport the target 10 squares, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

C Blackfire Blast (fire) • At-Will Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 fire damage and push 3. MINOR ACTIONS


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Cloud of Bats (polymorph) • At-Will Effect: Zirithian transforms into a swarm of bats. While in this form, he gains fly 8 (hover) and his walking speed becomes 2. He gains insubstantial and a +5 AC bonus against opportunity attacks. As a second minor action, he returns to his normal form. Skills Athletics +18, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +19, Religion +16, Stealth +20 Str 20 (+13) Dex 25 (+15) Wis 17 (+11) Con 15 (+10) Int 19 (+12) Cha 22 (+14) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment nightbringer, chainmail

Abyssal Ghoul Devourer (G) Level 18 Lurker Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 130; Bloodied 65 Initiative +19 AC 32; Fortitude 31; Reflex 30; Will 28 Perception +13 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS

Sepulchral Stench • Aura 3

Enemies take a -2 penalty to all defenses in the aura. Unhindered When the ghoul moves on its turn, it pulls with it any creature grabbed by it. The creature remains grabbed, and this movement does not provoke an opportunity attack from the grabbed creature. STANDARD ACTIONS m Grasping Claws • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage. Effect: The ghoul grabs the target (escape DC 23) if it has fewer than two creatures grabbed. The ghoul then shifts up to half its speed. Until the grab ends, any melee or ranged attack that hits the ghoul deals half damage to the ghoul and half its damage to the target.

M Devour • At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the ghoul); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 7 damage, and the target is no longer grabbed by the ghoul. In addition, the target takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is no longer grabbed by the ghoul. In addition, the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Skills Stealth +20 Str 24 (+16) Dex 22 (+15) Wis 20 (+13) Con 16 (+12) Int 11 (+9) Cha 7 (+7) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

2 Boneclaw Impalers (B) Level 17 Soldier Large shadow animate (undead) XP 1,600 HP 160; Bloodied 80 Initiative +17 AC 33; Fortitude 24; Reflex 27; Will 24 Perception +14 Speed 8 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS Relentless Opportunist If the boneclaw hits with an opportunity attack, it makes another opportunity attack against the same target the next time it provokes during its current turn. Threatening Reach The boneclaw can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (3 squares). STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw • At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 12 damage.

C Impaling Burst (necrotic) • Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in burst); +22 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 12 damage plus ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Necrotic Pulse (healing) • Encounter

Trigger: When first bloodied. Effect (Free): Close burst 10; undead allies in the burst regain 10 hit points, and enemies in the burst take 10 necrotic damage. Skills Intimidate +17, Stealth +20 Str 18 (+12) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 12 (+9) Con 16 (+11) Int 10 (+8) Cha 18 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Common

8 Vampire Spawn Level 14 Bloodstalkers (V) Minion Soldier Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 125 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +12 AC 30; Fortitude 26; Reflex 27; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 7, climb 4 (spider climb) Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic TRAITS Destroyed by Sunlight A vampire spawn that begins its turn in direct sunlight can take only a single move action on its turn. If it ends the turn in direct sunlight, it burns to ash and is destroyed. STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw (necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 12 necrotic damage (14 necrotic damage against a bloodied target). Str 18 (+11) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 16 (+10) Con 14 (+9) Int 10 (+7) Cha 14 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Common

Throne of Bones Level 12 Lurker Hazard 700 XP Zirithian sits on a mound of bones and rotting flesh, creating a macabre throne of his slain drow kin. Wisps of shadow play among the bones, causing the field of bones to twist and move. Hazard: Grasping hands made of shadow stuff slowly reach out to grasp anybody within the field of bones with their icy touch. Perception


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No check is necessary to notice the field of bones and rotting corpses surrounding the throne of bones. Additional Skill: Arcana ♦ DC 20: The character recognizes the danger of the Throne of

Bones before they enter the area. Trigger The Throne of Bones makes an immediate reaction against any creature in the bone area that do not leave his square during his turn. The Throne of Bones can make any number of immediate reactions during a round. Attack

Immediate Reaction Melee 0 within bone area Special: The field of bones area is difficult terrain. Target: Creature not leaving an affected square during his turn. Effect: 10 necrotic damage. Countermeasure ♦ Disable (standard action): Thievery DC 28 or Strength DC

28. Success: A single trigger square is cleared of bones and its associated attack do not longer function.

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim light, the presence of the

Shadowfell also reduces the radius of any light source with 50%. Magical lightning is only reduced with one square.

Field of Bones: A large area of the ground is covered by gnawed bones and rotting corpses. Treat the area as difficult terrain. Standing still in the area is dangerous as the necrotic energies in the unholy area reach out an attack the trespasser, see the Throne of Bones hazard.

Cave Walls: The cave walls are used by the vampire spawn that climbs them easily, but if adventurers try to follow the need to succeed on a DC 20 Athletics check.

Throne: Sitting on the throne of bones provides certain benefits. The throne gives a +2 bonus to AC and Fortitude, but with a -2 penalty to Reflex. The throne also causes 10 necrotic damage at the start of each turn to the user of the throne. All range attacks get a +2 bonus, while melee attacks take a -2 penalty while sitting on the throne.

DEVELOPMENT If Zirithian and his inner circle of followers care little

for parlay, unless the intruders choose to surrender. However, if Zirithian faces defeat or death, he is willing to parlay in order to gain time (potentially to escape using his cloud of bats power).

PARLEY Zirithian was once a warrior-knight of Lolth in service

to Matron Urlvrain, who betrayed him and had him killed. Zirithian made a pact with Orcus to stay alive; in return he turned against his mistress and Lolth. Orcus turned him into his exarch, transforming him into a vampire with a few of the lesser powers. In addition, Zirithian wields

Nightbringer, an intelligent sword who has its own plans and ambitions. Zirithian served as Hordemaster in the attack of Phaervorul, but he lost his position as exarch, when Orcus favored Karavakos instead. As a result he is no longer receiving new supplies of undead from Deadhold, which have led to a stalemate between his undead horde and the drow defenders. Zirithian is feeling betrayed by his master, as well as nurturing a deep hatred against Karavakos who took the seat of Hordethrone from him.

Zirithian is a warrior, proud and used to having his way. He is quick to anger and swift in his retribution to the slightest wronging of him or his character.

Goals: Win the battle of Phaervorul in order to show himself worthy as exarch, or have Karavakos killed in order to regain status with Orcus so that he can reclaim his title. Deep down he is also nurturing a chance at revenge on Orcus for having so easily cast him down, something Nightbringer supports.

Methods: Use the adventurers to kill Karavakos or potentially kill Matron Urlvrain, which would be like cutting of the head of the drow army. Once the adventurers have helped him attain one of these goals, kill them and sacrifice them on the altar of Orcus in order to regain his relation with his Master. In either case he would turn on them and ambush them at the best moment when they are exhausted or out of powers.

Zirithian would never willingly give up his sword, Nightbringer. He would go down fighting to death, rather than handing them over the weapon.

Skill Challenge: Bluff (DC 21), Diplomacy (DC 29), Insight (DC 21), Intimidate (DC 29).


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V2: THE KEEPER

There are some small changes that have to be done in this encounter to fit the new storyline. Replace the text in the “Keeper’s Gambit” with the following:

The Bargain: Once the adventurers have made three successful Diplomacy checks in the challenge, the Keeper makes them an offer and provides them with important information about Karavakos that will help them in the final battle.

“I am the Keeper. I am the essence of Deadhold. I am the blood of Tomari. I am the Will of Orcus within this realm of decay. I have been tasked with watching over this realm of the Blood Lord, since he created it. As such, I know the name of every being condemned to an eternity within the Sea of Rot. I know every sacrifice that has been made to the Prince of Undeath. I know the sacrifice the new exarch made to save his soul from an eternity of torment within the fires of the Abyss. I know the Secret of Karavakos, and my essence is chilled by its dire meaning to the world of the living.

I want to strike a bargain with you. If you kill the exarch of Orcus – this Karavakos the Damned, and plunge the sword Nightbringer into the Eye of Orcus, I will offer you Karavakos’ Secret to you. I can sense your urge for it. Know then that this act will sever the dark Lords grip on Deadhold, allowing me to rise as its ruler and commence my journey to godhood.

You are going to need the sword Nightbringer in the possession of Zirithian in order to be able to kill the exarch of Orcus. Once the exarch is dead, plunge the weapon into

the eye of Orcus. You will know the time to strike when it appears before you.”

If they agree to this bargain, the adventurers automatically complete the skill challenge (see “Victory” below). Dark energy flashes from the Keeper to momentarily send a tingle through each character and cause their eyes to glow briefly before things return to normal. Full details on the repercussions of this bargain appear in Encounter V12, starting on page 62.


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V11: THE GATE OF SHADOW Encounter Level 17 (10,000 XP)

I have done some modification of this encounter to fit the new story. Below you find the changes.

SETUP In order to enter the ziggurat, the adventurers must

pass through a door carved from pure shadow energy. The ziggurat is the remains of the slain goddess Tomari – the goddess of love and wisdom, or rather the memories and essence of the slain goddess, now perverted by Orcus, and tied to Thanatos in the Abyss, Orcus’ realm of the undead. As Orcus slayed Tomari he perverted her essence of love; pleasure; and harmony into hate; pain; and chaos, transforming the fruits of love – the birth of a child – into a vile creation of undeath and zombies. The goddess womb is now wrapped in a shroud of deadly energy and shadows. Living creatures who try to enter this place face a variety of threats as they push through the barrier. They undergo hallucinations and visions of death, destruction, and misery, but also faces memories of the slain goddess. Only the strong of heart can pass through this barrier without harm, but they may also learn from the slain goddess memories, which they can use in the final battle against Karavakos.

Luckily for the characters, this barrier opposes only those who enter the ziggurat. If they defeat Karavakos, they can leave this place without harm or hindrance.

THE FIRST CHALLENGE “THE DEATH OF TOMARI”

As the adventurers pass through the door, read: Pain shoot through you as infinite darkness surround

you. The icy cold of the grave clutches at your heart as the void around you take form. Beautiful glades filled with sunshine rests under canopies of green leaves from the surrounding trees. High mountains rise behind the tree line, sending rivers of snow water trickling down the mountainside. The small stream in the glade brings sweet music to your ears as its waters plays along the rocks. Nymphs and satyrs run across the meadows, children singing among the tree trunks, butterflies dancing among the flower beds – this is a place of love and tranquillity, and somehow you know it is the astral dominion of Tomari, the goddess of love and wisdom. You can see her walking among her children, filling them with love and sunshine, until a dark shadow falls across the glade and the clouds darken.

A creature of shadows enters the glade, perverted undead creatures at its side. Wherever it walks shadow follows and the flowers wither and die, leaving a gray trail of death in its wake. Its eyes are icy cold and weeping with blood. You can see the goddess gasping in surprise, taking a few steps backward, her children running off behind her to hide. But then her face darkens as anger fills her and the surrounding forest seems to grow dark.

“Who are you that dare to enter these sacred grooves of love, brining darkness and death before the eyes of Tomari?” the goddess whispers but the ground shudder as from an earthquake.

The black shadowy form stands its ground, giving a grim smile. “Who I am do not matter. I have come to kill

you Tomari, but if you want to know your slayer’s name, you may call me Tenebrous. Now it ends”. Then the shadow speaks The Last Word and death seeps from those syllables that were not meant to be spoken. As Tomari withers and die in front of you, so does her world. The leaves fall from the trees, gray and dead when they hit the ground. The grass shrivels and dies. The birds grow silent and fall from the sky. Death follows everywhere, turning life to ash, love to dust, and hope to earth. The Last Word fills you with a cold you have never before experienced, as death seeps into the very core of your being, and you realize that this is the end.

When the adventurers hear the Last Word it drains their strength and vitality. But as they are not really there, just reliving a dead goddess’ memories, the characters must make Endurance checks to avoid this peril.

PC with Most Healing Surges: As the energy saps each character’s life, the goddess voice speaks within the mind of the character with the most healing surges:

“You may save your allies with your sacrifice. Surrender your might so that your companions may live. I shall spare them, but your agony shall be doubled.”

The chosen character may choose to automatically fail the Endurance check. In return, the other characters gain a +5 bonus on their checks.

Endurance (DC 23): On a successful check, a character suffers no ill effects. On a failed check, a character loses 1d4 healing surges. A character reduced to 0 healing surges is weakened (save ends) when the party arrives in the ziggurat.


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THE SECOND CHALLENGE “THE HOLD OF THE DEAD”

Once you have completed the first challenge, read: The darkness around you fades to gray. The landscape

has changed. Gone are meadows and canopies, instead you see vast stretches of desert and stone. The mountains remain the same even though they are lacking ice and has been worn down like as of eons of blowing sand had eroded the cliffs to softer hills. The sky above is strewn with clouds, and the endless desert with ashen sand, varying from gray to white to a dull yellow, almost like powdered bones, worn down by the burning winds. Here and there, skulls and shattered bones poke through the dunes. A river of shadow cuts through the landscape, cries of suffering rises from the river, a river filled with an endless legion of zombies. The air above the sea of undead is thick with an endless swarm of flies, feasting upon the flesh of the undead. Ahead, you see a robed figure sitting atop a small pile of skulls. It holds a large dark book under its right arm. The figure beckons you closer.

This strange figure is the memory of the defiled Tomari, lingering at the place of her murder. The goddess dead spirit has been perverted by Orcus, she is now serving as a guardian spirit, stopping any living from entering the defiled grounds of Orcus.

The adventurers stand on a featureless gray plain. They can choose to wander about for a bit, but other than the figure there is nothing here to see or interact with. The zombies in the river bed do not seem to notice them, even if they are attacked.

When they approach the figure, it speaks to them:

“Who are you that dare to enter Deadhold, Land of the Shambling Horde?”

<After the players have replied continue>

The robed figure rises, untying the rope around its waist. The robe parts and you see the defiled and rotting corpse of Tomari the former Goddess of Love and Wisdom. Her skin is grey and yellow with dark patches of rotting flesh hanging loose from the bones. Her eyes are missing and are now just empty festering sockets, while the mouth is lacking several teeth and the formerly inviting lips hangs loose like torn flesh. Her whole abdomen is cut open, some rotten entrails still hanging out, dark stains of dried blood is all over her legs and chest.

“All that lives dies. All that die come before Orcus, King of the Dead. You are not dead. Yet. But you seek to enter his domain. Turn back to the land of the living where you belong. Nothing good awaits you in the Land of the Living Dead. The hunger of my children is without boundaries, they have never learnt the safety of their mother’s sweet embrace. My womb is now filled with shadow and blood, a tool of my Master, and instrument of undeath – filling these lands with hordes of zombies hungering for the blood of the innocent. Turn back while you still have a chance. So speak the memory of Tomari.”

<Player get a chance to respond to Tomari>

“You must be madmen seeking the Land of the Living Death were only sorrow awaits. I believe that you are lost souls, confused as to your true destination. Perhaps I must send you back from whence you came. Unless, of course, I am mistaken and you are indeed dead. Are you undead?”

<Player now gets a chance to try to convince Tomari about their state of undeath. If they do not grasp it, they are thrown back to Deadhold.>

“I do not believe you. I smell the living blood in your veins. Demonstrate to me that life no longer courses through your veins. Who shall be first?”

Tomari expects the characters to prove to her that they are dead. There are a number of ways that that the characters can do this.

Each character must make a skill check or take an action to demonstrate that he or is dead. The rest of the party cannot assist in these checks.

On a successful check, a character moves on to the next test. On a failed check, Tomari opens the book she has had under her arm.

The character’s name appears in blood on the book’s page, read:

Tomari holds up the book in front of you. You can see your name written in the ledger as with blood on the pages of manskin. “Your name has now been entered into the Book of Wrath, were Orcus keeps a list of all those that have angered him. Until Orcus’s wrath is cooled, your name will remain within its pages”, she says and closes the large book.

In game terms, Karavakos may roll 1d6 as a bonus to

any attack roll or as a penalty to the character’s save during the final encounter. He may do this once. When he uses this ability, the character has a vision of his name burning in red flame as it is erased from the robed figure’s ledger.

Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate (DC 23): The characters can simply talk their way past Tomari. A cunning lie, a reasoned argument, or even threats and insults convince the strange figure that a character is indeed dead and belongs in this realm.

Arcana, Nature, Religion (DC 31): Characters can use their knowledge to create a compelling argument that they are indeed dead, using facts and figures.


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Endurance (DC 23): A character can injure himself without showing pain in order to prove that he or she is dead.

Other Options: Allow the players to be creative in this test. Use DC 36 for poorly thought out plans or ones that are unlikely to work, DC 31 for a reasonable plan, and DC 23 for plans that are clever and inventive.

Once all the characters have passed through this challenge, proceed to the next one.

THE THIRD CHALLENGE “FACING ORCUS IMAGE”

Once the characters have completed the second challenge, read:

You are surrounded by icy shadows; a ghostly chorus of piteous moans comes from nowhere and everywhere. As the shadows parts like vanishing wraiths in front of you, you see Him. He sits on his throne of bones; his monstrous large body is fat and sore-ridden from festering wounds. Puss is dropping down on the bones under him. His powerful goat legs are crushing skulls under those massive hooves – showing no sign of regret or mercy. The large bat-like wings are stirring up a cloud of diseased air and bloodflies in the thousands. In his right hand he holds a large obsidian mace studded with blood rubies and tipped with an enormous skull. As fear seeps through your very being you realize it can only be Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead. His massive chest leans forward and he points at you with the huge mace, while his desiccated ram head is measuring you with eyes glowing as burning coals from the Abyss itself. You hear his voice echoing in your mind, filling your very soul with stench and rot.

The adventurers face a spectral image of Orcus. This is a terrifying experience, so roll secretly a +29 vs. Will area attack. On a hit the character is struck with fear, throwing themselves to the ground in fear of Orcus image. The goal here is to foster a sense of paranoia and to tempt the characters into making a pact with Orcus.

Orcus speaks to each one via telepathy. He says: “So you come in front of me – puny mortals, seeking to

enter the Womb of Shadows. What do you hope to achieve? Karavakos, my new exarch will kill you all in my name. You and your allies are pathetic. You cling to the light of good out of weakness, only because the path of chaos holds fear and uncertainty. However You”, he says and point the heavy mace straight at your heart, “You, above the other rabble here, you are strong and resolute. If you manage to slay Karavakos in my name, I shall grant you the power of an exarch.”

If there are any characters with divine classes or multiclasses in the party, the message they receive is instead:

“Heretic! Followers of weak gods! You are entering the husk of Tomari, one of the gods I have slain. Learn her fate and know that your god will follow in her footsteps. Your living husk defiles my domain, but its corpse shall soon adorn it as another trophy. Beg for mercy, and I shall be lenient.”

Hand each player a note with the above messages written upon it, and tell them that Orcus speaks to each of them via telepathy. They have 30 seconds to respond. Have them each write their responses on the note, and pass it back to you.

Characters Who Pledge to Aid Orcus: These characters gain a +2 bonus on attacks against Karavakos. However, they must seize the sword Nightbringer and give it to Orcus or suffer Orcus’s curse.

Characters Who Beg for Mercy: Orcus laughs at these characters, mocking their weakness and the frail gods they worship. They lose the two lowest level, unused daily attack powers they have until they leave this realm and take an extended rest.

Defiant Characters: Orcus shrieks in wrath, angered at the characters’ defiance. Yet, the PC detects a hint of fear in his cry, as the demon lord sees that his new exarch may face his doom. These characters lose a healing surge and a daily attack power of their choice if they have not used such a power since the group’s last extended rest. It can only be regained by leaving the realm and taking an extended rest.

ORCUS’S CURSE The next time a character under Orcus’s curse is

reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he takes a –4 penalty on death saving throws until he dies or rises back above 0 hit points.


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V12: THE ZIGGURAT Encounter Level 21 (20,600 XP)

SETUP Karavakos, Exarch of Orcus (K)

Lord Dust, lich (L)

6 abyssal ghouls (A)

1+ abyssal ghoul hungerers (H)

4+ zombie ragers (Z)

Once inside the Midnight Ziggurat, they enter the perverted remains of the slain godess Tomari – the goddess of love and wisdom. Orcus has animated the remains or the essence of the slain goddess into a veritable “zombie factory”. The Womb of Shadow is actually within Thanatos, where the adventurers confront Karavakos. If they have made it this far, despite any previous notions, Karavakos now sees the adventurers as worthy sacrifices to Orcus. With their deaths, nothing stands between Karavkos and his dream of world conquest.

Remember that Zirithian’s sword, Nightbringer, has its own agenda. It seeks to overthrow Orcus, and communicate to its bearer that only he can finally kill the exarch of Orcus.

When the adventurers pass through the Gate of Shadows, read:

You stand in a strange 10-foot-wide hallway. The stench of putrid rotting flesh is almost more than you can bear. The cavernous hallway almost seams to be alive – the walls and the ground are soft and fleshy and sometimes give in to contractions and quakes. The flesh-like walls all seems dark red and rotten, with blisters and wounds oozing stinking puss. Ahead of you, the hall opens upon a large

cavernous room dominated by tendon shaped pillars of flesh and a large hulking throne of flesh gnawed bones.

Sitting on top of the throne is Karavakos, now in a new fearful shape. His body is covered in red-black scales and his beard has turned into hissing living snakes. His eyes burn with abyssal flames as he sits on the throne overlooking the birth of rotting zombies emerging from festering wounds in the ground.

Karavakos, Exarch of Orcus (K) Level 20 Elite Controller Medium elemental humanoid (tiefling) XP 5,600 HP 382; Bloodied 191 Initiative +13 AC 34; Fortitude 31; Reflex 33; Will 31 Perception +17 Speed 8 Darkvision Immune necrotic Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS Shadow Womb Regeneration Karavakos regains 10 hit points whenever he starts his turn within the Shadow Womb and has at least 1 hit point. When Karavakos takes radiant damage, his regeneration does not function on his next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS r Death Ray (necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +23 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage, Karavakos pushes the target 1 square, and the target takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). Aftereffect: Ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

R Necrotic Bolt (necrotic) • Recharge 4 5 6

Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 10 damage, and the target is immobilized and takes ongoing 15 necrotic damage (save ends both). Aftereffect: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage and is slowed (save ends both).

C Exarch Presence (fear) • Encounter

Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in burst); +23 vs. Will Hit: The target is stunned until the end of Karavakos’ next turn.

Aftereffect: The target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against Karavakos (save ends).

C Storm of Wraiths (necrotic, zone) • Encounter

Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in burst); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d10 necrotic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Effect: The area of the burst becomes a zone until the end of Karavakos’ next turn. Any creature that starts its turn within the zone is subject to an attack; +23 vs. Fortitude; 3d10 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Sustain Minor: The zone persists. MINOR ACTIONS m Serpent Sting (poison) • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +25 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage, and the target is slowed and takes ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends both). If the target is already slowed, it is dazed instead. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Blessing of Undeath (healing) • At-Will Trigger: When Karavakos is reduced to 0 hit points in a round in which he did not take damage from Nightbringer. Effect: Karavakos returns to life with 30 hit points at the start of his next turn.

Variable Resistance • 2/Encounter

Trigger: Karavakos takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): Karavakos gains resist 15 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until he uses variable resistance again. Skills Arcana +23, Bluff +21, Insight +17, Religion +23, Diplomacy +21 Str 14 (+12) Dex 17 (+13) Wis 15 (+12) Con 23 (+16) Int 27 (+18) Cha 22 (+16) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment robes, staff

Lord Dust the Lich Level 18 Artillery Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 126; Bloodied 63 Initiative +11


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AC 32; Fortitude 28; Reflex 32; Will 33 Perception +20 Speed 6 Darkvision Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerability 5 radiant STANDARD ACTIONS m Dagger (poison, weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d4 + 9 damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

R Grave Claw (implement) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +23 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 13 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Lord Dust’s next turn.

R Choking Shadow (implement) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 6 damage, and the target cannot gain healing from any source until the end of Lord Dust’s next turn.

A Orb of Wraiths (implement, necrotic) • Encounter

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in burst); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d10 + 11 necrotic damage, and the target loses a healing surge. On a miss, half damage and no healing surge loss. Lord Dust regains 10 hit points per healing surge lost to this attack.

C Black Tide (implement, necrotic) • Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +23 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d10 + 10 necrotic damage, and the target is blinded until the end of Lord Dust’s next turn. MINOR ACTIONS R Soul Reaper (necrotic) • At-Will Effect: Ranged 10 (one creature); destroy one allied minion within range. Lord Dust gains a +5 power bonus on his next damage roll.

Focused Magic • Encounter

Effect: Lord Dust gains a +4 bonus on his next attack. If he uses an area or close attack, this bonus applies to one target of the attack. OTHER POWERS Phantom Step (teleportation) • Encounter

Action: No Action. Effect: The first time Lord Dust is bloodied, he can teleport to any square within the ziggurat, no line of sight or line of effect needed. Skills Arcana +21, Diplomacy +18, Religion +21 Str 11 (+9) Dex 15 (+11) Wis 22 (+15) Con 12 (+10) Int 24 (+16) Cha 19 (+13) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Abyssal Equipment unholy symbol of orcus, staff implement, dagger

6 Abyssal Ghouls (G) Level 16 Skirmisher Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 156; Bloodied 78 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic TRAITS

Sepulchral Stench • Aura 3

Enemies take a -2 penalty to all defenses while in the aura. Hindering Light Whenever the ghoul takes radiant damage, it cannot shift until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, plus 1d8 + 3 damage if the target is immobilized, restrained, stunned, or unconscious. In addition the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect: The ghoul shifts up to 3 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic) • Encounter

Trigger: The ghoul drops to 0 hit points. Effect: Close burst 1 (enemies in burst); Each target takes 10 necrotic damage. Skills Stealth +19 Str 24 (+15) Dex 22 (+14) Wis 15 (+10) Con 20 (+13) Int 16 (+11) Cha 10 (+8)

Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

Zombie Rager Level 16 Minion Brute Medium natural animate (undead) XP 350 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +13 AC 28; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 27 Perception +12 Speed 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerability 5 radiant STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 15 damage, or 17 if the target is bloodied. TRIGGERED ACTIONS m Death Grab

Trigger: The zombie rager drops to 0 hit points. Attack (No Action): Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 15 damage, and the target is grabbed. A creature takes a -5 penalty to checks to escape the zombie’s death grab. Str 25 (+15) Dex 20 (+13) Wis 19 (+12) Con 18 (+12) Int 3 (+4) Cha 6 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages —

Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer Level 18 Soldier Minion Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 500 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +18 AC 34; Fortitude 30; Reflex 29; Will 25 Perception +12 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 13 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic) • Encounter

Trigger: The ghoul drops to 0 hit points. Effect: Close burst 1 (enemies in burst); Each target takes 10


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necrotic damage. Skills Stealth +22 Str 26 (+17) Dex 25 (+16) Wis 17 (+12) Con 23 (+15) Int 19 (+13) Cha 13 (+10) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

11 Necrotic Cysts (N) Level 14 Hazard Terrain XP 250 Detect Perception DC 15 and Arcana DC 29 Initiative – Immune attacks TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Attack (necrotic) • Encounter

Trigger: A living creature enters within 1 (medium cyst) or 2 squares (large cyst) of the hazard’s area or starts its turn there. Attack (Opportunity Action): Close burst 1 (medium cyst) or 2 (large cyst) (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d4 + 5 acid damage, and ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage. COUNTERMEASURES C Attack (necrotic) • Encounter

♦ Disable: Thievery DC 29 (or DC 31 with range weapon). Success: The cyst is destroyed or burst depending on PC choice. Failure (24 or less): The cyst makes a burst attack if PC in range, otherwise the cyst do not burst.

♦ Burst: PC may attack the burst in order to make it burst. Large cysts have AC 4, Fortitude 12 and 20 HP. Medium cysts have AC 5, Fortitude 10 and HP 10.

STRATEGY The undead seek to bog the PCs down in the central

chamber, coming at the adventurers from all directions. Think of these creatures as your defenders. The abyssal ghouls can also use their shift ability to trick the PCs to get near to the necrotic cysts in order to trigger their burst.

Zirithian and Lord Dust are the two heavy hitters. Both try to avoid melee and attack from a distance. Note that Karavakos can only be killed by the Nightbringer.

TACTICS Karavakos and his inner circle of followers care little

for parlay, unless the intruders choose to surrender.

Karavakos, fighting for glory and power, fights to the death.

Karavakos begins the encounter sitting at the throne in the main chamber. He waits for his followers to engage the PCs before moving to join the attack.

Once battle begins, he leaves the throne and uses the terrain and rooms to attack the PCs from a distance.

Lord Dust has watched over the ziggurat and the undead remains of Tomari for centuries. He now serves Karavakos as a personal advisor and steward, as he did Zirithian before. The lich accompanies Karavakos into combat. He attempts to hamper the advance of enemies, forcing them to deal with the abyssal ghouls first.

These abyssal ghouls begin the battle in a remote chamber close to where the players enter. As soon as they spot or hear the PCs they rush in to attack, hoping to get them in the back or surrounding them in the central chamber.

The zombie and abyssal ghoul minion is spread out in the neighbouring chambers but enters as soon as the battle breaks out. More undead minons will enter the battle as the PCs takes damage during the fight (see Tomari below.)

FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Dim lighting throughout the whole area.

Central Chamber: A large throne made of gnawed bones dominates this chamber. The central chamber is filled with necrotic energies and absorbs the life force of those who hover on death’s door. A DC 23 Arcana or Religion check informs the PC about this and its dangers. A PC reduced to 0 hit points within the marked squares in the center of the chamber must make an immediate death save, ignoring a result of 20 or higher on this save.

Necrotic Cyst: Several necrotic cysts exist within the Womb of Shadows, any living creature getting to close to them makes them burst, spreading necrotic and acidic puss


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all over the surrounding area. The cysts are quite simple to detect with a Perception check, but realizing the danger requires a hard Arcana check.

11 Necrotic Cysts (N) Level 14 Hazard Terrain XP 250 Detect Perception DC 15 and Arcana DC 29 Initiative – Immune attacks TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Attack (necrotic) • Encounter

Trigger: A living creature enters within 1 (medium cyst) or 2 squares (large cyst) of the hazard’s area or starts its turn there. Attack (Opportunity Action): Close burst 1 (medium cyst) or 2 (large cyst) (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d4 + 5 acid damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage. COUNTERMEASURES C Attack (necrotic) • Encounter

♦ Disable: Thievery DC 29 (or DC 31 with range weapon). Success: The cyst is destroyed or burst depending on PC choice. Failure (24 or less): The cyst makes a burst attack if PC in range, otherwise the cyst do not burst.

♦ Burst: PC may attack the burst in order to make it burst. Large cysts have AC 4, Fortitude 12 and 20 HP. Medium cysts have AC 5, Fortitude 10 and HP 10.

Throne: The Rotting Throne provides any undead within 3 squares of it a +1 bonus on attack rolls. A PC succeeding with a DC 31 Arcane check can sense this aura and understand its effect. The trhone can be destroyed with a DC 31 Strength check, or attacked with weapons or powers (AC 5, Fortitude 10, HP 30; Immune vs. necrotic, poison, psychic and acid damage.)

Tomari’s Womb: As Orcus slayed Tomari he perverted her essence of love, pleasure, and harmony into hate, pain and chaos. Transforming the fruits of love – birth

of a child – into a vile creation of undeath and zombies. Whenever a player takes normal or acid damage, spilling blood on the flesh of the goddess, her flesh gives birth to one zombie rager that attacks last the following round. As an immediate reaction to the blood damage – Tomari’s Womb shudder and quakes while giving “birth” to the zombie, forcing the PC and any allies within 2 squares to make a DC 31 Acrobatic check or fall prone. If the spilled blood comes from a lawful good PC, one abyssal ghoul hungerer is born instead. A single attack cannot generate more than one zombie rager or ghoul hungerer.

Treasure Vault: The door of flesh and tendons to this room is sealed (DC 20 Thievery check to unlock, DC 25 Strength check to break). Inside, the PCs can find three iron chests containing 22,000 gp, two potions of vitality, and a rod of harvest +4 or whatever 19th-level magic item you deem appropriate for the group.

CONCLUSION When the PCs defeat Karavakos, read:

You plunge Nightbringer into Karavakos form his scream becomes one of utter horror as the dark sword devours his soul. The body of Karavakos is swallowed by the ground’s putrid rotting flesh. As you sheath the blade, you see two forms appear on each side of the bone throne – a huge eye seething in shadows on the left side, and a grasping clawed hand dripping of blood on the right side. The chamber of flesh reverberates as you hear the voice of Orcus inside your heads. “Give me the sword, and I will let you leave Deadhold alive!” he commands. But at the same time you suddenly hear the Keeper’s voice inside your heads. “Plunge the sword into the Eye of Orcus, and I will tell you the Secret of Karavakos”, you hear him say.

Placing the sword in the hand returns a powerful weapon to the demon prince. Orcus holds true to his word and let the adventurers leave Deadhold safely.

Plunging it into the eye sets Orcus’s plans back and allows the Keeper to take control of Deadhold, preventing Orcus from manifesting within Deadhold and thereby kill the adventurers. After this act the Keeper manifests within the Womb of Shadows, and speaks to the characters.

“You have kept your end of the bargain. Orcus hold on Deadhold is ended and I will finally rise to become its true Keeper. I will reward you with the secret Karavakos sacrificed to Orcus, in order for him to spare him his life and an eternity of torment. Karavakos found out the secret


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of Death’s Reach, and how it could be breached. This was the Secret that Orcus has coveted for five hundred years.

When the primordials first crafted the world, they had no regard for the fate of souls. Souls came from beyond the known, and beyond the known they fled in death. Death's Reach was one of the places in the Shadowfell where souls passed beyond this existence. But ancient, gluttonous primordials corrupted the place so that they could consume the souls of the dead. When the first gods seized reality from the primordials, they made other arrangements. Because it could only be reached with great difficulty, the first gods deemed it the proper location to store dangerous artifacts and weapons from the Dawn War. Many who fought on the side of the primordials in that ancient conflict were relegated to Death's Reach, where they were locked away.

In his search for knowledge, Karavakos found out about that primeval, shadowy place, and he also found a way how it could be breached. I do not know what Orcus plans to do with this knowledge. I only know that he was desperate to learn its secret. Death's Reach is rumoured to be a graveyard of abandoned weapons hailing from the Dawn War. Primordials and even entire armies might be imprisoned therein. Whatever Orcus wants from there, it does not bode well for the world of the living.”

The Womb of Shadow, by michalivan on Deviantart.com


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HOUSE RULE APPENDIX

MODIFIED RAISE DEAD The shadow dragon Urishtar have taken control of the

Nightwyrm Fortress and started the ancient magic that steals the life force from the newly deceased, see P3: Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress for further details.

After the death or Etheran in the adventure P1: King of the Trollhaunt Warrens the rules for the raise dead ritual has changed. The raise dead ritual has become more random, depending on if Urishtar has stolen the life force of the individual or not.

During P2: Demon Queen’s Enclave the casting of a raise dead ritual on a PC, the PC has to roll a death saving throw. If he or she fails the death saving throw, the character cannot be brought back to life (a 50% chance).

During P3: Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress the characters cannot be brought back to life with a raise dead ritual.


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Main Adventure Encounters Level XP Progression Conversion Encounters Level XP New XP New ProgressionU1: Inheritors 13 4 700 3 525 47 512 14thU2: Miser's Pit 15 6 200 4 650 48 442U3: Fire and Magma 13 4 800 3 600 49 162U4: Mushroom Attack 13 4 100 3 075 49 777U5: Scrying Students 13 4 800 3 600 50 497U6: Eternal Sleep 13 4 800 3 600 51 217U7: Observatory Sanctum 15 6 600 4 950 52 207U8: Attack from the Deeps 15 6 400 4 800 53 167U9: The Ferryman 13 4 800 3 600 53 887

U1: Stuck in the Middle 17 8 000 50 563 6 000 55 087L1: Perilous Bridge 13 4 400 51 443 3 300 55 747L2: Slave Quarters 16 7 200 52 883 5 400 56 827L3: Wizard's Labroratory 14 5 400 53 963 4 050 57 637 15thL4: Ruined Merchant House 12 3 800 54 723 2 850 58 207L5: Fungus Farm 13 4 100 55 543 3 075 58 822L6: Occupied Emabassy 13 4 600 56 463 3 450 59 512L7: Ransacked Shops 14 5 300 57 523 15th 3 975 60 307L8: Barracks 15 6 400 58 803 4 800 61 267L9: Ruined Noble House 17 8 050 60 413 6 038 62 474L10: Slaver Complex 14 5 600 61 533 4 200 63 314L11: Traitors Villa 16 7 200 62 973 5 400 64 394L12: Templar Chapel 15 6 200 64 213 4 650 65 324L13: Embattled Ruins 15 6 100 65 433 4 575 66 239L14: Temple Entrance 17 8 200 67 073 6 150 67 469L15: Cambers of Suffering 16 6 000 68 273 4 500 68 369L16: Demon Queen's Vault 17 8 000 69 873 16th 6 000 69 569 16th

The Undead Threat 13 4 200 3 150 70 199Facing Zirithian 18 11 100 8 325 71 864

V1: Bridge of Webs 17 8 800 71 633 6 600 73 184V2: The Keeper 16 7 700 73 173 Description changes 5 775 74 339V3: Into the Wasteland 17 8 000 74 773 6 000 75 539Sneaking Through Hordethrone 17 8 000 76 373 6 000 76 739V4: Bridge of Bones 17 8 000 77 973 6 000 77 939V5: Gate of Death 17 8 400 79 653 6 300 79 199V6: Guard Tower 17 8 200 81 293 6 150 80 429V7: The Cages 18 10 000 83 293 17th 7 500 81 929V8: Plaza of Howling Skulls 18 11 600 85 613 8 700 83 669 17thV9: Butcher Shop 18 11 600 87 933 8 700 85 409V10: The Black Gate 18 12 000 90 333 9 000 87 209V11: The Gate of Shadows 17 10 000 92 333 Description changes 7 500 88 709V12: The Ziggurat 21 20 600 96 453 Encounter changes 15 450 91 799Hook: A New Threat 17 8 000 98 053 Changed to P1 Hook: Dying Wish of the Crow 6 000 92 999

Hook: The Saruun Mages 17 1 600 1 200 93 239

245 450 64 100 -25% 232 163

XP ANALYSIS

I have made a small analysis of the XP in the main adventure and the changes introduced in this conversion. For the PCs to remain at the proper level after completing P2, I would suggest you as a DM to reduce the XP handed

out during the adventure with -25%, i.e. multiply the Encounter XP with 0.75, if you are planning to use all the changes made. This will keep the balance in the adventure.

For detailed XP breakdown, see below.


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PLAYER’S HANDOUTS


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Goldrun

Coinkeeper’s

Map


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PARTHAL’S DIARY

Give player’s the following handout if they spend at least one hour flipping through Parthal’s diary from the Tower of Zoramadria.

“…I was accepted into her ranks! Imagine me – now one of the Dark Teacher’s disciples. What glory! What honor! I will not disappoint her. She will in me find a devoted student to the dark arts of Necromancy…”

“…My Dark Lady is troubled – I can sense it. The Sisters of Lolth are always at her back. Challenging her devotion, calling her names behind her back. If they could just see what I see in Zoramandria, they would stop their harassments. She is in truth a noble drow. Dedicated to her work and our kindred like few others. Never have I met someone with such grand ambitions. Her chosen path may differ, but her goal is all the same – the Glory of Phaervorul. I hope I will be worthy of her trust.”

“… I can no longer deny my true feelings. I can’t stop thinking of her. When I am with her I behave like an idiot. When I am dismissed – my heart suffers the anguish of the Abyss. What is wrong with me? Am I harboring forbidden feelings for my Mistress? If somebody learnt my feelings for her, they would ridicule me – but somehow that seems better than the misery I am in now. What should I do?”

“… Lolth be praised. Zoramadria have selected me as one of her Acolytes of Death. I am truly honored, but more importantly, I will be allowed to be near her much more often. I can not wait until I am summoned to her side again, to be blinded by her beauty and necromantic wisdom…”

“… Zoramadria have shared her visions with me. I am just a lowly maggot, eating on her dead flesh – at least in comparison with her dreams of power. She has been telling me about the dreams she have had. The visions she has seen. The voices in her head. She must truly have been graced by the Spider Queen. She intends to open a portal to an unknown realm of great necromantic knowledge. With those secrets – no one will be able to stop her. She will be the new leader of Phaervorul – and I will be one of her selected generals. Chosen to spread her word. Praised be the many-legged-Queen!”

“… May Lolth be merciful – Zoramadria was deceived. It was not Lolth that was speaking to her in her dreams. It must have been another entity – a being of utter evil, with a rotting hatred for the drow race. Phaervorul is under attack – legions of undead were waiting on the other side of the portal. Commanded by a terrifying being called Thrullzon from the Rotting Throne of Deadhold. As I helped Zoramadria in performing the vile ritual to open the gate, hordes of zombies, wraiths, and worse waited on the other side. They swept through the rift and invaded our holy drow enclave. I don’t know who to blame, but I know that Phaervorul have become the battleground of the divine struggle between the Queen of Spiders and the Lord of the Undead, and it is my kindred that is paying the price with blood, suffering, and worse.”

“Victory at last! The undead hordes were stopped and the rift sealed with the combined effort of my Mistress and the Lolth priestesses. Zoramadria stopped them! She truly did!”

“… They are accusing my Mistress for high treason. The high priestess is sending her templars to carry out the execution. I must warn Zoramadria before it is to late!”

“… SHE IS DEAD. I can’t believe it. I feel all empty. I am truly dead – all my hopes died with her. What am I to do?…”

“… She collapsed the space around her tower, transferring it and all her students in one fell swoop to a far corner of the

Underdark. But the strain was to great – I tried to help her but I was not strong enough. As the Tower was moved across the Underdark through the ritual, the life force of all of its inhabitants was drained off to power the ritual. Zoramadria saved us from permanent destruction – but at the cost of all of us embracing undeath. Zoramadria did not make it, the strain of the ritual was too much, and her soul shattered. All that remains is her empty husk. A corpse bereft of its soul – tricked even from unlife.”

“… In her dying words she cursed Phaervorul, and so do I. It is their fault she is dead. Their fault I will live a life of undeath with an empty soul – bereft of a love to Zoramadria, a love I know was answered in her heart. They will pay. Even if it takes hundreds of years, they will pay. I have the life of an Archlich to carry my vengeance to the drow enclave of Pharevorul, the city which used to be my home – but now only fill my soul with hate!”

“It is time to carry out my plan. Phaervorul will suffer – just as I have suffered for five hundred years…”

“But I must vainly languish for joys I never can know, And wear a cureless anguish in loneliness and woe.…”


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BATTLE MAPS


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Lava Start Lava after 1st round


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Lava after 2nd round Lava after 3rd round


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Lava after 5th round Lava after 4th round


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MONSTER UPDATE

U1: STUCK IN THE MIDDLE 3 Drow Battle Wights (W) Level 12 Soldier Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 700 HP 122; Bloodied 61 Initiative +8 AC 28; Fortitude 25; Reflex 21; Will 25 Perception +5 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant STANDARD ACTIONS m Soul-Draining Longsword (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and is immobilized until the end of its next turn.

R Soul Reaping (healing, necrotic) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Ranged 5 (one immobilized creature); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the wight regains 10 hit points. Skills Intimidate +16 Str 21 (+11) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 9 (+5) Con 18 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 21 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword

Balthrad, Abyssal Ghoul (B) Level 16 Elite Skirmisher Medium elemental humanoid (demon, undead) XP 2,800 HP 312; Bloodied 156 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS

Sepulchral Stench * Aura 3

Enemies take a -2 penalty to all defenses in the aura.

Shield of Abyssal Majesty * Aura 5

Allies in the aura gain resist 10 necrotic, 10 fire, 10 acid Hindering Light Whenever the ghoul takes radiant damage, it cannot shift until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, plus 1d8 + 3 damage if the target is immobilized, restrained, stunned, or unconscious. In addition, the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect: The ghoul shifts up to 3 squares.

m Claw * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 8 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

M Double Strike * At-Will

Effect: Balthrad makes a bite and claw attacks. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic)

Trigger: When ghoul drops to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): Close burst 1 (enemies in the burst). Each target takes 10 necrotic damage. Consume Soul Trigger: When an ally within 5 squares of Balthrad is reduced to 0 hit points. Effect (Immediate Reaction): Balthrad regains 15 hit points. Skills Stealth +19 Str 24 (+15) Dex 22 (+14) Wis 15 (+10) Con 20 (+13) Int 16 (+11) Cha 10 (+8) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common

Drider Fanglord (F) Level 14 Brute Large fey humanoid (spider) XP 1,000 HP 172; Bloodied 86 Initiative +12 AC 26; Fortitude 27; Reflex 25; Will 23 Perception +15

Speed 8, climb 8 (spider climb) Darkvision STANDARD ACTIONS m Greatsword (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d12 + 8 damage.

R Web * Recharge 4 5 6

Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is restrained until it escapes (DC 21) or teleports. MINOR ACTIONS M Quick Bite (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature granting combat advantage to the drider); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d4 damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target grants combat advantage and cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment until the end of the drider's next turn. Skills Dungeoneering +15, Stealth +17 Str 24 (+14) Dex 21 (+12) Wis 16 (+10) Con 22 (+13) Int 13 (+8) Cha 9 (+6) Alignment evil Languages Elven Equipment leather armor, greatsword

3 Drow Snipers (D) Level 12 Artillery Medium fey humanoid XP 700 HP 89; Bloodied 45 Initiative +11 AC 24; Fortitude 22; Reflex 25; Will 21 Perception +12 Speed 7 Darkvision TRAITS Explosive Bolts The drow sniper can fire special explosive bolts from its hand crossbow. It typically carries 3 such bolts. An explosive bolt deals the damage listed above and has an additional effect. It deals an extra 1d6 + 1 fire damage to the target and any creatures adjacent to the target. Sniper


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When a drow sniper makes a ranged attack from hiding and misses, it is still considered to be hiding. Drow Poison (poison) A creature hit by a weapon coated in drow poison takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). First Failed Save: The target is also weakened (save ends). Second Failed Save: The target falls unconscious until the end of the encounter. STANDARD ACTIONS m Rapier (poison, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, and the drow sniper makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: See drow poison for the effect.

R Hand Crossbow (poison, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage, and the drow sniper makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: See drow poison for the effect. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target grants combat advantage and cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment until the end of the drow's next turn. Skills Dungeoneering +12, Intimidate +12, Stealth +16 Str 14 (+8) Dex 20 (+11) Wis 13 (+7) Con 11 (+6) Int 13 (+7) Cha 12 (+7) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment 3 explosive bolts coated in drow poison, leather armor, rapier coated in drow poison, hand crossbow, crossbow bolts (20) coated in drow poison

L1: PERILOUS BRIDGE Demonweb Terror (D) Level 14 Elite Controller Huge elemental beast (spider) XP 2,000 HP 296; Bloodied 148 Initiative +12 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 26; Will 24 Perception +13 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Tremorsense 10 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, and the target takes ongoing 10 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Poison Spray (poison) * Encounter

Trigger: When first bloodied. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target takes ongoing 10 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). MINOR ACTIONS R Web * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is immobilized (save ends). Skills Stealth +17 Str 24 (+14) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 12 (+8) Con 28 (+16) Int 8 (+6) Cha 16 (+10) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

3 Chwidenchas (C) Level 13 Brute Medium fey magical beast (spider, shunned) XP 800 HP 160; Bloodied 80 Initiative +9 AC 25; Fortitude 25; Reflex 22; Will 22 Perception +9 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Darkvision, Tremorsense 10 STANDARD ACTIONS m Claws * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 13 damage and slide 2 squares.

M Impaling Claws * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage and target is grabbed until it escapes (DC 20) or teleports.

M Scuttling Charge * Encounter

Attack: The chwidencha makes a charge attack. It can charge over difficult terrain with no penalty to movement; Melee 1 (one creature); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d10 + 10 damage. Skills Stealth +14 Str 22 (+12) Dex 17 (+9) Wis 16 (+9) Con 20 (+11) Int 3 (+2) Cha 6 (+4) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven

L2: SLAVE QUARTERS 8 Lolthbound Goblin Slaves Level 12 Minion Skirmisher Small natural humanoid (goblin) XP 175 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +13 AC 26; Fortitude 24; Reflex 25; Will 24 Perception +10 Speed 6 Darkvision TRAITS Goblin Tactics The Lolthbound goblin slave shifts 1 square. Drow Inspiration The Lolthbound goblin slave gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and all defenses while within 5 squares of a drow ally. STANDARD ACTIONS m Stringing Pick (poison, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 10 poison damage. If the target is suffering from ongoing poison damage, increase that damage by 5. The ongoing damage can be increased more than once by additional hits with this attack.


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r Hand Crossbow (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage (10 if the Lolthbound goblin slave moved 3 or more squares during its turn). Str 19 (+10) Dex 21 (+11) Wis 19 (+10) Con 14 (+8) Int 8 (+5) Cha 9 (+5) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven, Goblin Equipment leather armor, war pick, hand crossbow, crossbow bolt x10

Gort, War Troll Champion (G) Level 14 Elite Soldier Large natural humanoid XP 2,000 HP 280; Bloodied 140 Initiative +13 AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 26; Will 24 Perception +15 Speed 7 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS Regeneration The troll regains 5 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. When the troll takes fire or acid damage, its regeneration does not function on its next turn. Battle Talent Gort can score critical hits on attack rolls of natural 19 and 20. Threatening Reach The war troll can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (2 squares). Inspiring Assault Whenever he scores a critical hit, Gort and all allies within 5 squares of him regain 7 hit points. Battle Champion Tactics Gort and its allies deal an extra 2d6 damage against enemies that he flanks. Troll Healing (healing) Whenever an attack that doesn't deal acid or fire damage reduces the troll to 0 hit points, the troll does not die and instead falls unconscious until the start of its next turn, when it returns to life with 15 hit points. If an attack hits the troll and deals any acid or fire damage while the troll is unconscious, it

does not return to life in this way. STANDARD ACTIONS M Greatsword (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 9 damage. If the attack bloodies the target, the troll uses greatsword against it again. Effect: The troll marks the target until the end of the war troll’s next turn.

m Claw * At-Will


r Longbow (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 3 damage.

C Sweeping Strike (weapon) * At-Will

Requirements: Requires greatsword. Attack: Close blast 2 (enemies in the blast); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 6 damage, and the target falls prone. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Blood Pursuit * At-Will

Trigger: When a bloodied enemy within 2 squares of the war troll moves or shifts. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The war troll shifts 1 square closer to the enemy. Skills Athletics +19, Endurance +17 Str 24 (+14) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 16 (+10) Con 20 (+12) Int 10 (+7) Cha 12 (+8) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Giant Equipment greatsword, plate armor, longbow, arrows (30)

2 Savage Minotaurs (M) Level 16 Brute Large natural humanoid XP 1,400 HP 190; Bloodied 95 Initiative +11 AC 28; Fortitude 32; Reflex 26; Will 29 Perception +19 Speed 8 Standard Actions

m Greataxe (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage (crit 4d12 + 23), and the target is pushed 1 square.

M Thrashing Horns * At-Will

Requirements: Usable only when charging. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage, and the target slides 2 squares. Triggered Actions

M Goring Assault * At-Will

Trigger: An enemy within 10 squares of the minotaur hits it with a ranged or area attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The minotaur charges the triggering enemy. Skills Dungeoneering +14, Intimidate +14, Nature +14 Str 24 (+15) Dex 16 (+11) Wis 19 (+12) Con 20 (+13) Int 5 (+5) Cha 12 (+9) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common Equipment greataxe

Mind Flayer Infiltrator (I) Level 14 Lurker Medium aberrant humanoid XP 1,000 HP 107; Bloodied 54 Initiative +16 AC 27; Fortitude 25; Reflex 27; Will 28 Perception +14 Speed 7 Darkvision TRAITS Unseen Focus (illusion) The mind flayer is invisible while it has a creature grabbed. STANDARD ACTIONS m Tentacles * At-Will

Requirement: The mind flayer must not have a creature grabbed. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex. This attack automatically hits a dazed or stunned target. Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the mind flayer grabs the target (escape DC 21) if it does not have a creature grabbed.

M Extract Brain (healing) * At-Will


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Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the mind flayer); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 6d6 + 14 damage, and the target is dazed until it is no longer grabbed. If the attack reduces the target to 0 hit points or fewer, the target dies and the mind flayer regains 15 hit points.

C Mind-Clouding Blast (illusion, psychic) * Encounter

Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in the blast); +17 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 8 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage. MOVE ACTIONS Mental Cloak (illusion, teleportaion) * Recharges when an attack hits the mind flayer Effect: The mind flayer teleports up to its speed, and it becomes invisible until the end of its next turn. Skills Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Dungeoneering +15, Stealth +18 Str 17 (+10) Dex 23 (+13) Wis 16 (+10) Con 12 (+8) Int 21 (+12) Cha 20 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 20

L3: WIZARD’S LABRATORY Jhaelant, Necromancer (J) Level 14 Elite Controller Medium fey humanoid, drow XP 2,000 HP 266; Bloodied 133 Initiative +10 AC 28; Fortitude 22; Reflex 26; Will 25 Perception +11 Speed 7 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS Orb of Sanguinary Repercussions Deal 2d6 + 5 extra damage to each bloodied creature within 5 squares of Jhaelant. In addition, whenever Jhaelant scores a critical hit with one of his implement powers, he deals an extra 3d6 damage, or 3d10 damage against bloodied creatures. STANDARD ACTIONS m Dagger (weapon) * At-Will


A Cloud of Daggers (arcane, force, implement) * At-Will

Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 12 force damage. The power’s area is filled with sharp daggers of force. Any creature that enters the area or starts its turn there takes 4 force damage. The cloud remains in place until the end of Jhaelant’s next turn. He can dispel it as a minor action.

C Grave Blast (arcane, implement, radiant) * At-Will

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 9 necrotic damage, target is slowed (save ends) and Jhaelant heals 5 hp for each target damaged by this attack.

A Prismatic Burst (arcane, implement, radiant) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Area burst 2 within 20 (creatures in burst); +17 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 14 radiant damage, and the target is blinded until the end of Jhaelant’s next turn.

R Lightning Bolt (arcane, implement, lightning) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 12 lightning damage, and make a secondary attack against two creatures within 10 squares of the primary target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 9 lightning damage. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of Jhaelant’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

Mirror Image (arcane, illusion) * Encounter

Effect: Three duplicate images of Jhaelant appear in his space, and he gains a +6 power bonus to AC. Each time an attack misses him, one of his duplicate images disappears and the bonus granted by this power decreases by 2. When the bonus reaches 0, all his images are gone and the power ends.

Otherwise, the effect lasts for 1 hour. Skills Arcana +17, Intimidate +11, Stealth +12 Str 11 (+7) Dex 16 (+10) Wis 18 (+11) Con 13 (+8) Int 20 (+12) Cha 14 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven, Undercommon Equipment pouch with 10 pp and 100 gp, orb of sanguinary repercussions +3, ritual book containing arcane lock

Web Golem Thresher (W) Level 14 Elite Soldier Large natural animate (construct) XP 2,000 HP 284; Bloodied 142 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 21 Perception +9 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 9 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the web golem thresher’s next turn.

M Double Slam * At-Will

Effect: The web golem thresher makes two slam attacks.

C Spit Web * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immobilized (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Catch and Release * At-Will

Trigger: When a marked target shifts. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the web golem thresher slides the target 5 squares and knocks it prone. Str 20 (+12) Dex 25 (+14) Wis 14 (+9) Con 22 (+13) Int 5 (+4) Cha 9 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages —


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Blackspawn Gloomweb (B) Level 16 Lurker Large natural beast (reptile) XP 1 400 HP 120; Bloodied 60 Initiative +19 AC 30; Fortitude 26; Reflex 27; Will 20 Perception +8 Speed 8, climb 8 (spider climb) Resist 15 acid TRAITS Gloom If the blackspawn gloomweb does not move on its turn, the shadows that constantly swirl around its form settle into a cloudlike mass that grants concealment until the beginning of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (acid) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).

M Goring Charge * At-Will

Requirment: The blackspawn gloomweb must charge Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, the target is knocked prone, and the blackspawn gloomweb makes a bite attack against the same target.

M Mobile Melee Attack * At-Will

Effect: The blackspawn gloomweb can move up to half its speed and make one bite attack at any point during that movement. The creature doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of its attack.

R Acidic Web (acid) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: The target takes ongoing 15 acid damage and is restrained (save ends both). Skills Stealth +20 Str 22 (+14) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 10 (+8) Con 18 (+12) Int 2 (+4) Cha 8 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages —

L4: RUINED MERCHANT HOUSE Rotting Hook Horror (R) Level 13 Soldier Large natural beast XP 800 HP 137; Bloodied 68 Initiative +12 AC 28; Fortitude 27; Reflex 24; Will 24 Perception +9 Speed 4, climb 4 Blindsight 10 STANDARD ACTIONS m Hook * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 1d12 + 10 damage, and the target is pulled 1 square.

M Rending Hooks * At-Will

Effect: The hook horror makes two hook attacks, each at a -2 penalty. If both hooks hit the same target, the hook horror deals

an extra 1d12 damage and the target is grabbed (until escape).

M Fling * Recharge 6

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d12 + 7 damage, and the target slides 3 squares and is knocked prone. MINOR ACTIONS M Bite (necrotic) * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Melee 1 (one grabbed creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Skills Athletics +18 Str 24 (+13) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 16 (+9) Con 25 (+13) Int 3 (+2) Cha 12 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages —

Vrock (V) Level 13 Skirmisher Large elemental humanoid (demon) XP 800 HP 132; Bloodied 66 Initiative +12 AC 27; Fortitude 25; Reflex 23; Will 23 Perception +13 Speed 6, fly 8 Darkvision STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw * At-Will


M Flyby Attack * At-Will

Effect: The vrock flies up to its speed and uses claw once during that movement. It does not provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Spores of Madness (poison) * Encounter

Trigger: The vrock is first bloodied. Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +16 vs. Will Hit: 3d10 + 6 poison damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage.


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Variable Resistance * 2/Encounter

Trigger: The vrock takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The vrock gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Skills Bluff +15, Insight +13 Str 23 (+12) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 15 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 12 (+7) Cha 19 (+10) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal


STANDARD ACTIONS m Claws * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 9 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Skills Stealth +16 Str 17 (+9) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 14 (+8) Con 18 (+10) Int 13 (+7) Cha 15 (+8) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common

Ghoul Eyebiter (E) Level 16 Controller (Leader) Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 151; Bloodied 76 Initiative +7 AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 27; Will 29 Perception +9 Speed 6, climb 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS


Enemies in the aura take a -2 penalty to all defenses.

Rotten Harvest (conjuration) Whenever a creature weakened by a ghoul eyebiter is reduced to 0 hit points, the ghoul eyebiter conjures four drow horde ghouls. These minions appear in a space adjacent to the ghoul eyebiter. The ghoul eyebiter can have up to four drow horde ghouls at a time. The minions disappear if the eyebiter dies. STANDARD ACTIONS m Serrated Claws * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, and ongoing 5 damage and slowed (save ends both).

C Eye of Doresain (necrotic) * Recharge 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). For every creature the ghoul eyebiter hits with the attack, it gains 5 temporary hit points.

C Deathly Snarl * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); undead allies remove a condition as if they had succeeded on a saving throw and can shift 2 squares. Those without a condition gain 10 temporary hit points and can shift 2 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic)

Trigger: When first bloodied and when reduced to 0 hit points. Effect (Free): Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); all enemies in the burst take 10 necrotic damage, and if the ghoul eyebiter is still alive, they are dazed until the end of the ghoul eyebiter’s next turn. Skills Insight +14, Stealth +12 Str 21 (+13) Dex 15 (+10) Wis 16 (+11) Con 15 (+10) Int 12 (+9) Cha 24 (+15) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common


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L5: FUNGUS FARM 2 Cave Widows (W) Level 14 Skirmisher Medium natural beast (spider) XP 1,000 HP 144; Bloodied 72 Initiative +13 AC 28; Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +16 Speed 6, climb 4 (spider climb) Tremorsense 10 Resist 10 poison STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 12 damage, and the cave widow can make a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: Target is weakened (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS Driven by Pain * At-Will

Trigger: When damaged. Effect (Immediate Reaction): A cave widow shifts 3 squares. Skills Stealth +16 Str 20 (+12) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 14 (+9) Con 24 (+14) Int 1 (+2) Cha 7 (+5) Alignment unaligned Languages —




Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage and target is grabbed until it escapes (DC

20) or teleports.



Fithrichen (F) Level 12 Controller Medium fey magical beast (shunned, spider) XP 700 HP 121; Bloodied 61 Initiative +8 AC 26; Fortitude 22; Reflex 20; Will 24 Perception +8 Speed 6, climb 4 (spider climb) Darkvision, Tremorsense 10 STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is slowed (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target becomes unconscious (save ends).

C Disgorge Spiders (poison, zone) * Encounter

Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in blast); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 8 poison damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Effect: The blast creates a zone that is difficult terrain until the end of the encounter. The fithrichen can move the zone up to 3 squares as a minor action once per round. After the zone is created, any enemy that enters or starts its turn inside the zone is subject to attack. MINOR ACTIONS M Cloud of Darkness (zone) * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1; this power creates a zone of darkness that remains in place until the end of the fithrichen’s next turn. The zone blocks line of sight for all creatures except the fithrichen

and other shunned. Any creature entirely within the area (except those immune) is blinded. Skills Stealth +13 Str 18 (+10) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 15 (+8) Con 17 (+9) Int 6 (+4) Cha 22 (+12) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven


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L6: OCCUPIED EMBASSY 3 Drow Battle Wight Commanders (C) Level 13 Soldier Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 800 HP 132; Bloodied 66 Initiative +10 AC 29; Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 25 Perception +13 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 radiant STANDARD ACTIONS m Soul-Draining Longsword (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and it is immobilized and weakened until the end of its next turn.


Attack: Ranged 5 (one immobilized creature); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 18 necrotic damage, and the wight and all its undead allies within 2 squares of it regain 10 hit points. Skills Intimidate +16 Str 20 (+11) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 15 (+8) Cha 20 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword

4 Drow Battle Wights (W) Level 12 Soldier Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 700 HP 122; Bloodied 61 Initiative +8 AC 28; Fortitude 25; Reflex 21; Will 25 Perception +5 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant STANDARD ACTIONS m Soul-Draining Longsword (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and is immobilized until the end of its next turn.


Attack: Ranged 5 (one immobilized creature); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the wight regains 10 hit points. Skills Intimidate +16 Str 21 (+11) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 9 (+5) Con 18 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 21 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword

Cave Widow (W) Level 14 Skirmisher Medium natural beast (spider) XP 1,000 HP 144; Bloodied 72 Initiative +13 AC 28; Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +16 Speed 6, climb 4 (spider climb) Tremorsense 10 Resist 10 poison STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (poison) * At-Will


Trigger: When damaged. Effect (Immediate Reaction): A cave widow shifts 3 squares. Skills Stealth +16 Str 20 (+12) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 14 (+9) Con 24 (+14) Int 1 (+2) Cha 7 (+5) Alignment unaligned Languages —

L7: RANSACKED HOUSES Umber Hulk (U) Level 12 Elite Soldier Large natural magical beast XP 1,400 HP 248; Bloodied 124 Initiative +11 AC 30; Fortitude 33; Reflex 28; Will 27 Perception +13 Speed 5, burrow 2 (tunneling) Darkvision, Tremorsense 5 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw * At-Will

Requirement: The umber hulk must not have a creature grabbed. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage.

M Double Attack * At-Will

Effect: The umber hulk uses claw twice. If both attacks hit the same target, the umber hulk grabs the target (escape DC 20).

M Rending Claws * At-Will

Effect: Melee 2 (one creature grabbed by the umber hulk). The target takes 40 damage. MINOR ACTIONS C Confusing Gaze * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +15 vs. Will Hit: The umber hulk slides the target up to 5 squares, and the target is dazed until the end of the umber hulk's next turn. Str 26 (+14) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 14 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 5 (+3) Cha 11 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages —

2 Dragonborn Raiders (D) Level 13 Skirmisher Medium natural humanoid (dragonborn) XP 800 HP 129; Bloodied 65 Initiative +13 AC 27; Fortitude 23; Reflex 24; Will 21 Perception +13 Speed 7 TRAITS Combat Advantage The dragonborn raider deals an extra 1d6 damage on melee


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and ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. STANDARD ACTIONS m Katar (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC; +19 while bloodied Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage (crit 3d8 + 12).

M Twin Katar Strike (weapon) * At-Will

Effect: If the dragonborn raider doesn’t take a move action on its turn, it shifts 1 square and makes two katar attacks, or vice versa. MOVE ACTIONS Infiltrating Stride * Recharge after the dragonborn raider attacks two different enemies with twin katar strike Effect: The dragonborn raider shifts 3 squares. MINOR ACTIONS C Dragon Breath (acid) * Encounter

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 9 acid damage. OTHER POWERS Dragonborn Fury * only while bloodied

Effect: A dragonborn gains a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls while bloodied. Skills History +8, Intimidate +9, Stealth +16 Str 18 (+10) Dex 21 (+11) Wis 14 (+8) Con 17 (+9) Int 10 (+6) Cha 12 (+7) Alignment any Languages Common, Draconic Equipment leather armor, katar x2

Deepspawn Nightmare (N) Level 17 Lurker Medium natural humanoid (reptile) XP 1,600 HP 128; Bloodied 64 Initiative +17 AC 31; Fortitude 29; Reflex 29; Will 29 Perception +8 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Darkvision Resist 10 psychic TRAITS Regeneration The deepspawn nightmare regains 10 hit points whenever it

starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. When the deepspawn nightmare takes radiant damage, its regeneration does not function on its next turn. Nightmarish Torment (psychic) If the deepspawn nightmare’s melee attack hits an enemy it is copying with nightmare form or a sleeping target, that target takes ongoing 10 psychic damage (save ends) in addition to the attack’s other effects. STANDARD ACTIONS m Death Spear (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 9 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).

M Tail (sleep) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 12 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is dazed and slowed (save ends both). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target falls unconscious (save ends).

Nightmare Form (polymorph) * At-Will

Effect: The deepspawn nightmare can alter its physical form to appear as an enemy of its choice. While the nightmare is adjacent to that enemy, roll 1d20 whenever a melee or ranged attack targets the nightmare. On a roll of 10 or higher, the attack instead targets the copied enemy. The copied enemy’s attacks are not subject to this effect. Skills Acrobatics +18, Bluff +18, Stealth +18, Thievery +18 Str 19 (+12) Dex 20 (+13) Wis 11 (+8) Con 20 (+13) Int 13 (+9) Cha 20 (+13) Alignment evil Languages Common, Deep Speech, Equipment +4 death spear Draconic

Abyssal Breach Level 12 Lurker

Attack

Standard Action Ranged 20 Special: The breach fires a tendril of energy that passes through walls and other cover to target a bloodied creature.

Target: One bloodied creature Attack: +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 3 necrotic damage, and the target vanishes until the start of the Abyssal breach’s next turn. Then the creature reappears and takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target does not disappear.


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L8: BARRACKS Commander Zaknoril Level 14 Elite Soldier Medium natural humanoid, drow XP 2,000 HP 266; Bloodied 133 Initiative +11 AC 31; Fortitude 27; Reflex 26; Will 25 Perception +7 Speed 6 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS

Combat Leader * Aura 10

All allies within the area who can see and hear Zaknoril gain a +2 power bonus to initiative. STANDARD ACTIONS m Longsword (weapon) * At-Will


M Commander's Strike (martial, weapon) * At-Will

Effect: Zaknoril chooses one ally who can see and hear him to make a melee basic attack against a target. On a hit, the ally deals an extra 4 damage.

M Surprise Attack (martial, weapon) * Encounter

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage. Effect: An ally within 5 squares of Zaknoril makes a basic attack with combat advantage and a +4 bonus to the attack roll as a free action against a target of its choice.

M Beat Them into the Ground (martial, weapon) * Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d8 + 10 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Every ally within 5 squares of Zaknoril makes a basic attack with a +4 bonus to one target of its choice as a free action. These attacks deal no damage but knock a target prone on a hit. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of Zaknoril’s next turn, all attacks against the

target have combat advantage, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

M Inspiring Word (martial, healing) * Recharge 6

Effect: Zaknoril or one ally in a close burst 10 heals 20 hit points.

Tactical Shift (martial) * At-Will

Effect: Zaknoril chooses one ally who can see and hear him. That ally can shift up to 5 squares.

House Insignia * Encounter

Effect: Zaknoril gains concealment until the end of the encounter. Skills Diplomacy +15, History +16, Intimidate +12, Stealth +11 Str 20 (+12) Dex 14 (+9) Wis 11 (+7) Con 13 (+8) Int 18 (+11) Cha 16 (+10) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment +4 house insignia, chainmail, longsword, light shield

Drow Blademaster (B) Level 13 Elite Skirmisher Medium fey humanoid XP 1 600 HP 248; Bloodied 124 Initiative +13 AC 30; Fortitude 25; Reflex 28; Will 24 Perception +12 Speed 6 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Longsword (weapon) * At-Will


m Short Sword (weapon) * At-Will


M Blade Mastery (weapon) * At-Will

Effect: The drow blademaster makes one longsword attack and one short sword attack.

M Excruciating Stab (weapon) * Recharge 5 6

Requirements: Requires longsword.

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 4d8 + 9 damage, and the target is stunned (save ends).

C Whirlwind Attack (weapon) * Recharge 4 5 6

Effect: Close burst 1; the drow blademaster makes a longsword attack against each adjacent enemy. He can make a secondary attack using his short sword against any enemy he hits. MINOR ACTIONS C Cloud of Darkness (zone) * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the drow's next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except the drow. While entirely within the cloud, any creature other than the drow is blinded. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Whirling Riposte (weapon) * At-Will

Trigger: When the blademaster's movement draws an opportunity attack. Effect (Free): The drow blademaster makes a longsword attack against the triggering attacker. Skills Acrobatics +16, Dungeoneering +12, Intimidate +14, Stealth +18 Str 15 (+8) Dex 21 (+11) Wis 13 (+7) Con 12 (+7) Int 12 (+7) Cha 12 (+7) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment scale armor, longsword, short sword

4 Drow Spiderguard (D) Level 12 Skirmisher Medium fey humanoid XP 700 HP 118; Bloodied 59 Initiative +11 AC 26; Fortitude 24; Reflex 22; Will 19 Perception +10 Speed 6 Darkvision TRAITS Combat Advantage A spiderguard deals an extra 2d6 damage on melee and ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. STANDARD ACTIONS m Longsword (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC


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Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the spiderguard's next turn.

M Spider Bite Strike (poison, weapon) * Encounter

Requirements: Requires longsword. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends) and is dazed until the end of the spiderguard’s next turn. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of the drow spiderguard’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

Lolth's Guidance * Recharge 6

Effect: The spiderguard gains combat advantage against an adjacent creature until the end of its next turn. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Combat Opportunist (weapon) * At-Will

Trigger: When adjacent creature shifts. Effect (Immediate Reaction): Make a longsword attack against the triggering creature, and that creature immediately ends its movement. Skills Dungeoneering +10, Intimidate +13 Str 23 (+12) Dex 18 (+10) Wis 11 (+6) Con 14 (+8) Int 11 (+6) Cha 13 (+7) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment chainmail, light shield, longsword

L9: RUINED NOBLE HOUSE Immolith (I) Level 15 Controller Large elemental magical beast (demon, fire, undead) XP 1,200 HP 153; Bloodied 77 Initiative +10 AC 27; Fortitude 28; Reflex 24; Will 25 Perception +9 Speed 6 Immune disease, fire, poison; Vulnerable 10 radiant

TRAITS Flaming Aura (fire) * Aura 1

Any creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura takes 10 fire damage.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw (fire) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 4 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 10 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).

M Fiery Grab (fire) * At-Will

Effect: The immolith makes a claw attack (see above) against a Large or smaller target. On a hit, the target slides into a square adjacent to the immolith and is grabbed (until escape). While grabbed, the target loses any resistance it has to fire. An immolith can hold up to five grabbed creatures using this power.

MINOR ACTIONS R Deathfire Curse (fire) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Will Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). Aftereffect: The target takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).

Vigor of the Grave (healing) * At-Will (1/round)

Effect: Close burst 5; undead in the burst (including the immolith) regain 10 hit points.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS Variable Resistance * 2/Encounter

Trigger: The immolith takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The immolith gains resist 10 to the triggering

damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Str 22 (+13) Dex 16 (+10) Wis 15 (+9) Con 25 (+14) Int 9 (+6) Cha 18 (+11) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

Husk Spider (H) Level 14 Elite Brute Large natural animate (undead) XP 2,000 HP 344; Bloodied 172 Initiative +13 AC 26; Fortitude 29; Reflex 26; Will 21 Perception +13 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Tremorsense 10 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

STANDARD ACTIONS m Horrific Bite * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 12 damage, and the target gains vulnerable 5 necrotic (save ends).

M Flurry of Bites * At-Will

Effect: The husk spider makes two horrific bite attacks, each against a different target.

C Rotting Webs * Recharge 6

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: Target is slowed, and takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends both).

MINOR ACTIONS C Web of Souls (fear) * Encounter

Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in burst); +17 vs. Will Hit: Push 3 and immobilize target until the end of the husk spider's next turn. Skills Stealth +18 Str 28 (+16) Dex 21 (+12) Wis 12 (+8) Con 22 (+13) Int 1 (+2) Cha 1 (+2) Alignment chaotic evil Languages —


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4 Mezzodemon Warriors (M) Level 13 Soldier Medium elemental humanoid (demon) XP 800 HP 129; Bloodied 64 Initiative +11 AC 29; Fortitude 27; Reflex 24; Will 25 Perception +15 Speed 6 Darkvision Resist 20 poison

STANDARD ACTIONS m Trident (weapon) * At-Will

Requirements: Requires trident. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage.

M Skewering Tines (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, ongoing 5 damage and the target is restrained (save ends both). While the target is restrained, the mezzodemon can't make trident attacks.

C Poison Breath (poison) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in blast); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 9 poison damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

TRIGGERED ACTIONS Variable Resistance * 2/Encounter

Trigger: The mezzodemon takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The mezzodemon gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Skills Intimidate +12 Str 24 (+13) Dex 17 (+9) Wis 18 (+10) Con 17 (+9) Int 10 (+6) Cha 13 (+7) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal Equipment trident

11 Evistro Rampagers (E) Level 11 Minion Brute Medium elemental humanoid (demon) XP 150 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +8 AC 21; Fortitude 23, Reflex 19, Will 19 Perception +8 Speed 6 Darkvision TRAITS Carnage The carnage demon gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks if it has one or more allies adjacent to its target (+3 if one of these allies is another carnage demon). This bonus stacks with combat advantage. STANDARD ACTIONS m Claws * At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 13 damage. Str 24 (+12) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 16 (+8) Con 23 (+11) Int 7 (+3) Cha 9 (+4) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

L10: SLAVER COMPLEX Abyssal Ghoul (G) Level 16 Skirmisher Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 156; Bloodied 78 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic

TRAITS Sepulchral Stench * Aura 3

Enemies take a -2 penalty to all defenses while in the aura. Hindering Light Whenever the ghoul takes radiant damage, it cannot shift until the end of its next turn.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite * At-Will


Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, plus 1d8 + 3 damage if the target is immobilized, restrained, stunned, or unconscious. In addition the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect: The ghoul shifts up to 3 squares.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic) * Encounter

Trigger: The ghoul drops to 0 hit points. Effect: Close burst 1 (enemies in burst); Each target takes 10 necrotic damage. Skills Stealth +19 Str 24 (+15) Dex 22 (+14) Wis 15 (+10) Con 20 (+13) Int 16 (+11) Cha 10 (+8) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal






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Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 11 damage and target is grabbed until it escapes (DC 20) or teleports.



Mithrenda (M) Level 11 Skirmisher Medium fey magical beast (shunned, spider) XP 600 HP 110; Bloodied 55 Initiative +10 AC 25; Fortitude 23; Reflex 22; Will 17 Perception +10 Speed 6 Darkvision, Tremorsense 10 Resist 10 poison



R Fling Web * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: Target is immobilized (save ends).

R Drag * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one immobilized creature); +14 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage and pull target 2 squares. If the mithrenda hits with this attack, it can use hideous bite against the target as a minor action.

M Hideous Bite (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one immobilized creature); +16 vs. AC

Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends). Skills Dungeoneering +10, Intimidate +8, Stealth +15 Str 23 (+11) Dex 20 (+10) Wis 11 (+5) Con 14 (+7) Int 8 (+4) Cha 6 (+3) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven

L11: TRAITOR’S VILLA Lareen, Vampire Lord Level 16 Elite Controller Medium fey humanoid (undead), drow XP 2,800 HP 302; Bloodied 151 Initiative +14 AC 30; Fortitude 29; Reflex 28; Will 28 Perception +17 Speed 7, climb 4 (spider climb) Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

TRAITS Burned by Sunlight (radiant) Whenever Lareen starts its turn in direct sunlight, she takes 10 radiant damage. Regeneration Lareen regains 10 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. When Lareen takes radiant damage, her regeneration does not function on her next turn.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Touch of Grief * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of Lareen’s next turn.

A Blood Feast * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in burst); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). In addition, all undead within burst can shift 1 square.

M Blood Drain (healing) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one dazed, dominated, stunned, or unconscious

creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 5d10 + 9 damage, and Lareen regains 40 hit points.

MOVE ACTIONS Eladrin Boots (teleportation) * Encounter

Effect: Lareen teleports 5 squares. MINOR ACTIONS

R Dominating Gaze (charm) * Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +21 vs. Will Hit: The target is dominated until the end of Lareen’s next turn.

M Cloud of Darkness * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of Lareen's next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except Lareen. While entirely within the cloud, any creature other than Lareen is blinded.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS Mist Form (polymorph) * Encounter

Trigger: Lareen takes damage while bloodied. Effect (No Action): Lareen becomes insubstantial and gains fly 12. Lareen cannot attack or use cloud of darkness. This effect lasts for 1 hour or until Lareen ends it as a minor action. Skills Bluff +21, Intimidate +21, Stealth +19 Str 20 (+13) Dex 22 (+14) Wis 18 (+12) Con 15 (+10) Int 16 (+11) Cha 27 (+16) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment eladrin boots

8 Drow Vampire Spawns (V) Level 12 Minion Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 175 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +8 AC 26; Fortitude 23; Reflex 24; Will 23 Perception +6 Speed 7, climb 4 (spider climb) Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic

TRAITS Destroyed by Sunlight A vampire spawn that begins its turn in direct sunlight can take only a single move action on its turn. If it ends the turn in direct


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sunlight, it burns to ash and is destroyed. STANDARD ACTIONS

m Claw (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 10 necrotic damage (12 necrotic damage against a bloodied target). Str 14 (+7) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 12 (+6) Con 14 (+7) Int 10 (+7) Cha 14 (+7) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven

Sword Wraith (W) Level 17 Lurker Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 1,600 HP 90; Bloodied 45 Initiative +19 AC 30; Fortitude 29; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +14 Speed 0, fly 8 (hover), speed 0 phasing Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerable 10 radiant

TRAITS Combat Advantage (necrotic) The sword wraith deals 2d6 extra necrotic damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Regeneration (healing) The sword wraith regains 10 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. If the sword wraith takes radiant damage, its regeneration doesn’t function until the end of its next turn. Spawn Wraith Any humanoid killed by the sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Shadow Sword (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).

MOVE ACTIONS Shadow Glide * Encounter

Effect: The wraith shifts 6 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS

M Death Strike (necrotic)


2 Wailing Ghosts (Banshees) (G) Level 12 Controller Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 700 HP 81; Bloodied 40 Initiative +8 AC 24; Fortitude 23; Reflex 23; Will 24 Perception +13 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Darkvision Immune disease, poison

TRAITS Insubstantial The ghost takes only half damage from any damage source except those that deal force damage.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Spirit Touch (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage.

R Death’s Visage (fear, psychic) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +15 vs. Will Hit: 3d6 + 9 psychic damage Effect: The target takes a -2 penalty to all defenses (save ends).

C Terrifying Shriek (fear, psychic) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in burst); +15 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 6 psychic damage, the banshee pushes the target up to 5 squares, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Skills Stealth +13

Str 14 (+8) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 13 (+7) Int 10 (+6) Cha 17 (+9) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

L12: TEMPLAR CHAPEL Web Golem Thresher (W) Level 14 Elite Soldier Large natural animate (construct) XP 2,000 HP 284; Bloodied 142 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 21 Perception +9 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 9 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the web golem thresher’s next turn.

M Double Slam * At-Will

Effect: The web golem thresher makes two slam attacks.

C Spit Web * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immobilized (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Catch and Release * At-Will

Trigger: When a marked target shifts. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the web golem thresher slides the target 5 squares and knocks it prone. Str 20 (+12) Dex 25 (+14) Wis 14 (+9) Con 22 (+13) Int 5 (+4) Cha 9 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages —


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Maarth, Drow Assassin (M) Level 16 Lurker Medium fey humanoid XP 1,400 HP 114; Bloodied 57 Initiative +20 AC 30; Fortitude 24; Reflex 28; Will 23 Perception +14 Speed 7 Darkvision TRAITS Shadow Essence (poison) A creature hit by a weapon coated in shadow essence takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is also weakened (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is blinded until the end of the encounter. STANDARD ACTIONS m Dagger (poison, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 4d4 + 9 damage, and shadow essence.

r Dagger (poison, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 5/10 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 4d4 + 9 damage, and shadow essence. MINOR ACTIONS C Cloud of Darkness * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of Maarth's next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except Maarth. While entirely within the cloud, any creature other than Maarth is blinded. Skills Intimidate +16, Stealth +21 Str 19 (+12) Dex 26 (+16) Wis 13 (+9) Con 12 (+9) Int 14 (+10) Cha 16 (+11) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment dagger x8, leather armor

2 Drow Templars (T) Level 16 Soldier Medium fey humanoid XP 1,400 HP 150; Bloodied 75 Initiative +11 AC 32; Fortitude 28; Reflex 22; Will 25 Perception +15 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune fear TRAITS

Whispers of the Spider Queen The drow templar gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against a bloodied target. STANDARD ACTIONS m Spear (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 10 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the drow templar’s next turn.

C Wrath of Lolth * Recharge when first bloodied

Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d10 + 9 poison damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends), and the target is pushed 1 square. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Fierce Rebuke (weapon) * At-Will

Requirements: Requires spear. Trigger: When an adjacent marked target shifts. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Skills Intimidate +17 Str 24 (+15) Dex 12 (+9) Wis 15 (+10) Con 14 (+10) Int 8 (+7) Cha 19 (+12) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment plate armor, spear

Lolth's Brutal Swarm Level 17 Soldier Large natural beast (spider, swarm) XP 1,600 HP 162; Bloodied 81 Initiative +18 AC 33; Fortitude 29; Reflex 32; Will 28 Perception +12 Speed 8, climb 6 (spider climb) Truesight 10 Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable 10 to close and area attacks. TRAITS

Swarm Attack * Aura 1

Lolth’s brutal swarm makes a basic attack as a free action against each enemy that begins its turn in the aura. In addition, an enemy that enters or starts its turn in the aura is immobilized (save ends) by strands of clinging webs.

Swarm The swarm can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter its space, which is difficult terrain. The swarm cannot be pulled, pushed, or slid by melee or ranged attacks. It can squeeze through any opening that is large enough for at least one of the creatures it comprises. STANDARD ACTIONS m Swarm of Fangs (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

C Venom Burst (poison) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close burst 3 (creatures in burst); +20 vs. Fortitude Hit: Enemies in burst take 3d10 + 15 poison damage, and are weakened (save ends). Skills Stealth +21 Str 20 (+13) Dex 26 (+16) Wis 18 (+12) Con 18 (+12) Int 2 (+4) Cha 9 (+7) Alignment chaotic evil Languages —


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Maarth the Assassin

L13: EMBATTLED RUINS 2 Vrocks (V) Level 13 Skirmisher Large elemental humanoid (demon) XP 800 HP 132; Bloodied 66 Initiative +12 AC 27; Fortitude 25; Reflex 23; Will 23 Perception +13 Speed 6, fly 8 Darkvision STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw * At-Will


M Flyby Attack * At-Will

Effect: The vrock flies up to its speed and uses claw once during that movement. It does not provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Spores of Madness (poison) * Encounter

Trigger: The vrock is first bloodied. Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +16 vs. Will Hit: 3d10 + 6 poison damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage.


Trigger: The vrock takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The vrock gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Skills Bluff +15, Insight +13 Str 23 (+12) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 15 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 12 (+7) Cha 19 (+10) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

Ghoul Eyebiter (E) Level 16 Controller (Leader) Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 151; Bloodied 76 Initiative +7 AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 27; Will 29 Perception +9 Speed 6, climb 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS


Enemies in the aura take a -2 penalty to all defenses. Rotten Harvest (conjuration) Whenever a creature weakened by a ghoul eyebiter is reduced to 0 hit points, the ghoul eyebiter conjures four drow horde ghouls. These minions appear in a space adjacent to the ghoul eyebiter. The ghoul eyebiter can have up to four drow horde ghouls at a time. The minions disappear if the eyebiter dies. STANDARD ACTIONS m Serrated Claws * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, and ongoing 5 damage and slowed (save ends both).

C Eye of Doresain (necrotic) * Recharge 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). For every creature the ghoul eyebiter hits with the attack, it gains 5 temporary hit points.

C Deathly Snarl * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); undead allies remove a condition as if they had succeeded on a saving throw and can shift 2 squares. Those without a condition gain 10 temporary hit points and can shift 2 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dead Blood (necrotic)

Trigger: When first bloodied and when reduced to 0 hit points. Effect (Free): Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); all enemies in the burst take 10 necrotic damage, and if the ghoul eyebiter is still alive, they are dazed until the end of the ghoul eyebiter’s next


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turn. Skills Insight +14, Stealth +12 Str 21 (+13) Dex 15 (+10) Wis 16 (+11) Con 15 (+10) Int 12 (+9) Cha 24 (+15) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common




Abyssal Breach Level 12 Lurker

Attack

Standard Action Ranged 20 Special: The breach fires a tendril of energy that passes through walls and other cover to target a bloodied creature. Target: One bloodied creature Attack: +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 3 necrotic damage, and the target vanishes until the start of the Abyssal breach’s next turn. Then the creature reappears and takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target does not disappear.

L14: TEMPLE ENTRANCE Drow Priest (P) Level 15 Controller (Leader) Medium fey humanoid XP 1,200 HP 139; Bloodied 70 Initiative +9 AC 28; Fortitude 24; Reflex 26; Will 28 Perception +12 Speed 7 Darkvision TRAITS

Lolth’s Authority * Aura sight

Drow and spider allies in the aura gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls. STANDARD ACTIONS m Mace (weapon) * At-Will


m Bite of the Spider * At-Will

Requirements: Usable while bloodied. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 13 damage.

R Pain Web (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 10 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized and weakened (save ends both).

A Lolth's Wrath (necrotic) * Recharge 6

Attack: Area burst 5 centered on a bloodied and willing drow ally (enemies in burst); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 4d12 + 9 necrotic damage. The drow targeted by this power is slain. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of the drow priest’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attacks, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

Spider Link (healing) * At-Will

Effect: The drow priest can transfer up to 22 points of damage

she has taken to a spider or a drow within 5 squares of her. She cannot transfer more hit points than the creature has remaining. Skills Bluff +17, Insight +17, Intimidate +19, Religion +15, Stealth +10 Str 12 (+8) Dex 15 (+9) Wis 21 (+12) Con 11 (+7) Int 16 (+10) Cha 20 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment chainmail, mace

3 Drow Templars (T) Level 16 Soldier Medium fey humanoid XP 1,400 HP 150; Bloodied 75 Initiative +11 AC 32; Fortitude 28; Reflex 22; Will 25 Perception +15 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune fear TRAITS Whispers of the Spider Queen The drow templar gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against a bloodied target. STANDARD ACTIONS m Spear (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 10 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the drow templar’s next turn.

C Wrath of Lolth * Recharge when first bloodied

Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d10 + 9 poison damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends), and the target is pushed 1 square. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Fierce Rebuke (weapon) * At-Will

Requirements: Requires spear. Trigger: When an adjacent marked target shifts. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Skills Intimidate +17 Str 24 (+15) Dex 12 (+9) Wis 15 (+10) Con 14 (+10) Int 8 (+7) Cha 19 (+12)


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Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment plate armor, spear

Drow Arachnomancer Level 13 Artillery (Leader) Medium fey humanoid XP 800 HP 94; Bloodied 47 Initiative +8 AC 27; Fortitude 23; Reflex 25; Will 25 Perception +13 Speed 6 Darkvision TRAITS Lolth’s Judgement Whenever the drow hits an enemy with an attack, any spiders within sight of the drow gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against that enemy until the end of the drow's next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Scourge (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

R Venom Ray (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 4 poison damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

R Spider Curse (necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +18 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened and takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends both). Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

C Venom Blast (poison) * Encounter

Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in blast); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6 + 10 poison damage. Miss: Half damage. MINOR ACTIONS C Cloud of Darkness (zone) * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the drow's next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except the drow. While entirely within the cloud, any creature other than the drow is blinded.

Skills Arcana +14, Dungeoneering +13, Intimidate +8, Stealth +10 Str 10 (+6) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 10 (+6) Int 16 (+9) Cha 11 (+6) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment robes, scourge

Gauntlet Trap Level 14 Elite Obstacle

Attack

Free Action Ranged 2 Target: Creature on pressure plate Attack: +17 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and make a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 7 poison damage, and the target is dazed and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both). Miss: Half damage, and no secondary attack.

L15 CHAMBERS OF SUFFERING 2 Ogre Executioners (O) Level 14 Brute Large natural humanoid XP 1,000 HP 173; Bloodied 86 Initiative +9 AC 26; Fortitude 27; Reflex 25; Will 24 Perception +10 Speed 8 TRAITS Finish Him Against prone, immobilized, or restrained targets, the ogre executioner can score critical hits on attack rolls of natural 19 or 20. STANDARD ACTIONS m Executioner's Blade (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 3d12 + 8 damage, and the target is knocked prone. On a critical hit, the target takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends).

M Savage Cut (weapon) * Encounter

Requirements: Requires executioner's blade. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 4d12 + 8 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Str 23 (+13) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 17 (+10) Con 23 (+13) Int 8 (+6) Cha 6 (+5) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Elven, Giant Equipment executioner's blade, hide armor

Yochlol Tempter (Y) Level 17 Controller Medium elemental humanoid (demon, shapechanger) XP 1,600 HP 158; Bloodied 79 Initiative +14 AC 31; Fortitude 27; Reflex 29; Will 30 Perception +18 Speed 6, climb 8 (spider climb) Darkvision Resist 10 poison STANDARD ACTIONS m Demon Form * Tentacle • At-Will


M Demon Form * Amorphous Flurry * At-Will

Effect: The yochlol tempter makes four tentacle attacks. A target hit by two or more tentacle attacks takes a -4 penalty to Will (save ends).

A Demon Form * Maddening Web (psychic) * Recharge 4 5 6 while bloodied

Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (enemies in burst); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is immobilized and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).

m Drow Form * Spider Touch (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends).

r Drow Form * Venom Bolt (poison) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage, and the target is slowed and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both).


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MINOR ACTIONS Shapechange (polymorph) * At-Will

Effect: The yochlol tempter alters its physical form to appear as a Medium female drow until it uses change shape again or until it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individual's form, the yochlol tempter must have seen that individual. Other creatures can make a DC 36 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise.

R Drow Form * Seductive Glare (charm, reliable) * Recharge when the target saves (1/round) Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is stunned (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is dominated (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS Variable Resistance * 2/Encounter

Trigger: The yochlol tempter takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The yochlol tempter gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Skills Bluff +20, Intimidate +20, Religion +17, Stealth +19 Str 18 (+12) Dex 23 (+14) Wis 21 (+13) Con 14 (+10) Int 19 (+12) Cha 24 (+15) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven

Drow Demonbinder (D) Level 15 Skirmisher Medium fey humanoid (demon) XP 1,200 HP 153; Bloodied 77 Initiative +12 AC 29; Fortitude 31; Reflex 27; Will 30 Perception +7 Speed 7 Darkvision STANDARD ACTIONS m Demon Rod (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

Miss: The demonbinder can shift 1 square as a free action.

R Abyssal Blast * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Hideous Transformation (fear, polymorph)

Trigger: When first bloodied. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Will Hit: Target is stunned until the end of the demonbinder’s next turn. In addition, the demonbinder can shift 3 squares.

Variable Resistance * Encounter

Trigger: The drow demonbinder takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The drow demonbinder gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter. Str 10 (+7) Dex 16 (+10) Wis 11 (+7) Con 25 (+14) Int 20 (+12) Cha 13 (+8) Alignment evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment demon rod, leather armor

Drow Inquisitor (I) Level 15 Soldier Medium fey humanoid XP 1,200 HP 147; Bloodied 74 Initiative +10 AC 31; Fortitude 27; Reflex 23; Will 26 Perception +17 Speed 6 Darkvision TRAITS

Despair * Aura 1

Enemies within the aura take a -2 penalty to attack rolls, and marked enemies within the aura are slowed. Sadistic Reward During any round in which the drow inquisitor deals damage, it gains a +1 bonus to saving throws and attack rolls until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Scourge (weapon) * At-Will


Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the drow inquisitor’s next turn.

M Punishing Strike * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one marked target); +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of the drow inquisitor’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Not So Fast * At-Will

Trigger: When a marked target moves or shifts. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target is pulled 1 square and is dazed until the end of its next turn. Skills Intimidate +16, Stealth +13 Str 23 (+13) Dex 12 (+8) Wis 20 (+12) Con 19 (+11) Int 14 (+9) Cha 18 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven Equipment chainmail, scourge, light shield


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L16: DEMON QUEEN’S VAULT Matron Urlvrain (M) Level 16 Elite Controller Medium fey humanoid XP 2,800 HP 304; Bloodied 152 Initiative +12 AC 32; Fortitude 25; Reflex 30; Will 30 Perception +16 Speed 7 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS

Lolth’s Authority * Aura 5

Drow and spider allies in the aura gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls. STANDARD ACTIONS m Mace (weapon) * At-Will


A Webs of Madness (psychic) * At-Will

Attack: Area burst 2 within 20 (creatures in burst); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d10 + 8 psychic damage, and the target is dazed and slowed (save ends both). MINOR ACTIONS A Lolth's Rebuke (poison) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in burst); +19 vs. Will Hit: Target is weakened and dazed (save ends both). If the target is slain while weakened and dazed, it explodes in a burst 3: +17 vs. Reflex; 3d12 + 11 poison damage.

R Darkfire * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of Matron Urlvrain’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

Spider Link (healing) * At-Will

Effect: Matron Urlvrain can transfer up to 75 damage she has taken to a spider or drow within 5 squares of her. She cannot transfer more hit points than the creature has remaining. TRIGGERED ACTIONS

M Wrath of the Spider Queen * At-Will

Trigger: When hit by a melee attack. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage.

Mask of the Matriarch (fear) * Encounter

Trigger: When Matron Urlvrain is targeted by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The target moves its speed away from Matron Urlvrain. Skills Bluff +19, Insight +21, Intimidate +19, Religion +21, Stealth +17 Str 14 (+10) Dex 18 (+12) Wis 27 (+16) Con 16 (+11) Int 26 (+16) Cha 22 (+14) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven Equipment chainmail, mace, potion of vitality x2, mask of the matriarch

2 Cave Widows (W) Level 14 Skirmisher Medium natural beast (spider) XP 1,000 HP 144; Bloodied 72 Initiative +13 AC 28; Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 21 Perception +16 Speed 6, climb 4 (spider climb) Tremorsense 10 Resist 10 poison STANDARD ACTIONS m Bite (poison) * At-Will


Trigger: When damaged. Effect (Immediate Reaction): A cave widow shifts 3 squares. Skills Stealth +16 Str 20 (+12) Dex 19 (+11) Wis 14 (+9) Con 24 (+14) Int 1 (+2) Cha 7 (+5)

Alignment unaligned Languages —

Draegloth (D) Level 13 Elite Brute Large elemental humanoid (demon) XP 1,600 HP 316; Bloodied 158 Initiative +10 AC 27; Fortitude 29; Reflex 26; Will 24 Perception +11 Speed 6, jump 5 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 STANDARD ACTIONS m Claws * At-Will


M Sweeping Claw * At-Will

Effect: The draegloth makes a claw attack; on a hit, it can make another claw attack against a different target that is within reach and adjacent to the first target.

A Lolth's Blight (necrotic) * Daily

Attack: Area burst 4 within 20 (enemies in burst); +17 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is not dazed. MINOR ACTIONS R Darkfire (radiant) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: Until the end of the draegloth's next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.

C Cloud of Darkness (zone) * Encounter

Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the draegloth's next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except the draegloth. While entirely within the cloud, any creature other than the draegloth is blinded. TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Quick Bite * At-Will

Trigger: When the draegloth hits with a claw attack. Attack (Free): Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC


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Hit: 2d6 + 9 damage.


Trigger: The draegloth takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The draegloth gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Skills Religion +12, Stealth +15 Str 24 (+13) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 10 (+6) Con 18 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 16 (+9) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Elven

Venomscorched Eidolon (E) Level 13 Elite Controller Large natural animate (construct) XP 1,600 HP 264; Bloodied 132 Initiative +8 AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 22; Will 23 Perception +9 Speed 5 Immune disease, fear, sleep Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 TRAITS

Fearless Followers * Aura 5

Allies in the aura are immune to fear. STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam * At-Will


C Toxic Assault (poison) * At-Will

Attack: The eidolon makes two slam attacks. If both slam attacks hit the same target, the eidolon makes a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 5 poison damage and the target is slowed (save ends).

Unhallowed Stance (poison) * At-Will

Effect: The eidolon assumes a meditative stance. Until the end of its next turn, the eidolon gains resist 20 to all damage, and all allies in its line of sight deal an extra 1d8 poison damage on

their melee attacks. If the eidolon moves, the effect ends. TRIGGERED ACTIONS R Toxic Rebuke

Trigger: When an enemy attacks the eidolon while unhallowed stance is active. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Ranged 20 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 8 poison damage. Miss: Half damage. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks.

R Storm of Death (necrotic) * At-Will

Trigger: When an enemy kills one of the eidolon’s allies in the eidolon’s line of sight. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Ranged 20 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target is blinded and takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends both). This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. Str 22 (+12) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 16 (+9) Con 20 (+11) Int 7 (+4) Cha 11 (+6) Alignment evil Languages —

V1: BRIDGE OF WEBS 2 Bodak Reavers (B) Level 18 Soldier Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 175; Bloodied 88 Initiative +16 AC 31; Fortitude 31; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +17 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS

Agonizing Gaze (fear, gaze, necrotic) * Aura 5

Any creature within the aura that makes a melee or a ranged attack against the bodak reaver takes 5 necrotic damage before the attack roll is made and takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Death Drinker

If a living creature drops to 0 hit points within 5 squares of the bodak reaver, the reaver gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of its next turn, as well as 15 temporary hit points. Radiant Sensitivity If the bodak reaver takes radiant damage, it can’t weaken a target until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Greataxe (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 7 damage (crit 2d12 + 18) plus 1d12 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed and weakened (save ends both).

R Death Gaze (gaze, necrotic) • Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one living creature); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: If the target is weakened, it drops to 0 hit points. Otherwise, the target takes 2d6 + 7 necrotic damage and loses a healing surge. Str 22 (+15) Dex 21 (+14) Wis 16 (+12) Con 23 (+15) Int 10 (+9) Cha 23 (+15) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment mithral key, plate armor, greataxe

2 Abyssal Ghouls (G) Level 16 Skirmisher Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 156; Bloodied 78 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic




Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, plus 1d8 + 3 damage if the target is


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immobilized, restrained, stunned, or unconscious. In addition the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect: The ghoul shifts up to 3 squares.



Cambion Hellfire Magus (S) Level 18 Artillery Medium immortal humanoid (devil) XP 2,000 HP 130; Bloodied 65 Initiative +14 AC 30; Fortitude 27; Reflex 30; Will 32 Perception +13 Speed 6, fly 8 (clumsy) Resist 15 fire TRAITS Soul Mantle A mantle of soul energy protects the hellfire magus, giving it a +4 bonus to AC and Reflex defense against ranged attacks (already included in its statistics). STANDARD ACTIONS m Quarterstaff (weapon) * At-Will


R Hellfire Ray (fire) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +23 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 13 fire damage, and the target is knocked prone.

A Soulscorch (fire) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in burst); +23 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 10 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Skills Arcana +20, Bluff +22, Diplomacy +22

Str 14 (+11) Dex 20 (+14) Wis 19 (+13) Con 16 (+12) Int 22 (+15) Cha 27 (+17) Alignment evil Languages Common, Supernal Equipment robes, quarterstaff

EXPLORING HORDETHRONE Nightwalker Level 20 Elite Brute Large shadow humanoid (undead) XP 5,600 HP 464; Bloodied 232 Initiative +15 AC 32; Fortitude 32; Reflex 30; Will 32 Perception +14 Speed 8 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 cold, 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 20 radiant Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

TRAITS Void Chill (cold, necrotic) * Aura 5

Enemies that start their turns in the aura take 5 cold and necrotic damage.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam (cold, necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +25 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 17 plus 3d8 cold and necrotic damage.

R Finger of Death (necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 5 (one bloodied target); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target drops to 0 hit points. Resistance to necrotic damage does not apply to this power.

MINOR ACTIONS C Void Gaze (gaze, necrotic) * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +23 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is pushed 4 squares and takes a -2 penalty to all defenses (save ends). Skills Stealth +20 Str 24 (+17) Dex 20 (+15) Wis 18 (+14) Con 22 (+16) Int 17 (+13) Cha 24 (+17)

Alignment evil Languages Common, telepathy 20

V4: BRIDGE OF BONES Bodak Skulk Level 16 Lurker Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 124; Bloodied 62 Initiative +16 AC 29; Fortitude 29; Reflex 27; Will 29 Perception +10 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 15 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

TRAITS Agonizing Gaze (fear, necrotic, gaze) * Aura 5

A creature in the aura that makes a melee or a ranged attack against the bodak skulk takes 5 necrotic damage before the attack roll is made and takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Radiant Sensitivity If the bodak skulk takes radiant damage, it can’t weaken a target until the end of its next turn.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 11 damage plus 2d8 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened until the end of the bodak skulk’s next turn.

M Death Gaze (gaze, necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one living creature); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: If the target is weakened, it is reduced to 0 hit points; otherwise, the target takes 1d8 + 9 necrotic damage and loses 1 healing surge.

Spectral Form * At-Will

Effect: The bodak skulk turns invisible and gains the insubstantial and phasing qualities . It can do nothing but move in spectral form, and it can return to its normal form as a free action. Str 21 (+13) Dex 19 (+12) Wis 15 (+10) Con 22 (+14) Int 6 (+6) Cha 23 (+14)


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Alignment evil Languages Common

2 Boneclaw Impalers (B) Level 17 Soldier Large shadow animate (undead) XP 1,600 HP 160; Bloodied 80 Initiative +17 AC 33; Fortitude 24; Reflex 27; Will 24 Perception +14 Speed 8 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

TRAITS Relentless Opportunist If the boneclaw hits with an opportunity attack, it makes another opportunity attack against the same target the next time it provokes during its current turn. Threatening Reach The boneclaw can make opportunity attacks against all enemies within its reach (3 squares).

STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw * At-Will


C Impaling Burst (necrotic) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in burst); +22 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 12 damage plus ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Necrotic Pulse (healing) * Encounter

Trigger: When first bloodied. Effect (Free): Close burst 10; undead allies in the burst regain 10 hit points, and enemies in the burst take 10 necrotic damage. Skills Intimidate +17, Stealth +20 Str 18 (+12) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 12 (+9) Con 16 (+11) Int 10 (+8) Cha 18 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Common

4 Abyssal Ghoul Hungerers (G) Level 18 Soldier Minion Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 500 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +18 AC 34; Fortitude 30; Reflex 29; Will 25 Perception +12 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 13 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).



Abyssal Ghoul (A) Level 16 Skirmisher Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 1,400 HP 156; Bloodied 78 Initiative +16 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 28; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic




Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 10 damage, plus 1d8 + 3 damage if the target is

immobilized, restrained, stunned, or unconscious. In addition the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect: The ghoul shifts up to 3 squares.



V5: GATE OF DEATH 2 Death Hags (H) Level 18 Soldier Medium fey humanoid XP 2,000 HP 171; Bloodied 86 Initiative +15 AC 34; Fortitude 34; Reflex 31; Will 32 Perception +12 Speed 6 Low-Light Vision Resist 10 necrotic

STANDARD ACTIONS m Claw (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 6 necrotic damage, and the target is marked and cannot spend healing surges or regain hit points until the end of the death hag's next turn.

C Life Drain (healing, necrotic) * Recharge 4 5 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 6 necrotic damage, and the death hag regains 5 hit points for each creature damaged by this attack.

MINOR ACTIONS Change Shape (polymorph) * At-Will

Effect: The death hag alters its physical form to appear as a female of any Medium humanoid race until it uses change shape again or until it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific


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individual's form, the death hag must have seen that individual. Other creatures can make a DC 35 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise. Skills Bluff +19, Insight +17, Intimidate +19, Nature +17 Str 25 (+16) Dex 18 (+13) Wis 17 (+12) Con 19 (+13) Int 16 (+12) Cha 20 (+14) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven

Bone Naga (N) Level 16 Elite Controller Large immortal magical beast (undead) XP 2,800 HP 320; Bloodied 160 Initiative +11 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 27; Will 28 Perception +13 Speed 7 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 radiant Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

TRAITS Death Rattle (necrotic) * Aura 2

Any enemy that ends its move in the aura is dazed until the start of its next turn. If the target is already dazed, it takes 10 necrotic damage instead.


Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d4 + 9 damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Aftereffect: The target is weakened until the end of its next turn.

C Death Sway (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Close burst 3 (nonblind creatures in burst); +19 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed (save ends). If the target is already dazed, it takes 3d6 + 10 necrotic damage instead. Skills Arcana +18, History +18, Insight +18, Religion +18 Str 22 (+14) Dex 16 (+11) Wis 20 (+13) Con 24 (+15) Int 20 (+13) Cha 22 (+14) Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Draconic, Supernal

Ghoul Gate Level 17 Blaster

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 3 Target: Each living creature in burst Attack: +20 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 9 damage, slide 3, and the target is immobilized until the end of the gate’s next turn.

V6: GUARD TOWER 2 Bodak Reavers (B) Level 18 Soldier Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 175; Bloodied 88 Initiative +16 AC 31; Fortitude 31; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +17 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant TRAITS

Agonizing Gaze (fear, gaze, necrotic) * Aura 5

Any creature within the aura that makes a melee or a ranged attack against the bodak reaver takes 5 necrotic damage before the attack roll is made and takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Death Drinker If a living creature drops to 0 hit points within 5 squares of the bodak reaver, the reaver gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of its next turn, as well as 15 temporary hit points. Radiant Sensitivity If the bodak reaver takes radiant damage, it can’t weaken a target until the end of its next turn. STANDARD ACTIONS m Greataxe (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 7 damage (crit 2d12 + 18) plus 1d12 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed and weakened (save ends both).

R Death Gaze (gaze, necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one living creature); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: If the target is weakened, it drops to 0 hit points. Otherwise, the target takes 2d6 + 7 necrotic damage and loses a healing surge. Str 22 (+15) Dex 21 (+14) Wis 16 (+12) Con 23 (+15) Int 10 (+9) Cha 23 (+15) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment mithral key, plate armor, greataxe

2 Sword Wraiths (W) Level 17 Lurker Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 1,600 HP 90; Bloodied 45 Initiative +19 AC 30; Fortitude 29; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +14 Speed 0, fly 8 (hover), speed 0 phasing Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerable 10 radiant

TRAITS Combat Advantage (necrotic) The sword wraith deals 2d6 extra necrotic damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Regeneration (healing) The sword wraith regains 10 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. If the sword wraith takes radiant damage, its regeneration doesn’t function until the end of its next turn. Spawn Wraith Any humanoid killed by the sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Shadow Sword (necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 12 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).

MOVE ACTIONS


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Shadow Glide * Encounter

Effect: The wraith shifts 6 squares. TRIGGERED ACTIONS

M Death Strike (necrotic)


2 Abyssal Ghoul Hungerers (G) Level 18 Soldier Minion Medium elemental humanoid (undead) XP 500 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +18 AC 34; Fortitude 30; Reflex 29; Will 25 Perception +12 Speed 8, climb 4 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 13 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).



V7: THE CAGES

Baaldran the Flayer (B) Level 18 Elite Controller Large natural humanoid (demon) XP 4,000 HP 350; Bloodied 175 Initiative +3 AC 32; Fortitude 32; Reflex 28; Will 30 Perception +12 Speed 8, fly 8 (hover) Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

STANDARD ACTIONS m Painblade (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 10 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

m Whip of Howling Souls (weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 4 (one creature); +21 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 9 damage, pull 4 and the target is knocked prone.

M Blade and Lash (weapon) * At-Will

Effect: Baaldran makes a whip of howling souls attack. He can make a painblade attack against the target if Baaldran pulls him within his painblade’s reach.

C Poison Breath (poison, zone) * Encounter

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 9 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage and the target is slowed (save ends both). Effect: The attack’s area becomes a zone that blocks line of sight and deals 10 poison damage to any creature that enters or begins its turn in the cloud. Baaldran ignores this damage and can see through the cloud. The cloud persists until the end of the encounter.

C Horrid Roar (fear, thunder) * Recharge 5 6 when bloodied Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 9 thunder damage, push 4, and the target is stunned until the end of Baaldran’s next turn.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Whip Crack (weapon) • At-Will Trigger: When attacked. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 4 (triggering creature);

+21 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 9 damage and -4 penalty to the interrupted attack. Str 24 (+16) Dex 17 (+12) Wis 16 (+12) Con 23 (+15) Int 12 (+10) Cha 21 (+14) Alignment evil Languages Common, Giant

3 Slaughter Wights (W) Level 18 Brute Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 212; Bloodied 106 Initiative +14 AC 30; Fortitude 30; Reflex 27; Will 26 Perception +13 Speed 7 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 15 radiant


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 necrotic damage, and the target loses a healing surge, and is weakened until the end of its next turn.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Death Wail (necrotic) * Encounter

Trigger: The wight drops to 0 hit points. Attack (No Action): Close Burst 5 (enemies in burst); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 4 necrotic damage. Effect: Each undead ally in the burst can make a basic attack as a free action. Str 26 (+17) Dex 20 (+14) Wis 9 (+8) Con 22 (+15) Int 12 (+10) Cha 18 (+13) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common


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Zombie Tombwalker Level 15 Minion Brute Medium natural animate (undead) XP 300 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion Initiative +9 AC 27; Fortitude 27; Reflex 24; Will 25 Perception +10 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison

STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 11 damage.

M Flesh Ripping Bite (necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 13 damage, plus ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Death Burst (necrotic)

Trigger: When reduced to 0 hit points the tombwalker explodes. Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +18 vs. Fortitude Hit: 11 necrotic damage. Str 20 (+12) Dex 14 (+9) Wis 12 (+8) Con 15 (+9) Int 9 (+6) Cha 8 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages —

V8: PLAZA OF HOWLING SKULLS 2 Howling Skulls (H) Level 16 Blaster

Attack

Standard Action Close burst 5 Target: Each enemy in burst Attack: +19 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 7 damage, push 2, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

Arath Nightcaller (A) Level 18 Controller (Leader) Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 166; Bloodied 83 Initiative +9 AC 32; Fortitude 28; Reflex 28; Will 31 Perception +15 Speed 5 Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

TRAITS Gleeful Damage Arath deals an extra 1d10 damage on melee attacks against immobilized targets.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Ghoul Strike (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and target is immobilized (save ends).

M Blood Drain (healing) * Recharge when an adjacent creature becomes bloodied Requirements: Requires combat advantage. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d10 + 11 damage, the target is weakened (save ends), and Arath regains 40 hit points.

R Ghoul Curse (polymorph) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +21 vs. Will Hit: The target is dominated (save ends). While dominated, the target deals an extra 1d8 with its basic melee attack. In addition, the dominated target’s attack immobilizes its target on a hit (save ends).

MOVE ACTIONS Shadow Step (teleportation) * At-Will

Effect: Arath teleports 5 squares. Skills Arcana +17, Intimidate +17, Religion +17 Str 17 (+12) Dex 11 (+9) Wis 22 (+15) Con 14 (+11) Int 16 (+12) Cha 17 (+12) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal, Common Equipment unholy symbol of orcus, staff implement, plate armor

Nightwalker (N) Level 20 Elite Brute Large shadow humanoid (undead) XP 5,600 HP 464; Bloodied 232 Initiative +15 AC 32; Fortitude 32; Reflex 30; Will 32 Perception +14 Speed 8 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 cold, 20 necrotic; Vulnerable 20 radiant Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

TRAITS


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Void Chill (cold, necrotic) * Aura 5

Enemies that start their turns in the aura take 5 cold and necrotic damage.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam (cold, necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +25 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 17 plus 3d8 cold and necrotic damage.

R Finger of Death (necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Ranged 5 (one bloodied target); +23 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target drops to 0 hit points. Resistance to necrotic damage does not apply to this power.

MINOR ACTIONS C Void Gaze (gaze, necrotic) * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +23 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is pushed 4 squares and takes a -2 penalty to all defenses (save ends). Skills Stealth +20 Str 24 (+17) Dex 20 (+15) Wis 18 (+14) Con 22 (+16) Int 17 (+13) Cha 24 (+17) Alignment evil Languages Common, telepathy 20

Demonic Flameskull (F) Level 15 Artillery Tiny natural animate (demon, undead) XP 1,200 HP 114; Bloodied 57 Initiative +11 AC 27; Fortitude 25; Reflex 27; Will 26 Perception +14 Speed 0, fly 10 (hover) Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 fire, 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

TRAITS Demonic Fury While the demonic flameskull is bloodied, it deals an extra 1d8 damage with its attacks. Illumination The flameskull sheds bright light out to 5 squares, but it can reduce its brightness to dim light out to 2 squares as a free action.

Regeneration The flameskull regains 5 hit points whenever it starts its

turn and has at least 1 hit point. STANDARD ACTIONS

m Fiery Bite (fire) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 0 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage plus 1d8 fire damage.

R Unholy Fire (fire, necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 10 fire damage, plus ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

A Vile Consecration (fire, necrotic) * Encounter

Attack: Area burst 3 within 20 (creatures in burst); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 4d8 + 11 fire and necrotic damage. Miss: Half damage. The flameskull can exclude two allies from the effect.

MINOR ACTIONS Mage Hand (conjuration) * At-Will

Effect: As the wizard power mage hand. Skills Stealth +12 Str 6 (+5) Dex 18 (+11) Wis 15 (+9) Con 18 (+11) Int 23 (+13) Cha 21 (+12) Alignment unaligned Languages Common, one other

V9: BUTCHER SHOP 3 Zombie Mobs (H) Level 17 Hazard

Attack

Free Action Melee 1 Target: A creature that starts its turn or enter a square that is adjacent to or within the zombie mob Attack: +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d6 + 9 damage and knocked prone

Gorehorn the Goristro (G) Level 19 Elite Brute Huge elemental humanoid (demon) XP 4,800 HP 450; Bloodied 225 Initiative +10 AC 31; Fortitude 34; Reflex 27; Will 29 Perception +17 Speed 8 Darkvision Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

STANDARD ACTIONS m Slam * At-Will


M Double Attack * At-Will

Effect: The goristro makes two slam attacks.

M Goring Charge * At-Will

Requirement: The goristro must make a charge attack. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +24 vs. AC Hit: 4d10 + 12 damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS M Goristro Stomp * Recharge 4 5 6

Trigger: When a nonadjacent enemy moves adjacent to the goristro. Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 1 (triggering creature); +24 vs. AC Hit: 4d8 + 16 damage, and the target is knocked prone.

M Raging Frenzy * At-Will

Trigger: When attacked by an adjacent enemy while bloodied. Attack (Immediate Reaction): The goristro makes a frenzied gore attack against the enemy; Melee 1 (triggering creature); +24 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 14 damage.


Trigger: The goristro takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The goristro gains resist 20 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. Str 27 (+17) Dex 12 (+10) Wis 17 (+12)


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Con 25 (+16) Int 6 (+7) Cha 12 (+10) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal

Gyldra the Death Hag (H) Level 18 Soldier Medium fey humanoid XP 2,000 HP 171; Bloodied 86 Initiative +15 AC 34; Fortitude 34; Reflex 31; Will 32 Perception +12 Speed 6 Low-Light Vision Resist 10 necrotic


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 6 necrotic damage, and the target is marked and cannot spend healing surges or regain hit points until the end of the death hag’s next turn.

C Life Drain (healing, necrotic) * Recharge 4 5 6

Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 6 necrotic damage, and the death hag regains 5 hit points for each creature damaged by this attack.

MINOR ACTIONS Change Shape (polymorph) * At-Will

Effect: The death hag alters its physical form to appear as a female of any Medium humanoid race until it uses change shape again or until it drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individual's form, the death hag must have seen that individual. Other creatures can make a DC 35 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise.

R Displace * At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +21 vs. Will Hit: The target teleports into a zombie mob. Skills Bluff +19, Insight +17, Intimidate +19, Nature +17 Str 25 (+16) Dex 18 (+13) Wis 17 (+12) Con 19 (+13) Int 16 (+12) Cha 20 (+14) Alignment evil Languages Common, Elven

V10: THE BLACK GATE 2 Giant Mummies (M) Level 21 Brute Large natural humanoid (undead) XP 3,200 HP 240; Bloodied 120 Initiative +12 AC 33; Fortitude 34; Reflex 30; Will 31 Perception +16 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 fire

TRAITS Despair (fear) An enemy takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls against the giant mummy until it damages the giant mummy. Regeneration The mummy regains 10 hit points whenever it starts its turn and has at least 1 hit point. When the mummy takes radiant damage, its regeneration does not function on its next turn.

STANDARD ACTIONS m Rotting Slam (disease, necrotic) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +26 vs. AC Hit: 4d8 + 18 necrotic damage, and the target contracts mummy rot.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS C Dust of Blinding Death (acid) * At-Will

Trigger: When first bloodied and again when reduced to 0 hit points. Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); +24 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d8 + 8 acid damage, and the target takes ongoing 10 acid damage and is blinded (save ends both). Str 22 (+16) Dex 14 (+12) Wis 12 (+11) Con 24 (+17) Int 6 (+8) Cha 16 (+13) Alignment unaligned Languages Giant

Lord Carrion, Death Knight (C) Level 17 Elite Soldier Medium natural humanoid (undead, human) XP 3,200 HP 264; Bloodied 132 Initiative +11 AC 33; Fortitude 30; Reflex 26; Will 27 Perception +8 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 radiant Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

TRAITS Marshal Undead * Aura 10

Lower-level undead allies in the aura gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls. Combat Challenge Every time the death knight attacks an enemy, whether that attack hits or misses, the death knight can mark that target. The mark lasts until the end of the death knight’s next turn. In addition, whenever an adjacent enemy shifts, the death knight makes a melee basic attack against that enemy (as an immediate interrupt).

STANDARD ACTIONS m Soulsword (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 14 damage, plus 5 necrotic damage (plus an extra 2d6 necrotic damage on a critical hit).

M Containing Strike (necrotic, weapon) * At-Will

Requirements: Requires soulsword. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 14 plus 5 necrotic damage, and the death knight can make a melee basic attack as an immediate reaction against the target if the target shifts on its next turn.

M Warrior's Challenge (necrotic, weapon) * Encounter

Requirements: Requires soulsword. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 4d8 + 15 damage, plus 5 necrotic damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares. All enemies within 2 squares of the target are marked until the end of the death knight’s next turn.

C Unholy Flames (fire, necrotic) * Recharge 5 6


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Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in burst); +20 vs. Reflex Hit: 6d8 + 12 fire and necrotic damage to living creatures. Undead creatures within the burst (including the death knight) deal an extra 2d6 fire damage with melee attacks until the end of the death knight's next turn.

Second Wind (healing) * Encounter

Effect: The death knight spends a healing surge and regains 57 hit points. The death knight gains a +2 bonus to all defenses until the start of its next turn. Str 20 (+13) Dex 12 (+9) Wis 11 (+8) Con 18 (+12) Int 13 (+9) Cha 14 (+10) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment soulsword (longsword), plate armor, light shield

Al’ahz’ahmin, Rakshasa Noble (A) Level 19 Controller Medium natural humanoid XP 2,400 HP 178; Bloodied 89 Initiative +14 AC 33; Fortitude 31; Reflex 33; Will 34 Perception +19 Speed 7 Low-Light Vision


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +24 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage, and the target is blinded until the end of the rakshasa noble’s next turn.

R Mind Twist (psychic) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 14 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

R Phantom Lure (charm) * At-Will

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: The target slides 5 squares.

R Frightful Phantom (fear) * Recharge 5 6

Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: 4d8 + 16 psychic damage, the target is pushed 5 squares, and the target is stunned (save ends).

MINOR ACTIONS

Deceptive Veil (illusion) * At-Will

Effect: The rakshasa disguises itself to appear as a Medium humanoid until it uses deceptive veil again or until it drops to 0 hit points. Other creatures can make a DC 37 Insight check to discern that the form is an illusion.

Phantom Image (illusion) * Recharge 5 6

Effect: Until the end of the rakshasa noble’s next turn, any creature that attacks the rakshasa’s AC or Reflex defense must roll twice and use the lower attack roll result. If either result is a critical hit, use that result instead. Skills Arcana +20, Athletics +17, Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21, History +20, Insight +19, Intimidate +21 Str 16 (+12) Dex 20 (+14) Wis 20 (+14) Con 18 (+13) Int 22 (+15) Cha 24 (+16) Alignment evil Languages Common

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