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The Crypts of Gluttony, Part 2 (Kuthona (XII) 10th, 4712 AR)

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The heroes continued their exploration. Chamber.  The walls of this room have been plated in iron,  each plate of which bears a single rune — the  upside-down, hooked “U” shape. What appear to  be two ten-foot-tall smooth crystal pylons stand  in the middle of the room. A rippling curtain of  blackness shimmers between these crystals. On  the opposite side of each crystal, strange tendrils  of black energy—reverse lightning crackling in  extreme slow-motion — extend out from the  crystals into spheres of roiling blackness in circular  caverns to the left and right of the entrance. The air  in the room is shockingly cold. A portal is open in this chamber. The portal itself manifests as the curtain of black energy between the two crystal pylons. Abattoir.  The scene in this room is appalling — dozens of brutally savaged human bodies (most of them identical looking) lie sprawled about the place. A good number of the bodies se...

Dread Zombies

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Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. They have darkvision. Undead have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). They have immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning. Undead are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They are immune to damage to their physical ability scores, as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects. They cannot heal damage on their own if they are unintelligent, although they can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. They may heal fast regardless of the creature’s intelligence. They have immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Undead are not at risk of death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. They are not affe...

The Crypts of Gluttony (Kuthona (XII) 10th, 4712 AR)

The Crypt of Gluttony is exquisitely crafted. Arches are elaborately carved with stunning artistic patterns.  Ceilings are 10 feet high in corridors, all of which are  adorned with decorative moldings inlaid with silver  angels. Chambers are usually arched or domed to a  height of 20 feet and covered with beautiful frescoes  and mosaics depicting sleeping men and women  tended by cherubim and soothed by angelic singers  and musicians. The floors are covered in smooth,  fitted flagstones with inlaid ceramic tiles in various  decorative patterns. All doors are made of iron. The extent of the Crypts of Gluttony are under the effects of a strong magical aura. All stone surfaces in the crypts are cold to the touch. Crypts.  The ceiling of this circular domed chamber rises to a height of thirty feet. The walls are decorated with ten grinning skulls, each gripping what appear to be bits of flesh in their teeth. A flight of steps leads up via a ...

The Halls of Evocation, Part 3 (Kuthona (XII) 9th, 4712 AR)

The fire burning above is quite real —  covering the extent of the ceiling. The Sihedron Rune in the middle of the room is in fact an immense portal. The rune has two functions.  Calling : Once per day, the rune can be commanded to call a single creature, functioning as a  planar binding  spell (CL 15th) — only one called outsider may be active at a time via this effect. Travel : If any teleportation effect is used while the caster is standing within the rune, the teleportation energy is instead absorbed by the rune, which then opens a gate to the center of the Sihedron Circle on the lower slopes of Rimeskull. The gate is a two-way portal, and remains open for 1 hour before closing. The dragon hid their loot here: the heroes could fit a total of 1,345 gp worth of coins in their bags before they ran out of room. They also took a  +1 club, a  sacrificial spear, a  ring of blinking , a  rod of Malrion, a  rod of splendor, a  minor cloak of ...

Sacrificial Spear

Aura faint evocation; CL 5th Slot none; Price 1,802 gp; Weight 3 lbs. Description An ashen shaft with a steel blade, this finely crafted masterwork shortspear holds a removable shard of carnelian at its base. By crushing the gem as a move action, the spear explodes as per the spell fireball. This detonation is centered on the spear and deals 5d6 points of fire damage to all creatures within a 20-foot-radius spread. The spear’s bearer or allies are not immune to this damage (unless they have immunity to fire from another source) and the weapon is destroyed. A sacrificial spear can be detonated at a range by spending a full-round action to throw the spear and crush the gem. If the attack roll hits the target, the fireball is centered on the target, otherwise refer to the rules for splash weapons to determine where the spear lands. Each spear has a specific shard attuned to it at the time of its creation, which can be removed or reaffixed to its spear as a standard action. Construction ...

Rod of Malrion

Aura moderate evocation; CL 7th Slot none; Price 22,400 gp; Weight 5 lbs. Description This 14-inch rod of simple white oak is sheathed with a  3-inch sleeve of rune-carved steel in the middle. The ends  are seared, as if the wood had endured a forest fire. Once  per day, the wielder of a rod of Malrion can surround a target  with four walls of fire, forming a square around the target.  The caster determines whether the walls spring up within 10  or 20 feet of the target and whether the heat affects creatures  within or outside the barrier of flames. If the walls are raised  within 10 feet of the target with the heat spreading inward,  the target takes 8d4 points of fire damage by standing at  the centermost space; if they are created within 20 feet,  the target takes no damage if he does not move from the  centermost space. The size of the target does not affect how  far away from a creature the walls appear. Passing throu...

The Halls of Evocation, Part 2 (Kuthona (XII) 9th, 4712 AR)

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The Halls of Evocation are made up of several isolated chambers attached to each other via permanent teleportation circles . Teleportation Circles : Each of these measures 10 feet in diameter and is represented by a complex rune carved into the ground surrounded by a deep circular groove. Up to four Medium creatures may enter a teleportation circle at once. Those who do are immediately teleported to the destination keyed to it: so far always a specific circle with the rune of wrath engraved in the ground within it. The teleportation circles so far are one-way only. Teleport Room.  Two engraved circles in the ground surround large runes in their center. The one to the east is red, while the one to the west is blue. These are teleportation circles . The heroes determined where they went or led from by trying them out. The eastern circle is the arrival point from the barracks and training hall, while the western one is the departure circle to the same area. Barracks and Training ...