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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mesh Hong" data-source="post: 5328903" data-attributes="member: 73463">OK I am not sure how many encounters you have left inside the asylum, but my initial idea revolves around your boss creature having to build itself a body from harvested parts. This implies that it is a disembodied entity seeking to manifest fully, you also state that it has acquired traits from the previous failed assault by another investigative team. With that in mind I thought it might be nice if the boss creature could project a psychic creature that would gather essence for it. You could introduce one of these Gatherers as part of a series of encounters so that the boss creature can acquire multiple imprints from the PCs through combat. This would also establish a theme and add some mystery or tension as to what was going on. Here is the stat block for the Gatherer, when describing the Gather For The Master power describe it as grabbing the targets head and the psychic damage coming from the Gatherer crashing through the targets mind and memories. This should give your PCs/players something to worry about, especially when another one turns up in the next encounter, and another in a third. Note that I have kept the Gatherer very simple as it is not the focus of any encounter it is present in. The first time it shows up the PCs might not consider it a real threat compared to the crazed inmates throwing themselves at them. Eweri Gatherer Level 7 Lurker Medium Aberrant Beast XP 300  Initiative +11 Senses Perception +12, darkvision HP 30; Bloodied 15; see Break Projection AC 21; Fortitude 18, Reflex 20, Will 19 Resist insubstantial Saving Throws +2 vs. non damage effects Speed 6 phasing  Blend Into Memory ♦ trait If Gatherer moves four or more squares as part of a single action it becomes invisible until the start of its next turn or it makes an attack  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/bm.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bmelee:" title="Basic Melee    :bmelee:" data-shortname=":bmelee:" /> Spectral Swipe (Standard; at-will) ♦ psychicAttack +10 vs. Reflex; 2d6+6 psychic damage; on hit target takes a cumulative -1 penalty to either Fortitude, Reflex or Will (Gatherers choice) until the end of the encounter  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Gather for the Master (Standard; at-will) ♦ psychicrequires combat advantage; attack +10 vs. Fortitude or Will (whichever is lower); 2d8+6 psychic damage; on hit Eweri Resplendent gains a manifestation point (see separate rules)  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Break Projection ♦ triggered actionWhen reduced to 0 HPs Gatherer dissipates in a cloud of vapour and makes the following attack as an immediate free action; burst 2; attack +10 vs. Fortitude or Will (which ever is lower); on hit the target is dazed (save ends) and Eweri Resplendent gains a manifestation point (see Eweri Resplendent)  Alignment Evil Languages deep speech, telepathy 20 Skills Dungeoneering +12, Insight +12, Stealth +14 Str 8 (+2) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 18 (+7) Con 10 (+3) Int 18 (+7) Cha 12 (+4)  Boss EncounterWhen the PCs face the boss creature they see it as a vaguely conical mass of distorted flesh and fused body parts. The creature has a bank of eyes around its centre and multiple 10ft long squirming black tentacles sprouting from crevasses around its bulk, most disturbingly it has a single long multi-jointed arm that ends in a vicious claw that extends from the top of its conical body giving it a 15ft reach. You can describe vague hallucinations distracting the PCs throughout the area, but as they are heroes these cause no mechanical effect but can be used to add a layer of uncertainty and mystery to the encounter. However when the PCs are within 10ft of the creature the Hallucinations grows stronger and start to become more and more distracting. This mechanic should add a little tactical movement to the encounter. The creature has a few tricks up its sleeve, some of these require it to spend the Manifestation Points it has acquired through the efforts of its previous Gatherers. It also has a bloodied reaction to project another Gatherer to try and restock its Manifestation Points and an on death power where it has an interesting ability that gives it a chance to overwhelm a PC and seek sanctuary in their mind until it has the opportunity to start its evil plans once again. Eweri Resplendent Level 7 Solo Skirmisher (Leader) Large Aberrant Beast XP 1,500  Initiative +10 Senses Perception +12, darkvision HP 312; Bloodied 156; see Desperate Projection, Escape Into Memory AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 20 Saving Throws +5 Speed 6 Action Points 2 Manifestation Points (variable) Intense Hallucinations ♦ trait Aura 2; fear; all enemies starting their turn inside the aura take a cumulative -1 penalty to attack rolls (to a maximum of -3), this penalty ends when the target starts its turn outside the aura  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/bm.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bmelee:" title="Basic Melee    :bmelee:" data-shortname=":bmelee:" /> Claw Strike (Standard; at-will) Reach 3; attack +12 vs. AC; 2d8+6 damage; on hit slide target 1 square  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Double Claw (Standard; at-will) Eweri Resplendent makes 2 Claw Strike attacks and may shift 2 squares after each attack  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Spectral Frond (Minor; at-will) ♦ psychicReach 2; attack +10 vs. Reflex; 1d6+6 psychic damage  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/r.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":ranged:" title="Ranged    :ranged:" data-shortname=":ranged:" /> Project Essence (Minor; at-will) ♦ manifestation point, psychicExpends 1 manifestation point; range 15; attack +10 vs. Will; 1d12 psychic damage; on hit a 10ft shadowy tentacle sprouts from the targets head or shoulder, at the start of the targets turn the tentacle makes a Spectral Frond attack against all the targets allies within reach (save ends)  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Reality Shove (Standard; at-will) ♦ manifestation point, forceExpends 1 manifestation point; burst 5; enemies only; attack +10 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+6 force damage; on hit target is pushed 6 squares and knocked prone; on miss target takes half damage  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Aberrant Assault (Standard; recharge <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/5.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":5:" title="Five    :5:" data-shortname=":5:" /><img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/6.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":6:" title="Six    :6:" data-shortname=":6:" />) Burst 10; 1, 2 or 3 allies in burst; target may take an immediate free move, basic attack or charge action, these creatures gain either a +1 bonus to speed or attack roll for this action  Fold Space (Move; encounter) ♦ teleportBurst 5; slide all creatures inside the burst 1 square and Eweri Resplendent teleports 10 squares  Regulate Essence ♦ triggered action, manifestation point Expends 1 manifestation point; when Eweri Resplendent misses with an attack, fails a saving throw or is hit by an attack it may reroll the attack or saving throw or force the target to reroll the attack as an immediate interrupt action  Desperate Projection ♦ triggered action When first bloodied Eweri Resplendent projects an Eweri Gatherer (see separate stat block) as an immediate free action, the Gatherer appears in any free square within burst 5 and has an initiative that places it acting directly after the triggering turn  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Escape Into Memory ♦ triggered actionOn death Eweri Resplendent makes the following attack as an immediate free action; burst 10; enemies only; attack +10 vs. Will; any target hit by this attack takes part in a immediate encounter that is resolved before continuing with the current encounter (see Mental Battle encounter)  Alignment Evil Languages deep speech, telepathy 20 Skills Arcana +12, Dungeoneering +12, Stealth +13 Str 16 (+6) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 18 (+7) Con 14 (+5) Int 18 (+7) Cha 12 (+4)  Note: I am not sure if the Eweri Resplendent needs 2 action points, I would see how the encounter is going before going too mad with them.Mental Battle EncounterAll targets hit by the Eweri Resplendent’s Escape Into Memory power are immediately drawn into a very real seeming encounter in an strange and twisting version of their current encounter room. The Eweri Resplendent seems to collapse in a mass of body parts then suddenly rises as a huge headless humanoid mass of flesh and shadow. Only the PCs hit by the triggering attack are present and all other creatures have disappeared. The initiative order remains the same and the battle continues. Note: No matter how this encounter ends the PCs will continue the previous stage of the encounter from the exact point where this encounter started. This encounter is really just a psychic link or projection and takes place in an instant out of time. Also note that this is a continuation of the previous encounter and does not count as a new encounter. During this battle take a note of all PC encounter power, daily power and item power usage. Do not tell them until the right time but all resources expended in this part of the encounter are not actually expended as it is all taking place in their minds. The exception to this is HP and Healing Surge loss. In this part of the encounter the Eweri Champion will attempt to ‘kill’ a single PC before it is finally defeated. If it manages to reduce a PC to 0 HPs the encounter immediately ends with the PC in question believing that they in fact slew the beast during its final attack (you could even describe that happening). In this case what has actually happened is that the Eweri has successfully entered the PCs mind where it will lie dormant, hiding and recovering until it can start its body building plans again (i.e. this is a plot twist/hook for further adventures, and the Eweri could be a surprise reoccurring bad guy in a later adventure). If the PCs defeat the Eweri Champion before it can accomplish its goal it is utterly destroyed. Either way once this part of the encounter is resolved the previous part of the encounter continues from the point it left off. The only resources expended being HPs and Healing Surges, if a PC was reduced to 0 HPs they have their HPs set to 1 and they start dazed (save ends). Eweri Champion Level 7 Brute Huge Aberrant Humanoid (blind) XP 300  Initiative (as Eweri Resplendent) Senses Perception +5, blindsight HP 100; Bloodied 50 AC 19; Fortitude 21, Reflex 18, Will 18 Speed 5  Threatening Reach ♦ trait Eweri Champion has threatening reach (3) with its Ripping Claw attack  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/bm.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bmelee:" title="Basic Melee    :bmelee:" data-shortname=":bmelee:" /> Ripping Claw (Standard; at-will) ♦ psychicReach 3; attack +12 vs. AC; 2d8+6 psychic damage  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Double Handed Rend (Standard; recharge 456) ♦ psychic2 attacks against the same target; reach 3; attack +12 vs. AC; 1d10+8 psychic damage; if at least 1 attack hits the target is knocked prone; if both attacks hit the target also takes an additional 1d10 psychic damage  Alignment Chaotic EvilStr 20 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 14 (+5) Con 14 (+5) Int 8 (+2) Cha 12 (+4)  Well that’s probably enough to give you an idea or two. I would probably pad the final encounter with the Eweri Resplendent out with enough minions to keep things interesting, and be ready to send in more waves as dramatically appropriate. I would also want to make sure there was at least 1 or 2 rounds of combat after the Eweri is defeated to distract the players from thinking too much about what just happened right away. Leading up to the boss encounter I would probably have 3 encounters that included a Gatherer and various deranged inmates and maybe include members of the previous adventuring group in maddened torment either as adversaries or as part of the scenery (displayed dead or in the final stages of gruesome torture or dissection). Anyway I hope you find this interesting or it gives you some ideas.</blockquote>

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