COMPLETED SKILL CHALLENGE (Assault the Warlock's Lair)
* Take +2 Initiative. Pa'avu starts conflict down 1 Healing Surge worth of HPs (SC micro-failure).
* Loot - Pa'avu finds that she acquired more residuum from the Astral Projection on Caiphon than she thought; 1 residuum chunk worth 100 GP.
* XP - 400/2 = 200 xp apiece.
* Milestone achieved. Take 1 Action Point.
* Attach your level 3 characters below please.
MECHANICS, TERRAIN, ET AL
*
Steep Stairs are Challenging Terrain; Low DC Acrobatics or Athletics or Difficult Terrain.
* Squares filled with
big rocks/ruined pillars are Difficult Terrain.
* Squares I-L/8-11 are a summoning circle filled with a pool of purple-hued
Caiphon Plasma. These squares are difficult terrain for creatures. Any creature that enters a square of Caiphon Plasma or starts its turn in a square takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends). See Skill Challenge Below:
DISRUPT THE CAIPHON NEXUS LVL 3/COMPLEXITY 1 (4 Success/3 Failure/1 Secondary Skill as Minor Action)
✦ Rebuke Caiphon: Dungeoneer or Intimidate (standard action, range 5).
✦ Intercede the Flow: Endurance (move action, adjacent, take 5 psychic damage).
✦ Adjure Caiphon: Arcana, Nature, or Religion (standard action, range 5).
Until the SC is resolved, every Round on its Initiative (+6), the
Caiphon Nexus activates, spewing Caiphon Plasma into one unoccupied square and spawning 2 x Caiphon Undulates (Minions) adjacent.
* All squares of
Pillars are Blocking Terrain. They can be Stunted with via Athletics.
* All
Sarcophagus are Challenging Terrain; Med DC Acrobatics or Athletics or Fall Prone. The
Patriarch and Matriarch Sarcophagus can be stunted with by Chanvati with Religion at Low DC w/in Range 5.
*
Guard Dog (Hazard) Level 2 Warder XP 125
The beast strains against its chain, snapping at you when you draw near.
Hazard: The dog is chained to the pillar in F9. It can move up to 3 squares from the pillar and make an attack.
Initiative +3
Trigger: The dog rolls initiative whenever a PC is adjacent to it or comes within 3 squares of the pillar. Henceforth, the dog makes an attack against any PC it can reach.
Attack
Standard Action Melee
Special: The dog can move up to 3 squares before the attack.
Target: One PC
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit:1d8 + 2 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Effect: Each round on its turn, the dog attacks the closest PC it can reach.
Countermeasures
✦
"Who's a Good Boy!" Nature DC 13 (Move): A character within Ranged 5 can calm the animal UtEoYNT so it will not activate against them or their allies.
✦ While the dog is
under the effects of "Who's a Good Boy", a character adjacent to either the dog or the restraining pillar can break or destroy the chain restricting the animal's movement (Break DC 20 Athletics <Powerful Athlete doesn't apply, but Pa'avu takes +2 because of it> - Standard; AC 10, Fortitude 5; hp 15). Doing so releases the animal from the chain and befriends it for the rest of the encounter;
ACQUIRE DOG COMPANION CHARACTER - SAME STATS AS PRIOR ENCOUNTER.
✦ A character can attack the
Dog (AC 16, other defenses 13; hp 30). When reduced to 0 hit points, the dog dies, ending the hazard.
*
(H) Hakhaman (Elite Controller/Leader) AC 16, Fortitude 14, Reflex 15, Will 16.
SEE PRIOR COMBAT FOR FULL STATS.
*
(M) Caiphon Plasma (Brute Minion) AC 15, Fortitude 16, Reflex 14, Will 14
INITIATIVE
18 Chanvati
17 Hakhaman
13 Caiphon Nexus
8 Pa'avu
7 Guard Dog (Warder)
ROUND 1
Taking in the desecrated sepulchre of his ancestors, CHANVATI seethes and ascends the ruin-strewn staircase with deliberation.
"This will not abide, Hakhaman!" he calls out, his tenor protracted and echoing with distortion in the vaulted chamber. "Your twisted deprivations have plagued this family long enough. This ends now!"
Approaching the ritual circle, which undulates amorphously with nausea-inducing ripples, Chanvati holds forth his crystal staff in both hands before him, focusing psionic energy through its shaft to disrupt the planar nexus. His own form seems to disappear in a shimmering shroud.
* Move Action: K1 to N7.
* Minor Action: Mind Shroud = Superior Cover and Slowed UEoMNT.
* Standard Action: Primary Skill Check Arcana to Adjure Caiphon, r(20) +10 = 30 vs 13 Moderate DC. Success.
* Action Point (Free Action for Standard Action): Primary Skill Check Arcana (training exhausted) to Adjure Caiphon, r(17) +5 = 22 vs 13 Moderate DC. Success.
DISRUPT THE CAIPHON NEXUS (2 Successes/0 Failures/1 Secondary Skill Available)
HAKHAMAN furious that his ritual summoning has been disturbed snarls "CAIPHON TAKE YOU!" As before, he speaks in a tongue so deranged that a creature from this world should not dare attempt it. An otherworldly rift to a purple-hued star opens near Pa'avu as he delivers unto the Goliath visions from far beyond this mortal realm.
Chanvati's meditative trance rebuffs the Warlock's demented intrusions.
* Move Action: E17 to G11.
* Minor Action: Insanity Rift J2.
* Standard Action: Visions from Beyond vs P Will; r(13) +5 = 18. Hit r(7) +1 = 8 psychic damage and P is dazed and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).
* Action Point (Free Action for Standard Action): Visions from Beyond vs C Will; r(8) +5 = 13. Miss.
From the bulging purple pool, The Dread Star's unknowable will flings a viscous mass of PLASMA near Chavanti. From it erupts a pair of undulating plasma oozes. The CAIPHON PLASMAS whisper terrible alien promises with their strange movements, but Chanvati's psionic protections dim them to nothing.
* Beginning of Turn: Caiphon Plasma to N8. Caiphon Plasma (Minion) spawns M7 and O7.
*
CHANVATI (No Action) Monster Knowledge: Dungeoneering check about the Plasma Minions. r(9) +2 = 11. Fails to hit Medium DC.
* Standard Action: (M7) Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(4) +6 +2 (CA) -5 (SC) = 7. Miss.
* Standard Action: (O7) Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(13) +6 +2 (CA) -5 (SC) = 16. Miss.
PA'AVU's first glimpse of the chamber reveals that the second of Hakhaman's gargantuan dogs stands chained at the top of the stairs. The dog is obviously trying to look threateningly at the two interlopers, but Pa'avu can see its fretful glances at the glowing circle to which it is adjacent. Indignation begins to sear in the goliath's belly: another dog as fodder to the battles which are not their own. Not this time.
When the warlock manifests the expected Rift beside her, trying to throw her off her game (and not incidentally her game plan), Pa'avu uses her greatsword to channel her righteous fury against the Rift (and its creator) to easily shake her mind from the daze they'd attempted. As Velmech'ti cuts through and obliterates the Rift, Pa'avu can feel ripples from its destruction reverberating back to its creator - a well-earned punishment.
Looking deeply into the dog's liquid brown eyes, the goliath can feel psionic energy from her gosb'tar open her memory. She makes a sound low in her throat which mimics the growls she used to hear from the canines raised by her clan to entreat the dog to trust her. When the dog whines and lies down in prostrate adoration, Pa'avu breathes into her l'pahb'gin for much needed healing. She cannot afford to fail in her vow to free her new companion .
* Start of Turn: Ongoing 5 psychic damage.
* Standard Action (Encounter): Resurgent Strike against Rift: r(11) + 9 = 20 vs. 16 AC Hit! Damage: r(3, 9) + 5 = 17 HP (Rift destroyed, 10 HP damage to Hakhaman); Daze ends.
* Move Action: Skill Action Nature to make friends with dog: r(19) + 4 + 3 (Adept's Insight allows Pa'avu to access childhood memory) = 26 vs. DC 13
Who's a Good Boy? Hazard's a good boy!
* Minor Action: Iron Resurgence (Encounter): lose 1 surge, spend 2 surges (+20 HP), gain 5 THP.
* Save against Ongoing Psychic Damage: 11 Success!
Pa'avu: 40/43 HP, 5 THP; 6/11 Surges remaining
HAKHAMAN: 70/80
CAIPHON PLASMA MINIONS x 2
ROUND 2
CHANVATI steels himself as the ectoplasm burbles beyond the confines of the Caiphon Nexus and he finds himself surrounded now by two gibbering horrors from beyond.
If he can but endure this psychic assault on his rationality a moment longer, he is sure he can disrupt the nexus for good. He intercedes his own mind against the flow of the psychic reverberations emanating from the pool and reels under the influence.
And then he remembers that episode from the Fables of Genga, when the eponymous heroine was beset by a great aboleth emerging from a watery pool in her laboratory during an experiment gone wrong. She responded with quick thinking, invoking the Rites of Shugg'bug, an ancient practice of the subterranean races in aeons past, to shunt the creature back whence it came.
And so Chanvati intones those ancient words in the Old Tongue to harrow the nexus to its very core.
* Move Action: Primary Skill Endurance check to Intercede the Flow; takes 5 psychic damage; r(17) +2 = 19 vs 13 Moderate DC. Success.
* Minor Action: Secondary Skill History check at +10 vs 9 Easy DC autosuccceeds to garner +2 buff forward.
* Standard Action: Primary Skill Religion check to Adjure Caiphon, r(6) +5 +2 = 13 vs 13 Moderate DC. Juuuuust passes. Success.
* End of Turn: Mind Shroud expires. 28/33 HPs, 5/7 Surges, 1 AP remaining.
DISRUPT THE CAIPHON NEXUS SKILL CHALLENGE RESOLVED. ALL SQUARES OF HINDERING TERRAIN FROM CAIPHON PLASMA ARE REMOVED.
The visions from the terrible domain of the Dread Star fade with the collapse of the nexus, and with that fading comes the evaporation of the purple plasm and the ejecta that spewed from it.
HAKHAMAN, sensing the tide suddenly turned against him, wastes no time in going on the offensive as another otherworldly rift tears a fabric in reality, this time near Chanvati where it unleashes raw entropy that steals from the young scion his vitality and delivers it to one of Caiphon's minions.
Thought the nexus may have collapsed, Hakhaman can still reveal the horrors from beyond this world to his foes and he delivers them unto Pa'avu with staggering effect.
* Minor Action: Insanity Rift N8.
* Standard Action: Visions from Beyond vs P Will; r(19) +5 = 24. Hit r(6) +1 = 7 psychic damage and P is dazed and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).
* Minor Action: (Insanity Rift) Aberrant Form vs C Fort (CB1); r(13) +5 = 18. Hit r(3, 6) +7 = 16 damage and C is weakened UtEoYNT. Minion in O7 gains 5 THP.
The mindless CAIPHON PLASMAS continue to carry out their rote work in the name of their dread imperator, this time afflicting Chanvati with the horror of their incessant undulations and whispers.
* Standard Action: (M7) Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(7) +6 +2 (CA) = 15. Miss.
* Standard Action: (O7) Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(19) +6 +2 (CA) = 27. Hit; 4 psychic damage, and C gains vulnerable 3 psychic until the end of the plasma's next turn.
Somewhat dazed from the warlock's attack, PA'AVU allows her righteous fury to strengthen her resolve to end this madness. That warlock thinks to scramble her mind with visions from beyond this world? Visions she recently was swimming in? And how are those visions stronger than the poison of the Stonefang? Hah!
The goliath struggles forward as far as the dog, giving it a reassuring growl. Hazard's whimpered reply draws a snarling grin to Pa'avu's face and brings strength to her immense legs. With a great ululating cry, she charges Hakhaman at full steam. His shocked face watches Velmech'ti finish the goliath's forward momentum: a deep slice from shoulder to hipbone, a knock of the hilt to his face, sonorous, thunderous screams of fury beating upon his ears. Should the attack have been this strong? At the end, Hakhaman's opponent remains smiling grimly, looking more alert than moments before.
* Take 5 Ongoing Psychic Damage
* Move Action: from J1 to H6
* Action Point (Free Action for Standard Action): Howling Strike as Charge: move to G10; Attack: r(20) + 10 = 30 (Crit/Autohit) vs. 16 AC; Damage: 10 + 6 + 5 + 8 (Vanguard/Charge) + r(6)(Vanguard/Crit) = 35, Triggered Action on Charge (No Action): Iron Wolf Charge: Damage: 6/Attack: r(5) + 6 vs 16 Will (Fail); Hakhaman = -41 HP = Bloodied
* Triggered Action on Critical (No Action): Rampage: MBA: r(11) + 10 = 21 vs. 16 AC; Damage: r(5) + 5 + 2 (Gauntlets) = 12
* Triggered Action on Bloodied (Free Action): Thundering Wrath: + 3 Thunder: Total Damage: -56 HP
* Save vs Ongoing & Dazed: r(11) Ends!
*
Who’s a Good Boy (?) effect ends on Dog.
Pa'avu: 33/43 HPs, 6/11 Surges remaining, 1 AP remaining
TRIGGER -
Who’s a Good Boy wears off and P is within 3 sq of pillar. Dog (Warder) activates.
The GUARD DOG, very confused by the mixed signals of the unfolding events resorts to its primal instincts, goes from “heeled and happy” to “feral and ferocious.” Chain rattles loudly, iron uncoiling and snapping, when the dog chases Pa’avu she rushes by the canine.
* Dog Triggers. Acts immediately > Initiative 7 (end of round).
* Move 3 sq to G9 (flanking) vs P AC; r(7) + 7 + 2 (CA) = 16; Miss.
HAKHAMAN: 14/80 Bloodied
CAIPHON PLASMA MINIONS x 2 (O7 HAS 5 THP)
DOG: Activated
ROUND 3
CHANVATI did not believe Arunny's gift would be necessary so soon, but, as he retrieves from his belt pouch and swallows the healing potion the priestess bestowed on him, he is glad for it, nonetheless.
With danger closing in on all sides, the Merchant-Mystic innovates his use of Dimensional Scramble, centering it in a burst around himself even as he shields his own body from its spatial foldings in a cocoon of psychic protection. One of Caiphon's Plasma Minions is shunted out of this plane, back to the Far Beyond.
"Brace yourself, man!" Chanvati encourages himself, "You and Pa'avu have Hakhaman on the ropes now!" Vigor floods his system at his inspirational interior monologue.
* Minor Action: Retrieve stowed item: Potion of Healing.
* Minor Action: Drink Potion of Healing. Spend Surge, regain 10 HP.
* Standard Action: Augment 2 Dimensional Scramble, centered on my square, N7. Attack vs Rift, r(13) +7 = 20 vs 14 Fort. Hit. Damage = r(3,4) +5 /2 (Weakened) = 6. Does not meet damage threshold vs Rift. Rift Teleported to P6. Attack vs Plasma Minion O7, r(3) +7 = 10 vs 16 Fort. Miss. Attack vs Plasma Minion M7, r(11) +7 = 18 vs 16 Fort. Hit.
TRIGGER - Split ✦ Encounter
Trigger: The plasma takes damage from an attack.
Effect (No Action): Roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the damage is reduced to 0. Then a new plasma appears in an unoccupied square adjacent to this plasma. The new plasma acts on the same initiative count as this plasma, but immediately after it. r(15).
PLASMA MINION SPLITS. TELEPORTING THEM TO O9 AND P8.
* Action Point (Free Action for Minor Action): Inspiring Word on self. Spend Surge, regain 8 HP.
Chanvati 26/33 HPs, 3/7 Surges remaining, 0 PPs remaining, 0 APs remaining.
HAKHAMAN, reeling from the ferocious onslaught by the Goliath, stumbles backward and manages to unleash a horrifying vision of Caiphon to the berserker, perhaps stalling her siege for the moment.
Caiphon reaches through the rift to assail Chanvati with a dimensional collapse, but the psion mastered dimensional arcana long ago and easily evades it.
* Refresh 5/6 Aberrant For; r(3). Fail to Refresh.
* Move Action: Shift 1 sq to G12. Rift 1 sq to O6.
* Standard Action: Visions from Beyond vs P Will; r(12) +5 = 17. Hit r(6) +1 = 7 psychic damage and P is dazed and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).
* Minor Action: (Insanity Rift) Collapse vs C Ref; r(10) +5 = Miss.
The mindless CAIPHON PLASMAS continue to carry out their rote work in the name of their dread imperator, thrashing the horror-afflicted Chanvati with purple-hued, flailing goop.
m(M8)
* Move Action: Flowing Plasma: The plasma shifts up to half its speed to M8
* Standard Action: Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(10) +6 +2 (CA) = 18. Hit; 7 (3 vuln) psychic damage, and C gains vulnerable 3 psychic until the end of the plasma's next turn.
TRIGGER - Chanvati: Vengeance is Mine (Imm Reaction when hit by attack).
Mind Blast vs m(M8); r(12) +7 = 19 vs Fort 16 for r(10) +5 = 15 psychic damage. DESTROYED.
As the plastic goo divides from his attack and launches two counterattacks of its own, CHANVATI reflexively blasts at the Minion that strikes him with psychic force, disapparating the creature into a billion constituent parts.
m(M7)
* Move Action: Move to M7 (circling with 6 speed so no OA)
* Standard Action: Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(7) +6 +2 (CA) = 15. Miss.
M(O7)
* Standard Action: Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(7) +6 +2 (CA) = 15. Miss.
Attempting to shake off the effects of Hakhaman's most recent attack, PA'AVU ignores the half-hearted attack of the hound - understanding very well Hazard's dilemma - and presses forward her attack on the evil warlock. One carefully aimed strike should do it ... THERE! Velmech'ti makes a reverse cut of the slice she made earlier, and - with a slight push by Pa'avu - the two halves of Hakhaman slowly slide their separate ways. The Warlock's rift collapses on itself and, with another shake of her head, the goliath is no longer bound by the late warlock's dark magic.
* Start of Turn: Ongoing 5 Psychic Damage.
* Standard Action: Pressing Strike: Shift two squares to F12, then attack: r(12) + 9 = 21 vs. 16 AC, Damage: 10 + 5 + 2 (Bloodied) = 17 -->
SLAIN
* Save vs Dazed & Ongoing 5 Psychic Damage: 14 Success.
Pa'avu: 21/43 HP; 6/11 Surges left; 1 AP remaining.
Still in a protective frenzy despite Hakhaman's vanquishing, the chained GUARD DOG instinctively flings itself at the berserker and manages a brief takedown.
* Move 2 sq to F11 and Maul vs P AC; r(11) + 7 = 18; Hit. r(3) +2 = 5 damage and prone.
HAKHAMAN: SLAIN
CAIPHON PLASMA MINIONS x 2 (O7 HAS 5 THP)
DOG: Activated
ROUND 4
The purple rift in the fabric of reality folds in on itself with Hakhaman's bisection, and planar stability is restored. But the amorphous minions of Caiphon's will remain. CHANVATI carefully backs away and touches his fingers to forehead to scramble space and atomize these gibbering foes. Nothing. Nothing at all. When the disruption of the planar fabric repaired itself, the remnant effect of that power must linger still. Chanvati shudders.
* Move Action: Shift N7 to O8.
* Standard Action: Dimensional Scramble centered on N6. Attack vs M7 Plasma Minion, r(4) +7 = 11 vs 16 Fort. Miss. Attack vs O7 Plasma Minion, r(6) +7 = 13 vs 16 Fort. Miss.
19/33 HPs, 3/7 Surges remaining, vulnerable 3 psychic.
The mindless CAIPHON PLASMAS continue to carry out their rote work in the name of their dread imperator, thrashing the horror-afflicted Chanvati with purple-hued, flailing goop.
m(M7)
* Move Action: M7 to O8
* Standard Action: Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(9) +6 = 15. Miss.
M(O7)
* Move Action: Shift O7 to P8
* Standard Action: Psychic Slam vs C Will; r(9) +6 +2 (CA) = 17. 7 psychic damage (3 vuln) and 3 vulnerability to psychic damage UtEoYNT.
Without getting up, PA'AVU grabs Hazard's chain to force his face level to her own. She growls encouragingly, and the dog whines and throws himself down to the ground and wiggles his behind. For a moment the goliath considers attempting to break the chain with her brute strength. Then - seeing the warlock's bisected body - she riffles through his pockets to find the key. Freeing Hazard, Pa'avu points toward Chanvati. "Let's go rescue our gosb'tar," she says to the hound joyfully licking her face.
* Move Action:
Who's a Good Boy? Skill Check Nature: r(18) + 4 = 22 vs. 13 DC Success.
* Standard Action: find and retrieve the key.
* Minor Action: unlock chain.
* Free Action: tell Hazard to attack Minion.
Pa'avu: 16/43 HP
HAZARD THE DOG, so happy to be free of the terrible iron leash, springs into action with a wag of his tail, obliterating the purple ooze in a furry fury.
* Standard Action: Charge to L7 and Bite m(M7); r(6) +7 +1 (Charge) +2 (CA) = 16. Hit;
m(M7) DESTROYED.
One Minion remaining and all major Win Cons achieved.
COMBAT OVER.
) Staff (psychic, weapon) ✦ At-Will
