gravemyst winter’s dusk - amazon s3 · down into the earth, ... adventure summary the party...

GravemystA D&D 4e Adventure for 8th Level Characters

by Michael E. Shea

This adventure was originally written for the Dungeon Master championship at PAX East March 2011. It is designed as a single one-shot adventure with pre-generated characters. It uses two Gamemastery Flip Maps: The Dragon’s Lair and the Darklands. It also uses the fold-out map from X.

Background

Eight hundred thousand years ago a massive shard of black obsidian ripped through the fabric separating the world of mortals from the Far Realm. It crashed down into the earth, piercing the planet and creating a wound that would never heal.

Eight hundred thousand years later, the winds of time have uncovered the obsidian shard and the mountain that grew around it, now known as the Black Spire. dark wizards, necromancers, and beasts beyond the world of man sought out its tainted mystery. One of these, a black dragon named Grenthoel, sent the others from the mountain or to the bottom of the chasms that riddle the caverns of the Black Spire.

There the dragon, armed with the necromancy of the spire’s former inhabitants, transformed himself into a dracolich and became known as Gravemyst.

Centuries later, the small village of Winter’s Dusk prospered nearby using the energy stored in a magical artifact known as the Star of Summer. Their crops flourished, their herds grew, and the villagers found rest and prosperity.

Nine months ago, dark agents of the dracolich calling themselves the Children of the Spire, attacked the

town and stole the Star of Summer before returning to their lair in the caverns below the Black Spire. Drought, pox, and famine now cling to the village, leaving its people in despair.

Adventure Summary

The party begins in the town of Winter’s Dusk where a band of vampires ransacks the town center. After the party routes the vampires, the town’s elder, Reynold, begs the party to recover the Star of Summer from the Black Spire where the vampires have given it to their master, the dracolich Gravemyst.

The party journeys to the Black Spire. Within they find traps of ancient necromancers, maintained by the vampire cult, still protecting the deeper chambers. In the deeper chambers they face the master of the vampire cult, Averonus, who informs the party that they are but one of many groups the village has sent to recover the Star and failed. Avernous’s own vampire brood came from one such failed infiltration.

After defeating Avernous and his vampires, the party faces Gravemyst himself. On his defeat, Gravemyst reveals that the Star is his phylactery. As long as it survives, so too does he. The village, he states, has been drawing his own power to make their lives easy. They have never known real work. Gravemyst himself, disillusioned with eternal life, hopes for his own destruction. At this point, the party must decide what to do with the Star; return it to the village and ensure the return of Gravemyst, destroy it and perhaps doom the village, or keep it and gain a powerful but dark artifact.

Winter’s Dusk

When the adventure begins, read the following:

Cold wind bites you down to the bone as you finish your long journey to the small town of Winter’s Dusk. Though you might have traveled here seeking fame or fortune or adventure, all you manage to find are fields of decayed crops, barren rock, and a cold chill that no fire seems to warm.

The town itself seems to offer little respite from the weather. Shutters close all the windows. Ornate hanging lanterns appear dark and unused for many months. A mongrel, its ribs showing clearly through its thin hide, urinates on a nearby rotted tree while looking at you with wild eyes. It is the only greeting you receive.

Attack in the Town Square

The sound of metal on stone tweaks your heroic instinct. A scream echos out through the night before being cut off to a wet gurgle. A battle appears to take place in the town’s center.

As you enter the center, you see a scene of horror and nightmare. The villagers, it appears, have all moved into makeshift huts and tents in the town’s square. Now villagers scream and run in panic. Many villagers lay dead on the ground. Figures of shadow hunch over them, red blood dripping from their lips. Three other white-skinned killers stand nearby, hands on hips as they enjoy the carnage. Their black eyes meet yours and they smile. How many civilians might you save before the shadowy figures have them all?

Setup

3 Vampire Spire Knights (K)

8 Vampire Spawn (S)

8 Civilians (C)

This encounter uses the market map from the Seekers of the Ashen Crown adventure.

The party’s mission is to route the spire knights and save as many of the townsfolk as they can.

Tactics

Though the vampire knights attack the party, the vampire spawns continue to hunt down civilians. Each civilian has an AC of 23 and 21 to all other defenses. When a vampire hits a civilian, the civilian goes prone. If the vampire hits a prone civilian, the civilian dies. At the end of each round, the villagers move 5 squares away from the nearest vampire.

The party must save as many civilians as possible. While there is no specific reward for saving them all,

the townsfolk will be more friendly to them for each civilian they save.

Features of the Area

Tents: The tents are all nearly collapsed. Any creature running through a tent must make a DC 16 Acrobatics or Athletics check. Failure immobilizes the creature until the beginning of its next turn.

Conclusion

The vampires flee either when all of the civilians are dead or when all three of the vampire knights are dead or bloodied.

Remains of the vampires includes 6 platinum pieces and a bracelet worth 250 gold pieces.

Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 10 naturalXP 125

HP 1: a missed attack never damages a minion.AC 26; Fort 23, Ref 22, Will 20Speed 8, Climb 6 (spider climb)Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic




Initiative +9Perception +12

Darkvision

Standard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard Actions (M) Claw - At-Will (M) Claw - At-Will (M) Claw - At-Will (M) Claw - At-Will (M) Claw - At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs ACHit: 8 damage, and the vampire grabs the target (escape DC 18) if it does not have a creature grabbed.





(M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-WillAttack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the vampire); +15 vs. AC. If the target is dazed, the attack hits automaticallyHit: 10 damage, and the target is dazed until the grab ends.

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the vampire); +15 vs. AC. If the target is dazed, the attack hits automaticallyHit: 10 damage, and the target is dazed until the grab ends.




Str 21 (+10) Dex 19 (+9) Dex 19 (+9) Wis 15 (+7)Wis 15 (+7)Con 18 (+9) Int 9 (+4)Int 9 (+4) Cha 12 (+6)Cha 12 (+6) Alignment evil Alignment evil Languages CommonLanguages CommonLanguages Common

Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 8 LurkerXP 350

HP 92; Bloodied 46AC 23; Fort 21, Ref 22, Will 21Speed 7; climb 4 (spider climb)Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic





Darkvision

Standard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard Actions (M) Hand Blades - At-Will (M) Hand Blades - At-Will (M) Hand Blades - At-Will (M) Hand Blades - At-Will (M) Hand Blades - At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.

(M) Bite (healing) At-Will (M) Bite (healing) At-Will (M) Bite (healing) At-Will (M) Bite (healing) At-Will (M) Bite (healing) At-WillAttack: Melee 1 (one dazed, dominated, stunned, or unconscious creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 3d6 + 13 damage, and the vampire regains 20 hit points.

Attack: Melee 1 (one dazed, dominated, stunned, or unconscious creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 3d6 + 13 damage, and the vampire regains 20 hit points.




(M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-WillEffect: The vampire assumes the form of a cloud of bats until the start of its next turn. While in this form, the vampire cannot attack but becomes insubstantial, gains fly 8 (hover), gains a +5 power bonus to Stealth checks, and can move through enemiesʼ spaces.

Effect: The vampire assumes the form of a cloud of bats until the start of its next turn. While in this form, the vampire cannot attack but becomes insubstantial, gains fly 8 (hover), gains a +5 power bonus to Stealth checks, and can move through enemiesʼ spaces.




(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this powerAttack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. WillHit: The target is dominated until the end of the vampireʼs next turn.

Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. WillHit: The target is dominated until the end of the vampireʼs next turn.




Triggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered Actions (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter

Trigger: The vampire takes damage while bloodied.Effect (No Action): The vampire becomes insubstantial and gains fly 12. The vampire cannot attack or use cloud of bats. This effect lasts for 1 hour or until the vampire ends it as a minor action.






Quest for the Star of Summer

Elder Reynhold asks the party to recover the Star of Summer from the Black Spire.

As the battle concludes, those still able to move help those who are not. An older man approaches you.

“You have come just in time, my friends. We are in desperate need of your aid. This attack is just one skirmish in a long war against our town.

“Our town is in despair. Once thriving, we found our strength in our town’s greatest artifact, a crystal encapsulating a wonderful glowing light. We called it the Star of Summer. Nine months ago, those wretched vampires attacked our town and stole the Star. They stole it away to their terrible lair in the Black Spire where it resides in the lair of their terrible master, the dragon Gravemyst!

Please recover the Star of Summer for us! You are our only hope!

DC 24 Perception check: The old man is holding something back.

DC 24 Intimidate: “You are not the only ones we have sent into the lair. We sent others before you and they never returned.”

DC 16 History: The Black Spire is a small mountain in the center of a desolate wasteland where nothing but brambles and poisonous plants grow. In times past it was often sought out by beings of terrible power and those practicing the darkest arts.

DC 16 Arcana: The spire and the land is beset by stone imbued with a evil power. Necromancers often sought the substance for their dark rituals.

DC 24 Arcana or Religion: The taint of the land comes from a substance originating beyond the eyes of Man or God, the Far Realm. The Black Spire is said to be laced with this terrible energy.

Gravemyst’s Assault

As the party begins the journey to the Black Spire, read the following:

You begin your journey the following morning after a night you would consider far from restful. You are given provisions and horses for your two-day journey across the wastelands that surround the Black Spire.

The chill of winter slips into your cloaks and clothing, chilling you to the core as you travel through old trails overgrown with thorned brambles.

In the evening you set camp against a large rock protruding from the broken earth. Your fire warms your skin but does little to the cold you hold inside.

At this point, ask the players for their plan in protecting their camp. Make note of the first, second, and third watches. Roll 1d6 to determine during which watch Gravemyst’s Assault occurs. 1 or 2 for the first watch, 3 or 4 for the second, and 5 or 6 for the third. Then read the following:

Something has spooked the horses. A cold wind blows in.

Skill Challenge: Gravemyst’s Assault

Perception DC 16: Out above the broken landscape a large shadow flies across the night. As it gets closer, you see its true form and it is terrible to behold. Gravemyst, the dracolich, flies towards you. On the ground you see eight of the vampire spawn rushing towards your horses. Will you save your horses in time to avoid Gravemyst’s horrible breath?

The main purpose of this skill challenge is to save the horses from the vampires and avoid Gravemyst’s breath attack.

They may choose to attack the vampire spawn directly. The spawn have the same statistics as in the

town square battle. They might also choose using nature, stealth, diplomacy, or other skills to hide the horses, or move them to avoid the vampires.

If the party kills all eight vampires before they kill the horses or the party protects the horses with six successful skill checks, the party succeeds.

Success: The party saves the horses and avoids Gravemyst’s breath attack.

Failure: The party fails in protecting themselves from Gravemyst’s Assault. The horses are killed and Gravemyst breathes upon them for 3d12+6 necrotic damage. It takes an additional day’s journey to reach the black spire which results in each character losing a healing surge.

Conclusion

After the assault, read the following:

The remainder of your journey to the Black Spire is uneventful as you walk across the shattered land past gaping fissures, fetid streams, and walls of poisonous brambles. On the evening of your second day (third day if the horses were killed) you approach the Black Spire. A massive shard of black obsidian encrusted in the earth around it, the rock of the spire itself appears to be from beyond this earth. Steam rises from fissures leading to underground streams of black water.

DC 16 Dungeoneering DC 16: The obsidian rock of the spire is not natural to this land, or any land, that you know.

DC 24 Dungeoneering or Arcana: The rock would appear to be touched by the infinite madness of the Far Realm. Dark veins of the Far Realm lay thick throughout the rock, poisoning the water and the land for miles around.

As you explore the spire, you find a large crack in the wall leading deeper into the caverns.

Note: The party may not fully rest within or near the spire. Vampire minions continually interrupt their rest, inflicting 16 damage each time the party attempts to fully rest.

The Vampire Cult

Setup

As the party enters the cavern, read the following:

The air grows colder as you enter the caverns below the spire. The rock walls are lined with black veins. Here and there you see runes and sigils carved from an ancient hand. (DC 16 Dungeoneering or History: They are perhaps a thousand years old)

Further in, an old bridge spans a deep chasm filled with running black water. Across the chasm you see a pillar of black onyx pulsing with violet runes.

As you step out onto the rock bridge spanning the chasm, laughter echoes out across the chamber. A flutter of bats erupts, funneling down to a platform ahead of you. They form into a creature of white skin and black robes.

“You are fools,” says the vampire spire lord.“They sent you hear to die, and you aren’t the first. Would you like to see the others?” The Vampire Lord gestures and two other vampires appear out of the mists. Looking at them you see former adventurers like yourself now twisted by the tainted water of the far realm into the forms in front of you. More of them crawl from the crevasse.

“You think we went there for murder? We went for revenge. They sent us here to die and now we will give them the new life we have found in these halls serving our master, Gravemyst! You think we stole the Star of Summer? It belonged to our master! They stole it from him. And they will never do so again.”

Behind you, two four-armed skeletons step from the shadows, razor-sharp scimitars in their hands.

“Now, let us give you a taste of our new life.”

Vampire Spire Lord

2x Vampire Spire Knights

2x Skeletal Spire Guardians

8x Vampire Spawn

This encounter uses the Paizo “Darklands” Gamemastery Flip Mat.

Tactics

The vampire lord stays on his platform, attacking with Dream Lure and Black Bolt. The Spire Knights attack anyone who is dazed with Bites. The vampire spawn will use spider climb to get behind the party.

The vampire lord is in direct control over the will of the other vampires. If he is killed outright, the vampire spawn transform into hordes of rats and flee. The other two vampires and the skeletal guardians take their bloodied value in psychic damage.


Crevasse and pits: A deep crevasse is filled with the water of an underground spring poisoned by the taint of the Far Realm. Any creature who begins within the stream takes 10 poison damage. As a move action, a creature within the crevasse can make a DC 16 Athletics check to exit the crevasse to the square nearest to where they fell. If they take two move actions, they can choose any square within a distance of their speed from the square from which they fell.

The Obsidian Pillar: A minor action DC 16 arcana check reveals that the arcane pillar is powering the skeletal tomb guardians. It pulsates with a necromatic energy that fills the vampires with power.

A PC adjacent to the pillar may perform a standard action DC 16 arcana or religion check to recognize that some of the runes on this pillar are missing and create a necromatic imbalance. Filling in the missing runes properly will balance the pillar and deactivate the pulsing necrotic energy.

At this point the players have two choices. First, they may complete the arcane rune puzzle found at the end of this adventure. Use the key to verify the correct answers. If it is handed in incorrect, the PC of the player attempting the puzzle takes 2d8+11 necrotic damage.

Instead of the puzzle, a PC may perform two standard action DC 24 arcana checks to deactivate the pillar. Failure on these checks results in 2d8+11 damage.

Conclusion

If the pillar is properly balanced, the skeletal spire guardians take their bloodied value in damage. If the battle has already gone on long enough, you can instead destroy the skeletal tomb guardians directly.

If the spire lord is slain, all of the other vampires flee into the cracks and fissures, returning to their coffins. The PCs can become aware of the fact that the other vampires are linked to spire lord with a DC 24 Arcana, Religion, or Insight check.

Within the coffins, the party finds 600 gold pieces, a gem worth 500 gold pieces, and a 11th level magic item.

When the battle has concluded, read the following:

Exploring caverns across the crevasse, you find the wooden coffins of the vampires. Avernous’s own coffin is very old and encrusted with jewels. Opening them up you see your foes lying as corpses, their wounds regenerating, though it will take many nights to regenerate fully. Now, more than ever, you see them as adventurers like yourself, sent here to confront Gravemyst. Will you leave them be or finish them off?

Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire KnightMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 8 LurkerXP 350






Darkvision


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 9 damage.






(M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-Will (M) Cloud of Bats (polymorph) At-WillEffect: The vampire assumes the form of a cloud of bats until the start of its next turn. While in this form, the vampire cannot attack but becomes insubstantial, gains fly 8 (hover), gains a +5 power bonus to Stealth checks, and can move through enemiesʼ spaces.





(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this power(M) Dominating Gaze (charm) Recharge when no creature is dominated by this powerAttack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. WillHit: The target is dominated until the end of the vampireʼs next turn.





Triggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered Actions (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter (M) Mist Form (polymorph) Encounter







Vampire Spire LordMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire LordMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire LordMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire Spire LordMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 10 ControllerXP 500

HP 98; Bloodied 49AC 24; Fort 20, Ref 22, Will 24Speed 7; climb 4 (spider climb)Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necroticVulnerable 5 Radiant





Darkvision


Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. ACHit: 4d6 + 4 damage.Effect: The vampire slides the target up to 3 squares.










(M) Dream Lure (charm, psychic) At-Will (M) Dream Lure (charm, psychic) At-Will (M) Dream Lure (charm, psychic) At-Will (M) Dream Lure (charm, psychic) At-Will (M) Dream Lure (charm, psychic) At-WillAttack: Ranged 10 (one creature) : +13 vs. WillHit: 3d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn.Effect: The vampire pulls the target 3 squares.

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature) : +13 vs. WillHit: 3d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn.Effect: The vampire pulls the target 3 squares.




Minor ActionsMinor ActionsMinor ActionsMinor ActionsMinor Actions (M) Black Bolt - At-Will, 2/rnd (M) Black Bolt - At-Will, 2/rnd (M) Black Bolt - At-Will, 2/rnd (M) Black Bolt - At-Will, 2/rnd (M) Black Bolt - At-Will, 2/rnd

Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.

Triggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered Actions (M) Vanish into Shadow (Illusion) Encounter (M) Vanish into Shadow (Illusion) Encounter (M) Vanish into Shadow (Illusion) Encounter (M) Vanish into Shadow (Illusion) Encounter (M) Vanish into Shadow (Illusion) Encounter

Trigger: The vampire takes damage while bloodied.Effect (No Action): The vampire becomes invisible until the end of the encounter or until it attacks.






Skeletal Spire GuardianMedium natural humanoid (undead)Skeletal Spire GuardianMedium natural humanoid (undead)Skeletal Spire GuardianMedium natural humanoid (undead)Skeletal Spire GuardianMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 10 Brute XP 75

HP 126; Bloodied 63AC 23; Fort 22, Ref 23, Will 20Speed 8Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necroticVulnerability 5 radiant





Darkvision

Standard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard ActionsStandard Actions (M) Twin Scimitars - At-Will (M) Twin Scimitars - At-Will (M) Twin Scimitars - At-Will (M) Twin Scimitars - At-Will (M) Twin Scimitars - At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs AC. The guardian makes the attack twice against the same target.Hit: 1d8+2 or 1d8+10 if the guardian scores a critical hit.





(M) Cascade of Steel - At-Will (M) Cascade of Steel - At-Will (M) Cascade of Steel - At-Will (M) Cascade of Steel - At-Will (M) Cascade of Steel - At-Will

Effect: The guardian uses twin scimitars twice.Effect: The guardian uses twin scimitars twice.Effect: The guardian uses twin scimitars twice.Effect: The guardian uses twin scimitars twice.Effect: The guardian uses twin scimitars twice.Triggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered Actions (M) Sudden Strike - At-Will (M) Sudden Strike - At-Will (M) Sudden Strike - At-Will (M) Sudden Strike - At-Will (M) Sudden Strike - At-Will

Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the guardian shifts.Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The guardian uses twin scimitars against the triggering enemy.





Str 18 (+9) Dex 20 (+10) Dex 20 (+10) Wis 14 (+7)Wis 14 (+7)Con 16 (+8) Int 3 (+1)Int 3 (+1) Cha 3 (+1)Cha 3 (+1) Alignment unaligned Alignment unaligned Languages —Languages —Languages —

Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)Vampire SpawnMedium natural humanoid (undead)

Lvl 10 naturalXP 125






Darkvision







(M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-WillAttack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the vampire); +15 vs. AC. If the target is dazed, the attack hits automaticallyHit: 10 damage, and the target is dazed until the grab ends.






Gravemyst

Setup

After the party takes a short rest, read the following:

You step further into the deepest chambers of the Black Spire and witness the creature you were sent to face. Bone wings stretching to the outer reaches of the cavern, Gravemyst the dracolich rises on his platform across a wide chasm. He roars and the ground shakes beneath your feet. Treasure lays in piles upon his platform. Within it you see a gleam of bright light coming from a crystal. All that lies in front of you is Gravemyst himself.

Gravemyst, Deathbringer Dracolich

This encounter uses the Paizo Gamemastery Flip Mat, Dragon’s Lair

Tactics

Gravemyst begins with a breath weapon, hitting as many opponents as he can in the first round. If he loses initiative, he will begin this attack by using Mesmerizing Glance on someone to bring them back within range of his breath weapon. Gravemyst will alternate his mesmerizing glances between ranged attackers so he might make the most effective use of their ranged basic attacks. He might also use it on a pesky defender to throw him into the crevasse.

If cornered, Gravemyst will use his mesmerizing glances and his claws to push people away from him and then fly to a better position.


The Crevasse: A deep crevasse is filled with the water of an underground spring poisoned by the taint of the Far Realm. Any creature who begins within the stream takes 10 poison damage. As a move action, a

creature within the crevasse can make a DC 16 Athletics check to exit the crevasse to the square nearest to where they fell. If they take two move actions, they can choose any square within a distance of their speed from the square from which they fell.

Upper Left Landing: This excellent vantage point gives ranged attackers +5 to range and a +2 environmental bonus to attacks.

The Tormented Dead: Creatures containing skeletons are difficult terrain. Any living creature that enter or begin within or adjacent to square containing skeletons take 5 damage.

The Tainted Rifts: Any creature that enters or begins within or adjacent to a planar rift takes 15 necrotic damage.

Braziers: Any creature adjacent to a brazier may attempt to channel its magical fire into their attacks. As a minor action, an adjacent creature can make a DC 20 arcana, religion, or endurance check to add 2d6 fire damage onto their next attack. If they fail the check, they take 15 fire damage.

Conclusion

Once bloodied, the DM may decide to give the the party a chance to make diplomacy or intimidate checks to stand the dragon down. Use this when finishing the encounter makes sense for the pace of the game. At this point the dragon accepts its defeat and tells the party the true nature of the Star of Summer.

The dragon’s horde includes 1,300 gold pieces in mixed coin; a gem worth 500 gold pieces, an obsidian statue of a forgotten god worth 1,000 gold pieces, and a suit of black iron armor +3.

Choices

The undead beast lays defeated before you. The sparks in its eyes grow dim.

“So long I have waited for this,” says Gravemyst. “So many hundreds of years.”

It’s dimming eyes fix on you.

“To end me permanently, you must destroy the one thing that binds me together, my phylactery, the Star of Summer. The villagers, they thought they could use its power to fuel their greed and their laziness. Let them learn on their own how to survive as all creatures must.”

“If you give it back to them, they will never know anything but how to take power. They will never learn how to live on their own.”

If you take it yourself, you too might know this great power, but at what cost? Look where that power has brought me?

“As long as it survives, I will never die, and I will never rest. You might grind my bones to dust, but as long as the Star survives, so to do I.”

“So, heroes. Look into your hearts and decide what you will do.”

The party must choose the fate of Gravemyst and the Star of Summer. Will they destroy it and give Gravemyst peace? Will they return it to Winter’s Dusk so they can use its energy to restore the town? Will they keep it for themselves?

Just what sort of heroes are they?

Gravemyst, Deathbringer DracolichMedium natural dragon (undead)

Lvl 10 Solo Controller XP 2,500

HP 428; Bloodied 214AC 24; Fort 24, Ref 22, Will 22Speed 6; Fly 8 (clumsy)Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necroticVulnerability 10 RadiantSaving Throws +5; Action Points 2


Darkvision

TraitsTraitsAction RecoveryAction Recovery

Whenever the dragon ends its turn, any dazing, stunning, or dominating effect on it ends.Whenever the dragon ends its turn, any dazing, stunning, or dominating effect on it ends.

Instinctive DominationInstinctive DominationOn an initiative of 10 + its initiative check, the dragon can use a free action to use mesmerizing glance. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. If the dragon cannot use a free action to make this attack due to a dominating or stunning effect, then that effect ends instead of the dragon making this attack.

On an initiative of 10 + its initiative check, the dragon can use a free action to use mesmerizing glance. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. If the dragon cannot use a free action to make this attack due to a dominating or stunning effect, then that effect ends instead of the dragon making this attack.

Shattered Necrosis (Aura 5 when bloodied)Shattered Necrosis (Aura 5 when bloodied)Any creature that begins or enters the aura takes 15 necrotic damage.Any creature that begins or enters the aura takes 15 necrotic damage.

Standard ActionsStandard Actions (M) Bite - At-Will (M) Bite - At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. ACHit: 2d10 + 7 damage, and ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends)

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. ACHit: 2d10 + 7 damage, and ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends)

(M) Claws - At-Will (M) Claws - At-WillAttack: Melee 2 (one or two creatures); +15 vs. AC. If the dragon targets only one creature, it can make this attack twice against that creature.Hit: 3d6+7 damageEffect: The dracolich slides the target up to 2 squares.

Attack: Melee 2 (one or two creatures); +15 vs. AC. If the dragon targets only one creature, it can make this attack twice against that creature.Hit: 3d6+7 damageEffect: The dracolich slides the target up to 2 squares.

(M) Breath Weapon (necrotic) Recharge 5, 6 (M) Breath Weapon (necrotic) Recharge 5, 6 (M) Breath Weapon (necrotic) Recharge 5, 6 (M) Breath Weapon (necrotic) Recharge 5, 6Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in blast): +15 vs Reflex Hit: 3d12+6 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends)Miss: Half damage, and the target is weakened until the end of its next turn.

Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in blast): +15 vs Reflex Hit: 3d12+6 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends)Miss: Half damage, and the target is weakened until the end of its next turn.



Minor ActionsMinor ActionsMinor ActionsMinor Actions (R) Mesmerizing Glance (Charm, psychic) At-Will (1/round) (R) Mesmerizing Glance (Charm, psychic) At-Will (1/round) (R) Mesmerizing Glance (Charm, psychic) At-Will (1/round) (R) Mesmerizing Glance (Charm, psychic) At-Will (1/round)

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +15 vs. WillHit: The target takes 2d6+6 psychic damage and Gravemyst slides the target its speed and the target makes an at will attack against its closest ally.Miss: The dracolich slides the target 2 squares.




(R) Black Bolts Breath - Encounter (R) Black Bolts Breath - Encounter (R) Black Bolts Breath - Encounter (R) Black Bolts Breath - EncounterAttack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.Attack: Range 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. ReflexHit: 2d6+11 necrotic damage.

Triggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered ActionsTriggered Actions (R) Bloodied Breath - Encounter (R) Bloodied Breath - Encounter (R) Bloodied Breath - Encounter (R) Bloodied Breath - Encounter

Trigger: The dragon is first bloodied.Effect (Free Action): Breath weapon recharges, and the dragon uses it.




Str 21 (+10) Dex 18 (+9) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 16 (+8)Con 18 (+9) Int 19 (+9)Int 19 (+9) Cha 17 (+8)

arcana +14arcana +14 Alignment evil Alignment evil Languages Common, DraconicLanguages Common, Draconic

gravemyst winter’s dusk - amazon s3 · down into the earth, ... adventure summary the party...

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