Elder Evils

FEATURES OF THE AREA
Crater: It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square
containing a crater. A creature in a crater also has cover, and
so gains a +4 bonus to AC.
Debris: Squares covered in debris increase the DC of Balance,
Move Silently, and Tumble checks by 2.
Eyes of Death: This entire encounter takes place on one of
the Eyes of Death. Creatures touching the surface must succeed
on a DC 30 Fortitude save for each round of contact or gain
1d6 negative levels. Creatures that gain negative levels equal
to or greater than their Hit Dice are slain and rise as angels of
decay in 1d3 rounds. The DC to remove a negative level after
24 hours is 30. Each negative level bestowed grants the aspect
of Atropus 5 temporary hit points. These hit points last for up
to 1 hour.
All undead on the Eyes of Death gain +6 turn resistance,
+20 hit points, and a +4 profane bonus to Armor Class and
on saving throws. Living creatures in the area targeted by any
negative energy effects (such as inflict spells or spells bestowing
negative levels) suffer the maximum possible effect.
Veins of Atropus: A creature that is standing on one of
these cracks counters the effect of the Eyes of Death. It
does not gain negative levels from the eyes, nor does it suffer
the maximum effect from negative energy effects. When
the creature attacks undead or affects them with a spell or
special ability, those undead do not gain the bonus to turn
resistance, to AC, or on saves from the Eyes of Death. (The
undead do not have to be on the veins of Atropus, just the
attacker does.)
These cracks are narrow, and there is no danger of falling
into one of them.
ENCOUNTER 2-3
Once it exhausts its spells or when the characters engage
it in melee combat, it uses Whirlwind Attack to make attacks
against each PC within reach. Its slam attacks deal Constitution
drain and bestow negative levels. It alternates its
attacks with Improved Sunder to destroy weapons capable
of bypassing its damage reduction.
CONCLUSION
When the aspect of Atropus is defeated, read:
The moonlet halts its progress, hanging motionless
in the sky. Great tremors ripple across the surface,
causing the ground to crack and buckle. A deep and
mournful moan fills the air, issuing forth from the
Great Pit.
The moonlet’s surface rumbles as if under the effect of
an earthquake spell, requiring all characters to succeed on
DC 15 Reflex saves or fall down. Fissures tear open, and
all creatures on the ground have a 25% chance of falling
into one (Reflex DC 20 to avoid). The tremors last for
1d6 rounds, at which point the whole moonlet seems to
contract—killing anyone or anything still trapped in
a fissure.
Then the moonlet rockets away from the world, moving
at a speed of 40,000 feet. Characters still on the surface are
carried with the moonlet. As it moves away from the world,
Atropus’s sign ends, and creatures animated by its effects
collapse, lifeless.
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