Exemplars of Evil

ENCOUNTER 6-3
C
HAPEL OF REVERENCE
Encounter Level 15
SETUP
In the Chapel of Reverence (area 5), Emmara, her howler
familiar, and her two stone golems prepare to battle the
intruders (provided that Emmara has been alerted of their
arrival). Before the PCs arrive, Emmara casts hold portal on
the chamber door.
When she first claimed the Soth Tarnel, Emmara discovered
an amulet that gave her command over the tomb’s
stone golem guardians. They originally stood on the lowest
ceremonial landing, but she moved them to the chapel for
better protection. As soon as Emmara becomes aware of
trespassers, she commands the golems to flank the door
and attack anything that steps through. During combat,
she rants and raves at the PCs.
When the player characters enter the chapel (through
the west door), read:
Ahead of you, in the center of this domed chamber,
lies a large stone sarcophagus surrounded by
rubble. The sarcophagus seems to have been
shattered. A line of slender pillars runs down each
side of the chamber, and caltrops have been
scattered directly in front of the door. Standing
slightly back from the entrance are two hulking
stone statues, easily 10 feet tall.
If Emmara has managed to cast obscuring mist, modify the
text to mention the vapor.
TACTICS
As soon as her minions warn her of intruders, Emmara
prepares for combat. She uses a scroll of stoneskin and casts
see invisibility, false life, resist energy (fire), and resist energy
(cold)—sharing all spells with her familiar—before donning
her +1 full plate. Next, she casts corrupt weapon on her
falchion and moves in front of the entrance, where she
attempts to cast obscuring mist to limit the intruders’ line
of sight into the room. She then scatters bags of caltrops
near the door to break up the PCs’ movement. Finally,
Emmara ducks behind the ruined sarcophagus and coats
her falchion with deathblade poison.
If possible, Emmara fights while mounted on her
howler. When the PCs break through the door, she casts
a stilled haste (shared with her familiar). If a PC clears
the caltrops and any obscuring mist present, the howler
charges. Emmara uses a swift action to cast a stilled
wraithstrike (shared with her familiar; treat all their
attacks in that round as touch attacks) and uses her Power
Emmara Ishandrenn CR 15
hp 91 (15 HD); see page 98
Howler (Improved Familiar) CR —
hp 45 (6 HD)
CE Large outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +13, Spot +13
Languages understands Abyssal, empathic link, can speak
with Emmara and other howlers
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18
(–1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural)
Immune outsider immunities
Resist improved evasion
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +9
Weakness outsider vulnerabilities
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee bite +16 (2d8+5) or
Melee bite +16 (2d8+5) and
1d4 quills +11 each (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +11; Grp +20
Atk Options Combat Reflexes, deliver touch spells
Special Actions howl, quills
Abilities Str 21, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 8
SQ grant Alertness, outsider traits, share spells
Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative
Skills Climb +14, Hide +8, Jump +25, Listen +13, Move
Silently +12, Search +7, Spellcraft +9, Spot +13, Survival
+2 (+4 following tracks)
Howl (Ex) Each hour that a nonoutsider is within hearing
range of the howler, that creature must succeed on a
DC 12 Will save or take 1 point of Wisdom damage.
This is a sonic mind-affecting ability.
Quills (Ex) A howler’s neck bristles with long quills. While
biting, the creature thrashes about, striking its foe with
1d4 quills. An opponent hit by a howler’s quill attack
must succeed on a DC 16 Reflex save, or the quill
breaks off in his flesh. Each lodged quill imposes a
cumulative penalty of –1 on attack rolls, saves, and
checks. A quill can be removed safely with a successful
DC 20 Heal check; otherwise, removing a quill deals an
extra 1d6 points of damage.
Attack feat for 5 points. As a free action, she sacrifices a
1st-level spell to fuel her arcane strike, gaining a bonus
of +1 on attack rolls and dealing an extra 1d4 points of
damage per attack. If Emmara reduces an opponent to
0 or fewer hit points, she uses her Gruesome Finish feat
to kill him.
The howler charges into combat, preferring to make
full attacks whenever possible. The beast is keenly loyal
to Emmara and fights to the death. If the howler is slain,
Emmara retreats, jumping atop the shattered sarcophagus
or running to the balcony.
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