Exemplars of Evil

CHAPTER 8
KASTYA ZURITH-
MOVYA
130
Thus, rather than plunging the player characters into the
thick of the plot, reveal the story gradually over the life of
the campaign. Early on, the adventures need not relate to
the villain’s goals, but as the PCs plunder dungeons, defeat
minor villains, and contend with the dark forces of the world,
you can start to introduce elements of Kastya’s plan. As the
characters reach higher levels, they can begin to deal with his
lackeys and perhaps his minions as well, while undertaking
missions that relate directly to his objectives.
These guidelines assume that Kastya is a recurring villain
within the campaign. If you would rather use him as a
one-shot villain, just accelerate the plot and decide that he
is close to completing his plans by the time the PCs confront
him in his lair. To this end, consider adding a binder
(see Tome of Magic) of at least 14th level to the encounters
described in Bleak Hold, and designate a vessel that Kastya
has chosen to host the summoned vestige; the latter might
be an ally of the party or an NPC who has not previously
been introduced.
KASTYA ZURITH-MOVYA
IN EBERRON
From the githyanki city of Tu’narath, Kastya fled to the plane
of Mabar, the Endless Night. There, he brokered an arrangement
with the yugoloths—they would help him locate the
elusive tooth of Acererak, and he would provide them with
undead servants for their own inscrutable schemes. But the
yugoloths are far from trustworthy, and they spend as much
time hampering Kastya and his allies as they do helping them.
The necromancer’s hands are tied, since the yugoloths have
threatened to reveal his hidden lair to the lich-queen if he
fails to make good on his promises.
KASTYA ZURITH-MOVYA
IN FAERÛN
In his search for the tooth of Acererak, Kastya has inadvertently
drawn the attention of Orcus, who rightly believes that the
destruction of the tooth will create a conduit through which
other vestiges might escape their torments. In no hurry to see
Tenebrous restored, Orcus has forged a pact with Vlaakith and
sends his demonic hordes to deal with Kastya’s renegades.
APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR
The Negative Energy Plane has not been kind to Kastya.
Its energy has spiritually bolstered his undead body but
rendered him physically emaciated, his parchment skin
pulled taut over sharp bones. Also, the necromancer has
become infested with a strange parasite, and his body crackles
with the movement of undead mites crawling through the
wreckage of his flesh.
To conceal his hideous form, Kastya wears long, moldering
white robes trimmed in crimson, with a cloak of a matching
color. Around his slight waist is a wide belt made of interlocking
brass plates; from these, he hangs pouches containing
the components, dusts, stones, and runebones used in the
performance of his dark arts.
Although Kastya commits most of his time and attention
to his plot against Vlaakith, he is easily distracted by magical
study. The lich spends a portion of each day exploring Moil’s
floating ruins, examining inscriptions and runes on the
walls, delicately leafing through degenerating manuscripts,
and performing vivisections on undead beings of his own
creation to gain a deeper understanding of how negative
energy animates the dead.
For the most part, Kastya’s minions and lackeys are loyal,
but some are growing concerned about his sanity (or lack
thereof). On many occasions, Albrathax and others have
found him explaining necromantic theory to the mute
zombies and skeletons that shuffle mindlessly about Bleak
Hold. Kastya never seems to think that his behavior is strange,
and claims that he speaks aloud to work through the difficult
aspects of spellcraft.
In truth, Kastya merely craves company. He is desperate for
the camaraderie he enjoyed back in Tu’narath, and he often
orders his minions to kidnap intelligent beings from the
Material Plane for conversation. Such visitors to the floating
tower are rarely talkative for long—the plane inexorably sucks
away their life and turns them into twitching, lifeless husks.
When they finally die, Kastya raises them as zombies to add
to the countless walking corpses already in his service.
Kastya Zurith-Movya CR 19
hp 118 (15 HD); fast healing 3; DR 15/bludgeoning and
magic
Male evolved lich githyanki necromancer 5/master specialist
LM 10
CE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, extraplanar)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +27, Spot +19
Aura fear (60 ft., DC 25)
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Gith, Infernal,
Undercommon
AC 30, touch 17, flat-footed 26
(+4 Dex, +6 armor, +3 deflection, +1 insight, +6 natural)
Miss Chance 20% blur
Immune cold, electricity, polymorph (except spells with a
range of personal), mind-affecting spells and abilities,
undead immunities
Resist +4 turn resistance; SR 20
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +14; +8 against spells and spell-like effects
Weakness undead vulnerabilities
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee damaging touch +11 (1d8+5 negative energy plus
paralysis)
Base Atk +7; Grp +8
Atk Options cursed glance 9/day, damaging touch, magic
strike, paralyzing touch
Special Actions major school esoterica, minor school esoterica
Combat Gear 3 oils of inflict serious wounds, staff of necromancy
(11 charges), wand of dispel magic (CL 10th, 10
charges)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 16th, prohibited schools evocation
and illusion):
8th—blackfire SC (CL 18th, +11 ranged touch, DC 29),
horrid wilting (CL 18th, DC 29), Moilian blackfire SC
(CL 18th, +11 ranged touch, +9d6 damage, DC 29),
protection from spells†
7th—avasculate SC (CL 18th, +11 ranged touch, DC 28),
Moilian finger of death (CL 18th, +8d6, DC 28), greater
teleport, limited wish, waves of exhaustion (CL 18th)
6th—circle of death (CL 18th, DC 27), disintegrate (+11
ranged touch), globe of invulnerability, greater dispel
magic, mass suggestion (DC 25)
5th—cloudkill (DC 24), dominate person (DC 24),
feeblemind (DC 24), magic jar (CL 18th, DC 26),
overland flight, wall of force, waves of fatigue (CL 18th)