Exemplars of Evil

ENCOUNTER 8-1
138
V
OIDSTONE PILLAR
Encounter Level 17
SETUP
A pillar of utterly black voidstone (DMG 157) rises
through the floor in the center of the room. A hullathoin
lurks at the base of the pillar, and eight xeg-yi float near
the top.
As soon as the PCs enter the room, the hullathoin makes
a Listen check with a penalty of –1 per 10 feet of distance.
If it hears the intruders, the creature exudes a bloodfiend
locust swarm every other round until it has produced four
swarms. The characters can hear the swarms if they succeed
on DC 10 Listen checks.
When the PCs cross the bridge, read:
Across the bridge, you see a massive gallery in the
shape of a bowl. Three staircases descend to the
bottom—a relatively flat area from which a pillar
of absolute darkness rises. At the base of a thick
column is a grotesque abomination. Its oversized
head is little more than exposed bone, and its
vaguely reptilian body has a mottled, gray-andblack
hide that is spotted with bloody sores. Bloated
locusts wriggle out of the sores and swarm about
the creature.
With a deep chuckle, the horrifying beast rises
from its supine position and lumbers toward you.
As it moves, disembodied, pulsing red spheres
descend from the top of the spire, touching the
creature with long, strange tendrils.
TACTICS
When the hullathoin comes within reach of a lightly
armored foe, it attacks with its bite, using a 5-point
Power Attack (attack +14, damage 2d8+20). When it can
make a full attack, it stops using Power Attack. If the
hullathoin hits with a tentacle attack, it and the target
make opposed grapple checks. If the hullathoin wins
the opposed check, it deals an extra 1d6+5 points of
damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude
save or take 1d10 points of Strength damage from
the creature’s poison.
If the hullathoin gets a hold on a target, it moves 6 squares
back toward the voidstone pillar on the next round by
making another opposed grapple check. On its next turn,
the creature releases its prey as a free action and makes a
bull rush attempt to push the target against the pillar. The
target can make an attack of opportunity, after which the
hullathoin and the target make opposed Strength checks.
The hullathoin gains a +8 bonus on the check, for a total
modifier of +18. If the beast pushes the target against the
Hullathoin FF CR 15
hp 104 (16 HD); fast healing 8; DR 15/magic and silver
NE Huge undead (extraplanar)
Init –1; Senses blindsight 60 ft., scent; Listen +22, Spot +22
Languages Common, Draconic
AC 27, touch 7, flat-footed 27
(–2 size, –1 Dex, +20 natural)
Immune cold, electricity, undead immunities
Resist fire 10, sonic 10; +8 turn resistance; SR 26
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +15
Weakness undead vulnerabilities
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee bite +19 (2d8+10/19–20 plus poison)
Melee 2 stamps +16 each (1d8+5) and
2 tentacles +16 each (1d6+5 plus poison)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Base Atk +8; Grp +28
Atk Options Cleave, Power Attack, deform, improved grab,
improved grapple, poison (DC 19, 1d10 Str/1d10 Str)
Special Actions exude bloodfiend locusts, rebuke undead
4/day (+1, 2d6+21, 20th), ring of pus
Abilities Str 30, Dex 8, Con —, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
SQ undead traits
Feats Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (bite),
Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Balance +18, Climb +29, Listen +22, Spot +22,
Swim +29
Deform (Su) Whenever a hullathoin deals damage with a
grapple attack, the target must succeed on a DC 19
Fortitude save or take an extra 1d6 points of Charisma
damage.
Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a hullathoin must
hit an opponent of up to Large size with a tentacle
attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free
action without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Improved Grapple (Ex) A hullathoin does not take a
penalty of –20 to grappling checks when using a
tentacle to hold its opponent.
Exude Bloodfiend Locusts (Su) As a standard action, a
hullathoin can produce from its body a swarm of
bloodfiend locusts that attacks its foes.
Ring of Pus (Ex) Once per day, a hullathoin can spray pus
in a 30-foot radius. All creatures in the area become
nauseated for 1d10 rounds, take 5d6 points of acid
damage, and take 1d6 points of Strength damage. A
successful DC 19 Reflex save negates the nauseated
condition, halves the acid damage, and negates the
Strength damage.
pillar, the target must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save
or be destroyed.
Meanwhile, the xeg-yi use the Flyby Attack feat to
deliver negative energy lashes that heal the undead creature.
If prevented from doing so, they fly 30 feet overhead
and fire negative energy rays at the hullathoin instead.
The bloodfiend locusts are mindless and attack the
closest living creature.