Exemplars of Evil

FEATURES OF THE AREA
The room has the following features.
Illumination: Stained glass windows (each with hardness
1 and 1 hit point) permit some light to shine in from the north
end of the room. Additionally, the candles in the antechamber
(area 15) produce shadowy illumination in the first 4 squares
beyond the door.
Ceiling Height: The ceiling in this room is 20 feet high.
Statues: Four statues flank the altar and dais on the north
side of the room. The statues depict bold celestial warriors in
the service of Pelor. The statues function as slender pillars.
Any PCs who stand in a space occupied by a statue gain a +2
bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus on Reflex saves. Each
statue has AC 4, hardness 8, and 250 hit points.
Altar and Dais: An altar stands upon a short dais. Characters
who stand on the dais gain a +1 circumstance bonus on attack
rolls against opponents standing on the floor.
Side Chambers: Two side chambers hold priestly vestments,
censers, and other religious accoutrements. The doors
are unlocked.
Pews: Twelve pews are arranged in two rows of six. It costs
2 squares of movement to enter a square containing a pew.
Those who climb onto a pew gain a +1 circumstance bonus on
attack rolls against opponents standing on the floor.
Offal: Characters moving through squares containing offal
must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1
round, taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls,
saves, and checks. The gibbering mouther and the psurlon are
immune to this effect.
Corpses: The squares containing corpses count as difficult
terrain, requiring 2 squares to enter. As with the offal, the
mouther and the psurlon are not hindered by the presence of
the corpses.
ENCOUNTER 3-2
TACTICS
When the PCs enter the room, the mouther starts to gibber
in an attempt to confuse them. See the Confused Condition
sidebar.
As the gibbering mouther moves forward to engage the
PCs, it flings spittle each round as a free action. Anyone who
is struck by the spittle and who fails a DC 18 Fortitude save is
blinded for 1d4 rounds. While blinded, the victim takes a –2
penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor
Class (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a –4 penalty on
Search checks and most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill
checks. Checks relying on vision automatically fail.
Each successful bite attack allows the mouther to attempt
a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of
opportunity. The creature and its opponent make opposed
grapple checks. If the mouther wins, it attempts to swallow
its foe by making another opposed grapple check. Characters
swallowed by the mouther take 1d4 points of Constitution
damage each round that they remain enveloped.
Meanwhile, the psurlon stays back and uses its spell-like
(or psi-like) abilities. It uses hold monster (or brain lock) on
the PC closest to the gibbering mouther and follows up
with lightning bolt (or energy bolt [electricity]) and sound burst
(or energy bolt [sonic]) in the next rounds, moving to keep its
distance from the PCs. It uses telekinesis on any character who
comes within 10 feet, using a combat maneuver (telekinetic
maneuver) or a violent thrust (telekinetic thrust) to shove back
the pews to slow its attackers down.
The gibbering mouther fights to the death. If the psurlon
is reduced to 15 or fewer hit points, it uses dimension door (or
psionic dimension door) to transport 680 feet to the north.
CONCLUSION
The eastern side chamber contains a pile of vestments, icons,
and other religious items worth a total of 2,000 gp.
61