The Temple Between.pdf

The Temple Between
T2: DEATH FROM
ABOVE
Encounter Level 10 (2,500 XP)
Setup
1 berbalang (B), initially with two duplicates (D)
Among the various forces Zithiruun has hired for the
assault on Overlook is a trio of berbalangs, who have
been promised not only substantial riches, but first
pick of the captives and of the dead for their larders.
Thankfully, the PCs themselves only have to deal
with one.
As the battle commences, the berbalang swoops
over a poor neighborhood in the Nine Bells district,
dropping alchemical firebombs. It’s not a tactically
important target, but it’s great for spreading panic,
and the plethora of old buildings and wooden structures
mean the flames will spread. The berbalang is
already split into three different forms (the original
and two duplicates), meaning the original currently
has 204 hit points and the two duplicates each have
102.
Berbalang
Level 10 Solo Skirmisher
Medium immortal humanoid XP 2,500
Initiative +13 Senses Perception +6
HP 408; Bloodied 204
AC 25; Fortitude 22, Reflex 25, Will 21; see also psychic
deflection
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, fly 8
Action Points 2
m Claw (standard; at-will)
+14 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage.
Summon Duplicate (minor, not while bloodied; at-will) ✦
Conjuration, Psychic
The berbalang manifests an exact duplicate of itself in an
unoccupied adjacent square. It can have no more than
four duplicates at once, and duplicates cannot summon
other duplicates. When a duplicate appears, it makes an
initiative check and joins the battle on that initiative count.
All damage a duplicate deals is treated as psychic damage.
A duplicate has the same statistics as the berbalang
except for its hit points. When the berbalang manifests a
duplicate, the berbalang loses one-quarter of its current hit
points and the duplicate appears with that quantity
of hit points. The berbalang’s maximum number of hit
points remains the same.
When the PCs approach, read:
Flames dance across a cluster of rooftops, and the crackling
from the fire drowns out the screams of panic as citizens
scramble in all directions. In the smoky air above, a trio of
horrid winged humanoids, with mottled blue skin, whirl
about on the inferno-birthed updrafts. Every few moments,
one of them hurls a clay jug that bursts into flames as it
strikes a nearby building.
Duplicates last until the berbalang reaches 0 hit points,
absorbs them, or uses sacrifice. A duplicate must stay within
10 squares of the berbalang at all times or it disappears.
Absorb Duplicate (standard; at-will) ✦ Healing
The berbalang absorbs a duplicate adjacent to it and regains
50 hit points.
Berbalang Sneak Attack
A berbalang or a duplicate that flanks an enemy with
another duplicate deals 1d8 extra damage on melee
attacks against that enemy.
A Sacrifice (standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic
Area burst 1 centered on a duplicate; the berbalang can
cause one of its duplicates to explode in a burst of psychic
gore; +11 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 6 psychic damage, plus the
target is dazed (save ends). Miss: No damage, but the target
is dazed (save ends). Effect: The berbalang takes 25 damage.
Psychic Deflection (immediate reaction, when the berbalang is
damaged by an attack; at-will) ✦ Psychic
The berbalang can deflect the damage it takes from
an attack to one of its duplicates. Any effects or secondary
attacks included in the attack are also deflected to the
duplicate. The damage a duplicate takes in this way is
considered psychic damage.
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Str 16 (+8) Dex 22 (+11) Wis 13 (+6)
Con 14 (+7) Int 14 (+7) Cha 15 (+7)
Tactics
The true berbalang stays at range for the first few
rounds, allowing its duplicates to close for melee.
If any PCs are far enough from its duplicates that it
won’t hit them, it makes use of its special “firebomb”
attack (see below). When a duplicate nears death
(down to about one-quarter of its starting hit points),
the berbalang moves in and absorbs it. It might then
engage in combat, or spawn a new duplicate and
retreat to range, depending on how effective the PCs
are with distance attacks. Once the berbalang is
down to fewer than 50 hit points, it won’t spawn any
more duplicates, for fear of—so to speak—spreading
itself too thin.
December 2008 | DUNGEON 161
58