[Lvl 22] - Grasp of the Mantled Citadel.pdf

Unless you determine that the heroes require moreXP, their flight back out of the citadel and the Forestof Twisted Souls is uneventful. Of course, if a sudden,desperate battle in the deep gloom of the forest or thepursuit of the demiplane’s denizens will spur the PCson their way, then feel free to use one of the randomencounters to provide the necessary impetus.The characters can return to Sayre using the teleportationcircle which they used to reach Vaerothim.If no one in the group has access to the Planar Portalritual, the PCs can find a copy in Irfelujhar’s library.When the PCs arrive back in Sayre to report toRachaela, the mood is bleak. A single, mournful belltolls a dirge over the city. The few inhabitants thatare out and about are clearly nervous and afraid.(Feel free to improvise minor encounters if you havetime to highlight the feeling of doom and sorrowBy this point, the heroes should be relatively safe, asthey have likely defeated all the citadel’s inhabitants.If Mornujhar survives, however (probably becausethe characters did not investigate the citadel’s subterraneanlevel), then he rallies any surviving inhabitantsand ambushes the PCs as they leave. Design anencounter using the remaining forces at Mornujhar’sdisposal, perhaps breaking them into two waves if theyare particularly numerous. The Black Exarch chooseshis battlefield carefully. Set the combat in an area thatallows him to effectively deploy his remaining troops.hanging over the city. However, the few peopleencountered should be too overcome with grief orfear to explain what is going on—save the big news forRachaela to reveal).The characters encounter Rachaela in the conferenceroom where they first met the angel. There,with her eyes brimming with tears, she tells themthe terrible news that Bahamut is dead. Tiamat’sstunning victory over her ancient rival has thrownthe fledgling Coalition into disarray. Is this enoughfor Tiamat, or does it presage some other, terribleattack? No one knows, but with the fall of such apowerful servant of good, dark forces are certain tomove against the world’s remaining enclaves of light.To stem this dark tide will require heroes of might,valor, and unswerving conviction.Rachaela thanks the heroes for their efforts inuncovering how Tiamat managed to slay Bahamutand gives them any outstanding reward that was profferedin Encounter S1 of “Betrayal at Monadhan.” Anadditional reward of a divine boon (see below) couldbe offered if the PCs figured out that Vecna is thetarget of the ritual they brought back. At the very least,Rachaela’s gratitude in this case could serve as a hintthat she actually serves Vecna rather than Bahamut.If you choose to have Rachaela offer a divine boon,she rewards one of the characters (ideally, the onewho discovered that Vecna is the ritual’s target) withVecna’s Boon of Diabolical Choice. Don’t call it this,of course—refer to it as Bahamut’s Boon of Choiceinstead. This boon lasts through the encounter whenit’s triggered, and then it’s gone. Note that its effect issimilar to one of the Hand of Vecna’s properties. If thecharacters have encountered the hand at some pointin their careers, they may notice the similarity andbecome suspicious of Rachaela. That’s fine; don’t confirmor deny their suspicions just yet.The heroes might still possess the Sword of Kas atthis point. They could be allowed to keep it, but it’s apowerful artifact, and those never stay in one place orone character’s possession for long. (See the DungeonMaster’s Guide, page 164 for details on artifact concordanceand behavior.) If you’d rather that the heroesdidn’t have this sword, it could leave of its own accord—perhaps at the worst possible time—or Rachaela coulddemand that they hand it over for safe keeping by theCoalition. Alternatively, upcoming adventures in theScales of War adventure path will offer the swordplenty of opportunities to betray the characters, andbetrayal is what it does best.Vecna’s Boon of Diabolical ChoiceVecna grants the user a taste of what his severed hand hasto offer.Divine BoonPower (Consumable): Free action. Until the end of thisencounter, when using an attack power, you can use yourhighest physical ability score (Strength, Constitution, orDexterity) for the attack, regardless of the normal abilityscore noted for the power. If the attack hits, slide the target2 squares, or 2 additional squares if the attack normallyresults in sliding the target.October 2009 | DUNGEON 171