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

Undulating Walkways Level 24 Elite ObstacleHazard XP 12,100These walkways are composed entirely of bone magically fusedtogether. Waist high balustrades crafted from thigh bones runalong the walkways. Far below, the jagged rocks of the cavernfloor wait to greet anyone unfortunate enough to fall from thewalkway.Trap: Crafted as an obstacle to prevent access to Irfelujhar’spersonal chambers, the walkways are semi-sentient andreact to the touch of creatures not uttering the passphrase.PerceptionDC 32: The character notices that the walkways are gentlyrocking as if someone had just walked across them.Additional Skill: ReligionDC 28: The character’s knowledge provides a +2 bonus toThievery checks to disable the walkways.Initiative +8TriggerThe walkways activate when a creature that does not utterthe passphrase reaches the midpoint of the chamber.When this happens, individual bones in the pathway flexand undulate, making movement difficult (it costs 2 extrasquares of movement to enter a square containing walkwaywhile the pathway is reacting).AttackStandard Action Melee 0Targets: The two characters on the walkway closest to thesoutheastern exit.Attack: +29 vs. Reflex.Hit: The character slides 1 square.Miss: The character is slowed (save ends).CountermeasuresA character on the walkway can disable the walkway with aDC 36 Thievery check. The walkway reactivates if a livingcreature remains or steps on it after 1d4 + 1 rounds.Turn undead disables the walkway for 1d4 + 1 rounds.A character can attack a square of walkway (AC 30, otherdefenses 27, hp 30). If the square is destroyed, any creatureon it or an adjacent square falls onto the rocks below(normal save applies).The abominations that dwell here are well aware ofthe undulating walkway’s properties and try to stopopponents from leaving the walkways in any directionexcept straight down.They wait to launch their attacks until at least halfof the party is on the walkway.The astral stalker uses invisibility to move aboutthe chamber by scaling the walls, ceiling, or undersideof the walkway as necessary to reach targets.Initially, it hangs back from melee, using throat dartto hamper an enemy’s movement. Once it can easilyreach a slowed or immobilized target, it uses quickclaws to tear it apart.The blood fiend flies about the chamber, focusingits attacks on isolated targets (particularly those whohave fallen from a walkway). It uses terror gaze againstopponents that are not yet bloodied in an attempt togain combat advantage. Against bloodied targets, ituses bloodthirsty bite.Illumination: Dim light from an indeterminablesource fills the chamber.Whispers of Betrayal: Whispers of betrayal areactive in this area (page 49 presents more informationon this ubiquitous feature of the citadel).Ceiling: The ceiling is 30 feet above the walkways.Characters can climb across the stalactites and projectionson the ceiling with a DC 29 Athletics checks.Cavern Walls: Characters can climb the cavernwalls with a DC 24 Athletics check.Walkways: These walkways are crafted fromlong, magically-hardened bones from an unknowablesource. They sway alarmingly when walked upon andform part of the undulating walkway trap.While the undulating walkway trap is inactive,treat walkway squares as difficult terrain. After thetrap activates, the walkway is still difficult terrainand it costs 2 extra squares of movement (instead of 1extra) to enter a walkway square.The undulating walkway stat block presents moreinformation on this feature.Balustrades: The walkways have 3-feet-high balustradesthat provide cover. Some of these bones stillhave wisps of oozing flesh attached.Sharp Rocks: Jagged rocks cover the cavern floor80 feet below the bone walkway. The cavern floorslopes away another 30 feet to the south, making afall in that area more dangerous. Characters fallingfrom the walkway take either 8d10 or 11d10 damage,depending on where they fall. Characters under awalkway have cover from attacks originating from thewalkway.October 2009 | DUNGEON 171