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

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“Grasp of the Mantled Citadel” begins immediatelyafter the events described in “Betrayal at Monadhan.”If that adventure went according to plan, thecharacters defeated Arantor and stand before theportal leading to Vaerothim with the Sword of Kasin hand.If you are using “Grasp of the Mantled Citadel”as a standalone adventure in a campaign of yourown devising, then the PCs must still reachVaerothim. You can place the portal to the demiplanevirtually anywhere. In this instance, deviseyour own opening text.If you are using “Grasp of the Mantled Citadel” asa direct sequel to “Betrayal at Monadhan, ” read:The dragon lord Arantor lies dead, and his treasure hiddennow lies at your feet. Chief among the many treasures youhave recovered is the Sword of Kas; with this fell blade youcan activate the lightning-framed portal on the west wall.Beyond lies Vaerothim and the culmination of your quest.Before the PCs activate the portal, they can make anypreparations they deem necessary (which dependingon recent events may include dealing with anextremely angry Kas) before activating the portal.When the characters look into the portal, read:The portal holds a wavering, indistinct image of a rockyknoll surrounded by the boughs of a great forest. Threeleafless trees stand upon the knoll.To activate the portal, a character must completethe Planar Portal ritual while holding the Sword ofKas. Doing so opens the portal safely. If no one in thegroup can perform the Planar Portal ritual, all is notlost. A DC 14 Arcana check reveals that the Sword ofKas itself has the power to open the portal. To do so,the wielder must plunge the sword into the portal.Doing so drains two healing surges from the wielderuntil the character takes an extended rest.The Sword of Kas is presented in detail In Open Graveand “Betrayal at Monadhan.” If the characters carrythe sword into Vaerothim, review the notes in oneof those two sources to reacquaint yourself with theweapon’s powers. The Sword of Kas is a potent artifactwhich could aid the characters considerably inthis adventure.The sword hates undead of all types and continuallyurges the PCs to attack any such creaturesencountered. During Encounter F3 in particular,the sword urges the heroes to kill Rithkerrar and hisally immediately. Simultaneously, Vecna’s minionsrecognize the sword and focus their attacks on thecharacter wielding it. The canny Rithkerrar sees in itan opportunity to escape Vaerothim and to receive ahandsome reward from Vecna for its capture.The sword is especially keen to uncover the truthbehind Irfelujhar‘s betrayal of Vecna and Tiamat’sscheme. While the sword has no love for Vecna, italso perceives the misery and discord that couldresult if Tiamat’s plot is revealed.Or course, the sword also continues to work itsmalign influence upon the PC carrying it, urging himto betray his companions at every opportunity.When the heroes activate the portal, read:Crackling energy surges about the portal as the barriersbetween the planes is ripped asunder. The smell of burningfills the air as lightning arcing from the portal wreathesthe Sword of Kas in a blinding halo of light that fades anddissipates after a few moments.When the PCs step through the portal, they are transportedto a hilltop in the Forest of Twisted Souls.Tactical Encounter F1: A Forsaken Place,page 53.The PCs must traverse this bleak, depressing woodlandto reach the Mantled Citadel. The woods are strangelymonochromatic. The skeletal, leafless trees are misshapenand twisted. Gnarled roots rear from theground like great, petrified serpents. The trees’ gaunt,rotten boughs are shrouded in damp, noisome moss.They twist skyward to form a dense canopy of decayingbranches through which only dim light seeps.Nothing stirs within the pervasive gloom. If thecharacters bring light here, the trees seem to recoilfrom it as if the light holds some power over them.Wind from an unknowable source rattles thoughthe trees. Perceptive characters hear words upon thebreeze. These are snatches of arcane power, fragmentsof rituals cast away by the lich Irfelujhar whenhe abandoned Vecna. (See “Ritual Fragments” onpage 46 for more information regarding this feature).Nothing natural lives in the forest. Several groupsof undead roam the area, and a small group of Vecna’sminions were trapped here when Irfelujhar movedhis tower.October 2009 | DUNGEON 171
As they travel through the forest, the heroesencounter several groups of creatures. Some areimmediately hostile while others see in the PCs’arrival an opportunity. As well as the plannedencounters detailed below, the characters mayexperience one or more random encounters in theforest. (Refer to “Random Encounters” on page 44 forsample monster groups.)Encounter F1: A Forsaken Place. The PCs arriveon a rocky knoll thrusting above the skeletal boughs ofthe Twisted Forest. They can see the Mantled Citadelin the distance.A blackroot treant along with two blackstarknights and a venomous tree trap guard the knoll.Once these creatures are defeated, the heroes canproceed to the Mantled Citadel or take an extendedrest in safety.Encounter F2: Passing into Shadow. This skillchallenge portrays the characters’ journey throughthe Forest of Twisted Souls. The forest is a fell place—traveling through it is a dangerous and disorientatingexperience. Encounters F3 and F4 punctuate the skillchallenge.Encounter F3: Adherents of the SpiderThrone. The PCs encounter Rithkerrar, an aspectof Vecna, and his servant sent to wreak revengeupon the perfidious Irfelujhar. They are the onlysurvivors of a much larger group. Normally thesecreatures would be inclined to attack immediately,but they have been trapped here for a long time, keptat bay by the Mantled Citadel’s potent wardings.They are desperate to accomplish their task, and soare willing to parley with the party. This encounterinevitably ends in combat, but PCs that do not immediatelyattack gain some knowledge of Irfelujhar’sbetrayal of Vecna.Encounter F4: Twisted Spirit. The charactersencounter Naiethar Traihel, a thicket dryad lich—thewarped embodiment of the forest. Naiethar is madbut has some information about the forest and thetower to pass on.The encounter can be resolved through violenceor diplomacy. If the heroes use diplomacy, they gainaccess to a minor quest (carrying a cutting from thedryad’s tree back to the Vale and planting it earns aminor quest award).Encounter F5: Spectral Terrors of Unlife. ThePCs reach the Mantled Citadel, but before gainingentry, they must defeat a band of ghosts and spectersas well as the forest itself. Once the characters havedefeated these guardians, they reach the citadel.The longer the PCs spend in the Forest of TwistedSouls, the more likely they are to encounter some ofits denizens. For every four hours the heroes are inthe forest, roll 1d20 and add the following modifiers:October 2009 | DUNGEON 171
Page 1 and 2: By Creighton BroadhurstAn adventure
Page 3 and 4: The Shadowfell is a reflection of t
Page 5: A character knows the following inf
Page 9 and 10: 30 Nature check realizes that somet
Page 11: 12: Clergy’s Cells. Home to the p
Page 14 and 15: Unless you determine that the heroe
Page 16 and 17: Encounter Level 22 (21,050 XP)1 bla
Page 18 and 19: Leaving the knoll, you descend into
Page 20 and 21: Encounter Level 23 (24,200 XP)Rithk
Page 22 and 23: Several ritual fragments borne on t
Page 24 and 25: Naiethar TraihelLevel 23 Solo Contr
Page 26 and 27: Encounter Level 24 (30,000 XP)1 tor
Page 28 and 29: Several ritual fragments borne on t
Page 30 and 31: 2 Ritual-Born Killers (R) Level 23
Page 32 and 33: Uthnis commands the lich vestiges i
Page 34 and 35: 7 Grimlock Minions (G) Level 14 Min
Page 36 and 37: Darrhkerrar, Level 25 Controller (L
Page 38 and 39: 3 Ritual-Born Sentinels (R) Level 2
Page 40 and 41: Undulating Walkways Level 24 Elite
Page 42 and 43: 8 Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidons (G) Level

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