Winter of the Witch.pdf - Property Is Theft!

Winter of the WitchK2: HARSHINTERROGATIONEncounter Level 23 (28,350 XP)Setup1 great flameskull (F)1 glabrezu (G)1 marilith (M)As the PCs approach Sir Keegan’s tomb, they can heara commotion coming from up ahead.Before the PCs reach the encounter area, readthe following:High-pitched and maniacal laughter echoes from a pointdeeper in the lower works of the keep, in the direction ofSir Keegan’s tomb. After the laughter, the same high voiceutters something that’s hard to make out.PCs succeeding at a DC 28 Perception checkmake out what the voice is saying:“This has all been very entertaining, Keegan, but Ibelieve you have outlived your usefulness. Prepare to meetoblivion.”You can’t be sure, but you think you hear a weak voicewhisper “thank you” in response.From their location, it takes the PCs scant secondsto reach the encounter area, and when they do, theyfind the shrine to Bahamut and Sir Keegan’s tomb inutter shambles. The agents of Orcus have demolishedthe place and desecrated the iconography dedicatedto the Platinum Dragon. As the PCs enter, the trio isabout to finish off the undead knight, since they’vegained all the useful information they are going to getfrom him.TacticsOnce the demons and the flameskull realize they arenot alone, they move into action to take on the threat.The glabrezu squeezes through the tomb’s entranceand into melee with the PCs. The marilith snakesaround, using its weapon dance if necessary, to placeitself in a tactical position where it can attack as manyPCs as possible. The great flameskull—the leader ofthis grim operation—stays behind its wall of demons,while spitting its flame ray and firestorm at the PCsfrom a distance.DevelopmentIf the PCs save Sir Keegan, they can question himabout his summons, the Winter Witch, and the minionsof Orcus that are swarming through the ruinsof the Keep on the Shadowfell. If the PCs are fooledby Sir Dzrak and return here only after the minionsof Orcas have destroyed the death knight, they mustwait a month (at which point all could be lost) or gainthe information with a successful use of a Speak withDead ritual.The following is the information Keegan can givethe PCs (in question and answer format).Q: Why did you summon us here?Winterhaven, the Nentir Vale, and the entire region arethreatened. The Winter Witch has returned and if she hasher way, she will bury the entire world in frost. You need toright another of my failures and stop her.Great FlameskullLevel 24 ArtillerySmall natural animate (undead) XP 6,050Initiative +19 Senses Perception +22; truesight 6HP 174; Bloodied 87Regeneration 10AC 37; Fortitude 34, Reflex 39, Will 37Immune disease, poison; Resist 20 fire, 10 necrotic;Vulnerable 5 radiantSpeed fly 10 (hover)m Fiery Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Fire+26 vs. AC; 1d4 damage plus 2d6 fire damage.R Flame Ray (standard; at-will) ✦ FireRanged 20; +28 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 10 fire damage, andthe target is dazed until the end of the great flameskull’snext turn.A Firestorm (standard; encounter) ✦ FireArea burst 4 within 20; +27 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 10 firedamage. Miss: Half damage. The firestorm blocks line ofsight, deals 10 fire damage to any creature that starts itsturn in the area, and disappears at the end of the greatflameskull’s next turn. The great flameskull can excludeallies from the effect.Mage Hand (minor; at-will) ✦ ConjurationAs the wizard power mage hand (Player’s Handbook 158).IlluminationThe great flameskull sheds bright light out to 5 squares,but it can reduce its brightness to dim light out to 2squares as a free action.Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, one otherSkills Stealth +24Str 10 (+12) Dex 25 (+19) Wis 21 (+17)Con 24 (+19) Int 30 (+22) Cha 28 (+21)January 2009 | DUNGEON 16239