Like a rotten tooth in an infected jawbone, the restored chapel sits in the prison's central yard. Strange lights flickering from within, and on its onion shaped domes scintillating with a sickly purple light.
Nailed to the cruciform crossbars of the monastery's front
doors is an emaciated corpse. It is stripped bare to the waist,
its body marked with crude tattoos, and a long mustache
droops over the macabre grin that only rigor mortis can
bring. The large double doors are unlocked, though with
the corpse crucified across them, they cannot be opened
without disturbing it.
"Well that looks...ominous. Any ideas?"
Duardlara gazes at the site, evaluating what she knows or suspects.
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +18, Knowledge (Local) +18, Knowledge (Nature) +18
The corpse is identified as dastardly form of a trap. It is actually a creature! Careful observation reveals a translucent form crucified to the door along with the emaciated corpse.
Crucifixion Spirit
CE Medium Undead (incorporeal)
Five times per day as an attack action a crucifixion spirit can point at a single living target within 60 feet and crucify its soul. This requires the crucifixion spirit to succeed at a ranged touch attack. If successful, the target’s soul is ripped from its body, which collapses in a heap on the ground. The target’s soul appears as a translucent copy of the victim and is suspended above the spot its body collapsed, crucified in midair to a translucent, “X” shaped structure, the soul held in place by translucent spikes or nails. The victim is not dead and is visible to all those viewing it.
A crucified soul cannot be attacked or affected by anything, cannot take any actions (other than trying to escape, see below), and experiences excruciating pain that deals 2 negative levels to it in the round it is crucified, and one negative level each round thereafter. The Fortitude save to remove a negative level has a DC of 22. The save DCs are Charisma-based. A crucifixion spirit does not need to concentrate on this ability for it to continue to affect a target.
It can direct attacks against a different opponent. A crucified creature can attempt to escape each round by making a DC 22 Will save. If successful, the creature’s soul is freed from its torment and returns to its body in the same round. The target is stunned for one round, but afterwards can act normally. A creature slain with this ability cannot be returned to life except through the casting of a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell. Even then, there is a 50% chance that such magic fails. If the check fails, the creature cannot be restored to life by mortal magic.
Vasily
Titian
Duardlara
Sigurd
Spirit
"Well, friends, how do you suggest we proceed? Any idea how best to defeat this foe?"
"Anyone got anything to help me hit ghosts?"
If I get no answer, Titian casts dust form and turns into an incorporeal semblance of a ghost.
”I don’t. If it’s a typical ghost, I only have bolts of force. Nothing to aid your strikes.”
"Attack it from range? I certainly don't want to get within 60 feet of it."
You guys drop back past its range of 60 feet to discuss your options on how to counter the creature/trap. You know you don't have much time as the camp will be coming for you shortly and are pretty sure that if attacked it will cause it to break free of its bonds and come for you.
Titian will cast instant enemy from his wand to target undead and then he will turn incorporeal (dust form).