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Temple of Exquisite Anguish The Derros of Corgunbier perform ritual sacrifice and experimentation on their captives in this temple. They force prisoners through tortures inspired by Cith-V’sug, Demon Lord of Fungus and Andirifkhu, the Razor Princess before leading them either to the laboratory, or to death at the altar.
Swindler’s Grasp
Once per day as a free action, upon using the gauntlets to steal from or disarm a foe, the wearer can activate an illusion that causes the enemy to believe the maneuver failed. The item taken by the maneuver becomes invisible to the target for 1 minute and a phantasmal duplicate of the item appears in the target’s possession for the same duration. This illusory item looks and feels like the original to its wielder but can’t affect any other creature or object. When it uses or attacks with a phantasmal item, the target receives a Will save (DC 17) to disbelieve the illusion. This is a mind-affecting phantasm effect.
Among the prominent sites in Oenopion, Nex’s city of alchemists, is a cluster of blue-brick buildings known as the Cerulean Pyre. The district takes its name from the gout of brilliant blue flame that has issued from the top of its highest tower ever since the builder, Farikka Vyme, was assassinated three centuries ago. Lady Vyme was an alchemist of exceptional skill and renown who sought political power on Nex’s Council of Three and Nine. Outmaneuvered by her rivals in Quantium, Vyme constructed these buildings as her personal redoubt and began fabricating alchemical war machines to claim a seat on the council by force. She was killed by her rivals before she could launch the assault, leaving only her fortress as a reminder of her power. In the centuries following the death of Lady Vyme, the buildings of the Cerulean Pyre have been repurposed by the inhabitants of Oenopion. Many of the smaller structures are used as shops or residences, while others serve as laboratories, barracks, or warehouses. The largest and most ornate building of the Cerulean Pyre is today known as the Promenade. Once the center of Vyme’s alchemical research, the Promenade consists of a large central hall with numerous laboratories, forges, and foundries located in the various side chambers. Ownership of the Promenade has been subdivided, and each chamber is now controlled by a different proprietor. The central hall of the Promenade is open to the public, and many of the alchemists that work there have converted parts of their chambers into shops to sell their potions and other wares. The central hall of the Promenade contains wonders that were created by Farikka Vyme for unknown purposes. Among these are a fountain that flows upside-down, a statue whose face always resembles the observer, and a vat of viscous orange fluid that expels violet bubbles. Recently, unexplained crashing and clanging noises have been heard in the Promenade and throughout the Cerulean Pyre. Rumors abound that Farikka Vyme left undiscovered secrets in her redoubt, and that her final revenge is nigh. The PCs may have entered the Promenade to investigate the rumors of the strange sounds, or they may have come to purchase alchemical supplies. Either way, trouble finds them when they reach the central hall’s Plaza of Swirling Steam.
Read the following when the PCs first approach the area:
Though unknown to the locals, the steam cylinders here extend deep underground and connect to the boiler system of Farikka Vyme’s hidden forge, where her greatest alchemical war machines were created. PCs can recognize that the steam likely originates from an alchemical boiler by making a DC 20 Craft (alchemy) or Knowledge (arcana) check. The boiler has run continuously since Vyme’s death, but is now malfunctioning as it runs short of certain reagents that stabilized its operation. The malfunction has led to the formation of emberlings deep inside the boiler, as well as a build-up of melancholic ooze inside the glass cylinders. More recent additional malfunctions have reduced the temperature of the boiler sufficiently that two emberlings have climbed the cylinders in search of a new heat source. Upon reaching the Promenade moments ago, they began chewing through the glass to escape. Noticing the emberlings through the dense steam before they break their cylinder requires a DC 25 Perception check. Once the PCs have entered the plaza, read the following:
The PCs objective in this encounter is to protect the populace of the city from the emerging monsters, including the unruly youths who do not realize they need protection. The fleeing crowd impacts movement through the squares marked on the map (see Gamemastery Guide) for the first round of combat, after which all bystanders except the unruly youths will have fled the plaza. The swirling steam fills the squares indicated on the map, providing concealment. The steam is warm and smells strongly of lavender, but is harmless (the lightning effect observed inside the cylinders will not occur in the escaped steam). The remaining glass cylinders may also be broken (hardness 5, hp 5, Break DC 22) in order to release additional steam in a 10-foot radius around the point of the break. If the PCs attempt to enter one of the nearby shops to acquire items that will assist them during combat, each PC searching may attempt a DC 10 Perception check each round. Roll 1d6 for each PC that succeeds to determine what type of helpful item is found: 1. Flask of acid
Shopkeepers near the plaza will forgive the cost of any items taken, so long as they are used to defeat the monsters. With sufficient time, virtually any potion or alchemical item can be found and purchased somewhere in the Promenade. Creatures: All creatures start at the positions indicated on the map. The two emberlings are highly agitated due to the lack of heat in their new surroundings. They will attack the nearest fleshy creatures they can find, using their Bellowing Cloud ability when threatened. Emberlings (2) CR 2
A single melancholic ooze swarm that has accumulated inside the apparatus will also emerge and seek out the flesh of nearby creatures. The ooze swarm begins inside one of the small tubes connecting the cylinders and must spend the first round of combat maneuvering through the apparatus to get out into the plaza. The swarm expands to cover its standard 10-foot space after emerging from the tube. Melancholic Ooze Swarm CR 1
There are five unruly youths running around in the steam. They do not realize the threat posed by these monsters until it is too late. Once they have taken damage from a monster’s attack, the youths attempt to flee, but it is likely that they will be choking, nauseated, or otherwise incapacitated as a result of the attack. Unruly Youths (5) CR -
Development: A pair of guards (human warrior 3, Gamemastery Guide) arrives two minutes after the glass breaks to investigate the commotion. If there are still monsters in the area, the guards flee to bring in reinforcements. Assuming the PCs have defeated all of the monsters, the guards thank them for protecting the populace. If the PCs performed exceptionally well (for example, they may have prevented any of the unruly youths from coming to serious harm), the guards look favorably on any attempt by the PCs to explore the shafts under the broken apparatus and deal with possible continuing threats (a DC 15 Diplomacy check is sufficient to obtain permission). Otherwise, they cordon off the plaza and consult the authorities of Oenopion on how to proceed. The authorities may eventually commission an expedition to explore the shafts. If the PCs explore the shafts, they find that the walls consist of slippery glass all the way down (Climb DC 25). Each of the various cylinders descends 30 feet straight down before curving off into a maze of twisted glass tunnels, filled with steam. The maze is patrolled by monstrous oozes and eventually exits into the boiler, where additional emberlings lurk. Beyond the boiler lies Farikka Vyme’s forgotten forge. Here, the PCs battle strange constructs, explore the intricacies of Vyme’s war machines, and perhaps uncover the secrets of the Cerulean Pyre.
The well-dressed officer moves in a bizarre manner, revealing itself to be a flattened form that resembles a painted portrait. Despite its thinness, it raises a sharp-looking sword. Portrait Phantom CR 1
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Consumed with yearning for their long-decayed original bodies, portrait phantoms are spiteful spirits that seek to inflict their flattened condition on others. Among the most vainglorious of the numerous military officers and petty nobles portrayed in paintings throughout the cities of Taldor, they retain a spiritual attachment to their portraits. Though the portraits represent the nobles at the height of their physical excellence, a phantom is never satisfied to be attached to a mere image of its former glory. A portrait phantom can remain dormant for decades or centuries, whether stored in a dusty cellar or displayed prominently in a public gallery. It becomes active when it encounters a person that reminds it of its former life, who becomes its target. Once so awakened, the phantom typically seeks to make its target feel the anguish of flatness before slaying him mercilessly. Occasionally, multiple portrait phantoms that were painted together may awaken simultaneously to oppose a common enemy.
Horned Helm of the Wild Stag
Once per day when the wearer charges an enemy or attempts an overrun combat maneuver, he may summon dozens of spectral stags to accompany him through his movement. These ghostly stags stampede around him in a frenzy of rage, with the unmistakable sound of pounding hooves. The stags are completely intangible, cannot be attacked, and disappear at the end of the charge or maneuver. The herd of stags attempts to gore or trample any creature that is within 5 feet of the wearer at any point during his movement, excluding the wearer himself. Although these attacks cause no physical damage, each affected creature must succeed at a Will save (DC 16) or be overcome by the frenzy of the rampaging herd for one round. Overcome creatures must use their turns to charge the nearest valid target (including a creature’s allies as potential targets), if possible. Creatures unable to charge instead move away from the wearer of the helm as quickly as possible. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Construction
Feymarked Scoundrel (Witch) A feymarked scoundrel hides among the desperate masses in the River Kingdoms and preys on the unwary. She bears strange markings that connect her to the region's fey magic, allowing her to summon fey avatars that resemble children or animals. Projecting an appearance of innocence and need, she lures her victims into peril and hexes them from the shadows. Class Skills: The feymarked scoundrel adds Bluff and Stealth to her list of class skills. She removes Heal and Use Magic Device from her list of class skills. Fey Mark (Su): At 1st level, a feymarked scoundrel acquires a marking on her skin that represents her connection to the First World. The marking consists of nature motifs and bizarre faerie runes. As the feymarked scoundrel increases in power, her fey mark becomes larger and more elaborate. The fey mark acts like a witch's familiar for the purpose of preparing and gaining spells. A feymarked scoundrel contemplates the patterns of her fey mark to prepare spells. This ability replaces the witch's familiar. Fey Avatar (Su): At 1st level, a feymarked scoundrel can summon a fey avatar for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive but she must spend them in 1-minute increments. The feymarked scoundrel selects the form of the avatar at the time she summons it. The avatar must resemble a harmless child or small animal, and may never appear threatening or dangerous. Its appearance may not imitate a specific individual. Regardless of its form, the avatar has statistics as if it were a familiar of the feymarked scoundrel's level, using the pig as the animal type. The avatar appears within 30 feet of the feymarked scoundrel and must remain within 100 feet at all times. The feymarked scoundrel uses a standard action to summon the avatar and must spend a standard action each round concentrating to maintain the avatar. The avatar acts on the feymarked scoundrel's turn. The feymarked scoundrel shares the avatar's senses and has complete control over the avatar's actions. A fey avatar may not speak, but it may vocalize cries, shrieks, whimpers, or other sounds appropriate to its form. This ability replaces the witch's 1st-level hex. Fey Hex (Su): At 6th level, the feymarked scoundrel grants her fey avatar the ability to use certain hexes. If she knows them herself, she may grant the avatar the following hexes: charm, evil eye, and misfortune. When the avatar uses a hex, it is treated as if the feymarked scoundrel had used the hex herself, except that the avatar provides the point of origin. This ability replaces the witch's 6th-level hex.
Wintertide Candle Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
Description This translucent white candle is one foot long and resembles an icicle. When lit, the candle transmutes its material composition from wax into gleaming divine ice (frozen holy water like that produced by holy ice). The flame of the candle is cool and radiates violet-blue light. Lighting the candle is a standard action, and anyone holding it can extinguish it as a free action. The candle can burn for 10 rounds (not necessarily consecutive) before the divine ice is entirely consumed. While the candle is burning, it emits an aura of divine cold in a 30-foot radius. The candle modifies the effect of channeled positive or negative energy that originates inside the aura, or of any cure or inflict spell cast inside the aura. Instead of their normal effects, these abilities inflict an amount of cold damage equal to the number of hit points they would normally cure or inflict. A target of these effects may halve the damage by making a Fortitude save against the normal DC for the spell or ability. A character may hurl the lit candle at an enemy as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet, causing it to explode into a burst of chilled holy water. A living creature struck in this manner is numbed by divine cold, becoming staggered for half the remaining time that the candle could burn (Fortitude DC 17 negates). An undead creature struck in this manner takes 1d4 points of damage for each remaining round that the candle could burn, as if it were hit by holy water. Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Elemental Spell (cold), cure light wounds, holy ice; Cost 750 gp |
