In 3FoE it says that the Ebon Aspect takes 10 minutes to gather its strength, and during that time, it destroys the elevator.
What happens if the characters decide to leave within seconds of killing the Faceless One. What if they rush out to the Dark Cathedral before the Ebon Aspect has even risen from the pool, or what if they catch him destroying the elevator? Is he weaker if the players fight him during the first 10 minutes?
Should it stay in the pool for 10 minutes gathering strength and then emerge? Should I just ignore the 10 minute rule and just assume that each time one of the cultist dies he slowly awakens a bit more and is gathering his strength with each dead cult leader?
What did you guys do?
I think that all this information is to be taken with a pinch of salt and should be adapted to the state of you party when they reach that stage.
I would suggest the following versions (or anything in-between, according to what fits best your campaign):
1) Your party is quite in a good shape. Not too many spells are gone and they have full HP (easy with the "Wand of CLW").
You go for a dramatic version: as they strike the killing blow to the last cult leader, the ground shakes and a loud roar is heard. Anyone in the Dark Cathedral witness the scene of the Ebon Aspect slowly raising from the depth and shouting in rage as his maturing process is interupted. He is directly active and goes on a killing rampage, toring doors apart and trying to reach the heroes.
2) The heroes are beaten down after they killed the third cult leader.
case a - they stay some more time in the complex to rest (after all they still have to face the mine guards)
You give them some time to rest, pray, study, etc. Their morning preparations is interrupted (at the end, i.e. they still get their daily spells) by raising whispers and the ground starts to slowly shake as the Ebon Aspect finally raise.
case b - they run for the exit directly (your case).
I would have the water of the Dark Cathedral boil and emit light in a dark fashion, so they know something is happening as they walk past. If they look closely, they see a huge shape coming up from the dark. They have a chance to go up directly and run for their life. Then the Ebon Aspect would go after them, but the heroes will reach the surface and will be able to call for help so the guards and church of Tyr is ready to face it when it gets out of the mine.
What do you think?
Bocklin
I didn't know what to make of that myslef, but it wound up not mattering. I didn't force my group to go through the temples in order. It seemed silly to have all of the cults locked away like that. They happened to take down the Erythnul temple last and therefore had to do lots of climbing and moving over rough terrain - plus, of course, looting the complex on the way out. The ten minutes wasn't an issue.
As to your question...
When the party defeated the first temple, the pool started to churn and bubble a bit but they didn't notice. As they defeated the second temple, to pool boiled and smoked, which they noticed on their way to the third temple but proceeded knowing that something was coming but with no idea of what to do about it. When they defeated the third temple, they heard the Aspect's roar echoing through the halls. I would keep it in the pool until it reaches full power, destroying the elevator as it emerges in search of the party. The PCs could wade into the pool if they wanted but it didn't take long for my group to realize that venturing into the pool is a bad idea.
I had a problem with the Ebon Aspect appearing as described in the adventure. There was nothing really to keep the PC’s from simply hiding in the maze until it went away, assuming they were smart enough to scout the area first. All the clues they had found made it easy to assume they’d do just that.
I had one of the acolytes of the Faceless One escape from the climactic battle in the maze (after she had actually helped the good guys a little during the battle, to build up some sympathy). When the PCs later went to climb up the (ruined – another story) elevator shaft, they discovered the girl chanting away on the highest platform, fearfully looking down at them and trying to warn them off. This melodrama brought them all out into the open and eventually, as he always does, Mr. “Shoot First” sorcerer blasted her with Scorching Ray. She took a flaming header into the pool (so dramatic!) and good ol’ Ebon Aspect popped his bad self out.
Panic ensued – three of the PC’s hightailed it back into the maze while the suicidal maniac halfling rogue leaped off the highest platform (after quickly checking it for loot, of course) onto the back of the EA, repeatedly trying to screw his rapier into its ear. One grapple check later and he was in low-earth orbit. The beast then stormed into the maze (don’t let ‘em tell you “it’s too big!”) chasing the other three adventurers.
Hilarity set in as the beast randomly stormed around the maze playing tag with the tank fighter (he came up with a decent strategy – hit and run, giving up an AoO. This way the EA only got two bite attacks a round, rather a full attack). The mage/cleric spent one terrifying round cringing behind a minor image wall as the Aspect sniffed around only ten feet away – it was all very Alien-like. Finally, Tank just went toe-to-toe with it and laid it out with two straight criticals, the last just before the monster was going to go into its special rage. All in all, a satisfying conclusion to a long and painful battle through the mines.
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If they get out early, they can get help from anyone who listens. They might think to go get Allustan, though I'd reduce the EL significantly for this. almost anyone in a town like diamond lake will run for their lives.
Also, if the PCs are in the elevator when the EA destroys it, they will probably die and it will destroy most of diamond lake. Allustan alone might have some trouble with it, which makes a good point at which you can introduce the new PCs