So on day two of the Champion's Games my player's found the Kyuss temple and defeated Bozal before he could release the Ulgurstasta. They've decided to take care of what they've affectionately named the NEM (Negative Energy Magot aka Ulgurstasta) once the games are over as they don't feel they have the resources to deal with it now. That means the plot moves to the Raknian w/ the rod of cancellation contingency.
My question is what happens to the ulgurstasta when Raknian releases it since he is not the one who summoned it with the scrolls.
Obviously the ulgurstasta will loose 3d8 hit points from max (for the day's since Bozals death.)
According to the sidebar it should loose the haste, shield of faith and bull's strength benifits? It also shouldn't be able to create Spawn of Kyuss which essentially negates it mission once released (which is to swallow Auric or anyone with fighter levels and transform him into a Spawn of Kyuss.)
Am I reading all this right? It would have been really helpful to have the Ulgurstasta's normal statistics in the adventure as it seems designed for Bozal to be encountered and dealt with before the creature is released.
Thanks,
Shade325
"Negative energy maggot" I love that. ^_^
Well, actually, it all depends on what happened to the zombie (Ekaym's sister). If it is still around it should rise to Raknian's palace causing irreparable political damage. (Or so says the dungeon magazine) then maybe Raknian's second could finish running the games while he skips town, or maybe Raknian gets arrested? Then the PCs get to do as they planned and off the NEM after they're done with the games.
Should the zombie be destroyed, yes Raknian will go check on the NEM the night before, and to his horror he should find it smaller and more pissed off. The monster will lose 3d8 which should not yet bring it to the hit points of an average specimen of its size (which should be 102, undead have no con, so strictly a plain Jane average Ulgurstasta should have half the hitpoints). I reccomend letting Raknian release it into the arena. Even though it cannot fulfill the prophecy, it can still cause a lot of damage and Raknian might be hoping to redeem himself in the eyes of kyuss by this. Of course it loses its nifty spells, a couple of hitpoints and several of its abilities i.e. making Kyuss spawn instead of skeletons, but consider it a reward for the PCs for their swift action.
So when it gets released instead of attacking Auric or other people with levels in fighter, it probably goes beserk. Auric and Khellek and possibly two flesh golems should be on hand to help the PCs or run away screaming like little girls, whichever you choose. When the PCs finish off this easier battle, they should be bonafide heroes in the eyes of everyone. Raknian realizing that all is lost, probably tries to make his way out with the crowd. But he might have the law on his tail after that speech he gives, the entire "Lo the apostle of Kyuss is among us..." and all. (How is he to know the NEM is not going for the champions anymore and is just going to go beserk? It stands to reason.)
Then, later, the actual fight between Auric and the PCs can take place, though it might seem a tad anti-climatic at this point. (Heck, wouldn't it be cool for Auric to concede the fight to the "True Champions of the Champion's Games" while Khellek sputters at the side?)
prototype00
Yeah, my group killed Bozal before releasing the NEM also. They convieniently found a rod of candellation in the chest and rested before releasing it to kill it.
I didn't worry about what negative effects Bozal's death had on the NEM. My players are oblivious to these nuiances anyhow. The NEM burst through the floor during the championship match featuring two other teams (the original party of PCs was TPKd by Pitch Blade in the tunnels) - one of them including Auric and Khellek. So Auric and Khellek help the PCs kill the NEM, and Auric's warband are awarded the champions belt again.
But Auric is a true champion and concedes half of the award to the players. Auric offers either the belt (and the title with it) or the cash winnings; the players took the money and earned an ally with Auric.
My interpretation was if they do not release it before the last
fight of the games, it will be released automatically.
The scroll is part of a prophacy and will release it much
larger so it can burst forth disrupting the fight and killing
last year's champ.The illustration shows it about a size catagory larger.
Yeah, my group killed Bozal before releasing the NEM also. They convieniently found a rod of candellation in the chest and rested before releasing it to kill it.
I didn't worry about what negative effects Bozal's death had on the NEM. My players are oblivious to these nuiances anyhow. The NEM burst through the floor during the championship match featuring two other teams (the original party of PCs was TPKd by Pitch Blade in the tunnels) - one of them including Auric and Khellek. So Auric and Khellek help the PCs kill the NEM, and Auric's warband are awarded the champions belt again.
But Auric is a true champion and concedes half of the award to the players. Auric offers either the belt (and the title with it) or the cash winnings; the players took the money and earned an ally with Auric.
Oh, interesting. I take it you had the party roll up new PCs and entered them as another team that had advanced to the appropriate point in the tourney?
"Negative energy maggot" I love that. ^_^
Well, actually, it all depends on what happened to the zombie (Ekaym's sister). If it is still around it should rise to Raknian's palace causing irreparable political damage. (Or so says the dungeon magazine) then maybe Raknian's second could finish running the games while he skips town, or maybe Raknian gets arrested? Then the PCs get to do as they planned and off the NEM after they're done with the games.
Should the zombie be destroyed, yes Raknian will go check on the NEM the night before, and to his horror he should find it smaller and more pissed off. The monster will lose 3d8 which should not yet bring it to the hit points of an average specimen of its size (which should be 102, undead have no con, so strictly a plain Jane average Ulgurstasta should have half the hitpoints). I reccomend letting Raknian release it into the arena. Even though it cannot fulfill the prophecy, it can still cause a lot of damage and Raknian might be hoping to redeem himself in the eyes of kyuss by this. Of course it loses its nifty spells, a couple of hitpoints and several of its abilities i.e. making Kyuss spawn instead of skeletons, but consider it a reward for the PCs for their swift action.
So when it gets released instead of attacking Auric or other people with levels in fighter, it probably goes beserk. Auric and Khellek and possibly two flesh golems should be on hand to help the PCs or run away screaming like little girls, whichever you choose. When the PCs finish off this easier battle, they should be bonafide heroes in the eyes of everyone. Raknian realizing that all is lost, probably tries to make his way out with the crowd. But he might have the law on his tail after that speech he gives, the entire "Lo the apostle of Kyuss is among us..." and all. (How is he to know the NEM is not going for the champions anymore and is just going to go beserk? It stands to reason.)
Then, later, the actual fight between Auric and the PCs can take place, though it might seem a...
Uh, what? Where are you getting that it reverts to a normal ulgurstasta after three days?
All I see is that it loses 1d8 hit points per day until it's down to the old minimum. Nothing about an all-out reversion, and certainly not so quickly.
Uh, what? Where are you getting that it reverts to a normal ulgurstasta after three days?
All I see is that it loses 1d8 hit points per day until it's down to the old minimum. Nothing about an all-out reversion, and certainly not so quickly.
Read the Apostolic Scroll sidebar carefully, especially the fourth bullet.
However, I'm guessing many DMs probably overlooked the precise wording in this sidebar, and others ignored it to up the challenge of the NEM fight.
Kobold Cleaver, you are a master necromancer sir.
You could interpret the scrolls that, when the Ulgurstasta reaches maximum hp, it retains the abilities it gained even if it starts losing hp. You could say it keeps the abilities until it goes back down to average hp. You could say that, if it loses even 1 hp from the original reader being slain, it loses the extra abilities. That's something you would need to decide for your party.
1d8 hp a day could possibly mean you roll 1's every day and it takes several days.
This is also a big pile of information that the players likely won't ever know, so it can be tailored to fit your campaign desires.
Also, damn Kobold. A nine year post raised from the dead. I'm impressed, that must have required one hell of an opal. :-)
I've done worse. Besides, it's Age of Worms—nothing stays dead for long here.