I would say he is probably higher than level 7 and less than level 12 or so (the party is named after him, and he has a pet wizard at level 7 so more than seven, but he can be killed by a CR 12 creature) and probably a fighter-y type (the other party roles are covered by others in his group).
I made him a gish type - tough but able to use magic. I also gave him an especially impressive horse. I sketched him out as follows:
Cavalier 2 (order of the Dragon)/ Sorcerer 6 (destined) / Ek 3
Feats:
1 TWF
3 Improved Shield Bash
5 Boon Companion
7 Arcane Strike
9 ITWF
EK Armor Training
11 Shield Slam
Question: p12, Restov Stat block: Should the High Priest be NG? IIRC Erastil is a LG deity so his priests should only be allowed to be LG, NG, and LN. It is currently listed as N.
Do we have an answer to this yet? I assume he would be NG rather than LN or LG due to the rather chaotic nature of life in Restov, however it might be interesting if he were lawful for that very reason.
Question: p12, Restov Stat block: Should the High Priest be NG? IIRC Erastil is a LG deity so his priests should only be allowed to be LG, NG, and LN. It is currently listed as N.
Do we have an answer to this yet? I assume he would be NG rather than LN or LG due to the rather chaotic nature of life in Restov, however it might be interesting if he were lawful for that very reason.
What would you say Maegar Varns class(es) and level(s) used to be?
As he was sort of an administrator/adventurer of noble birth, I originally had him as "Maegar Varn, LN male human (Taldan) aristocrat 4/bard 3 (colonial governor)", but there's no reason you couldn't change that to whatever fits your game.
What would you say Maegar Varns class(es) and level(s) used to be?
As he was sort of an administrator/adventurer of noble birth, I originally had him as "Maegar Varn, LN male human (Taldan) aristocrat 4/bard 3 (colonial governor)", but there's no reason you couldn't change that to whatever fits your game.
Nooooooooooooo! I just spent two hours making him a Cavalier because I thought it would be fun to have a mounted warrior facing off against the centaurs! Aieee!
But that's OK, I love character creation as much as I love breathing, so I'll just make him up again. Yes, I could go with my idea, but wherever possible I like to go along with whatever you designers intended. I'll just make him quite a horsey aristocrat/bard is all. :p
What would you say Maegar Varns class(es) and level(s) used to be?
As he was sort of an administrator/adventurer of noble birth, I originally had him as "Maegar Varn, LN male human (Taldan) aristocrat 4/bard 3 (colonial governor)", but there's no reason you couldn't change that to whatever fits your game.
Nooooooooooooo! I just spent two hours making him a Cavalier because I thought it would be fun to have a mounted warrior facing off against the centaurs! Aieee!
But that's OK, I love character creation as much as I love breathing, so I'll just make him up again. Yes, I could go with my idea, but wherever possible I like to go along with whatever you designers intended. I'll just make him quite a horsey aristocrat/bard is all. :p
Consider that cavalier wasn't an available option when I wrote him months ago, so I wouldn't necessarily change him back to aristocrat if I were you. Cavalier does work extremely well for him. I included bard for his interest in Iobaria and connections to the prof.
Neil Spicer
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut
3 people marked this as a favorite.
Greg A. Vaughan wrote:
Consider that cavalier wasn't an available option when I wrote him months ago, so I wouldn't necessarily change him back to aristocrat if I were you...
I hit a similar situation in Blood for Blood. For instance:
Spoiler:
There's a cleric of Gorum with the divine guardian template watching over the Tomb of Armag at the end. And, if I'd had the finalized rules from the APG, I would have totally statted him up as an Oracle of Battle instead. As it is, we all work with the tools we have available at the time.
Consider that cavalier wasn't an available option when I wrote him months ago, so I wouldn't necessarily change him back to aristocrat if I were you...
I hit a similar situation in Blood for Blood. For instance:
** spoiler omitted **
So if we wanted to re-stat him as such, would you have any suggestions for which mysteries he'd have?
What would you say Maegar Varns class(es) and level(s) used to be?
As he was sort of an administrator/adventurer of noble birth, I originally had him as "Maegar Varn, LN male human (Taldan) aristocrat 4/bard 3 (colonial governor)", but there's no reason you couldn't change that to whatever fits your game.
Nooooooooooooo! I just spent two hours making him a Cavalier because I thought it would be fun to have a mounted warrior facing off against the centaurs! Aieee!
But that's OK, I love character creation as much as I love breathing, so I'll just make him up again. Yes, I could go with my idea, but wherever possible I like to go along with whatever you designers intended. I'll just make him quite a horsey aristocrat/bard is all. :p
Consider that cavalier wasn't an available option when I wrote him months ago, so I wouldn't necessarily change him back to aristocrat if I were you. Cavalier does work extremely well for him. I included bard for his interest in Iobaria and connections to the prof.
So, are you saying that if you were creating him with APG classes available you'd make him a Cavalier 4/Bard 3?
What else did you have in your mind when you were making him?
The AP states that his +2 defender longsword is marked with the crest of House Varn. Any thoughts what that crest should look like?
Do all the noble houses of Brevoy have mottoes or just the 'big six'?
The reason I'm so interested in Maegar Varn is that the PCs in my Kingmaker game are intending to return to Restov once the Stag Lord is defeated to restock and buy nice magic items and whatever. While there I thought I'd have them take part in a formal ceremony where they meet several dignitaries from Restov - Lord Mayor, Swordlord Jamandi, and High Priest Ezvanki - as well as Lord Maegar and some of his Varnling Host and maybe Baroness Stroon-Drelev and Lord Numesti. They'll feel more involved later on if they meet these people now.
Neil Spicer
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kvantum wrote:
So if we wanted to re-stat him as such, would you have any suggestions for which mysteries he'd have?
I assume you mean revelations? Because, he'd only have one mystery...and that would be Battle. For revelations, I'd recommend:
Spoiler:
battlefield clarity
iron skin
war sight
weapon mastery
Battlefield clarity would help him have greater staying power by giving him a boost in making his saves vs. a lot of potentially debilitating spell effects the PCs might try on him. Iron skin would grant him greater durability because of the DR 10/adamantine. War sight would play a major role in his tactics, because Zorek could essentially execute a lot of hit-and-run surprise attacks (i.e., with so many chances to get a high initiative result, he could strike in a surprise round, disappear via dimension door as his first action in the normal round, and then repeat over and over). Lastly, picking up a revelation like weapon mastery would give him Weapon Focus (spear) and Improved Critical (spear) for free--which are two feats he took anyway in his cleric build--and that would be in addition to Greater Weapon Focus (spear), as well as whatever else he could buy into with the two extra feats the revelation would free up for him.
Hope that helps,
--Neil
P.S. Check into the Blood for Blood thread if you want to discuss this any further. This one should really focus on Greg's Varnhold Vanishing.
Jason Nelson
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
gang wrote:
The reason I'm so interested in Maegar Varn is that the PCs in my Kingmaker game are intending to return to Restov once the Stag Lord is defeated to restock and buy nice magic items and whatever. While there I thought I'd have them take part in a formal ceremony where they meet several dignitaries from Restov - Lord Mayor, Swordlord Jamandi, and High Priest Ezvanki - as well as Lord Maegar and some of his Varnling Host and maybe Baroness Stroon-Drelev and Lord Numesti. They'll feel more involved...
I had a similar idea (though I hadn't involved the "Blood for Blood" NPCs, but they are a great addition) - in fact, the PCs ended up making an agreement with one noble in Restov who ended up co-building a noble villa in their capital city later on, and one PC ended up becoming quite smitten with Varn and is now bearing his child, with a semi-royal wedding in the offing for the springtime.
I had originally just wanted them to *meet* Varn to set up some kind of friendly connection for when the events of VV take place, sometimes stories just take on a life of their own and you gotta go with it.
The potter in Varnhold had made an elegant set of flagons and platters that was intended as a wedding gift for King Noleski's eldest daughter.
How many daughter's does Noleski have? What are their names? Who are their mothers? Why has he not married them? Does he have bastard sons as well? Is he waiting to marry the woman who can give him a son? Who is this eldest daughter marrying?
More stream-of-consciousness nitpicking as I think of it!
The reason I'm so interested in Maegar Varn is that the PCs in my Kingmaker game are intending to return to Restov once the Stag Lord is defeated to restock and buy nice magic items and whatever. While there I thought I'd have them take part in a formal ceremony where they meet several dignitaries from Restov - Lord Mayor, Swordlord Jamandi, and High Priest Ezvanki - as well as Lord Maegar and some of his Varnling Host and maybe Baroness Stroon-Drelev and Lord Numesti. They'll feel more involved...
I had a similar idea (though I hadn't involved the "Blood for Blood" NPCs, but they are a great addition) - in fact, the PCs ended up making an agreement with one noble in Restov who ended up co-building a noble villa in their capital city later on, and one PC ended up becoming quite smitten with Varn and is now bearing his child, with a semi-royal wedding in the offing for the springtime.
I had originally just wanted them to *meet* Varn to set up some kind of friendly connection for when the events of VV take place, sometimes stories just take on a life of their own and you gotta go with it.
Cool! I hope our dwarven cleric (the only male in our PC group) doesn't put a baby on the Baroness Stroon-Drelev. Or maybe I do...
So, are you saying that if you were creating him with APG classes available you'd make him a Cavalier 4/Bard 3?
Yeah, sure...maybe
gang wrote:
What else did you have in your mind when you were making him?
I was thinking, "Oh crap, I don't have word count for his stat block--okay moving on then." ;-) Nothing specific, really.
gang wrote:
The AP states that his +2 defender longsword is marked with the crest of House Varn. Any thoughts what that crest should look like?
A peace sign and the words "Born to kill." You know, the whole duality of man thing. Either that or a griffon rampant with a serpent in its mouth.
gang wrote:
Do all the noble houses of Brevoy have mottoes or just the 'big six'?
I'm sure they do, but I'm sure I don't know what they are. Those are James Jacobs inventions I believe.
gang wrote:
The reason I'm so interested in Maegar Varn is that the PCs in my Kingmaker game are intending to return to Restov once the Stag Lord is defeated to restock and buy nice magic items and whatever. While there I thought I'd have them take part in a formal ceremony where they meet several dignitaries from Restov - Lord Mayor, Swordlord Jamandi, and High Priest Ezvanki - as well as Lord Maegar and some of his Varnling Host and maybe Baroness Stroon-Drelev and Lord Numesti. They'll feel more involved later on if they meet these people now.
The potter in Varnhold had made an elegant set of flagons and platters that was intended as a wedding gift for King Noleski's eldest daughter.
How many daughter's does Noleski have? What are their names? Who are their mothers? Why has he not married them? Does he have bastard sons as well? Is he waiting to marry the woman who can give him a son? Who is this eldest daughter marrying?
More stream-of-consciousness nitpicking as I think of it!
Okay, you're wearing me out, gang. :-) I don't know the answers to any of those, and I suspect you should feel free to substitute however you like with the knowledge that it'll all get shot to pieces whenever PF Chronicles gets around to highlighting Brevoy. I'd look to GRRM for examples in the meantime, though, since Brevoy has a decidedly Westeros feel to it in many ways.
Okay, you're wearing me out, gang. :-) I don't know the answers to any of those, and I suspect you should feel free to substitute however you like with the knowledge that it'll all get shot to pieces whenever PF Chronicles gets around to highlighting Brevoy. I'd look to GRRM for examples in the meantime, though, since Brevoy has a decidedly Westeros feel to it in many ways.
Thanks Greg!
Sorry for the persistent, pernickety posers but I LOVE details. I'm more than happy to come up with my own stuff for all this.
I started reading A Game of Thrones as a result of Brevoy's Westeros-ness, and it just might be the best book I've ever read. I love it. Of course the next book in the sequence will likely become the best book I've ever read.
When I had written up Maegar Varn as a Cavalier I had his family's lands be within the region lorded over by House Orlovsky and have the Varns be no friends to the Surtova regency. This will all help Maegar seem more nice and cuddly and friendly when the PCs meet him in Restov. But I'm still going to restat him with some Bard levels...
Okay, you're wearing me out, gang. :-) I don't know the answers to any of those, and I suspect you should feel free to substitute however you like with the knowledge that it'll all get shot to pieces whenever PF Chronicles gets around to highlighting Brevoy. I'd look to GRRM for examples in the meantime, though, since Brevoy has a decidedly Westeros feel to it in many ways.
Thanks Greg!
Sorry for the persistent, pernickety posers but I LOVE details. I'm more than happy to come up with my own stuff for all this.
I started reading A Game of Thrones as a result of Brevoy's Westeros-ness, and it just might be the best book I've ever read. I love it. Of course the next book in the sequence will likely become the best book I've ever read.
When I had written up Maegar Varn as a Cavalier I had his family's lands be within the region lorded over by House Orlovsky and have the Varns be no friends to the Surtova regency. This will all help Maegar seem more nice and cuddly and friendly when the PCs meet him in Restov. But I'm still going to restat him with some Bard levels...
Thanks again!
No problem. Sorry I didn't come up with some more details with the original write, but it sounds like you are coming up with some really cool stuff. That's the kind of thing that I love to hear about. You might really be able to freak out your PCs if at the end of Varnhold Vanishing you have the BBEG say, "Winter is coming." ;-)
No problem. Sorry I didn't come up with some more details with the original write, but it sounds like you are coming up with some really cool stuff. That's the kind of thing that I love to hear about. You might really be able to freak out your PCs if at the end of Varnhold Vanishing you have the BBEG say, "Winter is coming." ;-)
Heh. None of the group have read any GRRM yet, but I've been enthusing about it so much they all want to borrow it after I've finished.
Incidentally, you might be interested to learn that I'm going to have "King" Noleski learn what Restov are up to with the charters, and allow them to continue. But, he's going to insist that his troublesome, young and ambitious cousin (who happens to be a Rogarvia-Surtova bastard) be given a position of power in the PC's new kingdom just to keep him away from the Dragonscale Throne.
I'm planning on laying the groundwork now for how I intend to expand our campaign beyond the end of the Adventure Path. I'm so excited! I only wish I could be a player as well! SQUEE!
While I'm months away from running The Varnhold Vanishing, I'm struck by the opportunity presented in this volume. Mainly, the chance to have the BBEG perform that staple of all BBEGs, the "Bad Guy Monologue". From the description in the book, he seems the perfect type to start rambling on in Evil Guy fashion.
Anyone else struck by this? When I get around to writing up some, I'd be happy to post it, if anyone is interested.
Something like:
"Ah, my guests have arrived. Welcome, mortals. I had expected you much sooner. Has no one ever explained the etiquette due one's host? Well, no matter. I find this new age of yours fascinating enough to ward off any ennui brought about by your lack of courtesy."
I'm tempted to write paragraphs of the stuff, just waiting for the players to interrupt him. Sort of a "Take ten minutes to explain the Evil Plan, then kill 'em!" scene.
While I'm months away from running The Varnhold Vanishing, I'm struck by the opportunity presented in this volume. Mainly, the chance to have the BBEG perform that staple of all BBEGs, the "Bad Guy Monologue". From the description in the book, he seems the perfect type to start rambling on in Evil Guy fashion.
Anyone else struck by this? When I get around to writing up some, I'd be happy to post it, if anyone is interested.
Something like:
"Ah, my guests have arrived. Welcome, mortals. I had expected you much sooner. Has no one ever explained the etiquette due one's host? Well, no matter. I find this new age of yours fascinating enough to ward off any ennui brought about by your lack of courtesy."
I'm tempted to write paragraphs of the stuff, just waiting for the players to interrupt him. Sort of a "Take ten minutes to explain the Evil Plan, then kill 'em!" scene.
Okay, I admit I'm silly....:)
Silly, no, that's great! PCs eat up melodrama. Post away.
No problem. Sorry I didn't come up with some more details with the original write, but it sounds like you are coming up with some really cool stuff. That's the kind of thing that I love to hear about. You might really be able to freak out your PCs if at the end of Varnhold Vanishing you have the BBEG say, "Winter is coming." ;-)
Heh. None of the group have read any GRRM yet, but I've been enthusing about it so much they all want to borrow it after I've finished.
Incidentally, you might be interested to learn that I'm going to have "King" Noleski learn what Restov are up to with the charters, and allow them to continue. But, he's going to insist that his troublesome, young and ambitious cousin (who happens to be a Rogarvia-Surtova bastard) be given a position of power in the PC's new kingdom just to keep him away from the Dragonscale Throne.
I'm planning on laying the groundwork now for how I intend to expand our campaign beyond the end of the Adventure Path. I'm so excited! I only wish I could be a player as well! SQUEE!
Good idea. In my game I have a competing adventuring group with a troublesome Surtova that everyone (even his own retainers) loves to hate. I originally planned to kill him off, but last week I came to the conclusion that it might be more amusing to have him installed into the government, much as you planned.
As for Meager Varn- I fear the players want to make him their regent since none of them consider themselves suited for the position :o. This is okay, since I already planned for Meager to survive his problems- but it's quite amusing hearing the players discuss this situation quite close to the end of Episode 1.
Good idea. In my game I have a competing adventuring group with a troublesome Surtova that everyone (even his own retainers) loves to hate. I originally planned to kill him off, but last week I came to the conclusion that it might be more amusing to have him installed into the government, much as you planned.
As for Meager Varn- I fear the players want to make him their regent since none of them consider themselves suited for the position :o. This is okay, since I already planned for Meager to survive his problems- but it's quite amusing hearing the players discuss this situation quite close to the end of Episode 1.
I'm going to have the "King" insist that the Restovian Lord Mayor's right-hand man be sent to the PC's kingdom, further weakening the government in Restov whilst allowing them all to save face and hopefully avert a civil war. This right-hand man is going to be the NPC that guides the players through the kingdom-building rules and advises them on policies and taxes and so on.
From my point of view, the King has to do something to assert his power once he learns of the charters. Even though the government of Restov is not controlled by the noble houses, they still must bend their knee to the Dragonscale Throne and they are in no position to defy their King, and so they have to acquiesce and allow the King to dictate what kind of help gets sent to the PC's kingdom.
My Maegar Varn will voice opposition to the King's interference, which will make my PC's warm to him even further, and the Baroness Stroon-Drelev will try and get the King's cousin to join their kingdom instead, but the orders are specific - the King wants his troublesome relative sent to the newest, weakest, most pathetic new community - where, hopefully, he can do very little damage to the Brevic throne (but what of the damage to the PC's throne...)
Because I wanted to see the combination of a certain template with a certain class variant, I put together the following (note that you'll need the APG to see what some of the abilities do).
I've prepared two versions of Vordakai's champion, who like his master is also atrophied, at a different CR to be used for the desired level of challenge. Either use the CR 9 one with three of W23's occupants, or the CR 11 version (with servant) for a CR 11 encounter, or use the CR 11 version with three of W23's occupants for a more challenging CR 12 encounter. Naturally, it should be based in W23.
(Note: The Int 12 has not provided extra skill points because I assumed it gained the template at a higher level.)
Vordakai’s Champion CR 11
Spoiler:
XP 12,800
Male graveknight cyclops antipaladin8 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52, Pathfinder #27 84, Advanced Player’s Guide 105)
CE Large undead (giant)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +23
Aura aura of cowardice, aura of despair, sacrilegeous aura 30 ft. (DC 28)
Defense
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (+7 armor, +0 Dex, +11 natural, -1 size)
hp 161 (10d8+8d10+72)
Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +17
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, ferocity, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead traits; SR 22
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 greataxe +26/+21/+16 (3d6+17/×3 plus 4d6 fire) or greataxe with Power Attack +26/+17/+12 (3d6+29/x3 plus 4d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks channel destruction, channel negative energy (4d6, DC 17), cruelty (fatigued, staggered; DC 17), devastating blast 3/day (12d6 fire, 30-ft. cone, DC 22), smite good 3/day (+3 attack, +8 damage, +3 deflection bonus to AC while smiting), touch of corruption 7/day (4d6 negative energy), undead mastery (DC 22)
Spell-Like Ability (CL 8th)
At will- detect good
Spells (CL 5th)
2nd- corruption resistance, invisibility
1st- inflict light wounds, protection from good
Tactics
Morale Vordakai’s champion fights until destroyed, fully expecting to rejuvenate.
Statistics
Str 32, Dex 10, Con —, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 16
Base Atk +15; CMB +27; CMD 37
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Dreadful Carnage, Furious Focus, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +23, Profession (soothsayer) +14, Ride +10, Sense Motive +22, Survival +10
Languages Common, Cyclops, Giant
SQ aura of evil, fiendish boon (fiendish servant- fiendish dire ape), flash of insight, phantom mount, plaguebringer, ruinous revivification, unholy resilience
Gear standard (Large +1 breastplate, Large +1 greataxe)
Special Abilities
Channel Destruction (Su) Any weapon this graveknight wields is shrouded in destructive energy, and deals an additional 4d6 fire damage.
Devastating Blast (Su) Three times per day this graveknight may unleash a 30-foot cone of destructive force, dealing 12d6 fire damage. Creatures within the area may make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 22).
Flash of Insight (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, a cyclops can peer into an occluded visual spectrum of possible futures, gaining insight that allows it to select the exact result of one die roll before the roll is made. This effect can alter an action taken by the cyclops only, and cannot be applied to the rolls of others.
Phantom Mount (Su) Once per hour, a graveknight can summon a skeletal horse similar to a phantom steed (but it is large enough to carry the cyclops). This mount is more real than a typical phantom steed, and can carry one additional rider. The phantom steed’s powers are based on the graveknight’s total Hit Dice rather than caster level. A graveknight’s mount looks distinctive and always appears the same. If the mount is destroyed, it can be summoned again with full hit points 1 hour later.
Rejuvenation (Su) One day after a graveknight is destroyed, its armor begins to rebuild the undead warrior’s body. This process takes 1d10 days – if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the armor merely starts the process anew. After this time has elapsed, the graveknight wakens fully healed. (See PF #27, page 85 for more about a graveknight’s armor, which acts like a phylactery, but is tougher than a typical phylactery.)
Ruinous Revivification (Su) Fire was relevant to this graveknight’s life or death, and influences several of its special abilities.
Sacrilegious Aura (Su) A graveknight constantly exudes an aura of intense evil and negative energy in a 30-foot radius. This aura functions as the spell desecrate, which the graveknight constantly gains the benefits of. In addition, this miasma of fell energies hinders the channelling of positive energy in this area – such as through a cleric’s channel energy ability, a paladin’s lay on hands, or any spell with the healing descriptor – must make a concentration check with a DC of 28. If the character fails, the effect is blocked, its number of uses of that ability being reduced by 1 or the spell being lost. The relevant bonuses have not been included above.
Undead Mastery (Su) As a standard action, a graveknight can attempt to bend any undead creature within 50 feet to its will. The targeted undead must make a successfull Will save or fall under the graveknight’s control. This control is permanent for unintelligent undead, while undead with Intelligence scores are allowed an additional save every day to break free from the graveknight’s control. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same graveknight’s undead mastery for 24 hours. This graveknight can control 90 Hit Dice worth of undead creatures. If the graveknight exceeds this number, it loses control over some of its minions, as per the spell animate dead.
Vordakai’s Champion CR 9
Spoiler:
XP 6,400
Male graveknight cyclops antipaladin4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52, Pathfinder #27 84, Advanced Player’s Guide 105)
CE Large undead (giant)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22
Aura aura of cowardice, sacrilegeous aura 30 ft. (DC 24)
Defense
AC[/b] 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (+7 armor, +0 Dex, +11 natural, -1 size)
hp 123 (10d8+4d10+56)
Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +14
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, ferocity, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead traits; SR 20
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 greataxe +22/+17/+12 (3d6+17/×3 plus 3d6 fire); using Power Attack +22/+14/+9 (3d6+26/x3 plus 3d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks channel destruction, channel negative energy (2d6, DC 15), cruelty (fatigued; DC 15), devastating blast 3/day (8d6 fire, 30-ft. cone, DC 20), smite good 2/day (+3 attack, +4 damage, +3 deflection bonus to AC while smiting), touch of corruption 7/day (2d6 negative energy), undead mastery (DC 20)
Spell-Like Ability (CL 4th)
At will- detect good
Spells (CL 1st)
1st- protection from good
Tactics
Morale Vordakai’s champion fights until destroyed, fully expecting to rejuvenate.
Statistics
Str 32, Dex 10, Con —, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 16
Base Atk +11; CMB +23; CMD 33
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Dreadful Carnage, Furious Focus, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +22, Profession (soothsayer) +13, Ride +10, Sense Motive +11, Survival +9
Languages Common, Cyclops, Giant
SQ aura of evil, flash of insight, phantom mount, plaguebringer, ruinous revivification, unholy resilience
Gear standard (Large +1 breastplate, Large +1 greataxe)
Special Abilities
Channel Destruction (Su) Any weapon this graveknight wields is shrouded in destructive energy, and deals an additional 3d6 fire damage.
Devastating Blast (Su) Three times per day this graveknight may unleash a 30-foot cone of destructive force, dealing 8d6 fire damage. Creatures within the area may make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 20).
Flash of Insight (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, a cyclops can peer into an occluded visual spectrum of possible futures, gaining insight that allows it to select the exact result of one die roll before the roll is made. This effect can alter an action taken by the cyclops only, and cannot be applied to the rolls of others.
Phantom Mount (Su) Once per hour, a graveknight can summon a skeletal horse similar to a phantom steed (but it is large enough to carry the cyclops). This mount is more real than a typical phantom steed, and can carry one additional rider. The phantom steed’s powers are based on the graveknight’s total Hit Dice rather than caster level. A graveknight’s mount looks distinctive and always appears the same. If the mount is destroyed, it can be summoned again with full hit points 1 hour later.
Rejuvenation (Su) One day after a graveknight is destroyed, its armor begins to rebuild the undead warrior’s body. This process takes 1d10 days – if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the armor merely starts the process anew. After this time has elapsed, the graveknight wakens fully healed. (See PF #27, page 85 for more about a graveknight’s armor, which acts like a phylactery, but is tougher than a typical phylactery.)
Ruinous Revivification (Su) Fire was relevant to this graveknight’s life or death, and influences several of its special abilities.
Sacrilegious Aura (Su) A graveknight constantly exudes an aura of intense evil and negative energy in a 30-foot radius. This aura functions as the spell desecrate, which the graveknight constantly gains the benefits of. In addition, this miasma of fell energies hinders the channelling of positive energy in this area – such as through a cleric’s channel energy ability, a paladin’s lay on hands, or any spell with the healing descriptor – must make a concentration check with a DC of 24. If the character fails, the effect is blocked, its number of uses of that ability being reduced by 1 or the spell being lost. The relevant bonuses have not been included above.
Undead Mastery (Su) As a standard action, a graveknight can attempt to bend any undead creature within 50 feet to its will. The targeted undead must make a successfull Will save or fall under the graveknight’s control. This control is permanent for unintelligent undead, while undead with Intelligence scores are allowed an additional save every day to break free from the graveknight’s control. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same graveknight’s undead mastery for 24 hours. This graveknight can control 70 Hit Dice worth of undead creatures. If the graveknight exceeds this number, it loses control over some of its minions, as per the spell animate dead.
As for tactics, it will most likely send the zombies to attack the PCs, while always ensuring the sacrilegious aura protects them. If it has the time, cast its protective spells.
If the armor is not permanently destroyed, it could come back to haunt the PCs later on.
Starting this next week, and very much looking forward to it
will be KM session #18
any pitfalls/tricky bits i should look out for?
ta
By this point your party should be accustomed to nova-ing every fight they get into. Transitioning to a very long dungeon crawl can be a system shock to them, and could cause them to fizzle early. Think about ahead of time how you want to handle resting in the dungeon. Also, the game has been caster-light up until this point, so brush up on good caster-tactics, because the power of Vordacai is really dependant on how much finesse you put into running him. That being said, if he's run well, he's a pretty brutal surprise for the PCs. Watch out.
And play up the environmental hazards of mountain exploration. It'll be your last time to really hit them with that kind of encounter. (Once you get much higher level, the environment is too easily bypassed.)
Uh-oh, looks like the brownies that messed with the Campaign Setting got into the cartography department again. I see at least five rivers which flow uphill over the tops of the ridges before running back down again on the other side on The Nomen Heights hex map on page 10. This leaves me in some doubt as to which hexes are intended to have rivers/mountains in on The Nomen Heights hex map... :-?
Being more specific with regard to the hex map, is it okay for a PC kingdom to claim the hex to the left (northwest) of Fort Serenko on The Nomen Heights hex map without provoking Brevoy? This isn't part of the 'A - C' mentioned on page 11, it's not northeast of that loose line, and assuming that the Brevoy border is supposed to be defined by the South Rostland road in these parts (I figure it's likely a military road, intended to be used by border patrols and as a line which makes it clear on the ground where Brevoy starts/finishes) it seems to me that this hex is completely outside Brevoy.
How much is missing from the Varnhold map on page 20? The text for L6 on page 23 states: 'At each of these locations, the mischievous spriggans have dug a pit, lined it with sharpened stakes, and crudely camouflaged it with a cover of sticks and dirt.'
However, despite the text (by use of plural) indicating that there are at least two such locations I only see one 'L6' marked on the Varnhold map, on the south side of the ford. I do however see a mysterious building placed in the middle of the track leading up to Varnhold Stockade. Was that supposed to be another pit trap? (It seems to me it would make a certain strategic sense for the spriggans to trap the obvious approach to their new base.)
What's happened at L11 (Gundarson's House)? There is nothing in the text on page 23 to indicate that the west end of the residence has gone missing, but only half a house is marked on the map.
On Page 21 in the sidebar 'The Watcher' it is stated: 'if the PCs manage to capture and interrogate the raven, Vordakai uses his link to the familiar to destroy it (and possibly harm anyone nearby - see page 52).'
I cannot see any explanation on page 52 of how this works or how it harms anyone nearby. Page 52 seems to be mostly about the Oculus of Abaddon, but I don't see anything listed amongst its powers which features remote detonation of a familiar.
Away from the adventure, regarding the Iobaria article, it says on page 55 that: 'Those who wish to delve into the history of this land in greater detail can find a supplemental timeline of the region available on paizo.com.'
Is that supplemental timeline in a blog post, free pdf/other download, or has it not been released yet?
Uh-oh, looks like the brownies that messed with the Campaign Setting got into the cartography department again. I see at least five rivers which flow uphill over the tops of the ridges before running back down again on the other side on The Nomen Heights hex map on page 10. This leaves me in some doubt as to which hexes are intended to have rivers/mountains in on The Nomen Heights hex map... :-?
The "ridges" you see in the mountains are not intended to be accurate portrayals of actual mountain tops. They're merely indications of mountain terrain. When you see a river flow through a mountain hex, you can assume that the river is flowing through canyons and gulches as it winds up higher into the mountains. That DOES mean that along some of the eastern faces of mountains (particularly near the Culchek camp and the Ghost Stone) there are some cliffs involved.
Being more specific with regard to the hex map, is it okay for a PC kingdom to claim the hex to the left (northwest) of Fort Serenko on The Nomen Heights hex map without provoking Brevoy?
That's up to the GM to decide. It's pretty close to the Brevoy border, that's for sure; if the GM wants to have the PCs start to antagonize Brevoy by counting this hex as a border hex, he can. If he doesn't, no worries.
Charles Evans 25 wrote:
How much is missing from the Varnhold map on page 20? The text for L6 on page 23 states: 'At each of these locations, the mischievous spriggans have dug a pit, lined it with sharpened stakes, and crudely camouflaged it with a cover of sticks and dirt.'
However, despite the text (by use of plural) indicating that there are at least two such locations I only see one 'L6' marked on the Varnhold map, on the south side of the ford. I do however see a mysterious building placed in the middle of the track leading up to Varnhold Stockade. Was that supposed to be another pit trap? (It seems to me it would make a certain strategic sense for the spriggans to trap the obvious approach to their new base.)
Nothing is missing; there's multiple pits at area L6.
That mysterious building placed on the track leading to the stockade is an error, one we unfortunately didn't catch before the map went to the printer.
Charles Evans 25 wrote:
What's happened at L11 (Gundarson's House)? There is nothing in the text on page 23 to indicate that the west end of the residence has gone missing, but only half a house is marked on the map.
The west end is built into the side of the hill.
Charles Evans 25 wrote:
On Page 21 in the sidebar 'The Watcher' it is stated: 'if the PCs manage to capture and interrogate the raven, Vordakai uses his link to the familiar to destroy it (and possibly harm anyone nearby - see page 52).'
I cannot see any explanation on page 52 of how this works or how it harms anyone nearby. Page 52 seems to be mostly about the Oculus of Abaddon, but I don't see anything listed amongst its powers which features remote detonation of a familiar.
That element was cut. Ignore it.
Charles Evans 25 wrote:
Away from the adventure, regarding the Iobaria article, it says on page 55 that: 'Those who wish to delve into the history of this land in greater detail can find a supplemental timeline of the region available on paizo.com.'
Is that supplemental timeline in a blog post, free pdf/other download, or has it not been released yet?
Away from the adventure, regarding the Iobaria article, it says on page 55 that: 'Those who wish to delve into the history of this land in greater detail can find a supplemental timeline of the region available on paizo.com.'
Is that supplemental timeline in a blog post, free pdf/other download, or has it not been released yet?
Away from the adventure, regarding the Iobaria article, it says on page 55 that: 'Those who wish to delve into the history of this land in greater detail can find a supplemental timeline of the region available on paizo.com.'
Is that supplemental timeline in a blog post, free pdf/other download, or has it not been released yet?
Thanks, and that explains why I couldn't find it... I was looking in the blog tags for something like 'Iobaria', and not 'Kingmaker Maps' or 'River Kingdoms'.
Edit:
'Web Enhancements' makes more sense, and I'll have to try to remember to look for that though next time I'm looking for one of these.
:)
Uh-oh, looks like the brownies that messed with the Campaign Setting got into the cartography department again. I see at least five rivers which flow uphill over the tops of the ridges before running back down again on the other side on The Nomen Heights hex map on page 10. This leaves me in some doubt as to which hexes are intended to have rivers/mountains in on The Nomen Heights hex map... :-?
The "ridges" you see in the mountains are not intended to be accurate portrayals of actual mountain tops. They're merely indications of mountain terrain. When you see a river flow through a mountain hex, you can assume that the river is flowing through canyons and gulches as it winds up higher into the mountains. That DOES mean that along some of the eastern faces of mountains (particularly near the Culchek camp and the Ghost Stone) there are some cliffs involved.
Where indication of generally mountainous terrain is needed at this scale in future products, would colour shading on its own be sufficient? I sort of assumed that with the ridges pattern that your cartographer had painstakingly depicted the main lie of the land then somewhere later the rivers had been shifted to be out of synch.
Anyway, thanks for the answers so far on this one.
Edit:
And I'll take it as read that any mountains on hex maps further west in Kingmaker aren't supposed to be literal, either... ;)
Where indication of generally mountainous terrain is needed at this scale in future products, would colour shading on its own be sufficient? I sort of assumed that with the ridges pattern that your cartographer had painstakingly depicted the main lie of the land then somewhere later the rivers had been shifted to be out of synch.
Anyway, thanks for the answers so far on this one.
Edit:
And I'll take it as read that any mountains on hex maps further west in Kingmaker aren't supposed to be literal, either... ;)
As a general rule, we'll never detail a map to an extent where each ridgeline is revealed, simply because no one on staff and CERTAINLY no one who has yet written an adventure for us actually has a degree in real-world relief map cartography like you might find in an atlas. That's a level of detail that, for the most part, is absent from most gaming material, unfortunately.
The ridges our cartographer depicted are basically an artistic flourish and nothing more.
As a general rule, we'll never detail a map to an extent where each ridgeline is revealed, simply because no one on staff and CERTAINLY no one who has yet written an adventure for us actually has a degree in real-world relief map cartography like you might find in an atlas. That's a level of detail that, for the most part, is absent from most gaming material, unfortunately.
The ridges our cartographer depicted are basically an artistic flourish and nothing more.
Given the nature of my previous career i used to make my dungeons/caverns etc geologically correct and make sense scientifically
Because I wanted to see the combination of a certain template with a certain class variant, I put together the following (note that you'll need the APG to see what some of the abilities do).
I've prepared two versions of Vordakai's champion, {stuff}
The Spoiler-clicky-thingy doesn't open up, when I click it. Others on the board work fine for me - is there a possibility to share your improved versions of the Champions?
As a general rule, we'll never detail a map to an extent where each ridgeline is revealed, simply because no one on staff and CERTAINLY no one who has yet written an adventure for us actually has a degree in real-world relief map cartography like you might find in an atlas. That's a level of detail that, for the most part, is absent from most gaming material, unfortunately.
The ridges our cartographer depicted are basically an artistic flourish and nothing more.
(edited)
Ummm, you did however give some very specific details regarding Varnhold Pass, including that waterfall so very close to the top of the pass...
(Warning! Geographical speculation, at some length!)
Spoiler:
A pass with a waterfall coming down it so close to the top of the pass but lacking serious impediment to get at the top of the pass from that side seems to me somewhat unusual. The closest real world analogy I've been able to find thus far for the immediate environs of Varnhold Pass is probably the situation of Newlands Hause in the English Lake District, reversed east for west and on a much larger scale. Substitute the Crooked River for Keskadale Beck and Moss Force falls, and on the other side of the pass, some equivalent of Sail Beck presumably runs away southeast towards Varnhold, in a deeper, steeper, valley than on the Crooked River side of the pass (at least in the immediate vicinity of the pass). Assume there is no Buttermere valley equivalent, and that whatever the Golarion version of High Snockrigg is extends southwards as the main watershed. Oh, and Varnhold Pass obviously has a watchtower instead of a car-park... ;)
I can't pop out and check Newlands Hause on the ground for precise comparison, but I suspect any town/city built on Varnhold Pass would stretch away down the Crooked River side of the pass, rather than the steeper side heading back to Varnhold. Once beyond the mountains and Varnhold Pass, I figure the Crooked River probably drops very steeply (rapids???) through the hills to the Shrike, where the falls on the Shrike should in any case make river traffic from this direction to Varnhold Pass impossible/not worth bothering with. On the Varnhold side, I figure the stream or beck there empties into another valley and flattens out fairly quickly, since that water has to go past Varnhold down the Kiravoy, past Fort Sorenko, and still arrive at the Crooked Falls higher than the waters from the Crooked River despite having gone much further around.
Okay, enough of the pseudo science for now, and if Mr. Vaughan has some photos of a local equivalent of Newlands Hause which inspired him with Varnhold Pass, I'd love to see them posted (pretty please?) so I can goggle, ooh and aah over the exciting topography/geology... :D
Ummm, you did however give some very specific details regarding Varnhold Pass, including that waterfall so very close to the top of the pass...
I'm relatively sure you didn't see the original turnovers for our maps to the cartographers, and I'm relatively sure that if you DID see some of the maps our authors create for turnovers that you'd have a panic attack.
Okay, enough of the pseudo science for now, and if Mr. Vaughan has some photos of a local equivalent of Newlands Hause which inspired him with Varnhold Pass, I'd love to see them posted (pretty please?) so I can goggle, ooh and aah over the exciting topography/geology... :D
I actually didn't design the terrain around Varnhold, only the settlement itself and the cairn rock. Everything else was from a pre-proofing sketch map kind of thingy that was going around as a working map until the final version of the Stolen Lands got fully laid out by Paizo. So I'm sure that greatly contributed to any geographic anomolies. I wish I had some cool pictures like you are describing, though.
Okay, enough of the pseudo science for now, and if Mr. Vaughan has some photos of a local equivalent of Newlands Hause which inspired him with Varnhold Pass, I'd love to see them posted (pretty please?) so I can goggle, ooh and aah over the exciting topography/geology... :D
I actually didn't design the terrain around Varnhold, only the settlement itself and the cairn rock. Everything else was from a pre-proofing sketch map kind of thingy that was going around as a working map until the final version of the Stolen Lands got fully laid out by Paizo. So I'm sure that greatly contributed to any geographic anomolies. I wish I had some cool pictures like you are describing, though.
:(
I hoped you had been inspired by a location in the Rockies or Cascades, with mountains which haven't been ground down by 100+ million years and had amazing pictures to photobucket... It is nice to see mountain pictures from a land which isn't falling into the sea on all sides yet.
Ah well.
I should be off to bed now, before I can launch into a long rambling speculation about the likely geological situation of the Greenbelt and The Nomen Heights.
Maybe I'll save that for next week. ;)
Here you go Ruyan, sorry the spoiler buttons didn't work for you. I spoilered them because of the length of the stat blocks!
Vordakai’s Champion CR 11
XP 12,800
Male graveknight cyclops antipaladin8 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52, Pathfinder #27 84, Advanced Player’s Guide 105)
CE Large undead (giant)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +23
Aura aura of cowardice, aura of despair, sacrilegeous aura 30 ft. (DC 28)
Defense
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (+7 armor, +0 Dex, +11 natural, -1 size)
hp 161 (10d8+8d10+72)
Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +17
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, ferocity, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead traits; SR 22
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 greataxe +26/+21/+16 (3d6+17/×3 plus 4d6 fire) or greataxe with Power Attack +26/+17/+12 (3d6+29/x3 plus 4d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks channel destruction, channel negative energy (4d6, DC 17), cruelty (fatigued, staggered; DC 17), devastating blast 3/day (12d6 fire, 30-ft. cone, DC 22), smite good 3/day (+3 attack, +8 damage, +3 deflection bonus to AC while smiting), touch of corruption 7/day (4d6 negative energy), undead mastery (DC 22)
Spell-Like Ability (CL 8th)
At will- detect good
Spells (CL 5th)
2nd- corruption resistance, invisibility
1st- inflict light wounds, protection from good
Tactics
Morale Vordakai’s champion fights until destroyed, fully expecting to rejuvenate.
Statistics
Str 32, Dex 10, Con —, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 16
Base Atk +15; CMB +27; CMD 37
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Dreadful Carnage, Furious Focus, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +23, Profession (soothsayer) +14, Ride +10, Sense Motive +22, Survival +10
Languages Common, Cyclops, Giant
SQ aura of evil, fiendish boon (fiendish servant- fiendish dire ape), flash of insight, phantom mount, plaguebringer, ruinous revivification, unholy resilience
Gear standard (Large +1 breastplate, Large +1 greataxe)
Special Abilities
Channel Destruction (Su) Any weapon this graveknight wields is shrouded in destructive energy, and deals an additional 4d6 fire damage.
Devastating Blast (Su) Three times per day this graveknight may unleash a 30-foot cone of destructive force, dealing 12d6 fire damage. Creatures within the area may make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 22).
Flash of Insight (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, a cyclops can peer into an occluded visual spectrum of possible futures, gaining insight that allows it to select the exact result of one die roll before the roll is made. This effect can alter an action taken by the cyclops only, and cannot be applied to the rolls of others.
Phantom Mount (Su) Once per hour, a graveknight can summon a skeletal horse similar to a phantom steed (but it is large enough to carry the cyclops). This mount is more real than a typical phantom steed, and can carry one additional rider. The phantom steed’s powers are based on the graveknight’s total Hit Dice rather than caster level. A graveknight’s mount looks distinctive and always appears the same. If the mount is destroyed, it can be summoned again with full hit points 1 hour later.
Rejuvenation (Su) One day after a graveknight is destroyed, its armor begins to rebuild the undead warrior’s body. This process takes 1d10 days – if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the armor merely starts the process anew. After this time has elapsed, the graveknight wakens fully healed. (See PF #27, page 85 for more about a graveknight’s armor, which acts like a phylactery, but is tougher than a typical phylactery.)
Ruinous Revivification (Su) Fire was relevant to this graveknight’s life or death, and influences several of its special abilities.
Sacrilegious Aura (Su) A graveknight constantly exudes an aura of intense evil and negative energy in a 30-foot radius. This aura functions as the spell desecrate, which the graveknight constantly gains the benefits of. In addition, this miasma of fell energies hinders the channelling of positive energy in this area – such as through a cleric’s channel energy ability, a paladin’s lay on hands, or any spell with the healing descriptor – must make a concentration check with a DC of 28. If the character fails, the effect is blocked, its number of uses of that ability being reduced by 1 or the spell being lost. The relevant bonuses have not been included above.
Undead Mastery (Su) As a standard action, a graveknight can attempt to bend any undead creature within 50 feet to its will. The targeted undead must make a successfull Will save or fall under the graveknight’s control. This control is permanent for unintelligent undead, while undead with Intelligence scores are allowed an additional save every day to break free from the graveknight’s control. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same graveknight’s undead mastery for 24 hours. This graveknight can control 90 Hit Dice worth of undead creatures. If the graveknight exceeds this number, it loses control over some of its minions, as per the spell animate dead.
*************************************
Vordakai’s Champion CR 9
XP 6,400
Male graveknight cyclops antipaladin4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52, Pathfinder #27 84, Advanced Player’s Guide 105)
CE Large undead (giant)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22
Aura aura of cowardice, sacrilegeous aura 30 ft. (DC 24)
Defense
AC[/b] 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (+7 armor, +0 Dex, +11 natural, -1 size)
hp 123 (10d8+4d10+56)
Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +14
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, ferocity, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead traits; SR 20
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 greataxe +22/+17/+12 (3d6+17/×3 plus 3d6 fire); using Power Attack +22/+14/+9 (3d6+26/x3 plus 3d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks channel destruction, channel negative energy (2d6, DC 15), cruelty (fatigued; DC 15), devastating blast 3/day (8d6 fire, 30-ft. cone, DC 20), smite good 2/day (+3 attack, +4 damage, +3 deflection bonus to AC while smiting), touch of corruption 7/day (2d6 negative energy), undead mastery (DC 20)
Spell-Like Ability (CL 4th)
At will- detect good
Spells (CL 1st)
1st- protection from good
Tactics
Morale Vordakai’s champion fights until destroyed, fully expecting to rejuvenate.
Statistics
Str 32, Dex 10, Con —, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 16
Base Atk +11; CMB +23; CMD 33
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Dreadful Carnage, Furious Focus, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +22, Profession (soothsayer) +13, Ride +10, Sense Motive +11, Survival +9
Languages Common, Cyclops, Giant
SQ aura of evil, flash of insight, phantom mount, plaguebringer, ruinous revivification, unholy resilience
Gear standard (Large +1 breastplate, Large +1 greataxe)
Special Abilities
Channel Destruction (Su) Any weapon this graveknight wields is shrouded in destructive energy, and deals an additional 3d6 fire damage.
Devastating Blast (Su) Three times per day this graveknight may unleash a 30-foot cone of destructive force, dealing 8d6 fire damage. Creatures within the area may make a Reflex save for half damage (DC 20).
Flash of Insight (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, a cyclops can peer into an occluded visual spectrum of possible futures, gaining insight that allows it to select the exact result of one die roll before the roll is made. This effect can alter an action taken by the cyclops only, and cannot be applied to the rolls of others.
Phantom Mount (Su) Once per hour, a graveknight can summon a skeletal horse similar to a phantom steed (but it is large enough to carry the cyclops). This mount is more real than a typical phantom steed, and can carry one additional rider. The phantom steed’s powers are based on the graveknight’s total Hit Dice rather than caster level. A graveknight’s mount looks distinctive and always appears the same. If the mount is destroyed, it can be summoned again with full hit points 1 hour later.
Rejuvenation (Su) One day after a graveknight is destroyed, its armor begins to rebuild the undead warrior’s body. This process takes 1d10 days – if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the armor merely starts the process anew. After this time has elapsed, the graveknight wakens fully healed. (See PF #27, page 85 for more about a graveknight’s armor, which acts like a phylactery, but is tougher than a typical phylactery.)
Ruinous Revivification (Su) Fire was relevant to this graveknight’s life or death, and influences several of its special abilities.
Sacrilegious Aura (Su) A graveknight constantly exudes an aura of intense evil and negative energy in a 30-foot radius. This aura functions as the spell desecrate, which the graveknight constantly gains the benefits of. In addition, this miasma of fell energies hinders the channelling of positive energy in this area – such as through a cleric’s channel energy ability, a paladin’s lay on hands, or any spell with the healing descriptor – must make a concentration check with a DC of 24. If the character fails, the effect is blocked, its number of uses of that ability being reduced by 1 or the spell being lost. The relevant bonuses have not been included above.
Undead Mastery (Su) As a standard action, a graveknight can attempt to bend any undead creature within 50 feet to its will. The targeted undead must make a successfull Will save or fall under the graveknight’s control. This control is permanent for unintelligent undead, while undead with Intelligence scores are allowed an additional save every day to break free from the graveknight’s control. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same graveknight’s undead mastery for 24 hours. This graveknight can control 70 Hit Dice worth of undead creatures. If the graveknight exceeds this number, it loses control over some of its minions, as per the spell animate dead.
What is the significance of the "bracelet" that wakes up Vordakai? He sends soul eaters after the PC's to avoid being discovered, but the act of kidnapping an entire town does not make sense if he was try to stay below the radar. I would assume the bracelet would be important for him to take such measures, but I can't find the bracelet or what it does anywhere in the book.
I also noticed that going directly to the town leads to the centuars, which leads to Mr.V. Will the players be high enough in level to take him? If not I might have to distract them. I am sure they will go straight to him.
What is the significance of the "bracelet" that wakes up Vordakai? He sends soul eaters after the PC's to avoid being discovered, but the act of kidnapping an entire town does not make sense if he was try to stay below the radar. I would assume the bracelet would be important for him to take such measures, but I can't find the bracelet or what it does anywhere in the book.
The bracelet's theft just woke him up, which he was happy to do. It has no great significance beyond that, it was simply an item of his treaure that was stolen--kind of like the goblet in The Hobbit brings down Laketown and ultimately Smaug as well. The town's disappearance was a case of leaving no "witnesses" as he consolidates power as well as a source of raw materials. He's not anxious for folks to be onto him but he's super anxious to establish his dominance in the region, so the one contests with the other--and power always wins over caution with the bad guys. That's why they never shoot James Bond when they have him tied up. :)
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
Creative Director
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
