Expanding City of the Seven Spears

[catdragon]

Its a goodly sized city and I am sure I am not the only one that has done this. In fact, I was surprised i didn't even see another thread already for this....

In any case, my players' PCs are exploring the city now and i have the fortunate/unfortunate (depending on how you look at it) habit of waxing rhapsodic and adding lots of stuff in game... here are a few.

The Water Treatment Tower
Mostly ruined and with lots of corridors that go no where. The only true path that the adventurers can take is through the sewers into the main treatment area. In the sewers are various oozes and slimes.

In the main area are several constructs whose only purpose is the assist those that are supposed to be there (signified by a red headband than can be found on a few skeletons and bodies also in the tower. I used Caryatid Columns (ToH p.93) as the base critter and added special attacks like the ability to cast Hydraulic Push once per minute (to clean the pipes).

The main opponent here was a alchemical golem (Bestiary 2, p.135) who was still attempting to keep the water purification going. I added a back story that long ago a group of serpentfolk tried to poison the city. the water purification was set up to keep that from happening again. Of course with the alchemical golem gone, who knows what will happen now?

[catdragon]

Here is another one... more of an encounter for hack n'slash, but hey every ruined city needs hordes of something to keep the PCs on edge....

Swarms of Boneneedles

In the middle of a warehouse area, is a ruined warehouse that is the home of a good sized boneneedle nest (ToH p.79) Notghing two fancy just a large nest of the vermin. Greater boneneedles are CR4 and lesser boneneedles are CR2, so i was going to start with 3 lesser boneneedles for each PC and a greater boneneedle for every two PCs. The idea was to throw lots of easily killable critters at them, wear them down, and if they managed to fight their way through find very little.

I wanted the players to discover that not everything that can be killed should be killed, especially if it wastes resources.

[catdragon]

One more vermin group.... i was thinking of placing one of the vaults behind this group.

Giant Ant Nest
1 Queen, 4 Drones, 5 sergeants, 25 soldiers, 5 scouts, 240 workers (BTW, i did try to use the same ratio of caste to caste that African army ants have)

GIANT ANT QUEEN CR 6
Female Ant, Giant, Queen
N Huge Vermin
Init +1; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, -2 size, +10 natural)
hp 26 (2d8+17)
Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 10 ft.
Melee Bite +5 (2d6+6) and Sting +5 (1d8+6)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 18))
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 12, Con 25, Int -, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB +9 (+13 Grappling); CMD 20 (28 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Fly -3, Perception +7, Stealth -7, Survival +7
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Huge) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 18)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4 rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

GIANT ANT SERGEANT CR 8
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 71 (2d8+42)
Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +10
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +8 (1d6+4) and Sting +8 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 19))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 22, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +4; CMB +8 (+12 Grappling); CMD 20 (28 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +6
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 19)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

GIANT ANT SCOUT CR 2
Male Ant, Giant
N Medium Vermin
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural)
hp 21 (2d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d6+2) and Sting +3 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 14))
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+7 Grappling); CMD 13 (21 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +10, Perception +5, Survival +5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 14)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

GIANT ANT SOLDIER CR 6
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 43 (2d8+24)
Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +9
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +7 (1d6+4) and Sting +7 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 17))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 21, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +3; CMB +7 (+11 Grappling); CMD 19 (27 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +4
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 17)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

GIANT ANT WORKER CR 1
Male Ant, Giant, Worker
N Medium Vermin
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural)
hp 18 (2d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d6+3)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13 (21 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +10, Perception +5, Survival +5
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

GIANT ANT DRONE CR 4
Male Ant, Giant, Drone
N Medium Vermin
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Scent; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 22 (2d8+13)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +8
Immune mind-affecting
OFFENSE
Spd 50 ft., Climbing (20 feet), Flight (30 feet, Average)
Melee Bite +5 (1d6+4) and Sting +5 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks Grab, Poison (Sting-injury (DC 16))
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 21, Int -, Wis 27, Cha 25
Base Atk +1; CMB +5 (+9 Grappling); CMD 17 (25 vs. Trip)
Feats Toughness +3
Skills Climb +12, Perception +12, Survival +12
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Flight (30 feet, Average) You can fly!
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Immunity to Mind-Affecting attacks You are immune to Mind-Affecting attacks.
Poison (Sting-injury (DC 16)) (Ex) Poison deals 1d2 Str damage, 1/round for 4rounds, cure 1 save.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.

[catdragon]

Tower of the Technomages

A beehive shaped tower, the bottom of which has has the main door collapsed and is in ruins. It is now the lair of a behir (Bestiary, p. 34) (or two if you are feeling vicious). Once the behir is dealt with a stairway can be found that leads up into the tower.

Most of the tower is closed off behind nonmagical large stone or metal doors. These doors lead to the private areas for the technomages that use to be here. They are all locked down and will not open with out serious destructive force being used.

The Only inhabitant of the tower is a Clockwork Brain Gear (ToH, p. 110), 24 Clockwork Warrior(ToH, p114), 4 Clockwork Scouts (ToH, p. 113), and two Clockwork Titans (ToH, p. 114). I made the brain gear old, partially malfunctioning, paranoid, and knowledgeable. I then used it as a method to communicate info that the the PCs needed.

My players allied themselves with it and negotiated a truce. Now their Pathfinders are sending transmuters to become technomages in return for supplies so the brain gear can repair itself. Of course if and when this becomes two much for the story, a catastrophic malfunction might take place...

[catdragon]

Mudmen

I had a ruined building that has collapsed into a large pit that had mud and water at the bottom. Also down there were a group of 12 mudmen (ToH, p.438).

For more fun and more challenge, make the mud poisonous or disease ridden. You can also use a mosquito swarm in the mud as well.

[catdragon]

The military district was too easy for my players, so I advanced a few of the charau-ka. here is what i created for your enjoyment and use....

CHARAU-KA SNIPER CR 5
Male Charau-Ka Fighter (Crossbowman) 2/Rogue (Sniper) 2
CE Small Humanoid
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size, +2 natural)
hp 51 (2d10+5d8+14)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +2
Defensive Abilities Bravery +1, Evasion
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft., Climbing (30 feet)
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+1) and Shortsword +8 (1d4+2/19-20) or
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+1) and Throwing Axe +8 (1d4+2/x3) or
Ranged Masterwork Light Crossbow +10 (1d6/19-20) or
Ranged Masterwork Light Crossbow +8 (1d6+4/19-20) or
Ranged Throwing Axe +7 (1d4/19-20/x3)
Special Attacks Accuracy, Sneak Attack +1d6, Sniper's Eye
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Bullseye Shot , Deadly Aim -2/+4, Opening Volley , Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rogue Weapon Proficiencies, Throw Anything, Weapon Focus (Light Crossbow)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +18, Fly +4, Perception +9, Stealth +18
Languages Abyssal, Polyglot
SQ Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su), Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex)
Combat Gear Masterwork Light Crossbow, Masterwork Studded Leather, Shortsword, 3 throwing axes; Other Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of jump
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Accuracy (Ex) Halve all range increment penalties with a bow or crossbow.
Bravery +1 (Ex) +1 Will save vs. Fear
Climbing (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deadly Aim -2/+4 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Evasion (Ex) If you succeed at a Reflex save for half damage, you take none instead.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Point Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into combat.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su) Free, gain effects of haste for 3 rds but can't speak and staggered 1 rd at end.
Sneak Attack +1d6 +1d6 damage if you flank your target or your target is flat-footed.
Sniper's Eye (Ex) Can use ranged sneak attack vs. targets with concealment.
Throw Anything Proficient with improvised ranged weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.
Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex) Threat range for thrown weapons is doubled, as though Improved Critical.

CHARAU-KA ELITE CR 5
Male Advanced Charau-Ka Fighter (Two-Handed Fighter) 3
CE Small Humanoid
Init +3; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +4 natural)
hp 58 (3d10+3d8+24)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft., Climbing (30 feet)
Melee Bite +5 (1d3+2) and Darkwood Greatclub +12 (1d8+6) or
Melee Darkwood Greatclub +12 (1d8+8) or
Melee Bite +3 (1d3+6) and Darkwood Greatclub +10 (1d8+10) or
Melee Darkwood Greatclub +10 (1d8+12) or
Special Attacks Overhand Chop, Shattering Strike +1
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +8 (+9 Sundering); CMD 21 (22 vs. Sunder)
Feats Cleave , Point Blank Shot , Power Attack -2/+4, Precise Shot, Throw Anything, Weapon Focus (Greatclub)
Skills Climb +18, Fly +5, Intimidate +8, Perception +6, Stealth +14, Survival +9, Swim +10
Languages Abyssal, Polyglot, Sylvan
SQ Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su), Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex)
Combat Gear Darkwood Greatclub; Other Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, tanglefoot bag
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Climbing (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Overhand Chop (Ex) Single attacks with two-handed weapons receive double STR bonus.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into combat.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Shattering Strike +1 (Ex) +1 Sunder and damage vs. objects.
Shrieking Frenzy (1/day) (Su) Free, gain effects of haste for 3 rds but can't speak and staggered 1 rd at end.
Throw Anything Proficient with improvised ranged weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.
Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex) Threat range for thrown weapons is doubled, as though Improved Critical.

[catdragon]

Stirges from Hell

I wanted to pull the players into having their characters help the encampment. Of course a random encounter would have done that, but I also wanted to them to take an interest in the day to day operations.

So I had a thirst of stirges continually bother the camp. The stirges targets the animals (horses, goats, and cows), but they also attacked any sentries around as well. The beginning attacks took place off camera, but when the PCs got involved they easily handled the stirges (c'mom they are CR 1!).

Only problem is that they kept coming back.

So the PCs have to hunt down the nest. I placed the nest of the outskirts of the Residential Area, in a limestone cavern under several ruined, caved-in buildings. The caverns were cold, almost icy. Also there was a some mystical artifact (read McGuffin) that regenerated wounded stirges. The thing fed on heat, so the closer the PCs got to it, the more "ripe" it got. And then the PCs actually got within 50 feet of it, the McGuffin "hatched", summoning/creating/letting loose an advance half-fiend giant stirge (CR 10).

I'll post her stats later.

[catdragon]

GIANT DEMONIC STIRGE CR 10
Male Stirge
NE Medium Outsider ((Magical Beast), Native)
Init +6; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+6 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 88 (8d10+40)
Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +7
DR 5/magic; Immune poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 21
OFFENSE
Spd 10 ft., Flight (40 feet, Good)
Melee Bite +14 (2d6+3) and Claw×2 +14×2 (1d8+3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Smite Good (1/day)
Spell-Like Abilities
3/day - Darkness, Poison
1/day - Desecrate, Unholy Blight
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 20, Cha 12
Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise +/-3, Lunge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +14, Escape Artist +14, Fly +21, Intimidate +9, Perception +16, Stealth +17, Survival +13
Languages Abyssal
SQ Attach (Ex), Blood Drain (Ex), Diseased (Ex)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Attach (Ex) When a giant demonic stirge hits with a touch attack, its barbed legs latch onto the target, anchoring it in place. An attached giant demonic stirge is effectively grappling its prey. The giant demonic stirge loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 13, but holds on with great tenacity and inserts its proboscis into the grappled target's flesh. A giant demonic stirge has a +8 racial bonus to maintain its grapple on a foe once it is attached. An attached giant demonic stirge can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself-if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the giant demonic stirge is removed.
Blood Drain (Ex) A giant demonic stirge drains blood at the end of its turn if it is attached to a foe, inflicting 1d4 point of Constitution damage.
Combat Expertise +/-3 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Damage Reduction (5/magic) You have Damage Reduction against all except Magic attacks.
Damage Resistance: Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire (10) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire attacks.
Darkness (3/day) (Sp) Granted by Half-Fiend heritage. 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Desecrate (1/day) (Sp) This spell imbues an area with negative energy. The DC to resist negative channeled energy within this area gains a +3 profane bonus. Every undead creature entering a desecrated area gains a +1 profane bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within or summoned into such an area gains +1 hit points per HD.
If the desecrated area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity or aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled (+6 profane bonus to negative channeled energy DCs, +2 profane bonus and +2 hit points per HD for undead created in the area).
Furthermore, anyone who casts animate dead within this area may create as many as double the normal amount of undead (that is, 4 HD per caster level rather than 2 HD per caster level).
If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.
Desecrate counters and dispels consecrate.
Diseased (Ex) Due to the stagnant swamps in which they live and their contact with the blood of numerous creatures, stirges are harbingers of disease. Any creature subjected to a giant demonic stirge's blood drain attack has a 10% chance of being exposed to filth fever, blinding sickness, or a similar disease (Core, p557). Once this check is made, the victim can no longer be infected by this particular giant demonic stirge, though attacks by different giant demonic stirges are resolved normally and may result in multiple illnesses.
Immunity to Poison You are immune to poison.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Lunge -2 to AC for +5' reach
Poison (3/day) (Sp) Calling upon the venomous powers of natural predators, you infect the subject with a horrible poison by making a successful melee touch attack. This poison deals 1d3 Constitution damage per round for 6 rounds. Poisoned creatures can make a Fortitude save each round to negate the damage and end the affliction.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Smite Good (1/day) (Su) +1 to hit, +8 to damage, +1 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Spell Resistance (21) You have Spell Resistance.
Unholy Blight (1/day) (Sp) You call up unholy power to smite your enemies. The power takes the form of a cold, cloying miasma of greasy darkness. Only good and neutral (not evil) creatures are harmed by the spell.
The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to a good creature (or 1d6 per caster level, maximum 10d6, to a good outsider) and causes it to be sickened for 1d4 rounds. A successful Will save reduces damage to half and negates the sickened effect. The effects cannot be negated by remove disease or heal, but remove curse is effective.
The spell deals only half damage to creatures who are neither evil nor good, and they are not sickened. Such a creature can reduce the damage by half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.

[Meowzebub]

Just wanted to say Good Job with all this. It is appreciated. It will be several months before my group gets here but ideas like these will be great to fill in those empty hexes.

[Laric]

Meowzebub wrote:

Just wanted to say Good Job with all this. It is appreciated. It will be several months before my group gets here but ideas like these will be great to fill in those empty hexes.

Agree 100%, cool thread

[Sloanzilla]

I'm weaving some clues about book 4 into book 3. Like the party found a skeleton of a guy who had barricaded himself into a room and had all sorts of ravings on the wall about spores written in his own blood.