Additional encounter for Stolen Land


Kingmaker


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I want to play up the angle that Nyrissa is using a lot of resources to de-stabilize the region, so I've come up with the following - also to bring the history of the Stag Lord's Keep into play:

Background: A Mysterious Visit
When the PCs return to Oleg's the militia tells them of a group of strange women who rested and resupplied there. They paid with Numerian coinage and a few even had strangely glowing crystals on their armour and weapons. One of them also carried a glowing bundle that Happs Brydon (or any other trusted NPC) recognized as being arrows. When asked about it, however, the leader - who looked human but came across as being somewhat odd - replied with a mutter that "such beauty was not for all to hear about".

A member of the militia followed them for a while, as they thought the group's asking for directions for Tuskwater was a bit unsettling - especially as they seemed to venerate the area with an almost religious fervour.

Finding them
It's up to the DM to decide how easy or hard it should be to find the group and indeed if the chase or the eventual combat is the main part of the excitement. Abandoned camp sites, murdered and mutilated hunters and trappers, ordinary tracks - these are all part of this encounter.

The Group
The group is a small collection of Gyronna-worshippers. Their leader, who only calles herself The Eye, is a forlorn elf who in her bitterness has devoted her witching energies to furthering Gyronna's status in this area. Accompanying The Eye is Magrith, a warrior who's filled with visions of evil men casting aside women. Unfortunately, these visions have led her on a crusade against all men, and she's an accomplished murderer. The last two women in the group are disfigured and bitter ex-prostitutes from the River Kingdoms. The gang hired two guards in Numeria, whom they have charmed and coerced into being loyal followers.

The group met Nyrissa who used illusions to appear as a manifestation of Gyronna. She has given the group a package of six +1 bane arrows keyed to the race of the most civilizing member of the group. The group will give these arrows to the Stag Lord, which will make taking him down somewhat more challenging.

GUARD CR 1/2
XP 200
Male human warrior 2
CN Medium humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +2
DEFENSES
AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 shield)
hp 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will -1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee longsword +5 (1d8+2/19–20)
Ranged longbow +2 (1d8/×3)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 14
Feats Skill Focus (perception), Weapon Focus (longsword)
Skills Intimidate +4, Perception +2, Ride +5
Languages Common, Kellid
Gear studded leather armour, light steel shield, longsword, longbow with 20 arrows, 2d6 sp, 1d8 gp

Cultist (Rogue 1/Cleric 1) (2) CR 1
XP 400

Human rogue 1/cleric of Gyronna 1
CE Medium humanoid
Init +3; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSES
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 14 (2d8+2)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy – may be used through weapon (2/day, 1d6, DC 9), destructive smite (5/day, +1 dmg), sneak attack +1d6, touch of chaos (5/day, for the next round, target must reroll any d20 rolls and choose the worst result)
Spells Prepared (CL 1st)
1st—command (DC 13), shield of faith, true strike(D)
0—light, mending, virtue
D domain spell (Chaos, Destruction)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Channel Smite, Guided Hand
Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +5, Disguise +3, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
Languages Common
SQ spontaneous casting (inflict spells), trapfinding +1
Gear leather armor, masterwork dagger, 20 gp

Champion of Gyronna (Inquisitor3) CR 2
XP 600

Human Inquisitor (Gyronna) 3
NE Medium humanoid
Init +5; Senses Perception +8
DEFENSES
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +2 Dex) – DR 1/- until 10 hp have been absorbed
hp 23 (3d8+6)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +6
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 mwk dagger +4/+4 (1d4+1/19–20)
Special Attacks Judgment 1/day (used on damage, unless she’s hit a lot, in which case it moves to AC), solo tactics, touch of evil (6/day, for the next round, target is sickened)
Spells Known (CL 3rd – Concentration +5)
1st — (4) cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, magic weapon, returning weapon
0 — (usable at will) acid splash, bleed, brand, daze, detect magic, detect poison
D domain spell (Chaos, Destruction)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 16
Feats Double Slice, Outflank (+4 to attack rolls when flanking), Two-Weapon Finding, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +6, Intimidate +5, Linguistics +0, Perception +8, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +5, Survival +10
Languages Common, Kellid
SQ monster lore, stern gaze, cunning initiative, track, solo tactics
Gear 2 masterwork daggers, masterwork agile breastplate, composite longbow (+1), Numerian force field protector (as least iron ward diamond, Magic Item Compendium 26)

Eye of Gyronna CR 3
XP 800

Female elven witch 4
CE Medium humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSES
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex)
hp 20 (4d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee short sword +1 (1d6-1/19–20)
Ranged longbow +5 (1d8-1 plus 1 electricity/×3) – +1 atk/dmg within 30 ft.
Special Attacks Hexes: Cackle (prolong evil eye effects one round as a MEA), Evil Eye (–2 to one of the following (witch’s choice) AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks; Dur.: 7 rds, Will DC 16 to reduce duration to 1 rd), Slumber (Sleep for 7 rds, Will DC 16 neg.), Ward (+2 deflection bonus to AC and +2 resistance bonus to saves until subject is hit or misses a save)
Spells Readied (Patron: Insanity, CL 4th – Concentration +8)
2nd – burning gaze, hold person, pox pustules (APG)
1st – cure light wounds, delusional pride (UM), mage armor, ray of enfeeblement
0 – bleed, dancing lights, detect magic, resistance
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 13
Feats Extra Hex, Point-Blank Shot
Skills Heal +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +6, Spellcraft +11
Languages Common, Elvish, Kellid, Sylvan, Taldan
Gear Masterwork longbow with a Numerian shock emitter (as [/i]least crystal of lightning assault, MIC 64), 20 arrows, short sword, +1 cloak of resistance, necklace of fireballs with one 3d6 fireball (Ref DC 14 half), silver rings (20, 15 & 35 gp), 30 gp in various coins

Familiar: Greensting Scorpion
CE Tiny vermin
Init +3; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSES
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+5 natural armor, +3 Dex, +2 size)
hp 10 (4 HD)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee sting +7 (1d2–4 plus poison)
Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks poison
STATISTICS
Str 3, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 9 (19 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +7, Perception +4, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
SQ Alertness, Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Store Spells, Deliver Touch Spells
Poison (Ex): Sting — injury; save Fort DC 12; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect sickened for 1 round; cure 1 save.


1. Do you think the Stag Lord encounter is too easy as written? If so, have him appear earlier in the combat, while more of the bandits are still up and around.

He's already potentially +10 & +5 to attack Humans, with d8+7 and a possible 3d6 Sneak Attack bonus! Do you really want him to be +13 & +8 and d8+7+2d6?! With a sneak attack he'll rock an average of 28 points of damage, with a follow-up attack of 18 more points!

2. Well, they should have stopped them. Sure. Except my players wouldn't have been to interested in a bunch of pilgrims. Did they look like bandits? If not, not really their concern, in Stolen land.

3. Even when catching them, these cultists are a punishing encounter for a group who are probably 2nd level, or 3rd, but trailing behind WBL until they knock over the Stag Lord.

4. But it's your game, fill your boots.


I didn't intend it to be additional occupants of the Stag Lord's fort. If the PCs don't engage the pilgrims before they arrive at the firt, I'd definitely have them be absent from the fort (out gathering ingredients, etc.) I don't necessarily see them as being that friendly to the Stag Lord, who quite clearly has no interest in Gyronna.

Will PCs be behind on WBL before hitting the fort? I haven't paid that much attention to my PCs' wealth, so I haven't noticed.

Re.: 2 - the pilgrims' inquiries about Tuskwater should be a giveaway as my group already knows where the Stag Lord is.

Thanks for your comments! :-) If anyone doesn't like the group to be used before the Stag Lord, they could also be an interesting encounter later on - in which case boosts might be in order.

Silver Crusade

Interesting encounter, but I wouldn't do anything that could buff the Stag Lord further. My group faced him sober at level 3, and they had explored the entire area, felt WBL was on par. Still, had the spoiler below not happened, I'm sure the Stag Lord would have murdered them.

Spoiler:
Sniping at a human PC while sober, the Stag Lord was doing a staggering 1d8+7 damage while easily hitting the player, and there was an owlbear on the loose. If nothing changed, I suspect he would have killed the entire group before they could breach his wall of bandit guards. Akiros had to attack the Stag Lord and keep him from using his bow. With bane weapons, he could 1 shot a PC easily.


M P 433 wrote:

Interesting encounter, but I wouldn't do anything that could buff the Stag Lord further. My group faced him sober at level 3, and they had explored the entire area, felt WBL was on par. Still, had the spoiler below not happened, I'm sure the Stag Lord would have murdered them.

** spoiler omitted **

Wow. The Stag Lord seems pretty tough. Good pointers towards the worst possible outcome (he gets some nasty arrows). That said, I might have one or two of the cultists be crucified to the palisade - possibly even with some bane arrows in them - if my PCs don't catch the cultists. If the fight turns out to be too easy, I'll have the Stag Lord nock the final arrow.

I'm really looking forward to the Stag Lord encounter! I'm sure I'll have Akiros turn traitor immediately and I hope to get a lot of running battles in the fort.

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