G2: Audience Chamber

ENCOUNTER G2: AUDIENCE CHAMBER Encounter Level 18 (11,500 XP)

Setup 5 fire giant troopers (F) 1 drow noble (N) 5 drow warblades (W) This encounter takes place at Location 2. After entering the spire keep, the adventurers can descend the stairs to the roof of the central tower. This grants them access to the stairs that lead to King Snarr’s audience chamber. When the adventurers climb down the stairs (they can descend from either the north or south stairs), read: A raised dais at the center of the far wall of the chamber features a black obsidian throne built for a creature much larger than a human. No one sits upon the throne, but a sword-wielding fire giant stands at attention at the foot of the stairs. A detailed mosaic depicting a red dragon adorns the center of the floor. To either side, giant-sized trestle tables are positioned for either a feast or a meeting. A drow female sits cross-legged atop the dais, surrounded by five drow males in chain armor. She seems to be lecturing the drow. Three more fire giants stand at the other end of the chamber, apparently extremely bored by whatever the drow is talking about. On the walls hang battered shields—mostly humansized, but a few intended for giant-sized wielders are displayed as well. There’s a wide variety, all dented, crumpled, or otherwise showing signs of battle damage. If the adventurers immediately spring into action, they may gain surprise (the passive Perception of the fire giant troopers is only 19, and the drow warblades are too busy listening to the noble to notice intruders.) If the adventurers make their presence known before attacking, then no surprise round is granted to them. 5 Fire Giant Troopers (F)

Level 18 Minion

Large natural humanoid (giant) XP 500 each Initiative +11 Senses Perception +9 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 34; Fortitude 34, Reflex 28, Will 28 Speed 7 m Searing Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Fire, Weapon Reach 2; +23 vs. AC; 10 damage plus 1d8 fire damage. R Iron Javelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +21 vs. AC; 10 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of the fire giant trooper’s next turn. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Giant Str 22 (+15) Dex 10 (+9) Wis 10 (+9) Con 20 (+14) Int 8 (+8) Cha 9 (+8) Equipment chain armor, longsword

5 Drow Warblades (W)

Level 16 Lurker

Medium fey humanoid XP 1,400 each Initiative +16 Senses Perception +15; darkvision HP 114; Bloodied 57 AC 30; Fortitude 28, Reflex 29, Will 27 Speed 6 m Warblade (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison, Weapon +21 vs. AC; 1d10 + 7 damage, and the drow warblade makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +19 vs. Fortitude; see drow poison for the effect. R Hand Crossbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison, Weapon Ranged 10/20; +21 vs. AC; 1d8 + 7 damage, and the drow warblade makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +19 vs. Fortitude; see drow poison for the effect. R Darkfire (minor; encounter) Ranged 10; +19 vs. Reflex; until the end of the drow warblade’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attackers, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment. Combat Advantage The drow warblade deals an extra 3d8 damage on melee and ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. Drow Poison ✦ Poison A creature hit by a weapon coated in drow poison takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is also weakened (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target falls unconscious until the end of the encounter. Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elven Skills Dungeoneering +15, Intimidate +14, Stealth +17 Str 16 (+11) Dex 19 (+12) Wis 14 (+10) Con 12 (+9) Int 13 (+9) Cha 12 (+9) Equipment chainmail, warblade*, hand crossbow, 20 bolts* *These weapons are coated in drow poison.

Tactics The fire giant troopers rush to defend the tower as soon as they become aware of the intruders. The fire giant closest to the stairs the adventurers use to enter the chamber engages them in melee combat, while the others hang back for a round or two to hurl iron javelins. As soon as one or more of the giants fall, one of the troopers breaks off to head for the stairs leading down into the tower in order to raise the alarm. The drow noble seems more amused by the appearance of the intruders than surprised or angry. Indeed, she has been bored and suddenly sees the adventurers as the means to some much needed entertainment. She uses shadow wrath as her first attack, then she moves away to put as much distance as possible between herself and the intruders. She uses darkfire to make one enemy more vulnerable to the warblades, and makes fire web attacks as long as she has range on the intruders. Once the adventurers push deeper into the chamber, the noble unleashes her maddening oratory to damage and daze as many targets as possible, and to heal her warblades. She fights to the death, mostly because she never seriously believes that the adventurers pose a real threat to her.

132

Giants_4.indd 132

7/7/09 4:42:42 PM

Level 18 Controller (Leader)

Medium fey humanoid XP 2,000 Initiative +11 Senses Perception +20; darkvision Noble Authority aura sight; drow and spider allies in the aura gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls. HP 164; Bloodied 82 AC 32; Fortitude 27, Reflex 29, Will 32 Speed 7 m Longsword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +23 vs. AC; 1d8 + 9 damage. R Fire Web (standard; at-will) ✦ Fire Ranged 5; +22 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 7 fire damage, and the target is immobilized and gains vulnerable 5 fire (save ends both). R Darkfire (minor; encounter) Ranged 10; +22 vs. Reflex; until the end of the drow noble’s next turn, the target grants combat advantage to all attacks, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment. A Shadow Wrath (standard; recharge ⚅ ) ✦ Necrotic Area burst 2 within 10; targets enemies; +22 vs. Will; 4d10 + 7 necrotic damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). C Maddening Oratory (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅ ) ✦ Psychic Close burst 5; +20 vs. Will; 3d8 + 7 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Drow allies in the burst gain 10 hit points. Alignment Evil Languages Common, Giant, Elven Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +19, Insight +20, Stealth +16 Str 12 (+10) Dex 15 (+11) Wis 22 (+15) Con 12 (+10) Int 16 (+12) Cha 20 (+14) Equipment chainmail, longsword

The drow warblades accompany the drow noble and serve as her honor guard. While they all ultimately serve the exarch Lolestra, these warblades have been assigned to the drow noble for a long time and are totally devoted to her. They immediately move to protect her when the intruders arrive. The warblades take turns using darkfire, so that they can maintain combat advantage against the strongest defender the intruders have. A couple of the warblades close with the enemy, attempting to set up a flank while making warblade attacks. Don’t forget to make the secondary attacks for the drow poison. The others hang back to use their hand crossbows from a distance. They fight to the death to protect the drow noble.

Stairs Up: The stairs on the north and south walls of the chamber lead up to the roof of the central tower. This is how the adventurers enter this chamber. Stairs Down: The stairs along the west wall of the chamber lead down to Location 3, the fire giant’s common area. Table: Each table stands 5 feet off the ground as they are sized for the comfort and use of the fire giants. A character under a table gains cover from an attacking fire giant, but not from the drow. Throne: The throne atop the dais is designed to accommodate a fire giant of King Snarr’s size and stature. Drow Noble’s Book: The book, mostly a treatise on the theoretical underpinnings of magic, includes several rituals: Shadow Walk, View Object, and Forbiddance. Treasure: The drow noble carries a book (see above) and 6,000 gp in a pouch she wears on her belt. If the adventurers search the throne and make a DC 27 Perception check, they discover a secret compartment. The compartment is locked (DC 25 Thievery check). If a character attempts to open the compartment without unlocking it, he or she takes 25 fire damage. Inside the compartment is a level 18 magic item.

E N CO U N T E R G 2 : A U D I E N C E C H A M B E R

Drow Noble (N)

Features of the Area Illumination: Bright light. Mosaic: The mosaic inlaid into the floor depicts a red dragon. A DC 25 Perception check lets a character notice that some of the pieces used in the mosaic are valuable gems. A DC 20 Thievery check allows a character to remove a number of gems worth 220 pp. If the check fails, the character can only recover 110 pp worth of gems. Shields: The shields hanging on the walls are trophies taken in battles. Some are from the recent campaign, while others date back centuries. None of the shields are magical.

133

Giants_4.indd 133

7/7/09 4:42:45 PM