Seeds of Sehan: Dread Pagoda of the Inscrutable Ones
Issue: 147
Level: 10
Campaign: Greyhawk
Author: B Matthew Conklin III Ashavan Doyon Tom Ganz Stephen S Greer Stefan Happ
Teaser: Atop a distant mountain peak, a monstrous entitiy plots dark deeds. The final chapter of the Seeds of Sehan campaign arc, this is a D&D adventure for 10th-level characters.
Resources
Errata
The Map of the Dread Pagoda One square should equal 10 feet rather than 5 feet. Also note that a railed 10-foot-wide walkway rings the upper three levels of the Pagoda. Room 22 should have a second set of sliding doors opposite those shown leading to the stairwell, which in turn leads down to level three.
The name Patrick Smith should be listed among Matt's playtesters in the author bio.
Expanded Crafter's Canyon
The Journey to the Pagoda proper was once more detailed and included it's own Random Encounter Table, the yak folk servitor village of Na'Ti-Shambhala and a set encounter allowing the characters the opportunity to discover the final fate of the real Pan'phar Thrissek (which ultimately became one of three possible ending for the old soothsayer). What follows are those notes and encounters.
| Random Encounters Along Crafter's Canyon | Travel within Crafter’s Canyon is treacherous. It is filled with elemental spirits, giants, and rocs. It is whispered that the spirits of travelers claimed by flash snowstorms haunt the pass. Every 24 hours there is a 75% chance of an encounter while in the canyon. |
| d% | Crafter’s Canyon Encounters | Average EL |
| 1-16 | Pilgrims visiting Na’Ti-Shambhala (3-12): There is a 50% chance that when the characters arrive the pilgrims are experiencing one of the other encounters on this chart. | - |
| 17-24 | Mountain Blizzard: this blizzard (Dungeon Master’s Guide 94) is accompanied by severe cold temperatures (Dungeon Master’s Guide 302), lightning and windstorm-level winds as the canyon funnels the storm like a wind tunnel. There is a 30% chance of a second encounter during the blizzard. | - |
| 25-28 | Qorrashi Genie: hp 52, Frostburn 131. | 6 |
| 29-32 | Avalanche Dungeon Master’s Guide 90. | 7 |
| 33-40 | Oread: hp 134, Fiend Folio 134. | 7 |
| 41-44 | Child of Sehan: hp 82, Dungeon Magazine #145 43. | 8 |
| 45-48 | Belker (3-4): hp 27, Monster Manual 27. | 9 |
| 49-52 | Frost Salamander (2): hp 77, Monster Manual II 107. | 9 |
| 53-56 | Immoth: hp 85, Monster Manual II 127. | 9 |
| 57-60 | Snowy Roc (1-2): hp 203, Monster Manual 215. Rocs are only encountered during the day. | 9 |
| 61-64 | Winter Wolf (3-5): hp 51, Monster Manual 256. | 9 |
| 65-68 | Cloud Giant Skeleton (2-5): hp 110, Monster Manual 225. | 10 |
| 69-72 | Greater Shadows (1-3): hp 55, Monster Manual 221. Shadows only attack at night. | 10 |
| 73-76 | Icegaunt (3-5): hp 67, Frostburn 141. | 10 |
| 77-80 | Xorn, average (3-5): hp 50, Monster Manual 261. | 10 |
| 81-84 | Dread Wraith: hp 101, Monster Manual 256. Dread Wraiths only attack at night. | 11 |
| 85-88 | Frost Giant Highwaymen (1-3): hp 133, Monster Manual 122. | 11 |
| 89-92 | Fomorian Giant: hp 105, Monster Manual II 105. | 11 |
| 93-96 | Galeb Duhr (1-3): hp 75, Monster Manual II 107. | 11 |
| 97-100 | Frost Worm: hp 145, Monster Manual 111. | 12 |
Abandoned (EL 11)
About 20 miles into the canyon the characters come upon the remains of the abandoned body of Pan’ Phar Thrissek. He was abandoned here by Arghakot Annapuma and Alyah who where picked up by a pair of roc-riding yak folk scouts, after the rocs had dined on the pairs horses, Arghakot exited Pan'phar's body and slew him with magic missiles before burying the body in snow. When the character's arrive on the scene a hungry cryohydra is in the process of digging up the body.
Creature: The cryohydra is not particularly spoiling for a fight and retreats to a nearby cave when it has secured a meal.
Ten-Headed Cryohydra: hp 108; Monster Manual 155.
Development: If recovered and somehow questioned (i.e. raise dead, or speak with dead) Thrissek knows very little having no memory of the last few years of his life (the time he was body melded). His last memory was of visiting the mountain village of Na’Ti-Shambhala and communing with an elf mystic there named Seak Oata.
Character's searching the site for clues (Search DC 22) turn up a few horse bones and some extremely large white feathers. A sucessful Knowledge (Nature) (DC 23) reveals them to be roc feathers.
| The Cutting Room Floor: The Inauspicious Shrine |
| At one point in the design process there was a side-trek created to introduce characters to the danger of the yak folk and in particular their genie and elemental minions. Basically it was made to tip the PCs off to the fact that they would have to approach the Pagoda with extreme caution lest they bring the whole place down on them by going in both swords blazing. The side quest also allowed for the rescue of the still living Pan'phar Thrissek, but at the cost of 5,000 words and a map it was far too large to make the final version and developed too late in the game to send off as its own adventure. As soon as I am able I will post this transitional adventure dubed, The Inauspicious Shrine. ~Matt |
CHAPTER TWO: DYSTOPIA
On the summit of Shambhala-na, also known as the Mountain of 99 Ghosts, sits the Dread Pagoda of the Inscrutable Ones. A steep stairwell climbs nearly ten thousand feet from the yak folk servitor village of Na’Ti-Shambhala to the pagoda.
Na’Ti-Shambhala
The village rests on an incline at the base of the mountain. For eleven centuries the residents of Na’Ti-Shambhala have lived under the rule of the inscrutable ones. The people here have never known freedom. The yak folk mystics have always guided the village and always will. The villagers consider it an honor to become one with (i.e. body melded to) the inscrutable ones as they view the yak folk as divine beings. Anyone attacking or failing to show the proper respect to a yak folk or someone known to be melded with one can expect a negative reaction from the villagers. There are two yak folk in Na’Ti-Shambhala. One, Yan Dai, is melded to wise woman Seak Oata (LN elf cleric 5, see Dungeon Master’s Guide 114). The second guards the base of the stairs in the Forest of Stone. Yan Dai is the equivalent of a yak folk guard (see Appendix 2).
Seemingly a utopia, the village is renowned for its ceramics and pottery. Ancient elemental magic shields Na’Ti-Shambhala from the worst storms. The land is bountiful and temperate thanks to nearby hot springs. There is no crime (all crimes being punishable by death). Even the orcs get along with everyone.
Na’Ti-Shambhala plays host to many pilgrims this time of year; they come from afar to pay homage to the inscrutable ones. Most room with villagers (who take payment in household chores) or set up tents and lean-tos (the village has no inn). PCs who played though “Vile Addiction” and “Spawn of Sehan” might recognize Khan Shen’zen Ammarat from Hassan’s Guesthouse in Exag. His fellow monks continued to the pagoda while he stayed behind for a time to take in the atmosphere.
Na’Ti-Shambhala (hamlet): Monstrous; AL LN; 61 gp limit; Assets 840 gp; Population 281 (nearly double during the pilgrimage); Mixed (197 human, 31 halfling, 16 half-orc, 11 elf, 10 orc, 9 dwarf, 5 half-elf, 2 hill giant).
Authority Figure: Aud Wold, LN male half-orc commoner 8 (clan chief), Seak Oata, LN female elf cleric 5 (wise woman, inhabited by Yan Dai, female yak folk overseer), Peri-na Wold the Hunter, N female half-orc fighter 5
Important Characters: Hajk Bahlor, male half-farspawn cleric 7/fighter 2, Khan Shen’zen Ammarat male human monk 4 (pilgrim)
The Blind Knight (EL 11)
Born blind and touched by the power of sehan at birth, Hajk Bahlor was abandoned on the steps of a temple dedicated to Pelor. The priests took the foundling in and raised him in the ways of the order, but somewhere along the line he fell from Pelor’s grace. Two weeks ago he killed a drug dealer in Exag, stealing his supply of Green Welcome. He’s not sure why. Now he stands at the base of one of the highest peaks in the Yatils knowing his destiny awaits him above.
Gaunt, with sallow skin and a long face, Hajk was born with pale, dead eyes and never removes his eyeless black helm in public. His sehan-based connection to the Far Realm provides him with great strength. Underneath his ragged gray tabard and black armor he is a mass of warts and pustules—only his extremities seem human. In his alternate form he is a collection of oily black tentacles sliding in and out of the openings of his armor like eels.
HAJK BAHLOR – THE BLIND KNIGHT CR 11
Male half-farspawn human cleric 7/fighter 2
CE (see below) Medium outsider (native)
Lords of Madness 151
Init +1; Senses blindsight 60 ft.; Spot +7, Listen +7
Languages Common
AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 23
hp 89 (7 HD) DR 5/magic
Immune gaze attacks, native outsider traits, poison
Resist acid 10 and electricity 10
Fort +12, Ref +2, Will +11
SR 17
Spd 20 ft.
Melee +1 acidic morningstar +12 (1d6+5 plus 1d6 acid) and 2 tentacles +5 (1d6+1)
In amorphous form, 4 tentacles +10 (1d6+3)
Ranged mw light crossbow +8 (1d8/19-20)
Base Atk +7; Grp +10
Special Atk spontaneous inflict spells, true strike
Atk Options change shape
Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 7th, +8 melee touch) 3/day– blink, blur; 1/day– stinking cloud (DC 16), touch of idiocy (DC 15)
Spells Prepared (CL 7th; ranged touch attack +5)
4th—air walk, chaos hammerD (DC 19), divine power
3rd—contagion (DC 18), cure serious wounds, dispel magic, protection form energyD
2nd—augury, cure moderate wounds, darkness, shatterD (DC 17), silence (DC 17), undetectable alignment
1st—cause fear (DC 16), doom (DC 16), obscuring mist, protection from lawDC, sanctuary, shield of faith
Domains: Chaos and Protection
Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 16
SQ blind, rebuke undead
Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (tentacle), Point Blank Shot, Power AttackB, Weapon Focus (morningstar)B
Skills Concentration +14, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +5
Blind Hajk is naturally blind as per the blindness/deafness spell. His blindsight allows him to “see” out to a range of 60 feet.
Change Shape (Su) As a standard action, the Hajk can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass. While in this form, he cannot be flanked, and is not subject to extra damage from critical hits. The Hajk gains two extra tentacle attacks. Creatures native to the Material Plane take a –1 morale penalty on attack rolls against the Hajk while in his amorphous form.
True Strike (Su) Once per day, Hajk can make a normal attack with a +20 insight bonus on a single attack roll. Hajk is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target.
Possessions: +1 full plate with masterwork spikes, eyeless helmet, +1 acidic morningstar, masterwork crossbow, 20 bolts, silver knighthood symbol (used as a holy symbol), old broken-down light warhorse, riding saddle, saddlebags, camping gear, 26 gp, and his last two doses of Green Welcome (see New Drug).
Development: Hajk is a desperate and confused soul. Part of him wants to return to the temple, but he believes Pelor abandoned him. Part of him wants to become one with Sehan and constantly draws him toward that goal. Another potion of him is egocentric but filled with self-loathing and suicidal. These three aspects of his personality can cause his alignment to shift dramatically (NG, CE, CN, respectively) even over the course of a conversation.
When the characters arrive, he is in town waiting for a guide to see him up the mountain. If the PCs have been instrumental in destroying concentrations of sehan the Sehan-dominated side of Hajk’s personality instantly recognizes them as enemies and seeks to dispatch them. The other portions of his mind feel so hopeless they are likely to trigger an emotional collapse rather than a fight. If forced to fight, Hajk does so with all the fury and cunning of a madman.
If Hajk manages to get up the mountain, he seeks out Master Xiang and the sehan abomination (see areas 19 and 28 respectively) so that they may unite. How they accomplish this he has no idea.
| Hajk, Sehan, and Your Game |
| Hajk comes by his Sehan connection in a way that comes well out of left field. He was born an abomination. His inclusion in the adventure hints that there are other sources of Sehan on the Material Plane than just the one the characters have been trailing since Vile Addiction. His origin as explained in the adventure can be used to cast doubt on the party's quest and heighten the horror of the situation. Likewise he can be used as an information source should the characters run dry of clues or motivation. Lastly, Hajk can serve as a terrible example of what's to come should Sehan gain a foothold in your campaign. |
| STOCKHOLM SYNDROME |
| Unlike the people of Na’Ti-Shambhala who have never known freedom, most of the human slaves in the pagoda were kidnapped and made slaves within their lifetime. The constant fear of what their tyrannical masters might do to them next creates a weird sort of dependence on the yak folk. This can lead to Stockholm Syndrome, a condition wherein the prisoner begins to sympathize with their kidnapper going so far as to resist people who might try and rescue them from the situation. The yak folk, who have had centuries of experience in indoctrination techniques, consider this the ultimate goal of any kidnapping. Most (70%) of the pagoda’s human slaves suffer from Stockholm Syndrome and become unfriendly the moment characters say or do anything that would negatively impact their masters. Characters who persist in such activities as trying to rescue slaves or harming any of the pagoda’s usual inhabitants in the presence of servants might elicit a hostile reaction. Those unsympathetic to the yak folk learned quite early on to hide that fact, as anyone could be a spy. |
Probably the biggest cut (from my point of view) from the final print manuscript was this, the Pagoda encounter chart.
| KARMATIC ENCOUNTERS | The Pagoda of the Inscrutable Ones is a working library and temple so every now and then it’s only right that someone throw open a door to an otherwise empty room, or round a corner and bump into someone. Here’s a short list of possibilities. Roll each time the characters enter an otherwise empty room or anytime you need something exciting to happen. NPCs listed as visiting are doing just that and do not reduce the pagoda’s standing staff of 6 jann warriors, 2 ogre magi, 6 yak folk guards, 2 yak folk warrior monks, 10 human servants, 7 scriveners, and any named characters. Named NPCs and staff who have been defeated elsewhere should be removed from the total listed in the encounter area they are keyed to. Encounters listed as “visiting” may be reused indefinitely. |
| d% | Karmatic Encounter | Average EL |
| 1-69 | None | - |
| 70-74 | Human servants (1-3). | 1 |
| 75-79 | Visiting human pilgrim(s) (1-8) Mostly commoners who have come from the surrounding lands to pay tribute at the temple. Many come to learn at the hooves of the inscrutable ones so that they may lead more enlightened lives. None of them understand the true nature of the yak folk whom they revere as semi-divine beings and great philosophers (see area 15). There is a 10% chance that one or more of the pilgrims in the group is a mole. Moles are either regular pilgrims themselves (1-60) or a visiting yak folk spy using body meld (61-100; see Appendix 2). | 2 |
| 80-81 | Scrivener(s) (1-2) There is a 15% chance that this is Nalnorn Arktas (see area 9). | 3 |
| 82-83 | Jann Servants (1-2) Heskein and/or Hibah (see areas 1 and 6 respectively). | 6 |
| 84-85 | Patrol Detail – A yak folk guard and his janni warrior slave (see Appendix 2 and Monster Manual 116). | 6 |
| 86-87 | Arghakot Annapuma – There is a 50% chance that Alyah is with him (see area 6). Depending on the circumstances of the encounter and whether or not he recognizes the PCs he may not reveal himself immediately. | 6 |
| 88-89 | D’Khanti Po – D’Khanti is disguised as a well-off human pilgrim. He may be accompanied by someone else on this list (Roll again, treat a result of “D’Khanti Po” as a result of “none.” Ignore any further calls to roll again. See area 21). | 9 |
| 90-91 | Visiting Yak Folk Warrior Monk(s) (1-3) (see below). | 9 |
| 92-93 | Wulan Cheng – She may be accompanied by someone else on this list (Roll again, treat a result of “Wulan Cheng” as a result of “Chao Rong.” Ignore any further calls to roll again. See area 17). | 10 |
| 94-95 | Chao Rong – He may be accompanied by someone else on this list (Roll again, treat a result of “Chao Rong” as a result of “Wulan Cheng.” Ignore any further calls to roll again. See area 17). | 10 |
| 96-97 | Visiting Official – An official visit by a city representative. Use Wulan Cheng’s stats to represent this minor bureaucrat (see area 17). The representative travels with two jann guards (Monster Manual 116). | 11 |
| 98-99 | Xiang Ru – He may be accompanied by someone else on this list (Roll again, treat a result of “Xiang Ru” as a result of “none.” Ignore any further calls to roll again. See area 19). | 12 |
| 100 | Head Librarian – Xotkil (see area 11). | 13 |
Alternate Realities
Some monsters needed to be replaced or cut due to the length of the adventure. Some of these replacements occurred early on while others occurred during the editing process.
Forest of Stone
The Guardian of the Stone Forest originally had his own statblock even though he and Arghakot Annapuma where of the same class and level. The Guardian's stat block reflected his nature as a warrior rather than an spy like Annapuma. Slowly these two became more and more alike until at last they got to share virtually same statblock. The version presented below is the Guardian's last independant statblock.
THE GUARDIAN OF THE STONE FOREST CR 7
Male yak folk sorcerer 5
LE Large monstrous humanoid
Monster Manual II 200
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Spot +5 (+8 during the day), Listen +5
Languages Common, and Terran
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 18
hp 50 (10 HD)
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +11
Spd 30 ft.
Melee +1 falchion +13/+8 (2d6+8)
Ranged +10/+5 mw composite longbow (2d6+5)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +7; Grp +16
Special Atk body meld
Atk Options Point Blank Shot, Power Attack
Combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds (19 charges)
Spells Known (CL 5th; +11 melee touch, +8 ranged touch)
2nd (5/day)—glitterdust (DC 17), web (DC 17)
1st (8/day)—burning hands (DC 16), ray of enfeeblement, shield, silent image (DC 16)
0 (6/day)—daze (DC 15), detect magic, mage hand, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 15)
Abilities Str 21, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 20
SQ command genie, summon familiar (hawk) use staff
Feats AlertnessB, Improved InitiativeB, Power Attack, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (falchion), Weapon Focus (longbow)
Skills Concentration +11, Disguise +13, Heal +11, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Spellcraft +14, Use Magic Device +13
Possessions: +1 falchion, masterwork composite longbow (+5 Str bonus), 40 arrows, ring of protection +2.
The 9,999 Steps to Enlightenment
Rather than the wild rocs (who are indeed quite abundant in the Yatil Mountains) the forested lower reaches of the 9,999 Steps to Enlightenment played host to a pack of northern meat-eating cloaked apes, who ...reside just off the stair about halfway up. The apes know better than to attack the yak folk or anyone with them but do occasionally harass pilgrims struggling up the stair. The cloaked ape is named for the distinctive flaps of skin that connect its wrists to its ankles allowing the apes to glide.
Note: These apes where later replaced with four large advanced versions (CR 8).
NORTHERN CARNIVOROUS CLOAKED APE (8) CR 4
N Medium magical beast
Monster Manual II 46
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Spot +6, Listen +6
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp 54 (8 HD); DR 5/cold iron, fast healing 3
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +4
Spd 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 claws +11 (1d6+3), and bite +6 (1d6+1)
Base Atk +8; Grp +11
Atk Options Flyby Attack, improved grab
Abilities Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 3
Feats Alertness, Flyby Attack, Wingover
Skills Climb +13, Listen +6, Spot +6, Survival +4, Tumble +7
Improved Grab (Ex) If a cloaked ape hits an opponent that is its own size or smaller with both claw attacks it deals normal damage and my attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Tactics: The cloaked apes perform a series of fly-by attacks targeting the rear of the party in order to knock someone off the side of staircase to their death. They attack in groups of four, three of the members aiding the fourth. The cloaked apes make three passes at the characters before giving up. If their prey falls, they all swoop down and collect their meal leaving the remaining travelers alone.
Treasure: About 30 feet to the right of the stair is cluster of trees and vines that clutch at the side of the mountain. Within the branches of these trees rest a few of the remains and belongings of the apes’ previous victims. One item of note is a thread worn backpack containing 14 gold bars worth 100 gp each precariously hanging on a 20-foot-long branch over the forest some 5,000-feet below (Spot DC 27 from the stair).
Area 6 - The Guard Room
Originally a quartet of wang-liang giant rangers (from Oriental Adventures) resided in area 6 rather than their cousins the ogre magi. Two of these special guards invisibly roamed the area outside the pagoda while their fellows stayed in this hidden guard room.
Area 19 - The Master's Garden
Originally Master Xiang Ru sported spirit shaman levels (Complete Divine) instead of cleric levels, but the amount text necessary to describe the shaman's abilities proved too much for the word count to allow. As he slowly surcame to the effects of Sehan his spirit guide became more and more a goading antogonist.
Area 23 - Scourge of the Four Mountains School
In keeping with the martial art's theme and tradition the original version of Jin Niu had the feat Large and In Charge instead of Cleave. Likewise instead of the five standard yak folk guards there were originally two "warrior monk" yak folk sparring here with Jin Niu when the character's arrive, both of whom had the feat as well. (See below.)
YAK FOLK WARRIOR MONK (2) CR 7
Male yak folk fighter 2/monk 1
NE Large monstrous humanoid
Monster Manual II 200
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Spot +3, Listen +3
Languages Common, Infernal
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 19
hp 70 (8 HD)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +11
Spd 30 ft.
Melee masterwork quarterstaff +13/+8 (1d8+9) or flurry +11/+11/+6 (1d8+6)
Ranged light crossbow (2d6/19-20)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +7; Grp +17
Special Atk body meld, flurry of blows, unarmed strike
Atk Options Large and in Charge, Power Attack, Stunning Fist
Abilities Str 23, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14
SQ command genie, use staff
Feats Alertness, Combat ReflexesB, Improved InitiativeB, Large and In Charge, Power AttackB, Stunning FistB, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)
Skills Balance +4, Climb +7, Disguise +10, Heal +11, Jump +13, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Use Magic Device +10, Tumble +9
Possessions masterwork quarterstaff, light crossbow, 20 bolts, a metal bracer with intricate engraving depicting a mountain wreathed in lightning and set with three amethyst stones (330 gp).
| NEW FEAT: LARGE AND IN CHARGE |
| You can prevent opponents from closing inside your reach. |
| Prerequisites: Natural reach of 10 ft. or more, size Large or larger |
| Benefits: When you make a successful attack of opportunity against an opponent that is moving inside your threatened area, you can force the opponent back to the 5-foot space it was in before it provoked the attack of opportunity. After you hit with your attack of opportunity, make an opposed Strength check against your opponent. You gain a +4 bonus for each size category larger than your opponent you are, and an additional +1 bonus for every 5 points of damage you dealt with your attack of opportunity. If you win the opposed check, your opponent is pushed back 5 feet into the space it just left. An opponent you push cannot move any further in this round. Draconomicon 71. |
| Scourge of the Four Mountains Style Martial Arts |
| Yak folk warrior monks practice a martial arts style tailored to their domineering mentality – the Scourge of the Four Mountains Style. The technique revolves around anticipating and controlling the actions of one’s foes by using the student’s (usually a yak folk’s) large size and long reach to maximum advantage. Practicioners usually have access to the following feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Large and In Charge, Power Attack, and Stunning Fist. |
Area 28 - The Chamber of Answers (EL 13)
I've never been 100% happy with the abomination that saw print. It's too small! I want the last monster to be a huge monster, one that could realistically terrorize the large yak folk. What follows is the original version of the room housing the Abomination. You will note that once again the Children of Sehan show their roots (pardon the pun) as shambling mounds. This one was huge and the excess HD meant it got a lot of nifty multi-dimensional powers and a few cool Feats (Awesome Blow baby!). Enjoy.
Normally reserved for prisoners about to endure body melding (the victim is manacled to the wall to keep them immobile while undergoing the process), this room now houses an abomination. The door is locked (Open Lock DC 30).
Creature: Xiang body melded to a healthy young man taken from Na’Ti-Shambhala and then purposely overdosed the body on Sehan. The yak folk shaman escaped the rapidly transforming body mostly unscathed (see above). The body quickly putrified into a metamorphosed one and then evolved into its current form – a vaguely humanoid mass of ropey, dark green tendrils nearly fifteen-feet-tall. The yak folk hope to harvest it after its powers have been thoroughly catalogued.
SEHAN ABOMINATION CR 13
CE Huge outsider (native)
Init +4; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Spot +2, Listen +22
Languages None
AC 25, touch 8, flat-footed 25; blur, blink
hp 224 (16 HD); DR 10/magic
Immune electricity (see below), and poison; plant traits
Resist acid 10, fire 10
SR 25
Fort +20, Ref +5, Will +7
Spd 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee 2 slams +20 (3d6+10) and 2 tentacles +15 (2d6+5)
In amorphous form, 4 tentacles +20 (2d6+10)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +12; Grp +30
Atk Options Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Special Atk improved grab, constrict, spell-like abilities, true strike
Spell-like Abilities (CL 16th; The DC is Charisma-based)
3/per day – blink, blur, quickened ethereal jaunt
1/per day – greater invisibility, scintillating pattern (DC 18), stinking cloud (DC 13), telekinesis (DC 15), touch of idiocy (DC 12)
Abilities Str 31, Dex 10, Con 30, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 11
Feats Awesome Blow, Improved Initiative, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural Attack (tentacle), Power Attack, Quicken Spell-like Ability (ethereal jaunt)
Skills Climb +18, Hide +12, Knowledge (the Planes) +7, Move Silently +20, Survival +10, Swim +18
Change Shape (Su) As a standard action, the sehan abomination can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass. While in this form, it cannot be flanked, and is not subject to extra damage from critical hits that could damage it were it a normal plant or outsider. The creature gains two extra tentacle attacks, but loses its improved grab and constrict abilities. Creatures native to the Material Plane take a –1 morale penalty on attack rolls against the Sehan abomination while in its amorphous form.
Constrict (Ex) A sehan abomination in its normal form deals 3d6+15 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Immunity to Electricity (Ex) The sehan abomination takes no damage from electricity. Instead any electrical attack (such as shocking grasp or a lightning bolt) used against it grants the sehan abomination 1d4 points of Constitution. A sehan abomination looses these at the rate of one point per hour, down to its normal Constitution score.
Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a sehan abomination must hit an opponent with both of its slam attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
True Strike (Su) Once per day, the sehan abomination can make a normal attack with a +20 insight bonus on a single attack roll. The sehan abomination is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target.
Development: If freed the abomination stalks the pagoda slaying every non-aberration in its path except Xiang Ru, Bahlor, and those already tainted by Sehan. Once done it shambles down the mountainside to slaughter the villagers in Na’Ti-Shambhala before disappearing into the wilderness.
Final Words: What the Heck is Sehan anyway?
Sehan owes much of its inspiration to the Outer Gods created by Lovecraft and his circle of writing friends. Sehan doesn't care about stealing souls, amassing power, advancing some abstract moral doctorine, murder, or anything like that. In fact it probably doesn't have intelligence as we human beings would recognize it. Sehan has no morals - or even a concept of what morals are. It's not some moustache-twirling devil or drooling psychopathic demon because quite frankly that's too easy for the Far Realms, too evil for evil's sake, and too much like Snidely Whiplash. Demons and Devils can be violent, gorey, manipulative and insane - but rarely are they alien and unfathomable.
In barest terms, Sehan is much like a plant in form and an animal in motivation. It seeks to grow and be safe from things outside itself that could harm it. To this end, Sehan instictively seeks to grow everywhere. Once everything is Sehan there will be nothing outside itself. There will be no struggle to survive there will only be Sehan. Sehan's empathic nature allows it to vaguely sense the world around itself even through pieces of itself that have been ingested by other beings, on other planes or both. To adapt to new environments Sehan assimulates whatever organic, inorganic, and even psychic forms it finds converting them into extensions of itself.
In the end though Sehan is whatever you want it to be. One version we came up with was a great glob of slimey empathic plant matter the size of Saturn (with rings, moons and all). It is denser toward the middle while its atmosphere is a great green soup of roiling liquid pollen. But maybe Sehan is some sort of dream plant able to spread its pollen into the minds and dimensions of those who can imagine it. Perhaps it's neither or both. Ultimately whatever Sehan is it should be mysterious and threatening. Seen like this Sehan is more like a force of nature, an all-consuming fire, or a dangerous swarm of insects rather than just another "Big Bad End Guy".
~Matt
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