Re: Scales of War: EPIC!
Mits smiles brightly and returns the cuddle. "Thanks!"
The lich seems contemplative and answers Timothius. "Perhaps when this whole business is completed, we can have a nice chat, you and I. I'd like to hear you out as well."
He chuckles from Kyle's statement. "Very true. Good to see you bunch are the exception to that rule."
Mits seems a little surprised at being accused of being professional by a lich, but doesn't comment on it.
Deeper into the Gloom Level 26
Skill Challenge 18,000 XP
As the PCs draw closer to the Mantled Citadel the ground
begins to slope steeply downward into a deep valley. As
they descend, the forest becomes more depressing and
warped; the gloom deepens until it is almost pitch black on
the valley floor.
Complexity
2 (6 successes before 3 failures)
Primary Skills
Arcana, Athletics, Endurance, Nature, Religion.
Secondary Skills
Perception, Stealth.
Success
If the characters achieve 6 successes, their sudden approach
surprises the creatures in Encounter F5. For the first five
rounds of battle, the PCs get a +2 bonus to all attack rolls.
Failure
If the heroes achieve 3 failures, the alert guardians in
Encounter F5 note their approach. The creatures gain a +2
bonus on their initiative check.
Success or Failure
Each character loses two healing surges automatically
at the end of the skill check. This can be reduced; see
“Religion.” Characters who are immune to necrotic damage
lose no healing surges.
Arcana DC 26 (1 success, maximum 2 successes)
The character attunes himself to the flow of energy within
this area. His heightened senses enable him to identify
locales with particularly high levels of necrotic energy.
Dodging these areas shortens the heroes’ journey.
Athletics DC 17 (1 success, maximum 1 success)
The forest is divided by a steep-sided chasm. Every character
must attempt this check at once as they cross. If all succeed,
this counts as a success; if any fail, it counts as 1 failure for
the group (no matter how many fail individually), and each
character who fails loses one healing surge. Characters with
Athletics training can aid others in this attempt.
Endurance DC 17 (1 success, maximum 1 success)
The monotony of the forest, its fell aspect, and the necrotic
energy swirling through it sap the characters’ vitality. Every
character must attempt this check at once. If all succeed,
the characters resist this malign effect and gain a success
for the group. If any fail, it counts as 1 failure for the group
(no matter how many fail individually), and each character
who fails loses one healing surge. Characters cannot aid
one another in this attempt.
Nature DC 26 (1 success, maximum 3 successes)
The trees in the forest are horribly twisted and warped
by the necrotic energy flowing from the Mantled Tower.
In this area of the forest, the effect is particularly
pronounced. A success enables the characters to avoid
many of the hazards of the forest including soul trees,
grasping boughs, and writhing roots.
Perception DC 17 (1 success, maximum 2 successes)
In the darkness of the valley floor, the PC finds a number
of ancient game tracks. Successfully following one of these
tracks helps the heroes find a way out of the valley.
Religion DC 26 (1 success, maximum 1 success)
The character uses his skill to sense the greatest
concentration of evil in the forest. Because Irfelujhar is
the most powerful creature in this domain, his aura acts
as a beacon of sorts. As the characters draw closer to the
citadel, Irfelujhar becomes aware of the intruders and
manipulates the necrotic energy in the valley to attack
them. If a PC succeeds on this check, the group gains 1
success and each hero loses only one healing surge at the
end of the skill challenge instead of two.
Perception DC 22 (no successes, maximum 2 attempts)
A character making a Perception check notices an
important feature. This could be a thinning in the trees
where the characters can get their bearings, a tree much
taller than its fellows that could be climbed for an allaround view, and so on. The next primary skill check made
to exploit this discovery gains a +2 bonus.
Stealth DC 14 (no successes, maximum 2 attempts)
Characters moving stealthily through the forest may
surprise the next group of monsters they come across. If a
PC scouting ahead of his companions makes a successful
Stealth check, all characters gain +2 bonuses on their next
initiative checks in the forest.
(( No need to bother with dice rolls, we got this one easy. ))