Return of the Pharaohs
Chapter 11e – The Bounty Hunter
Details
The Elemental Lords of Time have made a deal with a powerful entity in the party’s current time frame to help track down and stop the use of the Chronosphere. Utilizing expert hunting and information gathering skills, this entity has followed the group to Chakikoth Isle and knows that they will attempt to use the Sphere within the ancient Ruins of Xin-Edasseril. The entity has encountered many of the same random magical anomolies that the party has run across, so is not in a very good mood when he finally notes their arrival.
When the group pulls out the Chronosphere to begin making the proper adjustments, a powerful Shemhazian Demon named Az’goth who has been following their clues on behalf of the Lords of Time makes one last attempt to stop them before they are able to transport back in time. He will fly invisibly over the group and if not detected, he will become visible when he speaks.
A shadow passes over your group and you see a huge figure floating down toward you, apparently without the use of wings. The monstrosity has the build and claws of a bear, the pinchers of an insect, the maw of a feral wolf and the scales of a reptile. The creature looks like a nightmare from one of the lower planes. It hovers over your group about 60’ in the air and In a booming voice says:
“I will give you credit for making it this far, but your futile quest is now over – for I am Az’goth, interplanar bounty hunter and I have outwitted mortal fools like you for countless eons. Place the artifact on the ground and I will consider sparing your worthless lives.”
The demon will use his TK to retrieve the Sphere if they do place it on the ground. Otherwise, if the group begins attacking he will fly down to within 30’ so his Paralyzing Gaze can be effective. Then he will open with a Mass Inflict Serious Wounds (3d8+15) range 60’ all within 30’ of each other. He will also cast Blasphemy if he can get a lot of people within a 40’ radius. When he lands, he will use Awesome Charge to knock someone back (needs 10’)
Az’goth is no fool and is he is outmatched, he will use his teleport to leave, with a howl of frustration. He will retreat from battle if brought under 100HP
** See separate creature sheet **
Gaze (Su) A gaze special attack takes effect when foes look at the attacking creature’s eyes. The attack can have any sort of effect: petrification, death, and charm are common. The typical range is 30 feet, but check the creature’s entry for details. The type of saving throw for a gaze attack varies, but it is usually a Will or Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 gazing creature’s racial HD + gazing creature’s Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature’s text). A successful saving throw negates the effect. A monster’s gaze attack is described in abbreviated form in its description. Each opponent within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw each round at the beginning of his or her turn in the initiative order. Only looking directly at a creature with a gaze attack leaves an opponent vulnerable. Opponents can avoid the need to make the saving throw by not looking at the creature, in one of two ways.
Averting Eyes: The opponent avoids looking at the creature’s face, instead looking at its body, watching its shadow, tracking it in a reflective surface, etc. Each round, the opponent has a 50% chance to avoid having to make a saving throw against the gaze attack. The creature with the gaze attack, however, gains concealment against that opponent.
Wearing a Blindfold: The foe cannot see the creature at all (also possible to achieve by turning one’s back on the creature or shutting one’s eyes). The creature with the gaze attack gains total concealment against the opponent.
A creature with a gaze attack can actively gaze as an attack action by choosing a target within range. That opponent must attempt a saving throw but can try to avoid this as described above. Thus, it is possible for an opponent to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before the opponent’s action and once during the creature’s turn.
Gaze attacks can affect ethereal opponents. A creature is immune to gaze attacks of others of its kind unless otherwise noted. Allies of a creature with a gaze attack might be affected. All the creature’s allies are considered to be averting their eyes from the creature with the gaze attack, and have a 50% chance to not need to make a saving throw against the gaze attack each round. The creature can also veil its eyes, thus negating its gaze ability.
Once the group has defeated Az’Goth (or forced him to flee), they can activate the Chronosphere. As the demon flees or dies, he releases six bolts of energy which fly into the party members, infusing them with otherworldly power.
The group will get their experience points and three special Christmas 2018 boons:
- They get an automatic max roll on the next level HD
- They get one automatic 20 which has to be used before the results of a roll
- They get a bonus of 8 skill points which can be split among any of the following skills only, up to the allowed max: Bluff, Climb, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Perception, Sense Motive.