Page 181 - Serpent Kingdoms

ADVENTURES

The khaastas keep their treasure far from the command post Skills and Feats: Concentration +6, Handle Animal +3, In-
to limit access to it. Such an arrangement helps to keep the timidate +3, Knowledge (religion) +5, Knowledge (the planes) +4,
more valuable items from disappearing before the treasure can Ride +5, Spellcraft +5, Spot +4, Survival +4; Point Blank Shot,
be evenly divided. Power Attack, Scribe Scroll.
Creatures: The pile of loot is guarded by four khaastas with Cleric Spells Prepared (5/5/3; save DC 11 + spell level): 0—
orders to attack any creatures (including other khaastas) that create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, purify food and
come closer than 20 feet. Depending on the PCs’ actions up to drink, read magic; 1st—cause fear, cure light wounds, divine
this point, the guards from area 3 may also be here. favor, protection from good*, shield of faith; 2nd—desecrate*,
Khaastas (4): hp 18, 22, 22, 26; see Fiend Folio page 115. lesser restoration, undetectable alignment.
Tactics: Because they consider melee combat to be the most *Domain spell. Deity: Sess’innek. Domains: Chaos (cast chaos
glorious way to fi ght a battle, the khaastas here engage other spells at +1 caster level), Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level).
melee combatants before spellcasters. If any spell obviously af- Possessions: +2 breastplate, +1 light steel shield, +2 heavy mace,
fects more than half their number, however, they attempt to ring of protection +1, backpack, waterskin, bedroll, fl int and steel,
bring down the spellcaster immediately, provoking attacks of holy symbol, 10 torches, 179 gp.
opportunity if necessary. Tactics: When the PCs approach, the guards engage them in
Development: If the battle turns against them, the khaastas melee combat while Rakh’til casts cause fear. The next round,
attempt to withdraw to area 6. Rakh’til casts protection from good if his fellow khaastas seem to
Treasure: The pile of treasure consists of 1,250 gp in coins, a be holding their own, or enters the fray otherwise. His preferred
fi nely wrought small gold bracelet (25 gp), a carved bone statu- targets are enemy spellcasters. If he can remain out of combat,
ette in the shape of a sarrukh (250 gp), a silver comb set with he concentrates on curing wounded khaastas and using his other
moonstones (10 gp), vestments with cloth made of gold (700 spells to advantage.
gp), a solid gold snake idol (500 gp), a harp carved from exotic Development: Should the party win this battle, any remain-
wood, inlaid with ivory and set with zircon gems (1,500 gp), a ing khaastas in the area promptly leave if given the chance. The
gold cup set with emeralds (50 gp), a fi re opal pendant on a fi ne PCs can then move about the ruins unmolested.
gold chain (75 gp), and a silver chalice set with emeralds and
rubies (50 gp). 7. Rak’ha’naali Obelisk

6. Command Post (EL 9) The obelisk stands unguarded at the center of the sarrukh ruins.

The twenty khaastas that embarked upon this mission are using An immense, four-sided obelisk carved out of gray stone
this location as their command center. While it might make rises some 60 feet from the cavern fl oor. All four sides slope
greater tactical sense to use one of the structures, the khaastas toward the center, coming to a point at the top. The stone
are accustomed to outdoor living and believe that remaining appears absolutely featureless.
inside a structure decreases their awareness of their surround-
ings. Thus, they prefer to remain in the open. The khaastas have investigated the obelisk, but have so far they
can only surmise that it functions as a portal. They intend to
Three campfi res form a tight triangle just outside a particu- return to the Barrens of Doom and Despair and report its exis-
larly large building. Around them lie twenty bedrolls and a tence to their superiors so that they can dispatch some demonic
collection of general supplies, including the carcasses of two allies to investigate it.
slain deer, fi rewood, fi ve bullseye lanterns that are currently Development: The key to activate the portal from this di-
unlit, fi ve shovels, and two large buckets. rection is a sarrukh scale, which must be placed into a hidden
crevice (Search DC 30) 6 feet above the ground on any side. The
Creatures: Rakh’til, the 4th-level khaasta cleric who leads this terminus points on the other planes are simply open areas. The
party, is here with four khaasta guards. return key is the heart of any Scaleless One slain within the past
Khaastas (4): hp 19, 20, 22, 25; see Fiend Folio page 115. hour, which must be placed on the open ground while uttering
Rakh’til: Male khaasta cleric 4 of Sess’innek; CR 7; Medium a prayer to the World Serpent.
monstrous humanoid (extraplanar, reptilian); HD 3d8+6 plus
4d8+8; hp 45; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 28, touch 13, fl at-footed Concluding the Adventure
26; Base Atk +6; Grp +10; Atk +10 melee (1d4+4, bite) or +12
melee (1d8+6, +2 heavy mace); Full Atk +10 melee (1d4+4, bite) If the PCs defeat the khaastas, they can investigate the obelisk
or +12/+7 melee (1d8+6, +2 heavy mace) and +5 melee (1d4+2, and loot the ruins to their hearts’ content. Any khaastas that
bite); SA rebuke undead 3/day (+0, 2d6+4, 4th); SQ darkvision escape return immediately to their leaders and report their
60 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +8; Str 18, Dex 14, fi ndings, prompting their leaders to dispatch a vrock (see
Con 14, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 11. Monster Manual page 48) to investigate. If the khaastas fail
to report within 2 more weeks, a force of thirty khaastas led

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