Encounter 15: "They" Appear

The True and Rightful King

Encounter 15:  “They” Appear

Level 3:  Hardest (party’s level +4 = 7) 300 xp

Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon, Level 7 Brute, xp 300
Lesser Mezzodemon, Level 7 Soldier, 300 xp
Bloodseep Demon, Level 7 Skirmisher, xp 300
Quasit, Level 7 Controller, 300 xp
Corrupted Warrior, Level 7 Artillery, 300 xp
Human Lackeys, Level 7 Minion, 75 xp

1 player:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon
2 players:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon and Lesser Mezzodemon
3 players:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon, Lesser Mezzodemon, and Bloodseep Demon
4 players:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon, Lesser Mezzodemon, Bloodseep Demon, and Quasit
5 players:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon, Lesser Mezzodemon, Bloodseep Demon, Quasit, and Corrupted Warrior
6 players:  Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon, Lesser Mezzodemon, Bloodseep Demon, Quasit, Corrupted Warrior, and 4 Human Lackeys

Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon (red) 1
15, 26, 42, 49, 62, 72, 83, 91 d
Lesser Mezzodemon (black) 2
23, 34, 49, 29, 48, 43, 35, 66, 72, 82, 98, 114 d
Resist used
Poison breath recharge 5
Bloodseep Demon (yellow) 3
13, 29, 47, 55, 60, 80 d
Resist used
Poison portal strike recharge 4 recharged used
Poison blast used
Quasit (gray) 4
9, 4, 0, 12, 25, 50, 58, 78

Setup

After fighting the goblin patrol, you proceed farther south, looking for any sign of what might be causing the loss of animals in Shadowlea.  The weather improves, the clouds clear, the sun beats down, and soon it is so dry that you can’t tell it ever rained.

You drop down into one of the ravines and you spot what looks like bones off to your right, so you turn that direction.  When you investigate, it appears that the bones are fresh, and are those of a sheep.  They are stripped clean.  Marks lead off farther down the ravine.  They might be tracks, but if they are then perhaps they have been obscured by the rain, because it is hard to tell.

The ravine quickly becomes a small canyon, with steep rocky walls rising up on either side.  You round a sharp bend and you see a man wearing a smooth mask that covers his entire face up to his eyes and a robe with a cowl that covers his head.  All you can see are his eyes, his bare hands, and, strangely for such a harsh environment, his bare feet.  He has a greataxe and three javelins strapped to his back.  His hands are moving in wide wavy motions and just as you see him, a dark shimmery surface appears next to him, like a black mirror in existence.

[If there are 5 players: There is a man standing next to him whose face is weirdly contorted, almost as if it has been burned.  He is wearing chainmail and is carrying a longbow, drawn and loaded.  If there are six players:  There are also four other men, the Human Lackeys.]

The man in the mask and cowl seems to laugh, but the laughter is high and shrieking.  Then he hisses, low, but loud enough for you to hear, “They said you would come.”  There is another shrieking laugh and then he says, “Now I will prove to them that I am worthy of the honor they have given me!”

Tactics and Development

The Shrieking Cultist of Demogorgon has been waiting for the adventurers and he’s heard them coming down the ravine.  He’s the one who placed the bones and the strange tracks, to draw them to his ambush.  The wavy mirror is an opening to the Abyss, from which the Lesser Mezzodemon, the Bloodseep Demon, and the Quasit all appear on their first turn.  After the third one appears, another one can be seen through the opening, trying to get through, as it closes.

They all fight to the death, except the Corrupted Warrior, who flees down the canyon if all the other monsters are killed.  Around the corner are two camels.  He mounts one and tries to get away.

Features of the Area

Illumination:  Bright daylight.

Canyon walls:  Steep and rocky.  If someone tries to climb them, the rocks break loose easily, making them treacherous.  Athletics DC 15 to climb.

Ground:  Smooth and sandy.

Treasure

Perception DC 15:  The Corrupted Warrior is wearing bracers with unusual markings.  A close examination indicates that they are Bracers of Archery.