SERPENT RELIQUARY
SERTROUS
CHAPTER 8
ing into this grandly appointed hall. The polished floor
Illus. by S. Srisuwan
must make a DC 15 Concentration check to cast spells. Its reflexive desire to accept shadow causes it to take a The Serpent Reliquary is the heart of the Vanguard’s pres–4 penalty on saving throws against spells of the shadow ence in the multiverse. Built around an extradimensional subschool and against a golothoma’s acid and ravenous cube trapped between the planes, the Reliquary was conshadow abilities. Shadows and other creatures from the structed by the fallen planetar Avamerin to serve as a place Plane of Shadow gain a +4 bonus on attack rolls against for him to rest between incursions and as a place to safely such a creature. keep Sertrous’s head secure from those who would attempt This madness can be cured by heal, greater restorato destroy it. tion, miracle, or wish. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to that particular golothoma’s form of madness for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability that KEY FEATURES The layout of the rooms within the Serpent Reliquary disdoes not affect chaotic evil outsiders. Acid (Ex) A golothoma’s tail runs with thick, sticky coils rupts most mapping attempts. This complex is constructed of black shadow. A golothoma deals 8d6 points of acid around a tesseract, a structure whose sides connect in ways damage to any creature it strikes with its tail, attacking that are unfathomable in a three-dimensional world. with a melee touch attack. A creature struck by this atThe chambers within the complex are aligned to the diftack must succeed on a DC 28 Reflex save, or some of ferent sides of the tesseract, producing seemingly impossible this shadow (at least, from a three-dimensional point of view) room clings to it connections within the complex. Arrows on the and deals map show what other rooms can be reached another 4d6 from each area. points of acid Each of the complex’s sections damage at the start of its next is located on its own demiplane, turn. separate from but contained Dimensional Reach wholly by the complex itself. (Su) A golothoThe ranges of all divinations ma can reach becast within the complex are tween dimensions limited to the area where the to strike at distant spell is cast. targets with its claws. This abilDEFENSES ity allows a Although the walls ingolothoma to make ranged side of each complex attacks with are made of magically its claws. These enhanced stone, they attacks have a are still subject to range increment effects and damage of 120 feet, up to as normal. Where a maximum of fve faces of the tesrange increments. seract touch, They are otherwise door-shaped portals treated as thrown allow movement beweapons. A golothoma can mix tween them. Passage its attacks between through these portals melee and ranged as it feels no different from wishes, and it does not moving through a doorway, provoke attacks of opportuGolothoma but a creature under the effect of dinity when using its dimensional mensional anchor cannot pass through. reach. Physical objects can pass with ease, and a creature in one area Ravenous Shadow (Su) A golothoma has no mouth. It feeds can observe events in an adjacent area by looking through by absorbing flesh through its writhing shadow. Any an open portal. creature within the golothoma’s reach might fall into the Air within the complex constantly refreshes, and rooms creature’s shadow. A DC 27 Reflex save allows a creature to avoid the shadow for that round. A creature that moves are humid and warm. through a golothoma’s space gets no saving throw to avoid the shadow. Failure indicates the creature takes ENCOUNTER AREAS 1d12 points of Constitution drain. The following locations correspond to those indicated on A golothoma’s shadow exists despite the surrounding the Reliquary map. lighting. In fact, in complete darkness, it’s more difficult to see the shadow’s boundaries, and Reflex saves made A. Entrance to avoid it take a –4 penalty. A golothoma’s ravenous No matter how one travels to the Serpent Reliquary, the shadow has no effect on a creature that doesn’t have a traveler finds himself stepping through a portal and emergConstitution score.
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