THE WORM THAT WALKS
CHAPTER 9
Herald of Kyuss
134
CR 18
hp 174 (18 HD); regeneration 4 Male avolakiaMM2 cleric 8 NE Large aberration (shapechanger) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +8, Spot +8 Languages Avolakia, Common, Drow Sign Language, Terran, Undercommon (can speak only Avolakia unless he changes shape) AC 25, touch 20, flat-footed 20; Dodge Immune cold, disease, energy drain, paralysis Resist fire 10; SR 21 Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +21 Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) Melee bite +18 (2d6+3 plus 1 vile plus poison) and 8 claws +15 each (1d4+1) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Base Atk +13; Grp +20 Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Evil’s Blessing, poison (Fort DC 24, 1d6 Wis/2d6 Wis) Special Actions change shape, death touch (8d6), hypnotic voice, rebuke undead 15/day (+14, 2d6+20, 8th) Combat Gear metamagic rod of greater empowerment, scroll of protection from energy Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 8th): 4th—confusionD (DC 22), dimensional anchor (+17 ranged touch), divine power, freedom of movement, sending 3rd—bestow curse (+17 melee touch, DC 21), cure serious wounds, downdraftSC (DC 21), invisibility purge, nondetectionD, prayer, slashing darknessSC 2nd—bull’s strength, cure moderate wounds, desecrate, hold person (DC 20), invisibilityD, lesser restoration, undetectable alignment 1st—disguise selfD, divine favor, entropic shield, fuse armsSC, obscuring mist, signSC, wave of griefSC (DC 19) 0—guidance (3), resistance (3) D: Domain spell. Domains: Death, Trickery. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th): At will—chill touch (+17 melee touch, DC 23), detect magic, disrupt undead (+17 ranged touch), gentle repose, ghoul touch (+17 melee touch, DC 24), halt undead (DC 25), mage hand, read magic, spectral hand 12/day—quickened suggestion* (CL 10th, DC 25) 3/day—animate dead, create undead, enervation (+17 ranged touch), quickened vampiric touch (+17 melee touch) * This ability can be used only in humanoid form. An opponent in eye contact with the herald of Kyuss takes a –2 penalty on the saving throw. Abilities Str 16, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 26, Cha 34 SQ deflection aura Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Enemy of GoodB, Evil BrandB, Evil’s BlessingB, MultiattackB, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (vampiric touch), Vile Natural AttackB (bite), Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +33, Concentration +26, Diplomacy +29 (+31 against evil creatures), Disguise +20 (+22 acting), Hide +9, Intimidate +27 (+29 against evil creatures), Knowledge (religion) +12, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +25 Possessions combat gear plus bracers of armor +5, cloak of Charisma +6, periapt of Wisdom +6 Change Shape (Su) The Herald of Kyuss can change shape into any humanoid form. Deflection Aura (Sp) The herald of Kyuss has a +6 deflection bonus to Armor Class.
WORMCRAWL ISLAND
The Worm that Walks is imprisoned within an obelisk at the heart of Wormcrawl Island, a remote place not found on any nautical chart, forgotten by all but the wisest sages and most despicable cultists. This island is wild and deadly, filled with monsters of incalculable horror and might, infested with the worst sorts of creatures imaginable. The people who entombed Kyuss here chose wisely, for none but the most courageous (or foolish) would dare explore the haunted jungles, brave the swarms of biting vermin, or contend with the monstrous threats contaminating the place. Through the ages, many have settled here, including savage humans, forest giants, and others. No settlement has survived the perils of the island, instead succumbing to beasts of the jungle, madness inspired by the obelisk, or violence committed against one another. Ruins filled with bones and rot testify to the carnage of the inhabitants’ deaths.
KEY FEATURES To an outsider, the island is like any other tropical paradise, with high, mist-shrouded peaks and lush jungles buzzing with life. The forest canopy is home to several varieties of monkeys, birds whose plumage runs the spectrum, all sorts of crawling insects, and, of course, worms. Beneath its breathtaking exterior lies rot, decay, and pulsing evil. Wormcrawl Island is about four miles in diameter. Two mountains dominate the terrain. The eastern mountain is older and covered by dense jungle, and the western peak is jagged, bare, and topped with a smoking crater. Runoff from the mountains drains down to the interior and gathers in a large freshwater lake (see area C). The lake feeds a river that cuts a path to the ocean. Gathering on the shores of the river is dense foliage consisting of thorny bushes, tall grasses, and odd flowers. The most notable feature of the island is at its center, where the Worm that Walks languishes in the prison of its obelisk. All around the 100-foot-tall spire is blood rock, stone infused with the blood of countless sacrifices. Spewing up from this stone are pools of slime infused with Kyuss’s pestilence. The islet rises in the center of a sea of hot tar. Great bubbles rise from its depths to burst and release poisonous fumes that waft across the shores and fill the air with toxins.
DEFENSES The island is home to numerous creatures—undead and aberrations mostly—but there are all sorts of vermin, magical beasts, and other predators as well. Although these threats are many and varied, characters of a level likely to be exploring this place should be more than a match for such creatures. The PCs’ arrival does not, however, go unnoticed, and a powerful guardian responds to their presence. Every 10 minutes the PCs explore the island, there’s a 10% chance the characters attract a century worm set here to ensure that no interlopers awaken the Worm that Walks.
