Illus. by M. Phillippi
ZARGON
CHAPTER 10
150
Special Actions Deformity (madness), Insane Defiance, dark Entropic Field (Su) As a standard action, Vanessa can surknowledge 5/day (puissance, tactics), entropic field 2/day round herself with a field that extends out in a 35-foot ra(reroll, wounding), shard of entropy (5d6) dius and lasts for 7 rounds. Magical healing automatically Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, wand of invisfails in the area. Dismissing the field is a standard action. ibility (9 charges) Once per round as a free action, Vanessa can force any Archivist Spells Prepared (CL 10th; 1d20+12 to overcome SR): creature in the area to reroll an attack roll, save, or check. 5th—flame strike (DC 21), insect plague, spell resistance She decides after she knows whether the roll succeeded 4th—cure critical wounds, dimensional anchor (+10 ranged or failed, but before the consequences have been calcutouch), dismissal, freedom of movement lated and applied. 3rd—bestow curse (DC 19), contagion (+9 melee touch, Any creature (including Vanessa) taking damage while DC 19), dispel magic, invisibility purge within the area takes 1 point of damage each round (at 2nd—barkskin, bull’s strength, calm emotions (DC 18), the end of Vanessa’s turn) as long as it remains within the sound burst (DC 18), undetectable alignment field. Multiple injuries are cumulative. A successful DC 15 1st—cure light wounds, divine favor, obscuring mist, Heal check stops the bleeding. sanctuary, shield of faith Shard of Entropy (Su) Twice per day, Vanessa can create a 0—detect magic, guidance, read magic, virtue shard of entropy that appears in an adjacent square and Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th): remains for 7 rounds. She can move the shard up 1/day—darkness to 30 feet as a move action or against another creature within 30 feet as a standard action. Abilities Str 13, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 22, Against objects, the shard deals 5d6 points Wis 10, Cha 11 of damage and ignores hardness. Against Feats Combat Casting, Deformity creatures, she must make a ranged touch B (madness) , Great Fortitude, Imattack (+10 attack modifier), and if successproved Initiative, Insane DefianceB, ful she deals 5d6 points of damage (ForB Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll , titude DC 14 half). Any creature passing Spell Penetration, Willing DeformityB through a square containing the shard Skills Appraise +11, Bluff +2, Concentakes damage (Fort DC 14 half), as does tration +19 (+23 casting defensiveany creature in the same space as the ly), Decipher Script +18, Gather shard at the start of Vanessa’s turn. Information +2, Heal +7, Hide +4, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +25, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +18, Knowledge (geography) +16, Knowledge (loHidden in the Valley of Death are the rucal) +13, Knowledge (religion) +23, ins of Cynidicea. Little remains of the Search +19, Spellcraft +27 (+29 city, and if not for the imposing ziggurat deciphering scrolls), Survival +0 (+2 to avoid getting lost, +2 folin the center of the ruins, one might lowing tracks, +2 underground), overlook the few exposed stone blocks Use Magic Device +7 (+11 scrolls) and crumbling walls. In spite of the Possessions combat gear plus +2 site’s condition, the ziggurat is more studded leather, +2 defending or less intact. Its walls have crumbled longsword, +2 light crossbow with somewhat and a few breaches reach 10 bolts, ring of protection +1, to the dark secrets within, but the amulet of natural armor +1, cloak massive structure stands defiant of resistance +1, gloves of Dexterof time and the harsh terrain. ity +2, headband of intellect +2, The ziggurat is a stepped pyrbird mask Prayerbook spells prepared amid, with each level rising 20 plus 0—all; 3rd—obscure feet high. Sand conceals most object; 4th—death ward of the bottom tier. Mounted Dark Knowledge (Ex) Five on the top of the ziggutimes per day, as a rat are three statues. One move action, Vanessa depicts a strong, bearded can make a DC 15 Knowlman holding a balance and a edge check to grant an ally javelin. Another depicts a winged within 60 feet a benefit against Vanessa child with two snakes wrapped around its body, one creature (arcana for a magical beast, and the third is of a beautiful woman. Over the dungeoneering for an aberration, or centuries, the wind has erased all the statues’ fine detail. religion for an undead). A successful check grants a +1 bonus on attack rolls for 1 minute, and an additional +1 KEY FEATURES bonus for every 10 points by which she beats the DC. Alternatively, she can make the check to grant all allies Each tier of the ziggurat (there are five in all) serves as a within 60 feet a +1 bonus on saving throws against the discrete level and connects to lower and higher levels by creature’s abilities, and an additional +1 bonus for every carved staircases cut into the stone. Ceiling heights reach 18 10 points by which she beats the DC. She can use this feet except in the hallways, where the ceiling drops to 10 feet ability only once against a particular creature. high. The upper levels can be developed in extensive detail if
THE ZIGGURAT
