Combat Advantage 18

8/13/2019 Combat Advantage 18

1/62

A F r e e B i - M o n t h l y S u p p l e m

e n t f o r 4 E

#18Sept./Oct. 2010 Two Adventures for the Price of None“Tere Is No Spoon” & “Mind & Iron”

Never Settle 4 The Ordinary!Featuring new powers

and builds for the fighter, warlord, and sorcerer

+Neuroglyph

Reviews TheRealms of Chirak


2/62

#18September/October 2010

www.emeraldpresspdf.com

50 Is The Magic NumberIt’s too late now, there’s no going back. Our last four issues have featured

at least 50 pages and once you’ve set down that kind of precedence, anythingless would be a rip-off. Luckily, all of us at Combat Advantage have been looking for new ways

to keep this promise to you, our loyal readers. And what the hell, even ourcasual readers who may be reading CA for the first time. Every issue willfeature at least 50 pages of original 4e material and we’ve expanded our team

in pursuit of this mission. Beginning with our feature adventure designer,Corwin Riddle. Corwin is the webmaster for readyanaction.com and has been working

on numerous free 4e adventures and single encounters for a while now. When I read his latest offering, Mind & Iron, I was impressed by notonly his content, but the efforts he had made to give his freebies as muchattention as a paid product. A couple of emails later, Corwin agreed to work

with us in providing access to some of his work as a regular feature in CAand we’re happy to have him on board. But he’s not the only addition to our team and over the next couple

of issues, we’ll be introducing you to these new teammates as their new

features begin, including an ongoing series of new monsters and anexclusive behind-the-scenes look at an exciting new venture in 4e design.Plus, we’re working on new themes and content to add more bang for yourbuck. All this aside, we’d like to hear from as many of you as possible on how

we’re doing. What articles have you enjoyed and which do you feel needimprovement? Is there something missing in your campaign or characternot yet covered in the 4e market? e more we know about what you needto make your game better, the better we can provide that service. Enough talk! Let’s get down to business. In this issue, we have three

new class builds featuring the sorcerer, the warlord, and the fighter, plus

TWO new adventures, Neuroglyph’s review, and an Artist Spotlighton James Denton. So please sit back and enjoy, gamers. Enjoy.

Todd CrapperEditor-in-Chief, Combat Advantage

Combat Advantage #18

Design/Content: Todd Crapper,Michael Evans, Alan “Xahlt” Glover,

Corwin Riddle, Tim RoseArtwork: Billy Frank Alexander,

Cerberus Illustrations,Darkzel, James DentonLayout: Todd Crapper,

Alan “Xahlt” Glover, Corwin Riddle Editors:Vincent Harper,

Alan “Xahlt” Glover, Corwin Riddle

First Publication

2010,Emerald Press PDF Publishing

All written content within remainsthe property of its author and is

used with permission for this issue.Previews and content submitted bypublishers other than those involvedwith Combat Advantage have beendesigned and edited by those listed

in the preview unless otherwisenoted. Combat Advantage is a freePDF publication supporting the 4thEdition Dungeons & Dragons gamepublished by Wizards of the Coast

and published by Todd Crapper andEmerald Press PDF Publishing. All

content in this publication meet therequirements of the Game System

License, as provided on the last pageof this publication.

Cover:

Another pesky, evil magic usersummons a trio of evil nasties from

beyond the Known World.

Psecrets of the Psorcerer pg 3 e unexplained phenomena of the sorcerer justbecame more mysterious. By Michael Evans

Will of the Taskmaster pg 7 Whip it. Whip it good. By Todd Crapper

The Reach of the Thrasher pg 13 e long arm of the fighter gets even longer.By Tim Rose

ADVENTURE: There Are No Spoons

pg 20Kids get themselves into the darndest trouble.For 1st-level characters. By Alan “Xahlt” Glover.

REVIEW: World of Shirak pg 35

e brand new EN World 4e reviewer takes a look atthis new campaign setting. By Michael Evans.

ADVENTURE: Mind & Iron pg 39 A savage lion attack reveals an even greater threat.For 7th- to 9th-level characters. By Corwin Riddle.

SKETCHBOOK: James Denton

pg 60


3/62

CLASS BUILDSFor sorcerers, magic is literally in their blood. They focus powerful arcane energies through

their bodies in ways that would likely kill any other mortal. They are able to do this

by drawing from their racial heritage, their bloodline, which can be traced back

to an ancestral entity who was more than mere mortal. Through quirks of fate or design,

the power of dragons, elementals, and even the forces of nature, were somehow distilled

into the very bloodline of a mortal race. And that magical heritage awakened, to a greater

destiny, in the form of a descendent that has mastered the arcane powers of a sorcerer.

But what if the power to harness and channel arcane energies came from a differenttype of bloodline, such as a psionic one? How would a sorcerer focus the power or raw

magic by drawing upon an ancestry of psychic potential?

The Psychic AdeptThe psychic adept is a sorcerer born of a bloodline tracing its origins back to entities

of psionic power. Could an ancestor have had a dangerous alliance with one of the races

of the Far Realm? Or perhaps someone in the family tree dabbled in occult lore from some

alternate reality? Or are they descended from a victim of some aberration’s mad psychic

experiments? Whatever the origin of the bloodline, the psychic adept, or “psorcerer”, does not wield

mental energies as a true psionic does. Rather, she is able to use the innate psychic channels

in her body and soul, which would normally be used to conduct psionic powers, to instead

harness and focus raw arcane energy. But instead of creating only physical manifestations

of power and elemental forces, the psychic adept can also generate terrifying mental forces

that tear at her enemies’ minds. For psychic adepts can hurl raw arcane force to strike against

both bodies and souls.

PSECRETS OF TH

PSORCERER

E

“Some energies are best left alone. Others

should never be handled by any save themost brilliant minds. Mine is a power that

will literally blow your mind... to pieces.”

- Jaiz, psorcerer

by Michael Evans


4/62

4

Psionic MagicWhen you choose your Spell Source class feature, you can select Psionic Magic instead of other options.

Note: While normally a sorcerer’s main statistics are Charisma, Strength, and Dexterity, the psychic adept build tendsto have a more focused mind, and will often have a stronger Intelligence than Dexterity. A keen intellect is essential to focus

and harness the energies of a psychic bloodline.

Psychic Power: You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of arcane powers equal to your Intelligence modifier. The bonus increasesto your Intelligence modifier + 2 at 11th level and your Intelligence modifier + 4 at 21st level.

Telepathic Shielding: You gain resist 5 psychic. The resistance increases to 10 at 11th level and 15 at 21st level.

Counterspell: When struck by an attack that targets your Will defense, you can gain a +2 bonus to your Will defense versus otherattacks of a similar keyword or damage type as an immediate interrupt. The counterspell remains in place, granting the defense

bonus versus attacks of that damage type, even from different opponents, until the end of the encounter – or until the counterspell

is used against a different attack. For example, if you are hit by a charm power, you gain a +2 bonus to your Will defense against

other charm attacks until the end of the encounter. You may counterspell only once per round.

Psychic Scream: When you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll for an arcane power, the mental energies you unleashed on your

opponent spill out in a shockwave of anguish. You inflict psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier on all enemiesadjacent to your target.

New Spells

At-Will • Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Charisma vs WillHit: 1d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and thetarget takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls direct at you untilthe end of your next turn.Level 21: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage. Psychic Adept: The target’s penalty to attack rolls equalto your Intelligence modifier.

Psychic Jab Sorcerer Attack 1You lock gazes with your foe, delivering a jolt to its head thatmakes it reluctant to fight you.

Encounter • Arcane, Implement; Varies

Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squaresTarget: Each creature in burstAttack: Charisma vs ReflexHit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier radiant or necroticdamage. Roll 1d6. On a roll of 1-3, you inflict radiantdamage; on a roll of 4-6 inflict necrotic damage. Psychic Adept: Until the start of your next turn,the target suffers additional damage equal to yourIntelligence modifier when it suffers the same damagetype as inflicted by this power.

Soul Warrior Sorcerer Attack 1 A warrior-like phantasm is unleashed from some part of your soul,charging your enemies and whirling its blade like a dervish.

Level 1 At-Will Spell Level 1 Encounter Spell


5/62

5

Encounter • Arcane, Charm, Implement, PsychicStandard Action Ranged 20Target: One creatureAttack: Charisma vs WillHit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage Effect: On the target’s next turn, the target isdominated. It make a melee basic attack against an

adjacent enemy or uses its turn to move its speedtowards the nearest enemy (save ends). Psychic Adept: As long as the target is affected by thispower, it gains a bonus of +2 to attack rolls against itsallies and suffers a penalty of -2 to AC.

Dire Delusions Class Attack/Utility #You hurl a dark force at your foe that batters the mind, releasingits own deepest fears, and leaving it unable to distinguish friendfrom foe.

Daily • Arcane, Charm, Implement, PsychicStandard Action Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Charimsa vs WillHit: 3d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and thetarget grants combat advantage until the end of your

next turn. Until the end of the encounter, when thetarget misses an attack against an ally, that ally gainscombat advantage against the target until the start of thetarget’s next turn.Miss: Half damage and the target grants combatadvantage until the end of your next turn.

Barbs of Madness Sorcerer Attack 5Tiny phantasms, born of your hate, whirl about your enemy,driving it so close to the edge of madness that it forgets todefend itself.

Encounter • Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action Ranged 20Target: One creatureAttack: Charisma vs WillHit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, andtarget takes damage equal to your Intelligence modifierat the start of its next turn.Effect: The target is slowed (save ends).

Psychic Adept: The target is also weakened until theend of your next turn.

Nerve Ripper Sorcerer Attack 3You cast bolts of psychic agony upon your foe, which inflamethe nerves and make movement torturous.

Level 3 Encounter Spell

Level 5 Daily Spell

Level 6 Utility Spell

Mental Nudge Sorcerer Utility 6With an invisible surge of psychic power, you banish all doubts,and let your inner spirit shine forth.

Daily • Arcane, Charm

Immediate Interrupt Close burst 5Trigger: You or an ally fail a Bluff, Diplomacy, orIntimidate skill check.Target: You or one ally in the burstEffect: Reroll the skill roll, and apply a bonus equal to1 + your Charisma modifier to the result. If the skillcheck is successful, the target gains a +2 power bonusto that skill until the end of the encounter.



6/62

6

Encounter • Arcane, Implement, Psychic, NecroticStandard Action Ranged 20Target: One creatureAttack: Charimsa vs FortitudeHit: 3d6 + Charisma modifier psychic and necroticdamage, and the target is weakened and suffers ongoingnecrotic damage equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier

(save ends both).Psychic Adept: If the target dies while under the effectsof this power, you gain temporary hit points equal toone-half your level.

Spirit Disjunction Sorcerer Attack 23From the darkest place in your mind, you loose a bolt of shadowy power that smites the foe relentlessly, driving a wedge betweenits body and spirit.

Encounter • Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Charisma vs WillHit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage and thetarget is dominated (save ends) Psychic Adept: When the target makes its save, it isdazed until the end of its next turn.


Forced Rapport Sorcerer Attack 13You drive a bolt of pure thought deep into the foe’s mind, causingintense pain, and leaving behind a hidden directive.

Level 15 Daily Spell

Daily • Arcane, Implement, ForceStandard Action Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Charisma vs FortitudeHit: 2d8 per plus of the implement + Charisma modifierforce damage and the target is dazed (save ends). Youcause a critical on a roll of 19-20. Reroll any damagedice that result in a 1 or 2. Aftereffect: The implement is tainted with psychic

energy, and cannot function in any capacity until afteran extended rest. Psychic Adept: The attack causes a critical on a roll of18-20 and is not spent if you miss. You cannot deal halfdamage from a missed attack if you choose not to spendthe use of this power.Miss: Half damage and the target is dazed until the endof your next turn.

Retribution Strike Sorcerer Attack 15Charging your implement with your anger and will, you launchit at your enemy to strike with life-shattering force.

Level 16 Utility Spell

Daily • Arcane, Charm

Minor Action PersonalRequirement: You must have the Telepathic Shieldingclass featureEffect: You gain a +2 power bonus to your Will defenseuntil the end of the encounter. Any attack that targetsyour Will defense allows you to inflict your Charismamodifier in psychic damage against the attacker as a freeaction, regardless of whether or not the attack hits.

Discordant Shields Sorcerer Utility 16You fortify your mental barriers with a dose of strong arcane power, daring any enemy to try and breach them.



7/62

CLASS BUILDS

W i l l o f t he

T a s k m a s t e r

“It’s not wise to disobey the guy with the whip.”- Dessan Half-Elf, taskmaster warlord

“It’s not wise to disobey the guy with the whip.”- Dessan Half-Elf, taskmaster warlord

by Todd Crapper


8/62

8

At-Will • Fear, Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whip.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage Effect: Choose an ally adjacent to the target. This allygains a power bonus to damage rolls against the targetequal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of hisnext turn.

ey say warlords are the driving force behind any partyof adventurers, pushing them forward and picking them up whenthey’re down. Impressive though they may be, none of them has everseen a taskmaster in action. Expertly trained to use a whip, these unique warlords

are an intimidating force on the battlefield. Intimidating

their enemies while simultaneously boosting their allies, taskmastersutilize their exotic skill with these dangerous straps of leatherto restrict an enemy’s movement and defend their comrades beforethey can come to harm, or inflict a lasting wound on a target togrant bonus opportunities for others to cash in. It takes Strength tocontrol the weight and snap of a whip, while a sharp mind capitalizeson Intelligence for your second best ability score. Charisma would be the third ability score, as a taskmaster needs convictionin his voice to force enemies to do what he commands.

Suggested Feat: Stand Back!* (Human feat: Improved

Initiative)Suggested Skills: Athletics, Diplomacy, Endurance, Intimidate

Suggested At-Will Powers: crack the whip*, furious smash

Suggested Encounter Power: soften the blow

Suggested Daily Power: lead the attack* designates a new power/feat from this article

New Class Feature When you choose your Commanding Presence, you can chooseCracking Presence instead of another option.

Cracking PresenceMaster of the Whip: When you purchase the Weapon Proficiency

feat for the whip, you gain one of the following as a bonus featfor the whip: Intimidating Snap*, Useful Whip*, Weapon Expertise,or Weapon Focus. Any feats marked with * can be found inthe Whips section on page 11. When an ally you can see uses an action point to make an extraattack, the ally gains resistance equal to your Strength modifieruntil the end of their next turn.

Underfoot: You can also use the underfoot encounter power.

Underfoot Warlord FeatureYou snap your whip at the target’s leg and pull it out from underhim.

Encounter • Martial, WeaponImmediate Reaction Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whip.

Trigger: A bloodied enemy provokes an opportunityattack from an adjacent ally.Target: The triggering enemyAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: The target is grabbed and prone Secondary Effect: As a move action on your next turn,you can move half your speed and pull the target anequal number of squares or make the target prone at theend of its turn. You can release the grab as a free action.This power ends once the target escapes the grab orwhen you attack another target.

At-Will Attack Power: You gain the crack the whip power. You choose a second 1st-level at-will power as normal.

New Exploits

Level 1 At-Will Exploit

Crack the Whip Warlord Attack 1 After drawing blood with your attack, you snap the whiprepeatedly over your head and startle your enemies.


9/62

9

Level 1 Encounter Exploit

Encounter • Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. All alliesadjacent to the target gain resist 2 until the end of yournext turn. Cracking Presence: Your allies gain resistance equal toyour Charisma modifier.

Soften the Blow Warlord Attack 1Your whip wraps around the target’s weapon in a snap and you pull back just as it attacks your comrades.


Encounter • Martial, WeaponImmediate Interrupt Melee 2Trigger: An enemy makes a ranged or area attackRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: The triggering enemyAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage

Cracking Presence: The triggering target takes a penaltyto the attack roll equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Punish the Archer Warlord Attack 3Your whip extends your wrath and the caster never gets a chanceto fire off his spell.

Level 5 Daily Exploit

Daily • Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage Effect: The target is grabbed and marked by you.Whenever the target attacks you, any adjacent allies canmake an opportunity attack against him as an immediateinterrupt.Miss: Half damage and you mark the target until the startof your next turn.

Snatch the Blade Warlord Attack 5The whip wraps itself around the target’s wrist, forcing him intoa tug-of-war with you.


Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs AC

Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage Effect: Choose an ally adjacent to the target. The allycan use a healing surge. Cracking Presence: The ally gains additional temporaryhit points equal to 2 + your Intelligence modifier.

Buy Some Time Warlord Attack 7Your whip slashes across the target’s back and stalls him longenough to give your ally a crucial boost.


10/62

10

Encounter • Martial, WeaponImmediate Reaction Melee weaponTrigger: An ally is pushedRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: The triggering enemyAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage and you can slidethe triggering ally 1 square. Cracking Presence: The triggering ally can make amelee basic attack against the target. If he hits, youregain the use of this power.

Controlled Slide Warlord Attack 13When your ally is pushed back, you unleash a snap to the target’sback and follow-up with an impressive grab of your ally’s leg, pulling him back into position.


Level 16 Utility Exploit

Daily • MartialImmediate Interrupt SpecialTrigger: An enemy you hit with an encounter or dailyattack shifts.Effect: An ally adjacent to the target shifts an equal

number of squares parallel to the target.

Unforgotten Mark Warlord Utility 16You leave a deep gash on your enemy’s back that will come backto haunt him.



Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage Effect: You and all allies within 5 squares can shift halftheir speed as a free action. Cracking Presence: You and your allies can shift 2 +your Charisma modifier squares.

Regroup Warlord Attack 17When the tide turns against you, one crack of the whip givesthe order to pull back or press forward.


Daily • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must use a whipTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs FortitudeHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage and target isslowed (save ends). Until the target makes the save, any

allies within range can make opportunity attacks againstthe target when it shifts or moves.Miss: Half damage and the target’s speed is reduced by 2until the end of its next turn.

Back of the Knee Warlord Attack 19Whipping at the target’s legs, you can restrict its movementand keep it in range of another lash.


11/62

11

Encounter • Martial, WeaponImmediate Reaction Melee weaponTrigger: An enemy makes a saving throw.Requirement: You must use a whipTarget: The triggering enemy

Attack: Strength vs ACHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage Cracking Presence: The triggering target takes a penaltyto its next attack roll equal to your Charisma modifier.

Insult to Injury Warlord Attack 23No sooner does your enemy shake off the effects of that last hit,you crack the whip over his chest.



Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Close blast 3Requirement: You must use a whipTarget: All enemies in the blastAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. You shift 1 squareand make a secondary attack against another target. Secondary Attack: Strength vs AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. You shift 1square and can repeat the secondary attack until youmiss once or hit every target in the blast. Cracking Presence: Every target you hit takes a penalty

to AC equal to your Charisma modifier.

Charging Snap Warlord Attack 27Forcing your way through the crowd, you crack your whip and push forward, ever snapping at your enemies.

WhipsLong considered instruments of torture and slavery, whips have

evolved into a deadly exotic weapon in the hands of the well-trained,dedicated combatant. While the bullwhip is the most famousexample, there are several others within this new weapon groupcapable of various effects. is section provides an assortment of whips, along with

descriptions and mechanical information on using them in yourcampaign. See the chart above for complete stats.

Blacksnake: Similar to a bullwhip, the blacksnake featuresa weighted handle for bludgeoning attacks.

Bullwhip: e standard whip, a bullwhip consists of braidedleather ending in a cracker to make the infamous sharp noise whensnapped.

Chain whip: Made from segmented strips of metal,this is a popular weapon with monks. When used to maintain a grabon a target, you gain a +2 item bonus.

Kurbash: Cured from various animal hides, this whip is commonlyused against slaves and for torture. What it lacks in length, it makes

up for in damage.

Weapon Proficiency Cost Weight Damage Group Properties

Bullwhip +3 3 gp 3 lb 1d4 Flail Off-hand, reach

Kurbash +3 10 gp 3 lb 1d6 Flail

Blacksnake +3 10 gp 8 lb 1d4/1d4 Flail Reach (primary attack only)

Chain whip +3 15 gp 10 lb 1d6 Flail Off-hand


12/62

12

New Feats Bullwhip Master

Prerequisite: Warlord, Cracking Presence class feature

Benefit: You can use any warlord power requiring the use of a whip so long as you hold a bullwhip in your off-hand. is allows you

to roll damage using another one-handed weapon.

Intimidating SnapPrerequisite: Proficiency with whips, trained in Intimidate

Benefit: When you roll a critical hit, you can push all enemiesadjacent to the target 1 square.

Last Minute SavePrerequisite: Proficiency with whips, Quick Draw, level 21

Benefit: You can negate all forced movement against a single ally within 5 squares once per day.

Steer the CattlePrerequisite: Proficiency with whips, level 11

Benefit: Once per encounter as a minor action, you can slidea target 1 square after making a successful melee attack with your whip.

Useful Whip

Prerequisite: Proficiency with whips, trained in AthleticsBenefit: You can use your whip to gain a +2 item bonus

to any climb checks. is bonus increases to +4 at 11th leveland +6 at 21st level.

Silent Crack Prerequisite: Proficiency with whips, trained in Stealth,

have combat advantage against the target

Benefit: When you beat a target’s AC by 4 or more with a whipattack power, you can elect to keep the whip silent and maintain your previous Stealth roll to remain hidden.

Stand Back!Prerequisite: Warlord, Cracking Presence class feature

Benefit: All adjacent allies gain a +1 bonus to all defenses againstopportunity attacks.

Thrashers and their WhipsAs a master of flails, thrashers (see page 13) can also make useof whips as they belong in the same weapon group. Extending theirmastery of this difficult weapon to gain reach with a blacksnake,or use a bullwhip as an off-hand weapon, the thresher is incrediblyhandy with these infamous weapons.


13/62

THRASHER

CLASS BUILDS

by Tim Rose

The Reach of the


14/62

14

Like a wizard or an invoker, you are most interested in affecting morethan one target on each attack, occupying them while your allies gainbetter positions for attacks and other actions to help with the missionat hand. You are still a frontline defender and rely on your strengthfor the bulk of your actions. But instead of focusing on taking a beating, you mete out damage against multiple foes using your dexterity

and intelligence in lieu of the bonuses of a high constitution. You takeadvantage of exotic flails and other weapons with chained ends.

Suggested Feat: Improved Initiative (Human feat: Action Surge)

Suggested Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate

Suggested At-Will Powers: cleave, whip chain strike

Suggested Encounter Power: fall behind

Suggested Daily Power: circling chain strike

New Class Feature You gain Flail Defense in place of the Combat Superiority classfeature.

Flail Defense When you wield a flail, you gain a +1 shield bonus to your ACand Reflex defenses. Once per encounter, you can use a melee at- will power against a marked target as if it were a reach weapon. Youlose your Flail Defense shield bonus to AC and Reflex until the endof the encounter. At 21st level, the shield bonus increases to +2.

New Exploits e following are new fighter exploits specific to the flail fighter.However, any fighter can use them, but additional effects within themmay not be able to fully exploited by other types of fighters.

Level 1 At-Will Exploit

At-Will • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must be wielding a flailTarget: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex HIt: Dexterity modifier damage Increase damage to primary target to 2[W] + Strengthmodifier damage at 21st level.

Whip Chain Strike Fighter Attack 1Your foe is surprised as your weapon attacks him again.


Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage and make asecond attack against a target that is adjacent to you andthe primary target Secondary Attack: Strength vs Reflex Hit: Strength modifier damage Secondary Effect: The target is knocked prone and youcan shift 1 square

Fall Behind Fighter Attack 1The enemy next to you trips, giving your ally an advantage.


15/62

15


Daily • Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Close burst 1Requirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage Secondary Target: Any target hit by your primary attack Secondary Attack: Strength vs Will Hit: The target is pushed 1 squareMiss: Half damage, and one target is pushed 1 square

Circling Chain Strike Fighter Attack 1Whirling the chain of your weapon you push your foes away toclear the battlefield.

At-Will • MartialMinor Action PersonalRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Effect: You gain a +2 power bonus to a single Acrobaticsor Athletics checks until the start of your turn.

Weapon As A Tool Fighter Utility 2Leveraging your weapon, you manage to climb up and over thewall.



Chain Shift Attack Fighter Attack 3Your weapon seems to attack your foe on its own as you gain abetter position.


Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage and you can shift2 squares as a free action before you make a secondaryattack against the same target Secondary Attack: Strength vs Fortitude Hit: 1[W] damage and slide the target 1 square tosquare adjacent to you


Daily • Martial, Reliable, WeaponStandard Action Melee 2Requirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage and make

your second attack against a foe you can reach and isadjacent to the primary target Secondary Attack: Strength vs Reflex Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage Secondary Effect: You have threatening reach with yourflail until the end of your next turn.Miss: Half damage. There is no secondary attack.

Lunging Chain Arc Fighter Attack 5You let your weapon’s chain do some damage beyond the foein front of you.


16/62

16

At-Will • Martial, Weapon

Immediate Interrupt PersonalRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Trigger: An enemy that you can see makes a rangedbasic attack against you.Effect: You gain a +1 power bonus to your AC and Reflexdefense against the attack.

Spiraling Chain Block Fighter Utility 6You spin your weapon and block the arrow a hair’s breadth fromyour chest.



Surprised Grab Fighter Attack 7You twist your weapon just so, catching your target’s legs andholding her fast.

Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage Secondary Attack: Strength+2 vs Fortitude Hit: Strength modifier damage and target is grabbed.The target suffers a -2 penalty to break the grab.


Daily • Charm, Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage and you can shifta number of squares equal to your Intelligence modifier(minimum of 1)Secondary Target: All targets within a close blast 3

Secondary Attack: Strength vs Will Hit: The target is dazed (save ends)Miss: Half damage and the primary target is dazed untilthe end of your next turn.

Dazing Links Fighter Attack 9You slip past your first foe to stop those coming behind him.


Encounter • Martial, WeaponImmediate Interrupt Personal (special)Requirement: You must be wielding a flail.Trigger: An enemy that is adjacent to an ally and within2 squares of you makes a successful melee attack against

the ally.Effect: You shift up to 2 squares toward the triggeringenemy and take the damage instead of the triggeringally. As a free action, you can mark the target. Youmust make a successful saving throw at the end of yourturn or take additional damage equal to your Strengthmodifier. If the enemy’s attack was a critical hit, you takea -2 penalty to the saving throw and suffer additionaldamage equal to the triggering enemy’s Strengthmodifier if you fail the saving throw.

Take That! Fighter Utility 10Your ally’s foe attacks, but you block it, taking the damage.


17/62

17

Encounter • Charm, Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs WillHit: Strength modifier damage, and the target is dazeduntil it is no longer marked by you Secondary Attack: Strength vs Will Hit: The target is blinded (save ends)


Dazing Chain Fighter Attack 13Relying on finesse you keep your target tied up, allowing yourallies to take care of other business around you.


Worse Than the First Fighter Attack 15Mastering your weapon and your enemy, you inflict more painwith your second attack.

Daily • Martial, Reliable, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage Secondary Attack: Strength + 2 vs AC Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damageMiss: 1[W] damage


Chain Dump Fighter Utility 16You see no advantage in your current weapon configuration, soyou remove your chain and fight on.

Daily • Martial

Minor Action PersonalRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Effect: You lose the ability to make any secondaryattacks with your flail for the rest of the encounter.Instead, you gain a +2 power bonus to all attack rollsand a +5 power bonus to all damage rolls againstmarked targets.


Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Area burst 1 within 5 squaresRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: Two creatures in the burst that must be adjacentto each other. You must designate a primary targetbetween the two.Attack: Strength vs AC (primary target) and Strength vsReflex (secondary target)Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage (primary target)

and 1[W] + Strength modifier damage (secondary target)Special: If both attacks hit, both targets are consideredgrabbed (save ends).

Chain Bolo Fighter Attack 17Seizing the advantage, you hurl your flail to catch both guardsbeside the door.


18/62

18


Daily • Martial, Reliable, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs AC (two attacks)Hit: 3[W] damage + Strength modifier damage (bothattacks)Sustain Standard: You can use this power on your nextturn but you suffer a -5 penalty to your AC, Fortitude,and Reflex defenses until the start of the following turn.This attack can only be sustained for one additionalround.Miss: Half damage and you take a -2 penalty to AC until

the start of your next turn. You cannot sustain this power.

Backhand Strike Fighter Attack 19 After your weapon bites into your foe, you get your chain tofollow up from behind.


Weapon Shift Fighter Utility 22Using your weapon, you wade through the combat to get to thefoe you choose.

Daily • MartialMove Action PersonalRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Effect: Using your weapon, you wade through thecombat to get to the foe you choose.



Standard Action Close burst 1Requirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: All enemies in the burstAttack: Strength vs ReflexHit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. You can push,pull, or slide the target a number of squares equal toyour Strength modifier and make a secondary attack Secondary Attack: Strength vs Fortitude Hit: The target is knocked prone and dazed (save ends)

Chain Scythe Fighter Attack 23 Arcing the chain on your weapon you push, pull, and slide yourfoes before tripping them up.


Daily • Martial, Reliable, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage and make asecondary attack against the same target

Secondary Attack: Strength vs Reflex Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage. You can shiftone square and make a third attack against the sametarget Tertiary Attack: Strength vs Fortitude Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage and slide thetarget one square.Miss: Half damage and you can slide or push the targetone square.

Get Out Alive Fighter Attack 25Practice pays off as your weapon bites one target, your chainslaps another, and the butt of the handle smacks a third.


19/62

19



Daily • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Melee weaponRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Effect: You can make a saving throw as a free actionagainst the dazed and immobilized conditions.Target: One creatureAttack: Strength vs ACHit: 4[W] + Strength modifier damage. You can changesquares with the target and make a secondary attackagainst a different target. This does not provoke anopportunity attack. Secondary Attack: Strength vs AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. You shift backto your original square, return the primary target to itsoriginal square, and make a tertiary attack against theprimary target. Tertiary Attack: Strength + 2 vs AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, swap places

with the primary target, and end all marks against youMiss: Half damage and you are no longer dazed orimmobilized.

Chain Dance Fighter Attack 29You weave through your enemies, gaining the advantage toattack your first foe again.

[ insert yourad here ]

We’re accepting banners, quarter-page, half-page andfull-page ads from independent publishersfor upcoming and/or existing 4e products

and it’s always FREE.

Plus, we accept previews of any sizefor inclusion of any upcoming issue of CA.

Need more [email protected]

Chain to the Wall Fighter Attack 27Hurling your weapon at your foes you manage to bind them uplong enough for you to follow up with another attack.

Encounter • Martial, WeaponStandard Action Area burst 1 within 5 squaresRequirement: You must be wielding a flail.Target: Two adjacent creatures in the burst

Effect: You gain a +2 power bonus to speed until the endof your next turn.Attack: Strength vs ACHit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage and the target isimmobilized until the start of its next turn Secondary Target: One primary targetSecondary Attack: Strength vs Fortitude

Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage and the target isimmobilized (save ends)


20/62

ADVENTURE


21/62

21


22/62

INTRODUCTION

THERE A RENOSPOONS is a short 1st level adventure for 5 characters

utilizing the 4th Edition D&DTM Ruleset. The adventure consists of 1combat encounter and 1 optional encounter / skill challenge, and is designed

to be played in roughly 2-3 hours.

A DVENTURE S YNOPSI S

A small child goes missing from The Fickle Fate Inn as a twitchy gnome

starts prying into people's business. But the big problem, says the innkeeper,

is the stew: it's going cold and unsold because there are no spoons to eat it

with. What's going on? Is it mischievous gremlins like the innkeeper suspects,or is something more sinister at work?

A DVENTURE B ACKGROUND

The Fickle Fate Inn is the setting for the entirety ofTHERE A RENOSPOONS.

Big Rom -- a rotund man with a cloudy left eye and a short temper -- runs the

Fickle Fate, and the regulars all swear to the deliciousness of his specialty:

boar stew. Just last week he was serving so much of it that he ran out of

silverware, and sacked the dish washer he suspected of stealing forks and

spoons behind his back. Since then, things have just gotten worse: now

there's barely a utensil in the whole place.

Tonight, things have reached a head: not a single patron has anything but

bread to scrape their stew bowl with. Everyone's complaining, except an

energetic gnome named Chide who giggles constantly while surreptitiously

brushing close to the patrons. Big Rom's angry, taking it out on his son

Littney, a gawky boy who busses the tables with a sullen air. When Rom

makes a comment about his orphan friend Waif, Littney bursts into tears.

Waif has gone missing, just as the spoons have.

Rom, who suspects gremlins are at fault, asks the party to investigate his

basement where the children are known to play.

DM INFORMATION

The adventure occurs in the damp basement of the Inn. As the party

descends into its depths, they will battle a group of oozing slimes that feed off

the entrails of boar remains -- and human flesh as well. They will alsodiscover the nature of the mystery has nothing to do with gremlins. It is the

children who have been stealing spoons and leaving them as food for their

new pet: an oxide horror. The gnome, Chide, suspects the horror's presence,

and longs to acquire the magical essence absorbed into its organs. It's up to

the party to decide how to resolve the situation.

M AIN HOOK

THERE A RENOSPOONS is meant to be a self-contained adventure to bedropped into any inn or tavern setting. The adventurers may have any

number of reasons to be there, but the simplest urge is likely: the party is

hungry or thirsty, and they stumble upon a small mystery while there.

Alternate Hook #1

The party is in need of a custom crafted magic item. They are sent to find

Chide, who is staking out the Inn. Chide will ask the party to order some

22


23/62

stew and watch their reactions; when Rom asks for assistance, Chide will

volunteer him and the party eagerly.

Alternate Hook #2

The party hears a commotion on the streets: a drunkard is telling off Rom,

who swings him hammy fist and puts the man on his back. Frustrated, he

calls out an offer of free food, drink, and lodging to anyone who can help him

with a tiny problem.

CHARACTER : CHIDE , THE GNOME

Chide is an apprentice magic item crafter who works for a well-respectedmagic item merchant in town. His behavior ranges from slightly odd to

bizarre: he bounces and twitches, seemingly oblivious to the reactions of the

people around him. In fact, he is slightly addicted to raw magical essence

from working with it intimately, and is desperate to acquire some more from

the beast he suspects lives below the inn.

Despite his unusual behavior, he is optimistic and eager to accompany the

party to the basement, with the intent of being there when the oxide horror is

discovered. He will not fight pro-actively, but will throw daggers to protecthimself if attacked.

If the party agrees to give him the magical residuum, he will pay market price

for it and offer to sell magic items at a discount (20%), or craft an item of

their choice from the essence for free. He will leave without violence if the

party spares the oxide horror, but in that case will not deal with the

adventurers in any way for services or goods.

THE FICKLE F ATE INN

The players enter the Fickle Fate, a broad-beamed tavern with a deliciously

pungent smell hanging in the air. Grumbling patrons are hunched over their

stew bowls, slurping the food down noisily. Occasionally one yells something

like "This is ridiculous, Rom!" before a glare puts him back in his place.

As soon as the players come in, Chide the Gnome approaches them and

directs them to sit down, as if he was a waiter. Whether the party does or not,he advises them to order the stew and "see what happens." He then retreats

to a corner, keeping a watchful eye on the party and occasionally giggling.

Either by ordering or looking around, the party notices that there are no

spoons in the place. Big Rom, appearing on the edge of a breakdown,

interrupts them before they can ask any questions.

Big Rom: Where are the spoons, eh? Yeah, good question. I thought it

was that lousy dishwasher pilfering them, but I gave him the sack lastweek and they just keep disappearing. My whole damn stock is gone!

Well, now I know what it is -- it's gremlins! What other creature is going

to steal my bloody spoons, eh? And - and I can hear the mischievous

little chits sometimes.. jingling little bells. They go crazy for bells.. any

time they see one they just can't stand not to ring it...

23


24/62

Littney, where are you running off to? And where is that waif orphan

friend of yours? She never done missed a chance at some stew scraps in

her life!

Big Rom heads after his son, who bursts into tears. After a muffled

conversation, punctuated by Littney runs off to the rooms upstairs, Rom

returns to the party and explains the situation.

Big Rom: Well, this is a bad business. That little girl ran off to the

basement where she and my boy are always playing around, and she

ain't be seen for the whole day. Damn me if those gremlins ain't to

blame. Who knows what they done to her -- will you please take a look

down there and see if you can find her?

Chide gets up quickly and inserts himself into the conversation. If the party is

hesitant or spends time bartering, he volunteers himself as well as the party.

Either way, he insists on coming along to the basement. Should the party be

forceful, he will wait in the basement anteroom and follow along later.

Rom directs the party to the basement, but won't enter himself - he appearsquite scared of the possibility of gremlins. However, he offers the party a

lantern in exchange for their assistance.

Big Rom: It's dark as hag's hair down there. You're welcome to this

lantern I got; some fancy robed customer paid off his tab with it some

months back. Said it was completely broken, but it works well enough

for my eyes. Here...

Rom blows on the flame, hands over the lamp and beckons you down the

basement stairwell.

TREASURE PREPARATION

Par ce l 1 : App ren tice' s T ric k Lante rn

Par ce l 2 : Ers atz D agg er

Par ce l 3 : 650 gp worth o f r esi duu m

Par ce l 4 : 25 gp or 75gp

24


25/62

THE TRICK L ANTERN

Pay special attention to the party's lighting prep at the beginning of theadventure. They may be suspicious of the circumstances by which the

lantern came into Rom's possession, and equip themselves with additional

light sources. Alternately, they may be lulled into a false sense of security by

the lamp and the blazing sconces in the basement landing (A1). Other than

the first area, only the Heroes "Hide Away" (A2) has dim lighting: the two

possible combat locations are completely dark, and if the lantern suddenly

goes out, the enemies will be at a strong advantage.

It's entirely possible that a party without arcane casters will go the entireadventure without discovering the lamp's quirk -- in that case, they'll be all

the more surprised the first time an enemy fires off arcane magic at them.

25


26/62

A1 : THE UNFINISHED B ASEMENT

The party descends into the basement's anteroom.

Read or paraphrase:

From the light of the wall sconces and Rom's lamp, you can see that

this basement is damp and disused. Half-finished cobblestone is laid

out for a few feet before ending in the natural cave floor.

When the party reaches the boulders at the end of the path, read or

paraphrase:

At the end of the path there are a group of stacked rocks that overhand

a short drop-down of about 5 feet to another branch of the cave. Next

to a narrow cleft above the boulders leading east, there is a crudely

drawn sign that reads:

Heroes Hide Away: No Dads Allowed

Although it is not difficult to reach, the cleft leading to A3 is a very tight area

-- only small creatures can make it through and are forced to squeeze. IfChide the Gnome is accompanying the party, he will volunteer to investigate

if they desire him to.

Features of the Area:

Illumination: Dimly Lit

Ceiling: 10 feet

Boulders: Characters can make a Perception check of Hard Difficulty

(DC: 15) to reveal that the boulders are stacked over a tangle of small bells

and clackers hung by twine. This is meant to be an alarm system for thechildren's hideout, but triggering the alarm will result in the slimes in A2

being warned of the party's presence. When the party scrambles over the

boulders to reach the cleft or continue to A2, make an Athletics check of

Medium Difficulty (DC: 10) to determine if they climb without setting off

the alarm. If they have detected the trap but not disabled it, the check should

be Easy Difficulty (DC: 5).

26


27/62

A2 : R EFUSE PIT - COMBAT ENCOUNTER (L VL 1 / 600

XP)

Setup:

4 Cellular Slimes (S)

Read or paraphrase:

As you turn a sharp corner, you are greeted by a caustic odor. Bits of

phosphorescent goo cling to the walls; a particularly long streak of

slime funnels down to a metal grating in the corner, directly beneath a

roughly chiseled hole in the ceiling. Based on the position of thekitchen above and the shards of bone littered about, you can easily

guess that this is the inn's refuse hole, but there are no large piles of

slop. Something must be feeding on the debris -- probably something

like the rippling blobs of glowing mucous that are clinging to the rocky

walls.

If the party has set off the alarm in area A1, the slimes get a surprise round

consisting of one standard action each. One slime is hiding in the grate

below; this slime forgoes the surprise attack and waits until a full round has

passed or a character comes within the slimy terrain area to appear and

attack.

When the players can see the area to the east of the grate, read or paraphrase:

You notice some fresh bones laying on the floor next to a brightly

colored doll. The bones are undoubtedly human, belonging to a small

child. This really couldn't be anyone else than the young girl Waif, her

flesh scrubbed clean from her bones by the monstrous oozes.

27


28/62

Tactics:

The slimes attempt to hide in small areas where Medium or Larger creatures

area forced to squeeze at a disadvantage, then strike when their foes areclose. If the party is hesitant or fires ranged attacks from a safe position, the

slimes in open areas close quickly while the others retreat to the tight spaces

to the east.


Illumination: Dark

Height: 15 feet

Slime: A Perception check of Easy Difficulty (DC: 5) will tell any

character that the slimy area looks thick, sticky and noxious. Characters who

enter the slime are slowed and take 1d4 acid damage at the start of their turn

while in the slime. The creatures are not affected negatively by the slime.

Tight Spaces: All squares marked ]M[ on the map require squeezing for

medium sized creatures; large creatures will not fit. The slimes do not takeany penalties from squeezing.

28


29/62

A3 : THE HEROES "HIDE A W AY "

If any characters have squeezed into this small space, read or paraphrase the

following (Chide will relate something similar to the party if he is the onlyone in the space):

The jagged cleft gives way to surprisingly cheery hole, lit by an oil

lamp. An old rug and pillow offer a decently comfortable, if

distastefully dirty, corner to sit in. Several dirty toy soldiers lay

around, as does a bowl with a half-dozen of the missing spoons. There

is a slightly rancid smell, like a tallow candle that is sputtering out.

There is a dark slope to the south, covered in a pitch-like substance.

The slope is slicked with rancid boar fat that has turned black over time, and

it serves as a dirty but entertaining slide for Rom's son and the waif. The slide

descends 5 feet to area A4.

If alone, Chide will not attempt to slide down this passage until he hears or

sees the light of the party at A4; he will also not return to the party, claiming

he is stuck in a crevice, while he watches the lair for signs of the oxide horror.


Illumination: Dimly Lit

Ceiling: 5 feet

Tight Squeeze: Areas marked ]S[ on the map can only be reached by small

size creatures who are squeezing.

Slippery Slide: Characters who step on the slippery terrain may make an

Acrobatics check of Medium Difficulty (DC: 10) to stay upright; if they

fail, they fall prone sliding several squares and to land in the pile of oldclothing in A4. They take no damage from the fall. Characters may climb

back up the rope ladder without a check, but will have to repeat the

Acrobatics check if they want to return to the Hide Away.

29


30/62

A4: THE L AI R OF MISTER SNIFFLES

The party may approach this position, perhaps split, from the Refuse Pit(A2) or the "Hide Away" (A3).

If from A3, read or paraphrase:

You shoot down a greasy slope at high speed before being ejected into

the air and deposited on a massive pile of filthy clothing. You lie

prone, apparently unharmed, and with a strong sense that the last few

seconds were meant to be "fun".

From either location, read or paraphrase:

The cave walls reach up high here, forming a wide pit. A rope ladder

leads up the northwestern wall into a dark hole above the dirty clothes.

On far eastern side of the south wall, someone has left a few odd items

strewn about: a water bucket, a colorful hat, and a wooden hand

mirror. They appear almost as an offering -- perhaps left to the source

of the chuffing sound hidden in a cleft to the south. Whatever lies there

seems reluctant to leave its hiding place.

If part or all of the party approaches, the oxide horror comes out of theshadows. When the party can see the monster, read or paraphrase:

The creature before you is bug-like, with a chitinous reddish-gold shell,

a whipping tail and a mouth with delicate antennae that are

constantly sniffing the air about it. Strange blue streaks glow in the

cracks of its carapace.

The monster will attempt to avoid combat at first, remaining in hiding ifpossible. If members of the party approach too closely, it will charge out

without attacking, then retreat to its hole. If it is attacked or directlythreatened at any point by the party, a full combat encounter occurs.

30


31/62

Once the party has arrived in full, it hears wailing from the north: Littney has

found the remains of Waif. At this point, if Chide has not yet joined the

party, he will climb down from the "Hide Away" and encourage the party toapproach and kill whatever beast lies there.

Chide: Oh, can you hear that!? It sounds monstrous! I think we'd better

dispatch it quickly!

At the same time, the party hears a sobbing cry from Littney:

Littney: Please, don't hurt Mister Sniffles! He's our pet!

Given the chance, Chide will admit to the party that he has suspected the

nature of the monster all along, and will describe how he can extract the

magical residue from its corpse if they kill it -- in which case, utilize the

combat encounter. If the players hesitate or decide not to kill the oxide

horror, Mr. Sniffles will approach hesitantly, but then firmly, sniffing the air

and seeking out the best magical item in the area with intent. You may run

this encounter as a skill challenge.


Illumination: Dark

Ceiling: 20 Feet

Ledges: There is a drop off of 5 feet leading from A2. The oxide horror

cannot or will not climb over the ledge back in this direction.

31


32/62

A4 -A : COMBAT ENCOUNTER (OPTIONAL - L VL 1 /

400 XP)

Setup:

1 Oxide Horror (X)

Tactics:

The oxide horror is hungry and will prefer to use attacks that destroy magic

items or arms/armor. He has no escape route from his lair, and will fight

until death -- darting in and out with Corroding Lunge from one PC to the

next and rarely concentrating its attacks. When cornered, the horror utilizes

its Tail Whip to extricate itself.

32


33/62

A4 -B : SK I LL CHA LLE NG E (O PTI ONA L - L VL 1 / 40 0

XP )

This is a skill challenge of Complexity 1, indicating 4 successes are required

before 3 failures.

The oxide horror will press hungrily until he has eaten three metal items of

significant mass. The party may feed it any metal objects they have ready in

their hands; otherwise the monster goes directly for the most expensive

magical item in the party, or barring that, the most expensive armor or

weapon. The amount of metal required is up to the DM; for comparison

purposes, treat the half-dozen spoons in the hideaway as 1 metal object.

The adventurers undoubtedly have mundane metal objects in their packs;

assume that the skill challenge involves misdirecting or staving off the

monster until they have time to dig through their possessions. Allow the

party to sacrifice items to stall or gain successes. Individual failures result in

one of the character's items being eaten. If the party feeds the monster or

stalls long enough to use mundane pack items (or perhaps the spoons from

the hide-away), the monster is tamed. If the party fails, the monster becomes

enraged with their deceptions and attacks. The essence of any magical items

the monster has eaten during the skill challenge can be recovered as magical

residue.

Possible skills:

Feeding the Monster: may be used to gain 3 successes. There is no failure

unless the party offers the monster a non-metallic item, in which case 1

failure is earned. Small metal items do not count as a success unless the DM

judges them worthwhile.

Acrobatics (DC: 10), avoids getting an item eaten, no success

Arcana (DC: 15), may be used to gain 1 success or failure. Confuses the

monster into believing something is filled with magical essence, gaining time.

Athletics (DC: 10), a threatened item can be thrown to a safe ledge or a

character may try to leave the monster's reach, no success

Dungeoneering (DC: 5), may be used to gain 1 success or failure. A

character familiar with the oxide horror's nature knows how to confuse its

senses and buy time.

Stealth (DC: 5), a player hides from the monster, keeping their items safe,

no success

Thievery (DC: 10), may be used to gain 1 success or 1 failure. A player

juggles a metal item in and out of the creature's senses, delaying itsuccessfully or annoying it with a failure.

R E S OLU TI ON

If the characters tame the monster, Littney is pleased, while Rom is far less so

-- he will inform the party he isn't overjoyed to be caring for a metal-eating

monster, but he is happy than his son is alive. He'll pay the party 25 gold, and

33


34/62

Littney will give the party a "treat" he previously made that Mr. Sniffles didn't

like -- an Ersatz Dagger worth 520 gp. Chide leaves the inn, disappointed

and unwilling to parley with the party any further.

If the monster is killed, Littney is distraught and runs off. Rom offers the

party 75 gold and free room and board for a month. The monster contains

salvageable residuum worth 650 gp. Chide offers to buy the magical essence

from the party as per his character description, or make them an item of their

choice with the residue.

A BOUT THIS A DVENTURE

Writing, layout & cartography by Alan "Xahlt" Glover

Art Resources: Cecil Solomon for the CSUAC and the Map Tools ,

Dundjinni & Cartographer's Guild communities for the Mapping Pack

Special thanks to Emerald Press Publishing and Todd Crapper!

34

REVIEW


35/62

REVIEW

Review:

The Realms of Chirakfrom Zodiac Gods Publishing

Creating a fantasy campaign is no small feat, and Dungeon Mastersoften spend hours each week working to create a cohesive and

interesting storyline to entertain their Players. But only a few DMscan find the time to create an entire campaign world; most often

settle for one of the pre-built worlds provided by Wizards of theCoast, such as the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, or the new Dark Sun

Setting. But these settings have been around for years, and existed long before D&D 4E came into being. Although Players and

Dungeon Masters have enjoyed many adventures in these “official” worlds , they might find their campaigns dulled by over familiarity

with the source material.

by Michael “Neuroglyph” Evans

Enter the GSL Publishers. Some GSL Publishers have created new and unique campaign

settings for use with 4E that are markedly different than the worldsettings offered by WotC. And Zodiac Gods Publishing is oneexample, offering new vistas to explore in fantasy role-playing with Te Realms of Chirak Campaign Setting .

The Realms of Chirak Author: Nicholas Torbin Bergquist

Illustrators: Simon Tranter (cover), Jody Bergquist, ToriBergquist, Mark Hughey, Louis Porter, Jr., PaulSlinger, Character Portraits: Fantasy Heroes series, and ForeverPeople Games (interior)

Publisher: Zodiac Gods Publishing

Year: 2010

Media: PDF (305 pages)

Cost: $12.95

Te Realms of Chirak is a fantasy role-playing settingfor Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, set in a post-apocalyptic world after a war between the gods and ancient demi-godlikeraces had all but destroyed it. e world setting comes with a bookcomplete with seven new races, as well as wide range of existing4E races which have been altered to fit into the new setting, with supporting information regarding racial history and attitudes,as well as statistics and new abilities. ere is also a gazetteerof the known world, along with a collection of maps, detailing

the various lands which make up the realm. e author providesa detailed history of Chirak, from the time of the ancientapocalypse through the current times in the realm, includinga timeline of eventswith special DM information on key eventsthat Players might only discover through years of investigation andplay about what “really” happened to the ancients and the gods. ere are also nearly 40 new monsters native to e Realms ofChirak, as well as 5 new implements, 26 new artificer devices, and2 new artifacts – the Zodiac Stone and Zodiac Shard which canlead Characters to become new deities to replace the lost gods!

Production Quality


36/62

36

Production Quality e Production Quality of Te Realms of Chirak is generallygood, with the material in the sourcebook presented in formatsexpected by 4E gamers. ere are a few typos scattered throughoutthe document, but overall the document is fairly tidy. e formattingof the document is a fairly simple two-column with the occasionalcolored header or table, and as such, is presented to be relativelyprinter-friendly, assuming one would want to print the more than 300pages of the sourcebook on paper. ere is some really imaginative

writing and creativity about the post-apocalyptic world in Te Realmsof Chirak on the part of the author, and the content is presentedin a logical fashion.

It should be noted that although there are numerous referencesto Character races and feats, as well as an epic tier path that leadsto becoming a new god in the world, this book is not designedfor Players. Although presented logically, the majority of the materialis designed for Dungeon Masters’ eyes only, and DMs would needto take excerpts from the main book to use as hand outs to Playersin order to avoid spoilers.

Unfortunately, Te Realms of Chirak has no indexor PDFbookmarks, leaving only a table of contents to guide thereader through a massive amount of material. Considering the sizeof the ebook, this is a fairly negligent omission on the partof the publisher, and makes reading the content almost an ordeal. e artwork in Te Realms of Chirak ranges from stock to average

to good depending on the piece, and the publisher pulled in artworkfrom a wide variety of sources to illustrate the ebook. Overall,most of the artwork is decent, and provides some enhancementto the reading of the content. Because the artwork comes fromso many different sources, the reader might be presented with a

color illustration on one page, followed by a woodcut on the next, which is not always aesthetically pleasing.

e maps from Te Realms of Chirak also range in quality fromaverage to good. Most are line drawings by the author, and actuallyshow a certain flair, but some might consider them too simple giventhe number of mapping and cartographic applications availablefor sale or even as f reeware. e author is kind enough to provide allthe maps as .bmp files which are separate f rom the main sourcebook,allowing Dungeon Masters to print and use them. Disappointingly,several of the maps have become pixilated in the scanning, and do not

enlarge sufficiently to read the legends and notes on the map.

The Setting Chapter I – e Realms of Chirak: a discussion of the world


37/62

37

The SettingIn his introduction the author discusses how he came to create

Te Realms of Chirak around a different premise than typical fantasy worlds – that of a world re-emerging after a magical apocalypse:

Chirak sprang to life in the summer of 1992 whenI decided it was time to run Runequest again, andI was interested in exploring some story ideas for

a fantasy setting that I couldn’t easily fit in to myalready overflowing home-grown campaign world.After some brain storming, I took a module I hadwritten for a Gamma World one-shot I had run ayear earlier, and thought it would be interesting ifthe real twist on an apocalyptic setting was thatit was actually a fantasy world, and not our owndistant future, in which the adventures took place.

Geographically, e Realms of Chirak are very similar to Earth,

but the world was ravaged by a terrible war in the distant past,unleashing forces that not only slew all the gods, but still continueto threaten the planet in the current campaign setting. Many partsof the planet are still dangerous and even uninhabitable, leavingonly a collection of countries and lands surrounding the Sea ofChirak as the “known” world. But this area is still vast and diverse,and contains a wide variety of political factions, cults, monsters,and other “hooks” from which many campaigns can be created.In fact, much of the material contained in Te Realms of Chirak is generic enough that it could be used with almost any Fantasy Role-Playing Game system, but the author chose to make the “crunchier”

parts of the ebook for D&D 4E. Te Realms of Chirak ebook is divided into nine Chapters,

covering nearly every topic one would need to createan adventure or a whole campaign using this setting.Each chapter is further broken into smaller sections for easierreference - but although each of these is listed in the tableof contents, it is still difficult to navigate through the PDF,as the page number listed does not correspond with the PDFpage counter. Here is a listing of the chapters and a general overviewof the content:

Chapter I – e Realms of Chirak: a discussion of the worldhistory, including a chronology of events.

Chapter II – Races of Chirak: details on the Player Character racespresent in Chirak, including the new races, as well as the variationson existing races detailed by WotC.

Chapter III – Cults and Orders of Chirak: a listing of academic,fraternal, and religious organizations, and several new magicalmethodologies used in the setting.

Chapter IV – e Divine Hierarchy: an explanation of religiousbelief in a world without true gods, and information on false deities,demiurges, and the Zodiac Stone artifacts.

Chapter V – A Gazetteer of the Realms of Chirak: a glossaryof the lands and countries of Chirak, including political andgeographical information, and assorted detailed maps of the world.

Chapter VI – e Monstrous Appendix: a monster manualof the eleven new general monster types, and statistic blocks for thenearly 40 new creatures native to the campaign setting.

Chapter VII – Story Arcs of Chirak: details on seven campaign

arcs used by the author over the years of developing Te Realmsof Chirak.

Chapter VIII – A Guide to the Planar Realms and Astrophysicsof Chirak: discussions on the cosmology of the world setting,as well as details about other planets which orbit the same star as thecampaign world.

Chapter IX – Artifacts & Devices: a listing of new gadgetsand tools that can be created by artificers in the campaignsetting, ranging from mundane tools to quasi-magical devices,and even primitive firearms.

ere is also an appendix of a campaign that was runby the playtesters (Legacy of Mardieur Mardieux), and includessome interesting information on relevant NPCs and PCsas well as a plotline and other interesting information.

Given the nature of Te Realms of Chirak and the overall sizeof the ebook, it is difficult to list accounting for all the little detailsplaced in the setting by the author. However, there are certain aspectsthat should be highlighted as fairly important to consider. e history of the world setting is quite intriguing, with a

very different take on fantasy role-playing than other settingson the market. One could draw certain similarities between

Te Realms of Chirak and Dark Sun, but the feel of this world

is very different than that of Athas. Many aspects of the ancient war I really liked the new artificer created items, which in


38/62

38

y y pcontinue to pop up from time to time, and the author has plentyof suggestions on how to use the “ancients” and archeological findsas part of campaigns. In fact, the author even admits that DMscould run e Realms of Chirak as a post-apocalyptic setting froman advanced technological society of ancients rather than oneof magic and warring gods: Although this is all assumed to be magic, it’s the old adage

of Arthur C. Clark stated that any sufficiently advanced technology

will be indistinguishable from magic. is “alternative world” conceptfor Chirak is something a DM could play with for a unique twist: what if all the magical technology and ancient artifacts of the lostempires are, in fact, technological devices?

In this variant on Chirak, minotaurs, ogres, centaurs, and otherbeings become genetically uplifted engineered races. Animatesbecome true machines, sentient robots instead of sentient golems.Magical effects are psionic, or tap in to some sort of quantumenergy to create reality distortions that work to the desired effectof the projector. Flying ships are really sophisticated and stylizedaircraft, either using some form of known propulsion or a sophisticated

form of anti-gravity. e Zodiac Stones aren’t just magical devicesfor divine power, they’re potent artifacts of a far-future technologyin which the device itself harvests and directs the energy of adistant singularity, managed by the controlling AI in the latticeworkof the crystal to serve the needs of the stone-bearer. And with regards to the races, as discussed in the excerpt

above, the author clearly felt that nothing should be excluded fromthe campaign setting. Player-Characters in Te Realms of Chirak have access to almost every standard PC Race - withsome modifications induced by the nature of the setting -

as well as a number of very unique new races ranging from monsterslike minotaurs and ogres, and even to animated armored machineentities called Animates (similar to Warforged). And in theexisting Character races, there are some very interesting variations,such as how Halflings are seafaring wanderers, or how gnomesand goblins are two forms of the same species! In the post-apocalypticsetting of Te Realms of Chirak, many races are thrown together intocommunities of surprising diversity, and this too makes the settingquite different in feel than other fantasy realms.

y ,many respects are ancient devices from our own world history,but transposed to this fantasy setting. Items like water clocks,telescopes, and sextants can be made and used by all adventurersin the course of their questing across the world. And other items likecalculating machines, elemental locators, and spell activation devicesallow artificers to create quasi-magical gizmos which have a wide-range of usefulness to heroes of all types. Black-powder firearmsand bombs have also been created for the world setting, although

their reload times (6 standard actions) make using them exclusivelyin combat somewhat prohibitive. But still, there is somethingexciting about imagining a Dwarf Ranger opening the combat with a blunderbuss twin strike, or a Halfling Rogue performing asly flourish with his sword pistol, stabbing and blasting his enemy with one nasty weapon!

ConclusionOverall, Te Realms of Chirak impressed me with the scope

of the campaign setting’s details, but somewhat overwhelmedme with its excessive diversity. It is apparent that this campaignsetting has grown rather organically over years of play, and managedto embrace many fantasy and science fiction concepts. In somerespects, this setting is a “stone soup” of fan-boy concepts, bringingtogether all manner of fantasy and sci-fi elements into one BIGpot. But perhaps bringing together too much can be as troublesomeas not having enough when deciding what to add to a setting.

Although the production values are generally good, they coulddefinitely be better. However, they are adequate enough to makeTe Realms of Chirak a solid product and a unique and accessiblecampaign world. Dungeon Masters will have no problem creating

a wide-range of appealing campaigns and adventures in this post-apocalyptic fantasy world setting and, to many 4E gamers, there willbe a certain attraction to the diversity of this type of world. Afterall, as with any richly detailed campaign setting, DMs can alwaysedit down those aspects which do not meet their own needs and vision for a D&D 4E campaign. And given its scope, the size of theebook, and all the material and content, Te Realms of Chirak has aprice tag which is modest enough to make it worth recommendingto the D&D 4E gaming community.

ADVENTURE


39/62

Mind & Iron is a short adventure designed for ve 7th

to 9th-level adventurers. The rural farming village of

Casai was not prepared for Movasi and his Magni-

cent Mechanicals of Mind and Iron, automated mecha-

nisms that have begun replacing the villagers, one by

one.

The players will ght o a pride of hungry lions,

then follow the clues to Movasi’s shop, where they will ght some of the new mechanicals he has cre-

ated before confronting Movasi himself in the heart

of his factory.

The farming community of Casai is a long way from

the modern cities of the world in both distance and

mind-set; the lavish comforts of such ivory towersand luxurious markets are of no concern to those liv-

ing o the land—survival is their only self-indulgence.

All alone in the rural wilderness, each day brings

a new diculty that threatens to snatch away the

eeting and precious lives of the vulnerable villagers;

packs of wild animals, inclement weather, and dis-

ease could deal irreparable damage to a community

reliant on every last body to survive. Without enough

farmers, ranchers, or guards, the community would

starve or fall to predators and be wiped out, making

procreation an urgent necessity in Casai; each child

works to take over the duties of their family until they

have children of their own.

Although life is tough in Casai, the community is

at least free from the troubles of the modern world.

There are no power struggles or mindless wars;

any loss of life would slow down crop and livestock

production and cause a famine that few would

survive. But regardless of the dangers, those in Casaiserve themselves and no other master—they work

their own elds, grow their own food, and spend

their nights together in song and dance, free from

the greedy and oppressive grasp of kings and their

titles. The children are taught this early and often,

and even though passing travelers and their stories

pique interest in the pleasures found in the outside

world, few are willing to leave their families behind,

unprotected. After all, there is joy to be found in a

simple life.

However, the simple life of Casai has suddenly

become a little complicated with the arrival of a mys-

terious merchant promising the end to all worldly

inconvenience. The trader, an eccentric eladrin arti-

cer named Movasi, has come to Casai to set up his

unique shop: Movasi’s Magnicent Mechanicals of Mind

and Iron, a magical emporium of custom-designed

automated machines, capable of everything a human

could do—and more. Isolated from guild laws andprying eyes, Movasi has replicated a girl from the vil-

lage and sent back a magical automaton in her place.

His deception in the open, the villagers seek help

in nding the girl and bringing justice to Movasi for

his crime, and, more importantly, protecting their

beloved children—the future of Casai depends on it.

Mind & Iron is designed as a short, one-shot adven-

ture that guides the players through the story with a

series of related encounters.

Though they are presented in a particular order,

the encounters can vary or be used wherever they

might t within your narrative. There are a couple

of hooks provided to move the adventure along, and

each encounter includes avor text to transition into

the next area.

Encounter 1: The Plains of Casai

The players stumble upon a small pride of lions that have

just killed a young girl; the beasts attack the intruders to

defend their prey.

Encounter 2: The Showroom

The players enter Movasi’s shop, and are attacked by an as-

sortment of mechanicals from the articer’s display area.

Encounter 3: The Assembly LineThe players corner Movasi in the assembly line of his shop,

and must defeat him and the mechanicals defending him.

M IND& I RON A short adventure for ve players By Corwin Riddle

6

5 Complexity

Difficulty Heroic

8

ADVENTURE

When you are ready to start the adventure, read: when possible, often all in the same turn, so they


40/62

Each of the encounters has a map you can cut out

and use:

Encounter 1: The Plains of Casai

Maps: M1a, M1b, M1c, M1d

Encounter 2: The Showroom

Maps: M2a, M2b

Encounter 3: The Assembly Line

Maps: M3a, M3b, M3c, M3d

E n c o u n t e r L e v e l 7 ( 1 7 5 0 X P )

To start the adventure, the players should be travel-ling somewhere and pass through an area known

as the Plains of Casai, a rural and dangerous area of

open wilderness. Tell your players the history of Ca-

sai and its people, or let them roll knowledge checks

to determine what they know:

History (DC 12): Casai is well-known for its populationof farmers who endure its harsh conditions and dangerouscreatures.

History (DC 16): It has been said that the farmers ofCasai prefer to deal with the dangers themselves and stayindependent of the many surrounding cities that wouldeagerly protect them in exchange for controlling part oftheir crop.

When you are ready to start the adventure, read:

As you cross through the waist-high, golden grass of the

plains of Casai, a terried scream tears across the open air.

Up ahead, barely within sight, is a young woman sprint-

ing toward you, waving her arms frantically as she tries to

move quickly toward the tall grass. Within seconds of notic-

ing her, you see a large, tan shape emerge from the grass,

claws and teeth showing as it pounces—the woman’s voice

cuts out immediately. Nature (DC 12): You recognize the animal as goldenmonarchs; giant lions and erce predators of the plains,known for their ambush tactics—they rarely hunt alone.

Perception (DC 16): Though currently you only see one ofthe animals, you could have sworn you spotted several otherareas of the grass moving—you don’t think it was the wind.

When your players near the woman, read:

The woman fell between an outcropping of large stones in

the middle of the plains. As you near the area, you see a ju- venile lion standing proudly over the woman. It growls and

bares its teeth at your presence. The sound is echoed almost

immediately in louder, deeper tones, and another, much

larger adult lion appears atop one of the rocks.

The young monarch and the one visible adult mon-

arch will try to lure the players further into the rock

outcropping, where the two hidden adult monarchsawait, hidden in the grass. The hidden adult mon-

archs will attempt to begin combat with Crushing

Pounce, taking advantage of the bonus damage, while

trying to end their turns close enough to the other

lions to give either combat advantage or multiple at-

tacks against the same player—the lions prefer to take

down one player at a time, if possible.

The young monarch knows it is the weakest and

will try to stay on the edge of combat, rushing in to

take advantage of Pride of the Pride when applicable.

All of the lions will do their best to use In the Weeds

when possible, often all in the same turn, so they

can pounce on vulnerable p

Documents

Combat Advantage 18