Revoking the Invitation – Encounter – CftD 10

This encounter is designed to be the tenth and final encounter in the “Chalice for the Devourer” beta testing Adventure. It is a boss fight encounter.

Overview

Type: Boss Fight

Location: At a meditation well, outside Plateveta

Outline:

• Introduction
• Action
• Post Action (“Chalice for the Devourer” Adventure)

NPCs:

• Allied:
  • Expulsior Tome
• Neutral
  • None
• Hostile
  • Joseph Cartage/Chalice for the Devourer

Location

Map should be medium to large and (20+x20+) with a well and stature of the Beloved Mother in the middle.

A large cliff face should be along one side of the map.

Expulsior Tome and Joseph Cartage stand at the well, next to the statue.

Players choose their location around the map.

Introduction

The weary party arrives at Plataveta, and hastens their steps towards the Reliquary. They are met at the gates by Paladin Guards who challenge the Expulsior (this can be role played if desired). They were expecting the Expulsior and his charge but deny him entrance, making him wait for the Abbot, the head of the monastery and reliquary.

After a brief wait the Abbot appears at the gate and explains they have given much consideration to the situation and view it as extremely dangerous, and the Revocation rites cannot be performed inside the Reliquary or the town, because if they go wrong a chalice for the devourer could wipe out the rest of the relics and many of the people. They will provide the relics necessary, and there is a mediation well about an hour outside of the city where the rite can be performed. They will set guards at a safe distance to watch the ceremony and if things go wrong they will give the signal to evacuate. He apologizes to the players, but states they must assist in the ritual. If they accept he will double their pay, if not he will imprison them in the silver mines.

Note: If they decline a party of 10 Paladins, all +2 levels to the party will attempt to take them into custody. If the party at any point in the fight gives up they can proceed to assist in the ritual.

After a couple hours of preparation they are given the martyrs blood and escorted to the meditation well.

The Expulsior explains the ritual to the player characters. He is afraid things could go wrong and one of them may need to complete it if he should be incapacitated.

1. Joseph Cartage must be standing in the well
2. The Martyrs blood must be poured over his head and drip into the well
3. His mask must be removed
4. The following chant must be repeated (1 line per round) while holding the Book of Revocation. It may take multiple recitations to successfully Revoke the Chalicery
   • Malum industriae ubique est
   • Optimum ludos faciunt
   • Commendare productum omnibus amicis tuis
   • Nunc iterare hoc iterum
5. The person holding the book should wear the Expulsior’s amulet, it will prevent any divine or paranormal possessions of the reader.

Joseph Cartage is lead to the well, the Expulsior pours the vial of blood over his head and proceeds to remove the mask. As it is removed from Joseph’s face, a massive blast emanates from him, blasting the Expulsior and the player characters backward. The Expulsior is flung into the nearby cliff face and knocked unconscious.

As the players recover from the shock of the blast they see the devourer beginning to emerge from Joseph Cartage’s body, now levitating in the air above the well. His arms split into tentacles, which grow outwards, to nearly 60′ in length (20 squares).

What do you do?

Action

The players will have 2 rounds while the Devourer continues to transform.

• After the transformation is complete, the Devourer will perform bite strikes on all players not wearing the amulet.
  • All players successfully hit, must draw a card, the low card will be possessed by the tentacle.
  • Players not possessed will be knocked back 5 squares and make a Reaction check
    • 8 or Higher – Player will land on their feet, not drop any items and take 5 Sweat damage
    • 7 or Lower – Player will be knocked prone, drop any items in their hands and take 5 Sweat and 2 Tears damage. They will need to make a quick draw check to pick up any weapons and use them in the same round.
  • The Player Character who is possessed will be ordered to attack the Character performing the ritual. How they attack them is up to the player
    • The player may choose to resist the command, if they do so they will take 5 blood damage each round they resist.

The player performing the ritual must make a 2 card skill compound skill check each round with a break of 20.

• Results
  • Make – +5 = 1 Action Point
  • +6-+15 = 2 Action Points
  • >16 = 3 Action Points
  • Bust/Under = No Action Points
• The Player must recite one line from the ritual for each action point earned
• The Ritual completes and the Devourer is Revoked at 20 Action Points

Post Action

The last line chanted booms with supernatural volume through the air, causing the Devourer to vibrate horrifically, it begins to be harder and harder to see as it’s vibration increases, emitting a mind-numbing hum that increases in pitch and volume with the vibrations. Until suddenly it stops, all is quiet, the devourer is gone and only a ball of black, shiny goo hovers where it once was. It begins to drip, shedding its volume into the well below, which begins to glow golden, until the ball is also gone and only a glowing well remains.

The Abbot comes riding up moments later and stands in awe at the well. “A miracle has happened here, these are blessed healing waters now.” He thanks you for your services. The players are paid and are hosted at the monastery and rest if they wish. Expulsior Tome recovered consciousness a few days later, but never regained his mind. He was mute and a shell of a man at the monastery for the rest of his days.