The Abandoned Temple

Beneath the ground is a cave system, the rocks beneath the heroes’ feet unsteady and treacherous. Those who succeed on a DC 35 Perception check hear a low humming sound echoing against the walls, that seems to be coming from the end of the cave.

A. Cave Terminus

The spherical chamber has a large glowing planar rift, as well as an eshmok standing guard. It calls for two more plus three kithangians!

Empty slots on the walls indicate that rock has been carved away.

Perception +18; darkvision

Languages Chthonian, Draconic, Empyrean; telepathy 100 feet

Skills Acrobatics +17, Athletics +19, Intimidation +20, Religion +18, Stealth +19

Str +6, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +5

Items

AC 27; Fort +16, Ref +19, Will +18; +1 to all saves vs. magic

HP 200; Weaknesses cold iron 10, good 10; Resistances poison 10

Harmony Vulnerability An eshmok's wrathful infestations defines them, and forcing peace upon them wrenches at their soul. If they fail a save against calm or a similar effect forcing them to be peaceful, an eshmok takes 4d6 mental damage.

Speed 25 feet, fly 35 feet

Melee A stinger +21 [+16/+11] (magical, unholy) Damage 2d8+9 piercing plus 2d6 poison

Divine Innate Spells DC 28; 5th translocate, wall of thorns; 4th translocate (at will); 3rd fear

Change Shape A (concentrate, divine, polymorph) The eshmok turns into their fungus form or back into their normal humanoid wasp form. In fungus form, they lose their fly Speed and can't make stinger Strikes. In wasp form, they gain a tendril melee Strike (+21 for 2d8+9 slashing plus eshmok infection); the tendril strike has the agile, magical, reach 10 feet, and unholy traits.

Eshmok Infection (mental, poison) A creature that's quickened by eshmok infection can use the extra action each round for only Strike actions. A creature that's confused by eshmok infection never considers an eshmok in fungal form as a target; Saving Throw DC 28 Will; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 confused (1 round); Stage 2 confused and quickened (1 round); Stage 3 confused, off-guard, and quickened (1 round)

Infesting Exhalation A (olfactory, poison) The eshmok exhales a wave of stinging fiendish wasps out in a 30-foot cone, dealing 4d8 poison damage to every creature within the cone (DC 28 basic Reflex save). The swarming fiend wasps linger in the area for 6 rounds or until the eshmok is able to use Infesting Exhalation again, whichever comes first. Each creature damaged by Infesting Exhalation or that enters the area must succeed at a DC 28 Fortitude save or take 2d8 persistent poison damage and become clumsy 1 as the poison renders them dizzy and nauseous. At the end of each of their turns, they can attempt a new Fortitude save to end the effects. The eshmok can't use Infesting Exhalation again for 1d6 rounds.

Perception +19; darkvision

Languages Chthonian, Draconic, Empyrean

Skills Athletics +18, Intimidation +20, Nature +21, Stealth +16

Str +6, Dex +3, Con +5, Int -2, Wis +4, Cha +3

Items

AC 27; Fort +20, Ref +15, Will +19; +1 to all saves vs. magic

HP 180; Weaknesses cold iron 10, good 10

All Around Vision This monster can see in all directions simultaneously and therefore can't be flanked.

Animal Kindness Vulnerability Kithangians find kindness to animals revolting. The first time each round that a kithangian sees someone heal or otherwise provide aid to a creature that has the animal trait, the kithangian takes 3d6 mental damage.

Speed 30 feet

Melee A pincer +21 [+16/+11] (magical, reach 10 feet, unholy) Damage 2d12+9 slashing plus Grab

Melee A stinger +21 [+17/+13] (agile, magical, reach 10 feet, unholy) Damage 2d8+9 slashing plus kithangian venom

Divine Innate Spells DC 25; 4th fly, translocate; 3rd paralyze (x2); 1st command (at will; animals only); Constant (4th) speak with animals

Animal Killer A kithangian's melee Strikes deal an additional 2d6 precision damage to animals.

Change Shape A (concentrate, divine, polymorph) The kithangian transforms into a Medium or Large animal. This doesn't affect their statistics, but it might change the damage type of their Strikes.

Kithangian Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 25 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 2d6 poison damage (2 rounds); Stage 2 2d6 poison damage and sickened 1 (2 rounds); Stage 3 3d6 poison damage and sickened 2 (2 rounds)

Rasping Tongues A (attack) Frequency once per round Requirements The kithangian has a creature grabbed or restrained in one or both pincers ; Effect Barbed tongues slither from the faces in the kithangian's pincers. The tongues burrow into grabbed creatures and inject their minds with psychic screams. Each grabbed creature takes 2d8 piercing damage and 2d8 mental damage. A creature can resist the mental damage by attempting a DC 25 basic Will save.

B. The Rift

Beyond the rift is The Abyss, the plane of demons. Two coloxi play a game very much like chess, in front of a raised seating area with no audience members. A guard kithangian (or possibly one fleeing the previous fight) is also there. They shut off the portal and attack!

Tablets written in the Ancient Mzunu tongue inside the former temple are a kind of index, listing the names and locations of other stone tablets that relate to Mzali’s ancient history.

Perception +22; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal; telepathy 100 feet, tongues

Skills Acrobatics +21, Arcana +21, Deception +23, Diplomacy +23, Religion +22, Stealth +25, Thievery +23

Str +5, Dex +7, Con +4, Int +3, Wis +4, Cha +5

Items

AC 33; Fort +22, Ref +25, Will +18; +1 to all saves vs. magic

HP 270; Immunities disease; Weaknesses cold iron 10, good 10; Resistances poison 10

Filth Vulnerability A coloxus despises contact with filth and dirt. A small amount of filth held in the hand can be used against a coloxus as a Strike that has the thrown 5 feet trait, and that inflicts 2d6 mental damage on a hit. Forcing a coloxus to fall into or become immersed in filth deals 6d6 mental damage per round.

Speed 25 feet, fly 30 feet

Melee A jaws +25 [+20/+15] (finesse, magical) Damage 3d8+8 piercing plus 1d6 evil and siphon

Divine Innate Spells DC 32, attack +24; 6th shadow blast, summon animal (giant arthropods only); 5th abyssal plague, dimension door; 4th confusion, invisibility, suggestion; Cantrips (6th) message, prestidigitation, telekinetic projectile; Constant (6th) tongues

Droning Wings D (divine, evocation, mental, visual) Frequency once per day The coloxus flutters its shimmering, gauzy wings and creates a mesmerizing display of color along with a sound-dampening buzzing drone. If the coloxus is invisible, that effect ends and it becomes visible. All creatures within a 30-foot emanation must succeed at a DC 29 Will save or become slowed 1 (slowed 2 on a critical failure) until the start of the coloxus's next turn. As long as Droning Wings continues, the coloxus gains immunity to sonic damage. The coloxus can Sustain Droning Wings for up to 1 minute.

Siphon When a coloxus damages a creature with its jaws Strike, it siphons away the target's physical vitality and drinks from their sense of self-worth and confidence. The coloxus gains 10 temporary Hit Points, and the creature must succeed at a DC 32 Will save or become stupefied 1. Further damage dealt by the coloxus increases the stupefied condition by 1 on a failed save to a maximum of stupefied 4.

Sneak Attack A coloxus deals 2d6 extra precision damage to flat-footed creatures.