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 on
the

Evil Stirs
in
Its Ancient
Prison
Trapped in the mysterious Pyramid of Shadows, an ancient
conqueror plots his escape. When brave heroes stumble
into his infernal prison, he seizes the opportunity he has
sought for centuries. Can the band of heroes find their

P YRAMID
way through a monster-infested dungeon, negotiate the
tensions and alliances among its factions, and reach the
Sanctuary of Light before Karavakos escapes, sealing them
inside the Pyramid of Shadows forever?

OF
SHADOWS ™
This adventure takes characters from 7th level to 10th level.
It can be played as a stand-alone adventure or as the
conclusion of a three-part series that begins with H1: Keep on the
Shadowfell ™ and continues with H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth ™.
This folder contains two adventure books and a double-sided
battle map designed for use with D&D ® Miniatures.

AN ADVENTURE FOR CHAR ACTERS OF

®
For use with these 4th Edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS core products:

Player’s Handbook® Monster Manual®

Dungeon Master’s Guide®
D&D® Miniatures D&D™ Dungeon Tiles

7 TH - 1 0 TH
LEVEL
TM

ISBN: 978-0-7869-4935-9

A N A D V E N T U R E F O R C H A R A C T E R S O F 7TH- 10 TH L E V E L
Sug. Retail: U.S. $24.95 CAN $27.95 Mike Mearls • James Wyatt
Printed in the U.S.A. 218637400
 ™
©2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 1 6/23/08 9:26:35 AM

 Credits Introduction
In the depths of the Winterbole Forest, the Pyramid of
Design
Mike Mearls and James Wyatt Shadows waits. This extradimensional prison catches and
holds creatures from all planes of existence. Within the
Editing pyramid, factions rise and fall, carving out territories and
Michele Carter surviving without hope of escape . . . all except for one
longtime prisoner, who needs the unwitting aid of some
Development and Managing Editing
Bill Slavicsek adventurers to free himself from the pyramid.
Pyramid of Shadows is a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game
Mechanical Design and Development Manager adventure for characters of 7th to 10th level. You need the
Andy Collins Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master’s
Guide to play.
Story Design and Development Manager
Christopher Perkins
Background
Director of RPG R&D
Bill Slavicsek In centuries past, a tiefling wizard named Karavakos
made a fatal bargain. The twin threats of monsters of
Art Director the wild and rebellion from within threatened his iron
Karin Powell
grip over the lands of his petty kingdom. In desperation,
Graphic Designer Karavakos summoned a devil and asked for aid. A legion
Soe Murayama of infernal soldiers came to march under his command,
and he stepped up his efforts to restore order—and a harsh
Cover Illustration justice—to his domain.
William O’Connor
The legion of devils came at a very reasonable price.
Interior Illustrations They would fight on his behalf and obey his orders with-
Ben Wootten, Attila Adorjany, Brian Hagan, Lucio Parillo out question. If he ever led them to defeat, however, they
would abandon him and he would be cast into eternal
Maps and Diagrams captivity. Only an error made by the wizard could result in
Mike Schley
the devils’ defeat—no army in the world could defeat them
Publishing Production Specialist on the field of battle.
Angelika Lokotz Karavakos led his legions on one conquest after
another. What had been a small kingdom grew into a
Imaging Technician mighty nation to rival the great human empire of Nerath
Travis Adams
that held sway over much of the land at this time.
Production Manager With winter’s arrival, Karavakos called a halt to his
Cynda Calloway campaign of expansion. He returned to his palace with
the eladrin princess, Vyrellis, who was to be his bride.
Special Thanks to Brandon Daggerhart, keeper of Shadowfell
Together, he proclaimed, they would rule a new empire,
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, d20, d20 System, WIZARDS and with spring’s dawning his armies would march into
OF THE COAST, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, the Feywild, extending their rule across two worlds.
Monster Manual, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, When spring came, the devil armies marched through
and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the
Coast in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Wizards characters, the thin border between worlds. In the Feywild, though,
character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are the devils met their match. Invincible on the battlefields
property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This material is protected of the natural world, the devils had no such protection
under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any
reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork once they stepped into the Feywild. Fey spears and arrows
contained herein is prohibited without the express written felled the legions, putting an end to Karavakos’s dreams
permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. of conquest—and severing his diabolic bargain. Karavakos
©2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
was imprisoned in the Pyramid of Shadows, his eladrin
300-21863740-002 EN princess at his side.
987654321 The Pyramid of Shadows is one of many infernal pris-
First Printing: August 2008
ISBN: 978-0-7869-4935-9 ons created to confine powerful beings. Just like a prism
Visit our website at www.wizards.com/dnd splits light into its component colors, the pyramid split
and www.dndinsider.com Karavakos’s life force into free-willed splinters, each one
containing a fragment of his power. With his power spread
among various splinters, Karavakos couldn’t hope to break
free from the prison. Enraged, he lashed out at the only

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 2 6/23/08 9:26:37 AM

 T H E P Y R A M I D O F S H A D OW S
person he could blame for his failure—Vyrellis, who he
claimed tempted him into his ill-fated attack on the Fey-
HOW TO USE THIS ADVENTURE
wild. He cut Vyrellis’s head from her shoulders and threw Pyramid of Shadows is a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS adventure
it into the charnel pit at the heart of the pyramid. that takes a party of five player characters (PCs) from 7th
But Vyrellis didn’t die. Her life energy, too, was splin- level to 10th level. You can run this adventure either as the
tered upon her arrival in the pyramid. Her splinters are culmination of the series of heroic tier adventures (which
not animate, but have instead been imbued into gemstones started with H1: Keep on the Shadowfell and continued with
and an orb spread throughout the pyramid. Vyrellis is now H2: Thunderspire Labyrinth), or as a stand-alone adventure
driven by a burning thirst for revenge against Karavakos, in your own campaign.
matched only by her desire to reunite the fragments of her The two booklets included in this adventure are for the
life force and escape the Pyramid of Shadows. Dungeon Master (DM). If you’re planning to experience
Pyramid of Shadows as a player, don’t read any farther.
The Pyramid of Shadows Pyramid of Shadows contains these components:

The Pyramid of Shadows is a bizarre extradimensional 1. Adventure Book One (this booklet) provides the Dungeon
space full of weird monsters and strange magical effects. It Master with an overview of the Pyramid of Shadows.
exists beyond space and time, appearing in multiple places This includes descriptions of important nonplayer char-
in the world and planes beyond. The space within it knows acters (NPCs), descriptions of key locations, illustrations
nothing of the passage of years. It’s a prison, designed to of places and adversaries, background information, and
keep whatever is trapped within it from escaping. several new monsters.
Each of the pyramid’s three levels (in addition to the
sanctuary at its apex) is home to multiple factions of crea- 2. Adventure Book Two contains the bulk of the adven-
tures. Each new arrival tries to find a place among the ture, including many possible encounters within the
existing inhabitants, or to carve out its own living space. pyramid.
Eventually, the pyramid adapts to the creatures trapped
within it, providing a living space approximating their 3. A poster map containing depictions of three important
natural environments. Since its prisoners don’t need to encounter areas. The map is rendered in a scale that
compete for resources (see below), they coexist in an allows you to place your D&D Miniatures directly on the
uneasy truce. map.

Features of the Pyramid 4. A folder to hold the booklets and the poster map.
The following features are common to all areas of the
Pyramid of Shadows unless otherwise noted. If You’re the DM . . .
✦ Sustenance: The prisoners don’t need to eat or drink Read Adventure Book One first and then familiarize yourself
(though many do out of habit). In addition, everything with the first part of Adventure Book Two to get a sense of
within the pyramid ages so slowly as to appear effec- the pyramid’s layout and the flow of the adventure.
tively immortal, due to the extradimensional nature of
the prison. Getting Started
The adventure starts with Encounter A1: The Clearing in
✦ Illumination: Unless otherwise noted, all areas of the
the Forest, on page 6 of this book.
pyramid are filled with ambient dim light. This light
does not come from any specific source and owes its
existence to the pyramid’s magical nature.
✦ Doors: Unless otherwise noted, the doors in the pyra-
mid are made of heavy wood. A DC 20 Strength check
allows a character to break one down. The doors have
AC and Reflex defense 10, Fortitude defense 15, and
20 hit points. A destroyed or damaged door is restored
after 24 hours. The magic that sustains the pyramid
allows quick, minor repairs to its interior structure.

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 3 6/23/08 9:26:38 AM

 Adventure Synopsis Adventure Hooks
Karavakos desperately wants to escape from the Pyramid Use one or more of the hooks below to provide the player
of Shadows. He has been using his considerable arcane characters with motivations for seeking out the pyramid
abilities and the vast amount of time available to him to and to give them a reason to get into the adventure. Using
put a long-simmering plan into motion. He has gained these hooks provides the PCs with opportunities to gain
limited control of the pyramid, and is able to influence experience by completing the associated quests.
where it appears in the natural world. In addition, he has
developed the ability to send brief visions to other arcane
power users outside the pyramid. With these two tools at
Hook: The Mysterious Map
If the adventurers experienced the events of H2: Thun-
his disposal, Karavakos has been working on a means of
derspire Labyrinth, then they discovered a map among
escape.
Paldemar’s possessions.
Karavakos is a mighty wizard, but his power within
The map shows a glowing pyramid within a lush forest,
the pyramid is severely limited. His life force—and with
about a week’s travel north of Nentir Vale. Notes scribbled
it, his power—is divided among three splinters scattered
on the side of the page read: “Place of power.” “Vast magic
throughout the pyramid, each pursuing its own plan of
for the taking.” And “Seek Karavakos.”
escape. The true Karavakos is locked iwthin the Sanctu-
This discovery alone might be enough to send the
ary of Light at the pyramid’s apex. He can’t harm the other
adventurers in search of the Pyramid of Shadows. If not,
splinters, but he knows that their destruction is the key
see the “Alternative” below for additional motivations.
to his escape. When a splinter meets its end, the power
Alternative: The Mages of Saruun, impressed by the
it holds is transferred to him. When all of the splinter
actions of the adventurers and worried about the implica-
Karavakoses are destroyed, the wizard believes he will be
tions of the notes on the map, provide one more incentive
mighty enough to escape from the pyramid.
if the adventurers agree to take on this quest. “Find this
Karavakos has been sending visions of the pyramid, its
place of power and seek out Karavakos,” the mage tells
location in the natural world, and promises of power asso-
them. “Return with information that reveals the secrets of
ciated with the pyramid. The adventure begins when the
this place, and we will reward you with a powerful magic
player characters encounter the pyramid and are drawn
item (a level 12 item) and 2,500 gp.”
into its timeless depths. From that point on, Karavakos
Quest XP: 1,500 XP (major quest).
encourages the adventurers to destroy the splinters of his
life force so that the power each possesses returns to him.
With his power fully restored, Karavakos plans to perform Hook: The Dream Vision
arcane rituals that will set him free. The fate of the adven- Wherever the adventurers happen to be prior to the start
turers matters not to the wizard, just so long as they serve of this adventure, a local wizard, scholar, or sage has been
their purpose and destroy the false expressions of Karava- troubled by strange and compelling visions every night
kos’s life force. when he or she sleeps and dreams. In these dream visions,
As all of this occurs, the true Karavakos waits safely in the tiefling wizard Karavakos appears to the dreaming
the Sanctuary of Light. mage and whispers about the power and secrets waiting
Vyrellis remains the flaw in the wizard’s plans. Her within the Pyramid of Shadows.
life force lingers within an artifact, an obsidian orb in The visions have grown more frequent, more urgent,
which her disembodied head drifts in and out of view. and the local wizard or sage is growing more and more
She longs for freedom as much as Karavakos does. More, inclined to set everything aside and seek out the place of
she hungers for revenge, and the adventurers provide her power and Karavakos. Indeed, the mage often awakens
with an opportunity to attain it. Presenting herself as an from the dream vision with a sheet of parchment and a
ally, Vyrellis guides the adventurers toward the Sanctuary quill to find notes scribbled over and over that he or she
of Light and urges them to destroy Karavakos—all of the has no memory of writing. These notes include the oft-
splintered versions of him as well as the true wizard—and repeated phrases: “Place of power.” “Vast magic for the
win their freedom in the process. taking.” “Seek Karavakos.” There is also a crude sketch of a
Over the course of the adventure, the player characters map that shows a stylized glowing pyramid deep within a
explore the bizarre halls and chambers of the Pyramid lush forest about a week’s travel from this location.
of Shadows, fight its hostile inhabitants (including the The local wizard or sage is intrigued by the visions
splinters of Karavakos’s life force), collect the three keys and anxious to claim the promised power. He or she is
needed to open the Sanctuary of Light, and finally face the also suspicious of these dreams, and as frightened by the
true Karavakos in a pitched battle—with death or eternal implications as he or she is desirous to fulfill the impulse
imprisonment the price of failure. Along the way, Vyrellis to follow the dream.
also guides them to collect the splinters of her life force Hearing of the exploits of the adventurers, or perhaps
from the gemstones that hold them in hopes of restoring knowing them as friends or colleagues or acquaintances,
herself once she is freed from the pyramid. the wizard/scholar/sage asks them to look into this matter.

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 4 6/23/08 9:26:38 AM

 A DV E N T U R E H O O K S
“I am not up to this challenge,” the mage admits, “and I Human Mage Level 8 Elite Artillery
won’t pretend that I am not frightened by these dreams. Medium natural humanoid XP 700
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +7
But I am also sure that something of great importance sur-
HP 132; Bloodied 66
rounds these strange events, and I have no doubt that my AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflex 20, Will 22
dreams of untold power have a ring of truth about them.” Saving Throws +2
The wizard/scholar/sage urges the adventurers to find Speed 6
the Pyramid of Shadows and seek out Karavakos. “Time Action Point 1
is short,” the mage says, “and the place of power won’t m Quarterstaff (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
remain undisturbed for long. You must find it . . . before +11 vs. AC; 1d8 damage.
r Magic Missile (standard; at-will) ✦ Force
those with evil intentions claim it for their own.”
Ranged 20; +13 vs. Reflex; 2d4 + 5 force damage.
Alternative: A player character whose class abilities C Magic Missile Storm (standard; at-will) ✦ Force
draw upon the arcane power source receives the dream Close burst 5; +11 vs. Reflex; 1d4 + 5 force damage.
visions. In this case, have the dreams come to the char- R Dancing Lightning (standard; encounter) ✦ Lightning
acter over the course of several game sessions prior to the The mage makes a separate attack against 3 diff erent targets:
start of this adventure. They start out slowly at first, just ranged 10; +13 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 5 lightning damage.
simple dreams that don’t seem all that unusual. As time A Thunder Burst (standard; encounter) ✦ Thunder
Area burst 1 within 10; +13 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 5 thunder
passes, however, the message in the dreams becomes
damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).
stronger, more insistent, more urgent. Then the visions A Acid Burst (standard; recharge 5 6) ✦ Acid
grow in power and frequency, until they consume every Area burst 2 within 20; +13 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 5 acid damage.
period of sleep or rest the character takes. The only way to Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
make them stop is to strike out for the place of power, to Skills Arcana +13, Insight +11
seek out Karavakos. To find the Pyramid of Shadows. Str 10 (+4) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 17 (+7)
Quest XP: 1,500 XP (major quest). If you are using the Con 12 (+5) Int 18 (+8) Cha 12 (+5)
Equipment robes, quarterstaff, wand
version of this hook where an NPC is having the dream
and asks for the adventurers’ help, then have that NPC
offer a reward of 2,500 gp once the PCs return with infor- Hook: the Head of Gharash
mation about the pyramid and a way to stop the dream As the adventurers travel toward the Winterbole Forest,
visions from returning. (Note that in all cases, the dreams a local authority (probably someone from Fallcrest or
stop once the PCs reach the Pyramid of Shadows.) Winterhaven) offers a reward of 850 gp for the head of
Gharash Vren, a dragonborn who leads a gang of danger-
Hook: The Mad Wanderer ous criminals. Vren’s gang has terrorized the region for
years, and Vren just escaped from his recent captivity, flee-
While traveling through a lush forest, the adventurers
encounter a crazed wanderer. The wanderer was once a ing into the Winterbole Forest.
wizard of power and influence back in a distant center Use this hook as an extra incentive, or this could be the
of civilization. He has been plagued by the dream visions impetus that drives the adventurers into the forest where
sent by Karavakos for weeks on end, however, and these they eventually discover the Pyramid of Shadows.
visions have driven him mad. He has been wandering in Gharash and a portion of his gang have been trapped
these woods for more days than he can remember, trying inside the Pyramid of Shadows. The adventurers will
to find the place of power that calls to him. encounter the dragonborn criminal while exploring the
The crazed wizard’s hair and beard is tangled and pyramid’s interior chambers.
unkempt. His robes are tattered and dirty. His eyes are Quest XP: 1,500 XP (major quest).
wild and full of madness. When he encounters the adven-
turers, he becomes agitated and violent. “The place of
power is mine!” he screams. “Karavakos has summoned PREPARING FOR
me, not you! Not you!” He attacks the adventurers, intent THE LONG HAUL
on destroying any rivals for the Pyramid of Shadows. Once the adventurers enter the Pyramid of Shadows, they
In his crazed state, the wizard fights to the death. remain in it until they defeat Karavakos and escape—the
When he is reduced to 0 hit points, he has a moment of better part of three or four levels of adventuring. The char-
clarity before he dies. “Find the pyramid,” he whispers acters don’t need to eat or drink while they’re inside the
with his last remaining breaths. “Seek out Karavakos.” pyramid, and they can find places to take extended rests.
Among the crazed wizard’s possessions is a map. The They can’t, however, buy magic items or supplies, retrieve
map shows a glowing pyramid within a lush forest, not far items they left in safekeeping, or consult NPCs for rituals
from where the battle took place. Notes scribbled on the or information. You might want to let the players know
side of the page read: “Place of power.” “Vast magic for the that their characters should be prepared for a long journey
taking.” And “Seek Karavakos.” before you begin this adventure, so they aren’t unduly hin-
Quest XP: 1,500 XP (major quest). dered when they become trapped in the pyramid.

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 5 6/23/08 9:26:38 AM

 ENCOUNTER A1: THE CLEARING IN THE FOREST

Encounter Level 6 (1,400 XP) When the adventurers reach the clearing, read:
The dense forest suddenly parts to reveal a large clearing, per-
Setup haps 50 feet across, with a small tumble of rocks at the center.
Something about the clearing doesn’t feel right. It’s as though
3 dwarf hammerers the sounds of the forest refuse to enter the clearing, and the air
2 human ambushers around you feels strange and tingling.
1 rage drake
Perception Check
Starting the Adventure DC 21: You spot something moving among the trees just
Regardless of circumstance, the characters are travel- beyond the clearing.
ing through the Winterbole Forest, on the northern edge
of Nentir Vale (see the map on page 206 of the Dungeon The Attack
Master’s Guide). They might be looking for something If any adventurers succeeded at the Perception check, they
specific (see the “Adventure Hooks” on page 4) or they notice the movement in the forest and are ready for trouble.
might simply be traveling from one location to another. Any adventurers who failed the check, however, don’t get to
The adventure begins when they reach this clearing in act in the surprise round that starts this encounter.
the forest. In the surprise round, the dwarves each hurl a throw-
No tactical map is provided for this encounter. The ing hammer and the humans toss daggers to start the fray.
enemies begin hidden in the trees around the clearing, At the same time, the rage drake roars into the clearing
watching and waiting to see what the adventurers do. and makes a charge attack against the nearest opponent.

The Enemy
This band of thugs constitutes the remnants of Gharash
Vren’s gang of criminals. They don’t know what happened
to their leader and the rest of their gang. All they know
is that Gharash Vren entered this clearing and never
returned. When they spotted the adventurers approaching
the area, they decided to take out their anger and frustra-
tion on them. It may not bring Gharash back, but it will
make them feel a little better.

Tactics
After the surprise round, the criminals use fairly basic
tactics. They let the rage drake, one of the creatures that
Gharash personally trained, plow ahead and take on the
brunt of the battle, while the hammerers work to set up
flanks for the ambushers.

The Invitation
After the adventurers defeat the band of criminals, the
image of Karavakos appears at the center of the clearing.
If the adventurers capture one or more of the criminals
and attempt to question them, Karavakos appears imme-
diately and “helps” the adventurers by destroying the
remaining criminals with bolts of lightning and fire. Kara-
vakos doesn’t want the criminals telling the PCs anything.

When the image appears, read:

As you look around, a figure appears near the center of the clear-
B E N WO OT T E N

ing—a ghost, perhaps, an insubstantial vision of a male tiefling

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 6 6/23/08 9:26:38 AM

 3 Dwarf Hammerers Level 5 Soldier 2 Human Ambushers Level 7 Skirmisher

E N CO U N T E R A 1 : T H E C L EA R I N G I N T H E F O R E S T
Medium natural humanoid XP 200 each Medium natural humanoid XP 300 each
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision Initiative +8 Senses Perception +3
HP 64; Bloodied 32 HP 77; Bloodied 38
AC 23; Fortitude 18, Reflex 15, Will 17 AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 20, Will 19
Saving Throws +5 against poison effects Speed 6
Speed 5 m Mace (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
m Warhammer (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +12 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the human ambusher shifts 1
+11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage. square.
M Shield Bash (minor; recharge ⚄ ⚅ ) r Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+9 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 3 damage, and the target is knocked Ranged 5/10; +14 vs. AC; 1d4 + 4 damage.
prone or pushed 1 square (dwarf hammerer’s choice). M Dazing Strike (standard; encounter) ✦ Weapon
R Throwing Hammer (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Requires mace; +12 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, the target is dazed
Ranged 5/10; +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. until the end of the human ambusher’s next turn, and the human
Stubborn (immediate interrupt, when an enemy tries to push it or ambusher shifts 1 square.
knock it prone; at-will) Combat Advantage
The hammerer makes a melee basic attack against the enemy. The human ambusher deals an extra 1d6 damage on melee
Stand Your Ground and ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage
When an effect forces a dwarf to move—through a pull, a push, or against.
a slide—the dwarf moves 1 square less than the eff ect specifies. Alignment Evil Languages Common
When an attack would knock the dwarf prone, the dwarf can roll Skills Stealth +11, Streetwise +9, Thievery +11
a saving throw to avoid falling prone. Str 12 (+4) Dex 17 (+6) Wis 11 (+3)
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Dwarven Con 13 (+4) Int 10 (+3) Cha 12 (+4)
Skills Dungeoneering +11, Endurance +5 Equipment leather armor, mace, 4 daggers
Str 17 (+5) Dex 10 (+2) Wis 14 (+4)
Con 16 (+5) Int 11 (+2) Cha 12 (+3) one last time. “Welcome to the Pyramid of Shadows. The only way
Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, warhammer, 3 throwing
to win your freedom is to kill us—three times.” His mocking laugh-
hammers
ter taunts you, fading away as light returns and a tremendous
stench assails you, suggesting that you’ve left the forest behind.
draped in robes. “Greetings, travelers,” the image says. “What do
you seek in the Pyramid of Shadows?” Next
The image is a psychic projection of Karavakos, one of his The characters are now in the Entrance Pit of the Pyramid
growing abilities to interact with and influence the world of Shadows. They have been transported into the extradi-
beyond the pyramid. mensional space that exists outside space or time. Give the
adventurers a moment to collect themselves, then go to
“We are the protector of the forest ruins, a place sacred to Melora Encounter P1 on page 2 of Adventure Book Two.
in the distant past,” says the image. “What brings you to this
forlorn place?” Rage Drake Level 5 Brute
Large natural beast (mount, reptile) XP 200
If the adventurers tell the image what they seek, the image Initiative +3 Senses Perception +3
assures them that the answer lies within the Pyramid of HP 77; Bloodied 38; see also bloodied rage
AC 17; Fortitude 17, Reflex 15, Will 15
Shadows. Karavakos doesn’t tell them his name as yet,
Immune fear (while bloodied only)
but claims that one called Karavakos can be found within Speed 8
the pyramid if they ask. “Enter the pyramid and all will m Bite (standard; at-will)
be revealed.” +9 vs. AC; 1d10 + 4 damage; see also bloodied rage.
The adventurers have two ways to get into the pyramid: M Claw (standard; at-will)
of their own accord or by the will of Karavakos. +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage; see also bloodied rage.
At the center of the clearing, amid a small tumble M Raking Charge (standard; at-will)
When the rage drake charges, it makes two claw attacks against
of worn stones, they see a small, glowing pyramid. The
a single target.
object, about a foot on each side, is covered with unknown Bloodied Rage (while bloodied)
markings. (Arcana DC 28 to recognize that the markings The rage drake gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and deals an extra
are Supernal.) 5 damage per attack.
If the characters pick up or touch the pyramid, the Raging Mount (while bloodied and mounted by a friendly rider of 5th
object consumes them. If they attempt to leave, the same level or higher; at-will) ✦ Mount
thing happens, but of its own accord. Read: The rage drake grants its rider a +2 bonus to attack rolls and
damage rolls with melee attacks.
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
The small pyramid suddenly expands. You can’t tell if you’re Str 19 (+6) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 13 (+3)
shrinking or it’s growing, but it fills the clearing around you and Con 17 (+5) Int 3 (–2) Cha 12 (+3)
you’re immersed in darkness. The voice of the tiefling comes to you

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 PYRAMID LEVEL 1 The Hermitage
(Locations 14–15)
The Pyramid of Shadows has its own vault of memory, con-
The adventure begins on the bottom level of the Pyramid
tained in the Library of Shadows (Location 14). One of the
of Shadows. Regardless of how they find the pyramid, the
splinters of Karavakos’s life force lives in seclusion behind
player characters arrive in the Entrance Pit, Location 1, at
the library (Location 15).
the center of the level. Level 1 includes five main areas.
The different groups of creatures on this level live in a
state of uneasy tension, and the player characters’ arrival The Grand Stair
on the scene can have a destabilizing effect. However, most
residents of the pyramid have been here for a long time,
(Locations 16–19)
These areas include a bit of wilderness between the “civi-
and they don’t react quickly to a change in circumstances.
lized” areas claimed by other groups of monsters. Location
19 is the stairway leading up to Level 2.
The Charnel Pit
(Locations 1–5) Extended Rest
The central area of the level is arrayed around the Level 1 has several defensible areas where adventurers
Entrance Pit and takes its character from the Charnel can hole up for an extended rest to regain their strength.
Lord, an otyugh infused with necrotic energy (see Loca- In most of these places, the adventurers should be able to
tion 4). Literally or metaphorically, these rooms exemplify take an extended rest without interruption. However, if
rot and depth, from the piles of bones in Location 2 to the adventurers rest either in the Verdant Ruin or in the area
deep water in Location 3. controlled by Gharash Vren’s gang without first having
overcome every encounter in those locations, they prob-
The Verdant Ruin ably won’t be able to take an uninterrupted rest.
You need to find the right balance between simulat-
(Locations 6–10) ing the realistic response of the monsters in the dungeon
Savage arboreans, bloodthirsty humanoids who believe the and providing your players with a fun, challenging game
spirits of their ancestors reside in plants, have made the experience. If an encounter interrupting their extended
southern part of Level 1 their own. Locations 6 and 10 form rest would kill one or more characters, don’t throw an
their defenses against the rest of the pyramid’s inhabitants. encounter at them. If they can handle an easy challenge,
The arboreans are the most organized and defensively create an easy encounter 2 or 3 levels below the level of
minded creatures in Level 1 of the pyramid. If the adven- the characters.
turers strike into these areas but withdraw to rest, the For example, say the adventurers fought their way
arboreans consolidate their defenses. They shift guards past the guards in Location 11 but didn’t face either the
from their interior Locations 7, 8, and 9 to Locations 6 and succubus in Location 13 or Gharash Vren in Location
10. Both of these chambers are specifically designed to 12. They hole up to rest in the inner part of Location 11,
protect the arboreans’ territory. If hard pressed, they make with an eye on the control panel and a set watch in the
a stand here. hall leading to Location 13. They’re low on resources,
Otherwise, the arboreans prefer to hole up in their por- but you want to keep them on their toes with an encoun-
tion of the pyramid. They are loath to leave their home ter they can handle in their weakened state. Don’t send
turf to track down enemies, unless they feel that such pur- Gharash Vren and all his associates from Location 12
suit allows them to slay a troublesome foe. to disturb their sleep (an 8th-level encounter). Instead,
threaten them with three lackeys and two archers from
Gharash Vren’s Gang that area—a 4th-level encounter that should be easy for
them. Don’t remove those criminals from the encounter
(Locations 11–13) in Location 12; just assume that there were more guards
Having recently escaped captivity in Fallcrest, the drag- than the adventure indicated. You’ll reward their cau-
onborn criminal Gharash Vren fled with his gang into the tion, keep them on guard against attack, but let them
Winterbole Forest—and was trapped in the Pyramid of gain the benefit of their rest.
Shadows. Vren and his gang are the most recent arrivals As an alternative, you could give sleeping characters
in the pyramid (before the adventurers), and they’ve only troubling dreams sent by the succubus in Location 13, or
just managed to carve themselves a place to live in the haunting visions of a mocking Karavakos who calls them
eastern portion of Level 1. They keep secure defenses at to kill him—a foreshadowing of what’s to come that keeps
the two entrances to the rooms they’ve claimed (Locations the players on edge without putting their characters at any
11 and 12), but left a potential enemy in their midst in the additional risk.
central rooms (Location 13).

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 P Y R A M I D L EV E L I
MIKE SCHLEY

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 PYRAMID LEVEL 2 The foulspawn denizens of the Sundered Temple have
no dealings with the dragon and its followers. The activi-
ties of the adventurers in one area have no bearing on the
creatures in the other.
The majority of Level 2 of the pyramid is warped and
broken by the alien energy of the Far Realm, leaking
through a failed portal constructed in Location 24. The
Extended Rest
Grand Stair (Location 19, on Level 1) leads up to Location The adventurers can’t safely take an extended rest in the
20 on this level. Stairs between Location 20 and Loca- Sundered Temple portion of the pyramid. Although the
tion 25 lead up to the hall between Locations 27 and 30 foulspawn seer Medragal offers them a safe place to rest
on Level 3, and straight up beyond there to the doors that in Location 23, the offer is a ruse that precedes an attack
guard the entrance to the Sanctuary of Light (Location 33). in the night. Even if the adventurers kill all the foulspawn
and other threats in the temple, sleeping in any portion of
the temple doesn’t provide a real rest. The influence of the
The Sundered Temple Far Realm remains strong, pressing in on the adventurers’
(Locations 20–24) minds as they sleep. Give the characters fair warning that
These locations take their nature from a strange temple these chambers don’t seem like a good place to rest, that
dedicated to the alien monstrosities of the Far Realm. A the characters feel uneasy while within these rooms. If the
long-time prisoner of the Pyramid of Shadows, a mind adventurers persist and try to rest here anyway, they start
flayer called Xzathral, once tried to create a passage to the next day of adventuring with two fewer healing surges
freedom by contacting an alien entity of the Far Realm. than normal due to the poor quality of sleep they were
The remnants of the mind flayer’s warped flesh now form able to get during their period of rest.
the Heart of Madness at the core of this portion of the pyr- If the adventurers defeat the white dragon and its
amid (Location 22). One splinter of Karavakos’s life force eladrin servants, they can take an extended rest in safety
made a similar attempt, and the aberrant influence of the in Location 25 or Location 26. They find the eladrin’s
Far Realm warped him as well (Location 24). accommodations comfortable but cold. The place begins to
The foulspawn in these chambers have enigmatic warm slightly once the dragon is dead, but it won’t reach
motives at best. If the adventurers attack and slay sev- the ambient temperature of the rest of the pyramid for sev-
eral of their number, they make little organized effort to eral days.
respond. Instead, they are more likely to break up into
several roving bands if the adventurers slay their leader, Time Within the Pyramid
the foulspawn seer named Medragal in Location 23. Even Time behaves differently within the Pyramid of Shadows
with their leader still alive, the foulspawn have no inclina- from the way it flows in the natural world. Time liter-
tion to engage in a systematic campaign of revenge. ally crawls within the pyramid, making its inhabitants
Medragal’s force of personality and magical power essentially immortal, as no one within the pyramid ages
allow him to hold the foulspawn and their allies in thrall. or grows old. This doesn’t mean that creatures within the
With his death, the monsters in that region of the pyramid pyramid can’t die, however, and violence against a crea-
scatter throughout the level. The adventurers are likely to ture can still harm, injure, or kill that creature.
encounter these beasts wandering through the halls and The magical nature of the pyramid makes eating and
corridors, as allies of a faction that the PCs have not yet drinking for sustenance unnecessary. Many creatures con-
destroyed, or as refugees in a previously cleared section of tinue to eat and imbibe for enjoyment or out of habit when
the pyramid. they can acquire food and drink, but there is no physi-
ological reason to do so while trapped within the pyramid.
The Dragon’s Lair Even with these magics in place, creatures are still sus-
ceptible to the ravages of subjective time. When creatures
(Locations 25–26) exert themselves in a combat situation, for example, their
The pyramid reshapes itself to suit the needs of power- encounter powers and daily powers get used up and must
ful beings within its confines, and it has done this for the be renewed through short or extended rest periods. Long
adult white dragon that makes its lair in Location 26. The stretches of moderate activity must also be punctuated
dragon is served by a devoted following of eladrin, led by a by periods of sleep or rest for those creatures that need
wintry fey called the Blizzard Speaker (Location 25). such periods of rejuvenation. This may have more to do
with individual perception than with the reality of the pyr-
amid’s arcane nature, but nevertheless rest is a required
state even within the Pyramid of Shadows.

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 P Y R A M I D L EV E L 2
MIKE SCHLEY

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 PYRAMID LEVEL 3 rat servitors of the otyugh on Level 1 also crawl through
tiny tunnels between the crypts here (Location 27) and
their lair (Location 2). The necromantic splinter of Karava-
kos, calling himself Kravak the Damned, has been trying
Situated near the apex of the Pyramid of Shadows, Level to construct a portal to facilitate his escape from the pyra-
3 is divided between two reflections of Karavakos’s life mid, but so far his efforts have been in vain.
force—the splinter necromancer in Location 29 and the
shadow in Location 32. The two versions of Karavakos
focus their energy on devising a means of escaping the
Cyst of Shadow
pyramid, but they are not above sending minions to attack (Locations 30–32)
each other’s domains when the mood strikes them. Karavakos’s shadow is not a splinter of the wizard’s life
The necromancer and the shadow are focused on their force, but a side effect of their creation. It lurks now in
efforts to escape the pyramid and show little interest in Location 32, pursuing the futile dream of escaping by way
the chambers beyond their immediate lairs. The adven- of a portal to the Shadowfell. Its servitors are dark stalkers,
turers’ incursions into the chambers on this level have no and its lair is protected by the twisting Maze of Lost Souls
impact on their defenses or later encounters. (Location 31).
A stairway passes through the central hall on this level
(between Locations 27 and 30), leading from Level 2
(between Locations 20 and 25) to the doors guarding the
Extended Rest
Sanctuary of Light above (Location 33). Once cleared, plenty of relatively secure chambers on
this level make it easy for the adventurers to safely take
an extended rest here. However, their sleep is haunted
Crypt of the by visions of Karavakos. When the adventurers take an
Necromancer extended rest anywhere on this level of the pyramid, read:

(Locations 27–29) The tief ling appears in your dreams. “Kill me!” he cries. “Kill me
Three large chambers provide a home for a splinter of three times and your path to escape will open!” You wake with
Karavakos’s life force and his undead minions. Charnel his crazed laughter ringing through your mind.

MIKE SCHLEY

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 SANCTUARY OF LIGHT
SANCTUARY OF LIGHT logic puzzle. Show players the illustrations on page 32 of
this book, The Keys to the Sanctuary and The Sactuary
Keyholes.

At the peak of the Pyramid of Shadows sits the Sanctu-

ary of Light, where Karavakos plans his escape. To escape The Keys
from the pyramid, the adventurers must enter the Sanc- There are three keys: the Adamantine Key of Knowledge,
tuary and destroy Karavakos. Why will this release the the Gold Key of Strength, and the Mithral Key of Piety.
adventurers? Because the pyramid was constructed for the The three keyholes are Moon, Sun, and Stars. The puzzle
singular purpose of containing the tiefling wizard. Once the characters must solve, once they’ve found all three
he is destroyed, the prison shatters and releases any other keys, is to identify each key, match each key to a keyhole,
occupants. and determine the order in which they have to turn in
The Sanctuary of Light appears on the poster map. the keys.
To open the doors, the characters must insert the Key
of Piety into the Moon keyhole and turn it, then insert
Three Mages, Three Keys the Key of Strength into the Sun keyhole and turn it, and
The characters can’t enter the Sanctuary of Light until finally insert the Key of Knowledge into the Stars keyhole
they find the three keys necessary to open the Sanctuary’s and turn it. When they do so, all three doors swing open.
three doors. Each of the splinters of Karavakos’s life force If a key is inserted into a keyhole out of sequence, even
possesses a key. Killing them provides the adventurers if it’s not turned, the locks freeze up until all keys are
with the keys and the clues they need to open the doors. removed from the keyholes for 5 minutes.
Unfortunately for the adventurers, killing the three
splinters also returns Karavakos’s magical power to him,
giving him the strength he needs to make his escape. Once The Clues
the third splinter dies, Karavakos immediately begins pre- ✦ The key of knowledge shines beneath a ring of holy
paring the ritual that will free him from the pyramid. stars. (In the Hermitage, Location 14.)
Once the third splinter dies and its life force returns ✦ Strength second. (On the gold key.)
to Karavakos, the adventurers have 8 hours to reach the ✦ The night is mine. (On the mithral key.)
Sanctuary of Light and defeat the tiefling wizard. If they
don’t get there in that time, Karavakos completes his ✦ First in hardness, not in place. (On the adamantine key.)
ritual and escapes, leaving the adventurers and the other ✦ Piety claims its proper place above all else. (On the
remaining creatures trapped within the pyramid. moon keyhole.)
If the bearer of the Head of Vyrellis has already acquired
the three splinters of Vyrellis’s life force, the Head urges Players who are familiar with logic puzzles and enjoy
the adventurers to climb to the apex of the pyramid as them will solve this one quickly. Other players might need
soon as the third splinter of Karavakos is defeated. The hints along the way. As suggested in the Dungeon Master’s
adventurers might be weakened enough from their battles Guide, you can let the characters make Intelligence checks
that they want to take an extended rest before facing Kara- (DC 24) for clues. The Head of Vyrellis, eager to help the
vakos, however. If they do, the Head’s concordance drops PCs reach Karavakos, can also help them figure out the
by 2, but the adventurers still have time to defeat Karava- puzzle, though logic and patience aren’t its strong suits.
kos before he completes the ritual and escapes. The most basic hints clarify the clues:
✦ The Key of Knowledge goes in the Stars keyhole.
Opening the Sanctuary ✦ The gold key is the Key of Strength, and needs to be
When the adventurers have acquired the three keys inserted and turned second.
and are ready to enter the Sanctuary of Light, use the ✦ The Mithral Key doesn’t go in the Sun keyhole.
following information. ✦ The Adamantine Key doesn’t get turned first.

Upon climbing the stairs to the apex of the Pyramid of ✦ The Key of Piety goes in the Moon keyhole and gets
Shadows, the adventurers find themselves in a hallway turned first.
with three great sets of stone double doors. Each set of
doors has a keyhole. The three keys carried by the splin- It’s possible to use trial and error to get the doors open,
ters in the lower levels fit into these holes. Each key fits trying every possible match of key, keyhole, and sequence.
into any of the three holes, but to open the doors the three If your players have no patience for puzzles or just get
keys must be inserted and turned in a particular order. stuck, you can assume they work through all 36 possible
The keys, the keyholes, and the inscription in the Hermit- combinations in about 3 hours.
age provide the clues the characters need to solve this

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 DIPLOMACY AND ALLIANCES

The Pyramid of Shadows is filled with monsters that have such monsters to other areas, or the adventurers can earn
grouped into small bands and formed uneasy alliances. them as part of a negotiated alliance.
As more creatures enter the prison, the strongest alliances
work together to defend their turf. Only a few creatures
can exist outside of this crude system of alliances and sup-
The Verdant Ruin
Camnor, leader of the arboreans, is a canny, ambitious
port. As you can see by reading over the adventure, the
character. He always desires more allies, especially if
dungeon’s inhabitants have divided the pyramid into sev-
they can offer a means of escape. In addition, he hates
eral distinct districts.
the Charnel Lord and wants the creature slain. He insists
If your group loves hacking through monsters and cares
that the adventurers bring back evidence they have killed
little for roleplaying, you can simply run the adventure
the creature. In return, he offers the adventurers a safe,
as presented. The characters enter each section of the
guarded place to rest.
pyramid, fight the monsters found there, and move on to
Despite his offers of help, Camnor’s fanaticism pre-
the next section. However, a group that likes more story
vents him from becoming a true ally to the adventurers.
and interaction can have a lot of fun drawing up alliances,
He insists that the adventurers swear an oath of loyalty to
meddling in the affairs of the monsters, and playing the
the arboreans on the altar in Location 9. The ceremony
groups off each other. As a self-contained system housing
requires each player character to cut his or her arm and
a number of factions, the Pyramid of Shadows is a great
place a small seedpod within the open wound. Adventur-
locale for a game rife with intrigue, backstabbing, and
ers foolish enough to agree to this procedure suffer two
negotiation.
drawbacks: Camnor can always note their position in the
This section describes the basic plans and motivations
pyramid, and he gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against
of several factions within the pyramid. It also discusses
such characters. A DC 30 Arcana check allows a PC to dis-
potential story ideas.
cern the truth behind the ceremony, while a DC 25 Heal
If you want the adventurers to talk and negotiate with
check removes the seed and ends the effect.
monsters and your group likes that style of play, the best
Camnor is severe, demanding, and arrogant. Play him
thing you can do is to create opportunities for interaction.
like a deeply fanatical religious leader, one who believes
Monsters might call for parlay rather than attack on sight.
that he speaks the will of the gods. He wants to set the
The guards that defend a section of the pyramid watch the
adventurers to slaying as many rival groups within the
adventurers and attack only if threatened; they are willing
pyramid as possible while also using the adventurers to
to talk rather than fight.
escape from this place. He allies with the adventurers long
Of course, if your group prefers hack and slash action,
enough to assault the Sanctuary of Light, but attacks them
it is difficult to force them into a different style of play.
when Karavakos is on the verge of defeat.
Give the adventurers the chance to talk with the enemy,
but remember that the monsters fight back if threatened.
If the adventurers fight one group, don’t give up on trying Gharash Vren’s Gang
to have them negotiate with the next one. The monsters in The bandit gang is perhaps the weakest group in the pyra-
the pyramid might always be on the lookout for new allies. mid. They are newcomers to the place, and they face active
Use that as an excuse to open up opportunities for role- threats from the lizardfolk outside their lair and the were-
playing and negotiation. wolf they have trapped in their chambers.
In the end, though, the factions in the pyramid are evil Gharash Vren cares only for himself. He gladly “vol-
at worst, traitorous at best. They see the adventurers as unteers” his followers for service to the adventurers, as
useful tools, not genuine friends. That said, the more you long as he can keep a few of his soldiers on guard duty. He
want to cast the adventure as a struggle between factions, never places himself in danger. He defers to the characters
the more you might want to tone down their overtly evil in negotiations, happily making concessions as long as he
tendencies. However, the adventure might become too never faces any direct danger. If the adventurers are on
easy if the characters make friends with an entire faction. the verge of escape, he accompanies them to the Sanctu-
The characters, not their allies, should face the dangers ary of Light, but feigns a terrible injury during the battle.
and threats of the pyramid. Furthermore, if the groups Of course, he recovers in time to make his own escape
in the pyramid could work together and trust each other, attempt at the appropriate moment.
they wouldn’t be in their current situations. Gharash is tough, but like many bullies he is a coward
XP Awards: If you decide that some monsters can be at his core. His followers defer to him out of fear, and if
dealt with solely through negotiation, be sure to award the he dispatches them to aid the adventurers, the criminals
adventurers full XP for “defeating” them through diplo- flee when bloodied or keep at the edges of a battle against
macy. In addition, you can shift any treasures guarded by any strange or tough foe. The criminals, like their leader,

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 D I P LO M AC Y A N D A L L I A N C E S
have no intention of risking their lives for anyone but asks would-be allies to clear the temple before making any
themselves. other deals.
If Gharash can betray the adventurers, he does so. He The dragon is arrogant, distant, and not particularly
sees their gear as a useful arsenal in carving out his own troubled by the need for tact or courtesy. In its eyes, the
lair in the pyramid. He might secretly order criminals he adventurers have an easy choice to make: keep the dragon
sends with the adventurers to lead them into an ambush happy, or die in its fangs. It wants no part of any battle
set by Gharash and the rest of the gang. with Karavakos.

The Sundered Temple The Cyst of Shadows

Medragal, the high priest of the Sundered Temple, is Karavakos’s Shadow wants to take the place of the true
wracked with paranoia. If the adventurers offer to ally Karavakos. If the Shadow cannot escape from the pyra-
with him, he demands that they slay Camnor and as many mid, then it is content to reign over the place and control it
arboreans as possible. His scouts report that the arboreans completely. The Shadow has no desire to die, and it makes
grow ever stronger, and he wants them dead before they any claim necessary to prevent the adventurers from slay-
can pose a true threat to his portion of the pyramid. ing it should it face defeat at their hands. The Shadow tells
He also wants the dragon in Location 26 slain, since he the adventurers that it possesses intimate knowledge of
believes that a ritual that uses the dragon’s heart can grant Karavakos’s secrets, that it knows many secrets of the pyra-
him great power. He’s wrong, but he doesn’t know that. If mid, and that it knows Karavakos’s true weakness. These
the adventurers give him the heart, he feigns the acquisi- are all lies, but the Shadow will say and do whatever is
tion of greater might in a bid to improve his bargaining necessary to buy time to escape from the adventurers.
position—both with the adventurers and with other fac- The Shadow maintains whatever façade it takes on
tions within the pyramid. for as long as is necessary. If the adventurers see through
After the failure by Karavakos’s splinter to open an its deception or refuse to believe what it tells them, the
escape route (see Location 24), Medragal is convinced Shadow attempts to flee and forge a new faction elsewhere
that the Pyramid of Shadows is all that is left of reality. He in the pyramid. The Shadow has a particular interest in
believes that any escape attempt is doomed, and he allies getting Gharash and his band to accept it as their leader.
with the adventurers only to keep tabs on their activities. When the adventurers attack the Sanctuary of Light,
However, if the characters make it clear that they intend to the Shadow and its new followers (the bandits under Gha-
storm the Sanctuary of Light and slay Karavakos, the high rash Vren, or any surviving monsters from areas cleared
priest becomes terrified. He makes a false offer of help, but earlier by the adventurers fill this bill) arrive during the
orders his followers to slay the adventurers just before they fight in an attempt to defeat both Karavakos and the
enter the Sanctuary. adventurers.
If negotiations have gone well, and if Medragal is at
least pretending to be on friendly terms with the adven-
turers, he offers them his own hut as a place to rest (in
Location 23). Later, he orders his followers to set the hut
on fire and attack once the adventurers have gone to sleep.
Medragal is a pathetic figure. He begs the adventurers
for aid, tries to portray the temple as on the verge of col-
lapse, and does everything but lick their boots to gain their
trust. Yet he uses these same claims of weakness to deny
the PCs any reinforcements if they ask for help in return.

The Dragon’s Lair

The eladrin who dwell in the dragon’s lair offer the adven-
turers little opportunity for negotiations, and the dragon
itself is perfectly content with its place in the pyramid. It
no longer needs to eat, and can spend many long, uninter-
rupted hours in the deep, dreaming sleep of dragonkind.
The dragon attacks adventurers who rob from its hoard,
but otherwise it is happy to talk to them. It wants the occa-
sional tasty morsel, enjoys adding treasures to its hoard,
and takes pleasure in the occasional conversation with
new arrivals. Though it doesn’t need to eat, it still likes
to. The dragon also hates the denizens of the Sundered
Temple, since they tried to kill it as a sacrifice once, and

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 KARAVAKOS vortex of swirling energy before he could destroy them
in the madness that overtook him. The abomination is
barely recognizable as a reflection of Karavakos, but he
does reflect the ambition (now bordering on madness) that
The tiefling wizard called Karavakos was the ruler of a
drove Karavakos to his campaign of conquests before he
petty barony who tried to create his own kingdom in a
was imprisoned.
wilderness far from the borders of Nerath. His was a
In any kind of interaction with the adventurers, the abom-
tyrannical rule, relying on the strength of his armies
ination is beyond comprehension. He attacks with unbridled
and the power of his spells to maintain order even as the
fury, seeking to destroy whatever life he encounters.
fledgling kingdom crumbled around him. When his own
When this splinter is destroyed, a churning orb of lurid
power proved insufficient to keep his lands secure and his
green mist congeals above the body and oozes toward
rule unchallenged, he turned to a diabolical bargain to
the Sanctuary of Light (speed 5) to rejoin with the true
reinforce his armies, and legions of devils marched across
Karavakos.
the land at his command.
As agreements with devils usually do, Karavakos’s
bargain went sour. His legions could not stand against Kravak the Damned,
the defenders of the Feywild, and the wizard ended up
imprisoned within the Pyramid of Shadows. His life force
the Necromancer
The third splinter of Karavakos makes his home on Level
was separated into three splinters, thereby fragmenting his
3 of the pyramid. (Location 29). He calls himself Kravak,
power. The Karavakos the adventurers face in the pyramid
and this splinter is a manifestation of Karavakos’s desire to
is actually a number of different, distinct foes.
conquer death and rule for eternity. However, this grand
ambition is now warped into a melancholy despair. Kravak
Arat Karavakos, is fascinated with death and the undead, and surrounds
the Hermit himself with undead servants.
When interacting with the adventurers, Kravak lives up
One splinter of Karavakos resides on Level 1 of the
to his name—he is fatalistic, sure that he is doomed to both
pyramid, in the hermitage behind the Library of Whis-
death and damnation. He fights fiercely, since he hopes
pers (Location 15). This splinter represents Karavakos’s
to be an instrument of destruction for the adventurers, as
thoughts and memories, his mastery of the theoretical
well. His grim predictions of doom and stoic acceptance of
aspects of arcane magic, and his rational mind. This
a terrible fate define his interaction with them.
splinter fell under the influence of a pack of eaters of
When this splinter is destroyed, a smear of black
knowledge, creatures that devour thought and learning.
shadow forms over the body and drifts directly upward to
His memory has faded, and he is a fraction of the powerful
the Sanctuary of Light (speed 10) to rejoin with the true
spellcaster that the unsplintered Karavakos once was.
Karavakos.
In combat, Arat Karavakos is focused and determined.
He does not speak, and there’s an intensity to his determi-
nation that suggests that he’s making a significant effort to Karavakos’s Shadow
remember how to use the spells he’s hurling at the adven- The creature in Location 32 is not a splinter of Karavakos’s
turers. He seems to both fear and despise the adventurers, life force, but a side effect of their creation. Just as the Shad-
even though he has no idea who they are or why they are owfell is a distorted echo of the natural world, Karavakos’s
in the pyramid. Shadow is not part of Karavakos, but a reflection of him.
When this splinter is killed, a sphere of purple energy The Shadow thinks it is the true Karavakos, and it has
forms above the body and then hurtles (speed 10) out of all of the wizard’s dreams and desires. It wants to escape
the room, up the Grand Stair, and all the way to the Sanc- from the pyramid. It wants to resume its goal of conquest
tuary of Light to rejoin with the true Karavakos. and empire. It wants to complete the task it set out to do
before it was imprisoned in this pyramid. It has no idea
The Far Realm that it is nothing more than a reflection of the wizard, and
it won’t believe such tales if told as much.
Abomination The Shadow’s death has no effect on the true Kara-
The second splinter (see Location 24) tried to travel vakos. It exhibits no visible manifestation of life force
through the Far Realm to escape the Pyramid of Shadows. returning to the true Karavakos when it is destroyed.
He allied with the foulspawn in the Sundered Temple and
managed to open a portal to the Far Realm. Instead of
passing through the plane and finding freedom, however,
False Shards
The false shards in the Santuary of Light (Location 33)
he succeeded only in wrecking his mind and warping
are little more than copies of Karavakos’s physical form
his flesh. He became a monstrosity even more alien than
given basic life essence by the wizard. They are capable
his foulspawn allies. Those same allies trapped him in a
of following simple orders, but are otherwise incapable of

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 K A R AVA KO S
independent thought. They are brainwashed echoes whose natural world. And he is able to occasionally draw other
only goal is to obey their creator. creatures into the pyramid, adding to the population of
The true Karavakos fashioned false shards whose this extradimensional prison.
bodies his mind can inhabit. Karavakos jumps from body In any interaction with the adventurers, Karavakos
to body when he is directly threatened, using his false speaks using the first person plural. “We have invited you
shards as a combination of cannon fodder and a conve- here,” he tells them. “We have great plans and great deeds
nient escape route. to accomplish.” Of course, he also has bouts of depression
and anger: “We are lost! We are forsaken! We hate this
The True Karavakos place! We will destroy you!”
He has lost track of his true body after years of slipping
The true Karavakos has suffered greatly during his years
his mind from one false shard to the next, and finds the
of imprisonment. Once a self-proclaimed king and would-
appearance of any creature other than himself horrid. Some
be emperor, he has descended into a near-maniacal state.
days, he wishes to purge the pyramid of all creatures other
When his life force was sundered upon entering the pyra-
than his false shards, creating a bizarre “utopia” with him
mid, he lost much of the willpower and focus that made
and his copies as its only residents. Other times, he descends
him a great wizard. Though he lost his strength of will, he
into rage against his imprisonment, reduced to battering at
still retains his arcane might.
the pyramid’s walls with his spells and, eventually, fists.
Karavakos has spent his centuries of imprisonment
In some ways, Karavakos is a tragic figure. He wanted
deeply ensconced in researching methods of escape. He has
to control his surroundings with an iron fist. He could
attempted to open gates to a variety of planes, alien worlds,
rule over the pyramid if he chose to, but such a pathetic
and pocket dimensions. His research into divination magic
domain serves only to heighten his rage and frustration.
failed to reveal any information on how he might escape,
When inserting this adventure into your campaign,
and his attempts to contact gods, devils, demon lords, and
keep in mind that the lords of Hell are responsible for
even the entities of the Far Realm have all failed.
Karavakos’s imprisonment. Everything they do serves a
Even so, Karavakos has made progress. He has been
greater purpose. Perhaps the pyramid plays a critical role
able to send dreams and visions to those connected to
in their schemes, or the adventurers are destined to defeat
arcane power in the natural world. He has been able to
Karavakos and escape the pyramid as part of an unknow-
gain nominal control of the pyramid, causing it to sporadi-
able diabolic scheme.
cally and periodically appear in specific locations in the
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 NEW MONSTERS
Arborean Speaker Level 10 Controller (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid (plant) XP 500
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +5
Poison Spores (Poison) aura 5; enemies that enter or start their

Arborean turns in the aura take 5 poison damage.

HP 109; Bloodied 54
The ferocious arboreans offer blood sacrifices to their AC 24; Fortitude 23, Reflex 21, Will 23
strange idols, lush plants that they believe sustain the Vulnerable 5 fire (pushed 1 square when it takes fire damage)
Speed 6
spirits of their ancestors. Arboreans are humanoids with
m Scythe (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison, Weapon
tough, brown skin similar in texture to tree bark. They +15 vs. AC; 1d10 + 2 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage and
are violent, stalking and killing all who enter their lands. the target is slowed (save ends both).
Arboreans hang intruders above their sacred gardens to C Invigorating Spores (standard; at-will)
allow their blood to nourish the plants below. Close burst 5; allies within burst regain 5 hit points and
immediately shift 3 squares.
Arborean Reaper Level 7 Soldier C Choking Spores (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Poison
Medium natural humanoid (plant) XP 300 Close burst 5; +14 vs. Fortitude; enemies within burst take 2d4
+ 4 poison damage and are dazed and take ongoing 5 poison
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +5
damage (save ends both).
HP 81; Bloodied 40
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elven
AC 23; Fortitude 20, Reflex 18, Will 19
Skills Diplomacy +13, Insight +15, Nature +15
Vulnerable 5 fire (pushed 1 square when it takes fire damage)
Str 16 (+8) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 20 (+10)
Speed 6
Con 21 (+10) Int 14 (+7) Cha 17 (+8)
m Scythe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Equipment robes, scythe
+14 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the
end of the arborean reaper’s next turn.
C Needle Volley (standard; encounter) ✦ Poison Arborean Plant Terror Level 11 Elite Brute
Close blast 3; +12 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target Large natural animate (plant) XP 1,200
is slowed (save ends). Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elven Gnarled Roots The area adjacent to the plant terror is difficult
Skills Nature +10 terrain.
Str 15 (+5) Dex 13 (+4) Wis 14 (+5) HP 286; Bloodied 143
Con 17 (+6) Int 9 (+2) Cha 11 (+3) AC 23; Fortitude 25, Reflex 21, Will 23
Equipment blood-stained robes, scythe Vulnerable 5 fire (pushed 1 square when it takes fire damage)
Speed 5
m Vine (standard; at-will)
Arborean Watcher Level 7 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid (plant) XP 300 Reach 2; +14 vs. AC; 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target slides 1
square.
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +10
HP 65; Bloodied 32
M Vine Flurry (standard; at-will)
The plant terror makes two basic attacks, one each against two
AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 20, Will 18
different targets.
Vulnerable 5 fire (pushed 1 square when it takes fire damage)
Blood Devourer
Speed 7
When a plant terror damages a bloodied foe with a melee attack,
m Short Sword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
it regains 10 hit points.
+12 vs. AC; 2d6 + 4 damage.
Vicious Opportunist
C Vine Plague (standard; encounter)
The plant terror gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and a +5 bonus
Close burst 2; +10 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 4 damage, and the target is
to damage when it makes opportunity attacks.
immobilized (save ends).
Threatening Reach
Combat Advantage
The plant terror can make opportunity attacks against all
When the arborean watcher has combat advantage, its melee
enemies within its reach (2 squares).
attacks deal 2d6 extra damage on a hit.
Alignment Evil Languages —
Arboreal Veil (minor; at-will) ✦ Illusion
Str 22 (+11) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 18 (+9)
If no enemy is within 3 squares, the arborean watcher gains
Con 23 (+11) Int 11 (+5) Cha 19 (+9)
invisibility until the end of its next turn.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elven
Skills Athletics +10, Stealth +11
Str 14 (+5) Dex 17 (+6) Wis 15 (+5)
Arborean Tactics
Con 17 (+6) Int 11 (+3) Cha 12 (+4)
Arborean reapers fire volleys of poisoned needles that
Equipment robes, short sword slow their quarry, allowing them to finish off enemies with
their cruel scythes before they can escape.
Sentinels charged with watching the paths to arborean
lands, watchers attack from ambush. They attempt to
use vine plague to cause long, tough plants to erupt from
the ground and trap their victims, allowing them to turn

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 N EW M O N S T E R S
invisible from a distance and dart in and out of the melee.
Once invisible, watchers use a charge to attack a foe.
Speakers are the priests of the arboreans, charged
with communing with their plant gods and revealing the
desires of those gods. In battle, speakers lurk just behind
their followers, using choking spores to disrupt enemies
before turning to invigorating spores to support allies.
The plant terror is a simple brute that attempts to batter
foes into bloody pulps. It strides to the front of any melee,
attempting to engage as many opponents with its threaten-
ing reach ability as possible. Fearless in battle, an animated
plant terror cares little for being outnumbered. The more
foes it faces, the better it can utilize its attacks.

Arborean Lore
A character knows the following information with a suc-
cessful Nature check:
DC 15: Arboreans are strange plant humanoids that
dwell in the deepest, most isolated regions of primeval
forests. They capture and kill those who trespass on their
territories to feed fresh blood to the plants they worship.
DC 20: Arboreans hate fire. They take additional
damage from flames and involuntarily move away from
fires that hurt them.

Arborean Culture
Arboreans are vicious, tribal creatures that hate civilized
races. Each tribe is centered around a sacred grove where
its dead are buried. The arboreans plant trees, bushes,
and other plants atop these graves. They believe that their
ancestors’ spirits enter these plants and spread through unleash the plant terrors, hill giant-sized creatures that
the forest. Anyone who enters arborean territory violates are an amalgam of blood-drenched soil, roots, and plants.
this sacred ground and invites a brutal attack. Arboreans rarely work with other humanoids, prefer-
Arborean custom demands that intruders be killed and ring to keep to themselves. They sometimes raid nearby
fed to the ancestors in order to appease their wrath. Slain settlements, and occasionally a powerful druid can forge
enemies and captured foes are hung above the tribe’s most an alliance with them.
sacred plants, where their blood drips down to nourish the Arboreans have little knowledge of arcane magic, and
plants below. A living captive might be strung up, cut in their animistic tradition precludes almost every form of
several places, and left to die a slow, painful death. Once a divine magic.
victim has been drained of blood, his skull and bones are Reapers make up the main body of a tribe’s hunters and
hung at the edge of the arborean territory as a warning to warriors. They are distinguished by poisonous needles
future invaders. that sprout from their arms and torsos. In battle, they fire
Arboreans are ruled by speakers, high priests that volleys of these needles at their enemies.
commune with the tribe’s ancestor spirits and speak on Watchers are scouts and sentinels who prowl the edge
their behalf. There is usually one speaker for every ten of a tribe’s territory. They use primal magic to fade into the
arboreans in a tribe, and the speakers meet as a group to background and call vines to grow from the ground and
decide important issues. grasp their foes.
Most arboreans dwell above ground, but some tribes As the priests and shamans of the arborean tribes, the
occupy plant and fungus-choked caverns of the Under- speakers commune with the tribe’s ancestral spirits. They
dark. These valloreans are identical to their surface turn to these spirits for advice and guidance in running
cousins, except that their sacred groves consist of enor- the tribe’s daily affairs.
mous mushrooms and fungus growths rather than trees The strange plant terrors animate and attack intruders
and other plants. who draw too close to the arboreans’ sacred gardens. The
When an arborean tribe faces a dire threat, its members speakers can also call them forth to deal with particularly
B E N WO OT T E N

call upon their ancestors to defend them from harm. The powerful foes.
ground of the tribe’s sacred groves churns and erupts to

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 Charnel Lord Charnel Rat
Centuries of feeding on the poison of evil magic and the Alongside the corruption of the Charnel Lord, a popula-
refuse of the dead have transformed this otyugh into tion of giant rats has developed into the otyugh’s servitors.
something entirely new.
Charnel Rat Level 7 Minion
Charnel Lord (Unique Otyugh) Level 10 Elite Soldier Small natural beast XP 75
Large natural beast XP 1,000 Initiative +8 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +13; darkvision Aura of Rot aura 1; an enemy that starts its turn adjacent to a
Otyugh Stench aura 1; enemies in the aura take a –2 penalty to charnel rat takes 2 damage.
attack rolls. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
HP 212; Bloodied 106 AC 21; Fortitude 18, Reflex 21, Will 20
AC 26; Fortitude 27, Reflex 21, Will 24 Speed 6, climb 3
Immune disease Resist necrotic 5 m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Saving Throws +2 +12 vs. AC; 5 damage.
Speed 5, swim 5 Alignment Evil Languages —
Action Point 1 Skills Stealth +13
m Charnel Lash (standard; at-will) Necrotic Str 15 (+5) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 13 (+4)
Reach 3; +17 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic Con 15 (+5) Int 4 (+0) Cha 6 (+1)
damage (save ends).
m Lifeleech (standard; at-will) ✦ Necrotic
Reach 3; +17 vs. AC; target is pulled 2 squares and grabbed Charnel Rat Lore
(until escape). Grabbed target takes 5 necrotic damage, and the A character knows the following information with a suc-
Charnel Lord regains 5 hit points when grabbed and at the start cessful Nature check:
of the grabbed target’s turn. DC 15: These creatures seem to be giant rats whose
C Charnel Frenzy (standard; at-will) ✦ Necrotic nature has been corrupted.
Close burst 3; +17 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage, and ongoing 5
In addition, a successful Arcana check gives the charac-
necrotic damage (save ends).
M Rotting Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Necrotic
ter insight into the nature of that corruption:
+15 vs. AC; 2d6 + 6 necrotic damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic DC 20: Gnawing on undead bones and feeding on nec-
damage (save ends). romantically charged flesh has corrupted these rats into
Alignment Evil Languages — creatures with a vague, evil intelligence.
Skills Stealth +10
Str 22 (+11) Dex 11 (+5) Wis 16 (+8)
Con 18 (+9) Int 6 (+3) Cha 5 (+2)

Charnel Lord Lore

A character knows the following basic information about
the charnel lord with a successful Nature check.
DC 15: Otyughs typically infest the sewer systems of
large cities and lurk in the darkest and most stagnant por-
tions of dungeons.
In addition, a successful Arcana check gives the charac-
ter insight into this particular specimen.
DC 20: This otyugh has been altered, likely through
long exposure to magic involving death and the undead.
DC 25: Its nature now has less to do with the filth of its
environment and more with the inherent corruption of its
being. Worse, it seems to be more intelligent than the aver-
age otyugh, and driven by malignancy, not just hunger.
B E N WO OT T E N

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 Eater of Knowledge
So great is the god Vecna’s hunger for knowledge that it
sometimes takes on living form and crawls into the dark-
est places of the world in search of secrets to devour.

Eater of Knowledge Lore

A character knows the following with a Religion check:
DC 24: Eaters of knowledge are also called the Brood
of Vecna. They’re embodiments of the god’s hunger for
knowledge and secrets, and they seek out places where
knowledge is stored. When these beings linger, books
become blank and memories fade.
DC 28: Whatever an eater knows, Vecna knows as
well. When it kills a creature, it takes its knowledge and
memories.

Eater of Knowledge Voidblade Level 6 Soldier

Medium immortal humanoid XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +7; low-light vision
HP 70; Bloodied 35
AC 22; Fortitude 17, Reflex 19, Will 18
Resist 5 psychic
Speed 5
m Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic, Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the target is marked
until the end of the voidblade’s next turn. A marked target takes
5 psychic damage if it makes an attack that does not include the
voidblade.
C Psychic Scream (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Psychic
Close burst 1; +11 vs. Will; 1d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the
target is immobilized until the end of the voidblade’s next turn. Eater of Knowledge Mindstrike Level 8 Elite Controller
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal Medium immortal humanoid XP 700
Skills Arcana +13, Dungeoneering +12, History +13, Nature +12, Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9; low-light vision
Religion +13 Mindfield (Psychic) aura 3; enemies that enter or start their turn in
Str 16 (+6) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 18 (+7) the aura take 5 psychic damage and a –2 penalty to Will defense.
Con 14 (+5) Int 20 (+8) Cha 14 (+5) HP 174; Bloodied 87
Equipment scimitar AC 23; Fortitude 21, Reflex 23, Will 22
Saving Throws +2
Eater of Knowledge Thoughtbow Level 7 Artillery Resist 5 psychic
Medium immortal humanoid XP 300 Speed 6
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +12; low-light vision Action Point 1
HP 64; Bloodied 32 m Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic, Weapon
AC 19; Fortitude 18, Reflex 20, Will 19 +13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 psychic damage.
Resist 5 psychic C Mindsurge (standard; at-will)
Speed 7 Close burst 10; each ally in surge can make a basic attack.
m Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic, Weapon M Mindwrack (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Psychic, Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 psychic damage. Requires scimitar; +13 vs. AC; 2d8 + 6 psychic damage, and the
r Longbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic, Weapon target is can only make basic attacks (save ends).
Ranged 20/40; +14 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 psychic damage. C Mindhowl (standard; recharge ⚅) ✦ Psychic
A Arrowstorm (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Psychic, Weapon Close burst 2; +12 vs. Will; 2d8 + 6 psychic damage, and the
Requires longbow; area burst 1 within 20 squares; +10 vs. Will; target is dazed (save ends).
1d10 + 5 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Alignment Evil Languages Supernal
Alignment Evil Languages Supernal Skills Arcana +15, Dungeoneering +14, History +15, Insight +14,
Skills Arcana +13, Dungeoneering +12, History +13, Nature +12, Nature +14, Religion +15
Religion +13 Str 19 (+8) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 21 (+9)
Str 14 (+5) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 19 (+7) Con 15 (+6) Int 23 (+10) Cha 16 (+7)
Con 16 (+6) Int 21 (+8) Cha 14 (+5) Equipment scimitar
Equipment scimitar, longbow, quiver of 20 arrows
LU C I O PA R I L LO

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 Head of Vyrellis Pleased (16–20)
“Truly, you have greatness in you, hero.”
The Head of Vyrellis is an artifact that plays a central role
The Head of Vyrellis is pleased and impressed with its
in this adventure. The adventurers encounter the Head in
owner, and has high hopes of achieving its goals. It’s genu-
the first chamber of the pyramid, and if they allow it to,
inely helpful in sharing its knowledge with the character.
it helps and guides them through the pyramid until they
escape. It has its own agenda, however, which might or Property: You gain resist 10 radiance.
might not perfectly align with the goals of the adventurers. Power (Daily ✦ Illusion): Standard Action. You become
invisible until you miss with an attack or take damage.
Head of Vyrellis Heroic Level
This orb of darkest obsidian easily fits in the palm of your hand. Satisfied (12–15)
As you stare into its inky depths, the severed head of an eladrin “You are doing well. If you don’t foul things up, we might just get
princess floats into view and you hear her sing-song voice, “I am out of here.”
Vyrellis, and I offer my assistance to whoever carries this orb.”
Proud as it is, the Head of Vyrellis couldn’t reasonably
The Head of Vyrellis is a wondrous item with the following expect more from an ordinary mortal. It tries to give help-
properties and powers.
ful information about what its possessor can expect to find
Property: You gain a +2 bonus to Arcana, History, and Religion
checks and can make checks as if trained in those skills.
in any region of the pyramid, but its knowledge is limited.
Power (Encounter): Move Action. You can teleport up to 7 It can describe the arboreans in Locations 6–10, it knows
squares. that the dragon in Location 26 is white, and it knows about
Power (Daily): Standard Action. You are surrounded by a recent arrivals to the pyramid that ignored its pleas for
cyclone of biting cold wind. Creatures that begin their turn help and took up residence in Locations 11 and 13.
adjacent to you take 1d6 cold damage and are slowed until The Head also explains that Vyrellis’s life force is splin-
the start of their next turn.
tered and contained within three gemstones scattered
through the pyramid. With the stones reunited, Vyrellis
Goals of the Head of Vyrellis can pass to her final rest—or perhaps even return to life.
✦ Reunite the three splinters of Vyrellis’s life force and
escape with them from the Pyramid of Shadows. Property: You gain a +1 bonus to Will defense.
Power (Daily ✦ Psychic): Standard Action. Close burst 3; +13
✦ Destroy Karavakos or make sure he remains impris-
vs. Will; 2d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target is dazed
oned in the Pyramid of Shadows. (save ends).
The Head’s additional goals are up to you, depending on
how (or whether) you want to use the item beyond the Normal (5–11)
scope of this adventure. “Well, you’re better than hanging from a hook on the wall.”
The Head of Vyrellis has little confidence in its new
“owner,” but is willing to be convinced. If asked, it gives
Roleplaying the basic information about what’s in each section of the pyra-
Head of Vyrellis mid, but only as characters get close. It speaks of “those
The Head of Vyrellis is haughty, cultured, and eloquent— plant monsters” in Locations 6–10, “the library” (14 and
very much like a living eladrin noble. 15), “aberrations, horrible things” in Locations 20–24, “a
When the adventurers first encounter the Head, it dragon” around Location 26, and “the walking dead” in
explains the basics of Karavakos’s story (see page 16). Locations 27–29. It claims ignorance of any details.
It offers to help the adventurers destroy Karavakos and
escape from the Pyramid of Shadows. It keeps its search Unsatisfied (1–4)
for the splinters of its own life force secret until its concor- “This will never do.”
dance is at least 12. It does urge the character carrying it The owner is making a mess of her plans, and Vyrellis
to take possession of those items if found, hinting at their has little hope of escaping the pyramid. Its greatest fear is
significance without providing all the details. falling into the hands of one of the splinters of Karavakos.
It doesn’t share any information with its possessor.
Concordance
Starting score 5 Special: You immediately lose one healing surge and start each
Owner gains a level +1d10 new day with one less surge than the day before.
Owner is an eladrin +2
Owner is an elf +1 Angered (0 or Lower)
Each splinter of Vyrellis’ life force retrieved +3 “Imbecile! I insist you put me in the care of someone competent!”
The Head actively seeks a character it feels has a chance
Other modifiers to the Head’s concordance, as well as to defeat Karavakos and win escape from the pyramid.
details about moving on, are indicated throughout the
adventure. Special: You take a –2 penalty to Will defense.

22

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 22 6/23/08 9:26:51 AM

 View of the Entrance Pit

View of the Bridge

B R I A N H AG A N

23

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 23 6/23/08 9:26:51 AM

 View of the Hedge Maze

B R I A N H AG A N , LU C I O PA R I L LO

View of the Temple

24

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 24 6/23/08 9:26:52 AM

 View of the Inner Chambers
AT T I L A A D O R J A N Y ( 2)

View of the Library

25

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 25 6/23/08 9:26:54 AM

 View of an Eater of Knowledge

LU C I O PA R I L LO, AT T I L A A D O R J A N Y

View of the Hermitage

26

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 26 6/23/08 9:26:55 AM

 View of the Ice Chamber
AT T I L A A D J O R N AY ( 2)

Inside the Chamber of the Monoliths

27

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 27 6/23/08 9:26:56 AM

 View of the Three Gates of Agony

LU C I O PA R I L LO ( 2)

View of the Heart of Madness

28

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 28 6/23/08 9:26:57 AM

 View of the Howling Winds
LU C I O PA R I L LO, AT T I L A A D O R J A N Y

View of the Cave of Ice

29

300_21863740_002_Pyr_32_A.indd 29 6/23/08 9:26:58 AM

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