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Outline and Checklist:
Details:
The entire plane is only about 30 miles across and the terrain is full of deep ravines, sheer cliffs, and craggy rock outcroppings. For the most part, it is in the shape of a shallow bowl. In the center of the circle lies a vast three-sided pyramid that is Gruumsh's prison. There are three “rivers” that come in from the edge of the plane and disappear under the three corners of the pyramid. These rivers are full of dismembered corpses and blood (far more of the former than the latter). However, the corpse pieces are all “alive” and squirm, claw, and scream constantly. When first viewed, all viewers must make a DC 10 Will save (Constitution-based) or be sickened (which means a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks). This will remain in effect until the character is taken out of sight of the river. A new save must be made if the character returns to the river - however if they make, they are immune for 24 hours.
Unless in one of the deep ravines, the watching Eye of Gruumsh is everywhere.
Gravity and other physical behavior acts as it does on the real world. However, there is one important exception: Flying of any sort (magical or otherwise) is severely limited. Any flight (magical or otherwise) works only within about a foot of the ground. It can be used to skim the surface at flight speed, or cross most of the ravines, but cannot be used to gain altitude. Similarly, jumping up is impeded so that a normal person can only jump about a foot off the ground.
Surprisingly, short range teleport spells such as Dimension Door seem to work fine. The longer version spells, however, will always deposit the traveler in a special dungeon cell under one of the Governor Warden's buildings outside the pyramid. Plane Shifts away from this plane are forbidden and any such spell will have the same result as a Teleport spell.
Other magical spells, for the most part, work as expected. However, any spell or ability that negatively affects undead is “impeded” and any spell or ability that positively affects undead is “enhanced”. To cast an impeded spell, the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the level of the spell). If the check fails, the spell does not function but is still lost as a prepared spell or spell slot. If the check succeeds, the spell functions normally. An enhanced spell is maximized (as if the Maximize Spell metamagic feat had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots).
The undead rule this place. There are no “living” devils (though there are a few demons and devils that have been converted to undead). All undead will recognize the mark that the tuning fork placed on the party and will leave the party in peace (though most will be reluctant). There are no mindless undead (skeletons and zombies) on this plane. In addition, all undead here have +4 levels of turn resistance.
Ust'olda will be able to tell the party all he has learned about the Slaad and their activities on this plane. Here are the key elements:
* It has been four months since Shadow's invasion of Chaos.
* The Chaos Gate has been up for three weeks.
* Ust'olda has been on Prison Plane 121 for five days.
* The battle between Chaos and Shadow appeared for awhile to be going the way
of Chaos. However, it now appears that Shadow was simply concentrating his forces on a region of Chaos so that he could divide them. Once he had carved off a decent-sized chunk, a one-way gate connecting Limbo to Prison Plane 121 appeared. The Slaadi (which are very easy to push around on a battlefield) then fled through the gate. The Githzerai now believe that Shadow will own all of Chaos within a year (if not sooner).
* Neither the Gith nor the Slaadi know who set the gate up (though the Gith
assume it is the Shadowlord). The Slaadi, on the other hand, do not care. They operate with little regard to the larger picture (though they refer to themselves in both the singular and the plural interchangeably).
* Among the Slaadi exiles on Prison Plane 121 there is a leader (of sorts) in
the form of an Advanced Gray Slaad. He has tapped into the necromantic energy of the river and is using it to enhance his own powers and will eventually become a Death Slaad - in perhaps only a few days. Ust'olda is aware of the corruption to the river, but is unaware of the effect this has on the pyramid-prison.
* In addition to the Gray, there are a handful of Advanced Green Slaadi who
have learned of the other two rivers and are trying to advance toward them. The more "organized" of these Greens is making noticeable headway toward the "South-West" river, using a massive army of Reds and Blues.
The party has several options after meeting Ust'olda. Here are the obvious ones:
1) Return to the pyramid to make a report to the Governor Warden.
2) Head toward the Chaos Gate to confront the Gray Slaad who controls it.
3) Head toward the “south-west” river to confront the Green Slaad.
4) Do nothing and wait for Chaos to reign
Option 1 is the most likely. Ust'olda will be very reluctant since he has no protection against the undead. The party will have to convince him and offer some protections - preferably magical. The Governor Warden considers the party's quest unfulfilled and will not grant them their reward (though he may admit that Lashmere is physically on this plane). He will also let slip the restrictions on teleport and the fact that there is no way off the plane without his express approval. (And, since the contract does not obligate him to provide such a service, he sees no reason to extend that courtesy). If the party gets him talking for too long, he will probably let slip that the river converge under the pyramid and take the souls to Hades underworld on Godsland. (This may end up being the party's only way out!)
Option 2 is probably suicide. The Gray has at his disposal *hundreds* of Blue and Red Slaadi. Unless the party is very clever, this option should be discouraged.
Option 3 is doable. There are actually two Greens and a modest number of Blues in this army. If the party is careful, they can sneak up on the group and engage one Green and six Blues. If they can kill both Greens in this way, they will postpone the draining of the second river by at least a week.
Option 4 is the easiest. If the second river's power is drained, Gruumsh will be able to free himself from his bonds and he will become the owner of this plane. His first act will be to destroy all the undead. His second act will be … who knows? He's probably insane…
Nobody knows the following to be true (though it is). However, the party may be able to deduce the following:
In addition to the tactical benefit he gains from the gate, the Shadowlord's main purpose is to inject chaos into Prison Plane 121 in the hopes that Gruumsh will be able to escape. Gruumsh on the loose will accomplish two things for him: 1) The gods will be distracted and he will be able to get away with more mischief; and 2) Gruumsh will almost certainly influence (directly or not) the prime material plane, which will weaken it and make it ripe for the Shadowlord's planned invasion.
Advanced Blue Slaad, Large Outsider (Chaos, Extraplanar) HD 12d8+48 (102 hp) Init +2 Speed 30' AC 20 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +9 Natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18 Attack: Claw +13 melee (2d6+6) Full Attack: 4 claws +13 melee (2d6+6), Bite +11 melee (2d8+3 plus disease) Space/Reach: 10'/10' Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, Slaad fever, summon slaad Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', Fast healing 5, Immunity to Sonic,
Resistance to Acid 5, Cold 5, Electricity 5, and Fire 5
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +4 Abilities: Str 23, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +17, Hide +9, Jump +17, Listen +9, Move Silently +13, Spot +9 Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Multiattack CR: 10
Advanced Chaos Beast, Large Outsider (Chaos, Extraplanar) HD 16d8+48 (120 hp) Init +4 Speed 20' AC 16 (-1 Size, +7 Natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16 Attack: Claw +14 melee (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Full Attack: 2 claws +10 melee (1d4+6 plus corporeal instability) Space/Reach: 10'/10' Special Attacks: Corporeal instability Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', Immunity to Critical Hits and
transformation, spell resistance 15
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +17, Escape Artist +11, Hide +11, Jump +13, Listen +11,
Search +11, Spot +11, Survival +0 (+2 following tracks), Tumble +13,
Use Rope +0 (+2 with bindings)
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility CR: 11
Advanced Green Slaad, Huge Outsider (Chaos, Extraplanar) HD 15d8+90 (157 hp) Init +4 Speed 30' AC 23 (-2 Size, +0 Dex, +15 Natural), touch 8, flat-footed 23 Attack: Claws +18 melee (1d8+10) Full Attack: 2 claws +18 melee (1d8+10), Bite +16 melee (3d8+5) Space/Reach: 15'/15' Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon slaad Special Qualities: Change Shape, Darkvision 60', Fast healing 5,
Immunity to Sonic, Resistance to Acid 5, Cold 5, Electricity 5, and Fire 5
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 31, Dex 11, Con 23, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +22, Concentration +10, Hide +9, Jump +22,
Listen +12, Move Silently +12, Search +12, Spot +12,
Survival +6 (+8 following tracks)
Feats: Cleave, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack Spells: At will– Chaos Hammer (DC 15), Detect Magic, Detect Thoughts (DC 13),
Fear (DC 15), Protection from Law, See Invisibility, Shatter (DC 13);
3/day-- Dispel Law (DC 16), Deeper Darkness, Fireball (DC 14).
Caster Level 9th, Saves are Charisma based.
CR: 12
Advanced Gray Slaad, Large Outsider (Chaos, Extraplanar) HD 16d8+112 (184 hp) Init +6 Speed 30' AC 24 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +13 Natural), touch 11, flat-footed 22 Attack: Claws +19 melee (2d6+8) Full Attack: 2 claws +19 melee (2d6+8), Bite +16 melee (3d8+4) Space/Reach: 10'/10' Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon slaad Special Qualities: Change Shape, Damage Reduction 10/lawful,
Darkvision 60', Fast healing 5, Immunity to Sonic,
Resistance to Acid 5, Cold 5, Electricity 5, and Fire 5
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +9 Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 25, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14 Skills: Climb +21, Concentration +15, Hide +16, Jump +21,
Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Listen +15, Move Silently +15, Search +15,
Spellcraft +17, Spot +15, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks)
Feats: Multiattack, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (claw),
Item creation feat (any one)
Spells: At will– Chaos Hammer (DC 16), Deeper Darkness, Detect Magic,
Identify, Invisibility, Lightning Bolt (DC 15), Magic Circle Against Law,
See Invisibility, Shatter (DC 14); 3/day-- Animate Objects,
Dispel Law (DC 17), Fly; 1/day-- Power Word Stun. Caster Level 10th,
Saves are Charisma based.
CR: 13 Challenges overcome:
8 Blue Slaad-12, CR 10 (5 characters) 1 Green Slaad-15, CR 12 (4 characters) 6 Blue Slaad-12, CR 10 (4 characters)
Since Val left early, Bria got XP only for the first encounter.