The time has come for the PCs to finally confront Jhavhul and stop the evil genie from completing his terrifying transformation into Xotani the Firebleeder. The final few of a thousand wishes are all that stand in the way of Jhavhul’s triumph.
The ritual to awaken Xotani and absorb the Spawn’s power is frighteningly simple. The stages of the ritual itself merely require the utterance of a thousand wishes made over the course of any length of time—wishes made to transfer Xotani’s power to a target that stands amid the fossilized bones of the long-dead monster. When Jhavhul first began his ritual, he offered one wish to each of his followers after they used two of his three daily wishes to fuel this ritual—a trade most mortals found more than fair.
Jhavhul had just under a hundred wishes to go when the Templars of the Five Winds imprisoned him in Kakishon so long ago, and since his return to Xotani’s Grave, he’s picked up where he left off. Yet there have been complications.
Every day of the ritual requires a new nongenie mouth to utter the wishes. To further complicate the situation, the individual making the wish must do so of his or her own free will—charmed targets or creatures compelled to comply by spells like planar binding or suggestion ruin the delicate nature of the wishes (including several of the previously uttered wishes), causing the ritual to backslide. Jhavhul has been relying upon his closest allies and a number of fire giant mercenaries so far to fuel his wishes, but in his cruelty, he has come upon a tragic new method of extracting wishes: torture and false promises used to trick mortals taken away from Kelmarane. Since Jhavhul is not bound and thus not compelled to grant wishes, he has little fear of a prisoner wishing for something of which he wouldn’t approve. If the prisoner does, he simply doesn’t grant the wish. If he’s in a good mood, he gives the prisoner a chance to try again, but if he’s not, he slays the prisoner and moves on to the next. He’s been careful to keep the murder of these desperate prisoners hidden from the rest of his captives, allowing them to continue to cling to the hope that if they comply with the mad efreeti and ask his wishes, they’ll be let go as well. Even better, by killing those whom he tricks into wishing, he limits the spread of power among his allies—the fact that he was paying allies in wishes for wishes had always bothered Jhavhul, since these allies invariably used their wishes to increase their own power.
And so, for the past several days, he has been using mortals plucked from Kelmarane to fuel the last remaining wishes. He has chosen Almah Roveshki to utter his final wish, promising her that if she complies, the citizens he’s taken away from her will be released. What he doesn’t tell her is that rather than keeping these prisoners in a “secret prison,” he’s simply been murdering them after their usefulness has ended—and that he plans the same fate for her in the end.
Ages ago, when Xotani the Firebleeder was entombed deep beneath Pale Mountain, its remains were interred in a single cavern, sealed off from the world above. Yet as with most of the Spawn of Rovagug, death is not the end, and when the Firebleeder was cast down into this cave network, its spirit lingered. As the centuries passed, a small spark of life left within the fossilized bones gradually awoke, searching for a way to escape from the rocky tomb. Eventually, the spark was able to worm its way into the cracks between the planes, and it succeeded in opening a tiny portal to the Plane of Fire within the Firebleeder’s corpse. Living fire seeped like blood from Xotani’s mummified heart, and over many more centuries, this molten rock carved out a complex of tunnels and caverns inside the mountain.
The Darklands beneath the Brazen Peaks are not volcanic, but the presence of Xotani’s bones under Pale Mountain have the potential to erupt, in time, into a new volcano. Jhavhul’s ritual has quickened this destructive procedure, and if he’s allowed to complete his ritual and reincarnate himself as Xotani, Pale Mountain will erupt in a devastating volcanic explosion as the reborn Spawn of Rovagug frees himself from his subterranean prison.
Jhavhul and his allies use planar travel too often to make forbiddance and dimensional lock attractive options for the caves, but he has granted wishes to create several powerful wards in the caverns of Xotani’s Grave. All of these effects, as they were granted by Jhavhul’s wishes, function at caster level 12th.
• The entire subterranean complex of Xotani’s Grave is shielded by powerful magic to hide its location and what lurks within its cavern walls—the place is effectively warded by a mage’s private sanctum effect at CL 20th. This effect can be dispelled, but only temporarily—it reactivates automatically 1d4 rounds after it is dispelled.
• A resist energy spell grants all evil creatures in the complex cold resistance 30.
• Whenever a good creature enters Xotani’s Grave, a greater dispel magic (CL 12th) attempts to dispel any protection from elements, fire shield, or resist elements spell, or any other spell effects that actively protect against fire damage. Endure elements, which does not technically grant any special resistance to fire damage, is not affected by this ward. Whenever a spell that grants resistance or immunity to fire damage is cast in Xotani’s Grave, the caster must make a DC 25 caster level check or the spell is negated as it is cast. Fire resistance granted by race or constantly active magic items (such as that afforded by a ring of fire resistance) are unaffected by this ward.
• As long as he remains within area D14, Jhavhul gains the effects of true seeing. Further, he can use clairaudience/clairvoyance to observe any location within Xotani’s Grave by clambering up into Xotani’s skull and peering out of one of the fossil’s eye sockets.
The tunnels and caverns of Xotani’s Grave average 15 feet in height, while caverns generally have 30-foot-high ceilings, unless otherwise noted. Doors are of red stone and decorated with swirling patterns, as if the stone were at one point magma but solidified while still rippling. These doors are in fact specialized phase doors that can be activated by the touch of any creature with the fire subtype. Once activated, a phase door stays active for two rounds before turning solid again. A DC 25 Use Magic Device check to emulate a race allows a creature who does not possess the fire subtype to open the door. Otherwise, the doors must be physically destroyed to allow passage through them—these doors have the same statistics as a 1-foot-thick wall of stone (Hardness 8, hp 180, Break DC 44).
Throughout Xotani’s Grave, lava flows in rivers and gathers in pools. The average depth of the lava rivers is only 5 feet, while larger pools are at least 30 feet deep. In many places, small elemental creatures such as magmin, thoqquas, and mephits live and frolic in the lava. These beings are usually engrossed in their own affairs, and provide no threat to the PCs, being at worst a nuisance. Flight, spider climb, water walk, or even the folding boat from Kelmarane may be used to aid in navigating the lava to various extents, although the PCs might come up with their own ideas as well. All of the areas within Xotani’s Grave are at severe heat level, averaging 120º F.
The effects of lava or magma are detailed on page 304 of the DMG, and the rules for severe heat can be found on page 303 of the same book—it’s wise to take the time to familiarize yourself with these rules before the PCs enter Xotani’s Grave.
Below is a brief rundown of the areas of interest in the Stone Speakers.
C1) Secret Stairs: This flight of curving stairs leads up to the secret entrance below the Maggot Throne in the Lower Works of the House of the Beast—if you’re running “The Final Wish” as a stand-alone adventure, these stairs instead lead up to the entrance to the Stone Speakers, wherever you’d like to place said entrance.
C2) The Stone Speakers: This magical garden is where the primary encounter in this complex takes place; it is described in the text.
C3) Jhavhul’s Doorstep: The chamber in which the portal to Xotani’s Grave can be opened.
C4) Pit Entrance: This room contains a large machine that can be used to open a passageway leading down into the Pit of Screaming Ghosts—the crypt level of the House of the Beast. This level played a key role earlier in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path, but there is no longer anything below of any real interest to the PCs—Xotani’s Grave lies much deeper still than this level.
The smooth volcanic tunnel splits into three here, continuing on to the west, northwest, and southwest.
A permanent image (CL 12th) placed at this junction by Jhavhul greets newcomers to Xotani’s Grave. This illusion is of Jhavhul himself, standing in the middle of the junction.
He is a towering figure with crimson skin, smoldering eyes, and black horns, and wields a burning scimitar. The smell of brimstone fills the air, and the powerful genie’s mouth splits into a feral grin as soon as he sees visitors.
“Welcome, visitors, to Xotani’s Grave, where all your wishes are granted!” the figure says, spreading his arms in welcome and unleashing a wave of heat. “You are honored to have been chosen to witness my ascension. Enjoy yourselves, and when you are but ants beneath my feet, I may even let you live!” He throws back his head and laughs, a deep, booming sound that brings to mind the roaring of flames. The figure turns to smoke and slowly fades away as his thunderous laughter echoes down the tunnels.
The permanent image resets and plays again whenever someone comes down the tunnel from the east. All of the magical effects warding the dungeon (see above) begin at this point.
A river of lava runs through this cavern from the southwest to the northeast. Two tunnels lead from the room, one to the northwest and another to the southwest, the latter the source of the flowing magma.
Creatures: Jhavhul recruited Bey Rezaz, a noble salamander, on his latest trip to the Plane of Fire. He promised the salamander a position of honor as the general of an elite force of salamander soldiers once he finishes his transformation—Bey Rezaz agreed mostly because of his own obsession with Ymeri. If Jhavhul gains favor with the Queen of the Inferno, chances are good that his allies will be looked upon favorably as well.
Bey Rezaz CR 10
Noble Salamander
hp 112 (MM 219)
Resist cold 30
Tactics
During Combat Bey Rezaz summons a Huge fire elemental on the first round of combat. He stays out of melee combat as long as possible, casting spells to assist his minions. If forced into combat, he fights with his spear and tail, trying to constrict opponents.
Morale Bey Rezaz is a coward at heart. If reduced to 60 hit points or fewer, he abandons his servants and flees to D5, begging the giants for sanctuary.
hp 58 each (MM 219)
Resist cold 30
Elemental
hp 136 (MM 99)
Treasure: In addition to his +3 longspear, Bey Rezaz keeps a bronze chest in an alcove in the wall containing his treasure: 1,497 gp, a cloth of gold cape worth 100 gp, a single rose quartz worth 50 gp, and a crystal-tipped brass wand of false life (15 charges).
A river of lava flows through this cavern along its western side. Above the river in the middle of the west wall, a tunnel opens at a height of ten feet above the river, while another tunnel exits the room to the east.
Creatures: Eight janni captains, rotated in from the ranks at Kelmarane for a week of guard duty, are posted here to watch the main entrance and guard Jhavhul’s stables (area D4). The foul temper of the creatures in area D4 make for unpleasant company, so the jann have taken to standing guard here instead. Their personal possessions lie along the southern wall. They attack any unauthorized intruders.
hp 68 each (see page 14)
Resist cold 30
This oblong cavern reeks of sulfurous smoke mixed with the sharp bite of singed hair.
Creatures: Jhavhul uses this cavern as a stable for his mounts, two eerily silent cauchemars. Both are foul-tempered and violent toward any intruders save Jhavhul himself—they adore their master with a disturbingly slavish devotion. Anyone else that dares to enter the stables is attacked.
hp 172 each (MM 194)
Resist cold 30
Various trophies of war line the walls of this cavern: armor, weapons, and battle standards. Three small stone huts stand in the southern portion of the room, and three huge iron braziers provide dim illumination.
Creatures: Over the years, Jhavhul’s elite efreeti followers, his royal janissaries, have been atrophying—many fell in combat both before and during their imprisonment in Kakishon, and recently two more were lost when Jhavhul sent a pair to the City of Brass with orders to sequester the Scroll of Kakishon and scout out his old palace to see if it was safe to return. The final three of this elite guard lounge in this room, their loyalty to Jhavhul more fierce than ever as they see themselves as the true servants of their lord—the others having proven too weak to survive this long.
All three janissaries wear elaborately engraved mithral breastplates and plumed helms, and carry ornate ranseurs. They are encountered here only if the PCs make it this far without broadcasting their arrival—otherwise, all three immediately become gaseous and invisible, leaving a permanent image of the three of them boasting and laughing in this cave while they leave to seek out the PCs and ambush them. You should time their attack on the PCs to be somewhere in Xotani’s Grave when their guard is down, but if no good opportunity presents itself before they near area D14, the janissaries attack then. Listen checks don’t reveal the presence of a gaseous invisible efreeti, but remember that if your PCs can see invisible creatures, they are likely to notice the lurking genies well before the janissaries are ready to spring their ambush.
Male advanced elite efreeti
LE Large outsider (extraplanar, fire)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +20, Spot +20
AC 26, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +5 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 119 (14d8+56)
Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +12
Immune fire; Resist cold 30
Weakness vulnerable to cold
OFFENSE
Spd 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee +1 flaming ranseur +22/+17/+12 (2d6+13/19–20/×3 plus 1d6 fire) or 2 slams +21 (1d8+8 plus 1d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with ranseur)
Special Attacks heat, plane shift
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, ranged touch +18)
At will—detect magic, produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 14), scorching ray (1 ray only)
3/day—quickened invisibility, wall of fire (DC 16)
2/day—change size (DC 14)
1/day—grant up to 3 wishes (to nongenies only), gaseous form, permanent image (DC 18)
TACTICS
During Combat One janissary tries to hang back to support the others with spell-like abilities while the others engage the foe in melee. They switch out roles as the melee fighters take damage.
Morale A janissary reduced to 40 hp or less becomes invisible and then flees to area D14 to report to Jhavhul and fight at his side, at which point the janissary fights to the death.
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +14; Grp +26
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (ranseur), Improved Initiative, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (invisibility)
Skills Bluff +19, Craft (weaponsmith) +18, Concentration +21, Intimidate +21, Listen +20, Move Silently +21, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +18, Spot +20
Languages Auran, Common, Ignan, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ change shape
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds (3); Other Gear +1 mithral breastplate, +1 flaming ranseur
A fiery river of lava lights this oblong cavern as it crawls sluggishly from west to east. The sounds of hammers ringing against metal fills the air, mingling with a thick, choking smoke. The corner of a stone building protrudes from the northern wall next to a large forge, the source of the hammering sound.
Jhavhul granted the guardians of this cavern incredibly powerful weapons with wishes, and as a result, this cavern is under the effects of a long-lasting wishwarp.
Creatures: A gang of four fire giants lives in this cavern, employed by Jhavhul to forge weapons and mine ore for his growing army. In payment for their services, Jhavhul granted each giant a wish, and in the throes of their limited creativity and imagination, all four giants wished for the same thing: flaming greatswords. Jhavhul went one better, and infused each sword with fragments of his own will, granting each sword rudimentary intelligence and a powerful ego in order to make its wielder serve Jhavhul and ensure his loyalty. While not technically intelligent, each of these lawful evil +1 flaming burst greatswords has an effective ego of 23. Each sword always attempts to dominate its wielder, and when successful, forces the wielder to defend Jhavhul and his interests.
The swords have dominated the fire giants for weeks as a result, and they mindlessly churn out new weapons or wade down the lava to area D8 to mine more ore that they smelt using the crude equipment found there. When the PCs first arrive here, there’s a 60% chance all four giants are in this area (with two in the small building sleeping while the other two work at the forge).
Pawns to their weapons, the giants drop what they’re doing and immediately attack the PCs if they see them.
If the PCs don’t defeat them before confronting Jhavhul, the giants come to his aid in that battle, as detailed in area D14.
hp 142 each (MM 121 with the following changes)
Resist cold 30
Melee +1 flaming burst greatsword +21/+16/+11 (3d6+16)
Tactics
During Combat The fire giants, dominated by their weapons, charge foes and fight them in melee.
Morale Whenever a giant is reduced to 80 hit points or fewer, he attempts to flee. To do so, he must make a DC 23 Will save to escape his weapon’s domination; if he fails, he fights to the death.
A river of lava flows through the center of this room, providing the only entrance and exit to the cyst-like chamber.
Creatures: The fire giants keep four Nessian warhounds here as pets and guards. The giants have neglected the warhounds in their sword-dominated haze, and have left them chained to the cave walls for weeks. The chains are long enough to give the hounds free run of the room, but not beyond.
hp 114 each (MM 151)
Resist cold 30
A river of lava cuts down the center of this small chamber, casting off a hellish glow, the banks on either side packed with makeshift bunks and scattered tools.
Both of these chambers have been created over the past several weeks by the act of the fire giants mining out iron and other metal ores from the walls here. Area D8a also contains several crude smelting tools—the giants generally use lava and their flaming weapons to separate metal from the ore. Area D8b is empty save for several giant-sized mining tools. There’s a 40% chance that two of the giants from area D6 are here, mining ore and smelting.
A heavy stone door opens onto a small natural chamber with a low ceiling. Across the room, a second door stands in the southwestern wall.
The potent wishcraft magic used to create this room’s trap also infuses the room with a lingering wishwarp. The ceiling in this room is only 10 feet high.
Trap: Jhavhul used a wish to create a potent trap in this room both to keep intruders away from his harem and to dispose of prisoners—the efreeti is fond of trapping prisoners who have supplied him wishes in here, leaving them to meet their dooms. Four rounds after a person enters the room, the phase doors to the north and south deactivate entirely and a portion of the northwest ceiling melts, allowing the lava beyond to surge into the chamber at a horrific speed.
The lava covers the northern half of the room to a depth of one foot in the first round, then the entire floor of the room on the second round. Each round thereafter, the lava depth increases by one foot until the room is completely flooded with lava 11 rounds after the trap is triggered. Creatures can, theoretically, escape through the passage to the north if they can move against the powerful current of the lava (with a Level 7 Swim check or at half burrow speed), but all creatures in the lava take 15 points of fire damage per round of immersion. After an hour, the lava reverses its flow, draining back into the outer rivers over the course of one minute and then resealing to reset the trap.
Type magic; Search DC 30; Disable Device DC 35
Effects
Trigger visual (true seeing); Reset automatic (1 hour)
Effect lava floods the room; never miss; onset delay (4 rounds); multiple targets (everyone in area D9); 20d6 fire damage per round plus suffocation (see above).
Rich silks hang from the walls of this chamber. A lush violet carpet runs between a double row of engraved brass columns that lead across the room to another stone door to the northwest.
This is the anteroom to Jhavhul’s harem. Jhavhul has made a wish here to conjure a powerful guardian from a secret vault on the Plane of Earth, and the chamber suffers a lingering wishwarp as a result.
Creature: A powerful brass golem is stationed here to guard the entrance to the harem and deny access to anyone except Jhavhul. It attacks anyone approaching the northwest door, pursuing them into the harem (D11) but not if they flee to the east.
hp 188 (see page 84)
Jeweled tiles cover the floor of this extravagantly decorated chamber, while soft silks and tapestries hang from the walls and ceilings, rippling in a warm breeze that blows gently through the room. Blazing torches, candelabras, shaded lanterns, and softly-glowing braziers spread throughout the room join the soft glow from a river of lava that bisects the chamber from west to east, creating ever-changing patterns of flickering light and shadow on the hanging silks. A pavilion stands in the northern half of the room, formed by silken hangings strung between four engraved columns and filled with pillows and cushions. The smell of incense and heady perfume fills the air, accompanied by the soft sounds of music and laughter from the pavilion.
The furnishings and decorations in this room are real—only the jeweled floor tiles are permanent images.
The ceiling is 40 feet tall, and the river of lava 10 feet deep. This chamber contains Jhavhul’s harem, and is one of the most tightly guarded places in Xotani’s Grave. The room’s inhabitants are more than able to take care of themselves, however.
Creatures: Jhavhul has a special fate for comely female prisoners who beg him for mercy once they realize he has no intention of releasing them after they comply with his demands for a wish. As an alternative to death, the cruel efreeti allows them to wish for eternal beauty as a member of his harem—those who unwisely comply are transformed into erinyes and completely lose their previous personalities. Jhavhul finds erinyes to be quite pleasing, as he considers efreeti females too surly and succubi too soft and easily burned for his tastes.
hp 85 each (MM 54)
Resist cold 30
Treasure: The various silk hangings and other accoutrements are worth a total of 8,500 gp if they can be safely transported out of the caverns. In addition, buried beneath the pillows in the pavilion is a wand of summon monster IV with 17 charges.
Development: A DC 30 Search check of the western wall directly over the river of lava reveals a well-hidden secret door. This is Jhavhul’s private entrance to the room—the door opens onto a tunnel half-filled with lava that leads to Xotani’s Grave (D14).
Filth and the rotted remains of a variety of humanoid bodies cover the floor of this cavern, filling the room with the noxious smell of decay. Fire gutters from vents in the ground, above which shrieking men and women have been lashed spread-eagle between stalagmites with red-hot chains. A silken pavilion sits incongruously in the center of the chamber, filled with deep cushions, plush divans, and small tables covered with a veritable feast of fine foods and wines.
With the exception of treasure, all of this room’s features, from the furniture to the damned souls and flames, are nothing more than permanent images placed here by Jhavhul to entertain his guest. Beneath the illusion, the chamber is bare stone. The chamber is lit with continual flames along the walls.
Creature: A powerful glabrezu demon named Nahrimaf lives in this room, one of Jhavhul’s ancient allies from his time before his obsession with Ymeri. The chaotic demon makes for an unusual friend to the efreeti, but the two have long enjoyed their often heated arguments on how best to corrupt mortal wishes and tempt them with offers of power. Nahrimaf came to Xotani’s Grave recently after learning of Jhavhul’s escape, and the efreeti has invited the demon to stay here for a time to witness the results of his final wish.
When the PCs first enter the room, Nahrimaf relaxes on a couch in the pavilion. He bids the PCs welcome and offers them food and drink. He is disarmingly charming, if one can look past his demonic nature, and asks about the PCs’ business in Xotani’s Grave. Nahrimaf has in fact become a bit bored with Jhavhul of late, and wouldn’t mind seeing the vain and pompous genie ruined as a result of his own lust for power. While he won’t actively oppose the efreeti, Nahrimaf might aid the PCs in other ways, such as telling them of other inhabitants, warning them of the trap in D9, or otherwise providing advice. He might even grant them a wish, but will do nothing that might interfere with Jhavhul’s plans at this stage. Of course, Nahrimaf expects payment for any information or aid he provides.
It is left to the GM to decide the nature of these payments, but they should certainly make lawful or good-aligned PCs uncomfortable at best. The glabrezu is swift to take offense at any perceived insult, and every time a character speaks to him (but no more than once per minute), the speaker must make a DC 15 Diplomacy check to avoid triggering the demon’s anger, at which point he casts aside his veneer of civility and attacks.
Glabrezu (MM 43)
hp 174
Resist cold 30
Tactics
During Combat If forced into combat, Nahrimaf attacks with chaos hammer and unholy blight, followed by confusion if any opponents are unaffected by his previous attacks. He gladly joins into melee, taking time only to cast mirror image for protection first. He saves his power word stun to use after he’s softened up a powerful foe a bit.
Morale Nahrimaf is not interested in sacrificing his life for Jhavhul, and teleports away if reduced to 50 hp or less. He does not return.
Glittering crystals of all sizes adorn this cavern, littering the floor, protruding from the walls, and stretching across the room like bridges in every direction. The crystals range in size from a few inches to dozens of feet long, from the thickness of a finger to the width of a tree trunk. In the southern portion of the cave, a small cottage made of crystal stands among the sparkling crystal forest.
This cavern used to be filled with mineral-rich water until the heat of the magma from Xotani’s heart provided the perfect environment for the formation of these crystals over the years. When the water eventually drained from the cavern, it left behind a magnificent latticework of giant crystals.
The crystal cottage to the south is a secure shelter cast daily by the cavern’s inhabitant. It is lavishly furnished inside, containing a huge canopied bed draped with silks and piled with cushions, a small dressing table, wardrobe, and a tall mirror against the wall.
The crystals create an interesting obstacle for combats in this cavern, providing cover for all combatants (+4 bonus to AC, +4 bonus to Reflex saves) save for adjacent targets. In addition, the dense concentration of crystals creates difficult terrain for all types of movement, flight included. Finally, the crystals are relatively fragile (Hardness 1, hp 10, Break DC 15) and take double damage from sonic attacks. Breaking crystals explode in a spray of razor-sharp fragments, dealing 6d6 points of slashing damage to everything in a 5-foot-diameter burst (DC 15 Reflex save halves).
Creatures: Jhavhul’s favorite consort and ally resides in this chamber, an eldritch knight named Rajali. A statuesque human woman with long black hair and dark eyes, Rajali’s most striking feature is her skin, which has the appearance of sparkling diamond, the result of a wish to be made “as hard as a diamond, so nothing can hurt me.” Jhavhul took her quite literally, turning her skin to diamond, but also hardening her heart. Rajali normally wears her glamered armor as diaphanous silks that show off her strange skin, with only the barest concessions to modesty. She favors silver bracelets and anklets, carries a glaive, and normally goes barefoot.
On the surface, Rajali seems to be deeply loyal to Jhavhul, returning his affections devotedly. In reality, she holds no more love for Jhavhul than he does for her. Her cold heart sees any emotion as a sign of pathetic weakness, and she views her relationship with Jhavhul only as a means to increase her own power. She saves what few shreds of feeling she has left for admiring her flawless skin, spending hours gazing at her own reflection in the mirror. Rajali is accompanied by her handmaidens, four invisible stalkers bound into her service. She sends the invisible stalkers into her chambers to attack any intruders, aiding them from a distance with her spells.
Female human fighter 1/abjurer 6/eldritch
knight 6
N Medium humanoid
Init +9; Senses Listen +6, Spot +8
DEFENSE
AC 29, touch 15, flatfooted 24 (+6 armor, +5 Dex, +4 natural, +4 shield)
hp 126 (13 HD; 1d10+6d4+6d6+80)
Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +10
DR 10/adamantine; Resist cold 30, fire 30, sonic 30
Weakness vulnerability to sonic
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.; fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee +2 spell-storing glaive +17/+12 (1d10+8) or slam +14 (1d6+4)
Spells Prepared (CL 11th, +14 touch, +15 ranged touch, 10% spell failure)
6th—greater dispel magic, chain lightning
5th—baleful polymorph (DC 19), break enchantment, dismissal, teleport
4th—bestow curse (DC 18), enervation, ice storm, lesser globe of invulnerability, secure shelter
3rd—dispel magic (2), fly, haste, slow (DC 17), vampiric touch
2nd—acid arrow, cat’s grace, false life, glitterdust (DC 17), resist energy, scorching ray
1st—alarm, magic missile (2), ray of enfeeblement (2), shield, true strike
0—detect magic, ray of frost, read magic, resistance
Prohibited Schools enchantment and illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Every morning, Rajali casts false life on herself, and every evening she casts secure shelter and alarm. When alerted to approaching invaders by her alarm spell, she casts cat’s grace, fly, resist energy (sonic), and shield. During Combat Rajali casts haste on the first round of combat, followed by lesser globe of invulnerability and then ice storm against massed foes. She targets opponents at range with her spells and lightning bolts from her wand, saving slow for use against hasted opponents. Rajali uses flight and her glaive’s reach to threaten and keep opponents from engaging her in melee combat for as long as possible. If she is wounded and a suitable target is nearby, Rajali casts vampiric touch to boost her hit points.
Morale Rajali is far too narcissistic to sacrifice herself for Jhavhul. If all of her invisible stalkers are killed, or if she is reduced to less than 25 hit points, she teleports to a hidden lair in the city of Katapesh and spends the next several months hiding from the PCs and Jhavhul.
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 20, Wis 13, Cha 6
Base Atk +10; Grp +14
Feats Alertness (while Farad is within arm’s reach), Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Improved Critical (glaive), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (glaive)
Skills Concentration +21, Intimidate +2, Jump +8, Knowledge (arcana) +21, Knowledge (the planes) +21, Listen +3, Spellcraft +23, Spot +3
Languages Common, Ignan, Infernal, Terran
SQ diamond skin, summon familiar (weasel named Farad)
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, wand of lightning bolt (CL 8th; 24 charges); Other Gear amulet of health +2, gauntlets of ogre power, +2 glamered mithral shirt, headband of intellect +2, +2 spell-storing glaive (currently stores vampiric touch), silver bracelets and anklets worth 500 gp, spell component pouch, spellbook (all prepared spells, all 0-level spells except enchantment and illusion, plus 1d6 more spells of each level, including lesser planar ally and planar ally)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Diamond Skin (Ex) Rajali’s diamond skin grants her a +4 natural armor bonus, DR 10/adamantine, fire and cold resistance 30, and vulnerability to sonic damage (she takes 150% normal damage from sonic attacks). She also gains a slam attack with her fist, although she generally only uses this to take attacks of opportunity.
Inherent Bonuses As Jhavhul’s favored consort, Rajali has been allowed to use wishes to gain a +3 inherent bonus to all six of her ability scores, with the exception of Charisma (which remains low due to her emotionless personality).
hp 52 each (MM 160)
The hellish light of a huge lake of lava lights this immense cavern. To the west, a wide ledge of stone rises out of the lava, creating a tenfoot-high cliff above the molten rock. Sprawling atop this ledge, half embedded in the rock wall and looming over the molten lake below, is a colossal skeleton, fossilized by time, of a vast snake-like monster. A deep thrumming noise, like a colossal heartbeat, reverberates through the rock, the skeleton’s ribs forming a cathedral-like dome while its skull hangs over the surface of the lake below.
This cavern is Xotani’s Grave itself, the last resting place of the great Spawn of Rovagug. The Firebleeder’s bones are embedded in the walls, and its beating, crystallized heart lies under the lake of lava. The ceiling soars to 60 feet high in the center, while the lava lake is 40 feet deep at its deepest point. A DC 30 Search check of the eastern wall above the lava lake reveals a secret door, Jhavhul’s private entrance to his harem (area D11).
The tunnel beyond is 10 feet in diameter and half-filled with lava. This close to Xotani’s mortal remains, the molten lava pumping from the Firebleeder’s heart is actually infused with a tiny spark of malevolent consciousness. Creatures approaching within 20 feet of the lake or flying over it are attacked by ropy “tentacles” of molten lava. The entire lake of lava in this chamber functions as a black tentacles spell in this area (CL 20th) with 20-foot reach and +28 grapple attacks, inflicting 1d6+4 points of bludgeoning damage plus 2d6 points of fire damage per round.
The aura of wish magic that infuses both Jhavhul and Xotani’s bones has two additional effects. First, it creates a persistent wishwarp in the entire cavern. Second, it grants Jhavhul an unholy aura effect at CL 20th; if this effect is dispelled, it automatically reactivates as a free action on his next turn.
Creature: The chamber serves Jhavhul as a lair and a temple to his grand ritual—he rarely leaves this cavern, so close is he to his final wish, and basks in the fiery glow of Xotani’s heart, eager to make his final transformation and pledge his love to Ymeri. The efreeti depends on his minions to slow or stop the PCs from reaching him before he finishes his final wish, but if they confront him here, he roars in frustration and spares no mercy in his attacks.
Jhavhul is a 22-foot-tall muscular efreeti with crimson skin, smoldering eyes, huge black horns, and a fierce and arrogant expression. He wears an elaborate bronze breastplate that is scorched by flame and still seems to be on fire in places. He favors elaborate gold and brass jewelry and wields a huge, burning scimitar. Jhavhul has been keeping tabs on the PCs during their exploration of Xotani’s Grave with clairaudience/clairvoyance, and waits for them to arrive from his vantage point under Xotani’s ribs.
Male advanced efreeti fighter 4 (MM 115)
LE Huge outsider (extraplanar, fire)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., clairaudience/clairvoyance, true seeing; Listen +23, Spot +23
Aura unholy aura (CL 20th; DC 22)
DEFENSE
AC 34, touch 14, flat-footed 30
(+9 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex, +9 natural, +2 shield, –2 size)
hp 301 (22 HD; 18d8+4d10+198)
Fort +28, Ref +18, Will +18
Defensive Abilities freedom of movement; Immune fire, mental influence, possession; Resist cold 30; SR 20 (25 against good spells and good spellcasters)
Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
OFFENSE
Spd 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee Firebleeder +30/+25/+20/+15 (2d6+31/15–20 plus 1d6 fire) and slam +26 (2d6+18 plus 1d6 fire)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks heat, plane shift
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, ranged touch +22)
At will—detect magic, produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 16), scorching ray (1 ray only)
3/day—quickened invisibility, quickened scorching ray (1 ray only), wall of fire (DC 18)
2/day—quickened change size (DC 16)
1/day—grant up to 3 wishes (to nongenies only), gaseous form, permanent image (DC 20)
TACTICS
During Combat On the first round of combat, Jhavhul activates his boots of speed and creates a wall of fire in front of the PCs. He tries to avoid melee combat for as long as possible, staying out of melee range by flying above the lava lake and using change size to shrink armored foes, scorching rays, and pyrotechnics to harry the PCs. He’s also fond of using a quickened invisibility just before he uses a move action to fly to a different location to make it difficult to target him with attacks. Once engaged in melee, Jhavhul uses Awesome Blow or bull rush to knock opponents into the lava. When he attacks with Firebleeder or his slam attack, he does so with a 10-point Power Attack.
Morale While arrogant to the point of megalomania, Jhavhul is no fanatic. If reduced to 30 hit points or less, he abandons his plans (for now) and retreats by using plane shift to escape to the Plane of Fire. He returns as soon as he can to seek revenge on the PCs and to continue his wish ritual—if the PCs have used a wish to undo his ritual (see Concluding the Adventure), his wrath is great indeed.
STATISTICS
Str 42, Dex 14, Con 28, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 18
Base Atk +22; Grp +46
Feats Awesome Blow, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (scimitar), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (invisibility), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (scorching ray), Weapon Focus (scimitar), Weapon Specialization (scimitar)
Skills Bluff +29, Concentration +30, Craft (weaponsmithing) +22, Intimidate +31, Listen +23, Move Silently +19, Sense Motive +23, Spellcraft +22, Spot +23
Languages Auran, Common, Ignan, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ change shape, exceptional NPC
Combat Gear bead of force (3); Other Gear +5 breastplate, Firebleeder (+3 adamantine unholy flaming burst scimitar), amulet of health +4, belt of giant strength +4, boots of speed, ring of freedom of movement, ring of force shield, scarab of protection (10 charges), heavy gold necklace with four jacinths worth 9,000 gp, four gold bracelets worth 1,000 gp each, three gold rings worth 600 gp each
Special Abilities
Exceptional NPC Jhavhul was destined from birth to achieve greatness. His ability scores were generated using 32 points, rather than the standard 25 point array. Additionally, his gear was determined as if he were a 16th-level PC rather than an NPC to account for his great resources as a member of the nobility of the City of Brass. These advantages increase his total CR by 1.
A river of lava divides this cavern in two. A cascade of lava plunges from the ceiling in the southeast of the cavern to the river below. A faint shimmering in the air hovers before a niche in the northeastern wall.
Although this chamber seems relatively empty, the faint shimmering in the air to the northeast marks the entrance to a permanent mage’s magnificent mansion (CL 12th). While he lives, only Jhavhul can open or close this entrance, but if the efreeti is slain, this portal relaxes and hangs open, allowing anyone to come and go as they please. Inside the mage’s magnificent mansion are all of the surviving prisoners of Kelmarane, including Almah Roveshki and any other NPCs that the PCs haven’t yet rescued. The prisoners are comfortable and well fed, but as long as Jhavhul lives they can not exit the extradimensional space—and even after his death, they can’t last long outside the mansion due to the severe heat of Xotani’s Grave.
The cascading lava to the southeast is actually a permanent image created by Jhavhul to conceal the entrance to his treasury (D16). A successful DC 15 Spot or Knowledge (dungeoneering) check reveals something is strange, as the lava river’s sluggish flow goes toward the lavafall, not away from it.
Ad Hoc Experience Award: Rescuing the prisoners nets the PCs an experience award as if they had defeated a CR 13 foe in combat.
A pool of bubbling lava fills this small chamber from wall to wall.
Always paranoid, Jhavhul created another permanent image here to hide his treasure. An actual pool of lava covers the southern half of the chamber to a depth of 10 feet.
Treasure: Jhavhul’s treasury sits upon the north bank of the lava pool. Filling a number of chests, coffers, and urns, or just scattered across the floor, it consists of 10,361 sp, 10,850 gp, 833 pp, a variety of gems and jewels worth a total of 13,500 gp, and an impressive collection of art objects worth a total of 10,700 gp. In addition, there is a complete set of four elemental gems (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water), an obsidian steed figurine of wondrous power, an iron golem manual, and a necklace of strangulation. Finally, there is a set of 3 identical brass flasks with lead stoppers. One is an eversmoking bottle, another is an efreeti bottle (containing one of Jhavhul’s trapped rivals, a bitter efreeti named Vezemariak), and the third is an empty iron flask. The value of this treasure is significant, and if you intend on continuing the campaign, you might want to adjust or remove some of the items found here to keep party wealth at a level you’re comfortable with. That said, defeating Jhavhul is indeed a task worthy of great rewards, so try to err on the side of generosity!