Before the Dawn

Elvis

Elvis was the squire of the youngest knight in the Heaven's Ward. When the Archbishop led the Ward to Azys Lla for their final operation, Elvis was assigned to patrol the outskirts of Coerthas. By the time he returned to the Holy See, the Vault had already fallen, and every knight of the Ward had perished.

Raised under the doctrine of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church, Elvis believed the Heaven's Ward to be the earthly swordbearers of Halone, the Archbishop the voice of the Fury herself, and every tenet of the church an unshakable truth.

In his eyes, the Warrior of Light was the murderer of the holy Archbishop, and Aymeric a traitor who had bartered faith for power. He refused to accept the truth that Aymeric proclaimed.

Unable to come to terms with the deaths of the Archbishop and the Ward, Elvis stole an airship from the Skysteel Manufactory and flew alone through the breach the Warrior of Light had previously opened, entering Azys Lla to search for any trace of his fallen knights.

The Allagan Workshop

Azys Lla was an aerial research facility used by the ancient Allagan Empire for the study of primal-harnessing technology. Its interior housed two major installations: the Weapons Research Division and the Bioweapons Research Division. The Bioweapons Division possessed the full suite of biosynthetic technology developed during the Empire's golden age, capable of blending the genetic traits of multiple organisms to cultivate enhanced composite lifeforms. In the Empire's twilight years, this foundation was further developed into cloning technology, which had once successfully produced perfect replicas of imperial royalty.

Within the Aetherochemical Research Facility, Elvis found the remains and equipment of the fallen Ward. The facility's guardians and the creatures in the cultivation tanks had all been destroyed during the incursions by the Warrior of Light and the VIth Legion. Due to the extensive damage, the authentication system had reallocated processing power to self-repair, erroneously registering Elvis—who was covered in clone blood—as a member of the maintenance crew. He later discovered that the clones' blood could be used to activate the facility's systems.

Elvis understood nothing of this ancient technology, but he saw it as a viable means of saving the Ward. Drawing on the engineering knowledge he had acquired at the Skysteel Manufactory, and driven by sheer obsession through countless rounds of trial and error, he placed the remains of the knights into the cultivation tanks, attempting to use Allagan cloning technology to reconstruct their bodies.

Elvis's experiments failed time and again, yet each attempt generated anomalous aetheric fluctuations. Elidibus, the White-robed Ascian, detected these disturbances. Recognizing exploitable potential in this obsession-driven young squire, Elidibus retrieved one of the Eyes of Nidhogg from the Sea of Clouds and gave it to Elvis to serve as the core aetheric power source for the entire facility and all its creations. The other Eye was delivered to Ilberd, the Griffin, as originally planned.

The Resurrection of the Heaven's Ward

Flooded with the Eye's immense aether, the facility's systems reactivated. Cloning technology reconstructed the knights' bodies; bioengineered tissue from the cultivation tanks filled in where flesh had rotted away; mechanical engines replaced joints. The Eye's aether activated and amplified the soul fragments lingering in the remains, re-infusing the dead knights' memories, personalities, and combat experience into these composite shells.

Yet the fragile soul fragments could not control the cloned bodies on their own. And so the souls performed a Summoning—using the cloned flesh as vessels, they completed the rite of the Knights of the Round. From that point on, they remained in their primal forms as the Knights of the Round.

The first knights to be resurrected were Zephirin the Just, Charibert the Stern, and Grinnaux the Bull.

However, the soul fragments activated by the Eye were incomplete. All that remained were the obsessions they had carried in life—each knight burned with a desperate need to fulfill the ideals they had left unfinished.

The Heaven's Ward's Intent

In truth, every action of the Heaven's Ward had revolved around the personal will of Archbishop Thordan VII. They all knew the historical truth, and after obtaining the key to Azys Lla, the Archbishop had even attempted to seize the power of the eikons to become a true god.

The resurrected knights were fully aware that they had already died once. They intended to finish what they had started in life. Ser Zephirin, as commander, issued his orders to Elvis: resurrect Archbishop Thordan VII in a perfected body and allow the Archbishop to descend as a god in the divine aspect of the first King Thordan—not as they were, knights driven by machinery grafted onto flesh. Everything the Archbishop had done in life—consuming the Eyes, becoming King Thordan—had been a reenactment of the first king's great work. Now the Ward would see that unfinished work to completion.

The resurrection ritual required vast quantities of aether and sacrificial offerings connected to the knights. Zephirin set his sights on the heretics—Ishgardians who had undergone draconic transformation through contact with dragon blood.

Elvis raised no objection. In his view, capturing and sacrificing these mutants was entirely consistent with church doctrine. Though kind-hearted by nature, his orthodox education had conditioned him to obey every order issued by the knights without question.

Ishgard's Undercurrent

The conservative clergy within the Holy See had been deeply displeased since the reforms began, but under the Temple Knights' suppression, they had never managed to organize an effective armed resistance. The appearance of the Heaven's Ward changed everything.

The old-guard priests and dispossessed nobles who refused to accept the reforms saw the Ward's return as proof that the faith had come home. Within the ecclesiastical hierarchy, the Heaven's Ward answered only to the Archbishop himself. Even reborn in a state between life and death, their authority still superseded that of any priest. The conservatives had no standing to question the returned knights and willingly submitted to their command.

Under the leadership of Charibert the Stern, the conservatives' activities escalated rapidly from scattered protest gatherings to organized violence: assassination attempts on Aymeric, the seizure of commoners previously suspected of carrying dragon blood, and their covert transport to Azys Lla as sacrificial offerings for the resurrection ritual.

The Investigation Deadlock

The Temple Knights and House Fortemps were not entirely unaware. Acting Commander Lucia had been investigating the conservatives' suspicious movements for some time, yet her efforts were thwarted at every turn. Each deployment seemed to be anticipated by the enemy; every cordon came up empty.

Lucia concluded that there was a spy within the Temple Knights, feeding information to the conservatives. With the mole's identity unknown, no investigation conducted through official channels could be trusted.

After consulting with House Fortemps, they decided on an indirect approach: hire a group of outside adventurers with no ties to Ishgard's internal factions. As assets operating outside the chain of command, the adventurers' movements would not pass through the Temple Knights' official channels, leaving the spy with no means to learn of their deployment.

For security reasons, they did not intend to share the full truth with the adventurers. The adventurers would only be told that the conservatives had been engaged in illegal activity in the Foundation district recently, and that they needed to determine the purpose of these activities. Any larger conspiracy behind it all would go unmentioned.

Player Introduction

The following is intended for the Dungeon Master to relay to the players at the start of the session.

The roar of the great wyrm faded from the blizzards of Coerthas months ago. No draconic shadows darken Ishgard's ancient skyline any longer, and before the empty throne in the Vault, the seats of a new parliament have been laid. Reform decree after reform decree, signed by Speaker Aymeric, is rewriting the face of the city: nobles may no longer hold private courts, and commoners have the right to elect their own representatives.

These changes have come too fast—faster than the city can absorb.

In the past fortnight, at least seven residents of the Foundation have vanished in the night without a trace. The Temple Knights have conducted several sweeps of the district, all to no avail; even Hilda, the longtime leader of the Brume's resistance movement, knows nothing. Rumor has it that several of the missing were previously suspected of being heretics capable of draconic transformation. In Ishgard—a nation that waged war against dragonkind for a thousand years—what that implies needs no explanation.

You have been referred to House Fortemps through a mutual contact and offered a handsomely compensated assignment. The terms are clear: investigate the organized illegal activity that has recently appeared in the Foundation, and determine the perpetrators' objective. Your patron has warned you not to operate under any organizational banner, nor to make contact with any active Temple Knight or member of the watch—prior search operations are suspected to have been compromised from within.

The wind rises from the depths of the Sea of Clouds, carrying with it the bone-biting chill unique to the Coerthas highlands. The cathedral bells toll seven times, muffled by the falling snow. Night has come.

Chapter One: The Unseen Hand

This chapter covers the players' initial investigation phase. After accepting the commission from House Fortemps, players must enter the Brume in Ishgard's Foundation district to investigate, with the goal of uncovering the location and purpose of the conservatives' organized illegal activities.

Since the end of the Dragonsong War, the Brume has been flooded with refugees and discharged wounded soldiers. The new government has yet to fully assume responsibility for grassroots relief efforts. This administrative vacuum gave the conservatives an opening.

Charibert ordered the conservatives to establish several soup kitchens in the Foundation under the guise of pastoral charity. For the Foundation's residents—whose lives remained harsh even after the war—these relief stations were among the few places they could obtain free food. No one would question a bowl of hot soup placed before them.

However, the food was laced with trace amounts of dragon blood. The descendants of the Knights of the Round who consumed it would undergo irreversible draconic transformation. Conservative priests at the soup kitchens kept a registry of every commoner who came to collect food. A few days later, those showing early signs of transformation would be flagged. The priests would then visit each flagged individual under the pretense of pastoral care, and under cover of night, use persuasion or charm magic (Suggestion) to compel them to follow. The victims were then moved through underground passages to holding cells beneath the Vault.

Tataru Taru

The administrative officer of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Though she does not participate in combat, as the Scions' logistics and external liaison hub, she maintains an extensive network of contacts spanning adventurer guilds, trade companies, and political figures across Eorzea. The bond between House Fortemps and the Scions was forged deep during the Dragonsong War—Artoirel de Fortemps himself fought alongside the Scions on multiple occasions.

When the Count's household needed a team of capable adventurers with clean backgrounds, Tataru was the most natural choice. Under this option, players may establish themselves as peripheral collaborators who once assisted the Scions on a previous operation, or as familiar faces Tataru knew from an adventurer guild.

Hilda

Former leader of the Brume's resistance movement, now commanding the Ishgard Citizen Watch to protect the common people. A half-Elezen, she entered the new parliament as a representative of the commoner class during the reforms. She possesses a ground-level intelligence network in the Brume that no outsider can match, and was among the first to notice the conservatives' suspicious activity in the Foundation.

Under this option, after Hilda detected signs of the disappearances through her own channels, she proactively contacted House Fortemps. When the Count's household decided to use outside adventurers, Hilda recommended individuals she trusted.

Players may establish themselves as adventurers who previously aided the resistance movement or cooperated with Hilda during the early days of the reforms. As the Brume's local authority, Hilda can provide limited street-level intelligence support during the investigation, but she will not participate in operations directly—her status as a parliamentarian has already placed her under conservative surveillance.

Stephanivien

Head of the Skysteel Manufactory and eldest son of House Haillenarte, one of Ishgard's four High Houses. House Haillenarte and House Fortemps share a long-standing alliance, and Stephanivien and Artoirel are old acquaintances.

Under this option, players may establish themselves as supporters of the machinist movement, or as mercenaries who once assisted the Skysteel Manufactory with technological salvage operations in the Sea of Clouds. Stephanivien will not involve himself in political struggles, but he can provide logistical support in the form of machinist technology. His frequent and eccentric research activities throughout Ishgard can also furnish the players with unexpected pretexts for their movements.

Once the referrer has been established, the DM can naturally weave this relationship into the commission scene through the butler's dialogue—for example, having the butler say upon receiving the players: "On the recommendation of [referrer], the Count's household has every confidence in your capabilities," thereby anchoring the referrer's presence in the narrative before proceeding to the commission briefing.

Accepting House Fortemps' Commission

The players are received by the Count's butler, an elderly Elezen male. He speaks on behalf of House Fortemps and Acting Commander Lucia of the Temple Knights to relay the commission's details.

Investigating the Brume

The Brume is Ishgard's lower residential district—narrow streets wind between stone buildings, perpetually shrouded in cold mist rising from the depths of the Sea of Clouds. Its inhabitants are largely commoners, discharged veterans, and refugees who lost their homes during the Dragonsong War. Since the reforms, public order in the Foundation has improved somewhat, but generations of poverty and class division cannot be erased by a handful of decrees.

The following leads may be pursued in any order, or interwoven as the investigation progresses. The DM should naturally guide players into the corresponding lead scenes based on their chosen course of action. Players do not need to follow every lead—once they can draw their own conclusions, proceed to Chapter Two.

Lead One: The Common Thread

Using the map provided by the butler, the players visit the areas where the missing were last seen and ask around. The seven missing persons' residences are scattered across the Foundation, and the players neither need to nor can visit every site. The DM should guide the players to focus their investigation on two or three locations.

Regardless of which site the players visit, by examining the interior of the residence or questioning neighbors, they can obtain the following baseline information:

The missing persons' dwellings show no signs of damage. Door locks are intact, furnishings are undisturbed, and there are no indications of a struggle. All disappearances occurred between late night and the pre-dawn hours. Neighbors report hearing nothing unusual.

After visiting two or more sites, some neighbors will mention additional details. The DM should relay these fragments through different NPCs at different locations:

• A discharged veteran will mention that the widow next door had been wrapping her hands tightly in thick cloth for the past few weeks—even indoors, she refused to remove it. He assumed it was frostbite.

• A female shopkeeper at a sundry store will say that when the missing young porter came in to buy things last month, she noticed his facial skin had become very rough and taken on a grayish hue, as if covered in some kind of lichen. She thought nothing of it at the time.

• An elderly woman living in an attic will say that her missing neighbor had been keeping the curtains drawn and refusing visitors in the final days before vanishing—something they had never done before.

These details are nothing more than ordinary neighborhood gossip. But once the players have collected similar descriptions across multiple sites, they should be able to notice: the missing persons all began exhibiting physical abnormalities before they vanished.

The DM should not directly reveal that these changes are signs of draconic transformation. Players with sufficient background knowledge of Ishgard may draw their own conclusions. For players lacking such knowledge, the information should not be given unless they are actively seeking it and succeed on a skill check:

On a success, the player learns that throughout Ishgard's thousand-year war against the dragons, some individuals who drank dragon blood transformed into dragons themselves. These people were called heretics—branded as kin of the dread wyrm and symbols of evil. Later, Aymeric revealed the truth: all Ishgardians are descendants of the Knights of the Round, and regardless of station, every one of them carries draconic factors in their blood. A single drop of dragon blood is enough to trigger the transformation.

The Missing Man's Wife

During their canvassing in the first step, the players will learn from neighbors that among the seven missing persons, one has a wife still living in the Foundation. She goes to the watch station every day to file a report, but has received no response. Her name is Margaret, a Hyur woman who works at a textile workshop in the Foundation.

When the players find Margaret, she is in a state of extreme anxiety and exhaustion. But upon hearing that the players have come to help, hope rekindles in her eyes:

Lead Two: Tracking the Gray Robes

The Forgotten Knight is a tavern in the Brume where residents frequently gather. When the players ask around about any recent unusual activity, they can obtain the following information:

The tavern owner is a middle-aged Elezen who once served in House Haillenarte's cavalry. He is keenly attuned to disturbances on the streets. He will tell the players that over the past month, people wearing plain gray cotton robes have appeared in the Brume. While Ishgard's harsh weather often compels people to wrap up in heavy robes, these individuals never appear during the day—always after nightfall, moving in groups of two or three through the alleys, never speaking to anyone, never entering the tavern. On one occasion after closing time, the tavern owner saw two of them standing at the mouth of an alley, speaking in low voices. Inside the alley was a cloth-covered handcart. He did not approach—something about those two felt dangerous.

A woman who runs a mobile bread stall has also noticed something. She starts preparing dough at four in the morning every day, and on several occasions before dawn, she has seen gray-robed figures hurrying past from the direction of the Foundation, heading toward the Pillars. At first she paid it no mind, until figures with unusual builds began appearing among them—some enormously large, bigger than any Roegadyn she had ever seen; some wearing absurdly tall headwear; others hunched over severely.

There is an old beggar in the Brume. During the day he begs at Saint Valeroyant's Forum; at night he sleeps along the base of the Pillars' walls, giving him intimate knowledge of nocturnal activity along this route. He will tell the players that nearly every two or three nights recently, gray-robed figures have been coming from the Foundation's direction. Judging by their heading, they appear to be moving toward the Vault, but they never take the main gate where guards are posted—always circling through narrow alleys.

If given coin (10 GP or 1 Wealth Point), the old beggar will add that on one occasion, he was woken by their footsteps and peered out. He noticed that the leader, though wearing a gray robe, had iron-shod military boots visible beneath the hem. And the feet of those following behind looked like dragon claws.

Lead Three: A Suspicious Act of Charity

During the course of their investigation in the Brume, the players will naturally encounter the soup kitchen. This information does not require deliberate searching—the DM should allow it to appear organically as part of the Brume's environment.

When the players speak with Foundation residents about recent living conditions, someone will inevitably mention the relief stations. An NPC from Lead One will casually remark while discussing the missing persons:

"The one who went missing used to go to that new soup kitchen at the end of the street to get soup. Church folk run the place—everything's free."

The players will discover a soup kitchen at a street corner: a wooden table, a few iron pots, operated by two gray-robed priests distributing food. Those collecting meals are the Foundation's poor—laborers, wounded veterans, refugees—queued up for a bowl of hot soup and a flatbread.

The soup kitchen priests will show no hostility toward the players. If the players approach as ordinary passersby, the priests will explain that this is the church's care for those affected by the war—Halone does not forget Her children. If pressed about which parish is responsible, the priest will give a vague answer, saying it was arranged by their superiors, and he cannot say exactly which.

The food contains a minute amount of refined dragon blood elixir—the dosage is deliberately minuscule, intended to gradually catalyze draconic transformation without attracting attention.

If the character is a native Ishgardian, each day before dawn they must make a DC 8 Constitution saving throw (FF14: CR 6 Fortitude check). On a failure, a gradual draconic transformation begins. The DM may describe the character's transformation using the civilian transformation process described earlier. The DC/CR increases by 1 each day.

Using alchemist's supplies and succeeding on a DC 20 Arcana or Medicine check can detect the dragon blood mixed into the food. If the player chooses to purify it, each hour spent on purification reduces the DC by 1.

These priests are merely the outermost members of the conservative faction. If the players confront or apprehend them, they will gain no additional information and will instead alert the conservatives, causing them to suspend operations.

Meeting Reynard

The players can find Reynard in the Brume. He is a man in his forties whose lower leg was fractured during the Dragonsong War; he walks with a crutch. He rents a single room at the end of the street and works as a watchman for a nearby workshop.

When strangers arrive, Reynard stands warily in the doorway, one hand braced against the frame, the other arm clamping his crutch under his armpit, his body blocking the gap in the door. His left arm from elbow to shoulder is tightly wrapped in coarse linen:

If asked about the wrapping on his arm:

If asked about the soup kitchen:

When the players press about his physical condition, Reynard becomes extremely guarded, refusing to let them inside or unwrap the linen on his arm. He must be persuaded before he will speak.

Reynard is silent for a long time. At last, he steps back half a pace and lets the players inside. He sits in a chair and slowly unwinds the cloth from his left arm without a word.

From elbow to wrist, four patches of grayish-black keratinous scales have emerged on his skin, rough to the touch. His fingernails have grown to twice their normal length, curving slightly inward.

Reynard stares at his own arm for a while before speaking:

If asked whether any strangers have visited recently:

Reynard looks up at the window. The light coming through has begun to dim.

Convergence of Leads

The following is a reference section for the DM, to determine whether the players' investigation has reached the information threshold necessary for an infiltration attempt.

The players need only complete any two of the three leads above to be able to piece together the following logical chain:

Step One. Everyone who transformed had visited the soup kitchen. The registry and the victims' shared food source prove that the soup kitchen is the origin of the infection—the food causes some individuals to begin transforming. The priests then monitor who has reached the degree of transformation they require.

Step Two. Those selected are taken away at night. Margaret's husband, Reynard, and the gray robes' nocturnal movements all prove the same thing: the priests first conduct a home visit to confirm the degree of transformation, then return a few nights later to use Suggestion to lead the victim away in the dead of night—which is why the scenes show no signs of struggle.

Step Three. The destination is the lower levels of the Vault. The old beggar's sighting and the tracked route of the gray robes both point to the Vault's side wing. The location of the hidden door has been confirmed.

Infiltrating the Vault's Lower Levels

Once the players have confirmed the hidden door's location, they must find a way through the wall.

"A Little Warning"

After the players have investigated two to three leads in the Brume, enforcers planted by the conservatives will make their appearance.

However, if the players have been extremely careful throughout their investigation—never revealing their investigative intent in public, or disguising their appearance—the DM may delay or skip this event entirely.

As the players set out to pursue their next lead, three figures in oversized robes block the street ahead. Then, behind them, six individuals in civilian clothing emerge and cut off their retreat, each drawing weapons from behind their backs.

The leader will not identify himself, nor will he reveal anything about the organization behind him. He issues a warning:

Chapter Two: Light in the Dead of Night

This chapter covers the players' infiltration of the underground facility beneath the Vault. Having gathered sufficient leads in Chapter One, the players must enter this secret installation, locate the imprisoned civilians, confront the conservatives' field commander—Charibert the Stern—in the core area, and in the process discover a critical document.

A4. Archives

On the western side of the corridor is a library, where Simeonard of the Holiest Flame—a prominent conservative figure—has been compiling reports. A writing desk sits by the window, stacked with over a dozen parchment scrolls and several ledgers.

A small side chamber to the right glows with firelight, and a pungent mixture of sulfur and oxalic acid seeps from within.

Searching the Desk. Most scrolls are routine pastoral records and financial ledgers, unrelated to the current investigation. In a drawer lies a folded letter, its wax seal stamped with a knight's saddle-shaped heraldic crest.

The Letter. The wax seal on the letter bears a knight's saddle-shaped heraldic crest.

The players may choose to share this letter's contents with Aymeric. Aymeric will provide additional compensation at the end of this chapter:

D&D. 500 GP.

FF14. 3 Wealth Points.

Side Chamber

The side chamber is nearly twice the size of the outer room. The ceiling and walls are lined with a layer of lead sheeting. A ritual circle is drawn on the floor at the center of the room. A long alchemy bench runs along one wall, with a potion rack to its left. The room has no windows; the air is stale, heavy with sulfur and a cloying scent of rust.

Simeonard of the Holiest Flame stands at the alchemy bench with his back to the entrance, head bowed over his notes, pen in hand. Beside the ritual circle stand five priests in plain robes, grinding various herbs.

The Heretic Veynar

Also in the room is an Elezen male in his twenties named Veynar. He will not participate in combat; use Commoner statistics. If Simeonard is defeated or flees, Veynar immediately drops to his knees, spreads his hands, and says in a trembling voice:

If the players interrogate Veynar, he can provide the following information:

• He was formerly an alchemy apprentice at the seminary. He was captured by heretics under accidental circumstances, and there he learned to brew the specialized Draconian Potion. After he was seized by the Inquisition, Simeonard promised to clear his name as a heretic if he divulged everything he knew about the potion.

• The ritual circle was drawn by Simeonard's own hand. After each batch of potion is completed, Simeonard and his subordinate priests perform a consecration ritual—Veynar is never allowed to observe. All Veynar knows is that the ritual Simeonard uses differs from any he is familiar with.

• All finished potions are personally taken away by Simeonard. Veynar has no idea where they go.

• He has seen batch numbers struck through on the records. Simeonard only ever says those are "substandard" and has never explained further.

Examining the Side Chamber

Potion Rack. A long rack against the left wall holds twelve small glass vials, each half-filled with a deep purple liquid. The substance is thick and viscous; when shaken, dark-gold suspended particles can be seen swirling within.

On a success, the player identifies this as a magically treated dragon-blood compound. Unlike military-grade dragon tonics, this potion triggers draconic transformation in the drinker.

Alchemy Bench. At the rear center of the room stands an alchemy bench. Its surface is a single slab of polished black stone, etched with grooves radiating from the center to the edges. Small holes along the stone's rim drain into iron buckets below. Three glass distillation apparatuses sit on the bench—two linked by copper tubing, the third standing alone—a dark-red liquid flowing slowly through them.

Ritual Circle. At the very center of the room, a circular ritual array has been drawn in lime, five feet in diameter. Two concentric rings are inscribed within it; Draconic script fills the space between the inner and outer circles. At the center of the inner ring is an equilateral triangle, with a black candlestick at each vertex. The candles have burned down to their bases, surrounded by thick rings of dark-red wax.

Notebook. Dated entries span seven weeks, recording daily experimental results. At the bottom of the final page, a line written in fresh ink reads:

The records repeatedly reference two terms: draconic factor and targeting result. Control experiments using batches of varying concentrations are being conducted—low-concentration batches are eliminated, high-concentration products retained. The purpose of the experiments is to screen pureblooded Ishgardians for stable Diresaur production.

A5. Prison Cells

Four cells line each side of the corridor. The iron doors show their age, but the rivets securing the locks are new.

Three cells are empty. The remaining five hold seven civilians. A paper slip bearing each occupant's name is posted on the cell doors. They are all curled against the walls, not uttering a word. In the center of each occupied cell lies a dead sheep, its belly torn open as if by a wild beast—the stench of blood and entrails covers the cell floor.

The keys obtained in A2 (Guard Post) unlock all the doors. Picking the locks requires thieves' tools and a DC 14 Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) check. FF14: CR 11 Dexterity check.

The prisoners in these cells are in a state of partial draconic transformation. The entire cellblock has been warded with a Magic Circle; any draconic creature within the array is rendered incapacitated.

A6. Reliquary Gate

Continuing upward forty feet from A5, the surrounding rock walls give way to large stone-block masonry, and the corridor widens by three feet. At the corridor's end stands a large iron door, flanked on each side by an armored knight statue.

These two statues are not magical constructs. A passive Perception of 14 or higher (FF14: passive Spirit of 12 or higher) reveals a hidden compartment behind the candles at the statues' feet.

On a success, the compartment yields:

D&D. 3 Potions of Superior Healing, 2 Potions of Fire Resistance. One scroll of Aid, one scroll of Prayer of Healing.

FF14. 3 Superior Restoratives, 2 Superior Ethers, 2 Fire Ward Potions.

A7. Reliquary Hall

This chamber once housed relics of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. The original altars that held the sacred relics have been shoved aside, replaced by an enormous irregular stone table. Atop the table lies the carcass of a dragonling.

Charibert de Lécignac stands to the right of the stone table, back to the entrance, idly prodding the restraints on an iron rack with a branding iron—the way one might fiddle with objects on a desk while waiting for a tedious meeting to end.

He is nearly twice the size of an ordinary man, clad in dark-crimson vestments of an Orthodox high priest, with Holy Knight armor covering his arms and head. This is Charibert in his primal form.

When the players enter, he does not turn around. He tosses the branding iron onto the stone table with a sharp clatter. Then, slowly, he turns his head:

His gaze lingers on each player in turn. Even though his face is hidden, his amusement is palpable:

He picks up his staff from the table's corner and assumes a standard Black Mage combat stance, speaking casually:

Boss Encounter: Charibert the Stern

After the Boss Encounter

Charibert's knees buckle. He drops to one knee, bracing himself against the stone floor with one palm. He does not collapse, does not speak—he simply holds that position, refusing to rise.

His helmet falls away from the impact of his kneel, revealing gears at his neck that have gradually ceased turning.

At that moment, the double doors on the upper gallery of the hall are thrown open with tremendous force. From within emerges a man of about sixty years, dressed in white-and-gold bishop's vestments. Behind him follow three knights, three priests, and—if he managed to escape—Simeonard of the Holiest Flame.

This is Bishop Vaindreau, the conservatives' de facto spokesman within the Vault. He surveys the hall, his voice thick with disbelief:

His voice shifts from a low murmur to a shrill pitch. His right hand shoots up, pointing at the players:

The knights on either side of the gallery immediately draw their swords and descend the stone steps flanking the hall. At the same time, at the main entrance through which the players entered, four conservative knights pour from the corridor and bar the exit with drawn blades.

Aymeric's Arrival

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoes from the northern corridor—armored figures, moving together. More than one.

Ser Aymeric de Borel enters through the north entrance, followed by four fully armored Temple Knights. He has not drawn his sword. His pace is unhurried—yet with each step he takes, the four Temple Knights fan out one pace further, until they have secured all four corners of the antechamber. The conservative knights halt in their tracks.

DM Note. Aymeric's investigation of the conservatives has proceeded along a separate track from the players' inquiry, but tonight they converge here. How he independently confirmed this location need not be explained to the players.

Aymeric glances at the players first, confirming their condition, then turns to Vaindreau:

Vaindreau slowly lowers his commanding hand. He casts a sidelong glance at the players, then settles his gaze back on Aymeric, the muscles at the corners of his mouth taut with barely suppressed fury:

He takes a step forward, leveling a finger at Aymeric:

Aymeric does not respond immediately. He signals the Temple Knights to escort the players behind him, then replies calmly:

Vaindreau's eyelid twitches. He does not follow Aymeric's gaze to survey the hall—he knows perfectly well what is here.

The final words are forced through gritted teeth.

The hall falls silent for several seconds. The conservative knights and priests stand frozen in place. Aymeric gazes at Vaindreau, his silence stretching just long enough for everyone present to believe he will not respond:

He takes a step forward:

He does not name the players, but everyone present knows whom he means.

"If you cannot answer that question, then what you are following is not a thousand-year tradition. You have merely borrowed its name. As for whether I have the standing to be here—I believe that question should be answered by whoever is still standing after tonight."

"Well done."

"How many more are locked inside? We'll transfer them to the cathedral infirmary—tell them it was an accident. What happened tonight—speak of it to no one."

The Archives Document

If the players hand over the letter discovered in A4 to Aymeric, he takes it and reads it through in silence, from beginning to end. He folds the letter and tucks it into his sleeve.

He will deliver the additional compensation at the end of this chapter.

Epilogue

As the Temple Knights begin sealing off the underground facility, the players are escorted to a guest suite in the Pillars. Outside the window, the Coerthas sky has begun to pale, and the snowfall has eased.

Orion is placed alone in a stone chamber within Temple Knight jurisdiction. The door is unlocked, but he does not come out. If the players visit him, he will not speak first. But if they mention Margaret, he says only one thing:

He will not change his mind. No matter what the players say, he refuses to face his wife in his current form.

Reynard's condition is far better than the other prisoners'. His draconic symptoms are mild and recede on their own within hours of the curse being dispelled. The Temple Knights conduct a brief examination, confirm there are no signs of continued deterioration, and release him.

The remaining partially transformed civilians are remanded to Temple Knight custody. Their degrees of transformation vary; most are barely lucid and unable to communicate. Aymeric does not disclose the follow-up plan to the players—he says only that he "will do what he can."

End of Chapter Two

The players gain a level and receive their compensation.

Is It Over?

The players have completed the commission they accepted, and matters come to a temporary pause. But the events they have touched upon are far from concluded. If the players wish to continue, they will receive an invitation from Aymeric:

Chapter Three

In this chapter, the players travel to the floating continent of Azys Lla to find the mastermind, Elvis. The VIth Legion of the Garlean Empire controls part of the continent, and the Heavens' Ward's guardians hold key positions inside the facility. The players must find a way in, enter the Aetherochemical Research Facility, uncover what Elvis has been doing there, and stop his plan without awakening the Warring Triad.

Airship Departure

A Garlond Ironworks vessel rests on the Skysteel Manufactory's landing pad. After the campaign against Nidhogg, Cid put this model into mass production. Enormous bio-mimetic wings extend from both sides of the fuselage, their ribs and edges reinforced with bright gold fittings, small propeller thrusters mounted beneath.

The pilots are Wedge and Biggs, both veterans of the route to the floating continent. Wedge is barely tall enough to reach the cockpit console; he's currently standing on an upturned iron bucket with his head buried in the engine compartment. Biggs is at the stern, crouching to inspect the thruster gaskets. Seeing the players board, he points toward the passenger cabin without looking up.

Wedge wipes oil from his hands and jerks his chin toward the cockpit:

Another team is gearing up beside the airship—the Machinists, about twelve of them. Stephanivien leans against the edge of the landing pad, one hand in his pocket. He raises the other and gives a crisp two-fingered salute to the players:

DM Note. The Machinists are external support only and will intervene solely if the players engage the VIth Legion on the exterior platforms. They must conserve strength for threats in the Sea of Clouds, and the Temple Knights defined their operational boundaries explicitly. If asked, the DM should have Stephanivien state this plainly. Do not let players assume the Machinists are a full-mission safety net.

Arriving at the Floating Continent

The airship decelerates near the cloud layer at Azys Lla's outer boundary. Wedge cuts the engines and glides for a moment on the wings before docking at the Helix. He doesn't shut down completely—just drops to standby:

Biggs hauls the Machinists' survey equipment onto the dock and gives the players a thumbs-up:

The Garlean Legion

The Gamma Quadrant is where the VIth Legion flagship, the Gration, is currently undergoing repairs. Legion tents line the main thoroughfares at the bow and stern of the Flagship Island—uniform, low-slung, dark-gray, each housing six soldiers. Equipment crates are stacked outside. Squads rotate sentry duty at both ends of the pathways roughly every half hour.

If the players choose to infiltrate, they must pass three guard posts:

If more than half the checks fail, sentries notice something amiss and move to investigate—but they won't blow their whistles immediately. The players have one round to handle the situation by any creative means, or by making a check:

On a failure, the sentries raise the alarm. The nearest posts begin rallying Garlean soldiers.

If the players force their way through: Sentries draw blades immediately, ordering the players to halt and drop their weapons. They won't attack right away—their orders are to report anomalies and await instructions. D&D stat blocks: see the D&D×FF14 5e Expansion Bestiary, Garlean Soldier. FF14: see Appendix A.

If the players fire a flare gun, the Machinists arrive after the battle and engage the Legion, giving the players a window to slip inside.

If no flare is used, alarms blare after the fight, drawing more soldiers—but just then, a new order arrives from the rear and the soldiers stand down.

If the players request an audience with the commander: The sentries exchange glances. The squad leader goes to relay the message; the rest continue their watch. About fifteen minutes later, someone approaches from the camp.

Encountering Regula van Hydrus

Regardless of which path the players take, they will come face to face with the VIth Legion's Legatus, Regula van Hydrus.

He is clad in full Garlean heavy magitek armor over a black cape. A massive ring-shaped helmet conceals his face entirely; orange light bleeds through the visor's slits. A long-hafted magitek weapon is slung across his back. His gaze sweeps over the players through the visor, darts to the surroundings, then he waves dismissively at the soldiers:

If combat occurred just prior, Regula glances at the fallen men but says nothing. He turns his eyes back to the players and stops a few paces away:

If asked who he is:

If the players explain their purpose or ask how to get past, Regula glances toward the Aetherochemical Research Facility's gate:

He brings his gaze back, studying the players calmly:

If the players decline to share or ask what he wants:

His tone doesn't change:

He offers no explanation. He clasps his hands behind his back and turns back toward his squad. As he passes the waiting unit, he issues a quiet order. The soldiers slowly clear a path for the players.

Regula has been deadlocked with Grinnaux the Bull for some time. The Warring Triad's seals have been triggering alarms constantly; he's launched several assaults, all of which failed at the cost of many men. He knows the players came here to get through that gate, and he intends to let them open the path—even if they fail, it yields intelligence for his next push.

Proposing Cooperation

If the players ask for Regula's help entering the facility before he turns to leave, he stops and sizes them up with something like amusement:

The players must offer a reason Regula considers worth his effort—DM's call, or resolved by a check:

On a success, Regula is silent for a moment, then gives a single nod:

He raises a hand. Two VIth Legion soldiers step up behind him:

He then follows the players alone, maintaining a deliberate distance. He takes no part in player discussions, ignores small talk, and volunteers no intelligence. He intervenes only in the following encounters:

Against Grinnaux (B4), the Cultivation System and Clone Knights (B7), Zephirin (B8), and King Thordan (B8).

In these four battles, Regula fights as a friendly NPC using the Regula stat block in the Bestiary Appendix. He acts independently and ignores player commands. He prioritizes the nearest enemy, and if multiple targets are present, he attacks mechanical enemies (Clockwork Hunters, Cultivation System, Drones) before humanoid targets.

In non-combat scenes, Regula observes without involvement. If players try to destroy the cultivation tanks in B7, he neither assists nor stops them, but says:

If asked for his opinion during the confrontation with Elvis in B8:

When the players defeat Zephirin or King Thordan, Regula pushes deeper into the facility. If players attempt to follow, he warns them off and destroys the elevator, preventing access to the Warring Triad containment zone.

DM Note. Regula's objective is to secure Allagan technical data and assess whether the Warring Triad can be leveraged. He cares nothing for the Heavens' Ward's resurrection plan or Ishgard's politics. He is a pure pragmatist. If a battle turns against him, he will retreat to preserve himself rather than cover the players.

On a failed check, Regula simply clears the barricade and lets the players pass—he will not accompany them.

The Aetherochemical Research Facility

The Aetherochemical Research Facility occupies the innermost sector of Azys Lla's Flagship Island. Luminescent tubes run through the walls, ceiling, and floor, casting a cold cyan glow. The air carries the sharp tang of chemicals—the residue of organic cultivation fluid that once flowed here, long since evaporated and left behind.

Once players enter the facility, all teleportation magic and devices fail completely. To contain the Warring Triad, the facility's ambient aether has been deliberately warped; teleportation is impossible anywhere except at the main Aetheryte gate.

Confronting Elvis

Whether the players approach stealthily or not, Elvis eventually turns and spots them. He freezes for several seconds. Then he shoves the papers into his belt, strikes the console—two Allagan Clockwork Hunters materialize to block the players—and sprints into the opposite corridor.

He won't stop unless the players call out his name. If they do, he turns his head slightly, voice so low it's almost a murmur:

He recites the speech he clearly prepared in advance, but his conviction fails him word by word, until he abandons it entirely:

He steps into the passage and disappears around the corner without looking back.

He isn't even sure his own words are true. Spending time alongside the resurrected Heavens' Ward has made him feel that these men are completely unlike the knights in his memory. He knows someone will come to settle accounts here sooner or later—but right now, all he can do is keep moving forward and refuse to examine the questions he can't answer.

DM Note. Elvis knows the facility's passages intimately. He bypasses B3 and B4 entirely, using a maintenance shaft to reach B7 directly. The shaft entrance is a hidden ramp in the corridor—difficult to spot, and the door is locked unless the Arcana/Intelligence check at the Magitek Orb scored 25 or higher (FF14: 22 or higher).

Magitek Orb Console

The Magitek Orb can open the door to B3 simply by pressing the activation key. Once B3 opens, a prompt appears in Ancient Allagan. Selecting "Yes" unlocks all blast doors in the facility; they will open automatically when approached.

Elvis's comparison manuscripts remain at his workstation. He took one; in his panic, he left the other behind at the edge of the console. The page is crammed with annotations on ritual steps, many lines crossed out and rewritten. The final line is struck through twice with force:

If players spend time examining the other console panels:

On a success, they locate a remote magitek override system that can send override commands to the facility's machines. Transmitting an override to the B4 guard sector forces B4's mechanical patrol units into a maintenance cycle, preventing them from alerting Grinnaux in advance. The players will face only Grinnaux in B4.

If players attack the Magitek Orb, it emits a pulse that knocks all creatures within 5 feet back 10 feet and causes aetheric interference. All creatures in the room are deafened and silenced until they leave or wait 10 minutes for the alarm to reset on its own.

B3. Mechanical Weapons Research Division

The interior is a long, rectangular space. Fourteen discarded mechanical chassis hang from mounting racks along both walls, fully depowered, their shells heavily dented and scored from the Warrior of Light's previous rampage. Several have heads severed from their torsos, dangling only by cables.

A track runs down the center of the floor, disappearing behind blast doors at the far end. Beside the track lie the ruins of a diagnostic platform; its console is smashed, buried under an alloy panel that fell from the ceiling.

Three Allagan Clockwork Hunters patrol the rear section of the track. They have detected the players and are slowly turning toward them.

If the players succeeded on the override check in B2, the Clockwork Hunters enter a 5-minute reboot cycle and won't return to alert status until it completes.

B4. Prototype Evaluation Bay

Beyond the blast doors is a descending ramp lined with VIth Legion corpses. Their breastplates and helmets are caved in from heavy blunt-force impacts; one helmet is completely flattened on one side.

Deep at the end of the ramp, inside the evaluation bay, Grinnaux the Bull stands guard.

He sits atop the frame of a destroyed machine in the center of the room, right hand planted on his battleaxe, head bowed as if dozing. But when the players' footsteps reach him, he glances at them, then at the bodies on the floor. His head bobs up and down once—not quite a laugh, more an irritable tic:

His tone isn't complaint—it sounds more like idle griping over drinks with a friend.

If the players try to explain themselves or negotiate, Grinnaux pretends to listen but offers nothing useful. Once they finish, he stands and kicks the mechanical frame he was sitting on aside:

He doesn't say another word. He is already charging.

The players face Grinnaux the Bull.

If the players succeeded on the B2 override check, Grinnaux fights alone. Otherwise, add 10 Allagan Drones.

Tactics. The Allagan Drones split evenly along both walls (5 left, 5 right). Each fires its magitek cannon toward the opposite side of the room, then repeats.

If the players force open the doors behind him, Grinnaux focuses all attacks on the player opening the door—but he pursues no further than B7.

When Grinnaux is defeated, he crashes down and props himself halfway up with one hand. He looks up at the players. No curses, no pleading—just a short scoff:

The arm holding his battleaxe detaches from his body and falls alongside the weapon. He doesn't speak again.

B5. Material Transit Route

This corridor served for heavy material transport between research divisions. Two parallel recessed tracks run down the center of the floor; the ground near the tracks is noticeably smoother than the edges, worn down by years of friction.

B6. Material Distribution Platform

Exiting the transit route, the players arrive in a vast, deep-set domed space of Allagan construction. The distribution platform branches off toward B5, B7, and a sealed maintenance shaft. Across the floor, a massive stain of congealed dark liquid—rust-red in color, splattered in an irregular pattern—stretches from the room's center all the way toward B7. The bridge to B7 appears to have collapsed; a colossal overgrown plant now bridges the gap.

"They were... all exceptional people, handpicked by the Commander himself. Their lives shouldn't have ended like this. I can't just... You could never understand how this feels!"

"Aymeric brought lies to the Holy See—and news of His Holiness's death! I don't believe it! I have to bring them back!"

"The King's resurrection. Returning His Holiness with his divine aspect fully intact. Lord Zephirin said it is Halone's will—to continue the King's lineage and give the Dragonsong War the ending it was meant to have. I have no reason to doubt him."

"The draconic factor in those heretics' blood awakens the King's ancient memories, and their aether is dense enough... That's enough. Are you pitying them? They're nothing but heretics."

"Give up? I... I've thought about it. But now I have to follow the Commander's orders. And I passed the point of no return long ago. If I give up, the only thing waiting for me is the Inquisition's pyre."

"I'm out of time here. If you want to stop us... come."

B8. King's Resurrection Ritual Site

The ritual site was originally a bio-evaluation arena—a circular space 40 feet in radius, with observation decks set into the walls 30 feet up.

At the center stands the King's resurrection platform: a 10-foot-tall massive cultivation tank whose outer shell is densely wired with equipment tubing snaking out to all four walls and into the masonry. The Eye of Nidhogg floats directly above the tank, radiating a light far brighter than any other source in the room—like a star in the process of collapsing.

Surrounding the platform, tied to anchoring stakes set inside the inscribed rune trenches, are the draconic Ishgardian civilians. Though all are still alive, many have lost consciousness, their bodies hanging limp from chains. The few still lucid raise their heads as the players enter, but cannot make a sound.

Facing Zephirin

As the players step into the ritual site, a lone figure stands before the cultivation tank—Zephirin the Just, manifested in his primal form as a Knight of the Round.

He holds his greatsword with both hands, the blade planted at the center of the platform, its tip resting against the floor, hands folded over the pommel. However long he has waited, he has not moved from this stance.

Zephirin does not draw his blade immediately. He watches the players approach until they stop, then speaks from within the helm:

His tone is full of contempt, yet he states it as simple fact:

He raises his voice:

He slowly lifts the greatsword from the floor:

He gives the players no chance to respond. He strikes.

DM Note. Zephirin accepts no form of persuasion. Even if the players reveal the truth—that Archbishop Thordan VII's true intent was to become a god, not end the war—Zephirin will not waver. He knows the truth and simply does not care. He chose his faith long ago, and that choice is irrevocable. Every word the players say is merely noise he must cut through, not an argument he needs to answer.

Elvis's Arrival

After escaping from B7 via the internal maintenance routes, Elvis arrives here, completes the ritual's final preparations in the side room, and enters the observation deck overlooking the entire circular floor.

If the players shout up to him during a lull in the fighting, they may attempt a Charisma check:

Before Zephirin issues his final command, Elvis remains unmoved—watching the battle below. If the check succeeds, he will not activate the arena's experimental pacification systems.

If the players attack Elvis, Zephirin intercepts.

D&D. Zephirin has cast Sanctuary on Elvis and will use Counterspell to negate any spell aimed at him.

FF14. Any attack targeting Elvis requires the attacker to succeed on a CR 18 check using their highest attribute. On a failure, the attack redirects to Zephirin instead.

Final Confrontation: Zephirin the Just

See the Bestiary Appendix for combat statistics.

Zephirin holds the center of the battlefield, using his greatsword's reach to prevent the players from bypassing him to reach the cultivation tank.

Final Battle: King Thordan

The players must face King Thordan. Driving a thousand-year ambition through a young squire's body, Ascalon in hand, the scattered light of the Eye of Nidhogg paves his path as he advances:

Zephirin does not participate—he is utterly spent, barely capable of holding himself upright. A single blow is all it takes to destroy him.

Epilogue: The White-robed Ascian

The violent aetheric fluctuations triggered by the battle and ritual draw the attention of Elidibus, the Emissary.

After the battle with Zephirin or King Thordan ends, a flash of white light cuts across the ritual site's vaulted ceiling. Elidibus appears beside the Eye of Nidhogg.

He glances around the arena, then reaches out one hand. The Eye detaches from its apparatus and drifts slowly into his grasp. He speaks:

He ignores any questions the players might ask. He pauses, however, just before departing:

If any player possesses the Echo, he turns a soft laugh in their direction:

He breathes a quiet sigh—and with a final flash of white light, vanishes completely from the arena.

Hired Thug

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 11
• Physical Defense 13
• Magic Defense 11
• Max HP 30 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+3	+1	+3	+0	+1

---

Abilities

Combo_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Precise Thrust, then immediately use Straight Thrust.
• Precise Thrust_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+3) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 3 damage.
• Critical Hit: +1d6 damage.
• Straight Thrust_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Marker Area: Fixed 1×3 straight line from adjacent square.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 2d6 damage to all targets.

Hired Thug Boss

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 12
• Physical Defense 15
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 80 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+6	+2	+5	+1	+2

---

Abilities

Combo_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Heavy Swing, then use Overpower or Flying Axe.
• Heavy Swing_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 6 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.
• Overpower_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Origin: A square this character occupies.
• Marker Area: Fixed 5×5 centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6+6 damage to all targets.
• Flying Axe_____Main, Moving Marker, Physical
• Origin: 1 random non-tank enemy.
• Marker Area: Moving 5×5, follows origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 10d6 shared damage (divide evenly, round up).

Church Physician

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 11
• Physical Defense 12
• Magic Defense 15
• Max HP 50 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+0	+1	+3	+3	+5

---

Abilities

Dual Spell_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Stone, then use Aero or Cure.
• Chant: Stone_____Main, Magical, Earth, Chant
• Target: Single
• Range: 10
• Check: MND (d20+5) vs. MD
• Basic Effect: Deal 3 damage.
• Critical Hit: +1d6 damage.
• Chant: Aero_____Main, Magical, Wind, Chant
• Target: All enemies in a 5×5 area within 10 squares.
• Basic Effect: Inflict DOT (4) on all targets.
• Chant: Cure_____Main, Magical, Chant
• Target: Single
• Range: 10
• Check: Special (d20, critical only)
• Basic Effect: Restore 1d6+5 HP to the target.

Chapter Two

Simeonard the Pure

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 11
• Physical Defense 13
• Magic Defense 16
• Max HP 120 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+1	+1	+4	+2	+5

---

Traits

• Elite: This character cannot be Stunned. Markers it places cannot be removed.

---

Abilities

Double Holy Curse_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Holy Flame, then use Celestial Meteor or Celestial Tower.
• Chant: Holy Flame_____Main, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Target: Single
• Range: 5
• Check: MND (d20+5) vs. MD
• Basic Effect: Deal 6 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage and inflict DOT (3).
• Chant: Celestial Meteor_____Main, Fixed Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 3×3 area centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage to all targets.
• Chant: Celestial Tower_____Main, Fixed Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 3×3 area centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage. If no targets in area, deal 8d6 damage to all enemies instead.

Conservative Guard

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 11
• Physical Defense 13
• Magic Defense 11
• Max HP 30 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+4	+0	+3	+0	+3

---

Abilities

Vanguard Sword_____Main, Physical

• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+3) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage.
• Critical Hit: +1d6 damage.

Charibert the Stern (Phase 1)

Large (2×2) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 15
• Physical Defense 16
• Magic Defense 15
• Max HP 170 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+5	+2	+7	+3	+5

---

Traits

• Heavens' Ward Knight: This character cannot be Stunned. Markers it places cannot be removed.

---

Abilities

Stern Might_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Flare, then use Hellfire or Altar Candle.
• Chant: Flare_____Main, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Target: Single
• Range: 10
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.
• Chant: Hellfire_____Main, Fixed Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 3×3 area centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage to all targets.
• Chant: Altar Candle_____Main, Moving Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 1 enemy tank.
• Marker Area: Moving 3×3, follows origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 8d6 damage to all targets.

Charibert the Stern (Phase 2)

Large (2×2) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 15
• Physical Defense 16
• Magic Defense 15
• Max HP 180 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+5	+2	+7	+3	+5

---

Traits

• Heavens' Ward Knight: Immune to Enmity, DOT, and all debuffs except Incapacitated and Dead. Markers cannot be removed.
• Holy Flame Aura: At the start of each Adventurer Phase, players within 1 square take 5 fire damage (cannot be reduced).

---

Abilities

Holy Wrath_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Flare, then Hellfire, then choose Altar Candle or Holy Shackle.
• Chant: Flare / Hellfire / Altar Candle — (same as Phase 1)
• Chant: Holy Shackle_____Main, Moving Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 2 random enemies with a flame chain between them.
• Target: Both origin targets.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Both targets Speed −1. If more than 5 squares apart, chain breaks (+1d10 each). If not, each takes 5 damage next round. Persists until broken.
• Chant: Purification_____Main, Fixed Marker, Fire, Magical, Chant
• Target: All enemies in the encounter.
• Marker Effect: Deal 12d6 damage (+1d6 per remaining Holy Flame). All remaining Holy Flames then detonate in sequence: 2d6 fire damage to all within 2 squares.

Chapter Three

VIth Legion Knight

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 11
• Physical Defense 15
• Magic Defense 13
• Max HP 40 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+5	+3	+2	+1	+1

---

Abilities

Combo_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Precise Thrust, then immediately use Full Thrust.
• Precise Thrust_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.
• Full Thrust_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Marker Area: Fixed 1×3 straight line from adjacent square.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage to all targets.

VIth Legion Swordsman

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 12
• Physical Defense 16
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 50 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+4	+3	+6	+1	+2

---

Abilities

Combo_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Shield Bash, then immediately use Vanguard Sword.
• Shield Bash_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Inflict Stun on the target.
• Vanguard Sword_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+4) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 4 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.

Regula van Hydrus

Medium (1×1) — Spoken

---

• Vigilance 14
• Physical Defense 16
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 120 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+6	+3	+5	+3	+2

---

Traits

• Imperial Legatus: This character is immune to the Stun debuff.

---

Abilities

Magitek Combo_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Magitek Blade, then use a random Magitek Weapon (cannot repeat last round's choice).
• Magitek Blade_____Main, Physical
• Target: Single | Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+6) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 6 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.
• Blitz_____Fast, Special
• Basic Effect: Teleport up to 10 squares (no vertical movement). Once per phase.
• Chant: Magitek Slug_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical, Chant
• Origin: Current position of 1 random enemy.
• Marker Area: Fixed 1×6 straight line from Regula toward origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage to all targets.
• Chant: Magitek Spread_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical, Chant
• Origin: Adjacent square.
• Marker Area: Fixed triangle up to 8 squares from origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage and knock all targets 3 squares away from Regula.

Allagan Machines

Grinnaux the Bull

Large (2×2) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 13
• Physical Defense 17
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 130 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+7	+3	+6	+0	+3

---

Traits

• Heavens' Ward Knight: Immune to Enmity, DOT, and all debuffs except Incapacitated and Dead. Markers cannot be removed.

---

Abilities

Bull's Might_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Heavy Swing, then choose one of Dimensional Slash, Iron Will, or Dimension Rift. Cannot repeat last round's choice.
• Heavy Swing_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Range: Fixed 2×2 adjacent to this character.
• Target: All enemies in range.
• Check: STR (d20+7) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 7 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.
• Dimensional Slash_____Main, Moving Marker, Physical
• Origin: All enemies within 8 squares.
• Marker Area: Moving 1×8 from each target toward Grinnaux.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 3d6 damage and knock back 2 squares. Creates 1 Dimensional Rift at end of each line.
• Chant: Iron Will_____Main, Fixed Marker, Holy, Magical, Chant
• Marker Area: Entire encounter map.
• Target: All enemies.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 6 damage and knock all targets 4 squares away from Grinnaux.

---

• Chant: Dimension Rift_____Main, Fixed Marker, Dark, Magical, Chant
• Target: 1 random non-tank enemy.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 7 damage and create 1 Purple Orb at target's current position.

• Dimensional Rift — (field hazard)
• Trigger: Start of Adventurer Phase.
• Effect: Deal 3 damage to nearest enemy within 2 squares and inflict Vulnerability Up (stacking, +3 damage taken per stack, max 3, until end of combat).
• Orb Implosion — (field hazard)
• Trigger: Enemy enters the orb's square.
• Effect: Deal 5 damage to all targets; orb disappears. Orb expands by 1 each Adventurer Phase (1×1→2×2→3×3→4×4→5×5).

Cultivation System

Large (3×3) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 16
• Physical Defense 16
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 90 | Speed 0

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
—	—	+6	+0	+6

---

Traits

• Defense Protocol: At the start of combat, summons all clones from the cultivation tanks.
• Lightning Immunity: Immune to Lightning damage.
• Fixed Structure: Immune to Enmity, DOT, and all debuffs except Incapacitated and Dead.

---

Abilities

Recursion_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Directed Current, then immediately use High Voltage.
• Directed Current_____Main, Magical, Lightning, Chant
• Target: Single
• Range: 10
• Check: MND (d20+6) vs. MD
• Basic Effect: Deal 6 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d12 damage.
• Chant: High Voltage_____Main, Fixed Marker, Lightning, Magical, Chant
• Range: Fixed 10×10 adjacent to this character.
• Target: All enemies in range.
• Check: MND (d20+5) vs. MD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage to all targets.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.

Clone Knight

Medium (1×1) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 10
• Physical Defense 14
• Magic Defense 11
• Max HP 60 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+5	+2	+4	−1	+0

---

Traits

• Command Link: If the Cultivation System is defeated, this character immediately ceases all actions.

---

Abilities

Strike_____Main, Physical

• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d6 damage.

Defective Clone

Medium (1×1) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 5
• Physical Defense 11
• Magic Defense 9
• Max HP 30 | Speed 5

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+3	+0	+1	−5	−5

---

Traits

• Command Link: If the Cultivation System is defeated, this character immediately ceases all actions.

---

Abilities

Strike_____Main, Physical

• Target: Single
• Range: 1
• Check: STR (d20+3) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 3 damage.
• Critical Hit: +1d6 damage.

Zephirin the Just

Large (2×2) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 15
• Physical Defense 17
• Magic Defense 14
• Max HP 180 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+8	+3	+6	+2	+5

---

Traits

• Heavens' Ward Knight: Immune to Enmity, DOT, and all debuffs except Incapacitated and Dead. Markers cannot be removed.

---

Abilities

Lord Commander's Might_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Splintering Blow, then choose one of Holy Bladedance, Spear of the Fury, or Holiest of Holy. Cannot repeat last round's choice.
• Splintering Blow_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Range: Fixed 2×2 adjacent to this character.
• Target: All enemies in range.
• Check: STR (d20+8) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 8 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d8 damage.
• Holy Bladedance_____Main, Moving Marker, Physical
• Origin: 2 random enemies (① and ②; must differ from last round).
• Marker Area: Moving 3×3 centered on each origin.
• Target: All enemies in each area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Resolve ① then ②. Each deals 4d6 shared damage (divide evenly, round up). Apply Physical Vulnerability Up to ① targets; Magical Vulnerability Up to ② targets. (+1 per stack, max 3, until next phase.)

---

• Chant: Spear of the Fury_____Main, Moving Marker, Holy, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 1 enemy healer (or lowest-HP enemy).
• Marker Area: Moving 2×10 line from Zephirin toward origin.
• Target: All enemies in marker area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: First target hit takes 14 damage. All others take 2d6 shared damage. All targets except the first gain Healing Down (heals halved for 1 round).
• Chant: Holiest of Holy_____Main, Fixed Marker, Holy, Magical, Chant
• Marker Area: 4 fixed 2×10 lines in all cardinal directions from Zephirin.
• Target: All enemies in marker areas.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 10d6 damage. Reduced by 1d6 for every 20 HP Zephirin has lost.

King Thordan

Large (2×2) — Mech

---

• Vigilance 15
• Physical Defense 18
• Magic Defense 15
• Max HP 680 | Speed 6

---

STR	DEX	END	INT	MND
+9	+4	+8	+4	+7

---

Traits

• King Thordan: Immune to Enmity, DOT, and all debuffs except Incapacitated and Dead. Markers cannot be removed.
• Imperfect Vessel: When HP falls to 60% (408) or 30% (204), all damage this character deals this round is reduced by 2. The character enters the next phase.
• Dragon's Eye Light: Each time a new phase begins, the Eye of Nidhogg changes position.

---

Abilities

King's Might_____Main, Special

• Basic Effect: Use Ascalon's Might, then choose The Dragon's Heel or Ascalon's Mercy.
• Ascalon's Might_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Origin: Adjacent square.
• Marker Area: Fixed triangle up to 3 squares.
• Check: STR (d20+9) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 9 damage.
• Critical Hit: +2d8 damage.
• The Dragon's Heel_____Main, Moving Marker, Physical
• Origin: 1 enemy tank.
• Marker Area: Fixed 3×3 centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6+5 damage to all targets.

---

• Chant: Ascalon's Mercy_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical, Chant
• Marker Area: Fixed triangle toward all enemies, up to 10 squares.
• Target: All enemies in area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage and inflict DOT (5).
• Chant: Ancient Quaga_____Main, Fixed Marker, Magical, Chant
• Marker Area: Entire encounter map.
• Target: All enemies.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 6d6 damage to all targets.
• Ascalon's Radiance_____Fast, Fixed Marker, Magical
• Trigger: Each time Imperfect Vessel triggers a new phase.
• Marker Effect: Inflict DOT (3) on all enemies.
• Dragon's Gaze_____Main, Fixed Marker, Magical
• Marker Area: Fixed triangle covering entire map.
• Target: All enemies facing the Eye.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 4d6 damage and inflict Paralysis.
• Phase Triggers:
• If Zephirin is alive: At the start of each Adventurer Phase, Zephirin uses Holiest of Holy (deal 10d6; −1d6 per 20 HP lost).
• If B7 tanks NOT destroyed: At the start of each Adventurer Phase, use one of:
• Spiral Thrust_____Main, Fixed Marker, Physical
• Marker Area: 3 fixed 2×10 areas across the map.
• Target: All enemies in marker areas.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Deal 6d6 damage and inflict Vulnerability Up.
• Holy Shield Bash_____Main, Physical
• Target: 1 enemy healer.
• Check: STR (d20+5) vs. PD
• Basic Effect: Deal 5 damage.
• Critical Hit: Inflict Knockdown.
• Chant: Winter Storm_____Main, Fixed Marker, Ice, Magical, Chant
• Origin: 1 non-tank enemy.
• Marker Area: Fixed 3×3 centered on origin.
• Target: All enemies in area.
• Trigger: Start of next turn.
• Marker Effect: Inflict DOT (5) and Slow on all targets.

Knights of the Round (Legendary Action Summons)

If Zephirin is alive and B7 clones were not destroyed, King Thordan may summon a Knight of the Round:

Appendix B: D&D Monster Data

Charibert the Stern

Large construct, chaotic neutral

---

• Armor Class 17
• Hit Points 187 (15d10+105)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
21 (+5)	14 (+2)	24 (+7)	17 (+3)	21 (+5)	14 (+2)

---

• Damage Resistances Fire
• Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Petrified, Poisoned
• Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 19
• Languages Common, Elvaan, Old Elvaan
• Challenge 8 (XP 1; PB +3)

---

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Charibert fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Holy Flame Aura. At the start of its turn, each hostile creature within 5 feet of Charibert takes 2 (1d4) fire damage.

Immutable Form. Charibert is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. Charibert makes two Holy Flame Sword or Altar Candle attacks.

Holy Flame Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 15 (3d6+5) fire damage.

Altar Candle. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 120 ft. Hit: 13 (3d8) fire damage.

Spellcasting. Charibert casts one of the following, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16): At will: Burning Hands, Elementalism 1/day each: Flame Blade (expended), Fireball

Bonus Actions

Holy Shackle. Charibert chains 2 visible targets with flame. If they are more than 30 ft. apart at the end of their next turn, the chain breaks and each takes 3 (1d6) fire damage. If not broken, each takes 3 (1d6) fire damage per round until it breaks.

---

Legendary Actions

Charibert can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Charibert regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Altar Strike. Charibert teleports up to 15 ft. and makes one Holy Flame Sword attack.

Hellfire. Charibert chooses a visible creature. Each hostile creature in a 5-ft. radius centered on that target must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.

Altar Cremation. DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. All creatures within Charibert's 60-ft. aura. Failure: 22 (4d10) fire damage. Success: half. Charibert cannot use this action again until the start of its next turn.

Chapter Three

Allagan Clockwork Hunter

Large construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 14
• Hit Points 52 (7d10+14)
• Speed 40 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	4 (−3)	14 (+2)	1 (−5)

---

• Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
• Senses Truesight 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Understands Old Allagan but cannot speak
• Challenge 3 (XP 1; PB +2)

---

Traits

Magic Resistance. The Clockwork Hunter has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Immutable Form. The Clockwork Hunter is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. The Clockwork Hunter makes two Longsword or Auto-Cannon attacks.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (1d12+4) slashing damage.

Auto-Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60/220 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage.

Allagan Drone

Small construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 17
• Hit Points 22 (4d6+8)
• Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (−2)	20 (+5)	14 (+2)	4 (−3)	12 (+1)	1 (−5)

---

• Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
• Senses Tremorsense 60 ft., Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
• Languages Understands Old Allagan but cannot speak
• Challenge 1/2 (XP 1; PB +2)

---

Traits

Immutable Form. The Drone is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Auto-Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60/220 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage.

Magitek Cannon. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Each creature in a 60-ft.-long, 5-ft.-wide line. Failure: 22 (4d10) lightning damage. Success: half.

Grinnaux the Bull

Large construct, lawful neutral

---

• Armor Class 18
• Hit Points 136 (13d10+65)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)	10 (+0)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)

---

• Damage Resistances Necrotic
• Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Common, Elvaan
• Challenge 7 (XP 1; PB +3)

---

Traits

Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Grinnaux fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Immutable Form. Grinnaux is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. Grinnaux makes two Rout attacks.

Rout. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (1d12+6) slashing damage.

Dimensional Slash (Recharge 5–6). DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. All creatures in Grinnaux's 60-ft. aura. Failure: 19 (3d12) necrotic damage and pushed 10 ft. away from Grinnaux. Success: half damage.

---

Legendary Actions

Grinnaux can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Grinnaux regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Crush. Grinnaux makes one Rout attack.

Pursuit. DC 17 Strength saving throw. Grinnaux leaps to a creature within 30 ft. (no opportunity attacks). Failure: 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and knocked prone.

Space Rend. Grinnaux recharges Dimensional Slash and immediately uses it. Grinnaux cannot use this legendary action again until the start of its next turn.

Cultivation System

Huge construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 17
• Hit Points 87 (6d12+48)
• Speed 0 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	10 (+0)	22 (+6)	10 (+0)	22 (+6)	1 (−5)

---

• Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic, Lightning
• Senses Truesight 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Understands Old Allagan but cannot speak
• Challenge 6 (XP 1; PB +3)

---

Traits

Magic Resistance. The Cultivation System has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Immutable Form. The Cultivation System is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

High Voltage. DC 19 Constitution saving throw. All hostile creatures within the Cultivation System's 240-ft. aura. Failure: 19 (3d10) lightning damage.

Reactions

Static Discharge. Trigger: The Cultivation System is hit by an attack roll. Response: The Cultivation System immediately uses High Voltage.

Clone Knight

Medium construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 15
• Hit Points 78 (12d8+24)
• Speed 40 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	13 (+1)	15 (+2)	8 (−1)	10 (+0)	8 (−1)

---

• Condition Immunities Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Senses Darkvision 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
• Languages Common, Elvaan
• Challenge 4 (XP 1; PB +2)

---

Traits

Command Link. If the Cultivation System is destroyed, the Clone Knight immediately stops fighting.

Immutable Form. The Clone Knight is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. The Clone Knight makes two Claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) slashing damage.

Defective Clone

Medium construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 10
• Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	9 (−1)	12 (+1)	2 (−4)	6 (−2)	6 (−2)

---

• Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Senses Darkvision 30 ft., Passive Perception 8
• Languages None
• Challenge 1/4 (XP 1; PB +2)

---

Traits

Command Link. If the Cultivation System is destroyed, the clone immediately stops fighting.

Unstable Body. When destroyed, the clone releases an aetheric burst, dealing 6 (2d6) lightning damage to all creatures within 5 ft.

Immutable Form. The clone is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) slashing damage.

Zephirin the Just

Large construct, lawful evil

---

• Armor Class 18
• Hit Points 157 (15d10+75)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)	18 (+4)

---

• Damage Resistances Radiant
• Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Common, Elvaan
• Challenge 8 (XP 1; PB +3)

---

Traits

Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Zephirin fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Immutable Form. Zephirin is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. Zephirin makes two Splintering Blow attacks.

Splintering Blow. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+5) slashing damage plus 8 (2d8) radiant damage.

Spear of the Fury (Recharge 5–6). DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. All creatures in a 10-ft.-wide, 120-ft.-long line from Zephirin. Failure: 18 (4d8) radiant damage. Success: half.

Spellcasting. Zephirin casts one of the following, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14): At will: Detect Evil and Good 1/day each: Sanctuary, Dispel Magic

Reactions

Sacred Intercession (3/Day). Zephirin casts Counterspell (see that spell for trigger conditions).

---

Legendary Actions

Zephirin can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Zephirin regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Splintering Strike. Zephirin makes one Splintering Blow attack.

Fury's Lunge. DC 17 Strength saving throw. Zephirin targets one visible creature within 30 ft. Failure: 13 (3d8) radiant damage and pushed back 10 ft. Success: half damage.

King Thordan

Large construct, lawful neutral

---

• Armor Class 18
• Hit Points 330 (30d10+180)
• Speed 40 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	16 (+3)	22 (+6)	16 (+6)	18 (+4)	24 (+7)

---

• Damage Resistances Radiant, Necrotic
• Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Petrified, Poisoned
• Damage Immunities Poison
• Senses Truesight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Common, Elvaan, Telepathy 120 ft.
• Challenge 10 (XP 1; PB +4)

---

Traits

Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If Thordan fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Imperfect Vessel. Thordan descends in a mortal body unable to fully contain a primal's power. When his hit points fall below 198 (60%) and 99 (30%), all damage Thordan deals this turn is halved. This effect ends at the start of his next turn.

Immutable Form. Thordan is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. Thordan makes three Ascalon attacks.

Ascalon. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage.

Ancient Quaga (1/Day). DC 18 Constitution saving throw. All enemies within Thordan's 60-ft. aura. Failure: 33 (6d10) force damage plus 11 (2d10) thunder damage. Success: half.

Final Apocalypse (1/Day, requires HP below 30%). Thordan floats to the center of the arena and draws the last of the Eye's power. DC 18 Constitution saving throw. All enemies within his 60-ft. aura. Failure: 44 (8d10) radiant damage. Success: half. This damage cannot reduce any target's hit points below 1.

---

Legendary Actions

Thordan can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Thordan regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Holy Sword Strike. Thordan makes one Ascalon attack.

Dragon's Gaze. DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. All creatures in a 120-ft. cone from Thordan. Failure: frightened until the start of Thordan's next turn.

Summon Knights of the Round. Thordan commands one Knight of the Round to attack. Thordan cannot use this legendary action again until the start of his next turn.