Weird Wednesday (Destiny Derailed): Demons in the Tundra

1280px-Sunset_in_Binii,_SwitzerlandLong before Pradjna was inhabited by humans and gnomes, demons roamed the lands, subjugating the native orcs, goblins, and other species into their own army. The predecessors to the current day inhabitants of the region drove the demons back. As the hellspawn vowed to return in 100 years, the sages concocted a clever plan—during the final battle, the sages’ magic imprisoned the demons’ bodies in the snow, and as long as their bodies remain frozen, the demons are unable to return. However, over time the dimensional wards put in place weakened, allowing the demons some connection back to their frigid corporeal forms. Eager to return, these demons seek to control those that pass by, enlisting help to return to their bodies and break the divide.

Demons in the Tundra CR 8
XP 4,800
CE haunt (20 ft. by 20 ft. area centered on the surface above a buried demon)
Caster Level 8th
Notice Perception DC 30 (to notice ancient buried warning stones written in Draconic)
HP 16; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
Something about the color and texture of the ice is amiss; the wind howls, even though there is nothing around for the zephyrs to make noise with.
Effect When this haunt is triggered, creatures of 7 hit dice or less must make a DC 16 Will save or be affected by a lesser geas. The affected creature must bring a humanoid or goblinoid creature to the buried demon and kill their captive. Doing so releases the demon (d100; 1-20 babau, 21-40 nabasu, 41-60 shadow demon, 61-80 succubus demon, 81-100 vrock demon), which thaws out and can act normally after 2d4 hours.
Destruction The physical form of the buried demon must be exposed and a dispel magic, dimensional anchor, or similar spell must be cast, breaking the connection permanently between the realms (thus making the banishment permanent).
Adventure Hook  Recently a higher number of workers than normal have gone missing—one of the missing workers, severely injured, returned and before he died, relayed an improbable tale. A crazed mountain man knocked him out; he awoke, tied up in the middle of the tundra. As the madman chanted out blessings to an unknown being, he began to slowly flense the worker, all the while mumbling something about the “demons can return”. He surely would have died, but a fluke ice crack appeared and the madman fell to his death in a small crevasse. The worker freed himself and managed to get back here, and is eager to give general directions to the spot where he was held, describing some stone markers with “magic” writing on them.

fire-lit mountain 9

 

 

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