TEXT: NYR3-07 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  To Catch A Falling Star 
   
   
  A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®  
  Nyrond Regional Adventure 
  For APLs 2-12 
   
  Version 0.1 
  Round 1 
   
   
  By John D. Jenks and J. Eddy Roberts 
  Artwork by Jason Baird, Maps by Uwe Menzel 
  Reala Nadir is the intellectual property of Jodie Smalley, used with permission 
   
   
  Strange clues.  Strange people.  Strange dreams.  You awake to find yourself sitting in the Royal Theater 
  in Rel Mord.  With no idea of what is going on, you know only that you need to catch a falling star to make 
  sense of everything.  A Royal adventure for characters of 1st to 14th level.   
   
   
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison.  
     
  This game product contains no Open Game Content.  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any 
  form without permission of the author.  To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 
  system license, please visit www.wizards.com/d20  
     
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 
  This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be reproduced without approval of the 
  RPGA Network.    
   
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 2 
  This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the 
  Dungeons & Dragons® game. A four-hour time 
  block has been allocated for each round of this 
  scenario, but the actual playing time will be closer 
  to three and a half hours. The rest of the time is 
  spent in preparation before game play, and 
  scoring after the game.  The following guidelines 
  are here to help you with both the preparation and 
  voting segment of the game.  Read this page 
  carefully so that you know and can communicate 
  to your players the special aspects of playing an 
  RPGA scenario. 
   
  Preparation
  First you should print this scenario. This scenario 
  was created to support double-sided printing, but 
  printing it single sided will work as well. There is 
  enough room along the inside margin to bind the 
  adventure, if you desire.  Read this entire 
  adventure at least once before you run your game. 
  Be sure to familiarize yourself with any special 
  rules, spells, or equipment presented in the 
  adventure. It may help to highlight particularly 
  important passages. 
   
  When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we 
  assume that you have access to the following 
  books: the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. We also 
  assume that you have a set of dice (at least one 
  d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, 
  a pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense 
  of fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track 
  movement during combat. This can be as simple 
  as a pad of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as 
  a vinyl grid map and chits, or as elaborate as resin 
  dungeon walls and miniatures.  Instruct the 
  players either to prepare their characters now, or 
  wait until you read the introduction, depending on 
  the requirements of the scenario as described in 
  the introduction. 
   
  Keep in mind that you must have at least four 
  players (not counting the DM), for the game 
  session to be a sanctioned RPGA event. As well, 
  you 
  cannot 
  have 
  more 
  than 
  six 
  players 
  participating in the game. 
   
  Once you are ready to play, it is handy to instruct 
  each player to place a nametag in front of him or 
  her. The tag should have the player’s name at the 
  bottom, and the character’s name, race, and 
  gender at the top. This makes it easier for the 
  players (and the DM) to keep track of who is 
  playing which character. 
   
  The players are free to use the game rules to learn 
  about equipment and weapons their characters 
  are carrying. That said, you as the DM can bar the 
  use of even core rulebooks during certain times of 
  play. For example, the players are not free to 
  consult the Dungeon Master’s Guide when 
  confronted with a trap or hazard, or the Monster 
  Manual when confronted with a monster. 
   
  Some of the text in this scenario is written so that 
  you may present it as written to the players, while 
  other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players 
  will be in gray boxes. It’s strongly recommended 
  that you paraphrase the player text instead of 
  reading it aloud. Some of this text is general and 
  must be adapted to the specific situation or to 
  actions of the player characters. 
   
  Reporting 
  After the players have completed the scenario or 
  the time allotted to run the scenario has run out, 
  the DM records the players and his or her RPGA 
  numbers on the RPGA scoring sheet and provides 
  the sheet to the event coordinator. 
   
  This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure. As a 
  LIVING adventure it is expected that players bring 
  their own characters with them. If players do not 
  have a LIVING GREYHAWK character generated, 
  get a copy of the current LIVING GREYHAWK 
  character generation guidelines, and a character 
  sheet from your convention coordinator or the 
  RPGA Web site, and then have any players 
  without a character create one. Once all players 
  have a LIVING GREYHAWK character, play can 
  begin.  
   
  Along with the other materials that you are 
  assumed to have in order to run a D&D game, it is 
  also recommended that you have a copy of the 
  LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer. 
   
  Living Greyhawk Levels of Play 
  Because players bring their own characters to 
  LIVING GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s 
  challenges are proportioned to the average 
  character level of the PCs participating in the 
  adventure.  
   
  To determine the Average Party Level (APL): 
  1. Determine the character level for each of 
  the PCs participating in the adventure. 
  2. If PCs bring animals that have been 
  trained for combat (most likely being war 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 3 
  horses, dogs trained for war), other than 
  those brought by virtue of a class ability 
  (i.e. 
  animal 
  companions, 
  familiars 
  paladin’s mounts, etc) use the sidebar 
  chart to determine the number of levels 
  you add to the sum above. Add each 
  character’s animals separately. A single 
  PC may only bring four or fewer animals 
  of this type, and animals with different 
  CRs are added separately. 
  3. Sum the results of 1 and 2, and divide by 
  the number of characters playing in the 
  adventure. Round to the nearest whole 
  number. 
  4. If you are running a table of six PCs, add 
  one to that average. 
   
  Add Sidebar Table Here 
   
  By following these four steps, you will have 
  determined the APL. Throughout this adventure, 
  APLs categorize the level of challenge the PCs will 
  face. 
  APLS 
  are 
  given 
  in 
  even-numbered 
  increments. If the APL of your group falls on an 
  odd number, ask them before the adventure 
  begins whether they would like to play a harder or 
  easier adventure. Based on their choice, use 
  either the higher or the lower adjacent APL. 
   
  APL also affects the amount of experience you 
  may gain at the end of the adventure. If your 
  character is three character levels or more either 
  higher or lower than the APL this adventure is 
  being played at, that character will receive only 
  half of the experience points awarded for the 
  adventure. This simulates the face that either your 
  character was not as challenged as normal, or 
  relied on help by higher-level characters to reach 
  the objectives. 
   
  Note: 
  LIVING 
  GREYHAWK 
  adventures 
  are 
  designed for APL 2 and higher. Three or four, or 
  sometimes even five 1st-level characters may find 
  difficulty with the challenges in a LIVING 
  GREYHAWK adventure. If your group is APL 1 
  there are three things that you can do to help even 
  the score. 
   
  1. Attempt to create a table of six 1st-level 
  characters, or try to enlist higher-level 
  characters to play at that table. 
  2. Advise characters to buy riding dogs to 
  help protect them, and fight for them. All 
  riding dogs are considered trained to 
  attack. PCs who want their dogs to attack 
  must succeed at a Handle Animal or 
  Charisma check (DC 10). Failure indicates 
  that the animal will not attack that round. 
  This is a free action (spoken command) 
  that may be attempted each round. If an 
  animal loses half or more hp in a single 
  round it flees, unless another check is 
  successful. 
  3. Enlist the services of an iconic text needs 
  to be put in here. 
   
  Time Units and Upkeep 
  This is a standard one-round Regional adventure, 
  set in the Kingdom of Nyrond. Characters native to 
  Nyrond pay one Time Unit per round; all others 
  pay two Time Units per round. Adventurer’s 
  Standard Upkeep costs 12gp per Time Unit. Rich 
  Upkeep costs 50gp per Time Unit. Luxury Upkeep 
  costs 100gp per Time Unit. 
   
   
  Is it a Full Moon? 
  This scenario takes place according to a specific 
  timeline.  The adventure begins with the 
  characters sitting in the Oerth Theater Guild 20 
  days before both moons will be new.  This puts it 
  on the 20th day of the month in one of four months 
  of the year.  Which month can be determined by 
  comparing it to the season in which the players 
  and judge have gathered.  If it is Winter, then the 
  month in Oerth is Readying, if Spring then 
  Flocktime, if Summer then Goodmonth, and if Fall 
  then Ready’reat. 
   
  As the moons will be full during the period from the 
  start of the scenario through the next five days, 
  take 
  this 
  into 
  account 
  when 
  determining 
  lycanthropy effects, or any special circumstances 
  the PCs might have.  Both moons will be new (so 
  visible during the daytime) on days 19, 20 and 21. 
   Again, take this into account when planning. 
   
  Should the characters take longer than the 
  expected 20 days, then use the following cycles to 
  determine what phase the moons are in.   
   
  Luna’s cycle is 28 days with 13 cycles per year. 
  Celene’s cycle is 91 days with 4 cycles per year. 
   
  Adventure Summary 
   
  The characters are attending a performance of 
  perhaps the most boring play ever performed at 
  the Oerth Theater Association.  They begin to 
  daydream wherein they receive a message from 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 4 
  Kurast the Elementalist, although he does not tell 
  them his name at this point. 
   
  Summoning their wits, the PCs learn where they 
  need to go, and set off to Kurast’s Keep, the 
  headwaters of the Flessern River.  When they 
  arrive, there are a few minor tests or puzzles to 
  figure out before they meet Kurast.  All of these 
  puzzles involve water and trust, two things that 
  Kurast values very highly. 
   
  When meeting Kurast, he brings them up to date 
  (in case they haven’t participated in The Great 
  Scavenger Hunt scenario from year 1).  He also 
  gives them some clues and notes (in the form of 
  player handouts) that will help them on their 
  journey.  Finally he gives them a head-start on 
  their quest – assuming the PCs follow the most 
  likely path through the scenario. 
   
  At this point the PCs can travel to four different 
  points within Nyrond, learning a bit about the 
  country and meeting some of its fiercer denizens.  
  The most likely path will have the PCs summoning 
  a friendly water elemental lord, who is a friend of 
  Kurast.  He will take them on an extremely fast 
  journey around the coastline of Nyrond, depositing 
  them near the town of Uskarn.  Otherwise the PCs 
  may travel under their own power to Uskarn, the 
  Gnatmarsh, Hendrenn Halgood, or the Flinty Hills. 
   
  Which way they choose to go is not too important 
  so long as they make it to a specific landmark in 
  the Flinty Hills called The Tooth, and make it there 
  by the 20th day. 
   
  Assuming the party follows the most likely course, 
  they will visit a salty cove just outside of Uskarn.  
  There they will fight one or more Salt Mephits 
  (possibly with Barbarian levels).  After defeating 
  the Mephits they can collect a large salt crystal – 
  one of the objects of their quest. 
   
  Next the PCs will likely travel to the Gnatmarsh.  
  Here they must find some of the monstrous 
  mosquitoes the Gnatmarsh is famous for.  Then, 
  once a mosquito has drained some blood, they 
  must capture the mosquito alive and recover the 
  drained blood. 
   
  Continuing their journey to Hendrenn Halgood, 
  they must visit the Temple of Light, a temple 
  dedicated to Pelor.  Inside they must deal with 
  overly busy and somewhat pompous priests until 
  they find the one gentleman that can give them the 
  next critical object – some blessed sunrods. 
   
  Finally, the party will head out into the Flinty Hills 
  and make camp near the landmark.  At high noon 
  on the 20th day, a meteorite will impact near The 
  Tooth, boring a hole down into a long forgotten 
  tomb.  The tomb held captive a succubus of great 
  power, and her corrupted monk lover.  With the 
  impact of the meteorite, the wards on the tomb are 
  shattered, allowing the succubus to teleport away, 
  and leaving the monk to deal with the party.  At 
  higher APLs the monk is also a vampire, which 
  should cause the party some grief. 
   
  Once they have all the ingredients they were 
  directed to collect this time, The PCs can return to 
  Rel Mord and a well-deserved reward. 
   
   
  Judge’s Notes 
   
  The premise of this scenario is that it is the second 
  part of the series started with The Great 
  Scavenger Hunt, however it is not a requirement 
  that characters have played that scenario prior to 
  enjoying this one. 
   
  You should check with all the gathered players to 
  see 
  what 
  Nyrond 
  meta-organizations 
  their 
  characters belong to.  Take special note of any 
  characters 
  belonging 
  to 
  the 
  Royal 
  Guard, 
  Sagacious 
  Society, 
  HMSS, 
  Knights 
  of 
  the 
  Kingdom, or Grey Watch.  These characters are 
  primarily concerned with the security of the 
  kingdom, and the preservation of knowledge.  
  There are a couple of places in this scenario 
  where additional information is provided to these 
  characters.  This is non-spoiler information, as the 
  same information will be given out in the next 
  scenario in the series, but it does give something 
  extra to those PCs most involved in the 
  preservation of the kingdom. 
   
  You should also check which month it is by 
  following the instructions included in the Is It A Full 
  Moon section above.  This can add quite a bit of 
  flavor to the scenario. 
   
  This scenario is non-linear.  Essentially the PCs 
  may chose to do the scenario in a different order 
  than the common one being presented herein.  
  The only encounter that has a specified schedule 
  is Scene Five: The Falling Star.  This is an 
  astronomical event that will occur at a set time 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 5 
  known to the PCs.  If the PCs are not present at 
  the time of the event, then they will miss out on 
  that encounter.  Notes are provided in the relevant 
  encounter area and in the Conclusion should this 
  occur. 
   
  Often times the use of miniatures and some sort of 
  battle mat will aid the resolution of combat.  In 
  order to keep the players from expecting combat 
  every time you arrange the battle mat, it is helpful 
  to draw unnecessary encounters as well as those 
  for which combat is likely.  One example is to draw 
  in both Kurast’s Keep (both the surrounding area 
  and the inside rooms), and the Temple of Light in 
  Hendrenn Halgood.  Both of these scenes should 
  not require combat, but by drawing in the various 
  rooms and furnishings, it may cause the players to 
  drop their guard at crucial moments. 
   
  There are several references to various Nyrond 
  locations, meta-organizations, and NPCs.  Please 
  check with the myriad Nyrond resources available 
  through the Nyrond web site.  The web site is 
  located at: 
   
  http://www.nyrond.org/turbine/page/
   
  Please be sure to communicate the results of your 
  running of this scenario to either the Nyrond triad 
  or the event coordinator so that these results can 
  be recorded. 
   
  Backstory 
   
  It has been nearly five years since Xenia 
  Sallavarian collapsed while touring the Kingdom of 
  Nyrond.  Xenia, a beautiful young woman, 
  daughter of the famous Sallavarian house of the 
  Duchy of Urnst, and cousin to Jallarzi of the Circle 
  of Eight, was the King’s fiancée and slated to 
  marry him the following year in a huge public 
  ceremony.  The official word was heatstroke, but 
  obviously 
  something 
  else 
  is 
  the 
  problem.  
  Heatstroke doesn’t last for four years. 
   
  Unknown to the general public, Xenia’s collapse 
  was caused by the rapid onset of something 
  extremely similar to a poisoning or a disease.  All 
  types of cures were attempted, but nothing came 
  of it.  Xenia started slipping away. 
   
  The Grey Seer finally placed Xenia into a stasis 
  field that would preserve her, while efforts towards 
  finding a cure were set into motion.  For nearly two 
  years, nothing came of it.  Until one day a lowly 
  member of the AAAA found reference to 
  something similar in the depths of the Royal 
  Annals.  Something that was not a disease, but a 
  creature that fed on a person’s life force. 
   
  The Grey Seer performed the correct divinations 
  and learned that Xenia was indeed infested with 
  some sort of creature that was slowly draining her 
  life away.  Unfortunately the creature was so far 
  out of touch with normal physical reality that no 
  form of attack could affect it.  What was needed 
  was some way of bringing the creature more in 
  phase with us. 
   
  The gnomes of the AAAA went back to work on 
  this problem, and again an answer was found.  
  Certain ingredients could be combined to form an 
  incense that, when burned, would bring the 
  creature enough in phase to be defeated.  The 
  ingredients for this incense were diverse and 
  scattered – and in some cases not even known – 
  and so The Great Scavenger Hunt was begun to 
  find what could be found. 
   
  Adventurers throughout the Kingdom began 
  collecting the needed ingredients, at first just the 
  easy to acquire ones found close to Rel Mord.  
  They were given rather vague hints as to what 
  was going on, but nothing was done to dissuade 
  them from thinking about Xenia. 
   
  It was during this first part of the scavenger hunt 
  that the assassins came to light.  Assassins that 
  seemed bent on stopping the adventurers, and 
  had uncanny knowledge as to their whereabouts.  
  The assassins were well funded as well, for when 
  capture of them was attempted, they killed 
  themselves with a rare and exotic poison.  A 
  poison that must have cost in the thousands of 
  gold nobles. 
   
  Now it is slightly over a year later, and the next set 
  of ingredients has been discovered.  Not by the 
  AAAA this time, but by a sometime ally of the 
  Kingdom; the mysterious arch-mage known as 
  Kurast, an elementalist who aided the Kingdom 
  during the Greyhawk Wars. 
   
  Kurast has been in contact with the Grey Seer, 
  and both have agreed that adventurers should be 
  used again.  The unknown assailant sending out 
  the assassins is troubling, especially as neither 
  has been able to learn anything about him or her.  
  And, 
  frankly, 
  adventurers 
  are 
  somewhat 
  expendable.   
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 6 
   
   
  Adventure Synopsis 
   
  Introduction: It Was a Sleeper – The PCs end up 
  daydreaming while watching the greatest flop the 
  Oerth Theater Guild has ever produced.  The 
  dream seems very real – especially when the PCs 
  realize that it is a summons by someone very 
  powerful. 
   
  Scene One: Water, Water Everywhere – Having 
  figured out the meaning of their dream, the PCs 
  head for Kurast’s Keep.  There they learn quite a 
  bit about trust, water, and high-level wizards. 
   
  Scene Two: Salt Lick – The PCs head off after 
  the next set of ingredients.  In this case nothing 
  but some salt.  But other creatures like salt too.  
  Just not when it is lying on the ground. 
   
  Scene Three: The Little Things That Go Buzz – 
  Following the next clue given to them by Kurast, 
  the PCs end up in the swamp, looking to get bitten 
  by some of the swamp’s most famous residents.  
  Except, in this case, they really can carry off small 
  children. 
   
  Scene Four: The Temple of Light – In the 
  Temple of Light, located in Hendrenn Halgood, is 
  the next item of their quest, a collection of simple 
  blessed sunrods.  All they need to do is get the 
  priests to give it to them.  This is a role-playing 
  encounter. 
   
  Scene Five: The Falling Star – The PCs reach 
  the location of the falling star.  It plows into the 
  earth, opening a rift into a long-forgotten tomb.  
  The star lies beneath, just waiting to be picked up. 
   
  Conclusion: All is Revealed – Finally the PCs 
  can learn just what is going on, and gain a clue 
  about their adversary. 
   
  Optional: Out of the Darkness – If the PCs can’t 
  keep a secret, and the nature of their mission is 
  leaked out as general knowledge, then this 
  optional encounter should teach them a lesson 
  about keeping their mouths shut. 
   
  Introduction 
  It Was a Sleeper 
   
  Booooring.  That is the only word to describe 
  this monstrosity of a play.  “Ahoy Me Mateys”, 
  seemed like it would be a fun little romp.  It 
  was billed as “The Swashbuckling Adventures 
  of the Notorious Captian Swishmar and his 
  Band of Singing Privateers.”  The actors were 
  decent, and the songs were lively and fun, but 
  the story was simply bad.  The characters were 
  completely unmemorable, and the plot was so 
  thin as to be able to read your program 
  through it. 
   
  Who can blame you for letting your mind 
  wander?  At least you haven’t fallen asleep – 
  like so many in the audience have. 
   
  The tickets were free, sponsored by that new 
  patron of the arts, Professor Simious Crelith of 
  the Hawkwood College.  His first patronage 
  seems to have fallen rather flat.  But since they 
  were free, and since you had a rather boring 
  afternoon ahead of you, you decided to drop 
  by and check it out.   
   
  A particularly boring exchange of dialog lets 
  your mind drift even further afield.  And then it 
  happens. 
   
  You see a series of images, rapidly filling your 
  head, and just a quickly being replaced by the 
  next image in line.  The images repeat, over 
  and over, until you can nearly describe them 
  from memory. 
   
  A strangely shaped castle surrounded by high 
  cliff walls, with a river flowing out the main 
  gate and across the landscape. 
   
  A sheltered cove cut off from all but the 
  highest tides.  Crystals gleam in the sunlight 
  nearly blinding you with their white brilliance. 
   
  Rank, stale water, of what can only be a 
  swamp or bog.  You can nearly hear the whine 
  of insects. 
   
  A glorious edifice to the light, ray like 
  passageways stretching in all directions from 
  a central hall, while the sun-symbol of Pelor 
  hangs above. 
   
  And then as these images eventually begin to 
  fade, another image gradually shows through.  
  You have a feeling that this image is of the 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 7 
  very near future, for a sense of urgency covers 
  all. 
   
  A wide-open and rocky field at noon.  The sun 
  shines high overhead illuminating a staggering 
  spire of rock that stretches skyward like a 
  tooth. Then, a star appears, low on the 
  southern horizon.  It grows ever brighter, until 
  it nearly outshines the sun.  You can see it 
  clearly now, a tumbling oblong ball of glowing 
  heat speeding towards impact.  The ball 
  crashes to earth and all goes black.  An instant 
  later and the scene changes to reveal a 
  glowing crater with a pulsing green shape at 
  its center. 
   
  Your point of view moves closer and closer to 
  the green object, until it dominates your field 
  of view.  As you gaze at the glowing rock, it 
  slowly fades from view.  A strange voice, 
  seemingly unused to the common tongue, 
  speaks just as the images fade entirely. 
   
  “Come to me.  I have a task for you.” 
   
  You come to, noticing that you are the only 
  ones left in the theater.  Somehow you know 
  that these others have just had the same 
  visions. 
    
  First off, hand out Player Handout #1 – The Keep, 
  Player Handout #2 – The Salt Cove, Player 
  Handout #3 – The Swamp, Player Handout #4 – 
  The Temple, and Player Handout #5 – The Tooth. 
  These are the dreamscape images the players 
  have seen.  Secondly, it may be necessary to 
  have the characters introduce themselves at this 
  point.   
   
  The PCs have just been given a task by the 
  elementalist Kurast.  He has discovered the 
  locations of the next set of ingredients for the 
  incense, and after consultation with the Grey Seer, 
  has decided on this group of adventurers to 
  recover them. 
   
  The images he has sent them each correspond 
  with a scene in this scenario.  The first is Kurast’s 
  own keep; the headwaters of the Flessern River.  
  This is where the PCs must travel first.  For Kurast 
  has some information to give them.   
   
  • 
  Note: The players are on a strict time limit 
  here.  They have two tendays (20 days) to 
  reach the point of impact or else the star 
  will have been claimed by the opposition 
  and removed.  The party will fail in their 
  mission if this is the case.  Travel times 
  are given throughout the scenario, and 
  there are other sections that can cause a 
  delay.  Keep careful track of time, for the 
  PCs cannot be late. 
   
  However, while a few players will most likely figure 
  it out, rare are the characters that have been to 
  Kurast’s Keep.  In fact, do not let on that the image 
  they saw has anything to do with Kurast or his 
  Keep.  Instead, the PCs are going to need to do 
  some research.   
   
  There are several avenues the PCs can explore.  
  Given that this scenario begins in Rel Mord, meta-
  organization contacts are a fantastic place to start. 
  Interaction with these meta-orgs should be role-
  played out.  Feel free to give some suggestions 
  based on the meta-organizations the characters 
  belong to.  The Judge is free to role-play out any 
  of these interactions, but please follow the 
  guidelines listed below for details on costs and 
  time consumed.  For details on any of these meta-
  orgs, please see the latest “Nyrond Meta-
  Organizations” document.  Listed below are the 
  various helpful meta-orgs and the answers they 
  will receive. 
   
  • 
  Three Creek’s Deepwater Adventurers – 
  The Three Creek’s Inn has a rather 
  impressive 
  library 
  of 
  miscellaneous 
  information.  NPC members of the meta-
  org will recognize the description of the 
  Keep from the visions as Kurast’s Keep.  
  They can even provide directions to get 
  there.  This will cost the PCs no time. 
   
  • 
  Warrior’s Brotherhood – it will take some 
  time to locate a brother who has been in 
  the vicinity of Kurast’s Keep, and will 
  recognize it from the verbal description.  
  The PC will need to pay 10 gp in extra 
  money for drinks and the like.  This is not 
  covered in the lifestyle payment (treat it as 
  taking 20 on Gather Information).  This will 
  also cost the PCs one (1) day of time. 
   
  • 
  AAAA, Oerth Theater Guild, Patrons of the 
  Arcane Wanderer, Rel Mord University or 
  the Rel Mord Wizard’s Guild – all of these 
  are places where those with the arcane 
  bent gather.  While the information is easy 
  to acquire, it can take some time.  This will 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 8 
  either cost the PCs two (2) days, or one 
  (1) day if they make a successful Gather 
  Information check (DC17). 
   
  • 
  Royal Organizations – All royal meta-orgs 
  will direct the PC to travel to Kurast’s 
  Keep.  The organization is quite aware of 
  the PC’s quest and, while unable to 
  provide direct assistance, will make sure 
  that the PC is sent in the right direction.  
  This will cost the PCs no time. 
   
  • 
  Military Organizations – Interactions with 
  these meta-orgs will mostly be a dead 
  end, unless the PC can make a Gather 
  Information check (DC 20).  The military is 
  just too big to effectively find someone 
  with the right info.  Regardless of the 
  result of the check, one (1) day will be 
  spent. 
   
  • 
  General Religious Meta-orgs – only a few 
  of these will be immediately useful (those 
  that deal with divination, dream analysis, 
  or prophesy) and event those will require 
  some form of donation.  The Temple of 
  Delleb is perhaps the most useful of 
  these. The donation will be equal to 20 gp 
  times the APL being played at.  It will also 
  cost one day as the priest or priestess 
  needs to cast a divination spell. 
   
  No other meta-orgs will be of particular use to the 
  party.  However, there are other ways of gathering 
  the necessary information.  If the players opt to 
  head directly for Kurast’s Keep, so much the 
  better.  They should be rewarded for studying the 
  region they are playing in.  Alternative methods for 
  learning the location and identity of Kurast’s Keep 
  are given below, with the required day cost to the 
  PCs: 
   
  Gather Information – DC30.  The description of 
  Kurast’s Keep is just not that common.  This will 
  require two (2) days of time, and (most likely) 
  considerable gold in drinks (not covered by 
  Lifestyle costs).  PCs are allowed to aid each other 
  and to ‘take 20’ on this check, as it is assumed 
  they continue to ask around until they learn the 
  necessary information. 
   
  Bardic Knowledge – DC25.  No time cost, unless a 
  library of some sort is referenced, then it will 
  consume one (1) day). 
   
  Knowledge Arcana – DC20.  No time cost, unless 
  a library of some sort is referenced, then it will 
  consume one (1) day). 
   
  Knowledge Local (Nyrond) – DC25.  No time cost, 
  unless a library of some sort is referenced, then it 
  will consume one (1) day). 
   
  • 
  Note: The time costs for PCs not using 
  meta-org contacts is supposed to be much 
  higher. 
   
  Casting of Spells – No DC.  The PCs may have a 
  number of spells that will give the same results as 
  any of the above methods.  Divination, Augury, or 
  Commune are all perfectly viable, although there 
  may be others that will suit, depending on the 
  actions of the characters (which questions they 
  ask, for example). 
   
  If all else fails, and the PCs still have not set out 
  on their journey after five (5) days have passed, 
  then the initial images will play out again, but the 
  voice will instead say, “Find me at Kurast’s 
  Keep.” 
   
  If the PCs don’t take this final clue, then the 
  scenario ends here. 
   
  The party will need to arrange their own 
  transportation, as any overt assistance of either 
  Kurast or the Grey Seer would most likely tip off 
  the opposition and result in more assassins being 
  sent out. 
   
  Note: Should the party be less than circumspect in 
  their questioning, or if they decide to blab the 
  nature of their mission around, then please refer to 
  the optional encounter – Out of the Darkness.  
  You may also use this encounter any time you feel 
  the party has given away the game.  No 
  experience or reward will be granted for this extra 
  encounter. 
   
  Once the PCs are finally on the road and heading 
  for Kurast’s Keep, you can proceed to Scene One. 
   
  Scene One 
  Water, Water Everywhere 
   
  Assuming that the PCs have been traveling by 
  road, read the following to them.  If they have 
  taken alternative means of travel (teleport for 
  example) then modify the text as appropriate. 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 9 
   
  These last three days on the road have been 
  quiet and easy.  Probably to be expected given 
  that you are in the heartland of Nyrond.  Last 
  night you stayed at a place called “The Weary 
  Traveler,” a pleasant enough place.  They 
  served a nice rich stew, chock full of those 
  tasty green tubers called growling potatoes.  
  Their ale was also reasonably priced and they 
  even had a small selection of decent wines.  
  All in all, a rather nice place to spend an 
  evening. 
   
  You took the secondary fork off of the main 
  road to Mithat, and the road has gotten 
  steadily worse.  It’s still passable, but very 
  rocky and unkempt.   
   
  Ahead of you, you can hear the rushing of 
  water.  But there is no river to be seen.   
   
  A few more minutes and you see that the 
  ground drops away from view.  Apparently you 
  are on top of a cliff.  The road continues ahead, 
  dropping down into what can only be a series 
  of switchbacks. 
   
  Eventually the PCs will go down the switchbacks.  
  If they fly or otherwise attempt to avoid the road, 
  nothing special happens.  When they eventually 
  reach ground level, you may refer them again to 
  Player Handout #1 – The Keep.  This is a full-on 
  view of the Keep, as seen from the entrance to the 
  box canyon.  
   
  Refer to DM Aid #1 – Kurast’s Keep and Environs, 
  for a map of the area and location of the Keep 
  Challenges. 
   
  Finally reaching ground level, the sight of 
  Kurast’s Keep greets your eyes.  It is an 
  impressive, if somewhat unusual, structure.  A 
  large 
  central 
  gate 
  is 
  almost 
  completely 
  consumed by the headwaters of the Flessern 
  River.  You see no other entrances to the Keep. 
  It might be difficult to get inside. 
   
  There are a series of minor challenges to get 
  inside the Keep.  Kurast only wants those that are 
  dedicated, and not easily scared off, to make it 
  inside.  Of course, in this particular case, Kurast 
  wants the PCs to get in.  So he’ll wait until they 
  start taking about how to enter, and then send 
  them another image to follow. 
   
  Challenge #1: 
   
  As you are discussing the Keep, an image of 
  an indistinct humanoid appears.  No specific 
  features can be made out except for a pair of 
  bright blue eyes.  The image beckons you 
  towards the swift flowing river.  There, tied to 
  the bank with a stout rope, is a small two-
  person rowboat.  The name on the aft board 
  reads “TRUST ME”.  The humanoid image then 
  fades from view. 
   
  The PCs seated inside the rowboat are able to 
  spot a small side door just to the left of the flooded 
  main gate.  The door is invisible to anyone not 
  seated in the boat.  The door also has no visible 
  means of opening it, having no apparent handle or 
  hinges.   
   
  The sound of the rushing water blankets the area. 
   It causes no particular problems, but does exist in 
  the background.  Any particular Listen Checks that 
  the PCs would like to make are impossible owing 
  to this constant noise.  There is also a strong smell 
  of lemons surrounding the Keep.  A number of 
  fragrant plants have been growing wild around the 
  Keep.  These pose no threat to the party, but 
  might keep them on their toes. 
   
  The rowboat must be rowed across in both 
  directions.  It is a completely normal rowboat in 
  every respect.  There may be characters that elect 
  to waterwalk, swim, or fly across.  These are all 
  perfectly acceptable.  Once the character in 
  question reaches the spit of land, the door is 
  revealed. 
   
  When the PCs start rowing across, you should 
  have each person in the boat roll a d20.  Be sure 
  to make a show of recording the results, but the 
  roll is meaningless.  The d20 is only to heighten 
  the tension of the PCs, and serves no other 
  purpose.  Obviously, as the rowboat only carries 
  two people, it is very possible that a number of 
  d20 results may occur.  Smile knowingly if a result 
  of ‘1’ or ‘20’ comes up, but again, it means 
  nothing. 
   
  Once all the PCs are standing at the door it will 
  automatically open, allowing the PCs to proceed to 
  the next challenge.  
   
  Challenge #2:
   
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 10 
  Refer to DM Aid #2 – Kurast’s Keep Interior for 
  further details about the Keep. 
   
  The door opens onto a short passageway that 
  ends in a burning bonfire.  In the bright light of 
  the flickering flames, you think you see 
  something hanging from the ceiling.  Whatever 
  it is resembles a chain.  The bonfire is large 
  enough that it seemingly fills the passage, and 
  you feel the heat even here at the doorway, 
  some twenty feet away.  A strange smell of 
  cooked meat wafts up the passageway.  The 
  walls of the passageway are very well carved, 
  with a pleasant textured feel to them.   
   
  The bonfire is real, and extremely hot.  It is 
  magically fed, so the PCs cannot simply wait for it 
  to burn itself out.  The chain is real, and about 5 
  feet from the fire.  It has a short wooden handle, 
  and attached to the wall next to the chain is a 
  small placard that reads: 
   
  “Pull Me” 
   
  The fire will cause 10d6 in fire damage each round 
  to anyone caught within it.  While standing near 
  the fire is uncomfortable, PCs will take no damage 
  unless they physically enter the fire.  The map 
  shows the extent of the fire, and the distance 
  needed to exit the flames. 
   
  It is possible, especially at the higher APLs that 
  the PCs will find a way around this challenge.  
  This is acceptable.  In fact, any methods that 
  seem reasonable should be allowed to work.  
  Kurast only wants the PCs to succeed if they are 
  willing to think.  You can therefore reward 
  ingenious PCs, although the easiest way to 
  bypass the challenge is simply to pull the chain. 
   
  Pulling the chain releases many gallons of water 
  that douse the flames and then drain away into the 
  floor.  Kurast wants people to remember the power 
  of water, and has left this challenge as a reminder. 
   
  Once they are past the bonfire challenge, the PCs 
  can reach the end of the hallway and find the pool 
  of water that fills it.   
   
  Challenge #3:
   
  When the PCs reach the door, read the following. 
   
  After a short turn to the right, the hallway ends 
  in a blank wall.  But instead of a nice solid 
  floor, the last five feet of the hallway is instead 
  a large pool of water.  The bottom of the pool 
  seems to be twenty feet beneath where you 
  currently stand, and the pool is filled with 
  strangely reddish water.  The water seems 
  laced with small bubbles.  These bubbles 
  periodically reach the surface, gently popping 
  as they do so.  This gives the room a pleasant 
  aroma of lavender and lilac.  Looking down 
  towards the bottom of the pool, you can see 
  what looks like another heavy iron door, 
  although this one has a large wheel mounted 
  in the center. 
   
  Eventually the PCs will realize they need to enter 
  the pool and explore.  The door in the bottom is 
  the first door of an airlock.  The wheel in the center 
  must be turned for ten (10) rounds in order to 
  cycle the system.  The wheel exists on both sides 
  of the door, allowing someone on the inside of the 
  airlock to cycle the system as well.  The airlock is 
  large enough to accommodate only a single 
  medium-sized creature.  Two small sized, or four 
  tiny sized creatures will also fit within the chamber. 
   A large sized creature cannot fit within the 
  chamber.   
   
  Mounted above the wheel is a small placard.  
  Printed in Aquan and Common on this placard is 
  the single word “Breathe”.  This is a hint from 
  Kurast that the water has been magically 
  enchanted so that air-breathers can still breathe 
  normally while submerged.  In fact, Kurast has 
  laced the water with a special alchemical 
  substance that will act as the antidote to the 
  poisonous gas found beyond the airlock.   
   
  On the other side of the airlock is a rather long 
  tunnel that slowly spirals up to one part of the 
  Keep’s second floor.  This tunnel is filled with a 
  natural poisonous gas.  The gas is unusual in that 
  it remains within the body until the affected 
  individual encounters a stressful situation.  It then 
  reacts with the individual’s metabolism causing a 
  temporary loss of strength.  Kurast put the antidote 
  into the water system so long ago that he has 
  forgotten the gas even exists.  Therefore he will 
  not think to mention it to the party, nor even to 
  suggest that they seek healing or curative magic. 
   
  Simply breathing in the magical waters will be 
  enough for the PCs to become immune to the gas. 
   Please record which PCs have breathed the 
  magical water, but do not let them know what the 
  effects are until the first time they engage in 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 11 
  combat.  The effects of the poison gas are as 
  follows (this is also listed in each combat block for 
  easy cross-reference): 
   
  Poison Gas Filled Tunnel Effects 
   
  APL2 – 1d4 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  APL4 – 1d6 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  APL6 – 1d6 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  APL8 – 1d8 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  APL10 – 2d4 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  APL12 – 2d6 temporary strength, no secondary 
  damage 
   
  No Fortitude saving throw DCs have been given, 
  as a party traveling along the tunnel breathing 
  normally will inhale too much of the gas to avoid it. 
   However, creatures that are naturally or magically 
  immune to poison, have magic items that remove 
  or 
  substitute 
  for 
  breathing, 
  or 
  otherwise 
  ingested/consumed the magical waters can avoid 
  the poison’s effects.   
   
  While the poisonous gas is both colorless and 
  odorless, it can be detected through normal 
  magical means.  It can also be removed prior to its 
  harmful effects take place by any of the usual 
  magical cures.  Consumption of a vial of antitoxin 
  prior to the poison’s harmful effects occur will also 
  remove the poison from the individual’s system. 
   
  The very end of the long tunnel will end in a simple 
  wooden door that opens into the chamber where 
  Kurast is waiting for them. 
   
  Meeting the Elementalist Kurast:
   
  The room beyond the wooden door is very 
  simply furnished.  A number of ordinary, 
  wooden spindle chairs are spread in a rough 
  semi-circle in the center of the room.  The 
  chairs surround a large, claw-footed bathtub.  
  The tub appears to be full of water, but looks 
  to be currently unoccupied.  As you prepare to 
  enter the room, the water in the tub begins to 
  bubble and froth, and soon enough an unusual 
  humanoid form rises up.   
   
  The figure appears to be a male human of 
  advanced age, although this is hard to tell, 
  given his complete lack of hair and greenish, 
  slimy skin.  His bright blue eyes twinkle merrily 
  as he looks over each one of you. 
   
  Whenever Kurast speaks, he sounds very aquan 
  in nature.  His voice is very watery, and often 
  seems as though coming from a great depth.  Try 
  and convey this when acting the role. 
   
  “Please be seated.  I’d prefer not to yell across 
  the room if I don’t have to.  I am Kurast, and I 
  am the one that summoned you here.  An old 
  friend of mine asked me for a favor, and I am 
  not one to disregard friendship.” 
   
  Kurast, Male Water Elemental (Was Human) 
  Conj7/LmtlSvnt (water) 10; hp 92; see Appendix A 
  for details. 
   
  Kurast will wait until the PCs have seated 
  themselves, or otherwise prepared themselves for 
  hearing his little speech.  If the PCs attack him or 
  otherwise do something foolish, he will use a 
  quickened teleport spell to reach an inaccessible 
  room deeper in the Keep complex.  He will then 
  summon hordes of large water elementals to drive 
  the PCs from his keep.  If they persist in trying to 
  find and defeat him, feel free to send wave after 
  wave of elementals until the PCs either learn their 
  lesson or wind up dead.  In either event, the 
  scenario will end here. 
   
  On the other hand, if the PCs are respectful and 
  willing to listen, Kurast will give them the following 
  information: 
   
  “Many years ago I was befriended by that one 
  who is known now as the Grey Seer.  We 
  traveled together for a time, exchanging spell 
  knowledge and helping each other out of one 
  scrape or another. Suffice it that he and I owe 
  each other our lives, many times over.” 
   
  “As has no doubt been talked about, the King 
  is engaged.  Has been for a number of years 
  now.  But his fiancée has apparently suffered 
  some sort of collapse and has disappeared 
  from public view.  This is only partially true.  
  What has happened is that she has been 
  struck down by some sort of disease.  A 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 12 
  disease that seems to resist all attempts at 
  magical or natural healing. The Grey Seer has 
  attempted many divinations, but all have 
  returned nothing.” 
   
  “The Grey Seer has keep poor Xenia alive by 
  encasing her in a protective shroud where time 
  does not pass.  And so she is alive, but only 
  barely.  The King had begun to despair.  All 
  seemed lost.” 
   
  “But then a very minor researcher with The 
  Flinty 
  Hills 
  Greater 
  Gnomish 
  Union 
  of 
  Apothecaries, Alchemists, Abjurationists, and 
  Astrologers, etc, found something that might 
  help in a very old text.  The text didn’t specify a 
  particular cure, but did mention a path to 
  follow.  The Flinty Hills Greater Gnomish Union 
  of Apothecaries, Alchemists, Abjurationists, 
  and Astrologers, then set to work with this new 
  information.” 
   
  “A formula was discovered.  A formula that 
  required a number of strange and diverse 
  ingredients.  Some of these have already been 
  recovered.  In fact the recovery of these 
  ingredients have revealed that there is a 
  mastermind behind the afflicted princess.  One 
  that is not above sending assassins to stop 
  the creation of the cure.” 
   
  “The Grey Seer and I have determined the 
  locations of the next set of ingredients.  This is 
  where you all come in.  He dares not send the 
  troops to recover these ingredients, as that 
  would tip our hand and let our unknown enemy 
  in on our plans.  To put it another way, he cast 
  another divination and we sent a message out 
  to the individuals that would be best suited to 
  this task.  And here you all are.” 
   
  A few gestures from a green-cast arm, and 
  several pieces of parchment appear in mid-air. 
  The parchments float over to you, and seem to 
  wait to be taken. 
   
  Distribute Player Handout #6 – The Recipe, and 
  Player Handout #7 – The Specifics.  Kurast will 
  wait until after the PCs have read the handouts 
  before speaking again. 
   
  “So now you know what we need you to do.  
  Interested in a little exploration for King and 
  Country?” 
   
  Kurast is fully expecting the PCs to agree without 
  hesitation.  But he’s willing to offer them some 
  monetary payment should they be of the 
  mercenary persuasion.  PCs that do not ask about 
  payment will receive these funds at the end of the 
  scenario as a reward for a job well done.  Do not 
  give out this reward in this way if the PCs fail to 
  bring back the meteorite. 
   
  Reward: 100 gp multiplied by APL for each PC. 
   
  Refusal of this reward meets the specifications of 
  the ‘Performing Good Deeds’ ability of the 
  Warrior’s Brotherhood.  Members of Royal meta-
  orgs may choose to refuse this reward as well, out 
  of a sense of duty.  Should this occur, please 
  inform the game coordinator and Nyrond Triad 
  after the game.  Be sure to include the character 
  and player names, and which Royal meta-org they 
  belong to. 
   
  Once the PCs agree to the task, Kurast will give 
  them some supplemental information.  Should the 
  PCs refuse the task, continue to demand extra 
  money beyond what Kurast will pay, or attack 
  Kurast, then Kurast will simply teleport them 
  outside.  The door the PCs came in will have 
  vanished, and no further way inside can be found. 
   The scenario will end here. 
   
  “While several of the ingredients need to be 
  gathered, only one is of critical importance.  A 
  meteorite will fall to earth some distance to the 
  north of here, near a spire of rock known as 
  ‘The Tooth.’  The Grey Seer has determined it 
  will fall on the 25th day of (month which was 
  determined in the Full Moon Section), which is 
  (20 – days spent so far) days from now.  That 
  gives you some time to gather the other 
  ingredients.  But do not be late to the starfall.  
  There may be others searching for such an 
  object, and a falling meteorite attracts a lot of 
  attention.” 
   
  “If you are all ready, I can give you a head start 
  on your journey.” 
   
  Sidebar: The PCs have most likely spent three (3) 
  days on the road.  Add in any additional days 
  spent in Rel Mord or elsewhere.  Add these to the 
  number five (5) – This is the current date.  25 - the 
  current date is the amount of time remaining until 
  Starfall. 
   
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 13 
  Kurast will hand them a what appears to be a 
  small vial of water.  He will tell them to pour it into 
  the river outside.  This will summon an Elder 
  Water Elemental Lord that owes Kurast a favor.  
  This elemental will transport the party (and their 
  equipment, gear and mounts) down the river, 
  across Relmor Bay, and see them safely to the 
  starting point of the next scene.  He does this by 
  carrying them on the top of a cresting wave. 
  Certainly a most unusual form of transport. 
   
  Kurast will then ask the PCs to be on their way, as 
  they have a long distance to travel and only a 
  short amount of time to get there.  He then sinks 
  back into his pool of water and vanishes. 
   
  The elemental is friendly and speaks common, 
  having learned it from Kurast during their many 
  years of knowing each other.  The elemental will 
  ask that the PCs get some rest, but is not above 
  talking to interested individuals.  He will speak only 
  about his love of Oerth’s water systems, and can 
  go on at great length about different types of 
  water. This interaction will count as a peaceful 
  meeting with an elemental for purposes of meeting 
  the requirements of the Elemental Savant prestige 
  class. 
   
  Should the PCs attack the elemental, it will dump 
  them into the water as it vanishes back to its own 
  realm.  The PCs will have failed in their mission, 
  and the scenario should end here. 
   
  It is possible that the PCs will attempt to complete 
  the scenario in a different order than expected.  
  The PCs may decide to travel to a different scene 
  than anticipated.  Do not prevent this, instead refer 
  to the following list of travel times, which assumes 
  that the PCs are using horses and pushing them 
  to cover 40 miles in a day (hard travel, but not 
  deadly to the horses).  Alternative methods of 
  travel are possible – such as flight, teleport, or the 
  like.  Should one of these methods be selected, 
  adjust travel times accordingly. 
   
  Kurast’s Keep to Salt Lick via Elemental Transport 
  – 1 day 
  Kurast’s Keep to Salt Lick (overland via horse) – 
  13 days (540 miles) 
  Kurast’s Keep to coastal city and then by boat to 
  Salt Lick – Variable (variable) 
  Kurast’s Keep to The Gnatmarsh – 11 days (440 
  miles) 
  Kurast’s Keep to Hendrenn Halgood – 7 days (280 
  miles) 
  Kurast’s Keep to The Tooth – 4 days (160 miles) 
   
  Note that the PCs have to be to The Tooth on a 
  certain day.  Arriving early will not gain them 
  anything but a wait until the appropriate time. 
   
  Scene Two 
  Salt Lick 
   
  While it is likely the PCs will complete this scene 
  prior to any of the others, it is not a requirement to 
  do any of the scenes in order.   Should the PCs do 
  the scenes out of order, refer to the section 
  entitled How Much Time for further information. 
   
  Kurast’s Elemental has carried you far from 
  where you started.  You traveled down the 
  Flessern and Harp rivers and out into Relmor 
  Bay.  You hugged the coastline for the rest of 
  that day and well into the night, watching 
  scenery pass by at a high rate of speed.   
   
  Later that evening, you pass by the cities of 
  Mithat and Oldred, and soon enough the 
  fortified lighthouse Seawatch is visible on that 
  spit of land known as the Claw Point.  The 
  elemental slows somewhat, turning right just 
  after the lighthouse and heading inland in the 
  rough direction of Uskarn.   
   
  Slowing even more, the wave gently deposits 
  you on a rocky part of the shore.  The 
  elemental then turns and heads back out into 
  the bay, sending up a spout of water in 
  farewell. 
   
  The PCs’ task is rather simple.  Just over the 
  rocks is a small sheltered tide pool.  Or at least it 
  used to be.  The water has long since dried up, 
  leaving behind enormous crystals of pure salt.  
  Please refer to DM Aid #3 – Salt Lick.  The PCs 
  simply need to harvest a likely looking crystal and 
  take it with them.   
   
  Of course, things are never that simple.  A group 
  of salt mephits has claimed the area.  They will 
  look poorly on the PCs simply helping themselves 
  to their “treasure,” and will attack to stop them.  
  You may find it helpful to have the players 
  immediately roll initiative when the PCs first enter 
  the map area.  While this will give away the fact 
  that a combat of sorts is happening, the PCs don’t 
  know how much or how little time they have.  How 
  much time they do have is entirely up to you. 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 14 
   
  Note: This combat counts as a stressful event, so 
  any PCs under the effects of the poison from 
  Kurast’s Keep will have those effects trigger now.  
  See the description of the poison in the previous 
  section. 
   
  Salt Mephit Guardians:
   
  APL 2 – Garlic, Salt Mephit (1): hp 19; see 
  Monster Manual v3.5, pg184 
   
  APL 4 – Garlic and Onion, Salt Mephit (2): hp 19, 
  19; see Monster Manual v3.5, pg 184 
   
  APL 6 – Garlic and Onion, Salt Mephit Bbn2 (2): 
  hp 40, 40; see Monster Manual v3.5, pg184 and 
  Appendix D 
   
  APL 8 – Celery, Garlic and Onion, Salt Mephit 
  Bbn4 (3): hp 65, 65, 65; see Monster Manual v3.5, 
  pg184 and Appendix E 
   
  APL 10 – Celery, Garlic and Onion, Salt Mephit 
  Bbn6 (3): hp 91, 91, 91; see Monster Manual v3.5, 
  pg184 and Appendix F 
   
  APL12 – Celery, Garlic and Onion, Salt Mephit 
  Bbn8 (3): hp 125, 125, 125; see Monster Manual 
  v3.5, pg184 and Appendix G 
   
  Tactics:  The salt mephits prefer to attack with 
  their breath weapons first, and will maneuver to 
  catch as many PCs inside the area of effect as 
  possible.  At APLs 6 and up, they will rage first as 
  this increases their hit points and the save DC 
  versus their breath weapon attack.  Should the 
  battle turn against them, they will attempt their 
  summon mephit ability and try to regroup.  They 
  are not above fighting to the death, but if an 
  opportunity exists to flee a losing battle and target 
  the party at a later time, they will take it. 
   
  Special Note: Should the PCs use high-damage 
  area of effect spells, there is a possibility that 
  some of the salt crystals could be damaged.  
  Fireballs and any spell with the sonic descriptor 
  would be especially prone to causing damage.  
  This should not be used to cause the PCs to fail, 
  but rather to scare them into thinking that, and 
  maybe getting the players to sweat a little. 
   
  Once the mephits are defeated it is a simple 
  matter to collect the needed salt crystal.  The PCs 
  now have a choice.  There are three more 
  locations that the PCs need to travel to: the 
  Gnatmarsh, the Temple of Light in Hendrenn 
  Halgood, and the spire of rock known as The 
  Tooth up near Womtham.   
   
  As before, various travel times from this point are 
  shown below. 
   
  Salt Lick to Gnatmarsh – 1 day (40 miles) 
  Salt Lick to Hendrenn Halgood – 12 days (480 
  miles) 
  Salt Lick to The Tooth – 15 days (600 miles) 
   
  As the PCs are assumed to know how far things 
  are apart in Nyrond, you can give them the above 
  information should they request it.   
   
  Once the PCs have decided on a course, proceed 
  to the appropriate scene. 
   
  Scene Three 
  The Little Things That Go Buzz 
   
  Should the PCs do the scenes out of order, refer 
  to the section entitled How Much Time for further 
  information. 
   
  Ah joy.  The Gnatmarsh.  One of the least 
  hospitable locations in all of Nyrond.  And you 
  get to splash around looking for mosquitos.  
  Not only that, but someone in your group 
  needs to get bitten by one of the little buggers 
  too.  If only you could find them. 
   
  Luckily the PCs don’t have to wait long.  Just 
  ahead of them is a small section where a group of 
  mosquitoes happens to be.  Refer to DM Aid #4 – 
  The Gnatmarsh. 
   
  If some PCs have the ability to make or purchase 
  Seedie’s Mosquito Goo, they may do so, but it will 
  take a day of their remaining time. 
   
  The PCs have to allow at least one of their group 
  to be bitten and drained by one (or more) of these 
  mosquitoes, then the mosquito needs to be 
  captured and the stolen blood reclaimed.  Of 
  course the mosquitoes aren’t going to give up their 
  stolen blood so easily, and hence a combat will 
  ensue. 
   
  There is a potential problem that might face the 
  PCs. Those who were raised in the Gnatmarsh or 
  who 
  have 
  specific 
  meta-org 
  memberships 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 15 
  (Brackenmoor Monastery, Red Brigade, Circle 
  Wardens of the Broken Ring) are immune to the 
  insects of the Gnatmarsh.  Those that are 
  protected by Seedie’s Mosquito Goo are also 
  immune.  The mosquitoes will not attack these 
  characters.  Should every member of the party be 
  so protected, they will need to capture a mosquito, 
  and then force it to drain their blood.  In the 
  extremely rare case where every member of the 
  party is a druid with immunity, the PCs might be in 
  trouble.  Play this as you will should the situation 
  arise. 
   
  To properly gather the correct ingredient, the 
  blood must be taken from a live mosquito.  There 
  are several important points to remember while 
  the PCs are attempting to gather mosquito blood: 
   
  1. Killing them will ruin the blood and make it 
  non-useable. 
  2. Hitting them with large-scale damaging 
  spells or weapons so that they die during 
  the blood extraction also renders the 
  blood useless.   
  3. Simply hitting one of the mosquitoes with 
  an edged weapon after the mosquito has 
  drained one of the PCs will not gather 
  enough blood. 
  4. To properly gather the blood, a mosquito 
  should be captured (grappling, web spells, 
  nets, etc.), subdued, and then the blood 
  collected in some sort of sealed vial. 
  5. No magic can be used to preserve the 
  blood.  If the blood dries out, this is fine, 
  but casting gentle repose on the blood, 
  adding oil of timelessness or any similar 
  magical effect will ruin the blood for it’s 
  intended purpose. 
   
  Mosquitoes:
   
  APL 2 – Monstrous Mosquitoes (8): hp 2; see 
  Appendix B 
   
  APL 4 – Stirge (8): hp 5 ea; see Monster Manual 
  pg. 236 and Appendix C.  These Stirges are 
  natives 
  of 
  the 
  Gnatmarsh 
  and 
  count 
  as 
  mosquitoes for the purposes of this scenario. 
   
  APL 6 – Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes (8): hp 
  13; see Appendix D 
   
  APL8 – Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes of 
  Legend (8): hp 23; see Appendix E 
   
  APL 10 – Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes of 
  Legend (8): hp 53; see Appendix F 
   
  APL 
  12 
  – 
  Advanced 
  Fiendish 
  Monstrous 
  Mosquitoes of Legend (8): hp 53; see Appendix G 
   
  Tactics: The mosquitoes will attempt to attack the 
  party from surprise.  This doesn’t represent any 
  special cunning on the creatures’ part, but does 
  include the high Hide skill the creatures have, and 
  the ability of all small insects to approach unseen. 
   
  Please review the sections in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide about ability drain – especially 
  Constitution loss. 
    
  The mosquitoes want only to drink some blood 
  and live to enjoy it.  Being large aggressive 
  creatures, they will always attack first, and will 
  seek out the least armored individuals to feed 
  from. Except at the highest APLs (10 and 12) 
  these creatures are tiny, and are not above all 
  attaching to the same individual.  Once they have 
  drained one or two points of Constitution, each of 
  the mosquitoes will then try and fly away.  They 
  will not attempt to stay around and continue the 
  fight.  Also, they will not drain a victim to death.  
  Should a character reach a Constitution of 1, all 
  attached or attacking mosquitoes will move on to 
  other targets. 
   
  Should they be grappled or attacked with nets, 
  they will use their racially modified Escape Artist 
  skill to attempt to get away.  
    
  Some players may end up taking a large amount 
  of constitution loss.  Please keep in mind that even 
  at very low constitutions, each player still receives 
  1 hit point per level.  So a 10th level Wizard with a 
  modified con of 2, will still have 10 hit points. 
   
  Mosquitoes aren’t particularly bright, so they will 
  not fly up, preferring to stay only a few feet from 
  the ground.  At the highest APLs (8, 10 and 12) 
  they will use their breath weapons against any 
  creature that attempts to prevent their escape. 
   
  When the mosquitoes appear and are visible for 
  the first time, read one of the following sets of 
  descriptive text, depending on situation. 
   
  If the PCs were surprised: 
  Your concentration is broken when you hear a 
  quiet buzzing whine.  Looking up you see 
  several enormous mosquitoes attacking your 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 16 
  companion.  Bright silver wings beat the air as 
  rapier-like proboscises stab at your party 
  member.  The mosquitoes’ dull black bodies 
  swarm 
  around 
  your 
  companion, 
  having 
  appeared seemingly from nowhere. 
   
  If the PCs weren’t surprised: 
  Looking ahead, you can make out some black 
  and silver forms.  Mosquitoes, and the largest 
  you have ever seen.  Bright silver wings beat 
  the 
  air 
  as 
  rapier-like 
  proboscises 
  glint 
  menacingly in the sunlight.  They are headed 
  directly towards your party. 
   
  Once the PCs have successfully retrieved a 
  sample of mosquito blood, they may go after any 
  of the remaining ingredients.  For reference, the 
  following travel times are included: 
   
  Gnatmarsh to Salt Lick – 1 day (40 miles) 
  Gnatmarsh to Hendrenn Halgood – 11 days (430 
  miles) 
  Gnatmarsh to The Tooth – 14 days (570 miles) 
   
  Once the PCs have decided on a course, proceed 
  to the appropriate scene. 
   
  Scene Four 
  The Temple of Light 
   
  Should the PCs do the scenes out of order, refer 
  to the section entitled How Much Time for further 
  information. 
   
  Your trip was quick, given the great distance 
  you traveled, and now you find yourself in 
  Hendrenn Halgood, standing outside the 
  Temple of Light.  The Temple of Light is the 
  largest and most impressive edifice to Pelor 
  within the Kingdom of Nyrond.  The structure 
  is shaped in a sun or star-like pattern.  A long 
  hallway dedicated to the saints and heroes of 
  the faith, leads into a large central chamber 
  where a tall, white marble statue of Pelor 
  stands with arms stretching upwards to the 
  glass canopy high overhead. 
   
  To either side of the center hall twin hallways 
  run to specific chapels dedicated to Pelor and 
  Mayaheine, while to the rear of the chamber 
  can be found the church offices.   
   
  In between each of these cardinal hallways, 
  can 
  be 
  found 
  more 
  specific 
  rooms: 
  confessionals, 
  vestment 
  storage, 
  and 
  dormitories.  These smaller areas extend to a 
  second floor, and balconies on these second 
  floors look down on the central hall, and up 
  towards Pelor’s radiant form. 
   
  Somewhere within this structure must be 
  someone that knows about these “specially 
  blessed sunrods” you are supposed to pick 
  up. 
   
  Refer to DM Aids #5a-c – The Temple of Light, for 
  further details on the layout of the temple. 
   
  Hendrenn Halgood is one of the larger walled 
  cities of Nyrond, and as such, imposes a tariff on 
  all individuals, animals and vehicles (wagons, 
  carts, etc.) entering the city.  The various costs for 
  the PCs is listed in this chart: 
   
  Citizen of Nyrond – 1 silver shield (silver piece) 
  Citizens of foreign lands – 1 gold noble (gold 
  piece) 
  Per animal larger than size tiny – 1 silver shield 
  (sp) 
  Per vehicle – 1 gold noble (gp) 
  Members of the church of Pelor or Mayaheine – 
  no charge 
  Licensed Adventurers, Knights of the Kingdom, or 
  members of Nyrond’s military (all must display 
  insignia or heraldry) – no charge 
   
  Note: These charges are not included in standard 
  upkeep, but are included in rich or luxury upkeep. 
   
  This is a role-playing encounter for the PCs.  The 
  individual they are looking for is named Gabrol 
  Petru, a minor under-priest (Sun Brother) who is in 
  charge of the creation of such items.  Gabrol also 
  serves the Grey Seer as one of his Grey Watch.  
  This latter role is secret, so Gabrol remains in a 
  very 
  secondary 
  position 
  within 
  the 
  church 
  hierarchy.  
   
  However, being a minor functionary does mean 
  that he is frequently busy and difficult to find – at 
  least by the questing PCs.  In fact, Gabrol is 
  currently deep in the cellar of the temple, 
  cataloging some of the relics of lesser importance. 
   So the PCs will need to ask around, and hopefully 
  learn of whom they are searching, and where he 
  can be found. 
   
  This is somewhat harder than it seems, since the 
  temple residents are usually caught up in their 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  own tasks and tend not to have time to wander 
  about looking for one lowly priest.  In fact, if they 
  can foist the PCs off on another individual, they’ll 
  jump at the chance.   
   
  Some PCs might take it upon themselves to 
  simply check each and every room.  This is 
  certainly possible, but could be a huge waste of 
  time.  Play this one by ear, and judge the results of 
  the PCs actions as you see fit.  Note that simply 
  wandering around will not get the PCs into trouble, 
  but breaking into locked rooms, robbing the 
  temple, attacking any of the NPCs, or other 
  actions could easily result in the PCs breaking the 
  law.  Refer to the Crime and Punishment section 
  of the Nyrond Judge’s Guidelines for more details. 
   
  If the PCs simply guess that Gabrol is located in 
  the cellar, they can attempt to search for him 
  below.  The doors to the cellar are locked and 
  guarded, although clever PCs may find a way to 
  bypass this difficulty.  If the PCs are successful in 
  locating Gabrol this way, then Gabrol will chide 
  them on their lack of tack, but will smooth things 
  over with the temple authorities – just in case. 
   
  A typical exchange would be for the PCs to 
  approach someone in the temple, and ask where 
  they can get some blessed sunrods, be told that 
  they are looking for Sun Brother Gabrol, and that 
  he might be in the kitchens.  Once in the kitchens, 
  they can ask the same question and be told that 
  he might be in the library.  Etc.  In general you 
  should frustrate the PCs as much as possible, 
  forcing them to rely on Diplomacy, Intimidate and 
  Gather Information checks, and of course the 
  typical bribe.   
  An outlay of 10 gold nobles times the number of 
  PCs, or succeeding at any of the above checks 
  against a DC of 15 + APL (APL2 = 17, etc) will 
  finally get them directed to Gabrol’s superior, Light 
  Bringer Camira Egels (Cleric 7 of Pelor).   
   
  Camira is a middle-aged woman of stern 
  disposition. She takes her position very seriously, 
  and will try to throw her authority around.  Her 
  office would be considered bland and cold, except 
  for some potted plants scattered on the floor and 
  located on shelves behind her desk.  She has a 
  deep love of plants, and considers herself to have 
  quite the green thrumb (all of the plants are very 
  healthy and vibrant). 
   
  Unless the PCs pick up on this clue and engage 
  her in small talk about horticulture (thereby 
  winning her friendship) the PCs will be forced to 
  attempt the above social checks again (with the 
  same DC), or else give another bribe.  PCs who 
  possess ranks in Profession: Farmer, are plant 
  loving characters such as druids or rangers, or 
  can at least fake it with such skills as Bardic 
  Knowledge or Knowledge: Nature, can simply talk 
  with Camira for a few minutes and then ask her if 
  she could find Gabrol for them.  As these PCs 
  seem to share her one passion, she’ll be more 
  than happy to help them out. 
   
  Alternatively, a higher-ranking member of the 
  same faith (she is high Tier I in the Pelor religious 
  meta-org) can simply order her to produce Gabrol. 
   While she enjoys her authority, she also 
  understands and follows the hierarchy and will 
  defer to a ranking priest.   
   
  Otherwise, Camira will direct them “to come back 
  tomorrow, when Gabrol will be finished with his 
  current tasks and be able to handle your request.” 
   Obviously this will cost the PCs another day 
  (perhaps one they can ill afford to lose).  
   
  If the PCs make the bribe, or succeed at any of 
  the above checks, then Camira will ask them to 
  make themselves comfortable in her office while 
  she fetches Gabrol for them.  This will take about 
  10 minutes. 
   
  Once the PCs are able to talk with Gabrol, he will 
  take them to his own quarters, where he has 
  stashed the sunrods the PCs need.  Thanking 
  them for their efforts on behalf of the Kingdom, 
  Gabrol will turn over 10 sunrods that have been 
  prepared according to the instructions sent to him 
  by the Grey Seer.  
   
  Special: Should any members of the Royal Guard, 
  Knights of the Kingdom, HMSS, or Sagacious 
  Society be in attendance, Gabrol will inform them 
  that continuing research has revealed that 
  servants of Incabulos seem to be behind this plot. 
   He asks that they get this information to their 
  superiors as soon as possible, since word must 
  get back to the Grey Seer. 
   
  If any members of the Grey Watch are in 
  attendance, Gabrol will give the same information, 
  but also reveal that his own divinations have 
  revealed something about “a coming plague.”  
  This has him quite scared.  He asks that this 
  information get back to the Grey Seer as soon as 
  the PCs can arrange it.  He has sent his own 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 18 
  message on, but he is worried that it might have 
  been intercepted.   
   
  In either case, he requests that the PCs complete 
  their current mission, and not attempt to solve this 
  mystery on their own, as “the mission is vital to the 
  health of the kingdom.”   
   
  Once the PCs have obtained the required 
  sunrods, they can continue on their way, having 
  secured another ingredient.  When the PCs have 
  decided on a destination, proceed to the 
  appropriate scene.  As before, since the PCs may 
  not have been following the expected order of the 
  scenario, the following travel times are given: 
   
  Hendrenn Halgood to Salt Lick – 12 days (480 
  miles) 
  Hendrenn Halgood to Gnatmarsh – 11 days (430 
  miles) 
  Hendrenn Halgood to The Tooth – 4 days (160 
  miles) 
   
   
  Scene Five 
  The Falling Star 
   
  Eventually, the PCs will make the journey to The 
  Tooth.   
   
  The Tooth is an odd geological formation and 
  completely unique within Nyrond.  Nearly 100 
  feet tall, this white column of stone stretches 
  upwards 
  from 
  the 
  reddish 
  dirt 
  of 
  the 
  beginnings of the Flinty Hills like a fang from 
  lumpy gums. 
   
  Assuming the PCs are here on the required day, 
  read the following.  If they are here early, stop 
  after the above paragraph, if they are here late, 
  refer to the Conclusion – Failure for further details. 
   
  You made a quick camp about a mile from The 
  Tooth as directed by Kurast’s note. High 
  overhead the sun shines brightly.  The air is 
  very still, and you haven’t seen anything 
  moving in quite some time.  You are looking to 
  the south, the direction specified in your 
  theater vision, when you spot it.  A small 
  glowing point of light, slowing growing larger 
  as it moves closer to you.  The meteor is 
  coming! 
   
  If any PCs are insane enough to be at the point of 
  impact when the meteorite hits, then remove their 
  character from play.  The damage caused by the 
  shockwave and impact will kill any character (even 
  those protected by Stoneskin, Iron Body, or other 
  forms of damage reduction, including such items 
  as Ottiluke’s Resilient Sphere).  
   
  Describe the impact as grandly as you can.  
  Debris will fly everywhere.  The boom of the 
  shockwave will knock characters from their feet, 
  and send all animals but familiars and paladin 
  mounts fleeing (druid animal companions will also 
  run, but can be recalled fairly easily, as can 
  mounts and guard dogs. 
   
  The meteorite will impact at exactly noon on the 
  twentieth day.  Its passage will bore a hole down 
  deep into a long forgotten tomb.  It will also raise a 
  huge dust cloud that will completely blot out the 
  sun.  The area will be plunged into darkness as 
  total as a moonless night – darker in fact, since 
  the stars will also be blotted out.  Characters will 
  need dark vision or some sort of light source to 
  see their way.  Light sources will illuminate out to 
  their standard distances, but similar to a thick fog, 
  the dust will block all vision past the edge of the 
  light.  Dark vision will work out to the standard 
  distances. 
   
  Note: The dust cloud will make breathing difficult, 
  but not impossible.  Assume that characters are 
  suffering the equivalent of 1 point of subdual 
  damage per APL, should they be breathing 
  unprotected.  This damage can be avoided in a 
  number of ways, the simplest being the tying of a 
  wet cloth around the mouth and nose.  But 
  magical effects or spells will be just as effective.  
  As players tent to be pretty ingenious, use your 
  own judgment if presented with an unusual 
  situation. 
   
  Once the PCs are prepared to explore, you can 
  describe the scene.  
   
  Choking dust fills the air.  The meteorite has 
  plunged deep into the earth, leaving behind a 
  steep narrow tunnel boring down beneath The 
  Tooth.  The Tooth itself is hard to make out 
  through all the dust, but it seems to be leaning 
  dangerously to one side, as though ready to 
  fall and cover the tunnel you have just found.  
  The meteorite must lie below, at the base of 
  this tunnel – a tunnel barely wide enough for a 
  single man to descend through. 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 19 
   
  The PCs will be forced to climb down, most likely, 
  one at a time.  It is possible for two characters of 
  size small to go down together, but it will be a tight 
  squeeze. 
   
  The walls of the tunnel are severely damaged and 
  only made of loosely fused dirt.  Attempting to 
  climb down without using ropes is a dangerous 
  task.  Have any characters so attempting make 
  three (3) Climb checks at a DC of 15 + APL.  
  These climb checks are at 90 ft., 60 ft. and 30 ft. 
  from the bottom.  Should a character fail one of 
  these checks, he will fall the rest of the way down, 
  taking full, 2/3 or 1/3 of the falling damage listed in 
  the table below.  Items or spells which grant 
  Spider Climbing ability will be of no use within the 
  tunnel, as the walls will simply fall apart under 
  load. 
   
  Tunnel Falling Damage (full, 2/3 or 1/3):
   
  APL 2 – loose sand and the uneven walls of the 
  tunnel slow and break the character’s fall reducing 
  the fall to an equivalent of 10’ (1d6) 
   
  APL 4 – The uneven walls of the tunnel slow the 
  falling character so that the fall is only equivalent 
  to 30’ (3d6) 
   
  APL 6 –The tunnel is not perfectly vertical, so 
  falling damage is only half of what it should be, 
  making this equivalent to a fall of 60’ (6d6). 
   
  APL8 – While the tunnel is not perfectly vertical 
  (see above), it is lined with sharp rocks and 
  debris; this will add some piercing damage to the 
  equivalent 60’ fall (6d6 + 2d6 piercing). 
   
  APL 10 – The debris-lined tunnel opens up onto a 
  solid and very hard marble floor.  The impact is 
  greater than falling onto bare dirt, making this the 
  equivalent of an 80’ fall (8d6 + 2d6 piercing). 
   
  APL 12 – The falling character, having already 
  been pierced by the debris in the tunnel, manages 
  to continue falling past the first room and onto the 
  hard marble floor of the lower living quarters/cage. 
  This adds 20 additional feet onto the fall, making it 
  equivalent to a 100’ fall (10d6 + 2d6 piercing). 
   
  The use of ropes will grant a nearly safe climb, 
  even without knots, a rope will set the Climb DC to 
  5, and with knots the DC drops to 0.  The tunnel is 
  150 ft in depth, so the use of several ropes is 
  required.  Should the PCs not have enough rope, 
  it is a short ride to a nearby inn (The Dog Days 
  Inn), where additional rope can be purchased at 
  standard Players Handbook prices. 
   
  The tunnel leads downward into a tomb once 
  dedicated as the resting place of several ancient 
  Pelorian heroes.  But prior to being sealed, it was 
  also used to contain a great evil and her corrupted 
  lover; a monk who used to serve Pelor about the 
  same time as Mayaheine. 
   
  This evil is a succubus named Reala Nadir (see 
  credits).  She has been trapped within this tomb 
  for so long, that when the meteorite tore through 
  the protective magic surrounding the place, she 
  immediately teleported back to her old stronghold, 
  leaving behind her lover and some clues to her 
  existence.  Reala will be further detailed in the 
  next scenario in the Scavenger Hunt series, “The 
  Kiss of Incabulos.” 
   
  Her lover, a corrupted monk named Tyrael, Who 
  Dances on the Wind, is of Elvish descent.  At 
  APL2 he has been kept alive by Reala’s charms 
  so that he can be used as one of her tools upon 
  their escape. At all other APLs Tyrael has become 
  a vampire through Reala’s life-draining kisses.  In 
  either case, Tyrael wants only to kill these 
  interlopers and return to his mistress.  Please refer 
  to Tyrael’s Tactics, as he will not attack until it is in 
  his best interest. 
   
  Tyrael’s Statistics:
   
  APL2 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; monk; 
  hp 19; see Appendix B 
   
  APL4 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; 
  vampire, monk; hp 33; see Appendix C 
   
  APL6 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; 
  vampire, monk; hp 47; see Appendix D 
   
  APL8 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; 
  vampire, monk; hp 61; see Appendix E 
   
  APL10 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; 
  vampire, monk, shadow dancer; hp 75, see 
  Appendix F 
   
  APL12 – Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind; 
  vampire, monk, shadow dancer; hp 89; see 
  Appendix G 
   
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 20 
  Turning Note: As a vampire, Tyrael has a turn 
  resistance of +10 rather than the usual +4 for 
  being a vampire.  The additional +6 is the result of 
  the blessings of Pelor, which were meant to trap 
  and contain him.  Unfortunately they have a side 
  effect of making it harder to turn or destroy the 
  vampire – if not outright impossible.  The blessings 
  also give Tyrael some resistance towards recoiling 
  from a strongly presented Holy Symbol.  Should 
  the Holy Symbol be presented as part of a turning 
  attempt, he will not recoil.  If presented otherwise, 
  he is affected normally. 
   
  Tyrael’s Tactics: Tyrael is an extremely cunning 
  monk (vampire), and will use every trick he can to 
  destroy the PCs.  Most commonly he will climb out 
  immediately following the impact of the meteorite 
  (while the PCs are still approaching from a mile 
  away), and then hide so as to catch the party by 
  surprise.   
   
  At those APLs where Tyrael is a vampire, he is 
  able to survive outside during daylight because the 
  dust cloud completely blocks the light from the 
  sun.   
   
  Tyrael will not attack the PCs immediately, but 
  instead prefers to attack lone targets.  He will also 
  preferentially target anyone openly wearing a 
  symbol of Pelor, as these are the symbols of his 
  jailors.   
   
  If the PCs should descend via ropes, Tyrael will 
  wait until the PCs have explored and recovered 
  the meteorite and then attack the first character to 
  reach the top, using stunning fist (and energy 
  drain if appropriate).  He’ll also attempt to cut the 
  rope(s) the PCs are climbing, in order to send 
  them plunging to the bottom of the tunnel.  Refer 
  to the previous discussion about climbing for 
  details on falling damage.   
   
  If the PCs leave one of their number alone, Tyrael 
  will sneak up and attack as hard and fast as he 
  can.  He understands that his best chance for 
  survival lies in removing one character at a time.  
  Attempting to face the entire party is not part of his 
  plan.   
   
  Normally Tyrael trusts in his inherent defenses 
  and abilities as a monk and vampire.  However, if 
  at APL6 and above he should take more than 50% 
  of his hitpoints in damage, Tyrael will quaff his 
  Potion of Displacement to make things harder on 
  his opponents.  He will move out of direct melee 
  range, so that he does not draw an attack of 
  opportunity by so drinking. 
   
  Should he be defeated in combat, he will assume 
  gaseous form and flow back down the tunnel and 
  into one of the sarcophagi.  He is easily destroyed 
  when this happens. 
   
  If given enough time, he will summon appropriate 
  children of the night to aid him in the coming 
  conflict.  He also isn’t above making some spawn 
  should the opportunity arise. 
   
   
  At this point, the use of DM Aid #6 – The Tomb is 
  appropriate.  First find out how the party will 
  descend.  It is highly possible that at higher APLs 
  the party will navigate the Tomb under the powers 
  of a Fly or Mass Fly effect.  This is possible, but 
  will require a change in Tyrael’s Tactics, since he 
  will be unable to target their rope. 
   
  The tunnel goes down for quite a long way, 
  eventually breaking through into a room that 
  can only be a tomb.  Several sarcophagi are in 
  a rough semi-circle, with an ancient statue of 
  some deity completing the arc.  The room is 
  about thirty feet square.  There are two further 
  exits from this room, a stairwell on the 
  southern end leads down, as does the 
  continuation of the tunnel carved by the 
  meteorite. 
   
  Upper Floor – The Chapel: 
   
  This room was once a minor chapel to Pelor as 
  worshipped by the Ur-Flan.  The trappings and 
  statuary are quite different from the modern 
  depictions of Pelor.  When the succubus Reala 
  was trapped within the lower chamber, several 
  monk-priests asked to be buried within, in order 
  that their spiritual energy could add to the 
  defenses of the tomb and keep Reala imprisoned 
  forever. 
   
  Knowledge: Religion at a DC of 20 (10 for clerics 
  of Pelor), Bardic Knowledge, or being able to 
  speak Ur-Flan will all reveal that this place was 
  once dedicated to Pelor.  There is much here of 
  intellectual interest to a historian, or a worshipper 
  of Pelor.  However, nothing on this floor is of 
  particular value to an adventurer. 
   
  The sarcophagi contain the remains of the priests, 
  and some miscellaneous (valueless) funeral 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 21 
  trappings.  The sarcophagi are all sealed, and all 
  contain a single, extremely old and fragile body.  
  The body is so fragile, that simply touching it will 
  reduce the form to nothing but bones and dust. 
   
  Both the stairs and the continuation of the tunnel 
  lead down to a lower level that has been the living 
  quarters and cage of the succubus and the monk. 
   
  Modify the next paragraph if the PCs descend in a 
  manner other than the stairs. 
   
  Lower Floor – The Cage: 
  The stairs lead downward for perhaps twenty 
  feet, ending in a room perhaps sixty feet 
  square.  The room has an odd look to it.  
   
  Along each side of the room, a single statue of 
  the same deity depicted above, but with 
  vandalized features, faces inwards towards the 
  altar at the center.  The altar is a simple affair, 
  obviously once dedicated to good, but now 
  smashed and ruined by the impact of the 
  meteorite.   
   
  The object sits amid the wreckage of the altar, 
  glowing a faint green. From your position on 
  the stairs, you can see that it resembles a lump 
  of coal perhaps the size of a human head, and 
  roughly of the same proportions.  It looks 
  perfectly benign except for the odd glow. 
   
  Scattered about the floor of the room are a 
  number of cushions and colorful rugs.  Atop 
  one of them, a small book can be made out, 
  with an inkwell and quill lying on a nearby rug. 
   
  There is a faint smell of brimstone fighting to 
  be recognized beneath a heavier musky smell. 
   
  The musky smell is Reala’s natural perfume; while 
  the brimstone is a telltale sign that something 
  fiendish just teleported out. 
   
  In one corner of this level are scrawled writings.  
  They can be found near the floor, somewhat 
  hidden from view, although this does not seem to 
  be intentional.  These writings appear to be notes 
  on opening a scrying pool, which can be learned 
  with a Knowledge: Arcana (DC20) or Spellcraft 
  (DC15) check. 
   
  The diary is Reala’s and, assuming the characters 
  can read infernal, is an interesting source of 
  information about this place and its occupants.  
  When the characters are able to decipher it, give 
  them Player Handout #8 – The Diary.   
   
  Once the PCs have collected the diary they have a 
  clue to pull aside the cushions and carpets on the 
  floor and examine the hidden portrait.  This is 
  attached as Player Handout #9 – The Portrait. 
   
  After the PCs have learned all they care to of the 
  tomb’s interior, they may collect the meteorite and 
  leave this place.  The meteorite weighs 80 pounds 
  and just barely fills the center pouch of a Heward’s 
  Haversack.  It also fits nicely into a bag of holding 
  or portable hole.  Keep in mind possible skill check 
  penalties for additional weight while climbing.  
  Most likely they are in for a shock if they haven’t 
  already fought Tyrael.  Once he is defeated and 
  the meteorite brought back to the AAAA, the 
  scenario ends.  Refer to the section How Much 
  Time and then proceed either to the correct 
  additional scene or else to the proper conclusion. 
   
   
  Optional 
  Out of the Darkness 
   
  Feel free to use this special encounter, but only if 
  you have time during the game session, and only 
  if the PCs are spreading word of their mission 
  around so that anyone might overhear.  As this 
  encounter is meant to punish loose-lipped 
  characters, no experience or item access will be 
  given out.  Simply talking about the mission in an 
  attempt to gain extra XP or GP is not to be 
  rewarded. 
   
  The 
  unknown 
  assailant 
  from 
  the 
  original 
  Scavenger Hunt scenario (and alluded to in the 
  DM’s Introduction) has sent these two assassins 
  to stop the PCs from aiding the Grey Seer’s efforts 
  to restore Lady Xenia.  They are extremely well 
  trained, and will not allow themselves to be 
  captured or interrogated.  They will fight to the 
  death, and even if they are somehow captured 
  alive, the PCs will learn no useful information. 
   
  Assassins:
   
  APL 2 - see Appendix B 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 1: hp 7 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 1: hp 7 
   
  APL 4 – see Appendix C 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 3: hp 16 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 22 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 2: hp 11 
   
  APL 6 – see Appendix D 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 5: hp 25 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 4: hp 20 
   
  APL8 – see Appendix E 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 6/Assn 1: hp 35 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 5/Assn 1: hp 31 
   
  APL 10 – see Appendix F 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 8/Assn 1: hp 43 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 7/Assn 1: hp 38 
   
  APL 12 – see Appendix G 
  Assassin A, Male Rog 10/Assn 1: hp 52 
  Assassin B, Male Rog 9/Assn 1: hp 48 
   
  Tactics: The assassins are after one thing, the 
  death of the characters responsible for this latest 
  attempt to find the cure for Xenia.  Therefore they 
  don’t employ too much in the way of special 
  tactics.  The assassins will simply hide, study one 
  target each (for their death attack at higher APLs), 
  and then attack as soon as they have surprise.  
  They will then fight to do as much damage as 
  possible; fighting to the death in every case. 
   
  The assassins have no special distinguishing 
  marks or characteristics, in fact it would be difficult 
  to tell this encounter was even related to the 
  Scavenger Hunt, if not for the presence of the 
  ubiquitous note.  Give the players Player Handout 
  #9 – The Note when they have searched the 
  bodies. 
   
  You have searched the bodies of your 
  assailants, and discovered a note.  The outside 
  of the sealed parchment reads, “To the 
  Kingdom’s Heroes.” 
   
  The note is very simple and gives very little 
  information.  It hints at events that will be outlined 
  in the third scenario of this series. 
   
  Otherwise this encounter is of no importance to 
  the completion of this scenario, and serves only as 
  a way to consume party resources. 
   
   
  How Much Time 
  What Could Be Keeping Them? 
   
  The PCs had 20 days from the beginning of the 
  scenario to reach the meteorite impact site.  As 
  this scenario has a very strict timetable, there are 
  a number of possible outcomes depending on the 
  party’s time management.   
   
  Be sure to keep very close track of the amount of 
  time the PCs spend in their various tasks and 
  adventuring.   
   
  There is little room for error, but if the PCs travel 
  as outlined within the scenario, they will arrive with 
  a day to spare. 
   
  1. If they arrive more than a day late, then 
  the meteorite has already been removed 
  and the vampire has fled.  The diary and 
  portrait can still be found, but the PCs will 
  have failed in their mission.  Please inform 
  the game coordinator and the Nyrond 
  Triad should this event happen. 
   
  2. If the PCs need to do the scenario out of 
  sequence, they can.  The party might 
  need to rest for an additional day or they 
  might need to visit a temple for specialized 
  healing care.  Assuming they arrive on 
  time for the meteorite, they can still 
  complete 
  the 
  scenario 
  successfully.  
  However, should the PCs take more than 
  22 days in total, the scenario will cost an 
  extra TU for each PC. 
   
  3. If the PCs do the scenario out of order 
  (visiting the impact site before completing 
  all other sections of the scenario), and 
  they fail to reach the impact site on the 
  correct day, then they fail in their mission 
  and the scenario can still cost an 
  additional TU if they take more than 22 
  days. 
   
  Conclusion - Failure 
  Oops 
   
  If the PCs fail in any part of this scenario then the 
  reward given to them by Kurast disappears.  They 
  also lose the favors of Kurast and the Grey Seer 
  that are listed on the AR.  They may still collect 
  loot from the various combats.  Note, the optional 
  combat does not provide item access, GP rewards 
  or XP rewards.  It is a penalty for an error in 
  judgement, not an opportunity to recoup some of 
  the losses from mission failure. 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 23 
   
  If the PCs fail to recover the meteorite, then Kurast 
  and the Grey Seer will fail to restore Xenia to 
  health (hopefully this is not the common outcome). 
   As an additional punishment for their failure in this 
  most important task, the PCs will find that doors 
  are closed for them.  All existing Nyrond meta-org 
  memberships are considered null and void (with 
  the exception of the Military, Thieves Guilds, or 
  Religious meta-orgs).  In addition, characters 
  cannot join a Nyrond meta-org (except those 
  listed) without receiving approval of the Nyrond 
  Triad.  The character and player names should be 
  collected and sent to the Nyrond Triad as 
  notification. 
   
   
  Conclusion - Success 
  All Is Revealed 
   
  When the PCs finally return all of the required 
  ingredients to the Guildhouse of the AAAA in Rel 
  Mord, they are given the nicest rooms in the nicest 
  inn in Rel Mord.  There they are wined and dined 
  for several days.  Numerous small gifts arrive, 
  none particularly valuable, but rather tokens of 
  appreciation 
  from 
  the 
  various 
  NPCs 
  and 
  organizations found within this scenario.  Describe 
  all of this activity as you wish, taking into account 
  the personal preferences and desires of your 
  players and their characters. 
   
  The PCs will gain the favors of Kurast and the 
  Grey Seer as listed on the AR.   They can be 
  satisfied that they have done a good job, and that 
  there is hope for Lady Xenia. 
   
  Finally you should give them the last handout, 
  Player Handout #11 – The Explanation.  This 
  document will detail some of the background, and 
  also provide something of the setup for the next 
  scenario in the series, Kiss of Incabulos. 
   
   
  Experience Point Summary 
   
  To award experience for this adventure, add up 
  the values for the objectives accomplished. Then 
  assign the discretionary roleplaying experience 
  award. The roleplaying award should be given for 
  consistent character portrayal and contribution to 
  the fun of the game. You can award different 
  roleplaying amounts to different characters. 
   
  Award the total value (objectives plus roleplaying) 
  to each character. 
   
  Scene One 
  Bypassing the poison gas trap by trusting 
  Kurast 
   
   
  All APLs – EL2 
  60 xp 
   
  Scene Two 
  Defeat the Salt Mephit(s) 
   
   
  APL 2 – EL3 
  90 xp 
   
  APL 4 – EL5 
  150 xp 
   
  APL 6 – EL7 
  210 xp 
   
  APL 8 – EL9 
  270 xp 
   
  APL 10 – EL11 
  330 xp 
   
  APL 12 – EL13 
  390 xp 
   
  Scene Three 
  Defeat Mosquitoes  
   
   
  APL 2 – EL2 
  60 xp 
   
  APL 4 – EL4 
  120 xp 
   
  APL 6 – EL6 
  180 xp 
   
  APL 8 – EL8 
  240 xp 
   
  APL 10 – EL10 
  300 xp 
   
  APL 12 – EL12 
  360 xp 
   
  Scene Four 
  Interactions with Pelorian priests 
   
   
  All APLs – EL1 
  30 xp 
   
  Scene Five 
  Defeat Tyrael  
   
   
  APL 2 – EL4 
  120 xp 
   
  APL 4 – EL6 
  180 xp 
   
  APL 6 – EL8 
  240 xp 
   
  APL 8 – EL10 
  300 xp 
   
  APL 10 – EL12 
  360 xp 
   
  APL 12 – EL14 
  420 xp 
   
  Optional Encounter 
  This encounter is a punishment for in-
  game actions, so no XP will be rewarded 
  even for defeating the assassins. 
   
   
  All APLs – EL0 
  0 xp 
   
  Discretionary Roleplaying Reward 
   
  APL 2 – No EL 
  0-90 xp 
   
  APL 4 – No EL 
  0-135 xp 
   
  APL 6 – No EL 
  0-180 xp 
   
  APL 8 – No EL 
  0-225 xp 
   
  APL 10 – No EL 
  0-270 xp 
   
  APL 12 – No EL 
  0-315 xp 
  
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 24 
   
   
  Total possible experience 
   
   
  APL2 
  450 xp 
   
  APL4 
  675 xp 
   
  APL6 
  900 xp 
   
  APL8 
  1125 xp 
   
  APL10 
  1350 xp 
   
  APL12 
  1575 xp 
   
   
   
  Treasure Summary 
   
   
  The following list details the possible treasure 
  from each encounter.  The amount given is for each 
  PC, regardless of the number of PCs present.  It is 
  divided by APL, so be sure to look at the 
  appropriate value for your PCs.  In some cases, the 
  PCs may have needed to take specific actions to 
  acquire the treasure, while in other cases; some of 
  the items could have been used during the scenario 
  (by the players or the NPCs).  Take the total 
  amount of treasure recovered, covert to the listed 
  gold piece value (value listed is the correct resale 
  value) and divide by the number of players present. 
   Should only part of the available treasure from an 
  encounter be collected, refer to the appropriate 
  NPC description for further details. 
   
  Scene One 
  Kurast’s Reward  
   
  APL 2  
  200 gp 
  APL 4  
  400 gp 
  APL 6  
  600 gp 
  APL 8  
  800 gp 
  APL 10 
  1000 gp 
  APL 12  
  1200 gp 
   
   
  Scene Five 
  Tyrael’s Equipment 
  Resale Value 
  APL 2  
   
   
  MW Kama  
  151 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding  
  750 gp 
  APL 4  
   
   
  MW Kama  
  151 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding 
  750 gp 
  APL 6  
   
   
  +1 Kama 
  1151 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding 
  750 gp 
  APL 8  
   
   
  +1 Kama 
  1151 gp 
   
  Bracers of Armor +2 
  2000 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding 
  750 gp 
  APL 10 
   
   
  +1 Throwing Kama 
  4151 gp 
   
  Bracers of Armor +2 
  2000 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding 
  750 gp 
  APL 12  
   
   
  +1 Throwing Returning Kama 
  9151 gp 
   
  Bracers of Armor +3 
  4500 gp 
   
  Brooch of Shielding 
  750 gp 
   
  Total possible monetary reward 
  APL 2  
  400 gp 
  APL 4  
  600 gp 
  APL 6  
  800 gp 
  APL 8  
  1250 gp 
  APL 10 
  2100 gp 
  APL 12  
  3000 gp 
   
  The above maximum monetary reward is the gp 
  cap for that particular APL.   
  
  Player Handout #1 – The Keep  
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 25 
  
  Player Handout #2 – The Salt Cove  
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 26 
  
  Player Handout #3 – The Swamp  
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 27 
  
  Player Handout #4 – The Temple  
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 28 
  
  Player Handout #5 – The Tooth  
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 29 
  
  Player Handout #6 – The Recipe 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The favorite of the local lasses 
  And the glow found only in the dark 
  Shall blend with the Stone of Protection 
  When wrapped in the skin of hungry death 
   
  That which rained from heaven shall show the way 
  When mixed with the waters of the unseen lady 
   
  Fear not the fiends for they are needed 
  To stand in the light of the giving provider 
   
  Take back again what was stolen from you 
  Like unto the namesake of the greatest foe 
  For the seasoning of the vast water 
  Shall reverse that which comes from the sleeping dead 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 30 
  
  Player Handout #7 – The Specifics 
   
  Herein are recorded the known specifics of the riddle, along with what actions You will need to perform in order to 
  continue what some are referring to as “The Great Scavenger Hunt.” 
   
  Favorite of the local lasses – Bristlecone flowers, already obtained 
  Glow in the dark – glowing lichen, already obtained 
  Stone of protection – cursed rock, already obtained 
  Skin of hungry death – ghoul skin, already obtained 
   
  Rained from heaven – meteorite, needs to be collected from point of impact near the unusual geological formation known 
  as “The Tooth”.  Camp about a mile from The Tooth, and only approach after impact. 
  Waters of the unseen lady – waters from a nymph’s pool, to be found at a later date 
   
  Fiends – demon blood most likely, to be found at a later date 
  Light of the giving provider – specially blessed and prepared sunrods, to be collected from the Temple of Light in Hendrenn 
  Halgood 
   
  What was stolen from you – blood recovered from the mosquitoes of the Gnatmarsh, must be obtained after the mosquito 
  has drained a victim and must be recovered from a living mosquito 
  Namesake of the greatest foe – something to do with dragons, to be found at a later date 
  Seasoning of the vast water – a closed off tide-pool near Uskarn contains many large salt crystals; one of these, as 
  perfect as is possible, needs to be collected 
  Shall reverse that which comes from the sleeping dead – specific mushroom caps, to be found at a later date 
   
   
  Currently, our plans involve gathering only four of these items, specifically the meteorite, sunrods, mosquito blood and 
  salt crystals.  Once these items have been collected, return them to any representative of The Flinty Hills Greater Gnomish 
  Union of Apothecaries, Alchemists, Abjurationists, and Astrologers at their main Chapterhouse in Rel Mord.   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 31 
  
  Player Handout #8 – The Diary 
   
  The following are excerpts from the diary of one Reala Nadir found within the buried tomb.  All dates have been translated into 
  common usage, although they are expressed in Flan Tracking (FT).  For reference, the current year in Flan Tracking is 2743. 
   
  Wealsun 23, 1740 FT 
  It has been nearly ten days since those foolish priests of Pelor sealed my pet and I within this plush tomb, 
  this cage!  I have searched in vain for a means of escape, but the priests did too well at their chanting and 
  praying.  The place is proof against all means of exit.  Luckily my pet is still loyal, and my power serves 
  to keep him alive until I have use of him. 
   
  I keep this dairy only because there is nothing else to do.  In my time among humans I noticed many that 
  did this as a way of recording the day’s events and sharing their inmost thoughts and feelings.  What 
  rubbish.  I do this so that when I escape, the fools may know what is in store for them. 
   
  A great many pages are torn out and the book here shows signs of being burned. 
   
  Goodmonth 12, 2256 FT 
  It has been far too long.  Ages have past.  My pet and I have slept for longer than one of my kind ever 
  should. This cage is still as impermeable as ever, and only gazing at the portrait my pet has drawn of me 
  gives me any pleasure.  I would love to take it with me when I escape, but alas it is carven into the marble 
  floor. 
   
  Here a number of pages are blackened and rendered unreadable. 
   
  Flocktime 4, 2738 FT 
   
  I was angry, but now I am intrigued.  I finally managed, after years of trying, to open a scrying pool to 
  gaze upon what time has done to my old stronghold.  I fully expected it to be torn down, but instead I 
  find it occupied, and by one whose desires nearly match my own.  He was obviously once human, but I 
  find him strangely attractive.  My pet doesn’t share my enthusiasm, but I have nothing to fear from him.  
  Should time not hold me here for centuries more, I will attempt to join this once‐human and together we 
  will lay waste to the lands of my jailors.  Of course I’ll have to tame him into being another of my pets, 
  but that shouldn’t be a problem for one of my charms. 
   
  The next entry is dated with today’s date, as expressed in Flan Tracking. 
   
  Something is happening.  I feel that today is a day of great import.  Something is happening.  Perhaps 
  today is the day, the day that I 
   
  The text ends in mid sentence, almost as though the writer were interrupted.  There are no further entries. 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 32 
  
  Player Handout #9 – The Portrait 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 33 
  
  Player Handout #10 – The Note 
   
  This note was found on the body of one of the assassins sent to kill you.  Apparently someone knows of your mission. 
   
   
   
  My Dearest Adventurers: 
   
  Since you have found this note, and are still breathing, you have no doubt defeated my assassins.  While 
  this is unfortunate for me, it does mean that you are slightly more capable than what I would have 
  expected of the toadies of the Grey Seer.   
   
  I would love to take a few minutes out of my rather busy schedule to come deal with you personally, but 
  unfortunately matters are somewhat out of my hands.  My associates are ready to begin their work, and I 
  am not one to stop that which gives glory to my God. 
   
  So, you will simply have to wait for the coming storm, knowing that, though you tried valiantly, there was 
  nothing you could do to stop it. 
   
  Best of luck in your future endeavors, and to whatever you can accomplish in the short time remaining. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ~~  KK    
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 34 
  
  Player Handout #11 – The Explanation 
   
  This note was found in your room on the day following your successful return of the ingredients to Rel Mord. 
   
  My Dear Heroes, 
   
  As you have performed admirably in this endeavor, I think it is only 
  fair to give you a little more information.  Before Xenia collapsed, 
  none of my divinations gave me warning.  The only thing that could 
  mask such an event is divine power – divine power such that only an 
  accomplished priest could wield.  I am firmly convinced that someone 
  is attempting to weaken the Kingdom by striking at those who cannot 
  defend themselves and yet are of vital importance to our King.   
   
  Xenia was not poisoned.  At least not by any poison currently known.  
  Rather she seems to be suffering from some strange disease that 
  progressed at an unheard of rate.  Healers from many temples and 
  faiths were called in, yet none could cure her of this disease.  
  Fearing contagion, and in an effort to preserve her life, I placed 
  Xenia into a protective coccoon that prevents the normal flow of time. 
   So far no one else has shown similar symptoms – perhaps I caught it 
  in time. 
   
  The Flinty Hills Greater Gnomish Union of Apothecaries, Alchemists, 
  Abjurationists, and Astrologers has found a recipe that seems 
  promising to cure her of this disease.  We can but hope.  The formula 
  is very complex and the ingredients are difficult to acquire.  So 
  difficult in fact, that only the most stalwart and brave could hope to 
  accomplish this task.  Many that serve the King would jump at the 
  chance to prove themselves, but we know that word would get back to 
  our enemy the Priest.   
   
  We know that there is a traitor somewhere in the King’s close council, 
  for only one so close could have afflicted Xenia with this illness.  
  We dare not tip our hand too much; for fear that one of the 
  irreplaceable ingredients would be destroyed or stolen.  Hence we are 
  using you and those like you.  Adventurers.  You meet the 
  qualifications and, truth be told, you are expendable, which others 
  may not be.  I, and the one I serve, apologize for using you in such a 
  fashion, but we have little choice.  We only hope that should need 
  arise, we can call on your services once again. 
   
  You have done the Kingdom a great service, and you should be rewarded. 
   We cannot thank you enough, and should you ever need a favor, you 
  need merely to call on myself or the Elementalist Kurast and we will 
  serve as we can. 
   
  Yours for Nyrond 
   
   
  The Grey Seer 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #1 – Kurast’s Keep and Environs
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #2 – Kurast’s Keep Interior
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
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  DM Aid #3 – Salt Lick
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #4 – The Gnatmarsh
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #5a – The Temple of Light
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #5b – The Temple of Light
   
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  DM Aid #5c – The Temple of Light
   
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 42 
  
  DM Aid #6 – The Tomb
   
   
   
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  Appendix A – The Elementalist Kurast
   
   
  Kurast, Male Water Elemental (Was Human) Conj7/LmtlSvnt (water) 10: CR17; Medium-Size Elemental 
  (Water) (5’7” tall); HD 7d4+10d4+51; hp 92; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 20 ft, Swim 90 ft; AC 22 (+2 Dex, Bracers 
  of Armor +6, Ring of Protection +4); Base Attack +8/+3, Grapple +8, Atks +8/+3 melee, +10/+5 Ranged; 
  SA Water Mastery, Drench, Vortex; Elemental Focus, Elemental Penetration: SQ Elemental, Immune to 
  Sleep, Paralysis, Stunning, Darkvision 60’, Cold Immunity; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +13; Str 10, 
  Dex 14, Con 16, Int 26, Wis 13, Cha 12. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +24, Knowledge (Arcana) +26, Knowledge (Architecture and 
  Engineering) +16, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +16, Knowledge (Local) +16, Knowledge (Nobility and 
  Royalty) +16, Knowledge (Planes) +26, Spellcraft +26, Swim +10, Speak Languages: Common, Ancient 
  Sueloise, Aquan, Auran, Bakulni, Draconic, Elven, Gnomish, Ignan, Old Oeridian, Silvan, Terran, Ur-Flan; 
  Energy Admixture (Cold), Energy Substitution (Cold), Forge Ring, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved 
  Familiar, Spell Penetration, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell. 
   
  Water Mastery (Ex): Kurast gains a +1 attack and damage bonus if both he and his opponent touch 
  water.  If either he or the opponent is land-bound he suffers a –4 to attack and damage (These modifiers 
  are not reflected in the stat block) 
   
  Drench (Ex): Kurast’s touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of 
  nonmagical origin if they are of large size or smaller.  Kurast can dispel magical fire it touches as dispel 
  magic cast by a 17th level sorcerer. 
   
  Vortex (Su): Kurast can transform himself into a whirlpool once every 10 minutes provided he is 
  underwater, and remain in that form for up to 8 rounds.  In Vortex form, Kurast moves through the water, 
  or along the bottom at his swim speed (90 ft.)  The Vortex is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at 
  the top, and between 10 and 30 feet tall.  Kurast controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 ft tall. 
   
  Creatures one or more size smaller than Kurast might take damage when caught up in the vortex 
  (1d6 points) and may be swept up by it.  An affected creature must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 15) 
  when it comes into contact with the vortex.  The creature still takes damage, but it can leave if the save is 
  successful.  Kurast can eject any carried creatures whenever he wishes, depositing them wherever the 
  vortex happens to be. 
   
  If the vortex’s base touches the bottom, it creates a swirling cloud of debris.  The cloud is centered on 
  Kurast and has a diameter equal to half of the vortex’s height.  The cloud obscures all vision, including 
  darkvision, beyond 5 feet.  Creatures 5 feet away have one-half concealment, while those farther away 
  have total concealment.  Those caught in the cloud must succeed at a Concentration check (DC 15) to 
  cast a spell. 
   
  Elemental Focus (Ex): Due to learning how to better manipulate cold energy, the DC for Kurast’s 
  spells using cold energy have their DCs increased by +3.  This effect is cumulative with Spell Focus and 
  Greater Spell Focus 
   
  Elemental Penetration (Ex): When casting a spell using cold energy, Kurast gains +3 to any caster 
  level checks to beat an opponents’ Spell Resistance.  This effect is cumulative with Spell Penetration and 
  Greater Spell Penetration. 
   
  Elemental Type (Ex): Kurast is immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning.  He is also not 
  subject to critical hits or flanking.  He is no longer affected by spells that specifically target humanoids, 
  such as charm person.  He does take double damage from fire spells. 
   
  Immunity (Ex): Kurast is immune to cold energy 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of Armor +6. Ring of Protection +4, Ring of Elemental Command (Water), Bowl 
  of Commanding Water Elementals, Staff of Frost (34 charges).   
   
  Spells Prepared (5/7/7/6/6/6/5/4/3; base DC 15 + spell level (17 + spell level for conjuration spells)): 
  Kurast has whatever spells prepared the GM desires.  (All (Cold) spells have +3 to both the DC and the 
  caster level) He also has an additional Conjuration spell for each level (already included in the list above.) 
   He is forbidden to cast spells from the schools of Necromancy and Illusion. 
   
  Spells Known: Kurast has every spell from the Players Handbook and all the “Builder Books” (except 
  those from the schools of Necromancy and Illusion) through level eight (8) in his spellbooks. 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 44 
  
  Appendix B – Encounters at APL2
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Garlic, Female Salt Mephit (1): hp 19; see Monster Manual v3.5 pg184 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Monstrous Mosquitoes (8):  CR ¼; Tiny Vermin; HD ¼d8; hp 2; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 5ft. fly 40 ft. (good); 
  AC 14 (+2 Size, +2 Dex), Touch AC 14, Flat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grp –13; Atk +4 melee (bite 1d3-5); 
  Full Atk +4 melee (bite 1d3-5); SA Blood Drain; SQ Vermin Traits; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 
  1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Chr 2. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +6, Hide +17, Spot +7; Weapon Finesse (bite) 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): On a successful bite a Monstrous Mosquito does 1 point of temporary Constitution 
  damage. 
   
  Vermin Traits 
  (Ex): Mindless, darkvision 60’, Monstrous Mosquitoes have a +4 racial bonus to 
  Escape Artist Checks. 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Mnk4: CR 4; Medium High Elf; HD 4D8-4; hp 19; Init +4 (Dex); 
  Spd 30 ft (6 squares); AC 18 (+4 Dex, +4 Wis), touch 18, flat-footed 10; BAB +3 / Grapple +5; Attack +5 
  melee (1d6+2, Unarmed Strike), or Attack +6 melee (1d6+2, MW Kama); Full Attack +3/+3 melee (1d6+2, 
  2 Unarmed Strikes), or Full Attack +4/+4 melee (1d6+2, MW Kama); SA Stunning Fist; SQ Evasion; AL 
  LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +8; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 6, Int 8, Wis 18, Chr 10. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Escape Artist +8, Hide +6, Jump +4, Listen +5, Move Silently +6, Spot 
  +4, Tumble +8; Blind-Fight, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Trip, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
   
  Possessions: MW Kama, Brooch of Shielding 
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Male Rog1: CR 1; Medium Human: HD 1d6+1; hp 7; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 30 
  ft (6 squares); AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather), touch 12, flat-footed 13; BAB +0 /Grapple +1; 
  Attack +3 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier), Attack +3 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full Attack +3 
  (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ Trapfinding; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Refl +4, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Bluff +3, Climb +5, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +6, Hide +6, Move Silently 
  +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +4, Tumble +6, Use Rope +6; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (Rapier). 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a 
  Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor 
   
  Assassin B, Male Rog1: CR 1; Medium Human: HD 1d6+1; hp 7; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 30 
  ft (6 squares); AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather), touch 12, flat-footed 13; BAB +0 /Grapple +1; 
  Attack +3 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier), Attack +3 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full Attack +3 
  (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ Trapfinding; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Refl +4, Will 
  +0; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Bluff +3, Climb +5, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +6, Hide +6, Move Silently 
  +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +4, Tumble +6, Use Rope +6; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (Rapier). 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a 
  Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 45 
  
  Appendix C – Encounters at APL4
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Garlic and Onion, Female Salt Mephits (2): hp 19, 19; see Monster Manual v3.5 pg 184 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Stirge (8): hp 5 ea; See Monster Manual pg. 236 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Vampire Mnk4: CR 6; Medium Undead (was High Elf); HD 
  4D12; hp 33; Init +10 (Dex, Imp Init); Spd 40 ft (8 squares); AC 27 (+6 Dex, +5 Wis, +6 Natural), touch 
  21, flat-footed 16; BAB +3 / Grapple +8; Attack +8 melee (1d8+5 plus Energy Drain, Unarmed Strike), or 
  Attack +9 melee (1d6+5, MW Kama); Full Attack +6/+6 melee (1d8+5 plus Energy Drain, 2 Unarmed 
  Strikes), or Full Attack +7/+7 melee (1d6+5, MW Kama); SA Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create 
  Spawn, Dominate, Energy Drain, Furry of Blows, Ki Strike (Magic); SQ Alternate Form, Damage 
  Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, Darkvision 60’, Elf Traits, Evasion, Fast Healing 5, Gaseous Form, 
  Resistance to Cold 10 and Electricity 10, Slow Fall 20’, Spider Climb, Still Mind, Undead Traits, Vampire 
  Weaknesses; AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +9; Str 20, Dex 22, Con -, Int 10, Wis 20, Chr 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +10, Hide +16, Jump +9, Listen +14, Move 
  Silently +16, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +14, Tumble +10; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat 
  Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
   
  Possessions: MW Kama, Brooch of Shielding 
   
  Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted 
  otherwise. 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful 
  grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the 
  pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. 
   
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day 
  can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action.  These 
  creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. 
   
  Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is 
  similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at 
  it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the 
  vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 
  30 feet. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a 
  vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.  If the vampire instead drains the 
  victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if 
  it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that 
  created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have 
  enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this 
  limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and 
  enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A 
  vampire may voluntarily free enslaved spawn in order to enslave new spawn, but once freed, a vampire 
  or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. 
   
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the 
  vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 
  temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. 
   
  Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 46 
  
   
  Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a 
  standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell cast by a 12th-level character, except that the 
  vampire does not regain hit points for changing form and must choose from among the forms mentioned 
  here. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it 
  gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form 
  until it assumes another or until the next sunrise 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural 
  weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If 
  reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must 
  reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any 
  additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a 
  vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at 
  the rate of 5 hit points per round. 
   
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell 
  (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect 
  maneuverability. 
   
  Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. 
   
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. 
   
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance.  
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Male Rog3: CR 3; Medium Human: HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 
  30 ft (6 squares); AC 16 (+2 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather), touch 13, flat-footed 13; BAB +2 
  /Grapple +3; Attack +5 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier), Attack +5 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), 
  Full Attack +5 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ Evasion, Trapfinding, Trap 
  Sense +1; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Refl +5, Will +1; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Bluff +5, Climb +7, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Move 
  Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +6, Tumble +8, Use Rope +8; Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon 
  Finesse (Rapier). 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor 
   
  Assassin B, Male Rog2: CR 2; Medium Human: HD 2d6+2; hp 11; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 
  30 ft (6 squares); AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather), touch 12, flat-footed 13; BAB +1 /Grapple 
  +2; Attack +4 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier), Attack +4 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full 
  Attack +4 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SQ Evasion, Trapfinding; AL NE; SV 
  Fort +1, Refl +5, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Bluff +4, Climb +6, Disguise +4, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Move 
  Silently +7, Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +5, Tumble +7, Use Rope +7; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse 
  (Rapier). 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 47 
  
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 48 
  
  Appendix D – Encounters at APL6
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Garlic and Onion, Female Salt Mephits Bbn2: CR 5; Small Outsider (4 ft. tall); HD 3D8+6 (Salt Mephit) 
  + 2d12+2; hp 40; Init –1 (Dex); Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 40 ft (average); AC 16 (+1 Size, -1 Dex, +6 
  Natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16; BAB +5 / Grapple +4 Attack +10 (1d3+3, Claw), Full Attack +10/+10 
  (1d3+3, 2 Claws); SA Breath weapon, spell-like abilities, summon mephit, Bbn Rage 1/day; SQ DR 
  5/Magic, darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 2, uncanny dodge); AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 
  8, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 11, Chr 15. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Escape Artist +5, Hide +9, Intimidate +3, Listen +7, Diplomacy +6, Disguise 
  +2 (+4 acting), Move Silently +5, Spot +6, Survival +2, Use Rope –1 (+1 with bindings); Power Attack, 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw) 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone of salt crystals, damage 1d4, Reflex DC 13 half.  Living Creatures 
  that fail their saves are tormented by itching skin and burning eyes.  This effect imposes a –4 penalty to 
  AC and a –2 penalty to attack roles for 3 rounds.  The Save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 
  racial bonus. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: Once per hour a salt mephit can use glitterdust (DC 14, caster level 3rd). 
   
  Once per day it can draw the moisture from an area in a 20-foot radius centered on itself.  Living 
  Creatures within range take 2d8 points of damage (Fortitude DC 14 half; caster level 6th).  This effect is 
  especially devastating to plant creatures and aquatic creatures, which take a –2 penalty on their saving 
  throws.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell.  The save DCs are Charisma-based. 
   
  Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, a mephit can attempt to summon another mephit of the same 
  variety, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success.  Roll 
  d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day.  A mephit that has just been summoned 
  cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A salt mephit heals only if in an arid environment. 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes (8): CR 1; Tiny Vermin; HD 2d8; hp 13; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 5ft. fly 40ft. 
  (good); AC 14 (+2 Size, +2 Dex), Touch AC 14, Flat-footed 12; Base Atk +3; Grp –12; Atk +5 melee (bite 
  1d3-5); Full Atk +5 melee (bite 1d3-5); SA Blood Drain; SQ Vermin Traits; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will 
  +0; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Chr 2. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +18, Hide +17, Spot +9; Weapon Finesse (bite) 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): On a successful bite a Monstrous Mosquito does 1 point of temporary Constitution 
  damage. 
   
  Vermin Traits 
  (Ex): Mindless, darkvision 60’, Monstrous Mosquitoes have a +4 racial bonus to 
  Escape Artist Checks. 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Vampire Mnk6: CR 8; Medium Undead (was High Elf); HD 
  6D12; hp 47; Init +10 (Dex, Imp Init); Spd 50 ft (10 squares); AC 28 (+6 Dex, +5 Wis, +6 Natural, +1 
  Intrinsic), touch 21, flat-footed 17; BAB +4 / Grapple +9; Attack +9 melee (1d8+5 plus Energy Drain, 
  Unarmed Strike), or Attack +10 melee (1d6+6, +1 Kama); Full Attack +7/+7 melee (1d8+5 plus Energy 
  Drain, 2 Unarmed Strikes), or Full Attack +8/+8 melee (1d6+6, +1 Kama); SA Blood Drain, Children of the 
  Night, Create Spawn, Dominate, Energy Drain, Furry of Blows, Ki Strike (Magic); SQ Alternate Form, 
  Damage Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, Darkvision 60’, Elf Traits, Evasion, Fast Healing 5, Gaseous 
  Form, Purity of Body, Resistance to Cold 10 and Electricity 10, Slow Fall 30’, Spider Climb, Still Mind, 
  Undead Traits, Vampire Weaknesses; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +13, Will +10; Str 20, Dex 22, Con -, Int 10, 
  Wis 20, Chr 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +12, Hide +16, Jump +9, Listen +14, Move 
  Silently +16, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +14, Tumble +12; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat 
  Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 49 
  
   
  Possessions: +1 Kama, Brooch of Shielding, Potion of Displacement 
   
  Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted 
  otherwise. 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful 
  grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the 
  pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. 
   
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day 
  can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action.  These 
  creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. 
   
  Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is 
  similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at 
  it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the 
  vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 
  30 feet. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a 
  vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.  If the vampire instead drains the 
  victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if 
  it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that 
  created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have 
  enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this 
  limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and 
  enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A 
  vampire may voluntarily free enslaved spawn in order to enslave new spawn, but once freed, a vampire 
  or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. 
   
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the 
  vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 
  temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. 
   
  Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. 
   
  Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a 
  standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell cast by a 12th-level character, except that the 
  vampire does not regain hit points for changing form and must choose from among the forms mentioned 
  here. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it 
  gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form 
  until it assumes another or until the next sunrise 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural 
  weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If 
  reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must 
  reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any 
  additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a 
  vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at 
  the rate of 5 hit points per round. 
   
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell 
  (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect 
  maneuverability. 
   
  Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. 
   
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. 
   
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance. 
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Male Rog5: CR 5; Medium Human: HD 5d6+5; hp 25; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 
  30 ft (6 squares); AC 18 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather, Ring of Protection +1), touch 14, 
  flat-footed 13; BAB +3 /Grapple +4; Attack +7 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier), Attack +6 (1d4,19-20/x2, 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 50 
  
  Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full Attack +7 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +3d6; SQ Evasion, 
  Trapfinding, Trap Sense +1,Uncanny Dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, 
  Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Bluff +7, Climb +9, Disguise +7, Escape Artist +11, Hide +11, 
  Move Silently +11, Sleight of Hand +11, Spot +8, Tumble +11, Use Rope +11; Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Finesse (Rapier). 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  Equipment: +1 Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor, Ring of Protection +1 
   
  Assassin B, Male Rog4: CR 4; Medium Human: HD 4d6+4; hp 20; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 
  30 ft (6 squares); AC 17 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather), touch 14, flat-footed 13; BAB +3 
  /Grapple +4; Attack +6 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier), Attack +6 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), 
  Full Attack +6 (1d6+1,18-20/x2, Mwk. Rapier); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ Evasion, Trapfinding, Trap 
  Sense +1,Uncanny Dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Refl +7, Will +1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, 
  Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Bluff +6, Climb +8, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, 
  Move Silently +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +7, Tumble +10, Use Rope +10; Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Finesse (Rapier). 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 51 
  
  Appendix E – Encounters at APL8
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Celery, Garlic and Onion, Female Salt Mephits Bbn4: CR 7; Small Outsider (4 ft. tall); HD 3D8+9 (Salt 
  Mephit) + 4d12+8; hp 65; Init –1 (Dex); Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 40 ft (average); AC 16 (+1 Size, -1 Dex, 
  +6 Natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16; BAB +7/+2, Grapple +6, Attack +12 (1d3+3, Claw), Full Attack 
  +12/+12/+7 (1d3+3, 2 Claws); SA Breath weapon, spell-like abilities, summon mephit, Bbn Rage 2/day; 
  SQ DR 5/Magic, darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 2, uncanny dodge, Trap sense +1; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref 
  +3, Will +4; Str 17, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 11, Chr 15. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Escape Artist +5, Hide +9, Intimidate +4, Listen +8, Diplomacy +6, Disguise 
  +2 (+4 acting), Move Silently +5, Spot +6, Survival +4, Use Rope –1 (+1 with bindings); Ability Focus 
  (Breath Weapon), Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw) 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone of salt crystals, damage 1d4, Reflex DC 16 half.  Living Creatures 
  that fail their saves are tormented by itching skin and burning eyes.  This effect imposes a –4 penalty to 
  AC and a –2 penalty to attack roles for 3 rounds.  The Save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 
  racial bonus. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: Once per hour a salt mephit can use glitterdust (DC 14, caster level 3rd). 
   
  Once per day it can draw the moisture from an area in a 20 foot radius centered on itself.  Living 
  Creatures within range take 2d8 points of damage (Fortitude DC 14 half; caster level 6th).  This effect is 
  especially devastating to plant creatures and aquatic creatures, which take a –2 penalty on their saving 
  throws.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell.  The save DCs are Charisma-based. 
   
  Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, a mephit can attempt to summon another mephit of the same 
  variety, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success.  Roll 
  d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day.  A mephit that has just been summoned 
  cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A salt mephit heals only if in an arid environment. 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes of Legend (8): CR 3; Tiny Vermin; HD 2d8+10; hp 23; Init +9 (Dex, 
  Improved Init.); Spd 5ft. fly 40ft. (good); AC 23 (+2 Size, +5 Dex, +5 Natural), Touch AC 14, Flat-footed 
  17; Base Atk +3; Grp –7; Atk +8 melee (bite 1d3); Full Atk +8 melee (bite 1d3); SA Blood Drain, Breath 
  Weapon (Acid); SQ Vermin Traits, Fast Healing 5, Enhanced Attributes; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will 
  +1; Str 11, Dex 21, Con 20, Int -, Wis 12, Chr 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +11, Hide +20, Spot +10; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite) 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): On a successful bite a Monstrous Mosquito does 1d2 points of temporary 
  Constitution damage. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, the Mosquito of Legend can use a breath weapon in a 15ft. 
  cone doing 3d6 acid damage (Reflex Save DC 21/Half) 
   
  Vermin Traits 
  (Ex): Mindless, darkvision 60’, Monstrous Mosquitoes have a +4 racial bonus to 
  Escape Artist Checks. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): Regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. 
   
  Enhanced Attributes (Ex): Save DC for Breath Weapon increased by +4 (Already reflected above). 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Vampire Mnk8: CR 10; Medium Undead (was High Elf); HD 
  8D12; hp 61; Init +10 (Dex, Imp Init); Spd 50 ft (10 squares); AC 30 (+6 Dex, +5 Wis, +6 Natural, +1 
  Intrinsic, +2 Bracers of Armor), touch 21, flat-footed 19; BAB +6/+1 / Grapple +11; Attack +11 melee 
  (1d10+5 plus Energy Drain, Unarmed Strike), or Attack +12 melee (1d6+6, +1 Kama); Full Attack 
  +9/+9/+4 melee (1d10+5 plus Energy Drain, 3 Unarmed Strikes), or Full Attack +10/+10/+5 melee 
  (1d6+6, +1 Kama); SA Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create Spawn, Dominate, Energy Drain, Furry 
  of Blows, Ki Strike (Magic); SQ Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, Darkvision 60’, 
  Elf Traits, Evasion, Fast Healing 5, Gaseous Form, Purity of Body, Resistance to Cold 10 and Electricity 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 52 
  
  10, Slow Fall 40’, Spider Climb, Still Mind, Undead Traits, Vampire Weaknesses, Wholeness of Body; AL 
  LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +11; Str 20, Dex 22, Con -, Int 11, Wis 20, Chr 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +14, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +14, Hide +16, Jump +9, Listen +14, Move 
  Silently +16, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +14, Tumble +14; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat 
  Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
   
  Possessions: +1 Kama, Bracers of Armor +2, Brooch of Shielding, Potion of Displacement 
   
  Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted 
  otherwise. 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful 
  grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the 
  pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. 
   
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day 
  can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action.  These 
  creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. 
   
  Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is 
  similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at 
  it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the 
  vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 
  30’. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a 
  vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.  
  If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 
  4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under 
  the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any 
  given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn 
  it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire 
  that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of 
  lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free enslaved spawn in order to enslave new 
  spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. 
   
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the 
  vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 
  temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. 
   
  Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. 
   
  Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a 
  standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell cast by a 12th-level character, except that the 
  vampire does not regain hit points for changing form and must choose from among the forms mentioned 
  here. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it 
  gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form 
  until it assumes another or until the next sunrise 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural 
  weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If 
  reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must 
  reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any 
  additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a 
  vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at 
  the rate of 5 hit points per round. 
   
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell 
  (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect 
  maneuverability. 
   
  Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. 
   
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. 
   
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance. 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 53 
  
   
   
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Male Rog6/Assn1: CR 5; Medium Human: HD 6d6+6 (Rog) + 1d6+1 (Assn); hp 35; Init +7 
  (+3 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 30 ft (6 squares); AC 19 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +4 Mwk. Studded Leather, Ring 
  of Protection +1), touch 14, flat-footed 13; BAB +4 / Grapple +5; Attack +9 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier), 
  Attack +9 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full Attack +9 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier); SA Sneak 
  Attack +4d6; SQ Death Attack, Evasion, Poison Use, Trapfinding, Trap Sense +2,Uncanny Dodge; AL 
  NE; SV Fort +3, Refl +10, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Bluff +8, Climb +10, Disguise +8, Escape Artist +12, Hide +12, 
  Move Silently +12, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +9, Tumble +12, Use Rope +12; Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  Equipment: +1 Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, Studded Leather Armor +1, Ring of Protection +1 
   
   
  Assassin B, Male Rog5/Assn1: CR 5; Medium Human: HD 5d6+5 (Rog) + 1d6+1 (Assn); hp 31; Init +7 
  (+3 Dex, +4 Impr. Init.); Spd 30 ft (6 squares); AC 18 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 Mwk. Studded Leather, Ring 
  of Protection +1), touch 14, flat-footed 13; BAB +3 /Grapple +4; Attack +8 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier), 
  Attack +7 (1d4,19-20/x2, Mwk. Hand Crossbow), Full Attack +8 (1d6+2,18-20/x2, +1 Rapier); SA Sneak 
  Attack +4d6; SQ Evasion, Trapfinding, Trap Sense +1,Uncanny Dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +9, Will 
  +1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Chr 8. 
  Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Bluff +8, Climb +10, Disguise +8, Escape Artist +12, Hide +12, 
  Move Silently +12, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +9, Tumble +12, Use Rope +12; Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 54 
  
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  Equipment: +1 Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, MW Studded Leather Armor, Ring of Protection +1 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 55 
  
  Appendix F – Encounters at APL10
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Celery, Garlic and Onion, Female Salt Mephits Bbn6: CR 9; Small Outsider (4 ft. tall); HD 3D8+9 (Salt 
  Mephit) + 6d12+12; hp 91; Init –1 (Dex); Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 40 ft (average); AC 16 (+1 Size, -1 
  Dex, +6 Natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16; BAB +9/+4, Grapple +8, Attack +14 (1d3+3, Claw), Full Attack 
  +14/+14/+9 (1d3+3, 2 Claws); SA Breath weapon, spell-like abilities, summon mephit, Bbn Rage 2/day; 
  SQ DR 5/Magic, darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 2, uncanny dodge, Trap sense +2, Improved uncanny 
  dodge; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 17, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 11, Chr 15. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Escape Artist +5, Hide +9, Intimidate +5, Listen +10, Diplomacy +6, 
  Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Move Silently +5, Spot +6, Survival +5, Use Rope –1 (+1 with bindings); Ability 
  Focus (Breath Weapon) X2, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw) 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone of salt crystals, damage 1d4, Reflex DC 18 half.  Living Creatures 
  that fail their saves are tormented by itching skin and burning eyes.  This effect imposes a –4 penalty to 
  AC and a –2 penalty to attack roles for 3 rounds.  The Save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 
  racial bonus. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: Once per hour a salt mephit can use glitterdust (DC 14, caster level 3rd). 
   
  Once per day it can draw the moisture from an area in a 20 foot radius centered on itself.  Living 
  Creatures within range take 2d8 points of damage (Fortitude DC 14 half; caster level 6th).  This effect is 
  especially devastating to plant creatures and aquatic creatures, which take a –2 penalty on their saving 
  throws.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell.  The save DCs are Charisma-based. 
   
  Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, a mephit can attempt to summon another mephit of the same 
  variety, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success.  Roll 
  d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day.  A mephit that has just been summoned 
  cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A salt mephit heals only if in an arid environment. 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Advanced Monstrous Mosquitoes of Legend (8): CR 5; Small Vermin; HD 4d8+20; hp 53; Init +10 
  (Dex, Improved Init.); Spd 5ft. fly 40ft. (good); AC 22 (+1 Size, +6 Dex, +5 Natural), Touch AC 13, Flat-
  footed 16; Base Atk +3; Grp –7; Atk +9 melee (bite 1d3); Full Atk +9 melee (bite 1d3); SA Blood Drain, 
  Breath Weapon (Acid); SQ Vermin Traits, Fast Healing 5, Enhanced Attributes; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, 
  Will +1; Str 11, Dex 22, Con 20, Int -, Wis 12, Chr 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +17, Hide +22, Spot +12; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite) 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): On a successful bite a Monstrous Mosquito does 1d2 points of temporary 
  Constitution damage. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, the Mosquito of Legend can use a breath weapon in a 15ft. 
  cone doing 3d6 acid damage (Reflex Save DC 21/Half) 
   
  Vermin Traits 
  (Ex): Mindless, darkvision 60’, Monstrous Mosquitoes have a +4 racial bonus to 
  Escape Artist Checks. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): Regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. 
   
  Enhanced Attributes (Ex): Save DC for Breath Weapon increased by +4 (Already reflected above). 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Vampire Mnk9/ShdwDncr1: CR 12; Medium Undead (was 
  High Elf); HD 10D12; hp 75; Init +10 (Dex, Imp Init); Spd 60 ft (12 squares); AC 30 (+6 Dex, +5 Wis, +6 
  Natural, +1 Intrinsic, +2 Bracers of Armor), touch 21, flat-footed 19; BAB +6/+1 / Grapple +11; Attack +11 
  melee (1d10+5 plus Energy Drain, Unarmed Strike), or Attack +12 melee (1d6+6, +1 Throwing Kama), or 
  Attack +13 ranged (1d6+6, +1 Throwing Kama); Full Attack +10/+10/+5 melee (1d10+5 plus Energy 
  Drain, 3 Unarmed Strikes), or Full Attack +11/+11/+6 melee (1d6+6, +1 Throwing Kama), or combination; 
  SA Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create Spawn, Dominate, Energy Drain, Furry of Blows, Hide in 
  Plain Sight, Ki Strike (Magic); SQ Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, Darkvision 
  60’, Elf Traits, Fast Healing 5, Gaseous Form, Improved Evasion, Purity of Body, Resistance to Cold 10 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 56 
  
  and Electricity 10, Slow Fall 40’, Spider Climb, Still Mind, Undead Traits, Vampire Weaknesses, 
  Wholeness of Body; AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +16, Will +11; Str 20, Dex 22, Con -, Int 11, Wis 20, Chr 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +14, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +14, Hide +20, Jump +9, Listen +16, Move 
  Silently +20, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +16, Tumble +14; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat 
  Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Flurry of Blows, Improved Evasion, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
   
  Possessions: +1 Throwing Kama, Bracers of Armor +2, Brooch of Shielding, Potion of Displacement 
   
  Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted 
  otherwise. 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful 
  grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the 
  pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. 
   
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day 
  can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action.  These 
  creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. 
   
  Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is 
  similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at 
  it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the 
  vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 
  30’. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a 
  vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.  
  If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 
  4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under 
  the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any 
  given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn 
  it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire 
  that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of 
  lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free enslaved spawn in order to enslave new 
  spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. 
   
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the 
  vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 
  temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. 
   
  Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. 
   
  Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a 
  standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell cast by a 12th-level character, except that the 
  vampire does not regain hit points for changing form and must choose from among the forms mentioned 
  here. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it 
  gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form 
  until it assumes another or until the next sunrise 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural 
  weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If 
  reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must 
  reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any 
  additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a 
  vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at 
  the rate of 5 hit points per round. 
   
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell 
  (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect 
  maneuverability. 
   
  Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. 
   
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. 
   
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance. 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 57 
  
   
   
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Human Rog8/Assn1: CR 9; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 8d6+8 (Rog) + 1d6+1 (Assn); 
  hp 43; Init +7; Spd 30ft.; AC 20, touch 15, flat footed 20; Base Atk +6/+1; Grp +8; Atk +10 melee (1d6+3 
  /18-20 +1 Rapier) or + 10 ranged (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d6+3 / 18-20 +1 
  Rapier) or +10 (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); SA Death Attack, Sneak attack +5d6; SQ evasion, 
  improved uncanny dodge, poison use, spells, trapfinding, trap sense +3, uncanny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort 
  +3, Ref +11, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats; Balance +16, Bluff +11, Climb +13, Disguise +13, Escape Artist +16, Hide +14, 
  Move Silently +14, Sleight of Hand +14, Spot +11, Tumble +15, Use Rope +16; Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. 
  This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the 
  attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. 
  If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically 
  gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack 
  to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from 
  traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against 
  attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she 
  reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.  Trap sense 
  bonuses gained from multiple classes stack. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of Armor +3, Ring of Protection +2, +1 Keen Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, 
  Potion of Cure Critical Wounds, 3 doses Giant wasp poison. 
   
   
  Assassin B, Human Rog7/Assn1: CR 8; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 7d6+7 (Rog) + 1d6+1 (Assn); 
  hp 38; Init +7; Spd 30ft.; AC 20, touch 15, flat footed 20; Base Atk +5; Grp +6; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3 /18-
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 58 
  
  20 +1 Rapier) or + 8 ranged (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+3 / 18-20 +1 Rapier) 
  or +8 (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); SA Death Attack, Sneak attack +6d6; SQ evasion, poison use, 
  spells, trapfinding, trap sense +3, uncanny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 17, 
  Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats; Balance +17, Bluff +12, Climb +14, Disguise +14, Escape Artist +17, Hide +15, 
  Move Silently +15, Sleight of Hand +15, Spot +12, Tumble +15, Use Rope +17; Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from 
  traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against 
  attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she 
  reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.  Trap sense 
  bonuses gained from multiple classes stack. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of Armor +3, Ring of Protection +2, +1 Keen Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, 
  Potion of Cure Critical Wounds, 3 doses Giant wasp poison. 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 59 
  
  Appendix G – Encounters at APL12
   
  Scene 2 – Salt Lick: 
   
  Celery, Garlic and Onion, Female Salt Mephits Bbn8: CR 11; Small Outsider (4 ft. tall); HD 3D8+9 (Salt 
  Mephit) + 8d12+16; hp 125; Init –1 (Dex); Spd 40 ft (8 squares), fly 40 ft (average); AC 16 (+1 Size, -1 
  Dex, +6 Natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16; BAB +11/+6, Grapple +10, Attack +16 (1d3+3, Claw), Full 
  Attack +16/+16/+11 (1d3+3, 2 Claws); SA Breath weapon, spell-like abilities, summon mephit, Bbn Rage 
  3/day; SQ DR 5/Magic, DR 1/-, darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 2, uncanny dodge, Trap sense +2, Improved 
  uncanny dodge; AL N; SV Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 17, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 11, Chr 16. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Escape Artist +5, Hide +9, Intimidate +8, Listen +11, Diplomacy +7, 
  Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Move Silently +5, Spot +6, Survival +6, Use Rope –1 (+1 with bindings); Ability 
  Focus (Breath Weapon) X2, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw) 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone of salt crystals, damage 1d4, Reflex DC 18 half.  Living Creatures 
  that fail their saves are tormented by itching skin and burning eyes.  This effect imposes a –4 penalty to 
  AC and a –2 penalty to attack roles for 3 rounds.  The Save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 
  racial bonus. 
   
  Spell-Like Abilities: Once per hour a salt mephit can use glitterdust (DC 15, caster level 3rd). 
   
  Once per day it can draw the moisture from an area in a 20-foot radius centered on itself.  Living 
  Creatures within range take 2d8 points of damage (Fortitude DC 15 half; caster level 6th).  This effect is 
  especially devastating to plant creatures and aquatic creatures, which take a –2 penalty on their saving 
  throws.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell.  The save DCs are Charisma-based. 
   
  Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, a mephit can attempt to summon another mephit of the same 
  variety, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success.  Roll 
  d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day.  A mephit that has just been summoned 
  cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour.  This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A salt mephit heals only if in an arid environment. 
   
  Scene 3 – The Little Things That Go Buzz: 
   
  Advanced Fiendish Monstrous Mosquitoes of Legend (8): CR 6; Small Magical Beasts; HD 4d8+20; 
  hp 53; Init +10 (Dex, Improved Init.); Spd 5ft. fly 40ft. (good); AC 22 (+1 Size, +6 Dex, +5 Natural), Touch 
  AC 13, Flat-footed 16; Base Atk +3; Grp –7; Atk +9 melee (bite 1d3); Full Atk +9 melee (bite 1d3); SA 
  Blood Drain, Breath Weapon (Acid) Smite Good; SQ Vermin Traits, Fast Healing 5, Enhanced Attributes, 
  DR5/Magic, Resistance Cold and Fire 5, Spell Resistance 9; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +1; Str 11, 
  Dex 22, Con 20, Int -, Wis 12, Chr 6. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Escape Artist +17, Hide +22, Spot +12; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite) 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): On a successful bite a Monstrous Mosquito does 1d2 points of temporary 
  Constitution damage. 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, the Mosquito of Legend can use a breath weapon in a 15ft. 
  cone doing 3d6 acid damage (Reflex Save DC 21/Half) 
   
  Smite Good (Su): 1/day can make a normal melee attack dealing 4 extra points of damage to a good 
  foe 
   
  Vermin Traits 
  (Ex): Mindless, darkvision 60’, Monstrous Mosquitoes have a +4 racial bonus to 
  Escape Artist Checks. 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): Regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round.  
   
  Enhanced Attributes (Ex): Save DC for Breath Weapon increased by +4 (Already reflected above). 
   
  Damage Reduction (Ex): A Mosquito’s bite is treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing 
  damage reduction. 
   
  Scene 5 – The Falling Star: 
   
  Tyrael Who Dances on the Wind, Male Vampire Mnk11/ShdwDncr1: CR 14; Medium Undead (was 
  High Elf); HD 12D12; hp 89; Init +10 (Dex, Imp Init); Spd 60 ft (12 squares); AC 32 (+6 Dex, +5 Wis, +6 
  Natural, +2 Intrinsic, +3 Bracers of Armor), touch 21, flat-footed 21; BAB +8/+3, Grapple +13; Attack +13 
  melee (1d10+5 plus Energy Drain, Unarmed Strike), or Attack +14 melee (1d6+6, +1 Throwing Returning 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 60 
  
  Kama), or Attack +15 ranged (1d6+6, +1 Throwing Returning Kama); Full Attack +11/+11/+11/+6 melee 
  (1d10+5 plus Energy Drain, 4 Unarmed Strikes), or Full Attack +12/+12/+12/+7 melee (1d6+6, +1 
  Throwing Returning Kama), or combination; SA Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create Spawn, 
  Diamond Body, Dominate, Energy Drain, Greater Furry of Blows, Hide in Plain Sight, Ki Strike (Lawful, 
  Magic); SQ Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, Darkvision 60’, Elf Traits, Fast 
  Healing 5, Gaseous Form, Improved Evasion, Purity of Body, Resistance to Cold 10 and Electricity 10, 
  Slow Fall 50’, Spider Climb, Still Mind, Undead Traits, Vampire Weaknesses, Wholeness of Body; AL LE; 
  SV Fort +7, Ref +17, Will +12; Str 20, Dex 22, Con -, Int 12, Wis 20, Chr 14. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +16, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +16, Hide +22, Jump +11, Listen +18, Move 
  Silently +20, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +16, Tumble +18; Acrobatic, Alertness, Blind-Fight, 
  Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Strike 
   
  Possessions: +1 Throwing Returning Kama, Bracers of Armor +3, Brooch of Shielding, Potion of 
  Displacement 
   
  Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted 
  otherwise. 
   
  Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful 
  grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the 
  pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. 
   
  Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day 
  can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action.  These 
  creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. 
   
  Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is 
  similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at 
  it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the 
  vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 
  30’. 
   
  Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a 
  vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.  
  If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 
  4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under 
  the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any 
  given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn 
  it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire 
  that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of 
  lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free enslaved spawn in order to enslave new 
  spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again. 
   
  Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the 
  vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 
  temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. 
   
  Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those 
  described below. 
   
  Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a 
  standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell cast by a 12th-level character, except that the 
  vampire does not regain hit points for changing form and must choose from among the forms mentioned 
  here. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it 
  gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form 
  until it assumes another or until the next sunrise 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural 
  weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 
  Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If 
  reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must 
  reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any 
  additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 61 
  
  vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at 
  the rate of 5 hit points per round. 
   
  Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell 
  (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect 
  maneuverability. 
   
  Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. 
   
  Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell. 
   
  Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance. 
   
  Optional Encounter – Out Of The Darkness: 
   
  Assassin A, Human Rog10/Assn1: CR 11; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 10d6+10 (Rog) + 1d6+1 
  (Assn); hp 52; Init +7; Spd 30ft.; AC 20, touch 14, flat footed 20; Base Atk +8/+3; Grp +10; Atk +13 melee 
  (1d6+3 /17-20 +1 Keen Rapier) or + 13 ranged (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); Full Atk +13/+8 melee 
  (1d6+3 / 17-20 +1 Keen Rapier) or +13 (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); SA Death Attack, Sneak attack 
  +6d6; SQ evasion, improved uncanny dodge, opportunist, poison use, spells, trapfinding, trap sense +3, 
  uncanny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats: Balance +18, Bluff +13, Climb +15, Disguise +15, Escape Artist +18, Hide +16, 
  Move Silently +16, Sleight of Hand +16, Spot +13, Tumble +16, Use Rope +18; Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. 
  This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the 
  attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. 
  If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically 
  gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack 
  to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character. 
  Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an 
  opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the 
  rogue’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the 
  opportunist ability more than once per round. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from 
  traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against 
  attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 62 
  
  reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.  Trap sense 
  bonuses gained from multiple classes stack. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of Armor +3, Ring of Protection +2, +1 Keen Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, 
  Potion of Cure Critical Wounds, 3 doses Giant wasp poison. 
   
  Assassin B, Human Rog9/Assn1: CR 10; Medium Humanoid (Human); HD 9d6+9 (Rog) + 1d6+1 
  (Assn); hp 48; Init +7; Spd 30ft.; AC 20, touch 15, flat footed 20; Base Atk +7/+2; Grp +9; Atk +12 melee 
  (1d6+3 /17-20 +1 Keen Rapier) or + 12 ranged (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); Full Atk +12/+7 melee 
  (1d6+3 / 17-20 +1 Keen Rapier) or +12 (1d4 / 19-20 Hand Crossbow); SA Death Attack, Sneak attack 
  +6d6; SQ evasion, improved uncanny dodge, poison use, spells, trapfinding, trap sense +3, uncanny 
  dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8. 
   
  Skills and Feats; Balance +17, Bluff +12, Climb +14, Disguise +14, Escape Artist +17, Hide +15, 
  Move Silently +15, Sleight of Hand +15, Spot +12, Tumble +15, Use Rope +17; Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse (Rapier), Weapon Focus (Rapier) 
  Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with 
  great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half 
  damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion. 
  Death Attack (Ex): If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack 
  with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of 
  possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin 
  can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not 
  detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a 
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she 
  dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act 
  for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is 
  just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the 
  death attack within the next 3 rounds.  If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) 
  or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of 
  study are required before he can attempt another death attack. 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. 
  This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the 
  attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. 
  If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically 
  gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack 
  to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character. 
  Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning 
  themselves when applying poison to a blade. 
  Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has 
  a Difficulty Class higher than 20.  Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm 
  magic traps.  A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, 
  figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it. 
  Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from 
  traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against 
  attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she 
  reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.  Trap sense 
  bonuses gained from multiple classes stack. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would 
  normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed 
  or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
   
  Possessions: Bracers of Armor +3, Ring of Protection +2, +1 Keen Rapier, MW Hand Crossbow, 
  Potion of Cure Critical Wounds, 3 doses Giant wasp poison. 
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 63 
  
  Appendix H – Creature of Legend Template Specifics
   
  "Monster of Legend" is a template that can be added to any animal, beast, magical beast, or monstrous 
  humanoid (hereafter referred to as the base creature).  The creature's type changes to outsider, though 
  the monster of legend's home plane is the Material Plane.  It has all the base creature's attributes, except 
  as noted here. 
   
  Hit Dice: all of the base creature's Hit Dice increases to d8s (if smaller than d8, otherwise, same as base 
  creature). 
   
  Speed: Same as base creature. 
   
  AC: Base creature's natural armor bonus improves by +5 
   
  Attacks: Same as base creature. 
   
  Damage: Same as base creature or as indicated on the table below, whichever is greater. 
   
  Size 
   
   
  Slam 
   
   
  Bite 
   
   
  Claw 
   
   
  Gore 
  Fine 
   
   
  1 
   
   
  1 
   
   
  -- 
   
   
  -- 
  Diminutive 
   
  1d2 
   
   
  1d2 
   
   
  1 
   
   
  -- 
  Tiny 
   
   
  1d3 
   
   
  1d3 
   
   
  1d2 
   
   
  1 
  Small 
   
   
  1d4 
   
   
  1d4 
   
   
  1d3 
   
   
  1d2 
  Medium-size 
   
  1d6 
   
   
  1d6 
   
   
  1d4 
   
   
  1d3 
  Large  
   
  1d8 
   
   
  1d8 
   
   
  1d6 
   
   
  1d4 
  Huge 
   
   
  2d6 
   
   
  2d6 
   
   
  2d4 
   
   
  1d6 
  Gargantuan 
   
  2d8 
   
   
  2d8 
   
   
  2d6 
   
   
  1d8 
  Colossal 
   
  4d6 
   
   
  4d6 
   
   
  2d8 
   
   
  2d8 
   
  Special Attacks: A monster of legend retains the base creature's extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-
  like abilities.  In addition, it gains one of the following special attacks: 
   
  Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4 rounds, the monster of legend can use a breath weapon (15-foot cone, 
  3d6 damage). Choose one of the following energy types: acid, fire, lightning, or cold.  A target can make 
  a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 monster of legend's Hit Dice + monster of legend's Constitution modifier) for 
  half damage. 
   
  Frightful Presence (Ex): When a monster of legend makes a loud sound (a roar, growl, or other sound 
  appropriate to its form), it inspires terror in all creatures within 20 feet that have fewer Hit Dice or levels 
  than it has.  Each potentially affected opponent must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 monster of 
  legend's Hit Dice + monster of legend's Charisma modifier) or become shaken--a condition that lasts until 
  the opponent is out of range.  A successful save leaves that opponent immune to that monster of legend's 
  frightful presence for 24 hours. 
   
  Poison (Ex): A monster of legend delivers its poison with each successful bite attack.  A target that 
  succeeds at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the monster of legend's Hit Dice + the monster of legend's 
  Constitution modifier) does not take poison damage from that particular attack.  The initial and secondary 
  damage is the same: 1d6 points of Strength damage. 
   
  Raging Blood (Su): Choose whether the monster of legend has acid, fire, or electricity in its blood.  Each 
  time damage is dealt to the creature with a piercing or slashing attack, its blood sprays outward in a 5' 
  cone, dealing 1d4 points of damage of the selected energy type to all within range (no saving throw).  A 
  monster of legend is not harmed by its own blood. 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
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  Spells: the monster of legend casts divine spells from the cleric list and from the Protection, Strength, and 
  War domains as a 5th level cleric (save DC 10 + spell level + the monster of legend's Wisdom modifier).  
  It does not gain extra domain spell slots for these domains as a cleric would. 
   
  Special Qualities: A monster of legend retains the base creature's extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-
  like abilities.  In addition, it gains two of the following special qualities. 
   
  Damage Reduction (Su): 10/+1 
   
  Enhanced Attributes (Ex): The save DC for each of the monster of legend's special attacks, spells, 
  and spell-like abilities increases by +4 
   
  Fast Healing (Ex): A monster of legend regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round.  Fast healing 
  does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow the monster of 
  legend to regrow or reattach lost body parts. 
   
  Greater Damage (Ex): Damage dice for the creature's natural attacks are increased by one die type, 
  as indicated on the table below. 
   
  Old Damage 
   
  New Damage 
  ---  
   
  1 
  1 
   
   
  1d2 
  1d2  
   
  1d3 
  1d3  
   
  1d4 
  1d4  
   
  1d6 
  1d6  
   
  1d8 
  1d8  
   
  2d6 
   
   
  Haste (Su): the creature is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra partial action each round, as if 
  affected by a haste spell. 
   
  Immunities (Ex): The creature is immune to two of the following effects: acid, electricity, fear, poison, 
  polymorphing, or mind-affecting effects. 
   
  Reflective Hide (Su): the creature has a silvery sheen to its skin and is permanently protected by a 
  spell turning effect. 
   
  Regrow Limbs (Ex): If the creature loses a limb, head, or body part, a new one grows in 1 round.  A 
  monster of legend with this ability cannot be slain by a vorpal weapon's head severing ability. 
   
  See in Darkness (Su): the creature can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by 
  deeper darkness spells. 
   
  Spell resistance (Su): the creature has spell resistance equal to 10 + 1/2 monster of legend's Hit 
  Dice. 
   
  Subtype (Ex): the creature has one of the following subtypes: cold or fire. 
   
  Saves: Each of the creature's base saves increases by +3 
   
  Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +10, Dex +6, Con +10, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. 
   
  Skills: A monster of legend has skill points as the base creature, adjusted for its increased Intelligence 
  score.  Its class skills are as the base creature. 
   
  Feats: a monster of legend gains Improved Initiative and Multiattack as bonus feats. 
   
  Climate/Terrain:  Same as base creature. 
  Organization: Same as base creature. 
  Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2 
  Treasure: Same as base creature. 
  Alignment: Same as base creature. 
  Advancement: Same as base creature. 
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 65 
  
  Judge’s Summary Sheet
   
  This sheet is a guide to be used to record unusual circumstances or situations that might arise during 
  your running of this scenario.  Should you have anything to record here, give this sheet to the game 
  coordinator who will make sure that this information is passed along to the Nyrond Triad.  If you are 
  running this as a home game, please forward the information along yourself by sending an email to 
  triad@nyrond.org. 
   
   
   
  1. Were any of the participating characters members of one of the Nyrond Royal meta-orgs or the 
  Sagacious Society? 
   
   
   
  2. Did any character perform exceptionally well or exceptionally poorly?  What were the 
  circumstances surrounding this performance? 
   
   
   
  3. Did the PCs recover the meteorite?  If not, what caused them to fail? 
   
   
   
  4. Did the PCs recover the other ingredients?  If not, what caused them to fail? 
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 66 
  
  Special Notes for AR Design 
   
  The following should be added to the Specials section of the AR: 
   
  Favor of Kurast 
  For your recent help and assistance, the Elementalist Kurast owes you a favor.  This favor may be redeemed to obtain access to 
  either the Frost or Icy Burst enhancements, which may be added to any weapon.  This favor is only good for the acquisition of one of 
  these two items, and counts only as access.  The item still must be purchased normally.  Alternatively, the favor will be of use during 
  the next scenario in this series – Kiss of Incabulos.  Until redeemed, this favor counts as an influence point with “Parties Loyal to the 
  King.”  This could be of use within Nyrond Regional Meta-orgs. 
   
  Favor of The Grey Seer 
  The Grey Seer is pleased with your aid and, upon redemption of this favor, will assist you in the location of any one of the following 
  items: Amulet of Health +2, Cloak of Charisma +2, Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2, Gloves of Dexterity +2, Headband of Intellect +2 or 
  Periapt of Wisdom +2.  This favor is only good for the acquisition of one of these six items, and counts only as access.  The item still 
  must be purchased normally.  Until redeemed, this favor counts as an influence point with “Parties Loyal to the King.”  This could be 
  of use within Nyrond Regional Meta-orgs. 
   
  Peaceful Contact with an Elemental 
  This character has had peaceful contact with a water elemental and friend of the Elementalist Kurast.  This contact counts for the 
  requirements of the Elemental Savant prestige class – water variant. 
   
  Level Drained 
  This character has permanently lost levels to the level draining effects of the Vampire Tyrael, Who Dances on the Wind.  This level 
  drain counts towards qualifying for the Hunter of the Dead prestige class. 
   
  Total Failure 
  Having failed to secure the meteorite, this character suffers from being ejected from all existing Nyrond regional meta-org 
  membership, except for membership in the Nyrond Military, General Religious Meta-orgs, or Nyrond Thieves Guilds.  Should this 
  character wish to rejoin a Nyrond regional meta-org at a later date, permission must be sought from the Nyrond Triad. 
   
   
  In addition, the characters have obtained access to purchase the following items (broken out by APL). 
   
  APL2: 
  Brooch of Shielding 
   
  APL6: 
  Potion of Displacement 
   
  APL8: 
  Bracers of Armor +2 
   
  APL10: 
  +1 Throwing Kama 
   
  APL12: 
  Bracers of Armor +3 
  +1 Throwing Returning Kama 
   
   
  To Catch a Falling Star 
  [Round 1] 
  Page 67 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Modules/Nyrond/593/Normal Scenarios/NYR3-07 - To Catch a Falling Star (APL 2-12)/NYR3-07 - To Catch a Falling Star.pdf