TEXT: EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
  EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
   
  writing Jon Sawatsky
   color art Ellis Goodson
   
  editing James J. Haeck
   
  layout Eric Life-Putnam
  Vile Ritual
   Encounters
  P
  resented here, three 
  rituals vile and evil. 
  Designed to challenge 
  PCs at the end of each tier of play, 
  each ritual serves as a climactic 
  encounter to end a campaign arc 
  or begin a new one, presenting 
  a nefarious purpose, suggested 
  performers, and a round by round 
  guide for preventing the ritual from 
  completing. Detail the rituals as you 
  see fit, adding flourishes that are 
  right for your setting. In general, 
  the rituals stay within the listed 
  challenge rating, though on occasion, 
  failing to stop the ritual adds to the 
  challenge. Use your best (and most 
  wicked?) judgment when GMing 
  these dark and magical encounters.
  
  Vile Ritual Encounters | EN World EN5IDER
  Vile Ritual Encounters | EN World EN5IDER
  The Summoning (CR 5)
  Purpose
  The purpose of this ritual is to summon the 
  unholy servant of the cultists’ blasphemous god. 
  Little do the cultists know that in completing the 
  ritual, they seal their own doom; the arrival of the 
  devil releases a wave of energy that slays them all.
  Performers
  To create a single CR 5 encounter, the roster of 
  evil ritualists includes one cult fanatic, three dust 
  mephits, and four to six cultists. The completion 
  of the ritual triggers another CR 5 encounter, as a 
  single barbed devil is summoned. The ritual has 
  two stages, described as follows.
  Stage One
  Atop an altar stands a single humanoid figure in 
  voluminous black robes. The robed figure’s face is 
  shadowed by an ornately embroidered hood pulled 
  tight. The figure holds a wicked green blade above the 
  struggling captive, whose wide eyes dance with terror.
   
  On the floor before the altar, an assortment of 
  wicked men and women utter dark words. Their invo-
  cations create motes of violet-hued magical energy, 
  which is being collected by small winged monstrosi-
  ties who flit here and there. The invokers regard you 
  with malice.
  The primary action of the performers in this stage 
  is to complete the ritual. The cultists are free to 
  attack the party, and will gladly throw themselves 
  in the way of any PCs attempt to target the 
  mephits or the fanatic. A DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check identifies that the mephits are the 
  key to progressing the ritual. Freeing the victim 
  requires a DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) 
  check. If the victim is freed, the ritual is stopped, 
  and the foes attack the party until they are dead.
   Rounds 1 and 2: The cultists rush and attack 
  the party, uttering the invocation as a bonus 
  action. The mephits collect dark energy orbs as 
  a bonus action. The mephits use their action to 
  move, transporting the orbs to the fanatic. If they 
  are engaged in melee, they use their actions to 
  disengage and then attempt to reach the fanatic 
  or an orb. The fanatic does not move, but will cast 
  his spells (command, spiritual weapon, hold person) 
  against the party.
   If any mephit survives to the end of round 2, 
  the ritual progresses to Stage Two.
  Stage Two
  As a winged horror delivers one final mote of dark-
  ness, the robed cabalist plunges the wicked green 
  blade into the captive. A pained cry is drowned out by 
  the cheers and jeers of the ritualists. Withdrawing the 
  dagger from the body, the robed figure surveys the 
  battle. The body begins to twitch and convulse.
  The body requires no more actions to transform, 
  only time. All the cultists and remaining ritualists 
  are free to attack the PCs and defend the 
  transforming body. 
   Rounds 3 and 4: The fanatic drives his blade 
  into the sacrifice’s heart as a bonus action on 
  initiative 20 on round 3. He then joins any 
  remaining foes in defending the transforming 
  body, using his magical dagger (see Treasure) in 
  melee combat against the PCs. The body can be 
  destroyed (AC 12, 30 hit points, vulnerability to 
  radiant damage). Destroying the body halts the 
  ritual.
   If the body remains intact at the end of round 4, 
  the ritual progresses to Completion.
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  EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
  EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
  Stage One
  A massive iron cauldron bubbles and glows with sickly 
  green magic. Set on a wooden frame beside the river, 
  the cauldron is stirred by an enchanted paddle that 
  slowly churns the vomitous mixture. A barbarous 
  warrior stands near the cauldron, holding an armful 
  of firewood. To his right and left are brutish minions, 
  their bodies bristling with thorns and rough bark. 
  The first priority of the guardians is to protect the 
  enchanted cauldron as it brews the poison. PCs 
  can attempt to disable the cauldron using brawn, 
  brains, or magic.
   Rounds 1, 2, and 3: The gladiator uses his 
  first action to break the branches over his knee 
  and toss them on the ground in the direction 
  of the PCs. The thornfists instantly rush to the 
  splinters of the branches and from there join 
  combat. The gladiator stays within 10 feet of the 
  cauldron, liberally using his Shield Bash action in 
  an attempt to keep the PCs from tampering with 
  the poison. The thornfists use their Spike Growth 
  and Hail of Thorns actions to slow and damage 
  the party as they approach. If the thornfists are 
  engaged in melee, they attempt to grapple PCs 
  and drag their victims to the churning river to 
  toss them in. The river is adjacent to the camp, 
  and the thornfists can close the distance to its 
  banks in one round. PCs thrown into the river 
  must make a DC 12 Dexterity save to catch 
  themselves on the rocks and avoid being swept 
  downriver.
   The following actions stop the cauldron’s 
  magical mixing:
   
  ▶ Any PC within 5 feet of the cauldron can 
  attempt to stop the magical mixing device 
  with a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) or DC 16 
  Intelligence (Arcana) check.
   
  ▶ A dispel magic spell ends the mixing ritual; 
  the ritual counts as a 5th-level spell.
   
  ▶ If the device successfully mixes the cauldron 
  until the end of round 3, the ritual progresses 
  to Stage Two.
  Completion
  The body twitches a final time and then is still. Sud-
  denly, with an enormous thundering sound, the body 
  is transformed! A pulse of violet energy erupts from 
  the altar as the body changes shape. What evil thing 
  has been summoned?
  Round 5: On initiative count 20 of round 5, the 
  transforming victim releases a wave of infernal 
  energy. The wave instantly slays all remaining 
  cultists and mephits. PCs must make a DC 10 
  Wisdom saving throw, becoming frightened for 
  one round on a failure. The summoned barbed 
  devil then attacks the party until it is slain.
  Treasure
  The sacrificial blade of the fanatic is a +2 dagger. 
  The cultists each wear a jewelled silver symbol of 
  their god worth 25 gp. The fanatic carries a scroll 
  case containing a description of the dark ritual the 
  PCs witnessed. A buyer of exotic and dangerous 
  things might pay up to 300 gp for such mad 
  scribblings.
  The Poisoning (CR 10)
  Purpose
  The purpose of this ritual is to poison a civilized 
  region’s major source of water. The greater 
  motivation for this act is left to the GM.
  Performers 
  To create a single CR 10 encounter, the squad of 
  brutal guardians includes one gladiator and two 
  or three thornfists*. If the ritual progresses to 
  Stage Two, four awakened trees join the melee.
   * Brandes Stoddard, “Monstrous Menagerie: It’s Already 
  Ogre,” EN World EN5ider, https://www.patreon.com/posts/
  monstrous-its-5124529)
  
  Vile Ritual Encounters | EN World EN5IDER
  Vile Ritual Encounters | EN World EN5IDER
  Stage Two
  The paddle flies out of the cauldron, and the frame 
  creaks audibly as the cauldron tips over and the 
  concoction begins slowly pouring out into the river. 
  Foul mist rises from the water as the pollution races 
  downstream. It will take only a few moments for the 
  cauldron to empty.
  The mixing is complete. The cauldron now begins 
  to automatically pour its vile contents into the 
  river, and the PCs must now attempt to stop it 
  from pouring and contend with the resulting 
  corruption.
   Rounds 4 and 5: On initiative count 20 of 
  round 4, the cauldron begins pouring its contents 
  into the river. The alchemical admixture is so 
  potent, it immediately corrupts a copse of trees on 
  the river bank nearby. Four awakened trees creak 
  noisily to life, their branches and leaves glowing 
  a sickly green. The trees have a +1 to their AC 
  and deal an additional 4 (2d4) poison damage on 
  each successful attack. The trees take one round to 
  reach the site of the cauldron. Use your discretion 
  when adding the trees—adding all four makes 
  this encounter much more difficult, especially if 
  the number of other foes has not been thinned.
   At this point, the only way to stop the ritual is 
  to stop the cauldron pouring. A DC 18 Strength 
  (Athletics) check allows the PC to tip the cauldron 
  into an upright position using brute force. 
   The ritual is complete if the cauldron continues 
  to pour to the end of round 5.
  Completion 
  The last drops fall from the cauldron into the bilious 
  green river, ensuring calamity downstream.
  Now that the pouring is complete, the remaining 
  guardians will battle the PCs to death. The river 
  is now a source of corruption, spreading sickness 
  and evil through its waters. The long-term 
  impacts of this are left to you. 
  The Immolation (CR 15)
  Purpose
  The purpose of this ritual is to summon a fireball 
  that streaks through the skies, animating every 
  open flame within a hundred miles and infusing it 
  with fell purpose.
  Performers
  To create a CR 15 encounter, this fiery ritual 
  requires four red dragon wyrmlings and one 
  mage.
  Stage One
  Four enraged red dragons beat their wings against 
  cruel restraints. Standing in the center of the draconic 
  fury, a single robed figure beside a large floating skull. 
  The skull is cracked, and brittle, but glows brilliantly 
  with arcane markings.
  The mage has been collecting the chained dragons’ 
  fire into the ritually inscribed skull of an unnamed 
  evil entity. He stokes the dragon’s flames with 
  taunts from behind a wall of force (dome form).
   Rounds 1 and 2: The party enters the ritual 
  space 120 feet from the inscribed skull. The four 
  dragon wyrmlings use their Fire Breath against 
  the PCs in the first round, but the magical skull 
  sucks the fire in, and the flames make the skull 
  glow brighter. Incensed, the wyrmlings use their 
  other attacks on round 2 if possible. They cannot 
  fly, nor can they flee the scene; the adamantine 
  chains that tether them to the ritual site are too 
  strong for them to break. 
   The mage hides inside the barrier which is 
  directly next to the skull. The skull is not inside 
  the barrier. The mage casts offensive spells 
  against the party from inside the force dome 
  without dropping concentration on the wall of 
  force spell. The mage cannot be targeted by spells 
  or attacks while inside the barrier. The dragons 
  gave up attacking him long ago. The dome can be 
  destroyed by a disintegrate spell.
  
  EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
  EN World EN5IDER | Vile Ritual Encounters
   The skull is fully charged once the dragons 
  breathe their fire in round 1. It slowly begins to 
  rise in the air. Touching or attacking the skull 
  triggers a fireball spell, centered on the skull, and 
  cast at 5th level. The skull can be destroyed or 
  stopped by:
   
  ▶ A single blow with a magical bludgeoning 
  weapon that causes at least 10 damage.
   
  ▶ A DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check made 
  after grabbing it (and suffering the full 
  effects of the fireball).
  If the skull’s ascent is not stopped by the end of 
  round 2, the ritual progresses to Stage Two.
  Stage Two
  Glowing like a small sun, the skull rises into the air. 
  Long tendrils of fire flick menacingly from the skull’s 
  burning sockets. 
  The skull has risen to its apex. The mage drops 
  the wall of force and attempts to escape, and the 
  dragons seethe and roil. Flaming tendrils grow 
  and envelop the skull.
   Rounds 3, 4, and 5: The mage flees the ritual 
  site. The ritual is complete, and the skull’s evil 
  purpose is only moments from resolving. The 
  mage uses Disengage and Dash actions to escape 
  capture, casting spells only to further that aim. 
  The dragons attack the PCs, using their Flame 
  Breath whenever possible, now unaffected by 
  the skull. On initiative count 1 of rounds 3 and 
  4, tendrils of flame lick forth from the skull, 
  targeting the closest PC within 60 feet. The 
  affected PC must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving 
  throw, taking 30 fire damage on a failure, or half 
  as much on a success.
   The skull can be destroyed or stopped as 
  described in Stage One, but the skull now floats 
  20 feet in the air. If the skull remains intact and 
  floating at the end of round 5, the ritual completes.
  Completion
  In an instant, the flame-wreathed skull rockets high 
  into the air. With a crackling explosion, fire shoots out, 
  radiating into the sky in all directions. The ritual is 
  complete, and from your vantage you see tiny pin-
  pricks of light start to dot the countryside.
   
  The fires are alive. And they are spreading. 
  The skull shoots upwards into the sky, and 
  streaks across the horizon. A wave of gray-white 
  ash blankets the region, instantly animating 
  any open flame and transforming it into a fire 
  elemental. The size and power of the elemental is 
  commensurate with the size of the flame which 
  spawned it. The region is now under assault from 
  these elemental foes, and it could fall upon the 
  PCs to stamp out this wicked immolation. e
  
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