Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Finder’s Archives.
In this column, we take some of the lands from Magic: The Gathering and turn them into something you can use for your fantasy games.
The stats given in each entry assumes that you’re using Pathfinder for your games, but they can easily be converted over into any fantasy system. This week we turn our attention to the Academy Ruins.
Academy Ruins
The Academy Ruins were once a world-famed school for wizards, known for the craftsmanship of its magic items, and the power of the various headmasters. That all ended a few years ago when a new headmaster decided to reach above his station and recreate the Eye of Vecna. This ended disastrously, as the ancient lich-god took offence at the attempt. The end result was that the school now lies under a mile of water, in complete ruins, with only the fish inhabiting the area. Except, something still stirs in the dark waters, grasping for power once more.
Lay of the Land:
The Academy Ruins is located a mile underwater, near a coast populated with sheer cliff faces. It can only be accessed by those able to breathe and travel underwater, and it is rife with magic. The whole area detects as magic, of overwhelming power, a residue of the spell wrought by Vecna when he laid the area to waste.
Dangers:
The area is populated with wild animals, and has some strange attraction to all kinds of predators, such as sharks and orcas. Any kind of natural underwater predator can be found in the warm saltwater area.
More importantly, though, the area has a thriving population of bunyips that make the area dangerous. Somehow the creatures’ natural solitary instincts are suppressed in the area, and they have built the most unlikely of societies. The area is also home to Grashkal, a mutated Dragon Turtle (treat as a chaotic evil fiendish dragon turtle).
The single most dangerous creature in the area though, is the Headmaster Llothen, the former leader of the school and now a twisted Lich (treat as an 18th level Human Wizard Lich, with access to all 1-9th level spells – Please note that he is NOT equipped with any magic items, as these were destroyed by Vecna. Should the GM want, he can have rebuilt new ones as appropriate – this lack of magic items reduced his CR to 18 rather than the normal 20)).
Headmaster Llothen
Male Human Wizard level 18
XP 204,800
CE medium undead
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +17; Aura fear (60 ft. radius, DC 19)
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+1 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 101 (18d6+36)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +12
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4. DR 15/bludgeoning and magic; Immune cold, electricity, mind-affecting, polymorph, undead traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Touch + 10 (1d8+9 negative energy plus paralysis)
Special Attacks paralyzing touch (Will DC 20 half damage, Fort. DC 20 negates paralysis)
Spells CL 18th, concentration +24
Actual Spells as chosen by GM
Special Qualities Arcane Bond (now broken, normally a staff)
Str 8, Dex 13, Con 0, Int 23, Wis 13, Cha 13
Skills Appraise 25, Knowledge (arcana) +26, Knowledge (religion) +26, Knowledge (planes) +26, Perception 17, Spellcraft +26 (remainder skills to be chosen by GM)
Feats Brew Potion, Craft Staff, Craft Wand, Allied Spellcaster (Team), Combat Casting, Craft Rod, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration;
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Infernal
Kim Frandsen
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