Negotiations at the Temple of Blood – Steal this Encounter
In an abandoned village, off a road rarely traveled, rests a temple forgotten by all but a select few. The temple was once a place dedicated to the gods of good and protection, and in such a small community, it served as the center of daily life. These days it only sees activity two nights a month. That is when the vampire lord Andragen conducts business.
Negotiations at the Temple of Blood is a level 22 encounter for D&D, 4th Edition. It includes a map, a skill challenge, and a brand new solo monster. It was originally submitted to A Walk in the Dark as part of their solo contest series. While I didn’t take home the prize, I hope you still find use for it in your game. It has been edited from its original submitted version with two new optional rules, which I believe should make the encounter more dynamic.
You can download the encounter here.
Brian Liberge
Brian Liberge is a father of one, living in Boston, MA. Introduced to AD&D at an early age, he’s continued to update with the editions, and new games. He loves home-brewed ideas, is honest to a fault, and thinks that ideas and mechanics should absolutely be shared between systems. With a B.S. Degree in Theatre Arts, a job in Information Technology, and a love of strategy gaming, he tries to bring the best of each into his new creations for StufferShack.
Check out his latest book the Midgard Bestiary for 4e, available now. Profile Page / Article Portfolio
I like how the thing doesn’t HAVE to end in a fight, as there are different ways this whole thing could end.
Also, what’s the reference optional rule – the Fury of Mike Shea?
Thank you. I see no reason why every vampire lord has to be massacred.
Mike Shea, is often known as SlyFlourish, the voice of SlyFlourish.com. He has often spoken/written about how he allows his solos to damage themselves in order to lift a status effect. I though the creature’s stat block was packed enough, and wanted it to be clear this wasn’t a vampire thing, but something you could with any monster that should be challenging. That’s why it was a separate optional rule, specifically mentioning him. I also found it slightly amusing.
You can see an early version of this on his website, here: http://slyflourish.com/three-monster-powers-to-speed-up-combat/