The Dead Queens of Morvena (Part 3)

This is the third part in a series on The Dead Queens of Morvena. After the series is completed, I will repost a combined (and likely reedited) version that will serve as my own entry for the RPG Blog Carnival that I am hosting. I want to encourage critical comments, opinion, advice, or praise (might I deserve it) for each part of this series. Your input will no doubt influence the final product.

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In this last installment of The Dead Queens of Morvena, I will be presenting the statblocks and some "fluff" for each of the two dead sister-queens, Aveldina and Nemala. For anyone who is reading this series for the first time, the first part of this series can be found here, where I introduce backstory of how The Dead Queens came to be. In the second part of the series, found here, I suggested two adventure hooks that might be used to introduce The Dead Queens and the lands of Fetherruin into any new or existing campaign. Finally, in this last installment (for now) I'll present The Dead Queens as 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons statblocks so that these two NPCs might be dropped into any campaign.

An Unliving Transformation
The two sister-queens, Aveldina and Nemala, suffered a great injustice just prior to their deaths. Their newborns turned out to have the mixed bloodline of the Abyss, and once born, the two queens gave up their children in the hopes that they might live in obscurity. The Ritual of Exchange put great stress on the two mothers, but with the help of the Arcanist Boolabk Manger they were able to hide the identities of the newborns by exchanging their souls with those of two pure-blooded human newborns born in Morvena on the same day. Then, to add insult to injury, King Mindenáron declared that his queens were heretics and ordered that they and their children be executed immediately. He then falsely mourned their death, and placed their remains in a series of royal tombs originally built for his father Erushai.

Such an ordeal had a strong, pernicious effect on both the queen's souls. Their hearts were broken from grief at losing their children. Their bodies were corrupted from carrying the demon's flesh in their wombs. Their minds were filled with hatred and rage against their husband's betrayal. It was too much. Their souls would not rest until they were reunited with their children and found the satisfaction of revenge against their monarch. This was enough for the evil, the Incubus, that had plagued the Fetherriun once before to seek out their souls in the Afterworld and offer their souls the gift of life once again. The Queens accepted its offer and were soon awakened in the darkness of their graves. The Incubus raised them up from the dead as the unliving Dead Queens of Morvena. It fed their rage with the power of the unliving. It caressed their burning hatred of Morvena with an undying flame of revenge.

Locked in their graves for eternity, they learned to wait patiently for the day when some foolish living mortal unearths their buried tomb.

The Dead Queens Statblocks
The sister-queens are both L11 Solo Controller types with the Lich template applied. Each of them also has a class-template applied as well: warlock (Aveldina) and wizard (Nemala). Now, in the backstory I developed earlier I never explicitly indicated that these two women were sorcerers of anykind, but that is not to say that were not. Alternatively, you could simply use these "rules" as means-to-an-end crunch and disregard that they are 'liches' or 'wizards' and just simply play them as some really angry undead queens. This latter approach works better, in my opinion.

Each statblock is followed by a TACTICS block, to help guide any DM wishing to use these NPCs in their game. Also, the ommission of the Implement keyword on many of the powers is by design, since these NPCs have no need for such trappings.

Avildena, The First Mother of the Demonborn
L11 Solo Controller

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Medium natural humanoid (undead), human lich warlock XP 3000
Initiative +5
Senses Darkvision, Perception +7;
Necromantic Aura (Necrotic) Aura 5; any living creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura takes 5 necrotic damage.
HP 204; Bloodied 102; Healing Surges 2
AC 24; Fortitude 27, Reflex 23, Will 30
Immune disease, poison; Resist necrotic 10; Vulnerable radiant 10
Saving Throws +2
Action Points 2
Regeneration 10, If the Avildena takes radiant damage, her regeneration does not function on its next turn.
Speed 6
(MB) Claws (standard; at-will) * Martial: +9 vs. AC, 1d6 +4 damage.
(RB) Eldritch Blast (standard; at-will) * Arcane: Range 10, +16 vs. Reflex, 1d10 +11 arcane damage; This power counts as a ranged basic attack. When a power allows Avildena to make a ranged basic attack, she can use this power.
(R) Hellish Rebuke (standard; at-will) * Arcane, Fire: Range 10, +13 vs. Reflex, 1d6 +8 fire damage; If Avildena takes damage before the end of her next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 +8 fire damage.
(R) Fiery Bolt (standard; encounter) * Arcane, Fire: Range 10, +13 vs Reflex, 3d6 +8 fire damage, and creatures adjacent to the target take 1d6 +8 fire damage.
(B) Howl of Doom (standard; encounter) * Arcane, Fear, Thunder: Close burst 3, targets each creature +13 vs. Fortitude, 2d6 +8 thunder damage, and Aveldina pushes each target 3 squares.
(R) Iron Spike of Dis (standard; daily) * Arcane: Range 10, +13 vs. Reflex, 3d10 +8 arcane damage and the target is immobilized (save ends). On a miss, the target takes half-damage and is not immobilized.
Warlock's Curse (minor; at-will) * Arcane: Range nearest enemy; Avildena does +2d6 arcane damage to a cursed target. If that target reaches 0 hit points, her pact boon is triggered. Avildena may choose to immediately gain 11 temporary hit points or use her Rod of Corruption (see below).
Shielding Shades (immediate interrupt; daily) * Arcane: If Avildena is hit by an attack, she reduces the attack's damage to 0. If the attack targets other creatures, they take damage as normal.
Shadow Form (minor; daily) * Arcane, Polymorph: Avildena assumes a shadowy form until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes. In this form she is insubstantial, gains fly 6, and can’t take standard actions. Reverting to her normal form is a minor action.
Rod of Corruption (property): Whenever Avelina's pact boon is triggered, instead of taking its normal benefit she can transfer her Warlock’s Curse to each enemy within 5 squares of the original target. In addition, whenever she scores a critical hit on a target (cursed or not), they take +3d6 damage of the same type.
Spellmaster (minor; recharge 4 - 6): Avelina regains the use of an expended encounter power.
Necrotic Master: Avelina can convert any attack power she has to necrotic. Change a power’s energy keyword to necrotic, or add necrotic energy to an attack power that does not normally deal energy damage.
Skills Arcana +12, Intimidate +15, Thievery +10
Alignment Evil
Languages common, elven, abyssal
Str 9 (+4)
Dex 11 (+5)
Wis 13 (+6)
Con 14 (+7)
Int 14 (+7)
Cha 21 (+10)
Equipment Ceremonial Burial Robes, Rod of Corruption +3 (L13)
TACTICS: Having been freed finally from her tomb, Aveldina holds nothing back against those who opened it. She does not give the players any opportunity for dialogue. Instead, she howls and screams "Where are my children, betrayers?!" and then opens up with her strongest abilities. Her first tactical objective is to deal with the least armored, ranged combat opponents first. She opens up by placing a Warlock's Curse and using her Howl of Doom, centered to strike as many opponents as possible, and then follows with immediately using her Action Point to make a second attack against the same group with Fiery Bolt. If everything goes well, the target of her assault will be cursed and receive 9d6 +18 (plus a possible 3d6 damage per attack if she scores a critical hit with either of them). On the subsequent round, she will use her Iron Spikes of Dis on the same opponent (3d10 +2d6 +8 damage). She will attempt to use her Spellmaster power every round, so long she has at least one cursed opponent to focus on. Once she drops below 50hp, she will use her Shadow Form and attempt to flee.


Nemala, The Second Mother of the Demonborn
L11 Solo Controller

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Medium natural humanoid (undead), human lich wizard XP 3000
Initiative +6
Senses Darkvision, Perception +7;
Necromantic Aura (Necrotic) Aura 5; any living creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura takes 5 necrotic damage.
HP 81; Bloodied 40; Healing Surges 2
AC 28; Fortitude 27, Reflex 26, Will 30
Immune disease, poison; Resist necrotic 10; Vulnerable radiant 10
Saving Throws +2
Action Points 1
Regeneration 10, if the Nemala takes radiant damage, her regeneration does not function on its next turn.
Speed 6
(MB) Claws (standard; at-will) * Martial: +6 vs. AC, 1d6 +5 damage.
(RB) Ray of Frost (standard; at-will) * Arcane, Cold: Range 10, +15 vs. Fortitude, 1d6+10 and the target is slowed until the end of Nemala's next turn
(R) Icy Rays (standard; encounter) * Arcane, Cold: Range 10; targets one or two creatures; +15 vs. Reflex, one attack per target. 1d10 +10 cold damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of your next turn.
(A) Winter's Wrath (standard; encounter) * Arcane, Cold: Area burst 2 within 10 squares; Target: Each creature in burst; +15 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 +10 cold damage. A blizzard erupts in the designated area and continues until the end of your next turn. It grants concealment, and any creature that starts its turn in the storm takes cold damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. You can end this effect as a minor action.
(A) Ice Storm (standard; daily) & Arcane, Cold, Zone: Area burst 3 within 20 squares; +15 vs. Fortitude, 2d8 +10 cold damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Effect: The burst creates a zone of ice. The zone is difficult terrain until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes.
Invisibility (standard; daily) * Arcane, Illusion: Range 5; Target is Nemala or 1 other creature; the target is invisible until the end of your next turn. If the target attacks, the target becomes visible. Sustain Standard: If the target is within range, you can sustain the effect.
Resistance (minor; daily) * Arcane: Range 10; Against a particular damage type chosen by Nemala, the target gains resistance 16 until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes. Choose the damage type from the following list: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder.
Staff of Defense (immediate interrupt; encounter) Arcane: Nemala gains a +2 bonus to defense against one attack. She can declare the bonus after the Dungeon Master has already indicated the damage total. She must wield her staff to benefit from these features.
Spellmaster (minor; recharge 4 - 6): Nemala regains the use of an expended encounter power.
Necrotic Master: Nemala can convert any attack power she has to necrotic. Change a power’s energy keyword to necrotic, or add necrotic energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally deal energy damage.
Skills Arcana +15, Insight +13, Religion +15
Alignment Evil
Languages common, elven, abyssal
Str 11 (+5)
Dex 12 (+6)
Wis 16 (+8)
Con 15 (+7)
Int 21 (+10)
Cha 13 (+6)
Equipment Ceremonial Burial Robes
TACTICS: Like her sister, Nemala offers the PCs no quarter. The first actions Nemala will take include casting Resistance (cold) on herself, using her Action Point to take two standard actions to use both her Winter's Wrath and Ice Storm spells on the same area. Having resistance against her own blizzard, she then will move into the blizzard and fight from inside it for the remainder of the combat so that melee opponents will have their movement hampered and take damage every round. She will use her Spellmaster power often in the hopes cast additional Winter's Wrath spells to extend the affected areas. During combat, she will also take advantage of her immobilizing spells and focus on Strikers and Defenders first. Once bloodied, she will use her Second Wind to heal herself. If bloodied again, she use Invisibility and try to escape.

Well.. that is the end of this series. What did you think?

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