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The Demented One
2007-07-16, 02:32 PM
The Academy of Tears, Laboratory of Evil

The Academy of Tears is a dark, labyrinthine hell, a place of eternal punishment for those who caused death and agony through their blind pursuit of science and knowledge. Alchemist, scientists, and mages who were willing to inflict evil on the world for the sake of their personal quests find themselves imprisoned here, used as experimental subjects by the ruler of this Abyssal layer, the sadistic Doctor Penemue. She takes a keen pleasure in torturing and experimenting on those who were once experimenters.

The whole of the Academy serves as her personal laboratory and library. Its halls are filled with countless chambers, filled with equipment that looks more fitting for a torturer's chambers than a scientist's laboratory. In the fetid dark beneath the Academy lies a vast dungeon, filled with the souls of those damned to Doctor Penemue's care.

Planar Traits

Normal Gravity
Normal Time
Divinely Morphic: Doctor Penemuecan reshape the Children's Hell dramatically with a thought.
Strongly chaotic and evil-aligned.
Impeded Magic: Spells with the good descriptor are harder to cast.


Notable Locations

The Athanor of Souls

The Athanor of Souls is a mile-wide lake of alchemic substances, potent acids, and vile poisons, charged with abyssal energy. The combined effect of these is to completely dissolve the soul of any unfortunate creature that falls into it. A damned soul placed into the lake dissolves immediately, with no saving throw or chance to escape. A living creature that falls into the lake takes 10d6 points of damage each round, Fortitude DC 25 half. Half of the damage is acid damage, the other half is vile damage. The soul of a creature killed in the Athanor dissolves, preventing the creature from being revived by any means. Only a miracle or wish spell can restore a dissolved soul, after which it can be resurrected normally.

Doctor Penemue has discovered a way to convert the dissolved soul energy of those who perish in the Athanor into Philosopher's Stones. By maintaining just the right mix of alchemic reagents, and dissolving tens of thousands of souls in the Athanor, Doctor Penemue can create a nascent Philosopher's Stone, which, when exposed to a pulse of demonic power from the Daemonheart, becomes a true Stone. Doctor Penemue has created around three dozen such Stones after discovering this property of the Athanor.

The Daemonheart

The power source for the whole Academy of Tears, the Daemonheart is a pulsing nexus of abyssal energy isolated by Doctor Penemue. Sealed away within the depths of the Academy, it is a brilliantly glowing sphere of pure, demonic evil. Any non-demon that comes within the chamber that contains the Daemonheart takes 10d6 points of vile damage each round. As the demon lord of the Academy, Doctor Penemue has sole control over the Daemonheart, directing its power to fuel her experiments and machinery.

The Grand Library

The Grand Library is a massive archive of countless spells, filled with hundreds upon thousands of spellbooks of magical text. According to rumor, every single spell known to wizardry can be found within its shelves. However, the books of the Grand Library are guarded carefully, both by Doctor Penemue's demonic servants, and by powerful traps and curses laid upon the books themselves.

The Torture Labs

Countless Torture Labs fill the endless corridors of the Academy of Tears. Each one is stocked with torture devices, either gathered from throughout the multiverse or invented by Doctor Penemue herself. In the Torture Labs, damned souls are made to suffer an eternal pain, at the hands of one of Doctor Penemue's demonic servants, with the most wicked of souls receiving punishment from the Doctor herself.

The Demented One
2007-07-16, 02:33 PM
Doctor Penemue
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 25d8+250 (362 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 120 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 31 (-1 size, +10 Dex, +12 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +25/+36
Attack: Blade +37 melee (2d8+12) or Grinder +37 melee (2d6+12/x3) or Needles +37 melee (1d6+12 plus poison)
Full Attack: Blade +37/+32/+27/+22 melee (2d8+12) or Grinder +37/+32/+27/+22 melee (2d6+12/x3) or Needles +37 melee (1d6+12 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Demonic prosthesis, metamagic affinity, spellcasting, spell-like abilities, summon tanar’ri, torturous gaze
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/epic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 50, cold 50, and fire 50, spell resistance 40, telepathy 1,000 ft.
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +24, Will +22
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 30, Con 30, Int 40, Wis 26, Cha 26
Skills: Appraise +48, Bluff +36, Concentration, Craft (Alchemy) +38, Diplomacy +36, Disable Device +48, Disguise +36, Heal +56, Intimidate +36 (+46 to torture), Knowledge (Arcana) +48, Knowledge (The Planes) +48, Listen +36, Sense Motive +36, Search +48, Spellcraft +68, Spot +36, Tumble +38, Use Magic Device +36
Feats: Eschew Materials, Extend Spell, Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Energy Substitution (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Energy_Substitution,CAr), Persistent Spell (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Persistent_Spell,CAr), Ignore Material Components, Epic Spellcasting
Environment: The Academy of Tears
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 28
Treasure: Quadruple Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: –
Level Adjustment: –

Doctor Penemue is the demon lord of the Academy of Tears, a scientist and mage of legendary sadism. She takes single-minded glee in the operation of the various devices of torture within the Academy, tormenting the souls damned there for an eternity. She is both a collector of ancient magic and an innovator of new arts; her collection of spells and artifacts is legendary, collected from across the multiverse, and she has perfected many new devices and creations–her demonic prothesis, the many torture machines of the Academy, the demonic undead known as the Tenembrae, the half-alive, half-artificial Abyssal Automata, as well as the immortal Homunculus 666. She is like a statuesque, towering succubus in appearance, and was, for most of her existence, a succubus who preyed on the lusts of lonely mages and inventors, before being promoted to demon lord. She has brilliantly white fangs and blood-red lips and skin, and wears a pristine white lab coat, with numerous occult sigils and mathematical formulae written on it in the blood of her victims. Her right arm has been replaced by the demonic prosthesis, an artifact that blends magic and engineering into an elegant replacement limb and powerful weapon.

Demonic Prosthesis (Ex)
Doctor Penemue has replaced her right arm with a magical graft, engineered from the remains of several ancient artifacts by the Doctor. An elegant masterpiece of clockwork, hydraulics, and magical artifice, the prosthesis serves as a total replacement to her arm, and can be used just as it could. In addition, various surgical and ritualistic tools contained within it grant Doctor Penemue a +20 competence bonus on all Heal and Spellcraft checks, as well as all Intimidate checks made when torturing a creature. In addition, the prothesis contains a number of weapons that Doctor Penemue can use. She can extend a weapon from her prosthesis as a swift action, and can switch between weapons as a swift weapon. All the weapons contained within the prosthesis have a +5 enhancement bonus, and possess the unholy special quality. The prosthesis contains a large, serrated blade, which deals damage as a bastard sword, an elongated, pestle-like grinder which deals damage as a warhammer, and a array of oversized needles which deal 1d6 piercing damage. In addition, the needles are filled with poison, magically generated by the prosthesis. The poison has a save DC of 22, and has both initial and secondary damage of 2d6 Constitution damage. Finally, the prosthesis contains a small slot into which a wand may be placed or removed as a move action. The wand, when placed in the prosthesis, can be used as if Doctor Penemue were holding it. Doctor Penemue typically keeps the Malefex in her prosthesis.

Metamagic Affinity (Ex)
Doctor Penemue can apply metamagic feats whose total level modifications are no greater than +4 to any spell she casts, without changing its level. She chooses which metamagic feats she applies at the time she casts the spell, not when she prepares it. In addition, all spells cast by Doctor Penemue automatically have the Violate Spell (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Violate_Spell,BV) metamagic feat applied to them. This does not count towards the total level modification of feats the Doctor can apply to her spells.

Spellcasting
Doctor Penemue casts arcane spells as a 25th-level Wizard. Thanks to her many libraries within the Academy, she has access to all spells on the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list from the Player’s Handbook, as well as any other spells the DM wishes to include. Her typical spells prepared below includes spells from the Spell Compendium, marked with a *. If the DM does not have access to or does not wish to use that book, these spells may be replaced by other spells by the DM. Doctor Penemue is capable of casting epic spells, and knows the animus blizzard, hellball, mass frog and rain of fire epic spells The save DC of Doctor Penemue’s spells is equal to 30 + the spell’s level.

Typical Spells Prepared
0th–arcane mark, detect magic (x2), prestidigitation; 1st–charm person, disguise self, expeditious retreat, mage armor magic missile (x2), nerveskitter*, true strike; 2nd–glitterdust, mirror image, phantasmal assailants*, shatter (x2), quick potion*, web, wraithstrike*; 3rd–devil blight*, explosive runes, girallon’s blessing*, hold person (x2), phantom steed, suggestion, vampiric touch; 4th–animate dead, assay spell resistance*, black tentacles, enervation (x2), greater invisibility, scrying; 5th–cone of cold, dominate person, feeblemind, prismatic ray*, wall of force, wrack* (x2); 6th–chain lightning, circle of death, disintegrate (x2), greater dispel magic (x2), true seeing; 7th–delayed blast fireball, finger of death, forcecage, insanity, mass hold person, simulacrum, spell turning; 8th–binding, dimensional lock, horrid wilting, mind blank, polar ray, polymorph any object; 9th–abyssal army*, dominate monster, gate, soul bind, wail of the banshee, wish; Epic–animus blizzard, mass frog.

Spell-Like Abilities
At will–blasphemy (DC 24), detect good, detect law, greater teleport, plane shift, tongues, unholy aura, unholy blight (DC 21). Caster level 25th. Saves are Charisma-based.

Summon Tanar’ri (Sp)
Once per day, Doctor Penemue can summon 1d8 Vrocks, 1d6 Tenembrae, or 1 Abyssal Automata. This is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.

Tortorous Gaze (Su)
Doctor Penemue’s mere gaze induces soul-wracking pain in those who meet her eyes. This is a gaze attack, with a range of 100 ft. and a DC 30 Will save. Those who fail their saves are wracked with pain, and become blinded and helpless for 25 rounds. Afterwards, they are panicked, and remain so for as long as they remain within 100 ft. of Doctor Penemue. The save is Charisma-based.

Possessions
Doctor Penemue possesses many magical items. She wields the artifact-wand Malefex. Thanks to the Athanor of Souls, she typically carries 1d6 Philosopher’s Stones. In addition, she has access to a wide library of scrolls, potions, and staves, capable of accessing any she might need.

The Demented One
2007-07-16, 02:35 PM
Abyssal Automata

Colossal Construct (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Living Construct, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 20d10+160 (270 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 36 (-8 size, -1 Dex, +35 natural), touch 1, flat-footed 36
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+51
Attack: Bite +27 melee (2d12+20)
Full Attack: 6 Slams +25 melee (2d8+10) and Bite +27 melee (2d12+20)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./30 ft.
Special Attacks: Abyssal cannon, summon tanar’ri, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., damage reduction 20/adamantine and good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, living construct traits, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 31, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 40, Dex 8, Con 36, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +43, Intimidate +26, Jump +43, Listen +23, Search +21, Spot +23
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Multiattack, Shock Trooper (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Shock_Trooper,CW), Overwhelming Assault (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Overwhelming_Assault,PH2)
Environment: The Academy of Tears
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 19
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 21-35 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: –

The Abyssal Automata are the most powerful servants of Doctor Penemue, monstrous constructs of both steel and demonic flesh. Doctor Penemue has only been able to create a dozen of them, but this has proven enough to ensure her iron grasp over her layer, as well as to safeguard her from the assaults of other demon lords. Being made of both magically animated steel and grafted demonic flesh, these constructs are at once alive and unalive, halfway between arcane animation and true life. They resemble metallic statues of true demons, covered in spikes and razor-sharp edges, with six crushing arms and a maw lined with adamantine fangs. A deep depression in their chest houses a fragment of pure abyssal energy, which serves as their most powerful weapon.

Abyssal Cannon (Su)
A Abyssal Automata can fire a blast of pure demonic energy, channeled from the very planar essence of the Abyss itself. As a full-round action, it can fire an 80 ft. cone of abyssal energy that deals 20d6 damage, Will DC 23 half. The save is Charisma-based. Good or lawful creature takes half as much damage again from the blast, and are stunned for 1d6 rounds if they fail their save. Lawful good creatures take double damage, and are stunned automatically. Chaotic or evil creatures take only half damage, and chaotic evil creatures take no damage. Demons are healed, rather than harmed, by the blast. Once an Abyssal Automata has used this ability, it must wait 1d4 rounds before it can use it again.

Spell-Like Abilities
At will–blasphemy (DC 20), greater dispel magic, greater teleport, mass hold monster (DC 22), plane shift, unholy aura, unholy blight (DC 17). Caster level 12th. Saves are Charisma-based.

Summon Tanar’ri (Sp)
Once per day, an Abyssal Automata can automatically summon 1d8 Tenembrae, 1d6 Babaue, 1d3 Bebiliths or one Glabrezu, Marilith, or Abyssal Automata. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.

Creating Abyssal Automata

Creating Abyssal Automata is a difficult task. Only a demon lord can craft them, and they can only be crafted at the abyssal Daemonheart, deep within the Academy of Tears, as their animation requires its power to be tapped. Since Doctor Penemue lacks the Craft Construct feat, as well as some of the spells required to animate an automata, she must use the Malefex to craft them, though demon lords with the required feats and spells do not need to use it.

An Abyssal Automata’s body is forged from 125 tons of adamantine ore, worth 150,000 gp. In addition, flesh gathered from the remains of at least 20 HD of demons must be grafted onto the body. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Craft (Armorsmithing or Weaponsmithing) check and a DC 20 Heal check.

CL 25th. Craft Construct, blasphemy, geas/quest, greater dispel magic, greater planar binding, greater teleport, iron body, mass hold monster, plane shift, unholy aura, unholy blight, wish. Creater must be a demon lord and have access to the Daemonheart.

Non-Living Abyssal Automata

Abyssal Automata are living constructs, a subtype first presented in the Eberron Campaign Setting. However, for DM’s who do not have access to this book, below is a modified stat block for non-living Abyssal Automata. Only a few simple changes need to be made to convert it.

Abyssal Automata (Non-Living)
Colossal Construct (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 20d10+180 (190 hp)
Blindsight 60 ft., construct traits, damage reduction 20/adamantine and good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 31, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 40, Dex 8, Con –, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 16
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Multiattack, Shock Trooper (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Shock_Trooper,CW), Overwhelming Assault (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Overwhelming_Assault,PH2)
Challenge Rating: 18

Homunculus 666

Medium Construct (Living Construct)
Hit Dice: 10d8+59 (104 hp)
Initiative: -5
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 5 (-5 Dex), touch 5, flat-footed 5
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+2
Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6-1)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +2 melee (1d6-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Immortality, living construct traits, vile masochism
Saves: Fort +10, Ref -2, Will -2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 1, Con 20, Int 1, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills: Listen +1, Spot +2
Feats: Toughness (x3), Great Fortitude
Environment: The Academy of Tears
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: –
Treasure: None
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: –
Level Adjustment: –

For countless centuries, Doctor Penemue has lusted after the secrets of Le Comte de Saint-Germain, an enigmatic, planeswalking alchemist said to possess true immortality, greater than that of the gods. Though the whole of the multiverse believe the Comte to be little more than a legend, Doctor Penemue was able to find the immortal wonderman, and imprison him within the Academy. Le Comte escaped her imprisonment easily, but not before Doctor Penemue was able to extract a pound of his immortal flesh and drain away his blood. Using these materials, Doctor Penemue has made countless experiments attempting to replicate his immortality, creating numerous half-alive homunculi spawned from Le Comte’s flesh. Most were failures, lacking true immortality, but the 666th attempt proved a success. Doctor Penemue was able to create a truly immortal homunculus–but not as she intended. Homunculus 666 is stunted both physically and mentally–pathetically weak, and not even sentient. Doctor Penemue continues experimenting on Homunculus 666, keeping it eternally bound in one of her labs, hoping to eventually render herself truly immortal, and she has also turned into an immortal plaything, training it to enjoy her torture. She has affixed vile devices to it that collect is suffering and magically transmute into liquid pain, a powerful component for her other experiments. Homunculus 666 resembles a naked human, but lacks genitalia or a mouth. Its skin is way, its eyes dull and sunken. A vile apparatus of glass and steel is embedded in its torso, its collection tanks sloshing with liquid pain. Homunculus 666 does not have a challenge rating, both because it is far too weak to pose any threat to any players of high enough level to reach the Academy of Tears, and because it cannot ever be defeated, being truly immortal.

Immortality (Ex)
Grown from the immortal flesh of Le Comte de Saint-Germain, Homunculus 666 is truly immortal. At the beginning of each round, if Homunculus 666 is damaged, then he is healed as the regenerate spell, caster level 20th. In addition, if he dies, he reanimates 1d6 rounds, restored to full health, without any level loss. No means–not even divine intervention or artifacts– have been found to prevent him from resurrecting.

Vile Masochism (Su)
Doctor Penemue has condition Homunculus 666 to be a complete masochist, loving pain, and has grafted various magical devices onto his body that convert his agony into liquid pain, detailed in the Book of Vile Darkness. Every time Homunculus 666 is damaged, he secretes a single dose of liquid pain into the containment tanks embedded to his torso. A dose may be extracted from the tanks as a move action. The tanks can hold a maximum of a dozen doses of liquid pain.

Non-Living Homunculus 666

Homunculus 666 is a living construct, a subtype first presented in the Eberron Campaign Setting. However, for DM’s who do not have access to this book, below is a modified stat block for a non-living Homunculus 666. Only a few simple changes need to be made to convert it.

Homunculus 666
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Saves: Fort +3, Ref -2, Will -2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 1, Con –, Int 1, Wis 1, Cha 1



Tenembrae

Medium Undead (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+8 natural) touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12
Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +9 melee (1d4+3) and Bite +12 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon tanar’ri
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/good, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, telepathy 100 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con –, Int 12, Wis 6, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +14, Hide +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Multiattack
Environment: The Academy of Tears
Organization: Solitary, pair, or patrol (1-4 and 4-12 Dretches)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 13-15 HD (Medium), 16-18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

The Tenembrae are macabre creations of Doctor Penemue. They are undead creatures born from demonic flesh harvested from the corpse of the demon lord Orcus, after his death. By creating them, Doctor Penemue was able to usurp a fragment of the demon lord’s power, which she retained even after his rebirth as the undead god Tenebrous and resurrection. Each Tenembrae is a elongated sphere of decrepit flesh, with a gaping maw filled with razor-sharp incisors and tumor-like eyes. Doctor Penemue has surgically grafted spider-like prosthetic legs onto them, sleek and spider-like, allowing them to move. They are loyal servants of the Doctor, acting as her eyes and hands throughout the Academy, the Abyss, and the entire multiverse.

Spell-Like Abilities
At will–greater teleport, unholy blight (DC 15), ray of enfeeblement, vampiric touch; 1/day–animate dead, enervation. Caster level 12th. Saves are Charisma-based.

Summon Demon (Sp)
Once per day, a Tenembrae can attempt to summon another Tenembrae with a 35% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

Skills
Tenembrae have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A Tenembrae can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

The Demented One
2007-07-16, 02:37 PM
Malefex

Malefex is Doctor Penemue's most prized possession, an artifact of immense power. It is a wand of obsidian, engraved with glowing red runes. The wand can be used to cast any spell on the user's spell list of 4th level or lower at will. In addition, it may be used to cast any spell of 5th-8th level from the user's spell list 3 times per day, and can cast a spell of 9th level from the user's spell list once per day.

Whenever the wielder of the Malefex is targeted by a spell, she may attempt to turn that spell back on its caster as an instantaneous action, similar to the spell turning spell. She and the spell's caster make opposed caster level checks, with the wielder using either her own caster level or the Malefex's, whichever is higher. If the wielder is successful, the spell is turned back on its caster.

In addition, when wielding the Malefex, the wielder can create items even if she does not have the required Item Creation feats. In addition, the user can use spells cast by the wand to meet the prerequisites of the item.

Strong Universal, CL 20th. Major Artifact.

The Demented One
2007-07-24, 12:02 PM
Bump for completion.