Perilous Gateways
Portals of the Triad
By John Terra
Cormanthor Portal
Where the mighty Cormanthor Forest meets the fertile plains of Harrowdale, Torm placed his portal -- a place where his forces could deploy rapidly into the Dalelands when evil dared show itself. An unusual couple of trees that were grown into an archway, just 30 yards north off the Halfaxe Trail, barely into Cormanthor's forest, is the chosen locale.
The two-way portal leads to similar portals on the Cormyr frontier, near Glister, and along the banks of the River Chionthar. The portal operates at only three specific times per day: sunrise, highsun, and sunset. The Cormyr portal is keyed to Tyr, the Glister portal to Ilmater, and the Chionthar portal to Helm. To activate the Cormanthor portal, the traveler must stand between the tree trunks during one of the three proper times while grasping a holy symbol of Torm in her right hand and the correct holy symbol of the god who is keyed to the chosen portal destination in her right hand. The portal never malfunctions unless a follower of Bane or Cyric attempts to use it. In this case, a column of holy fire descends and strikes the interloper for 10d10 points of damage, with no saving throw. This fire comes crashing down each time an attempt is made by such a being.
The mad god Cyric gave a devoted follower of his a vision of this area and promised her great honors if she destroyed the portal. The follower, a priestess of Cyric named Evah Rigo, is in the area and intent on obeying her lord. However, unknown to Evah, Bane has sent one of his own agents after her: a devoted priest. The priest's mission is to intercept Evah, ascertain what she is doing, then prevent her from doing it, whatever it may be.
Should the PCs find themselves dealing with Evah, Dorgath waits until they're done (or Evah is done) before confronting the survivors himself. If the PCs try to capture Evah, DMs can either have him leave well enough alone and simply lurk in the hopes of finding out what he needs to know while the PCs deal with her or have him intercede (and take Evah captive himself) once the PCs are least expecting it.
Evah Rigo: Female human Cleric 8 of Cyric; CR 8; Medium-size humanoid (human); HD 8d8+16; hp 56; Init +5; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 19; Atk +10/+5 melee (1d8+4, +1 morningstar); SA rebuke undead 11/day; AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +12; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 18.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +8, Diplomacy +10, Gather Information +7, Heal +9, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Ride (horse) +4, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +9, Spot +7, Swim +5; Extra Turning, Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration, Still Spell.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/7/5/5/4; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, light, resistance, virtue; 1st -- bane, bless, cause fear, cure light wounds, doom, obscuring mist, protection from good*; 2nd -- bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, desecrate*, hold person (2); 3rd -- bestow curse, contagion*, dispel magic, mystic lash, prayer; 4th -- divine power, doomtide, spell immunity, unholy blight*.
*Domain spell. Domains: Destruction (smite 1/day), Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level).
Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 buckler, +1 morningstar, +1 ring of protection, +1 cloak of resistance, potions of cure serious wounds (2), vials of unholy water (4).
Evah Rigo: Female human Cleric 10 of Cyric; CR 10; Medium-size humanoid (human); HD 10d8+20; hp 69; Init +5; Spd 20 ft.; AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 20; Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+4, +1 morningstar); SA rebuke undead 12/day; AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +13; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 16.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +10, Diplomacy +11, Gather Information +9, Heal +11, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (religion) +11, Ride (horse) +4, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +9, Spot +8, Swim +6; Extra Turning, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Spell Penetration, Still Spell.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/7/6/5/5/4; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, light, resistance, virtue; 1st -- bane, bless, cause fear, cure light wounds, doom, obscuring mist, protection from good*; 2nd -- bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, death knell, desecrate*, hold person (2); 3rd -- bestow curse, contagion*, dispel magic, mystic lash, prayer; 4th -- divine power, doomtide (2), spell immunity, unholy blight*; 5th -- circle of doom*, raise dead, slay living (2).
*Domain spell. Domains: Destruction (smite 1/day), Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level).
Possessions: +2 breastplate, +1 buckler, +1 morningstar, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, circlet of persuasion, potions of cure serious wounds (2), vials of unholy water (4).
Evah Rigo: Female human Cleric 12 of Cyric; CR 12; Medium-size humanoid (human); HD 12d8+24; hp 82; Init +5; Spd 20 ft.; AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 21; Atk +14/+9 melee (1d8+5, +2 morningstar); SA rebuke undead 12/day; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +15; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 21, Cha 16.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Diplomacy +13, Gather Information +10, Heal +13, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Ride (horse) +4, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +9, Spot +8, Swim +6; Brew Potion, Extra Turning, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Spell Penetration, Still Spell.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/6/6/5/5/3; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, light, resistance, virtue; 1st -- bane, bless, cause fear, cure light wounds (2), doom, obscuring mist, protection from good*; 2nd -- bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, death knell, desecrate*, hold person (2); 3rd -- bestow curse, contagion*, dispel magic, mystic lash (2), prayer; 4th -- divine power, doomtide (2), spell immunity, unholy blight*; 5th -- circle of doom* (2), raise dead, slay living (2); 6th -- greater dispelling, harm*, word of recall.
*Domain spell. Domains: Destruction (smite 1/day), Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level).
Possessions: +2 breastplate, +2 buckler, +2 morningstar, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, circlet of persuasion, 2 potions of cure serious wounds, 4 vials of unholy water.
Evah is a 70-year-old woman with stringy white hair and the aspect of a harridan. She's actually a little crazed, although she's coherent enough to keep her charges in line. Evah is a Cyric fanatic of the worst type. She usually travels with a group of followers.
Dorgath Overth: Male human Cleric 12 of Bane; CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d8+24; hp 82; Init +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 22; Atk +15/+10 melee (1d8+8/19-20, +2 heavy mace); SA rebuke undead 11/day; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +15; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 19.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Diplomacy +12, Handle Animal +7, Heal +13, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Ride (horse) +5, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +11, Spot +9; Cleave, Extra Turning, Improved Critical (heavy mace), Improved Initiative, Leadership, Power Attack.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/6/6/5/5/3; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, guidance, inflict minor wounds, read magic, resistance, virtue; 1st -- bane, bless, command*, cure light wounds, endure elements, inflict light wounds , obscuring mist, protection from good; 2nd -- aid, augury, enthrall, enthrall*, hold person (2); 3rd -- discern lies*, dispel magic, invisibility purge, locate object, magic circle against chaos, prayer; 4th -- cure critical wounds, freedom of movement, order's wrath*, poison, spell immunity; 5th -- circle of doom*, dispel chaos*, flame strike, slay living, summon monster V, wall of stone; 6th -- antilife shell, hold monster*, word of recall.
*Domain spell. Domains: Law (cast law spells at +1 caster level), Tyranny (+2 to save DC for compulsion spells).
Possessions: +2 full plate, +2 heavy mace, ring of protection +2, cloak of resistance +2, potions of cure serious wounds (2), vials of unholy water (4).
Dorgath Overth: Male human Cleric 14 of Bane; CR 14; Medium-size humanoid; HD 14d8+28; hp 82; Init +6; Spd 20 ft.; AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 22; Atk +17/+12 melee (1d8+9/19-20, +3 heavy mace); SA rebuke undead 11/day; AL CE; SV Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +16; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 19.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +16, Handle Animal +7, Heal +13, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Move Silently +7, Ride (horse) +6, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +11, Spot +10; Cleave, Extra Turning, Improved Critical (heavy mace), Improved Initiative, Leadership, Power Attack.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/7/6/6/5/4/3; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, guidance, inflict minor wounds, read magic, resistance, virtue; 1st -- bane, bless, command, cure light wounds, endure elements, inflict light wounds*, obscuring mist, protection from good; 2nd -- aid, augury, enthrall, hold person (2), shatter*, silence; 3rd -- contagion*, dispel magic, invisibility purge, locate object, magic circle against chaos, prayer; 4th -- cure critical wounds, discern lies, freedom of movement, order's wrath, poison, spell immunity; 5th -- circle of doom*, dispel chaos, flame strike, slay living, summon monster V, wall of stone; 6th -- antilife shell, blade barrier, hold monster*, word of recall; 7th -- blasphemy, dictum, disintegrate*.
*Domain spell. Domains: Law (cast law spells at +1 caster level), Tyranny (+2 to save DC for compulsion spells).
Possessions: +2 silent moves full plate, +3 heavy mace, +3 ring of protection, cloak of resistance +2, 2 potions of cure
serious wounds, 4 vials of unholy water.
Dorgath is a high-level cleric of Bane and a rising star in the Black Network. He has black hair with graying temples, a hawklike nose, dazzling blue eyes, and a deep voice. He's quite a handsome and, in his own way, honorable man. He prefers to lie and misdirect rather than harm outright, unless he is dealing with followers of Cyric. Dorgath may actually end up becoming a "respected enemy" of the party. Dorgath prefers to travel alone.
(EL 10) Average party level 10 (four 10th-level characters): Evah and Dorgath.
(EL 12) Average party level 12 (four 12th-level characters): Evah, Dorgath, 2 Cyric Bodyguards (CE human Ftr6).
(EL 14) Average party level 14 (four 14th-level characters): Evah, Dorgath, 2 Cyric Bodyguards (CE human Rgr 10).
How to Incorporate the Cormanthor Portal Into Your Champaign
- Talk in Harrowdale is of alleged sightings of servants of Bane and Cyric skulking about, including a very refined gentleman who nevertheless radiates an aura of menace. He seems to be looking for a crazy old woman.
- Reports among Dale folk speak of odd goings-on in the border areas of the Cormanthor forest. Black-cloaked humans skulk about, and an old woman has a strange interest in entwined trees. All these individuals are apparently looking for something, but they don't dare ask the locals for some reason.