Reports filter into town of a rampaging crested serpent fol- lowing a straight path toward the town where the characters are staying. A 10th-level magister, eager to acquire crested serpent hide for a powerful item he seeks to forge, uncovered a serpent’s nest. He used his spells to approach it in secret, and cast teleport to escape with several of the serpent’s eggs. The enraged beast has tracked him to the town. The charac- ters must find the magister’s workshop, reclaim the eggs, and return them to the serpent or move them to an unpopu- lated area before the monster descends upon the town. While the characters track the magister, the townsfolk descend into chaos as many people flee to the relative safety of the countryside and looters take advantage of the situa- tion to rob and pillage as they wish.
The magister could be a well-respected member of the community. He deals in rare and powerful magic items and has used his wealth and charming manner to win support from many of the local elders. Even if the characters uncover his plans, they must convince others of the threat he has inadvertently brought upon the town. For his part, the mag- ister is confident that the town’s defenders can destroy the monster. He is too blinded by his greed to see the impending disaster he has set into motion.
Darval
Huge Aberration
Hit Dice: 16d8+96 (168 hp), dying/dead –7/–22 Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 feet
AC: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+26
Attack: Bite +18 melee (2d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +18 melee (2d6+6), slam +16/+11 melee
(1d8+1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 feet/15 feet
(Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet)
Special Attacks: Attraction, improved grab, swallow whole,
poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, camouflage Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +13
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 5, Wis 16, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +18, Sneak +15, Spot +13
Feats: Cleave, Fast Healer, First Strike, Lightning Reflexes,
Multiattack*, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Sneak)
Environment: Underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Standard Advancement: 17–32 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —
* Denotes a feat from the MM.
A terrible subterranean predator, the darval has earned the name “the living trap.” A few refer to it as “the joyous death.” The akashic Neverad Nosk once used his abilities to learn of the fate of the human explorer Maggerin Thyll at the “hands” of a darval:
“Maggerin made his way down the narrow, natural passage. Like a cleft in the earth, the tunnel’s floor angled toward the center, and the passage rose very high above him. His companion, the spryte Theea, hovered behind him a few steps. Ahead, the tunnel split. Normally, the two would take a moment to discuss the proper path, often with Theea flying ahead to scout down each option. This time, however, Maggerin kept moving forward and entered the left tunnel branch, ducking beneath a low rock formation jutting from the wall.
“‘Wait!’ Theea called, but her companion did not stop. “It lay just ahead! Maggerin thought excitedly. What he’d been seeking all his life. His heart raced as he quickened his pace. The tunnel was treacherous, sloping down roughly and filled with loose stones, but he thrust aside concerns for safety.
“Theea called again, but he did not answer. Had she only real- ized he had fallen victim to a magical compulsion, things may have ended differently.
“Maggerin stumbled into a high-ceilinged cave. Above him loomed a creature of nightmare—tall and slender, spiderlike legs
supporting a bulbous body that seemed to be almost all mouth. A broad tendril-like tail covered in spikes rose from the thing’s body, flailing about. Maggerin did not see the beast until he was actually underneath it. Rather than being afraid, however, he was delight- ed. This monstrosity was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen—it was what he had sought all his life. Even as the creature lowered its body toward him, even as the huge maw engulfed him, Maggerin felt joy. Theea flew into the cave and shrieked. She attempted to cast a spell, but the beast thrashed her with its tail, smashing her against the cavern wall.
“Maggerin disappeared down the creature’s throat, pulled along by muscles that crushed his bones as it swallowed. He slid down into its gut, happier than he had ever been.”
This carnivorous creature dwells deep underground—so deep, in fact, that most surface dwellers have never heard of it. The slassans (see Chapter Four in The Diamond Throne) and the Vallorians (see page 112) hate and fear the darvals and destroy them whenever they can find them. Sometimes, deep-delving chorrim use darvals to guard their own lairs (bribing them with food) or even to battle as tests of combat prowess and willpower. (In such tests, a powerful chorrim warrior is thrown into a darval’s lair and must come out alive.)
The darval does not burrow but lives in natural caves and underground structures constructed by others. Once every 10 years, females lay 11 to 20 eggs, but they abandon them immediately afterward. Most darval eggs in a clutch never hatch, but instead form into crystalline nodules worth 1d6 × 100 gp each. Darvals live at least a hundred years, sometimes going for almost a year without eating. During such periods, they become almost dormant, never moving until prey approaches. Darvals obtain all the water they need from the creatures they kill.
With their legs fully extended, these creatures stand almost 16 feet high. When at rest, however, they often crouch, their round bodies resting on the ground.
Underground explorers can easily mistake their four spindly limbs for tall “soda straw” stalagmites or thin pillars. This sometimes allows the creatures to “hide in plain sight” right above an entrance to a cavern.
Darvals do not speak, but some learn to understand a few words in various languages. They are usually Unbound.
Combat
The darval relies on its attraction ability to draw prey to it and hold the prey nearby until it can bite and swallow it. While eating, it uses its barbed tail to strike at other foes. The poison on each barb weakens and incapacitates its tar- gets, giving the creature victims for its next meal. The darval is content to wait for hours or even days, hidden in a cave, for prey to come along.
Attraction (Su): The darval can choose to emanate magi-
cal vibrations that attract living creatures within 100 feet and compel them to come toward it unless they succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 20). Affected creatures feel elated and pleased to be near the darval and desire to touch it. The compulsion to stay in the area or touch the darval is over- powering, and victims will fight to follow their urges. Those affected will neither harm the darval nor defend themselves against its attacks. If an unaffected character spends a full round shaking an affected one, the victim can attempt another saving throw. This can only be attempted once. A successful second save releases the creature from the enchant- ment, but it can be subject to the effect again as soon as 1d6 minutes later, even if it is no longer within the darval’s range (unless the subject knows for certain the darval is dead). In such a case, the creature must make a third save. If this save fails, the affected creature attempts to return to the darval. The compulsion lasts up to an hour. The save DC is Charisma based.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a
darval must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can inflict automatic bite damage, then swallow the foe on the subsequent round.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A darval can try to swallow a
grabbed opponent of a size smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d8+12 points of crushing damage plus 8 points of acid damage per round from the dar- val’s gut. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 17). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; anoth- er swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Huge darval’s interior can hold one Large, two Medium, eight Small, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 24, initial damage 1d6
Strength, secondary damage 2d6 Strength. The save DC is Constitution based.
Camouflage (Ex): The darval can alter its skin coloration
and texture to fit its surroundings, giving it a +20 racial bonus to Hide checks.