aegis of ages

8/3/2019 Aegis of Ages

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It is said he arose fully formed from a soured pail of milk, or crawled

forth from the egg sac of a spider. His hatred for life was such that he

devoured his own siblings, and to meet him is to know despair, and spit

his name forevermore. This, and more, is spoken of Flae of the

Trollhaunt.

Long ago, Flae led his people on an exodus from the deeper dark to

the twilit caves of the surface. Slaves no more, his grimlocks raised

wretched heads to a brethren-born master: a rarity amongst such

beasts, and blessed with horrid cunning. Thus arisen, they were

unleashed upon the world of men. No longer would they grovel in the

dark. Now they would dance in the sun. They would take, and feast,

and laugh, and slay.

But master kept a secret. That great shield of his was stolen from

matron’s palace, and he is nothing without it. On his arm, it gives him

strength undeserved: the glory of a thousand

champions. Older than civilization, hammered

by gods lost to time, it is Gom Vardae, Aegis of

Ages, and it seeks a new master.

Aegis of Ages is a 4th

Edition DUNGEONS ANDDRAGONS encounter for characters of level 9-13.

Challenge your players by pitching them against a vile grimlock

champion and his wolves: either as a climactic encounter towards

the end of the Heroic tier, or as a memorable sub-boss during an

early Paragon tier adventure.



2

AEGIS OF AGES Encounter Level 13 (4,000 XP)

SETUP Flae (F)

3 War Wolves (W)

The PCs confront the grimlock champion Flae

and his war wolves. Although the setting is

intentionally vague, a good spread of

environmental hazards is important. That is,

you may need a few squares of difficult

terrain, but it doesn’t matter if these

represent the rubble of a sacked town, or apatch of bulrushes in a marsh.

When the adventurers encounter Flae,

read:

A masked grimlock stands before you,

holding three gigantic war wolves on a

chain. Strapped to his arm is a mighty shield,

its surface fashioned into a snarling face. As

he steps toward you, the shield’s eyes flick

open and an echoing voice speaks into your

minds:“This wielder shames me with his

weaknesses, yet I yield to no man. Know the

glories of my past, hero, and die well. Only

then shall you know triumph.”

Flae’s shield is a powerful artifact that has

been wielded by countless champions over

the ages. Unhappy with its present owner, the

shield tests its enemies’ worth by hurlingtheir minds back in time, where it offers them

a glimpse of its previous glories (see Battles in

the Past, below). If they learn from these

visions, the proud shield grants them an edge

in the present. Throughout, Flae is unaware

that his artifact is betraying him, and fights on

in ignorance.

T ACTICS

Flae unleashes his wolves and wades intobattle, stunning as many enemies as possible

in the first round with Gaze of the Aegis.

Thereafter, he uses Aegis Bite on the toughest

stunned enemy in range , ganging up with his

wolves wherever possible to maximize

damage.

Flae uses his first action point to stun his

enemies with Dreams of Ages Past , saving his

second for a deadly double Aegis Bite once

he’s bloodied. He makes use of Gaze of the Aegis whenever it recharges.

As he can only use Demanding Glare once

per round, he often holds it back to defend

against his hardest-hitting enemy.

Flae Level 12 Solo ControllerMedium Natural Humanoid (Grimlock) XP 3,500

HP 473; Bloodied 236AC 28; Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 24Speed 6

Immune gazeSaving Throws +5; Action Points 2

Initiative +10Perception +8Blindsight

Standard Actions

m Aegis Bite (psychic, weapon) • At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 3d6+10 damage. Against a stunned target, this attack

deals an extra 2d8 psychic damage.

C Gaze of the Aegis (gaze, psychic) • Recharge z56 Attack: Close blast 5 (targets enemies); +15 versus WillHit: 2d8+6 psychic damage and the target is stunned until

the end of flae’s next turn.

C Dreams of Ages Past (gaze) • Encounter Attack: Close burst 8 (targets enemies); +14 versus WillHit: The target is stunned until the end of their next turn or

until the end of flae’s next turn; whichever is longer.Triggered Actions

C Demanding Glare (gaze)

Trigger: An enemy makes a melee attack against flae.Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Close blast 3 (targets

enemies); +14 versus WillHit: The target is stunned until the end of their next turn or

until the end of f lae’s next turn; whichever is longer.

C Opening the Third Eye

Trigger: Flae is bloodied by an enemy attack.Effect (Free): Flae recharges Dream of Ages Past and uses

it immediately.

Memories of War (psychic)

Trigger: Flae stuns an enemy with one of his attacks.Effect (Free): The enemy’s mind is thrown back in time (see

Battles in the Past ).Skills Athletics +17, Endurance +15, Intimidate +12

Str 23 (+12) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 15 (+8)

Con 19 (+10) Int 14 (+8) Cha 13 (+7)

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Deep Speech

Equipment Aegis of Ages, Maze Facemask



3

War Wolf Level 10 Skirmisher Medium Natural Beast XP 500


Initiative +12Perception +13Low-light vision

Standard Actions

m Bite • At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 versus ACHit: 2d8+9 damage or 4d8+9 damage against a prone

target. If the war wolf has combat advantage against thetarget, the target falls prone.

Effect: The war wolf shifts up to 4 squares

Str 17 (+8) Dex 20 (+10) Wis 17 (+8)

Con 18 (+9) Int 6 (+3) Cha 14 (+7)

Alignment Unaligned Languages -

FEATURES OF THE AREA The following features also apply to the

battles that take place in the adventurers’

minds (see Battles in the Past, below).Illumination: Bright

Stairs/Slopes: These lead to the upper

levels of the battlefield, and count as difficult

terrain to creatures ascending them.

Upper Levels: These are 20 feet above

ground level. To climb up here requires a

DC20 Athletics check.

Hazards: These may be cauldrons of fire,

waterfalls of molten lead, or even enemies

locked in mortal combat. Creatures enteringthese squares or starting their turns inside

take 3d6+11 damage (typed as appropriate).

Collapsible Object: These may be

crumbling pillars, weapons racks, or simply

stacked bookshelves. They count as difficult

terrain that collapses when creatures are

forced into them.

Collapsible Object Single-Use TerrainTRIGGERED ACTION

C Collapse • Encounter

Trigger: A creature is forced into the square.Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +15 vs. ReflexHit: 2d8+7 damage and the target is dazed (save ends)Effect: All squares in the burst now count as difficult terrain.

B ATTLES IN THE P AST The shield’s magic flings its enemies’ minds

back through time to inhabit ancient warriors

on a long-forgotten battlefield.

Determining avatars

Whenever a player is stunned by one of Flae’s

attacks, hand them the following character

and then roll 1d4 to determine their powers:

Ancient Warrior Level 12 Minion SoldierMedium Natural Humanoid -

HP 1; a missed attack never damages aminion

AC 28; Fortitude 24; Reflex 24; Will 24Speed 6

Initiative Asstunned PCPerception +9

Skills Athletics +15, Endurance +14 Str 19 (+10) Dex 19 (+10) Wis 16 (+9)

Con 16 (+9) Int 13 (+7) Cha 13 (+7)

Alignment Unaligned Languages Some long-lost tongue

1: FRONTLINE FIGHTER

Standard Actions

m Tide of Iron (weapon) • At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 10 damage and the enemy is pushed 1 square

Triggered Actions

M Sacrificial Dash (weapon)

Trigger: An enemy within 2 attacks one of the ancientwarrior’s alliesEffect (Immediate Interrupt): The ancient warrior shifts up to

2 squares and makes the following attack, Melee 1(onecreature); +17 versus AC

Hit: 10 damage and the enemy attacks t he ancient warriorinstead.



4

2: DEFENSIVE SPEARMAN

Standard Actions

m Melee Weapon (weapon) • At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 10 damage

M Pinning Strike (weapon) • At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 10 damage and make a secondary attack.Secondary Attack: Melee 2 (the same creature), +17 versus

Reflex.Hit: The target is immobilized until the end of its next turn.

Triggered Actions

M Opportunistic Stab (weapon)

Trigger: An enemy within 2 misses the ancient warrior orone of its allies

Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 2 (the t riggeringenemy); +17 versus AC

Hit: 10 damage

3: M ARKSMAN

Standard Actions

m Punching Dagger (weapon) • At-Will


R Staggering Shot (weapon)

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 10 damage and the ancient warrior slides the enemy 2

squares.

Triggered Actions

R Vengeful Shot (weapon)

Trigger: An ally within 2 is killed by an enemy attack

Effect (Immediate Reaction): The ancient warrior shifts 1square and makes the following attack, Ranged 10 (thetriggering enemy); +17 versus AC

Hit: 10 damage and the enemy is pushed 2 squares.

4: SLAYER

Standard Actions

m Melee Weapon (weapon) • At-Will


M Slayer’s Wake (weapon) • At-Will

Effect: The ancient warrior shifts up to 3 squares and makesthe following attack at any point during the move.

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 versus ACHit: 10 damage (15 damage if the ancient warrior has

combat advantage against the enemy)

Triggered Actions

M Boot Back(weapon)

Trigger: An enemy moves adjacent to the ancient warriorAttack (Immediate Interrupt): Melee 1 (the triggering

enemy); +15 versus ReflexHit: The enemy takes 5 damage and is pushed 2 squares.

Determining setting and enemy

Now roll on the following tables to determine

their surroundings, and the enemy they face:

1d10 Battle Location

1 Burning streets of an ancient acropolis

2 Chaos ship plunging into the Abyss

3 Rooftop of a collapsing citadel

4 Deck of a flagship during a naval battle

5 Summit of a stepped jungle pyramid

6 Shores of a vast Underdark ocean7 Temple in the caldera of an active volcano

8 Giant howdah atop a colossal warbeast

9 Bloodstained sands of an imperial arena

10 High cliff-ledge in the midst of a blizzard

1d10 Shield Bearer

1 Scarred and tattooed barbarian champion

2 Wizard-king with a single burning eye

3 Branded minotaur with crystal horns

4 Orc raider with three faces on one head

5 Expressionless man made from solid gold

6 Tentacle-haired queen wielding a trident

7 Skinless sorcerer with a spinal cord wand

8 Spined devil with cloak of shrunken heads

9 Pharaoh whose touch desiccates enemies

10 Goat-legged tiefling with spined tongue

Enemy Champion Level 13 ControllerMedium Natural Humanoid -


Initiative As flaePerception +7

Standard Actions

m Shield Slam • At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 versus ACHit: The target is pushed 2 squares and takes 20 damage.

Make a secondary attack.Secondary Attack: Close burst 1 from the t arget’s square

(creatures in burst); +15 versus Reflex.Hit: 10 damage.

R Javelin or Spell • Recharge z56

Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +15 versus ReflexHit: 10 damage.

Skills Athletics +15, Endurance +14

Str 18 (+10) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 13 (+7)

Con 16 (+9) Int 13 (+7) Cha 16 (+9)

Alignment Unaligned Languages -



5

Setting up the battlefield

Place figures for the combatants on the map

shown above. This is a separate battle: whilst

the players’ warriors fight in the past, their

characters remain stunned in the present.

Do not roll for a new location or enemy if

another PC is already in the past. Instead,

place a new figure on one of the starting

positions on the same grid, and tell them their

warrior has “stepped in from the fray”.

Describe the scene as one of conflict:

armies clash about them, arrows rain down,and the only point of reference is the enemy

standing before them: a champion carrying

the same shield as the one they face in the

present!

Running the battles

The players’ objective is simply to defeat their

opponent:

Do not roll for initiative. At the end of eachstunned player’s turn, just before their

end-of-turn effects take place, they take a

full set of actions for their ancient warrior.

At the end of Flae’s turn, just before his

end-of-turn effects take place, the DM

takes a full set of actions for the enemy

champion.

Players can choose to ready or delay, but

this also changes the initiative of their

character in the present. When a playerchooses to do this they must immediately

determine end-of-turn effects for both

characters.

Dying on the Battlefield

The vision ends for a single character when:

Their PC is no longer stunned. When thisoccurs, briefly describe how their ancient

warrior is felled by an arrow, or cut down

by a sudden blow from behind.

Their ancient warrior is killed by the

enemy champion. If they are due another

set of actions before the stunning effect

ends, they may bring in another ancient

warrior at the start of their next turn.

Whenever an ancient warrior dies, check theRewards section below to see if they’ve

earned themselves a boon in the present.

If all of the ancient warriors are killed, keep

a note of the enemy champion’s hit points,

and continue the same battle with new

warriors when the next PC is stunned.

Defeating the Champion

The vision ends for all players if they kill the

enemy champion, at which point they’ll earnone of the boons detailed below. Whenever

they are next stunned, roll for a new location

and enemy.



6

Rewards

When a player returns to the present, the

shield may grant them a boon:

If their ancient warrior landed a blow on

the enemy champion, they gain combat

advantage against Flae until the end of

their next turn.

If their ancient warrior pushed the enemy

champion off a ledge, or forced him into

hazardous terrain, their next successful

hit against Flae before the end of the next

turn will push him 2 squares and knock

him prone (in addition to any conditionsimposed by the power).

If their ancient warrior or one of its allies

killed the enemy champion, they gain a +5

bonus to damage rolls against Flae until

the end of their next turn.

TREASURE If the adventurers defeat Flae, read:

As your enemy crashes to the ground, his shield

levitates before you, and you hear its echoingvoice in your heads.

“You have proven yourselves worthy, and rid

me of a shameful owner. I leave you with a

small token of my thanks”. With that, t he

shield’s mouth opens, and a glittering flow of

residuum pours forth into your hands.”

Award your players an appropriate amount of residuum, as befits their level. Flae’s maze

mask – although useless to those without

blindsight – may also be of some worth.

aegis of ages

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