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Pyrexia, The Shackled Ember

Adversaries Designed by Bard & Raven • Art by Reparatus Art

Adversary overview

A colossal black phoenix - their feathers swarming with demonic shadows. Their Chest houses a corrupted, burning heart where the true phoenix lies imprisoned.

Stat block

Tier
2
Type
Colossus
Stress
6
Thresholds
17/30

Features

Passives

  • Soaring Shadow

    Pyrexia can fly, even when their wings are Destroyed. They can move up to Far range as part of their action.

  • Momentum

    When this adversary makes a successful attack against a PC, you gain a Fear.

  • Eternal Hunger

    When a PC makes a death move while climbing on Pyrexia, they cannot choose Avoid Death. When they cross the veil of death, their body is incorporated into Pyrexia's corrupted body. If the PCs successfully deal with the Source of Corruption and release the true Pyrexia from her prison, you may choose to resurrect any fallen PC alongside the uncorrupted Pyrexia. They return to your world unconscious with 1 HP and they must take a Scar.

Actions

—

Reactions

  • Spreading Fear

    When a PC in Far range rolls a Failure with Fear, you gain an additional Fear (2).

  • Spreading Corruption

    When a PC takes Severe damage from Pyrexia, they become Blighted. While Blighted, their maximum Hope limit is reduced to 3 and the Defiled Æther Stone (Tier 4 Leader) seeks them out, if they are released from the Source of Corruption. This curse can only be lifted by destroying the Defiled Æther Stone or finding a powerful healer.

Evolutions

—

Motives & tactics

Corrupt crush the weak incorporate feed the darkness

Experiences

  • Mindless Destruction +4
  • Soaring Menace +4

Pyrexia, The Shackled Ember

Tier 2 Colossus

A colossal black phoenix - their feathers swarming with demonic shadows. Their Chest houses a corrupted, burning heart where the true phoenix lies imprisoned.

Motives & Tactics: Corrupt, crush the weak, incorporate, feed the darkness

Size: 80m long, 30m tall, 100m wide

Segments: 2 Talons, 2 Wings, 1 Chest, 1 Head, 1 Tail

Thresholds: 17/30 | Stress: 6

Experience: Mindless Destruction +4, Soaring Menace +4

STRESS:

Features

Soaring Shadow - Passive: Pyrexia can fly, even when their wings are Destroyed. They can move up to Far range as part of their action.
Momentum - Passive: When this adversary makes a successful attack against a PC, you gain a Fear.
Eternal Hunger - Passive: When a PC makes a death move while climbing on Pyrexia, they cannot choose Avoid Death. When they cross the veil of death, their body is incorporated into Pyrexia's corrupted body. If the PCs successfully deal with the Source of Corruption and release the true Pyrexia from her prison, you may choose to resurrect any fallen PC alongside the uncorrupted Pyrexia. They return to your world unconscious with 1 HP and they must take a Scar.
Spreading Fear - Reaction: When a PC in Far range rolls a Failure with Fear, you gain an additional Fear (2).
Spreading Corruption - Reaction: When a PC takes Severe damage from Pyrexia, they become Blighted. While Blighted, their maximum Hope limit is reduced to 3 and the Defiled Æther Stone (Tier 4 Leader) seeks them out, if they are released from the Source of Corruption. This curse can only be lifted by destroying the Defiled Æther Stone or finding a powerful healer.

Talons (2)

Adjacent: Chest

Difficulty: 14 | HP: 3 | ATK: +3

Talon: Very Close | 2d8+6 physical

HP:

Features

Crushing Embrace - Action: Mark a Stress to make a standard attack against a target on this or an adjacent segment. On a success, in addition to the damage, the target becomes Restrained until the segment marks its last HP. While Restrained in this way, the target is also Vulnerable and must mark a Stress to take the spotlight.

Wings (2)

Adjacent: Chest, Tail

Difficulty: 15 | HP: 4 | ATK: +3

Feather Demons: Melee | 2d10+4 magical

HP:

Features

Get Off - Action: Spend a Fear to make a standard attack against all targets on this segment. A target this attack succeeds against must make a Strength or Agility Reaction Roll. On a Failure, they are moved to the Tail, unless the Tail is Destroyed in which case they fall to the ground.

Chest

Adjacent: Talons, Wings, Tail, Head

Difficulty: 16 | HP: 6 | ATK: +4

Feather Demons: Melee | 2d10+4 magical

HP:

Features

Protected - Passive: This segment is resistant to both physical and magic damage. This feature is disabled when 3 or more segments are Destroyed.
Life Absorption - Action: Spend 2 Fear to cause all targets on this segment to make a Presence or Knowledge Reaction Roll. On a success, they must mark a Stress. On a Failure, they reduce their maximum HP by 1 until their next long rest. Blighted targets automatically fail this roll.
Boundless Regeneration - Reaction: When the Chest marks their last HP for the first time, clear 1d4+2 HP from each segment, even if they were Destroyed as Pyrexia bursts into black flames and regenerates. All targets currently on the Chest must succeed on a Strength or Agility Reaction Roll or take 1d20 magic damage. Additionally, they are pushed back to the Tail unless the Tail is Destroyed in which case they fall to the ground. The next time Pyrexia marks their last HP, clear 1d4 HP from all segments.
Fatal - Reaction: When the Source of Corruption has been dealt with and the Chest marks its last HP, Pyrexia is defeated.
Heart And Mind - Evolution: When "Boundless Regeneration" triggers for the first time, open up access to the Source of Corruption environment. Pyrexia loses access to their "Protected" feature. Additionally, they gain the "Fatal" feature.

Head

Adjacent: Chest

Difficulty: 15 | HP: 4 | ATK: +3

Bite: Melee | 2d12+6 physical

HP:

Features

Death Drill - Action: Mark a Stress to make a standard attack against a target on the Talons or Wings. On a success, this attack deals double damage.

Screech Of Anguish - Reaction: When the Head marks their last HP for the first time, Pyrexia releases a bloodcurdling screech. All targets in Far range lose a Hope. If they cannot lose a Hope, you gain a Fear.

Tail

Adjacent: Chest, Wings

Difficulty: 15 | HP: 5 | ATK: 0

Standard: Melee | — physical

HP:

Features

Hold On - Passive: When a target without the ability to fly attempts to move to another segment, they must mark a Stress and succeed on a Strength or Agility Roll as the Tail is constantly flailing.
Burnout - Action: When at least one segment is Destroyed, Pyrexia's flames center on their Tail. All targets currently climbing on this segment must succeed on an Agility Reaction Roll or take 1d12 magic damage and are temporarily lit On Fire until their next spotlight or when a PC succeeds on a Knowledge Roll to dowse the flames. While On Fire, they take 2d6 magic damage when they take the spotlight.
Safety Net Off - Reaction: When a PC would move to this segment while the Tail has marked all HP, they fall to the ground instead.

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