Barrow Pulse

Barrow Pulse

Hazard 4

ComplexDivineForceMagicalUnique

Stealth

+12 (expert) to notice the scorched sightlines, vibrating funerary chains, and hairline cracks radiating from the casket

Description

A dwarven barrow-caster’s preserved magic erupts from its vessel in concentric waves. Stone columns interrupt the force, while exposed funerary guardians absorb it and awaken anew.

Disable

The pulse can’t be disabled independently. Rendering all three linked funerary guardians inert simultaneously breaks the casket’s seals and transfers the hazard to the emerging barrow-caster. The hazard ends when the barrow-caster is destroyed.

Warning Pulse R

Trigger A creature touches or attempts to open the sealed casket; Effect A harmless wave of pale force erupts from the casket. Creatures with uninterrupted line of effect feel the impact but take no damage. Solid columns completely block the wave. Three linked funerary guardians awaken, and the hazard rolls initiative.

Routine 1

At the beginning of its turn, the hazard uses Barrow Pulse. Before the casket opens, the pulse originates from the casket. After the barrow-caster emerges, the hazard shares the barrow-caster’s initiative and the pulse originates from the barrow-caster’s space. The pulse ends immediately if its current source is destroyed.

Barrow Pulse 1

A wave of crushing force fills the chamber. Every creature with line of effect from the pulse’s source attempts a DC 21 Fortitude save. Solid columns block the pulse completely. Lesser cover and creatures do not block it.

Critical Success

The creature is unaffected.

Success

The creature takes half of 4d6 force damage and is pushed 5 feet directly away from the source.

Failure

The creature takes 4d6 force damage, is pushed 10 feet directly away from the source, and falls prone.

Critical Failure

The creature takes double damage, is pushed 15 feet directly away from the source, and falls prone.

Linked Guardians. A linked funerary guardian reduced to 0 Hit Points becomes inert instead of being destroyed. An inert guardian exposed to Barrow Pulse does not attempt a save; it regains 10 Hit Points, reactivates, and is pushed 5 feet directly away from the source. A guardian blocked from the pulse by a solid column remains inert. When all three guardians are inert simultaneously, the casket’s seals break and the barrow-caster emerges.

Reset

If the chamber remains undisturbed for 24 hours while the barrow-caster survives, the casket reseals, the guardians return to their original positions at full Hit Points, and the hazard resets.

Encounter note: Barrow Pulse is a level-4 complex hazard worth 40 XP. Its complete negation through deliberate positioning is part of its power budget. The linked guardians and barrow-caster are budgeted separately.

See the Grand Mausoleum encounter, the Hryngar Retainer, and the Reanimated Hryngar Runelord.