The Third Portal on the Road to Bisu

The Third Portal (#22/31; #234/365)

"This hemispherical chamber with a tiled ceiling has an immense bronze portal at the far end, surrounded by an archway covered in Djaratian inscriptions. In front of the portal stands its armoured guardian, a deformed and one-eyed mutant, with a hunch-backed though muscular humanoid frame and a lumpy, shaven skull. In its hands is a silver rod with a glowing white gemstone at its tip. The creature lurches towards you."

Contents: The guardian of the Third Portal is a Night Horror that will attack anyone in this chamber. The portal can of course be opened with a Bronze Key. The inscriptions describe the third portal as belonging to the brother of Viglos One-Eye, Khorthos, who was a mighty Cyclops warrior dwelling on the borderlands of the Djaratian Empire, until slain by the Sand Emperor Varnonkhamen and raised as an undead Night Horror.

Stats:

NIGHT HORROR, SKILL 10 STAMINA 10, Silver Rod of Incandescent Doom, Iron Mace, Chainmail Hauberk. Heroes armed with normal weapons must roll a die whenever they hit;  on a roll of 1-3 the blow will not harm the creature's undead flesh, but on a 4-6 it cause damage as normal. When the Night Horror wins an Attack Round using the beam of light from the Silver Rod of Incandescent Doom, the blazing white light causes 2 STAMINA damage and drains 1 SKILL point. Anyone whose SKILL score is reduced to zero, has their life-force drained away.

Constantly ringing any sort of hand-bell causes extreme pain to the Night Horror, and it must reduce both its SKILL and STAMINA score by 2 until the ringing stops.

The Silver Rod of Incandescent Doom has 2-12 charges left before it runs out of enchantment. Keep a record of how many charges the Night Horror uses up in combat; if there are any charges left after the battle, a Hero may take it and use its powers as detailed above. If it runs out of enchantment before the fight is over, the Night Horror will cast it aside and draw an iron mace from its belt.

The Silver Rod is worth 150GP just as an item of treasure, if its magical powers are exhausted.