Callous King

The **Callous King** is a servant of the Violet and a boss in the *Strange Roads* season 1 campaign.

## Description

The Callous King was made from the corrupted body of Hector Highfall, the first king of Steton.

## History

### Rise and Battle

In Steton at a Temple of Cassius lies the tomb of Hector Highfall, the first king of Steton. The Temple rumbles and the violet light surges for his corpse which rises. The Callous King has appeared and Arcidamus, Gallan, Koordrin, Mirage, and Zacharius The Temple rumbles and the violet light surges for the corpse of Hector Highfall has risen. The Callous King has appeared and he must be stopped. The Callous King is honorable and allows the party to ready themselves for battle and everybody gets to their position. Koordrin learns that the Callous King can use "Summon King guards" (If nobody is in the temple, King guards will be summoned to face the party). With running away crossed out as an option, the party enters the temple to face the being. Gallan notices that if certain weak points on the temple building is hit, the building will collapse on the Callous King; doing that task will take long but it is not impossible. While the rest of the party attacks the boss, Gallan and Arcidamus will buff the party and try to give the party a lead. Zacharius learns the "Charging Behemoth" ability in Blade Stance (Callous King can choose a target between 10-100 ft away and charge at them. If he hits, the next heal or attack is doubled). Koordrin headbutts the Callous King into the statue of Cassius and begins to glow. Soon, the Callous King is ready to battle and goes into his first stance, Scepter (The Callous King has three stances: Scepter, Blade, and Shield. He will continually go through each stance from left to right and reverse when all is done). The boss will use "Lord Scepter" (AoE on non-adjacent enemies) which lead to "Admonish Beam" (attack one random enemy for each non-adjacent enemy) and finishes with "Graceful Presence" (Healing Ability). Arcidamus learns "Mageslayer Strike" in Blade stance (AoO to any nearby casting. If hits, cast is stopped). He will then "Shield of Faith" Koordrin (+2 AC to target). Koordrin learns "Lord Blade" (AoE to adjacent enemies and increase critical range for each one). Mirage learns "Guard Up" in shield stance (+4 AC to boss and melee attacks stun). The Callous King goes into blade stance, uses "Lord Blade" to critical Zacharius, Gallan, and Koordrin, and prepares "Charging Behemoth" on Mirage. Zacharius learns "Lord Shield" (all attacks to him are at disadvantage, he gains sentinel and stunning strikes)

In the midst of combat, Koordrin prays to Cassius and his axe starts to glow. Koordrin can now clash with the Callous King. He then proceeds to do so and destroys the King's helmet sealing "Graceful Presence" and actions surges to break his breastplate sealing "Guard Up". The Callous King charges at Mirage getting hit by 4 AoOs but manages to hit Mirage. Gallan uses his martial and since all abilities are shown, he learns the hidden ability "Focus Stance" (When below half health, the boss will lock in in its current form and that form becomes ascended). Arcidamus learns that the Callous King is weak to Necrotic Damage and tells Zacharius who then proceeds to use "Toll the Dead" for the rest of his turns.

As an act of desperateness, Zacharius uses his violet eye to see inside the Callous King. He sees that Hector Highfall is still in his body but locked in a cage. Zacharius attempts to free Hector and the Callous King will look her way for the Herald has come. After losing once already, the Herald is determined to teach these impudent fools who challenge him a lesson in pain. Zacharius is pushed back to the other side of the temple but he does not falter. Zacharius stands and, being underestimated, frees Hector out of the Herald's Cage. A spirit of Hector appears in front of Zacharius and he summons four King guards for Zacharius to command. Mirage notices that the statue of Cassius still has some power left in it and when Koordrin prays again, the statue gives him another clash. The Callous King is brought below half health in Scepter stance and goes into its ascended form. He proceeds to AoE everybody which downs Gallan.

### Help from the Dream

Blood splutters out from Gallan's mouth and his heart stops. The spirit servants, summoned by Zach, gain a fifth - Gallan, his spirit bound in the halls of heroes. Arcidamus casts Bless on his friends. The symbol of Love fades from the others, and is replaced by the symbol of Fate. Because Zacharius has summoned the spirits of the dead, and between life and death lies the dream, a growing presence suddenly fills the room. Mirage senses Wode and he is accompanied by his bother, Oun. Nox joins the party. She attacks two servants, not knowing they're allies, but they fortunately dodge. They inform her that they're on their side. Koordrin is able to notice two abilities of the Callous Kind: Missile Storm and Banishment. He goes in for the Clash and the Callous King impales him. He flies backwards in a burst of violet light and crashes to the ground. His armor turns to violet ash. Blood seeps on the ground from the wound on his chest. Courage has its cost. Mirage unleashes her scream but the Callous King is not impressed.

He raises his scepters and says "the master calls", attacking all of them. One of the kingsguard falls to the ground, their essence fading. Koordrin, still bleeding out, are blasted with an Admonishing Beam. It strikes Mirage twice and she goes down, and then it strikes her a third time. Nox is struck by a storm of missiles. Arcidamus heals Koordrin and unsuccesfully tries to stab the Callous King. Nox heals herself and remembering the teachings of Dr. Essler, stabilizes Mirage.

Zacharius strikes the enemy with Toll of the Death, and notices that, even though Mirage is down, Bane is still active. The Kingsguard fires at it. Koordrin heals himself, asking Cassius for strength and shoots his crossbow. The Callous King raises both of his scepters over his head, charging a beam, gambling and using his all to cast Banishment on Zacharius but he misses.

Arcidamus tries to land the final blow but misses. Nox charges at him, but he knocks her back. She doesn't fall and runs back at him, landing an attack. Zacharius calls Toll of the Death and as the Callous King goes down, he pushes up his glasses and says: "I guess you just met a better gambler, didn't you?" The body of the old king destroyed and the Kingsguard salutes Zach, returning to their warrior's rest.

Gallan's spirit is the last one to fade. He never did make it to Solom. He never was able to perform his wedding. Gallan looks at each of you and raises his hand in farewell. Some stories don't have a happy ending, some purposes are never fulfilled. Heroes die and the story for Gallan comes to its end. And thus, he fades from the realm of the waking to take his place at Viderick's side.

As Gallan spirit fades, another manifests, the king. He thanks them.

## Characteristics

* Martial to identify: 13
* +5 to Wisdom Saves.
* +5 to Constitution Saves.
* Vulnerable to Necrotic damage
* Disadvantage on saving throws against Necrotic abilities.

## Traits

* **Combo** - This enemy has abilities that inherently synergize and can trigger each other.
* **Honorable** - This enemy will give the players one round to prepare and get ready. However, attempting to leave will increase the creature’s power and give it a free round of attacks.
* **Martial Adept** - This enemy is a Martial Weapon Specialist, and can engage/be engaged in martial clashes.
* **Ruthless** - This enemy will target downed players and will attempt to finish them when given the chance.
* **Violet**: This enemy is a Servant of the Violet and should this enemy kill a player character, all of that player’s characters will be destroyed. This character cannot be resurrected. They will be forgotten and removed from the tapestry. This is known as Violet Death.

## Abilities

The Callous King fights using three different stances which it will switch to in a specific order: Scepter Stance, Blade Stance, and Shield Stance.

### Scepter Stance

**Scepter Stance** is one of the Callous King's three stances. While in this stance, it has the following abilities:

* **Admonishing Beam** - Choose a random enemy. They take [3d6] Radiant damage.
* **Graceful Presence**:  On its' next turn, it heals itself for [d10] hitpoints. This increases by [d10] for each enemy that is not adjacent to it.
* **Lord's Scepter**: For each enemy not adjacent to it, take [2d4+2] Force damage. For each enemy over 1 that is not adjacent, triggers Admonishing Beam.

### Blade Stance

**Blade Stance** is one of the Callous King's three stances. While in this stance, it has the following abilities:

* **Charging Behemoth** - On its' next turn, it charges an enemy within' 100 feet but not within' 10 feet and attacks them [d20+8] [d10+4]. If that attack hits, its next damage/healing is doubled. [SEALED]
* **Lord's Blade** - This enemy may make an attack [d20+8] [d10+4]. This attack is against all adjacent enemies. For each adjacent enemy, it increases its critical threat range by 1.
* **Mageslayer's Strike** - This enemy may make an attack [d20+8] [d10+4]. It is able to AoO against casting. If that attack hits then it loses its spell cast.

### Shield Stance

**Shield Stance** is one of the Callous King's three stances. While in this stance, it has the following abilities:

* **Guard Up** - At the start of its next turn and for one round, it gains +4 to AC and all melee attacks stun on hit. DC 14 Strength Saving throw to resist.
* **Lord's Shield** - For 1 round, all enemies have disadvantage to attack this creature, this creature has sentinel, and AoO are triggered actions.
	+ Sentinel means that the Callous King can AoO even if the enemy disengages. If it does hit then the enemy's movement is set to 0.
	+ AoO are not considered reactions.
* **Sentinel's Slam** - This is an AoO. If it hits, the enemy makes a DC 14 Strength Saving throw or be stunned for 1 Round.

### Hidden: Focus Stance

The Callous King has one hidden ability:

* **Focus Stance** - Whenever the Callous King reaches half hit points or lower, it is locked in the current stance he is in. Then it enters the stance's ascended form. The known ascended stance he ended up in was the **Ascended Scepter Stance** which had the following abilities:
	+ **Banishment** - Roll to attack [d20+8] [d10+4].  The rest is unknown.
	+ **Missile Storm** - Choose a random enemy. They take [8d4+8] damage.
	+ Unidentified Ability - The Callous King can pay health as an added bonus to rolls.
	+ Unidentified Ability - As a reaction: Push an enemy 60 feet away. They must make a strength save to not be pushed. If they are pushed back, they must make a dexterity save to not take damage.

## Additional Mechanics

* **Summon Kingsguard** - This enemy treats the building of Cassius as an arena. At the beginning of its turn, if no enemies are inside the arena: It will summon a kingsguard outside the arena. It summons [1d2].

## Trivia

* Arcadum mentioned that the Callous King and the Callous Conductor are somehow related though the exact nature of that relation is unknown.

## External Links

* Google Doc for the encounter, created by Morgeta

## References

1. ↑ Strange Roads: Episode 12
2. ↑ Strange Roads: Episode 13