THE ELEMENTAL NODES
After clearing out all four levels of the Temple, it is now time to use the dimensional gateways that Hedrack had previously controlled access to. The gateways lead to a part of one of the four elemental planes; Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Each portion of the elemental plane is watched over by a guardian, a Demon from the Abyss that is somehow representative of the Elemental Node that it resides in. Each Demon guards one of the four Elemental Gems used to empower the Orb of Golden Death. The objective then is to join all four of the Gems to the Orb so as to pursue a final ending.
Air Elemental Node
Here the party finds itself atop one of several rock islands joined together by bridges, and suspended amidst swirling winds. The guardian here is a winged Vrock demon.
1. A gateway to the Earth Elemental Node.
2. A gateway to the Water Elemental Node.
3. A gateway to the Fire Elemental Node.
4. Here the party will run into a pack of Ildrisses. Despite their small size, they actually have pretty powerful attacks, so don’t take them too lightly.
5. Here the party will find a few Large Air Elementals.
6. Here the party finds Taki, who is a joinable fighter.
7. Here you’ll find a pack of Vapor Rats. They aren’t aggressive, and considering that you’ll have probably hit your 10th level limit by now, there really isn’t any need to pick a fight here.
8. Here the party will fight a few Vortexes. They don’t really seem all that different from Air Elementals.
9. Here the party will find a few Windwalkers. They aren’t aggressive either.
10. Here the party finds Ashrem, who’s a joinable cleric. If you did any of the quests for the Elemental Factions in the first 2 levels of the Temple, you may remember hearing something about Alremm betraying and killing his own brother. Well, that brother is none other than Ashrem, and he’s itching to settle the score against his sibling. At the time of writing, I don’t think anybody has explored what will happen if you bring the two brothers into the same room. Interesting…
11. This is where you’ll find the air guardian, the Vrock. It will be assisted by two Large Air Elementals. It relies on the same formula as the Glabrezu, engaging in melee combat while protected by Mirror Image, and summoning Quasits. It does occasionally unleash a poisonous spore attack affecting those within its immediate vicinity. As with the Glabrezu, it’s a matter of first dispatching the Elementals, and then surrounding the Vrock to finish it off.
On the Vrock’s body you’ll find the Air Elemental Gem. It empowers the Orb to be able to cast Chain Lightning once a day, Summon Air Elemental once a day, and Summon Vrock once a week.
The door that the Vrock had been standing in front of enables the party to return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, Level 4.