Hollow Guardians

Stub-class article · First seen: s05 · Last seen: s05

The Hollow Guardians were two glowing humanoids, made of branches, that barred a corridor of The Warrens beneath Umbrafall in session 5, watched by dozens of hollow eye sockets [9][24][13]. They asked in unison, “Speak. Who enters? Thieves? Or servants of the hollow?” and attacked when Caelumn’s lie failed [6][25]. Their touch drained maximum hit points, and Terry’s radiant shot and Hugo’s handaxe destroyed them [7][8][12][23].

Overview

The Hollow Guardians were the twin gatekeepers of a corridor in The Warrens beneath Umbrafall, met in session 5 after the party had destroyed the fungal giant. They asked one question, whether the party were thieves or servants of the Hollow, and fought when Caelumn’s answer failed to convince them [4][5]. They matter for the question they asked, which treats the Hollow as something with servants, and for the maximum hit points they cost the party [6][7][8].

Appearance and demeanour

Two figures roughly the party’s size, glowing from within with a purple light that brightened as they fed, in a corridor where dozens of hollow eye sockets turned in unison to follow the party [9][10][8]. They spoke in unison [11]. They were made of wood: when they fell they crumbled to “a pile of branches”, and Caelumn’s search found nothing, “they are pieces of trees” [12][13].

Abilities as played

  • A draining touch. A Guardian put both hands on a target’s chest; a failed Constitution save meant necrotic damage and an equal cut to maximum hit points, 10 on Caelumn and 7 on Vasquez. A short rest could not restore the loss [7][8][14].
  • A thrown branch. One fired a branch from a distance for 6 piercing and 5 necrotic damage on Vasquez [15].
  • Hard hitting. A natural 20 on Vasquez did 21 slashing and necrotic damage and downed him [16].
  • Open to Command. Terry’s second-level Command made both fail Wisdom saves, on a 4 and an 11, and spend a turn retreating [17].

Relationships

  • The Hollow: the Guardians’ question assumes it has servants and treats others as thieves. The DM has not said what it is, and The Hollow page keeps the question open [6].
  • “The Master”: when Harvo’s cannon took off a Guardian’s hand, it warned him, “You will not approach the Master”, and nothing more has been said of who that is [18].

Disposition towards the party

Hostile once they were judged to be lying. The first Guardian went straight for Caelumn because he had lied, and they fought on until destroyed [19].

Notable quotes

“Speak. Who enters? Thieves? Or servants of the hollow?” — Hollow Guardians (Nick, DM), [6]

“You will not approach the Master.” — Hollow Guardian (Nick, DM), [18]

History in the campaign

Session 5: Black Hollow Market Tunnels and the Hollow Guardians

Main article: Session 5

Beyond the fungal giant the party found a single path, and in it two glowing figures who asked, in unison, whether they were thieves or servants of the Hollow [4]. Terry, who had not caught the question, gave everyone’s names; Caelumn then declared them servants of the Hollow, and his Deception failed even with his inspiration spent [20]. The Guardians drained Caelumn’s and Vasquez’s maximum hit points; Terry’s Command made them flee, and a natural 20 downed Vasquez [7][8][21][16]. Terry’s radiant shot crumbled one to a pile of branches, Hugo’s handaxe took the other’s head, and the walls that had held the party back fell away [22].

Status

As of session 23. Both destroyed in session 5 [12][23]. The Hollow they served, and the Master they named, remain unexplained.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 5, line 891-921: The corridor of eye sockets; "Thieves? Or servants of the hollow?"; Caelumn's Deception fails.
  2. ^ Session 5, line 936-1004: The Guardians drain maximum hit points by touch; Caelumn's twinned Chromatic Orb; Terry's Command.
  3. ^ Session 5, line 1182-1277: A Guardian warns of "the Master"; a natural 20 downs Vasquez; both destroyed.
  4. ^ Session 5, line 891-894: Inline citation.
  5. ^ Session 5, line 914-921: Inline citation.
  6. ^ Session 5, line 892-894: Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 5, line 938: Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 5, line 972: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 5, line 891: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 5, line 898: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 5, line 902: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 5, line 1270: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 5, line 1395: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 5, line 1360-1363: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 5, line 1154: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 5, line 1202-1217: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 5, line 998-1004: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 5, line 1182: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 5, line 936: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 5, line 905-921: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 5, line 1003-1004: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 5, line 1267-1277: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 5, line 1277: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 5, line 982: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 5, line 917-936: Inline citation.
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