Guide to Running Light of Xaryxis, Chapter 11: Crowning Moment

Guide to Chapter 10 - Space Invaders

Arrival at the Citadel

• Read the box text.
• If the characters are prisoners:
  • A guard named Corelleth, who is loyal to Xedalli, meets the characters. He will escort them to the palace. He makes his friendly intentions clear, and can tell characters the following:
    • Prince Xeleth’s coronation will occur immediately after his father’s funeral.
    • Many wish Xeleth AND Xedalli to be coronated together, following the emperor’s wishes.
    • As emperor, Xeleth will have the characters executed.
• If the characters are infiltrating:
  • The characters can land at the common docks and sneak into the city.
  • Once in the city, everyone is preoccupied with the coronation.
  • They have time to take a short rest if they take this approach.
• If they land at the imperial docks, they will be greeted by Corelleth.

Temple of Light

• Read the box text.
• Have Xedalli look towards the characters insinuating they should speak up.
• If they don’t, she still nominates them as bearers of a ring of shooting stars.
• Verbal sparring between Xeleth and the characters. DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check to sway the crowd to favoring Xedalli.
• Depending on who loses the verbal sparring, a challenge for trial by combat.
• Read box text where Xeleth names the zodar his challenger.

Fighting the Zodar

• If the characters won the verbal sparring for Xedalli, she leads a chant that gives each character 20 temporary hit points.
• The zodar has two tactics — hit someone close to it twice and teleport them away, or teleport a squishy target far away and then hit them twice. I’d lean into the latter since characters keeping their distance probably have weaker Constitution saves.

Aftermath

• Read the different box text depending on if the characters defeat the Zodar.
• On to the final chapter!