Ashen Refuge Bell
The Ashen Refuge Bell was meant to protect the camp by warning its people of approaching attackers. Under stress, however, the bell feeds on fear. Each toll sends a pulse through the ropes, wagons, and packed earth, turning frightened civilians into a dangerous moving obstacle. The hazard is most memorable when the heroes must defend people and fight enemies while deciding whether to silence the very warning that keeps the camp from being overrun.
Ashen Refuge Bell
Defenses
Detection
“A cracked bronze bell hangs from a hastily erected timber frame beside the camp's central wagon. Its clapper is wrapped in red cord, and strips of cloth bearing refugees' names flutter from the ropes. Whenever danger nears, the bell trembles without being touched.”
Standard Engagement
The hazard rolls initiative when an enemy enters the camp, a barricade is breached, or a creature deliberately rings or strikes the bell. It also activates when three or more refugees become frightened during the encounter.
On its turn, the bell performs one action based on the current battlefield. If an enemy is within 30 feet of a refugee cluster or has broken through a camp barricade, it uses Bellshock. Otherwise, it uses Accusing Toll against the nearest visible enemy and then causes Stampede in the largest refugee cluster within 30 feet. The bell cannot use Bellshock two rounds in a row unless at least one refugee has been reduced to frightened 2 or higher.
The bell resets at the start of the next round after it has not been triggered for 1 round. If the bell is disabled, it does not reset until repaired and ritually retuned.
The bell releases a concussive toll. Each creature in a 15-foot emanation must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. On a critical success, the creature is unaffected. On a success, it is pushed 5 feet. On a failure, it takes 2d8 sonic damage and is pushed 10 feet. On a critical failure, it takes 4d8 sonic damage, is pushed 10 feet, and is stunned 1.
The bell's pulse drives nearby refugees into motion. Until the end of the hazard's next turn, squares occupied by panicked civilians are difficult terrain for enemies of the camp. A creature entering one of these squares must succeed at a DC 20 Reflex save or be knocked prone as civilians surge around it.
The bell's third toll identifies the nearest visible enemy within 60 feet. Until the start of the hazard's next turn, that enemy is marked by a faint red shimmer and cannot benefit from being concealed by smoke, dust, or the crowd. The shimmer is visible to all creatures in the camp.
The bell can sense fear within the camp. It cannot be fooled by an illusion of an enemy, but it can be deceived by a creature that succeeds at a DC 22 Deception check while visibly threatening a camp structure or civilian.
The battlefield is divided into three refugee clusters: the infirmary, the family wagons, and the supply lane. A cluster affected by Stampede becomes difficult terrain until the end of the next round. If two clusters are simultaneously affected, creatures defending the camp gain standard cover from the crowd, but movement through the area becomes hazardous.
If the bell is disabled without calming at least one refugee cluster, the camp loses its warning system. Enemies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to initiative for the remainder of the encounter, while defenders gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to detect attacks made from outside the camp.
Turn Ashen Refuge Bell into a sheet
A high-res, share-ready sheet you can post or print.