Vhaelon's Bastion Siphon | Fantasy Hazard Generated by CharGen

The hazard

The Bastion Siphon is the heart of Vhaelon's battlefield advantage: a hungry arcane engine that draws vitality from nearby combatants and routes it through the fortress. It does not merely injure those caught in its reach. It leaves them cold, hollow, and briefly unable to draw power from their own magic. The filaments make the hazard visible, but they also reveal the direction in which the stolen energy flows.

Complex
Magical
Trap

Stealth: (expert) to notice the pulse and energy filaments before entering the chamber; the hazard is obvious once it begins siphoning
Trigger: The hazard rolls initiative when a creature enters the chamber or starts its turn within 60 feet of the spindle while the siphon is active.
Disable: Three successful checks are required at the control dais. Each attempt takes 2 actions and can use Arcana, Crafting, or Thievery. A critical success counts as 2 successes. A critical failure triggers siphon backlash. Severing all three feed conduits suppresses the hazard, but does not permanently disable it.
Initiative: +26
Routine: At the start of its turn, the siphon draws on the two nearest creatures within 60 feet, prioritizing creatures with the most current Hit Points. Each target must attempt the Vitality Draw save. A creature can be targeted only once per round. If no creatures are within range, the siphon draws energy from the fortress instead, restoring 10 HP to one visible bastion ward or construct.
Reset: The hazard resets automatically at the start of each round while at least one feed conduit remains intact. Severed conduits can be repaired by Vhaelon or a creature with suitable tools, requiring 10 minutes and a successful Crafting check per conduit.

Damage

Immunities

Critical hits, Precision damage, Object immunities

Resistances

Physical 10, except adamantine

Weaknesses

Cold iron 10

Effects

2

Vitality Draw
DC 34
The siphon lashes a creature with stolen vitality. The target takes void damage, with a basic Fortitude save. On a failed save, the target is also drained 1; on a critical failure, it is drained 2. A creature already drained by this hazard instead takes an additional void damage.
Siphon Backlash
DC 34
When the hazard is disabled by destroying the spindle, or when a creature critically fails a disable attempt, the stored energy erupts. Creatures in the chamber take force damage, with a basic Reflex save. The blast also extinguishes nonmagical flames and scatters loose objects.

Special rules

Energy Reach.The siphon targets creatures within 60 feet that it can detect. Its filaments can pass through open space and gaps in structures, but not through a solid barrier that would block line of effect.

Hollow Pulse.A creature drained by Vitality Draw feels its pulse falter and hears a faint echo of its own voice coming from the spindle. This is a narrative cue, not an additional mechanical effect.

Interrupted Feed.If all three feed conduits are severed, the hazard cannot use its routine and does not reset until at least one conduit is repaired. Destroying the spindle while any conduit remains intact causes Siphon Backlash.

Spotting it

Discovery

A creature that succeeds at a Perception check notices the energy filaments and the rhythmic pulse beneath the floor.

Perception

+26

Stop it

Signs of dangerA low, rhythmic thrum makes loose grit hop across the floor. · Golden threads briefly connect to living creatures, then vanish. · Nearby flames lean toward the spindle, even when there is no wind. · The scars on the floor form rings around the control dais.

Countermeasures

A creature adjacent to a feed conduit can Interact to sever it with an appropriate tool or weapon. A conduit has AC 32, Hardness 15, and 30 HP. Severing one suppresses the hazard for 1 round; severing all three suppresses it until repaired.
DC 36A creature adjacent to the control dais can spend 2 actions to attempt a Arcana, Crafting, or Thievery check to disable a seal. Three successes disable the hazard. A critical success counts as 2 successes. A critical failure causes the siphon backlash effect.
A creature can attack the spindle. It has AC 34, Hardness 18, and 72 HP. When reduced to 0 HP, the hazard is disabled, but the backlash effect occurs.
DC 36A successful dispel magic counteract check against the siphon, using counteract rank 7 and , suppresses the hazard for 1 round. It does not count as a disable success.

In short

Characters can interrupt the siphon by disabling its control seals, damaging its spindle, or disrupting its energy feeds.

Its story

What it looks like

A waist-high ring of black iron ribs surrounds a suspended crystal spindle.

Why it is here

To drain vitality from creatures fighting near the bastion and convert it into power for Vhaelon's defenses.

Who made it

Vhaelon, with the aid of an unknown artisan whose runes predate the bastion

Lore

The siphon was designed to feed the bastion's wards by drawing vitality from anyone fighting within its reach.

Where it is found

Vhaelon's Bastion, in the central siphon chamber or the adjoining battle hall where its conduits cross the battlefield

Variants

The Bastion's Mercy: Vhaelon has tuned the siphon to spare creatures bearing his sigil, but the sigil becomes visible as a glowing brand when the routine begins.

Overfed Engine: The spindle has absorbed excess power. Its Vitality Draw deals 8d10+20 void damage, but the hazard's range is reduced to 30 feet.

Broken Tributary: One feed conduit is already severed. The hazard begins suppressed until a creature repairs the conduit or Vhaelon restores it.

Plot hooks

The siphon is drawing power from prisoners held in a sealed sublevel. Disabling it may save them, but the sudden release could awaken whatever the bastion's wards were containing.

The energy filaments lead beyond the battlefield to a second, hidden receiver. Vhaelon may be only one beneficiary of the device.

One of the siphon's feed conduits is connected to a wounded ally or a captured rival, making a quick severance a difficult choice.

Media

0 images

No images yet.

Visual sheet

Turn Vhaelon's Bastion Siphon into a sheet

A high-res, share-ready sheet you can post or print.