ZERNEBETH, TECHNIC LEAGUE CAPTAIN

Non-combat encounter.  The party moved so fast during the adventure – contacting Mockery day 1, taking out Hellbroth and visiting the night-market day 2 and then confronting Kevoth-Kul the same day at Notoriety 1 (and ignoring the call on the commset when they defeated Shade) that Zernebeth couldn’t contact the group via the options listed in the adventure.  Instead when they penetrated the basement of the Technic League I had a “mysterious benefactor” open doors for them, a female voice over the intercom ordering battleguards to leave the area the party was about to enter making the fight easier and finally sending a spherical ice-blue drone to guide them to a cache of treasure including a data-slate showing a map of the compound  which had a blue swan symbol  above her room.  They eventually made it to the room and made an uncomfortable alliance with her.  Better the Devil you know in this instance.

ZERNEBETH
Medium humanoid (human, cyborg), chaotic neutral

Armour Class 18 (siccatite skin)
Hit Points 104 (13d6+49 plus 8 from false life)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (fly spell)

STR  8 (-2)         DEX 15 (+2)       CON 14 (+2)
INT 22 (+6)         WIS 11 (+0)        CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Int +8, Con +6
Skills Cybertheurgy +13, Arcana +13, History +13, Medicine +4
Damage Immunities cold
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Gothic, Common, Dwarven, Hallit, Orc, Sylvan, Terran
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Ice Blade. As a free action Zernebeth can coat her arm in ice turning it into a blade. She gains the Iceblade attack which uses her Intelligence bonus for attack.

Siccatite Skin. Zernebeth has infused a layer of cold siccatite into her flesh. This gives her skin a pale blue sheen, renders her immune to cold, and grants her a +6 natural armor bonus. She can make a touch attack to deal 2 (1d4) points of cold damage; this damage isn’t affected by Strength. Any creature that makes a successful unarmed strike, natural attack, grapple attempt against her takes 2 (1d4) points of cold damage. Zernebeth loses these advantages when under the effects of a heat metal spell or similar effect, and is treated as a metal creature for the purposes of effects such as rusting grasp.

ACTIONS          
Multiattack. Zernebeth makes three attacks with her zero pistol or dagger. She may also use hail storm and chilling command when available.

Iceblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (1d12 + 6) cold damage.

[+3] Zero Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 80/320 ft.; one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) cold damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) cold damage on a failed save and losing 10’ of movement, or half as much damage and no movement loss on a successful one.

Chilling Command (Recharge 4, 5 or 6). Zernebeth chooses a target within 60 feet and commands them to freeze. The target must make a DC 17 Wisdom save or take 24 (7d6) cold damage and become immobilised. Or take half as much damage on a successful save and not be immobilised. The target creature may make a save at the end of its turn to break the immobilisation.

Hail Storm (Recharge 5 or 6). Zernebeth calls down a storm of hail stones the size of a mans fist in a 20-foot radius sphere, each radiating tremendous cold. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) cold damage on a failed save and become slowed (as the slow spell), or half as much damage on a successful one and not be slowed.

REACTIONS  
Teleport. If reduced to 20 hit points Zernebeth teleports away (see tactics)

Frost Shield. Zernebeth gains resistance to the damage type of the triggering attack.

TACTICS  
Before Combat Zernebeth casts overland flight, false life, mage armor, and shield on herself and greater magic weapon on her zero pistol.

During Combat Zernebeth casts invisibility on the first round of combat, then displacement on the next. She remains mobile during these rounds to confuse attempts to track her position. On the third round she casts disintegrate at the most heavily armored opponent. Thereafter, Zernebeth continues her assault with her next most powerful ranged spell, using her wands of charm monster or slow to manage serious threats.

Morale Zernebeth attempts to flee if reduced to fewer than 20 hit points, teleporting to Andoran to seek shelter with her distant friend Alaeron. If she’s allied with the PCs, she contacts them via sending to organize her return to Starfall. Otherwise, she teleports back to Starfall in 2 days to try to set things back in order as best she can.

GEAR
Combat Gear wand of charm monster (14 charges), wand of slow (9 charges), zero grenades (3); Other Gear mwk dagger, zero pistol, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +2, headband of vast intelligence +2, necklace of adaptation, batteries (3), cybernetic arm, cybernetic leg, timeworn commsets (2)