Setup: In this skill challenge, one or more adventurers attempt to reverse the partially completed ritual in order to close the Shadow Rift. This challenge takes place while the PCs battle Kalarel and his undead servants. To close the Shadow Rift, the PCs must unravel the ceremony and perform specific procedures to reverse the effects of the uncompleted ritual.

Complexity:

The PCs take turns making skill checks, and together they must accumulate a number of successful skill uses before they rack up too many failures. This particular skill challenge requires them to gain 8 successes before 3 failures.

Primary Skills:

A character contributes to the success or failure of the skill challenge by using any of the following skills and making a successful skill check against the listed DC.

NOTE: Bahamut Dragon Statues

Any adventurer carrying one of the Bahamut Dragon Statues gains a +1 to all rolls part of this skill challenge.

Arcana (DC 18; free action):

Once per round on the character’s turn, he or she can recall knowledge of magical effects and rituals and determine the next step in reversing the effects of Kalarel’s ritual. This skill can be used to gain up to four successes in this challenge. A failed check also causes the energy of the ritual to attack the character who attempted the check: +7 vs. Will; 2d6 + 4 necrotic damage.

Heal (DC 16; minor action):

Once per round on his or her turn, the character can make a special Heal check. If the check succeeds, the character can spend 1 healing surge as a free action to channel positive life energy into Kalarel’s ritual in order to help disrupt it. Doing so counts as one success toward completing the skill challenge. This skill can be used to gain up to two successes in the challenge.

Religion (DC 18; free action):

Once per round on the character’s turn, he or she can speak prayers or religious incantations to weaken the power of Orcus in place to hold open the Shadow Rift. This skill can be used to gain up to four successes in this challenge. A failed check also causes the energy of the ritual to attack the character who attempted the check: +7 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 4 necrotic damage.

Secondary Skills:

A character contributes to the success or failure of the skill challenge by using any of the following skills and making a successful skill check against the listed DC. Note secondary skills grant a +2 bonus to the next skill check roll, they do not count as successes or failures.

Endurance (DC 15; immediate interrupt- when an adjacent ally takes damage from a failed skill challenge check (Arcana or Religion)):

If the Endurance check succeeds, the character making the check takes the damage instead of the triggering ally. Successful use of this skill does not count as a success toward completion of the challenge.

Success:

If the adventurers gain 8 successes before attaining 3 failures, they reverse the progress of the ritual and permanently close the Shadow Rift.

Failure:

If the adventurers attain 3 failures before gaining 8 successes, the magical energy of the Shadow Rift stabilizes. Necrotic energy surges through Kalarel and the altar to strike all non-evil characters in the chamber. Each of these characters loses one healing surge. A character with no healing surges remaining takes damage equal to his or her healing surge value.