Hooded figure
It is hard to see much of the hooded figure because of the voluminous hooded cloak. However, the figure does appear to be that of a young human, or humanoid, male. His skin is very pale, almost an opalescent white in color and his eyes are an ominous dull grey. You can see a few locks of curly black hair streaked with stark white tufts concealed by the hood of his cloak. When he glances in your direction, you can feel his gaze almost as a physical blow. He holds himself erect, a tall and imposing figure giving evidence of great pride.
Hunting Strategies
A hooded figure usually spawns wearing a shield, and it will sometimes spend an additional turn slinging it over its shoulder. If you can get in an attack before this, you will have a better chance of striking the hooded figure. Hooded figures spawn as either sorcerers or wizards with some defensive spells already active, with initial Sorcerer TDs of +118 and +119 respectively. This will commonly range up to +142, analogous to the higher level (but poorer) frost giants and arctic titans, but it can be as low as +93 and as high as +160.
Hooded figures have a variety of spells in their arsenal, the most threatening being their e-wave and their ability to dispel elemental buffs. Take note when fighting multiple hooded figures at one time, which can happen quickly in some rooms. Dull gold coins can be helpful for blocking dispels, but they cast it frequently. Casting (focused) Energy Maelstrom (710) and Elemental Wave (410) is an effective way of handling being prone from their waves or bad CvA/TD combinations. Their typical CS is +168/+173. (Some have a CS of +188/+195, with initial Sorcerer TD of +141.)
Note that hooded figures will spawn wearing a variety of different armors, ranging from flowing robes to augmented breastplates (which corresponds to CvA of +25 to -11.) In addition to anticipating potential spell hindrance, noting the figure's current armor can help gauge an appropriate type of ambush, if you rely on criticals. For example, you may have greater luck killing a hooded figure that wears light leather in one strike, as opposed to one in a chain hauberk (in which case it might be easier to take out its leg first). They also use multiple kinds of weapons, including: morning stars, flails, maces, quarter staffs, short swords, and broadswords. They will pick up better weapons from the floor.
Other Information
Hooded figures will sometimes incant spells (i.e. prepare and cast them instantly) instead of spending an extra turn preparing them like some other creatures.
They have a warding spell that does fire damage, probably Immolation (519) or possibly Dark Catalyst (719).
There are no warding rolls (i.e. they always hit) when they cast Elemental Dispel (417), Tremors (909), Elemental Wave (410), and Weapon Deflection (412).
The effects of the mana draining dome outside can be felt inside the hall, but it is usually not noticeable while hunting.
There can be up to five hooded figures at a time in the great hall for a solo hunter. The longer they are still alive, the more likely they are heavily buffed.
The Broken Lands side of the rune covered portal is neither safe nor a node. You cannot bring a dead body through it, but there is a fogging workaround.
Messaging
There is an ambient messaging in the workshop with an "eerie wind", implying the secret passageway that leads outside. This is a puzzle.
- Generation (possibly reincarnation by the dome)
There is a brilliant flash of light and a puff of smoke as a hooded figure suddenly appears!
- Spell preparation
A hooded figure mutters a few muted syllables.
- When dead
A hooded figure studies the ground carefully. DEAD> A hooded figure pauses a moment to consider things. DEAD> A hooded figure glances furtively about.
Behind the Scenes
The hooded figures were known to have assisted Uthex in fighting his fellow Loremasters. Uthex was seduced under the subtle influence of servants of the Unlife, and worked in the region when it was controlled by The Dark Path. His fellows could not destroy all of his experiments. What seems to be happening, since his work was "giving power physical form", is the crystal dome continuously reincarnating his creations. The hooded figures would consequently be surviving members of The Dark Path, who are dressed to resemble the acolytes of Lorminstra's temple in the Landing.
These refer to the "figure" in the wicked "nameless monastery", the abode of the hooded High Priest who was not to be described (he is probably Nyarlathotep), next to the plateau of Leng on the lunar landscape in "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath" by H.P. Lovecraft. The quest seeker blocks the way back in the "perpendicular" cliff with fallen rocks and dreads the possibility of returning to the grottoes of the ghouls with their glowing fungi through the "Cyclopean stairs" of the tower of Koth in Ngranek with its bat-winged night-gaunts. Abdul Alhazred argued that the location of the Leng plateau is difficult to identify because it is a place where different realities converge, which is essentially the same premise as Shadow Valley. It coexists both there and Antarctica in "At the Mountains of Madness", near the shoggoths, connecting the monastery to the Vaults of Zin. The Vaults of Zin are similarly coexistent in The Mound, which explains the myklian, the Tsathoggua worshippers transmogrified by the K'n-yans.
Resources
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