Russ Taylor's page

Please cancel the following subscriptions from my account:
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Thank you.

I finally broke out Skull and Shackles to play and noticed that the base characters are missing along with the fleet card. I need the following cards:

Alahazra character card
Jirelle character card
Lem character card
Lirianna character card
Merisiel character card
Seltyiel character card
Valeros character card
Alahazra role card
Jirelle role card
Lem role card
Lirianna role card
Merisiel role card
Seltyiel role card
Valeros role card
Plunder / Fleet Card

I do have the tokens for each character.

Looks like the taxfest discount failed to stack. Adding it to the queue for a manual fix, and thank you!

Should the necklace of fireballs have the Arcane keyword? It's arcane to acquire, arcane to recharge, but not Arcane on the traits list.

Seoni's pretty short on items worth using her power feat on, it's pretty much just the wand of enervate loot card so far since the wand of scorching ray dropped too low in damage to be worth holding. This one's surely worth it too.

CAAAAAAAAYYYYYDDDDDEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!

Washington and Oregon have an agreement allowing merchants to skip charging Oregonians sales tax by checking a driver's license and retaining a record of the sale with the ID # recorded. With tax up to 9.5% with the change in venue and the option to pick up subscriptions at the show, I'd like to encourage Paizo to take advantage of this agreement between the states and save their Oregon customers some of their hard-earned cash.

If nothing else, it makes shopping at the show much more attractive. This applies to a few other areas, but I bet Oregon customers makes up the largest share of such persons at the show, given the closeness.

http://dor.wa.gov/Content/FindTaxesAndRates/RetailSalesTax/Nonresidents/def ault.aspx

Thanks for your consideration, and if not in 2012, perhaps in 2013.

A sobering read to see how much Paizo struggled that year. Glad I know how the story "ends". And this year marks the beginning of what I consider the high water mark for Dungeon, all the way to its end as a print product.

Found out that Joel Rosenberg died on June 2nd of a heart attack. Another author from my childhood passes on :( I'd been hoping he'd come back to Guardians of the Flame again some day.

Monkeys! Intrigue! Betrayal! And the perhaps inevitable consequence of Count Jeggare's cold-blooded decision. A conclusion not to be missed.

Downloaded a bunch of PDFs today, and noticed all the dates were bad when I extracted them on Windows. So I copied a zip file over to my Linux box, and it looks like the problem's coming from the source, not my machine.

From a GameMastery guide PDF:
Jan 18 2038 078-099 PZO1114 Ch4.pdf

My god...it's full of stars!

On a more serious note, who wants to join me in an expedition to Sarusan?

Wow. I am *so* ready for round 2. If I could enter round 1. And pass into the top 32.

Just FYI - can't download anything from my downloads page, and the folks who just tried it on the unofficial chat room can't download from their pages either.

Thanks to my players - I had a blast running this game! Already sorting through ideas for the finale of Creeps of the Borderlands at PaizoCon 4.

Though after that I'll probably do a prequel for PaizoCon 5 :)

You're Not From Around Here is finished other than miniature and map picking, huzzah! Now to finish Creeps in the Keep :)

Folks going to PaizoCon - *this* is what your GMs are doing right now, instead of reading their PDFs of the Gamemastery Guide.

Welcome to the fun. Play some Pathfinder with the office. It'll grow on ya! :)

Or possibly IN you, depending on your GM.

Have you tried hiding his distributor cap?

The insanity chart brings a nostalgic tear to this grognard's eye... :)

It's gonna be a hard month or two waiting for this book.

My schedule opened enough to go to Gen Con again, but I am devoid of any sort of room. If anyone's got a room near the con (i.e. walking distance) and wants a 2nd or 3rd roommate, let me know. I'll happily use an air mattress instead of one of the beds, and cut your convention expenses.

Hopeing someone else can help a fellow gamer out, so I can be at hand to see Paizo sell some of the books I helped out on :)

I'm not finding rules for burrow in the Bestiary or the PF RPG Core Rulebook. Am I just missing it, or was this an oversight? Guessing it will be the same as the D20 SRD.

With my own product(Seekers of Secrets) and the Bestiary held up waiting for Pathfinder #27, I'm wondering if there is any way to bump my subscription so that everything pending ships to me this week. I'm aware that means another shipping charge.

Thanks!

While GMing or playing Pathfinder Society at Gen Con, a black and red runic D6 made it home with me. Hoping that by some lucky chance, the owner will speak up and I can send it home, since it is a pretty spiffy die.

Let me be the first here to call out YAAAAAAY ROY!

It's been a long 222 strips.

I'm heading to GenCon this year, and one thing I lack at the moment is a roommate. Anyone going and in need of a room? Staying at the Omni, right next to the convention center.

Observed during Crimson Thorne playtesting:

The Heal check takes a lot of fear out of disease in either edition. A fairly simple check takes the risk of a failed save out of a disease, several such checks and you are cured.

Suggestions to address this:
* Only Fortitude saves should count for shaking off a disease. If the patient fails their save but the Heal check is successful, the disease does not advance, but the patient doesn't recover. This keeps in the potential for a patient being under care for some time, making disease relevant.

* Heal should be at a subsantial penalty for disease treament if you aren't under long-term care. At 10 minutes per check, a single healer could treat dozens in a day, which makes most diseases less than scary with even untrainedh Heal checks. I'd say -5 to the Heal check for 10 minute treatment, full value for the 8 hour long term care (which still allows treating 6 patients at a time, a pretty heavy workload).

After 21 levels, 65 sessions, and 26 months of real-world time, the final session for Age of Worms was today. Alas, Kyuss was no match for a party armed with enough wishes to undo all their misfortune. Alhaster is free again, and Oerth is spared.

It was a fun ride, but I don't think I'll ever run a 20 level path again...

I'm planning on starting up Pathfinder Society games in Eugene, Oregon. If interesting, post on this thread or drop me a line at eugeneruss@gmail.com. Quite willing to order and run the adventurers, and I have a nice gaming room for a quality experience.

So during Jason's playtest (thanks for running!), I got to run an early draft of the bard.

Some highlights:

* More spells per day!
* +4 on saves vs. sonic or mind-affecting
* hp came out like I was getting D8s, as expected
* Bardic knowledge is now +3 on Knowledge skills, rather than a separate roll
* Something called Well-versed that I know not the meaning of :)
* Song of DOOM, which is like a reverse inspire courage (penalties to the die rolls of your foes)

I must stress that all of this is subject to change or my misinterpretation. The orc wardrummer I played was a blast, especially when my drumming caused the group to bleed from their ears. Go team bard!

What sort of action is it to put up a clerical or wizard aura? Related, can it only be done during the character's turn? Can the same character put up multiple auras at the same time?

Related feedback:
The luck domain "+2 to all d20 roles" aura power seems fairly powerful to me, since past level 10 or so this may well be every fight in the day. It is less alarming if it is a standard action to put the aura up.

A Prayer for the Fallen (EL 10)
An encounter for four 7th level characters.

Encounter Context
Upon their return to Orunash, the PCs learn of the death of the sage Lewenar at the hands of assassins. Investigation reveals the likely involvement of worshippers of Ereshkigal. The PCs head to the temple of Nanna-Suen to pay their respects to Lewenar and speak with high priestess Enatuma. The cult of Ereshkigal has other plans, however. They have infiltrated the temple and plan to draw it into the underworld, eliminating their rivals. Their agent awaits the PCs arrival before springing the trap, hoping to dispose of them as well.

The Temple of Nanna-Suen
The temple is built on a two-tiered ziggurat near the center of the town of Orunash. Twin pillars in the shape of stylized palms flank the entrance of the temple, symbolizing the entrance to heaven. Within, the austere entranceway of the temple gives way to an ornate interior, lit by charcoal braziers and numerous lamps. Both inner and outer doors stand open during daylight hours.

The central room of the temple is decorated with mosaics, the right side depicting Nanna-Suen's role as bringer of dreams and wisdom, the left his aspect of darkness and nightmares. Towards the end of the room stand a pair of angelic statues, arms outstretched above basins of holy water. Between them, stairs lead up to the altar room.

The altar room contains a golden statue of Nanna-Suen and three low stone altars. The statue depicts a bearded man in a sheepskin robe, seated upon a marble thrown and wearing a crown of bull horns. In his right hand is a bronze rod of office. The altars hold myriad objects of faith.

The main rites of the temple take place in the central chamber, while offerings of food, incense and scented oil are presented in the altar room beyond. Living quarters for the priests and acolytes are in the town below.

The high-priestess of the temple is Enatuma (CG female human cleric 4), a gray-haired woman of advancing years. Her strong right arm is Akurida (CG male human fighter 1/cleric 1). Clean-shaven and bald-headed, he has the look of rough-hewn stone. The priests are served by a trio of acolytes, a man and two women. All three have shaved heads and wear simple robes. A relative newcomer is Hadina (CE female human cleric 4), a traveling priestess who arrived in Orunash three months ago. Like Akurida, she favors wearing plate and shield during her temple duties. Unbeknownst to the others, Hadina is in fact a priestess of Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld.

Treachery Within
As the PCs enter, Hadina sets her plan in motion. She has already bound temple and priests with a ritual that will shunt the building into the underworld, transforming the priests into monstrosities.

The warmth provided by bronze braziers is a welcome change from the chill autumn air. Ahead is the casket that must hold Lewenar's remains, heaped with offerings to ease his passage into the afterlife. A small group of townspeople are gathered around the casket, paying last respects. Seeing you enter, high priestess Enatuma motions at you from the back of the temple. With her are her fellow priests Akurida and Hadina.

As you approach, Hadina turns towards you, casting a pinch of gray ash into the air with a strange smile on her face. As the ash scatters in the air, the ground lurches and shakes, and as one the braziers and lamps wink out. A pale red glow infuses the air, illuminating the forms of the priests writhing on the floor, all save Hadina, their forms shifting and changing. Enatuma collapses into ooze, a monstrosity with countless eyes and a score of mouths arising from her remains. The flesh melts away from Akurida, leaving a gaunt form dripping with ichor. In place of Enatuma's acolytes stand a misshapen trio of hunchbacked wretches. Beyond the temple doors, where once was bustling town and light of day, is now only silence and darkness.[i]

Divine Aid
Nanna-Suen, while not willing to intervene directly, has delayed the effects of Hadina's ritual, leaving the temple temporarily stranded on a demiplane between worlds. He has also placed his blessing upon his statue. If any PC approaches to within 15 feet of the seated statue of Nanna-Suen, the rod in its right hand begins to emanate a faint blue glow. If a PC stands adjacent to the statue, it animates briefly, presenting the rod with outstretched hands. The rod acts as a [i]+1 holy heavy mace, its powers lasting 5 minutes.

The holy water fonts in the main temple can be used against the demonic assault. Each font holds the equivalent of 6 vials of holy water. A PC standing adjacent to a font can splash the water as an improvised weapon (10 foot range increment), using one vial per attack. An available container can be filled with holy water as a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. In addition, a foe can be bull-rushed into a font and a grappled foe dunked (if adjacent) with a successful grapple check. Either maneuver causes 1d6 damage per vial of holy water remaining in the font (Reflex DC 14 half), emptying it in the process. Note that holy water causes no damage to the gibbering mouther.

Sliding into Perdition
When first brought into the demiplane, the temple is filled with a dim red radiance, providing shadowy illumination. The air grows chill, and outside the gates of the temple is only impenetrable blackness. The demiplane the temple now occupies ends mere inches beyond the walls, blocking any exit. The demiplane is connected to the Astral plane, but not the Ethereal or Shadow planes. Spells that require a connection to the Ethereal or Shadow planes no longer function. A PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Knowledge (the planes) check recognizes that the temple is in a demiplane and that it is being pulled towards the underworld. They learn of the magical limitations as well.

With each death, Ereshkigal's grasp on the temple grows stronger, bringing it closer to the underworld. Even the deaths of Hadina or the transformed priests serve this end.

After three deaths, corrosive vapors fill the air, acting as an inhaled poison (DC 13, initial damage 1 Con, secondary damage 1d4 Con, check once per hour). The demons and gibbering mouther are immune to this vapor, but Hadina is not. The area becomes mildly evil- and chaos-aligned (DMG p. 149).

After six deaths, the energy of the underworld infuses the temple, impeding conjuration (healing) spells and spell-like abilities. To cast an impeded spell (DMG p. 150), the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the level of the spell).

After nine deaths, the temple is brought fully into the underworld. The area becomes strongly evil- and chaos-aligned. Beyond the temple entrance can be seen a bleak and desolate waste, lit by a dim red light with no apparent source.

If the demons and gibbering mouther are dispatched before nine deaths have occurred, the ground shakes anew as the temple of Nanna-Suen snaps back into the realm of the living. The pillars in front of the temple crack, the angelic statues topple, and all within the temple must succeed at a DC 15 balance check to remain standing. Any surviving townspeople spill out into the light, grateful to be alive.

Designer Notes - Spreading Terror
PCs may be used to battling creatures of the underworld, but the average commoner is not. Play up the reactions of the terror-stricken townspeople as the battle develops. Have them beg for mercy from the demons, or cower behind a PC, pleading for protection. Don't be afraid to ham it up a little.

Creatures
The clergy of Nanna-Suen have been transformed into monstrosities, their possessions melding into their new forms. High priestess Enatuma becomes a gibbering mouther, while the others are transformed into demons. Akurida becomes a babau, the three acolytes transform into dretches. The only unaffected priest is Hadina, actually an agent of Ereshkigal. Eight townspeople remain in the temple, terrified but otherwise unaffected.

The dretches are in the main temple chamber with five of the townspeople. The other three townspeople are in the entry chamber. Hadina, the gibbering mouther and the babau are in the altar room.

When slain or knocked unconscious, the monsters decay rapidly, leaving the crumpled form of their host behind. If the monster was dying or dead, the host is in same state, otherwise the host is unconscious with 1 hp remaining. Even with magical healing, the hosts require many days to recover from their ordeal, and are treated as helpless for the remainder of the encounter.

Certain magical effects can restore the host. A successful banishment or dismissal tears the transformed husk away, as does a successful dispel magic or break enchantment against caster level 15. Sending a creature away leaves the host alive with 1 hp and unconscious, as described above. Once the temple has been brought fully into the underworld, banishment and dismissal no longer have any effect.

Gibbering mouther CR 5
hp 42 (MM 126)
AL CE
Unlike a normal gibbering mouther, this creature has the extraplanar subtype.
TACTICS
During Combat The gibbering mouther only begins babbling if both Hadina and the babau are incapacitated. It moves towards the nearest edible foe (including the townspeople), seeking to swallow its target. The mouther aims its spittle at PCs harassing it with spells or ranged attacks.
Morale The gibbering mouther fights to the death.

Babau CR 6
hp 66 (MM 40)
TACTICS
During Combat The babau is unable to use its summon demon ability. It engages the toughest-looking opponent in melee, directing any nearby dretches to provide flanking. It uses dispel magic against any opponent with a large number of active spells. He dispatches any helpless foe within reach with a sneak attack.
Morale The babau fights to the death.

Dretch (3) CR 2
hp 13 (MM 42)
TACTICS
During Combat The dretches are unable to use their summon demon ability. The first dretch to act unleashes a stinking cloud on the PCs, the next two follow up with scare on the nearest visible PC. The dretch nearest the babau grudgingly helps him in battle, the other two seek townspeople to rend limb from limb. They take particular pleasure in slaying helpless or dying adversaries.
MoraleThe dretches fight to the death.

Hadina CR 6
Female human cleric of Ereshkigal 6
CE Medium humanoid
Init -1; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3

DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 23
(+10 armor, -1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 shield)
hp 41 (6d8+11)
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +9
Defensive abilities undetectable alignment; Immune fire (72 points only); Resist electricity 10

OFFENSE
Spd 20 ft.
Melee masterwork heavy mace +6 (1d8+1)
Special Attacks rebuke undead 5/day (+2, 2d6+8), smite 1/day (+4 to hit, +6 damage)
Spells Prepared (CL 6th, +5 melee touch):
3rd--contagion (DC 16)*, dispel magic, prayer, protection from energy
2nd--cure moderate wounds (DC 15), resist energy, shatter (DC 15)*, sound burst (DC 15), undetectable alignment
1st--command (DC 14), cure light wounds (DC 14), disguise self (DC 14)*, divine favor, shield of faith
0--cure minor wounds (DC 13, x2), detect magic, detect poison,mending
* Domain spell. Domains: Destruction, Trickery

TACTICS
Before Combat Every morning, Hadina casts undetectable alignment. Before the PCs arrive, she casts resist energy (electricity) and protection from energy (fire) and drinks her potion of barkskin.
During Combat During the first round of combat, Hadina utters a prayer. She follows up with a sound burst, hoping to stun a foe near the babau. If forced into a melee, she uses divine favor before fighting back.
Morale Hadina surrenders when reduced below 6 hp.
Base Statistics AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21; no fire immunity or electrical resistance

STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; Grp +5
Feats Combat Casting, Skill Focus (bluff), Toughness
Skills Bluff +14, Concentration +10 (+14 casting defensively), Disguise +9 (+11 acting in character) , Knowledge (religion) +4

Languages Common
SQ spontaneous casting (inflict spells)
Combat Gear potion of barkskin, scroll of cure moderate wounds, feather token - whip; Other Gear +1 full plate, masterwork heavy steel shield, masterwork heavy mace, cloak of resistance +1, disguise kit, spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol of Nanna-Suen (crescent moon), silver holy symbol of Ereshkigal (half-open gate)

Enatuma, high priestess of Nanna-Suen
Female human cleric of Nanna-Suen 4
CG Medium humanoid
Init +0
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14
hp 25
Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +7
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 14
Other Gear chain shirt, light mace, silver holy symbol of Nanna-Suen (crescent moon), spell component pouch

Akurida, shield of the faith
Male human fighter 1 / cleric of Nanna-Suen 1
CG Medium humanoid
Init +1
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20
hp 22
Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +3
Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Other Gear masterwork full plate, heavy steel shield, masterwork longsword, silver holy symbol of Nanna-Suen (crescent moon), spell component pouch

Acolytes
Male or female human cleric of Nanna-Suen 1
CG Medium humanoid
Init -1
AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9
hp 9
Fort +3, Ref -1, Will +4
Str 13, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 14
Other Gear robes, wooden holy symbol of Nanna-Suen (crescent moon), spell component pouch

Townspeople
Male or female human commoner 2
NG Medium humanoid
Init +0
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 7
Spd 30 ft.
Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1
Melee unarmed strike +1 (1d3)
During Combat The townspeople try to flee out the gates. After finding themselves trapped, they do their best to hide or seek the protection of PCs. They do not fight back.
Morale The townspeople do not have the stomach for battle, and cower if attacked.
Str 10, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; Grp +1
Other Gear simple clothing

Treasure
If the PCs foil Ereshkigal's plan and return the temple of Nanna-Suen to the mortal realm, they are rewarded for their efforts. If any priests survive, they gift the party with 4 potions of cure moderate wounds, a scroll of consecrate and a wand of bless (10 charges). The townspeople are similarly grateful, and take up a collection to reward the PCs. A week after the attack, they present the PCs with the sum of 500 gp.

Ad Hoc Experience Award
PCs that succeed in returning the temple to the world of the living gain experience as though they had defeated an EL 8 encounter, in addition to any XP due for foes defeated.

The Adventure Continues
If too many lives were lost, the PCs may find themselves trapped in the underworld with no easy means of return. Fortunately for them, allies can be found even in the land of the dead, and the temple still retains some affinity for the land of the living.

PCs that succeeded in returning the temple are welcomed as heroes for preserving the spiritual heart of Orunash. Even so, each life lost is mourned, particularly those of any priests that were slain. In a few days, dire news reaches Orunash: the attack against the temple of Nanna-Suen was not isolated. Reports trickle in of other temples and holy sites vanishing, leaving only barren ground. It seems Ereshkigal's attack on Orunash was only the beginning.

The Darkblight
A dryad is forever linked to her tree - should it perish, she dies as well. But when Arlantia's tree was consumed by fire, she rejected death's embrace. Hideously burned in the conflagration, she staggered on until she found an oak that had survived the blaze. Murdering the dryad bonded to this oak, Arlantia claimed it for her own, invoking dark powers to bind it to herself. The fey and her stolen tree survived, but changed, the energies of life now intertwined with death. The tree itself awakened into sentience, and knew the wardens of the forest would see it as blasphemy against nature. Drawing upon the necromantic energies that coursed within its frame, the tree awoke those that had perished in the fire, clothing their dead flesh in wood and vine. And so was born the darkblight, a corruption of nature that threatens to consume the forests of the world.

Thematic Link
The theme of the darkblight is one of corruption and the perversion of the cycles of nature. The creatures of the darkblight form an ecology founded on the destruction of life. The blight is spread by the blightspawned fey, descendants of the dryad Arlantia. The blightspawned fey survive by infecting trees with darkblight, awakening them as arbor mortis - the trees of death. These trees endure a brief existence trapped between life and death, their fading essence sustaining the blightspawned fey. The guardians of the arbor mortis are the moldering shamblers, vine-wrapped corpses animated by the trees of death. At the core of each shambler is a kernel of life essence, a seed containing the beginnings of a new blightspawned fey. In this fashion, from living fey to dying tree to undead and back to fey, the circle of death of darkblight spreads.

----------------------------------------

Blightspawned Fey
The creature before you might have been a beautiful woman, once. Thorns the length of a man's hand and patches of damp black mold grow from her bark-like skin. She gazes at you with piercing green eyes, readying a thorny length of vine.

Blightspawned Fey CR 5
Usually CE Medium fey
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +12, Spot +12
Aura siphon healing

Defense
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17
(+3 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 52 (8d6+24)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities freedom of movement; DR 5/cold iron; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness arbor mortis dependency

Offense
Spd 30 ft.
Melee thorned vine +7 (2d4+1) or vampiric touch +7 melee touch (4d6)
Ranged javelin +7 (1d6+1)
Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with thorned vine)
Special Attacks spawn weapons
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th):
At will--cause fear (DC 15), entangle (DC 15), ray of enfeeblement, tree stride, vampiric touch
3/day--ray of exhaustion (DC 17)
1/day--dominate person (DC 18), freedom of movement

Tactics
Before Combat A blightspawned fey prepares for battle by casting freedom of movement on herself.
During Combat Blightspawned fey start by catching as many foes as possible within an entangle spell, followed by dominate person on a foe who seems weak-willed. They then use ray of enfeeblement or ray of exhaustion against the most effective remaining combatants. Blightspawned fey prefer to stay back from melee, but close enough to make use of their siphon healing ability.
Morale Blightspawned fey escape using tree stride when the battle appears lost or when reduced below 15 hp.

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk +4; Grp +5
Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Skills Concentration +9, Escape Artist +14, Hide +14, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +10, Spot +12, Survival +9 (+11 in aboveground natural environments), Use Rope +11 (+13 with binding)
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft. with darkblight creatures
SQ infect, thorns
Combat Gear thorned vine (treat as a spiked chain, hardness 5, hp 5)

Special Abilities
Arbor Mortis Dependency (Su): Like a dryad, a blightspawned fey depends upon a tree for survival, drawing the energies that sustain her from an arbor mortis tree. If a blightspawned fey strays more than 300 yards from her tree or the tree dies, she becomes ill, and will die within 4d6 hours if she does not bond with a new arbor mortis tree. Each arbor mortis can sustain only one blightspawned fey.

Dark Mind (Su): Blightspawned fey can communicate telepathically with other darkblight creatures within 100 feet. Darkblight creatures include blightspawned fey, arbor mortis and moldering shamblers.

Infect (Su): Once per week, blightspawned fey can spread the darkblight by entering an uninfected tree using her tree stride spell-like ability. After staying within the tree for a period of one hour, the tree is transformed into arbor mortis. The tree must be at least equivalent to a size Large creature to sustain the infection, and no larger than a Gargantuan creature. A remove curse, remove disease or heal spell cast upon the tree before the transformation is complete cures the tree and ejects the blightspawned fey.

Siphon Healing (Su): As an immediate action, a blightspawned fey can absorb a conjuration (healing) spell cast within 60 feet, applying the affect to herself instead of the intended target or targets. This ability works even if the fey is out of the spell's range or area of effect.

Spawn Weapons (Su): Once per round as a free action, a blightspawned fey can create a thorned vine or javelin from the vines surrounding her body. As a standard action, she can create 50 feet of vine rope (treat as hemp rope, 2 hp, burst DC 23).

Thorns (Ex): Any creature striking a blightspawned fey with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes 2d4 points of piercing damage from the fey's thorns. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.

Ecology
Environment Any forest
Organization scout (1), incursion (1 arbor mortis, 1 blightspawned fey, 2-8 moldering shamblers), or infestation (2-4 arbor mortis, 2-4 blightspawned fey, 4-24 moldering shamblers)
Treasure Standard
Advancement by character class; Favored Class rogue
Level Adjustment -

Born of a dryad that turned her back on nature, blightspawned fey are filled with hatred for all living creatures. For the past decade, they have been spreading throughout the forests of the world, leaving behind blackened stumps where once great trees stood. They care only for their own survival, at any cost. Cowards by nature, blightspawned fey strike prefer to strike from ambush and with overwhelming strength.

Ecology
Blightspawned fey cling to life by spreading darkblight to otherwise healthy trees. An infected tree becomes an arbor mortis, a tree of death. The blightspawned fey bonds with the arbor mortis, drawing sustenance from the decaying life beneath its bark. Within scant weeks, the arbor mortis tree dies, consumed by darkblight, requiring the blightspawned fey to infect a new tree to prolong her life.

Blightspawned fey grow from the seed of the arbor mortis tree, implanted in the corpse of a humanoid or fey by a moldering shambler. The remains of the moldering shambler form a cocoon around this corpse. After three days, a newly born blightspawned fey tears its way out of the husk fully formed and aware. She infects a tree as soon as possible, forming the bond that sustains her life.

New blightspawned fey are created only rarely, usually when an arbor mortis tree has lost it fey or a moldering shambler is left uncontrolled. Increasingly, however, blightspawned fey are banding together in infestations and deliberately increasing their number.

Curing Darkblight
A blightspawned fey's cocoon or a tree infected with darkblight can be cured of their disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. Blightspawned fey themselves cannot be cured, death is their only release.

Habitat and Society
Blightspawned fey prefer to dwell deep in the woods, far from those who would destroy them. They detest all other creatures and distrust even other blightspawned fey, until recently only rarely working in large groups. Any who invade their dark glens are slain, their corpses animated by the arbor mortis as moldering shamblers.

Most blightspawned fey live apart from each other. Each is guarded by their current tree and a handful of moldering shamblers. Any new blightspawned fey created by the shamblers are driven off by the elder fey, sent away to find distant trees to infect.

As the darkblight has come to the attention of treants, druids, and other guardians of the forest, the blightspawned fey have found their lives imperiled. Increasingly, the blightspawned fey are banding together in small enclaves, pockets of death within the woods. These infestations of darkblight creatures are better able to defend themselves against the allies of nature. Individual blightspawned fey from the infestation are sent out to spread the darkblight to new locations.

Treasure
Blightspawned fey have little use for wealth. Any treasure carried by their victims is typically buried beneath the fey's arbor mortis tree, and left behind when the blightspawned fey moves on to infect a new tree. Any useful magic items are kept if their function is known, although the blightspawned fey disdain armor and most weapons. A typical blightspawned fey's horde consists of coins, jewels and treasure buried beneath the tree, along with a potion or two carried by the fey herself.

Sample Encounter
Fleeing a group of druids, a blightspawned fey has invaded the woods not far from a small farming community. With the aid of an infected elm tree, she has slain a number of the ettercaps that lair within the woods, now animated as moldering shamblers. The blightspawned fey, arbor mortis tree and 2 ettercap moldering shamblers constitute an EL 9 encounter. The blightspawned fey has collected a potion of shield of faith +3 and a javelin of lightning from past victims.

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Arbor Mortis

The mold-covered, disease-ridden elm before you uproots itself and takes a ponderous step forward, branches waving menacingly. Although you can see no eyes, the terrible creature somehow senses your presence. The already misty air grows cold with the chill of the grave as the tree strides closer.

Arbor Mortis CR 7
Usually CE Large plant
Init +6; Senses blind (but see dark mind), dark mind, lifesense 60 ft.; Listen +13, Spot +13
Aura info

Defense
AC 17, touch 7, flat-footed 17
(-2 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 76 (9d8+36)
Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +6
Defensive abilities negative affinity; DR 5/cold iron; Immune plant traits; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness consumption

Offense
Spd 10 ft.
Melee 2 slams +10 (1d8+5 + 2d6 negative)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks lifebane touch
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th):
At will—animate dead*, mind fog (DC 20), slow (DC 16)
3/day—blight (DC 18),hold monster (DC 18), mass inflict moderate wounds (DC 19)
1/day—fear (DC 17), confusion (DC 17)
* See animate dead under Special Abilities

Tactics
Before Combat An arbor mortis tree surrounds itself in mind fog to a radius of 40 feet, renewing each patch of fog as it fades.
During Combat An arbor mortis tree uses confusion as soon as it can catch at least two foes in the area of the spell. It uses slow and hold monster against foes battling any moldering shamblers the arbor mortis controls. Any serious harm it suffers is directed against a moldering shambler using its sacrifice minion ability. Mass inflict moderate wounds is reserved until it can heal the arbor mortis tree and its shamblers as well as harm the tree's foes.
Morale Already condemned to death, an arbor mortis tree does not fear destruction. It fights to the bitter end, striving to slay as many foes as possible.

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 7, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; Grp +15
Feats Ability Focus (mind fog), Blindfight, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills Concentration 17, Hide +3 (+11 in forested areas), Knowledge (nature) + 12, Listen +13, Spot +6
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan (cannot speak); dark mind
SQ canny foe, lifebane touch, sacrifice minion

Special Abilities
Animate Dead (Sp): Arbor mortis can animate only corpses, not bones. An arbor mortis tree must be able to move to animate the dead, as it wraps the corpse in vines and implants a seed within it. Any dead animated by arbor mortis become moldering shamblers. An arbor mortis tree can control 4 times its Hit Dice in undead.

Canny Foe (Ex): Arbor mortis can use its Intelligence modifier in place of its Dexterity modifier for Initiative checks.

Consumption (Ex): The balance of energies within an arbor mortis tree is precarious, and cannot be long sustained. In time, the negative energies overwhelm the remaining life within the tree, killing it. An arbor mortis tree can survive for 1 day per HD before being consumed.

Dark Mind (Su): Arbor mortis can communicate telepathically with other darkblight creatures within 100 feet. Although lacking eyes, an arbor mortis tree can see and hear anything that the other creatures in the dark mind link can see. Darkblight creatures include blightspawned fey, arbor mortis and moldering shamblers.

Lifebane Touch (Su): The blows of an arbor mortis tree causes 2d6 points of negative energy damage to living creatures. Lifebane touch has no effect on creatures healed by negative energy.

Lifesense (Su): An arbor mortis tree notices and locates living or formerly living creatures within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsense ability. Unlike conventional blindsense, the tree can use lifesense for targeting spell-like abilities. This ability can detect undead creatures, but not constructs.

Negative Affinity (Su): Arbor mortis feeds off of negative energy (such as inflict spells), and is treated as an undead creature for effects that use negative energy. Unlike undead, arbor mortis is not harmed by positive energy.

Sacrifice Minion(Su): As an immediate action, an arbor mortis tree can redirect a single attack or effect to a moldering shambler with 100 feet, after the consequences of that attack or effect are known. It can do this even if the effect would have proved fatal or incapacitating. The moldering shambler retains its usual resistances and immunities against the effect, but does not get an additional saving throw.

Ecology
Environment Any forest
Organization solitary (1), incursion (1 arbor mortis, 1 blightspawned fey, 2-8 moldering shamblers), or infestation (2-4 arbor mortis, 2-4 blightspawned fey, 4-24 moldering shamblers)
Treasure Standard
Advancement 10-13 HD (Large), 14-22 HD (Huge), 23-27 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment -

Arbor mortis are driven by two desires: to defend blightspawned fey, particularly those bonded them, and an unrelenting hatred of all other living creatures. They gladly sacrifice themselves and their undead minions in defense of the blightspawned fey, knowing that they are doomed to death regardless.

Ecology
Arbor mortis, the tree of death, is an abomination, born of the union of life and death. Arbor mortis trees are created from otherwise healthy trees by blightspawned fey, who require the energies of the arbor mortis to survive. The tree may be of any species, but must be at least 9 feet tall to survive infection by the blightspawned fey. The larger the tree, the more powerful the arbor mortis it becomes, and the longer it can survive before the unlife it carries consumes it.

The negative and positive energies contained within the arbor mortis tree are used in the creation of its minions, the moldering shamblers. These vine-covered zombies serve as both the guardians and seed bearers of the arbor mortis.

Curing Darkblight
A tree infected with darkblight but not yet become arbor mortis can be cured of its disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. Arbor mortis trees themselves cannot be cured, death is their only release.

Habitat and Society
Arbor mortis trees are usually created in forests. Occasionally, they are found on the outskirts of inhabited areas, in particular parks or graveyards. When standing still in appropriate surroundings, an arbor mortis tree is easily mistaken for an unhealthy but otherwise normal tree.

An arbor mortis tree is in constant telepathic communication with any nearby moldering shamblers and darkblight fey, seeing what they see and hearing what they hear. Although subservient to the blightspawned fey, the arbor mortis act as commanders during battle, directing fey and shambler alike. In these battles, the arbor mortis and moldering shamblers are expendable, the blightspawned fey are not.

An arbor mortis tree that finds itself without any blightspawned fey to protect hunts the living, transforming them into moldering shamblers. It then directs a shambler to implant its seed in a suitable corpse. Even if the arbor mortis tree itself dies before the corpse grows into a new blightspawned fey, it will have ensured the further spread of darkblight.

Treasure
Any treasure found with an arbor mortis tree is generally buried beneath its roots, along with any other possessions of its victims.

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Moldering Shambler
Black mold and tangled vines obscure the rotted flesh of this lumbering corpse. The vines twitch and writhe as the monster shambles forth with arms outstretched..

The first adventurers who battled moldering shamblers thought they were battling the unholy union of a zombie and a shambling mound, and gave them a name that reflected their nature. Moldering shamblers are the servants of the arbor mortis trees, corpses given a semblance of life with necromantic power. Animate vines wrap around and through their rotted flesh, strengthening them and shielding them from blows. In battle, the vines ensnare foes struck by the shamblers, strangling the life from them.

Sample Moldering shambler
Ettercaps are ideal candidates material for animation as moldering shamblers, having much more durability than a typical humanoid. Their natural grace helps offset the clumsiness of the walking dead, while their already considerable strength is much enhanced.

This creature was created by first applying the zombie template to an ettercap, then the moldering shambler template to the resulting ettercap zombie.

Ettercap Moldering Shambler CR 4

NE Medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16
(+2 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 68 (10d12+3); fast healing 5 when rooted
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7
DR 5/cold iron; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, fire 10
Weakness single actions only

Offense
Spd 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee slam +9 (1d6+6) or bite +9 (1d8+4) or claw +9 (1d3+2)
Special Attacks constrict 1d6+6, implant, improved grab, root

Tactics
During Combat Moldering shamblers attack their nearest foes, attempting to capture them with their improved grab ability. Once it is grappling, a shambler attempts to root, then constricts until the foe is dead. A moldering shambler only uses its implant ability when uncontrolled or when so commanded by its master.
Morale Moldering shamblers fight to the death.

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 15, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Base Atk +5; Grp +13 (+18 when rooted)
Feats Improved Grapple, Toughness
Languages Fey (cannot speak)

Special Abilities
Constrict (Ex): An ettercap moldering shambler deals 1d6+6 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Implant (Ex): A moldering shambler that is rooted and grappling a recently slain or helpless foe can attempt to implant a seed as a standard action. The foe must be a Small- or Medium-sized humanoid or fey, and must be alive or dead no longer than five rounds. A foe that is still alive receives a Fortitude save against this, the save DC is Strength-based. On a success, the foe still takes constrict damage, on failure, the foe is slain. Note that pinned foes are not helpless.

A moldering shambler that successfully implants a seed is destroyed. It leaves behind a cocoon of vines and branches around the remains of its victim. In three days, the cocoon hatches into a blightspawned fey, destroying the body in the process. The cocoon and seed can be destroyed while leaving the body intact with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell. Attempts to open the cocoon or remove the seed by non-magical means result in the destruction of the body.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an ettercap moldering shambler must hit a Medium or smaller opponent with its slam, claw or bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Root (Ex): A moldering shambler that begins the round in a grapple on the ground in natural surroundings can attempt to root as a standard action, sending runners into the ground while wrapping its foe in strangling vines. To successfully root, the moldering shambler must win an opposed grapple check. If it wins the grapple check, the moldering shambler causes constrict damage and roots. While rooted, it gains fast healing 5, a +5 bonus to grapple checks, and a +4 circumstance bonus to resist bull rushes and trips.

While rooted, a moldering shambler cannot move from the square it currently occupies. It can uproot as a standard action. A successful bull rush or trip uproots the shambler, but it receives a +4 circumstance bonus against such attempts. Any other effect that moves the moldering shambler also uproots it.

Single Actions Only (Ex) Moldering shamblers have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A moldering shambler can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Creating a moldering shambler
"Moldering shambler" is an acquired template that can be added to any undead that already possesses the zombie template, hereby referred to as the base creature.

A moldering shambler uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: As base creature +1.

Armor Class: The tangled growths covering the moldering shambler improve its natural armor bonus by 3 above that of the base creature.

Defensive Abilities: Moldering shamblers gain fire and cold resistance 10.

Special Attacks: A moldering shambler gains the constrict, implant, improved grab and root special attacks.

Constrict (Ex): A moldering shambler deals its slam damage with a successful grapple check.

Implant (Ex): A moldering shambler that is rooted and grappling a recently slain or helpless foe can attempt to implant a seed as a standard action. The foe must be a Small- or Medium-sized humanoid or fey, and must be alive or dead no longer than five rounds. A foe that is still alive receives a Fortitude save against this, the save DC is Strength-based. On a success, the foe still takes constrict damage, on failure, the foe is slain. Note that pinned foes are not helpless.

A moldering shambler that successfully implants a seed is destroyed. It leaves behind a cocoon of vines and branches around the remains of its victim. In 3 days, the cocoon hatches into a blightspawned fey, destroying the body in the process. The cocoon and seed can be destroyed while leaving the body intact with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell. Attempts to open the cocoon or remove the seed by non-magical means result in the destruction of the body.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a moldering shambler must hit a creature of its size or smaller with a natural weapon. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Root (Ex): A moldering shambler that begins the round in a grapple on the ground in natural surroundings can attempt to root as a standard action, sending runners into the ground while wrapping its foe in strangling vines. To successfully root, the moldering shambler must win an opposed grapple check. If it wins the grapple check, the moldering shambler causes constrict damage and roots. While rooted, it gains fast healing 5, a +5 bonus to grapple checks, and a +4 circumstance bonus to resist bull rushes and trips.

While rooted, a moldering shambler cannot move from the square it currently occupies. It can uproot as a standard action. A successful bull rush or trip uproots the shambler, but it receives a +4 circumstance bonus against such attempts. Any other effect that moves the moldering shambler also uproots it.

During Combat Moldering shamblers attack their nearest foes, attempting to capture them with their improved grab ability. Once it is grappling, a shambler attempts to root, then constricts until the foe is dead. A moldering shambler generally only uses its implant ability when no other foes are nearby.

Morale Moldering shamblers fight to the death.

Special Qualities: A moldering shambler loses the normal damage reduction of the base creature, instead gaining damage reduction 5/cold iron. It gains fast healing 5 when rooted.

Abilities: A moldering shambler's Strength increases by +2.

Feats: Moldering shamblers gain Improved Grapple as a feat.

Environment: Moldering shamblers are found in any forest.

Languages: Moldering shamblers understand simple commands in Fey. They cannot speak.

Ecology
Arbor mortis create moldering shamblers from corpses, infusing them with negative energy and darkblight while wrapping their rotting flesh in vines. Moldering shamblers serve as both warriors and seed-pods, defending the arbor mortis and their blightspawned mistresses while carrying the seed of the arbor mortis trees inside themselves.

Moldering shamblers spawn blightspawned fey by implanting their seeds within freshly slain humanoids or fey, infecting the corpse with darkblight in the process. The shambler implanting the seed is destroyed, its flesh rotting away and its vines winding around the victim to form a protective cocoon. After 3 days, the cocoon hatches into a fully grown blightspawned fey.

Most arbor mortis trees restrain their moldering shamblers from implanting, preferring to keep their minions intact.

Curing Darkblight
A cocooned corpse infected with darkblight can be cured of its disease with a remove curse, remove disease or heal spell, or other magic with similar effects. This also destroys the seed implanted within the corpse. Moldering shamblers themselves cannot be cured, destruction is their only release.

Uncontrolled moldering shamblers
Moldering shamblers that become uncontrolled instinctively wander away from their old grove, staying near any other uncontrolled shamblers. They seek out and waylay fey or humanoids, implanting seeds in their victims. Few moldering shamblers survive more than a week without the guidance of an arbor mortis tree.

Seskadrin, Satrap of the Ahestian Sea CR 13 [2 base, +2 6 HD advancement, +1 size large, +8 associated class levels]

"Too long have we been our own worst enemy. Too long have we thought only of blood and slaughter. Too long have we sought to swim the seas alone. Our birthright, our destiny, is conquest, to make our enemies our slaves and meat." – Seskadrin, addressing the Convocation of Suzerains.

Male Advanced Four-Armed Sahuagin Paladin of Tyranny 8
LE Large monstrous humanoid (aquatic)
Init +5 [+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative]; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12 (+16 underwater) [see Skills], Spot +12 (+16 underwater) [see Skills]
Aura of Despair enemies within 10 feet are at -2 on all saves

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 12 [+2 deflection, +1 Dex, -1 size], flat-footed 21 [+3 armor, +2 deflection, +7 natural, -1 size]
(+3 armor, +2 deflection, +1 Dex, +7 natural [+5 base, +2 size], -1 size)
hp 147 (8d8+8d10+64)
Fort +17 [+2 monstrous humanoid, +6 paladin, +4 Con, +5 divine grace], Ref +14 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +2 paladin, +1 Dex, +5 divine grace], Will +17 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +2 paladin, +2 Wis, +2 Iron Will, +5 divine grace]
Defensive Abilities divine grace, divine health; Immune disease
Weaknesses freshwater sensitivity, light blindness, water dependence

OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee +1 elf bane trident +22/+17/+12/+7 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, +1 enhancement] (2d6+7 [+6 Str, +1 enhancement]) and 3 claws +19 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, -2 secondary] (1d6+3 [+3 half Str]) and bite +19 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, -2 secondary) (1d6+3 [+3 half Str]) or
4 claws +21 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size) (1d6+6 [+6 Str]) and bite +19 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, -2 secondary) (1d6+3 [+3 half Str]) or
masterwork cold iron dagger +20/+15/+10/+5 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, +1 enhancement, -2 multiweapon fighting] (1d6+6/19-20 [+6 Str]) and 3 masterwork cold iron daggers +20 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, +1 enhancement, -2 multiweapon fighting] (1d6+3/19-20 [+3 half Str]) and bite +17 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, -1 size, -2 secondary, -2 multiweapon fighting) (1d6+3 [+3 half Str])
Ranged masterwork heavy crossbow, screaming bolt +18 [+16 BAB, +1 Dex, -1 size, +2 enhancement] (2d8+2/19-20 [+2 enhancement], all enemies within 20 feet of path of bolt shaken, Will DC 14 negates) or
2 masterwork nets +13 ranged touch [+16 BAB, +1 Dex, -1 size, +1 enhancement, -4 multiweapon fighting] (entangle)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks blood frenzy 1/day, deadly touch 40 hp/day [Pal8 times +5 Cha] (DC 19 [1/2 Pal 8 + 5 Cha]), rake (+19/+19, 1d6+3 [See Special Abilities]), rebuke undead 8/day [3 base, +5 Cha] (+10 [+5 Cha, +2 Knowledge religion, +3 circlet of persuasion], 2d6+10 [paladin 8 – 3, +5 Cha], as 5th level cleric), smite good 2/day (+5 to hit [+5 Cha], +8 damage [Pal8])
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th [paladin 8]):
At will - detect good
1/week – contagion
Spells Prepared (CL 4th [1/2 paladin 8]):
1st - corrupt weapon, divine favor
2nd - eagle’s splendor

TACTICS

Before Combat Seaskadrin prepares for battle by casting eagle’s splendor on himself and corrupt weapon on his trident.
During Combat Seskadrin opens with a screaming bolt, aiming to catch as many foes as possible within the associated fear effect. Against a group of five or less, he then closes, casting a pair of nets (ideally at least one at a smaller or weaker target) once he is within 10 feet. He attacks the entangled foes with claw, rake and trident. Note that the two hands holding ropes are unavailable for claw attacks. Against larger groups, Seskadrin directs any available minions against obvious melee combatants and quaffs a potion of haste. He then seeks to pick off any isolated members of the group in melee, utilizing his superior underwater mobility.
Morale Seskadrin has no interesting in fighting to the death. If reduced to 35 hp or less, he flees, directing any available minions to cover his retreat.
Base Statistics Fort +15 [+2 monstrous humanoid, +6 paladin, +4 Con, +3 divine grace] , Ref +12 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +2 paladin, +1 Dex, +3 divine grace] Will +15 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +2 paladin, +2 Wis, +2 Iron Will, +3 divine grace], deadly touch 24 hp/day [Pal8 times +3 Cha] (DC 17 [1/2 Pal 8 + 3 Cha]), rebuke undead 6/day [3 base, +3 Cha] (+8 [+3 Cha, +2 Knowledge religion, +3 circlet of persuasion], 2d6+8 [paladin 8 – 3, +3 Cha], as 5th level cleric), smite good 2/day (+3 to hit [+3 Cha], +8 damage [Pal8]), Cha 17 [16 base, –2 racial, +2 level bumps 8th, 12th, 16th], Diplomacy +18 [8 paladin ranks, +3 Cha, +2 Sense Motive, +2 Knowledge Nobility, +3 circlet of persuasion], Handle Animal +13 (+17 when working with sharks) [5 monstrous humanoid ranks, 2 paladin rank, +3 Cha, +3 circlet of persuasion]

STATISTICS

Str 23 [10 base, +4 racial, +8 size], Dex 13 [12 base, +2 racial, -2 size, +1 level bump 4th], Con 18 [12 base, +2 racial, +4 size], Int 17 [13 base, +4 racial], Wis 14 [12 base, +2 racial], Cha 21 [16 base, –2 racial, +2 level bumps 8th, 12th, 16th, +4 enhancement]
Base Atk +16 [+8 monstrous humanoid, +8 paladin]; Grp +26 [+16 BAB, +6 Str, +4 Size]
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership (Kandrakar, sahuagin cleric 8 of Asmodeus), Multiattack (bonus feat), Multiweapon fighting, Power Attack
Skills Diplomacy +20 [8 paladin ranks, +5 Cha, +2 Sense Motive, +2 Knowledge Nobility, +3 circlet of persuasion], Handle Animal +16 (+20 when working with sharks) [5 monstrous humanoid ranks, 3 paladin rank, +5 Cha, +3 circlet of persuasion] , Hide +10 (+14 underwater) [9 monstrous humanoid ranks, +1 Dex], Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +8 [5 paladin ranks, +3 Int], Knowledge (religion) +10 [7 paladin ranks, +3 Int], Listen +12 (+16 underwater) [10 monstrous humanoid ranks, +2 Wis], Profession (hunter) +10 (+14 within 50 miles of his home) [8 monstrous humanoid ranks, +2 Wis], Ride +10 [5 monstrous humanoid ranks, 2 paladin ranks, +1 Dex, +2 Handle Animal], Sense Motive +15 [13 paladin ranks + 2 Wis], Spot +12 (+16 underwater) [10 monstrous humanoid ranks, +2 Wis], Survival +10 (+14 within 50 miles of his home) [8 monstrous humanoid ranks, +2 Wis], Swim +6 (+14 to perform special action or avoid hazard) [+6 Str]
[monstrous humanoid ranks=(3+8)*5=55. (5+9+10+8+5+10+8)=55]
[paladin ranks = 8*5 = 40. (8+3+5+7+2+13 + 2 speak language)=40]
Languages Aquan, Common, Elven, Infernal, Sahuagin [native, 3 languages from Int, 1 from 2 paladin skill ranks]; empathic link with special mount; speak with sharks
SQ aura of evil, special mount (large shark)
Combat Gear +1 elf bane trident, 2 masterwork nets, 4 masterwork cold iron daggers, masterwork heavy crossbow, 10 screaming bolts, 20 bolts, 2 potions of haste, potion of cure serious wounds; Other Gear bracers of armor +4, circlet of persuasion, ring of protection +2, 4 anchor feather tokens

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Aura of Evil (Su) The power of Seskadrin’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to his paladin level of 8.
Blood Frenzy (Ex) Once per day a sahuagin that takes damage in combat can fly into a frenzy in the following round, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +2 Constitution and +2 Strength, and takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. A sahuagin cannot end its frenzy voluntarily. Seskadrin does not make use of this ability.
Deadly Touch (Su) Seskadrin can inflict wounds with a successful touch attack. Each day he can deal a total number of hit points equal to his paladin level times his Charisma bonus. An opponent subjected to this attack can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin level + Cha modifier) to have the damage dealt. Alternatively, he can use any or all of this power to cure damage to undead creatures. This power otherwise functions identically to the paladin’s lay on hands ability.
Freshwater Sensitivity (Ex) A sahuagin fully immersed in fresh water must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or become fatigued. Even on a success, it must repeat the save attempt every 10 minutes it remains immersed.
Light Blindness (Ex) Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds Seskadrin for round. On subsequent rounds, he is dazzled while operating in bright light.
Rake (Ex) Seskadrin gains 2 rake attacks when swimming or when he begins his turn grappling. Melee attack bonus +19 [BAB 16, +6 Str, -1 Size, -2 secondary], damage 1d6+3 [+3 half Str].
Speak with Sharks Seskadrin can communicate telepathically with sharks up to 150 feet away. The communication is limited to fairly simple concepts such as "food," "danger," and "enemy."
Special Mount (Sp) Seskadrin’s special mount is a large shark. He can summon it as a full-round action once per day, and dismiss it as a free action. The summoning is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell and lasts for 16 hours. Seskadrin relies on his shark as an ally rather than a mount.
Water Dependence (Ex) Seskadrin can survive out of the water for 9 hours [half of Con 18]. After that, refer to the drowning rules.

DESCRIPTION

Like the shark, sahuagin never stop growing. Seskadrin is 142 years old and a towering nine feet tall. He was a rare four-armed birth, an early advantage on the path to power. Seskadrin is a natural leader with a keen intellect and an unshakeable faith in his own destiny. He believes he was born to establish the rule of the sahuagin over all within the sea. He rejects the dogma of the shark-priests, that sahuagin must destroy their enemies, instead preaching control and subjugation. Seskadrin has battled his way up the ranks of the Convocation of Suzerains by challenge, and rules a full two score sahuagin towns and villages. He embeds the talons of his defeated foes in his chest as grim trophies of his victories.

The shark-priests have branded Seskadrin a heretic, but he is gaining favor among the cult of Asmodeus. One of the Asmodeans, Kandrakar, is Seskadrin’s most trusted advisor and confidant. Following Kandrakar’s advice, Seskadrin has set his sights upon the island-nation Eluraelon, once home to a sizeable sahuagin city. He has infiltrated the ranks of the sea elves and humans of the atoll using the three-fold dictum of Asmodeus: coerce, corrupt, and control. Those he cannot recruit through blackmail or promises of wealth and power find themselves eliminated or enslaved. His agents are at work scouring the ruins beneath the waters, searching for the lost Trident of the Leviathan. With this in hand, he will enlist the legions of Hell itself in the forging of his empire.

PLOT HOOKS

Seskadrin keeps a number of hostages as a means of controlling his agents. One is the wife of the sea elf knight Nariand. After many months of unwilling service, Nariand has learned where his wife is held, and seeks a band of heroes to aid in her rescue. Unbeknownst to Nariand, the information was planted as a test of his loyalty. The sahuagin guarding the outpost have orders to feed the prisoner to their sharks at the first sign of intruders.

Seskadrin has been raiding ships to fund his ambitions. A scout attaches an anchor feather token to the ship, stopping it dead in its tracks. A crack team of sahuagin raiders, often led by Seskadrin himself, boards the ship, killing or capturing all aboard. The survivors are taken to an air-filled prison in Seskadrin’s palace. There, they meet their end in gladiatorial battle with their captors, culminating in a gruesome feast. The attacks have been attributed to a rise in piracy, and adventurers have been hired to safeguard valuable cargoes by the desperate merchants.

Eluraelon
“The Sheltering Ring”
Alignment: Neutral
Capital: Eluraelon Island (pop. 2,600, human)
Notable Settlements: Antata (pop. 5,700, human), Ronjir (pop. 850, human), The Reef (pop. 1,200, sea elf)
Population: 27,500 above water, primarily human with a handful of gnomes, halflings and surface elves. 8,000 sea elves and 700 locathah live in the lagoon, along with the occasional half-sea elf. The majority of the islands are populated by the original human natives of the atoll. The non-native population is concentrated on Eluraelon Island and Ronjir.
Rulers: Rorik Kandalos, High Arcanist; Amalina Greycloak, Seer Beyond the Veil; Petros of Orthat, Speaker for the Merchants.
Government: Oligarchy comprised of representatives from the Arcanist’s Guild, Assemblage of Seers and the Merchant’s Consortium. Each of the three ruling guilds appoints one of their own to serve upon the Triumvirate. All three of the current Triumvirate are non-native humans, as are the majority of their guilds.

Description: Located just north of the equator within the remote reaches of the Western Sea, Eluraelon is comprised of the 57 coral islands making up Eluraelon Atoll. The islands range in size from 4 miles by 2 miles for Eluraelon Island to sandy outcroppings barely exposed at high tide.
Eluraelon’s location makes it a useful refitting and supply station for merchants plying the routes of the Western and Southern Seas, but it would have remained a small and relatively obscure port were it not for the Arcanist’s Guild. The mages of the Guild found the atoll uniquely suited for magical research due to its equatorial location and small population, leaving it free of contaminating arcane influences. The Guild owns the desolate northern island of Ronjir, and allows entry only to Guild members and their geased servants. Their demand for reagents and taste for luxury accounts for much of the trade that is the lifeblood of the islands.
The native human population is concentrated on the island of Antata, much poorer and more crowded than the neighboring Eluraelon Island. Many natives make a daily trip to the capital, serving as servants and laborers in exchange for a handful of copper coins.
Eluraelon Island is both the largest island and the capital. It is dominated by a large harbor, built on the lagoon side of the island. The homes of the wealthier merchants are built along the ocean side, and the temples and observatories of the Assemblage of Seers are clustered at its southern tip.
The lagoon itself is home to a number of sea elf towns and villages. The largest of these is known as simply as “The Reef” in Common, a beautiful town sculpted in the living reef. Dolphin-mounted sea elf patrols keep the lagoon safe from dangerous predators, whether animal, monstrous or human.
The primary export of Eluraelon is food, sold to trading vessels stopping at the islands. They also sell fresh water, but as supplies are limited few captains are willing to meet the asking price. Native human and sea elf artisans make a modest profit selling their works to visiting ships as curiosities.
The island nation relies on visiting ships for nearly all luxuries and crafted items. Even the wizards of the Arcanist’s Guild rely on trading vessels for the majority of their needs, as importing via magic is beyond the means of the majority of the Guild.

DM Secrets: The lagoon inside the island ring of Eluraelon is scattered with underwater ruins, once the cities and temples of a great sahuagin kingdom. The sahuagin were driven out centuries ago by an alliance forged between sea elves, merfolk and locathah. The sahuagin still lurk in the ocean depths outside of Eluraelon, their strength waxing over long years. Promises of dark power and unlimited treasure have gained the sahuagin allies amongst their racial enemies, and these traitorous elves are scouring the ancient ruins, searching for the lost Trident of the Leviathan, an ancient relic of the sahuagin lost in the fall of their cities. The sahuagin have established a number of small outposts inside the lagoon in preparation for their war of retribution.

Tilanta, a member of the Assemblage of Seers, has spent years studying the trajectory of falling stars. She has charted the course of a meteor that she believes will impact in the ocean only a few hundred miles from Ronjir, and seeks escorts to aid her in its recovery. Tilanta is unaware that the meteor is being called to this location by the rituals an undersea cult of diabolists led by a powerful kraken. The cult plans to use the unearthly metals of the meteor to brew and spread an alchemical blight through the ocean, sacrificing thousands in a blasphemous ritual.

Piracy has been a thorn in the side of Eluraelon for some time. While the atoll itself has been quite safe for shipping, the past year has seen a steady increase in pirate attacks in the open ocean outside the atoll. Zemthir, owner of a cash-strapped shipping line, has suffered more than most from the attacks. In truth, Zemthir is in league with the pirates, and targeted his own ships in order to avoid suspicion. As a result of his outspoken calls to put an end to the pirate menace, Zemthir has been put in charge of coordinating Eluraelon’s efforts against the pirates by the Triumvirate. He has been feeding the pirate captains regular information on shipping schedules and naval operations, all the while squirreling away his ill-gotten gains and plotting his flight from the island.

Conditions on Antata are appalling. The island has far more population than it can easily sustain, but the prospect of earning hard coin on Eluraelon Island brings in more of the outlying native population every year. A charismatic young man named Rongelan has been fanning the flames of unrest on Antata. He preaches the need to return to the old ways, and rid the islands of the corrupting foreigners.

Would it be possible to combine orders 844486 and 845618 for reduced shipping? I did the first order before other items went on sale. Please let me know, and thanks!