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** spoiler omitted **
LOL!!
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That night, a shield maiden of Stern Alia appears to Sister Belit in a dream, and warns her that Bromgarn will be ambushed by agents of evil on the road west of Nulbish, and unless the sisters of Stern Alia intervene, the hill dwarf will be slain. The following dawn (on Sunday, 9th of Wealsun), Sister Belit shares the details of her dream with her fellow sisters of Stern Alia, who in turn pass on the warning to Bromgarn as he is breaking his fast.
Bromgarn is initially skeptical, suspecting that the sisters are trying to convince him to donate back to them a portion of his payment for the stonework completed in their cathedral, and he stubbornly insists on departing for his home in the Iron Hills without further delay. The sisters make no further attempt to detain or convince him, but soon after the hill dwarf saddles and mounts his Highlands pony, "Old Buckleback", and has departed Nulbish on the road westward toward the Iron Hills, the sisters (5 strong, led by Sister Belit) mount their light warhorses and follow the hill dwarf at a discreet distance.
About an hour-and-a-half's ride west of Nulbish, Bromgarn is ambushed by a trio of Wastrian monks clad in gray and yellow robes, led by the two Wastriggi Inquisitors, Cunoberak and Rhongorlois. The hill dwarf is taken by surprise and knocked out of the saddle. As "Old Buckleback" seizes the opportunity to flee west for the Iron Hills unencumbered by the grossly overweight Bromgarn Trollgirth, the Wastrians continue to assault the hapless hill dwarf, and would surely have slain him, had the sisters of Stern Alia not made a timely appearance, galloping hard from the east to succor the fallen Bromgarn.
After a harrowing skirmish, the sisters of Stern Alia prevailed, slaying Inquisitor Rhongorlois and two monks of the Hopping Prophet, and sending the rest fleeing on their own fast riding horses, galloping southward (toward the Glorioles Mountains). Bromgarn was badly wounded, and near death's door, but Sister Belit healed his wounds with her clerical magic. So grateful was Bromgarn to the sisters for saving his life, and so impressed was he by their bravery and by their faith in Stern Alia, he vowed to dedicate the rest of his life to serving as a cleric of the Shield Mother.
Bromgarn journeyed back to Nulbish with the sisters of Stern Alia, and thereafter, he would dwell among them at the Cathedral of the Shield Mother in Nulbish, where the sisters would guide his training and indoctrination into the mysteries and dogma of the Stern and Unalterable Way. That Sunday night of the 9th of Wealsun, as Bromgarn again slept in the choir loft of the cathedral in Nulbish, he was visited in a dream by an avatar of Stern Alia herself, who offered to exchange his current talents as a stonemason and architect for the spiritual gifts of one of her clerics. Without hesitating, Bromgarn accepted, and upon awakening at dawn the following day (Moonday 10th of Wealsun), he was no longer a master stonemason and architect, having traded those gifts for the new gifts and powers of a cleric of Stern Alia.
For soon,...,
You were going to list our guardians at Defgordon Manor. Tisiphone the Erinyes of Bel; the Bearded Devils, the various Cenobites of course are the ones we don't have any specifics on.
There's no hurry as we're in the Pomarj followed by The Games in Nulbish. But soon'ish.
GUARDIANS OF DUFFGORDON MANOR as of FREEDAY 7TH WEALSUN 600 CY:
Advanced dream eater nightmare ettercap (CR 7): Scuttlefangs; above rafters of liberally trapped artillery chamber on 2nd aboveground floor
Giant spider (CR 1); above rafters of liberally trapped artillery chamber on 2nd aboveground floor
Ceustodaemons (CR 6) x3: Hemlockguzzle, Leechveins, & Spirejumper; TBA, currently mobile shock troops accompanying party
Bearded devils (CR 4) x3: Luizenkin, Pokkenstoppels, & Razendebaard; TBA, currently mobile shock troops accompanying party
Erinyes devil (CR 8): Tisiphone Praeferoxa of Avernus; TBA, currently mobile shock troop commander accompanying party, coordinating tactical operations of other shock troops
Clockwork soldiers (CR 6) x4: Crankshafts, Levercables, Pistonaxles, and Winchgrinder; TBA, currently mobile shock troops accompanying party
Am I missing anything?
Yeah, the new ones:
Cenobite leader (working with Tisiphone)
Cenobite troops
Cenobite Familiar
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Yeah, the new ones:
Cenobite leader (working with Tisiphone)
Cenobite troops
Cenobite Familiar
Ay, yes, thanks.
Cenobyte leader is "The Flayed Orphan of Rustravage Gatehouse" (in the Inverted Obelisk District of the Fifth Tier of the Austral-Occidental Flying Buttress abutting the Iron Citadel of Dis), a LE cantor velstrac/kyton/cenobyte that looks like a completely skinned humanoid child of about 6 years of age, continually radiating an audible cacophony that sounds like young children weeping in abject misery and despair, mingled with the high-pitched whining shrieks of tortured domestic cats. No eyeballs are visible in the Flayed Orphan cantor's sunken black eye sockets, and none of the despondent childlike sobs or agonized feline screams seems to actually come from its perpetually gaping jaws and lipless mouth (rounded in a perpetually open O shape, as if locked in an endless and inaudible moan or scream). The Flayed Orphan is capable of verbally communicating in Common and Infernal, but usually communicates using telepathy instead.
Cenobyte troops consist of 6 chain devil velstracs/kytons/cenobytes: "The Rattling Maiden of the Abattoir of Neverending Slaughter" (located in Dis), "The Jangling Stepdaughter of Stepfather Dis" (regularly molested in a wine cellar under Dispater's rusted iron citadel), "The Clinking Slattern of the Blood-Clotted Brothel" (another fine establishment in the vast infernal metropolis of Dis), "Clattering Sister Discrucifaea of the Abbey of Antithetical Anathemas" (in--you guessed it--Dis), "The Jingling Waif of the Gibbets of Grimgallows Square" (in gloomy downtown Dis), and finally "The Clangoring Widow of the Serpentine Labyrinth" (a complex labyrinth of harbor channels wide enough for a war galley to navigate, but very confusing and inhabited by sentient infernal Charybdis whirlpools, fiendish scylla monsters, fiendish krakens, fiendish sahuagin tribes, fiendish megalodons, and tribal schools of fiendish Ixitxachitls, delved through the sea-cliff that separate the external Sea of Bile from the inner Harrowing Harbor adjacent and beneath the Querulous Quay of Bileward Dis)
And last, but....yeah, also least.... the Cenobyte familiar .... An augur velstrac/kyton/cenobyte called "The Sentinel Sphere of the Masochistic Monastery of San Sadismo de las Vísceras Rotas" (an infernal abbey of velstrac/kyton/cenobyte monks, oracles, and warpriests of "The Sadistic Saint" Pater Quadralgea, a martyred heretic burnt at the stake in the courtyard of The House of Scarlet Hooks, circa 1366 DR, by Whipmistress Shaleen "Talonkiss" Oomreen, high priestess of Loviatar in the city of Calaunt, in the Vast (on the Prime Material Plane world of Toril), for his sin of promulgating the heresy that the goddess Loviatar, the goddess Hel in the Gray Waste of Niflheim, the "Frost Maiden" goddess Auril, and the enigmatic Lady of Pain in Sigil are actually all aspects of one quadripartite goddess with a secret true name.
Gear looted from the Scorned Sisters of Hardby rival party of adventurers:
potions of barkskin (2),
potions of cure moderate wounds (4),
potions of fly (2),
potions of gaseous form (2),
potions of haste (2),
potions of invisibility (3),
potions of see invisibility (3),
scroll of beast shape I (CL 5th),
scroll of charm monster (DC 16),
scroll of command undead (DC 13),
scrolls of dimension door (2),
scroll of erode defenses (CL 9th),
scroll of halt undead (DC 14),
scroll of hold monster (DC 17),
scroll of phantom steed (CL 5th)
scrolls of teleport (2),
staff of fire (10 charges),
wand of expeditious retreat (CL 1st, 16 charges),
wand of fireball (CL 5th, 12 charges)
wand of magic missiles (CL 9th, 12 charges),
wand of magic missiles (CL 9th, 11 charges),
wand of major image (CL 5th, 9 charges),
wand of mirror image (CL 3rd, 10 charges),
wand of scorching ray (CL 3rd, 15 charges),
wand of spectral hand (CL 3rd, 15 charges),
+2 full plate,
+1 mithral breastplate,
masterwork longsword named "Gloomdolor",
masterwork composite longbow [+5 Str] with 10 arrows,
+1 heavy steel shield,
+1 axiomatic bastard sword named “Tyranny”,
masterwork heavy crossbow and 10 bolts,
belt of giant strength +4,
belt of physical might +4 (Strength and Dexterity),
boots of striding and springing,
cloaks of resistance +1 (2),
cloak of resistance +2,
headband of alluring charisma +2,
headband of mental prowess +4 (Intelligence and Charisma, bestows ranks equal to HD in Perception and Sense Motive),
headband of vast intelligence +4 (grants ranks equal to HD in Perception and Sense Motive),
rings of protection +1 (3),
rings of evasion (2),
masterwork light crossbow and 10 bolts,
bracers of armor +6,
handy haversacks (2),
slippers of spider climbing,
spellbook #1 (see below),
spellbook #2 (see below),
spell components,
cinnabar and jet unholy symbol of Wee Jas worth 250 gp,
soldier’s uniform,
pouch with 3 bloodstones worth 50 gp each plus 24 gp and 9 sp
courtier’s outfits (2)
2 silver and onyx earrings worth 300 gp each,
2 gold and ruby earrings worth 500 gp each,
gold necklace with blue topaz pendant worth 1,000 gp,
silver necklace with jacinth pendant worth 750 gp,
pouch with 3 fire opals worth 100 gp each plus 15 gp and 13 sp,
pouch with 16 gp and 13 sp
Spellbook #1 (evocation wizard's)
0th level cantrips—acid splash, arcane mark, bleed, breeze, chameleon scales, dancing lights, daze, detect fiendish presence, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, drench, flare, ghost sound, grasp, haunted fey aspect, jolt, light, mage hand, mending, message, oath of anonymity, open/close, penumbra, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, root, scoop, scrivener’s chant, sotto voce, spark, touch of fatigue, vacuous vessel
1st level spells—air bubble, ant haul, burning hands, charm person, comprehend languages, expeditious retreat, feather fall, grease, hydraulic push, identify, keep watch, mage armor, magic missile, protection from chaos/evil/good/law, shield, shocking grasp, sure casting
2nd level spells—acid arrow, aggressive thundercloud, alter self, burning arc, continual flame, darkness, diminish resistance, flaming sphere, floating disc, frigid touch, glitterdust, hideous laughter, knock, locate object, resist energy, scorching ray, see invisibility, shatter, spider climb
3rd level spells—battering blast, beast shape I, deep slumber, dispel magic, fireball, fly, haste, hold person, hydraulic torrent, lightning bolt, protection from energy, slow, tiny hut, tongues, trial by fire and acid, water breathing
4th level spells—ball lightning, beast shape II, black tentacles, detect scrying, dimensional anchor, dimension door, greater flaming sphere, ice storm, lesser geas, locate creature, scrying, secure shelter, stone shape, stoneskin, wall of fire, wall of ice
5th level spells—augmenting wall, beast shape III, cone of cold, hold monster, interposing hand, lightning arc, major creation, passwall, permanency, polymorph, sending, teleport, wall of force, wall of stone
Spellbook #2 (bladebound magus')
0th level cantrips—acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect fiendish presence, detect magic, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, grasp, light, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, spark
1st level spells—color spray, duelist’s parry, expeditious retreat, grease, line in the sand, magic missile, shield, shocking grasp, swift girding, unerring weapon, windy escape
2nd level spells—aggressive thundercloud, bladed dash, blur, glitterdust, mirror image, scorching ray, spider climb, web
3rd level spells—beast shape I, burst of speed, dispel magic, displacement, fireball, fly, gaseous form, haste, lightning bolt, slow, water breathing
I think I'd look good in that +2 Full Plate!
As Scutus Matris Belît at the Temple of the Stern and Unalterable Way in Nulbish draws Grimaldi's condemned shade out of the Windswept Depth of Plegethos and back into his suddenly gasping and convulsing body, the rippling black blade of The Sword of Kas telepathically whispers in the risen Jester's innermost ear--that which lies within the head, not on its side--"There, there, my swordsman. That's it. Breathe once more, for all flesh withers as quickly as the flowers in the merciless fires of Liga...
Twice, you have slipped the bonds of the Unseelie Queen of Air and Darkness. You are like a cat living its 9th life, My Reckless Fool. But fear not--I have seen what you lack, now, and I bridged the gap. I was not truly adapting to optimize and synergies your peculiar talents, but rather, I had been trying to unlock a Malvolio-shaped lock using a Grimaldi-shaped key. That was my ... indiscretion ... and I believe you will soon agree ... it has been duly rectified. Very soon, elves, dwarves, and men shall dread you as the Slayer in the Darkness ... The Trepanning Lancet ... The Fatal Fool ... Black Leech of the East ... I have foreseen these honors and more, and a longer span of drawing breath between now and when you go to your Gloom-Shrouded Queen's boudoir for the final time. Grip my hilt, Fool of Nulbish. Slide your grubby hand into my golden basket hilt. See how I have remade myself to augment your fleet-footed style of swordplay and backstabbing ... Your preference for striking from darkness and melting back into it, maneuvering around your hapless prey ... See how avidly we shall open the veins and arteries of those who dare oppose you, now, Grimaldi of House Nyrond. See how I shall blanket you in shadow hereafter, or make your silhouette blurry and indistinct the instant you plunge me nice and deep into mortal flesh and blood! I have taught myself new tricks, My Swordsman -- how to whisk you from gloom to gloom in the final beat of a punctured heart ..."
The Sword of Kas (Major Artifact)
Aura strong conjuration, illusion, necromancy and transmutation; CL 20th; Slot none; Weight 2 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
The Sword of Kas has magically adapted its shape and powers to form a better “partnership” with its current wielder; instead of a longsword, it now takes the form of an intelligent +6 anarchic keen lobotomizing rapier. The jet-black blade is rippled, with a vein of gold running down the center. The hilt is wrapped in red leather flecked with gold. The narrow quillons are of unicorn horn and capped with small, black pearls; the basket surrounding the hilt is formed in the image of a leering, bearded face.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Devil Sight (Su)
When drawn and held, The Sword of Kas grants the wielder the supernatural ability to see in darkness, including magical darkness such as that produced by deeper darkness.
Fade from Memory (Su)
Three times per day as a swift action after dealing sneak attack damage, the wielder gains the effects of blur for 3 rounds.
Intelligent Weapon (Su)
The Sword of Kas is intelligent (INT 15, WIS 13, CHA 16, Ego 34) and chaotic evil. It has darkvision 60 ft., and can communicate with telepathy and speech (Abyssal, Common, Flan). It grants its wielder a +10 enhancement bonus to Dexterity as long as it is in the wielder’s possession (i.e., held or stowed on the wielder’s person).
Lobotomizing (Su)
This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to pierce the brains of those it strikes.
Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon impales the opponent’s head (if it has one) and pierces its brain. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the piercing of their brains. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are impaled.
Nightfall (Su)
Once per day as a swift action, The Sword of Kas can be used to cast deeper darkness, with the effect centered on the sword’s blade.
Opportunist’s Opening (Su)
Whenever the wielder successfully confirms a critical hit or hits a flat-footed target, he may take a 5-foot step as an immediate action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Vampire’s Feast (Su)
Whenever the weapon deals damage to a living creature (but not a construct or undead), the wielder heals 3 hit points (or gains 3 temporary hit points if undead). Whenever the weapon reduces a living creature to -1 or fewer hit points, it casts heightened death knell (as a 9th level spell) as an immediate action; If the subject fails its saving throw, it dies, and you gain 1d8 temporary hit points and a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. Additionally, your effective caster level goes up by +1, improving spell effects dependent on caster level. This increase in effective caster level does not grant you access to more spells. These effects last for 10 minutes per HD of the subject creature.
Vein-Seeker (Su)
Once per round when the wielder deals sneak attack damage with Whisper of the Final Vein, she may reroll one sneak attack die and take the higher result.
DESTRUCTION
The host of both The Eye of Vecna and The Hand of Vecna can permanently destroy The Sword of Kas by using a wish to do so. Other unknown or forgotten methods of destroying The Sword of Kas are posited to exist by certain savant sages, who must ultimately concede that they are, at best, simply making more-or-less educated guesses extrapolated from folklore and established arcana, and at worst, wildly speculating and stirring up the muck of misinformation and expedient but sloppy reasoning that could result in some unforeseen catastrophe. Possible methods proposed by the few more reputable and learned savants include:
Bring The Sword of Kas to the Positive Energy Plane and use the implanted Molars of Vecna to consume the blade over the course of 3 minutes (30 full rounds), as the radiant energy of the inner plane blasts both The Sword and the creature attempting to destroy it;
Quench the evil blade’s thirst for blood forevermore by wielding it to pierce the brain or sever the head the vampire-god, Kanchelsis, a.k.a. Mastraacht, whose profane cerebral humors or vile black blood would dissolve the sword entirely;
Various versions of “let a deity sunder it with this or that legendary divine weapon”—e.g., let Fortubo sunder it with his warhammer Golbi, let Kord sunder it with his greatsword Kelmar, let Corellon Larethian sunder it with their longsword Sahandrian, etc; and
The traditionally irrevocable dissolving of the artifact over a period of 24 hours by steeping it in the gastric acids of the Tarrasque, a notoriously difficult claim to disprove, as few have ever survived such an attempt.
FUTURE ADVENTURE ARC HOOK:
In Greyhawk lore, the timelines for Wastri’s (formerly Kevelli Mauk) imprisonment and escape are as follows:
Year of Imprisonment: Zagyg trapped Kevelli Mauk and eight other demigods in the Godtrap beneath Castle Greyhawk in 505 CY. Some secondary fan interpretations cite 563 CY, but 505 CY is the established canonical date for Zagyg's Great Imprisonment.
Year of Escape: Wastri escaped his imprisonment in 570 CY. This was the same year that Lord Robilar breached the Godtrap to free the demigod Iuz, which inadvertently allowed Wastri and most of the other captives to flee as well.
The transformation from Kevelli Mauk to the demigod Wastri is a subject of debate; while some sources suggest he was already a demigod upon imprisonment, others imply his "ascension" was finalized or revealed through the strange energies of his decades-long confinement in the Godtrap.
Your humble DM posed to the Savant Sage Iquander this question one night over a bottle of Urnst apple wine:
"In the world of greyhawk setting, who or what would be a likely demon queen, female demon or elder evil to deceive Wastri posing as Wee Jas or Beltar to seduce Wastri and then bear Wastri's Frog-Prince, and reveal the awful truth to Wastri and the other deities and demigods in the Suel pantheon in order to dominate and humiliate the newly-ascended demigod, and to spawn a powerful evil weapon she could employ against her enemies, preferably from canonical sources?"
Quothe the Sage: In the World of Oerth the most likely candidate for this deception would be Malcanthet, the Demon Queen of Succubi.
While several entities fit the criteria, Malcanthet or the ancient Queen of Chaos are the strongest thematic matches based on their lore."
Top Candidates for the Deception:
Malcanthet (Queen of Succubi): As the patron of those who use charm to ruin others, she is the archetypal choice for seducing and humiliating a newly ascended demigod like Wastri. She frequently targets powerful figures to corrupt their legacies and could easily mimic Wee Jas’s cold beauty or Beltar’s more savage, shape-shifting forms.
The Queen of Chaos: An Elder Evil who ruled the Abyss before the current demon lords. She currently resides in the Steaming Fens (Layer 14 of the Abyss), a location highly compatible with Wastri’s affinity for swamps and amphibians. Spawning a "Frog-Prince" weapon would align with her goal of reclaiming her lost "Age of Chaos".
Beltar herself (The Deceiver): In a twist of Greyhawk lore, Beltar is already a Suel goddess of malice who frequently takes mates in various forms, only to eat them and their offspring. She has a known "growing mutual antipathy" with Wastri. She could pose as the "civilized" Wee Jas to lure him, only to reveal her true, hag-like nature to humiliate him before the Suel pantheon.
Thematic Connections:
The Target: Wastri is a uniquely vulnerable target because he is a "newly-ascended" demigod (early 570s CY) with high Wisdom but low Intelligence. His obsession with "purity" and amphibians makes the irony of a "Frog-Prince" offspring particularly biting.
The Seduction: Seducing him while posing as Wee Jas would be a masterstroke of humiliation, as Wee Jas is the pinnacle of Suel Law and Beauty, whereas Wastri is a "grotesque fusion of man and frog”.
The Weapon: The "Frog-Prince" could be a corrupted version of a Slaad Lord or an avatar of the ancient amphibious deity Ramenos, whom some scholars believe granted Wastri his power. Probably the stats of a standard deep froghemoth CR 19. This adventure arc would be for 15th level +/--.
To stage a humiliation of this magnitude, Malcanthet—the Demon Queen of Succubi—would exploit the rigid social hierarchy and obsession with "purity" that defines the Suel Pantheon.
The Setup: The "Ascension Gala"
Malcanthet would likely strike during a formal gathering in Lendor’s realm (the Master of Tedium), where the Suel gods convene to acknowledge Wastri’s recent rise to demigod status.
The Masquerade: Malcanthet appears as Wee Jas, the Ruby Sorceress. To Wastri, this is the ultimate validation; he believes the most "pure" and beautiful of his people's goddesses has chosen him, the "Hopping Prophet," to father a new master race.
The Seduction: Under the guise of a "secret alliance" to purge chaos from the Flanaess, she lures him to a secluded demi-plane. She mocks his self-loathing by offering him a "perfected" form during their union, which he mistakes for divine grace.
The Reveal: The Frog-Prince Unveiled
The reveal would occur at the height of the ceremony before the assembled Suel deities:
The Transformation: As Wastri proudly presents his "divine heir" to Lendor and Kord, the child—the Frog-Prince—rapidly matures into a bloated, abyssal horror: a Slaad-Succubus hybrid that radiates an aura of pure, chaotic filth.
The Mockery: Malcanthet sheds her Wee Jas illusion, revealing her raven-headed, bat-winged demonic form. She mocks Wastri’s obsession with human "purity," laughing as she reveals that he, the hater of "lower" life, has fathered the ultimate "mongrel" of the Abyss.
The Humiliation: She presents the Frog-Prince not as a son, but as a living weapon—a "Staff of Corruption" that can infect the bloodlines of Suel humans with "frog-rot," effectively undoing Wastri’s entire dogma of racial superiority in one stroke.
Consequences for the Pantheon
The Fallout: The "Stern Lady" Wee Jas would be incandescent with rage at the sullying of her image, likely leading her to demand Wastri’s immediate stripping of divinity or imprisonment.
The Weapon: Malcanthet leaves with the Frog-Prince, now a powerful artifact-creature she can use to blackmail the Scarlet Brotherhood, who unknowingly funded Wastri's rise.
Reaction of the Scarlet Brotherhood
The Father of Obedience declares Wastri unworthy of demigod status among the true, pure Suel deities, having fathered such a disgustingly mongrel wretch, and for bringing about the plague-curse of mongrelization or "frog-rot." He orders the swift, quiet "re-education: of monks who had shown especial enthusiasm toward the Cult of Wastri's brand of Suel-superiorist tenets, and a shadow war breaks out when it is discovered that a splinter group of brothers, impressed by the powers of Malcanthet, have abandoned the lie of racial purity and embraced chaos and seduction as the key to dominance over the Oerth.
Lamashtu was my first thought -- getting the Mother of Monsters a stronger foothold in Greyhawk. But Malcanthet works well too, I suppose.
.
Dude said, "Grip my hilt, Fool of Nulbish. Slide your grubby hand into my golden basket hilt." That is definitely some *Kinky* sex talk from Kas to Clown!
Conceived, planned, and set into motion over a lunar month ago by the Horned King's Men, a trio of particularly active and adventurous courtiers in the court of the Horned King, Malvolio Warduke I of the all-but-extinct House of Rax, the FANCOC has been much anticipated due to an aggressive "advertising campaign" that saw town criers in every major city between the Crystalmist Mountains and the Solnor Coast, from as far north as the Archbarony of Blackmoor to as far south as Cauldron and Sasserine in the west and the Tilvanot Peninsula and the Spindrift Isles in the east, proclaiming the spectacle of the greatest warriors of the Flanaess competing in mortal combat in the Octagon of the Necropolis of Nulbish for the grand prize--the sentient dwarven thrower Whelm, first hoarded by the ancient archmage Keraptis in his volcanic fane, but recently wrested therefrom by the intrepid Horned King's Men during their recent adventures under White Plume Mountain.
Over the past month, trains of wagons flying the pennants of various worthy personages have arrived to overbook the inn rooms and private hostels of Nulbish to full capacity, and thereafter to set up tent villas along the banks of the Thelly to either side of the city walls. The influx of wealth to Nulbish has already been considerable during the past few weeks, and the Seer Selephotsiphem forecasts triple the lucre that has already bolstered the coffers and treasuries of Nulbish by the end of the Midsummer Richfest festival and the much-touted FANCOC.
Among the prestigious individuals merely attending as spectators are such noble personalties as His Illustrious Lordship Basmajian Arras, Lord High Admiral of Asperdi and Commander of the Sea Barons, who boldly sails up the Thelly River aboard his personal war caravel, the Hammerhead, along with her seasoned crew of some 40 Sea Barons corsairs, making port in the river harbor of Nulbish to anchor at the Old Quay on Sunday, 2nd of Reaping (and 2nd day of Richfest), much to the surprise of the Horned King (whose last correspondence with Basmajian Arras was the head of Sea Barons Captain and secret Vecna cultist Arryn Aelberoth, originally implanted by Basmajian to spy on the Horned King, which head was presented in the same coral coffer Captain Aelberoth had presented to the Horned King containing a tribute of white and black pearls on the day of his arrival at Malvolio's court in Castle Skullgard. Perhaps Basmajian is baiting Malvolio, to see if the new Horned King of Medegia will honor the chivalrous truce that is the ancient law of such tourneys from the distant years of the Great Migrations and the Dawn of the Great Kingdom, or if he will prove himself a barbarian and openly act with hostility toward the enemy prince.
Frolmar Ingerskatti, Prince of Duxchan and Lord of the Isles, sails up the Thelly River aboard his personal war-frigate, the Piscodaemon, anchoring at the Old Quay of Nulbish on Moonday 3rd of Reaping (also the 3rd day of Richfest), 4 days prior to the tourney. He is accompanied by the 30 “old tars” that make up the Piscodaemon’s crew (LE, LN, N, or NE female or male swashbuckler [corsair] 6), plus a personal staff of 10 domestic servants (a chef, 4 grooms, and 5 concubines). Selephotsiphem remarks that "Prince Frolmar is a puppet ruler whose strings are pulled by the Scarlet Brotherhood, and he is no doubt attending for reconnaissance on behalf of his Scarlet masters as much as to enjoy the bloodthirsty spectacle."
Hazendel I, Olvenking of Sunndi, arrives at Nulbish on Godsday 4th of Reaping (and also the 4th day of Richfest), 3 days prior to the tourney (while both Celene and Luna are full moons), along with an entourage of 9 grey elf bladesingers (CG female or male elf [grey] fighter 1/bard [arcane duelist] 7/eldritch knight 7) and 14 domestic servants (a butler, a master chef, 4 apprentice cooks, 4 grooms, and 4 handmaidens) to attend to his daily comforts. Traveling in a caravan of 7 covered wains drawn by teams of 4 stags each, the olvenking and his retinue eschew seeking lodgings within the city walls (which would likely fail to meet their accustomed standards), and instead set up a camp of colorful pavilions about a third of a league downriver (or east) from Nulbish on the south banks of the Thelly.
Melf, Prince Brightflame of the Grey Elven Kingdom of Celene, appears in Nulbish on Earthday 6th of Reaping (also the 6th day of Richfest), one day prior to the tourney, having cast greater teleport to travel from the city of Verbobonc in order to watch the tourney. He enjoys martial contests such as this (provided they meet his definition of fair), and is curious to see who will be champion and win the fabled warhammer Whelm. He is also curious to see how the Horned King and his agents comport themselves during the event, and is not above a bit of discreet “snooping” to gather information on Malvolio’s court. During his stay in Nulbish, Melf casts Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion near the tourney grounds to serve as his lodging. He is delighted when he sees that his old friend, Prince of Ulek Olinstaad Corund (see below), is also attending the tourney, and insists on sitting next to the dwarven prince during the tourney.
No less a celebrity than Mordenkainen himself appears in Nulbish on Waterday 5th of Reaping (also the 5th day of Richfest), just 2 days prior to the tourney, traveling from his Obsidian Citadel in the Yatil Mountains (via greater teleport) to observe the tourney, and to scout for potential candidates to recruit for a planar quest to “maintain the delicate balance of the cosmos” on the Outlands, as he has become aware of an imminent threat to the balance. He intends to consider the puissant champion who wins Whelm for the mission, of course, but the mission will require more than brawn and skill at arms, and Moirdenkainen finds himself more impressed by the capable and resourceful Horned King's Men who planned and executed this grand spectacle of the FANCOC to enrich their liege. He intends to make their acquaintance during or after the proceedings, and ascertain whether or not they might be willing and capable agents to undertake the cosmically urgent mission which the archmage has in mind.
Olinstaad Corund, Prince of Ulek, arrives in Nulbish on Godsday 4th of Reaping (also 4th day of Richfest), accompanied by his bodyguard, Redmod Dumple, one of the famous adventurers who killed Iggwilv’s vampire daughter Drelnza in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (circa 576 CY), armed with an oversized magical warhammer (a hammer of thunderbolts called Jotunsbane). The Prince of Ulek and his famous bodyguard are in Nulbish to observe the tourney and to see who will win the grand prize—the fabled sentient dwarven thrower Whelm. Though he feigns cantankerous annoyance upon realizing his old ally, Prince Melf Brightflame, is also in attendance at the tourney and exuberantly insists that they sit together to watch the spectacle, he is actually relieved and grateful to have a second trustworthy (and formidable) friend by his side while visiting the capital of the Horned Kingdom. (By all accounts, the Horned King is a just and noble hero who laid low the Cult of Elemental Evil and the Slave Lords of the Pomarj 20 years ago, and has continued to act in generally heroic fashion to this day; however, divinations suggest that the Horned King and some of his courtiers are diabolists with ties to the Dark Lords of the Nine Hells of Baator, and Prince Olinstaad is a suspicious sort....)
Org Nenshen, Master of the Greyhawk Thieves’ Guild, appears in Nulbish on Earthday 6th of Reaping (and 6th day of Richfest), the day before the tourney, accompanied by 6 “High Quarter thieves” (senior guild members—N female or male human unchained rogue [guild agent] 14-16), including the legendary “Shadow” (CN male human [Oerid-Flannae] unchained rogue [guild agent] 16), a master thief who reputedly stole the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty from Niole Dra. These master thieves travel to Nulbish by hiring the “wayfaring services” (via greater teleport) of Jawal Severnain, drow archmage and head librarian at Greyhawk’s Guild of Wizardry (who hastily departed after transporting the master thieves to Nulbish); they are certainly planning to enjoy the festivities and spectacle of the tourney, but Selephotsiphem warns that such scoundrels are likely to have also come to “case” Nulbish and identify potential targets for future heists, and are liable to steal as much wealth from other wealthy attendees of the FANCOC as they are able before departing back to the "City of Thieves," no doubt using scrolls or other means of casting greater teleport to make their return journey.
Reydrich of House Darmen, Prince of Ahlissa, arrives in Nulbish on last day of Richfest, Freeday 7th of Reaping, the day the contest begins, to observe with frowning countenance the festivities. Prince Reydrich is accompanied by a cohort named Karniquaza. Ostensibly present at the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions to enjoy the blood sport like everyone else, Selephotsiphem warns that these powerful and evil men are co-conspirators in a secret cult called Midnight Darkness, whose true agenda is nihilistic and inimical to reality as it is currently known, and it is quite probable that their true purpose is gathering information and marking targets for “The Hidden Sickle of Midnight Darkness” (Karniquaza) to assassinate.
Vornekern, Master Thief and Member of the Five of Roland, arrives in Nulbish on Waterday 5th of Reaping (and 5th day of Richfest), only 2 days before the tourney, accompanied by his bodyguard and consort, Renzilda. They ride into the city on fast horses and secure a spare room in the two-story townhouse of one Sanatas Vorne, a member of “The Nulbish Commercial and Trade Consortium” (see The Nulbish Trade Emporium, designated E on the Nulbish City Map), made sympathetic to their need for lodging by way of a generous “rent” (bribe) of 500 gp. Ostensibly in Nulbish as spectators of the tourney, Selephotsiphem advises the Horned King and his Men not to be surprised if their secret purpose is to spy on the Horned King and his court on behalf of Drax of Rel Astra, to whom they would presumably make a report following the tourney’s conclusion. Vornekern was among the expedition assembled by Drax to infiltrate the Tomb of Horrors, and subsequently, the Fortress of Conclusion in the City That Waits, where Drax apparently negotiated with the demilich Acererak for surrender of the infamous Hand of Vecna, with which Drax has recently returned to Rel Astra hosting....
Perhaps the most auspicious attendee of the FANCOC, and certainly the most prestigious, the quasi-deity bard and archmage Heward, who is famous for creating the musical artifact known as Heward's mystical organ, as well as several more common magic items widely replicated throughout the Flanaess--e.g., Heward's bell, Heward's handy haversack, Heward's fortifying bedroll, Heward's handy spice pouch, etc.--appears on Earthday 6th of Reaping, the day before the FANCOC commences, accompanied by a full orchestra of renowned bards of the Magna Alumnae bardic college and their magical instruments. For reasons known only to Heward (and perhaps his old friend in attendance, Mordenkainen?), the legendary Heward, who has not been seen in the Flanaess since he helped his old friend, Zagyg Yragerne, imprison nine deities (including Iuz the Old) in the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk in 505 CY (95 years ago!), has mysteriously deigned to bestow a supreme honor upon this rather bellicose and terrestrial event by composing a new and original "Fanfare for the Champions of Nulbish in the Supracelestial Mode," which the orchestra of Magna Alumnae bards has rehearsed and is prepared to debut, under Maestro Heward's conducting, at the commencement of the FANCOC, and again during the award ceremony in which Whelm is to be bestowed upon the champion of the final match.
Selephotsiphem is highly intrigued, both suspicious (why would a famously pacifist quasi-deity of music show up here and deign to honor this pugnacious blood sport with a sublime new composition?) and eager to hear the latest opus of the great composer who has reputedly mastered the cosmic harmonics and primal Music of Creation. The enigmatic seer has never been witnessed to be so enthusiastic about anything, ever, until now. Who is this Heward, to whom the impeccably dispassionate Selephotsiphem (Mephistopheles, no less!) is reduced to a starstruck fan-boy??
For the edification of the cultured listener, an example of Heward's work, the renowned "Night Under Castle Greyhawk" Fantasia for Symphony Orchestra in the Mixo-Aerdian Mode, Opus #17...
And, to demonstrate Heward's remarkable range, his "Ballad of Doctor D. R. Murlynd," a song for baritone and guitar in the Neo-Aerdian Mode, Opus #23, written sometime in the 4th century CY, and dedicated to his beloved friend Murlynd, a paladin of Heironeous said to have dressed and acted in a very unusual manner, and to have fought using a pair of magical "boom-wands" he referred to as his "six-shooters," acquired during an adventure on an alien alternate Prime Material Plane world called Uerth, in a town called Boot Hill....
Most tourneys held throughout the Flanaess tend to be organized as single-elimination knockout tourneys (a.k.a. “sudden-death” tourneys), with rules and practices that have become fairly standard over the past few centuries. The following default tourney organization and rules should be used if the players do not have a preference for some other system of regulating the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions.
Single-Elimination Knockout (“Sudden-Death”): A single-elimination knockout (or “sudden-death”) tourney is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of a match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, whose winner becomes the tournament champion. Defeated competitors may play no further part after losing, or may participate in "consolation" or "classification" matches against other losers to determine the lower final rankings; for example, a third place playoff between losing semi-finalists. Most competitions throughout the lands of the Flanaess are held with a pure single-elimination tournament system; less commonly, a competition will have many phases, with the last being a single-elimination final stage.
Nomenclature: In Common, the round in which only eight competitors remain is generally called the quarter-final round; this is followed by the semi-final round, in which only four are left, the two winners of which then meet in the final or championship round. The round before the quarterfinals has multiple designations. Often it is called the round of sixteen, last sixteen, or pre-quarterfinals. In many other languages the term for these eight matches translates to eighth-final (e.g., in these languages spoken in the Flanaess: "althaamin alnihayiyu" in Low Baklunish, "Khazâd-dûm-ubal" in Dwarven, “asta cinquithel” in Elven, “nishwaaswi-tipiskonigan” in Flan, “octavo-final” in Oeridian, and “áttundarfjórðungr” in Suloise), though this term is rare in Common itself.
The round before the round of sixteen is sometimes called round of thirty-two in Common. Terms for this in other languages generally translate as "sixteenth final”. Earlier rounds are typically numbered counting forwards from the first round, or by the number of remaining competitors. If some competitors get a bye (see below), the round at which they enter may be named the first round, with the earlier matches called a preliminary round, qualifying round, opening round, or the play-in games.
Bye: In tourneys, a bye is the preferential status of a competitor that is automatically advanced to the next round of the tourney without having to compete against an opponent in an early round. In knockout (elimination) tourneys, byes may be assigned either to reward the highest ranked participant(s), or randomly, to make a working bracket if the number of participants is not a power of two (e.g. 16 or 32).
In a standard single-elimination tourney, each round has half the number of competitors of the preceding round. Thus the finals will have two, the semi-finals will have four, the quarter-finals will have eight, etc. Thus, tourneys with competitors numbering a power of two can have a standard bracket in which all competitors are paired up, with the loser of each match eliminated and the winner moving on to the next round, until only one champion remains.
However, if the number of competitors is not a power of two, a simple elimination tourney would eventually produce a round with an odd number of competitors (if the number is not odd to start with). For example, a tourney of nine competitors could only have four matches in the first round, while a simple tourney of ten competitors would produce a second round with five competitors, meaning only two matches could occur. Thus, if the number of participants is not a power of two (e.g. 16 or 32), to make a working bracket byes are provided to automatically move certain participants into a later round without requiring them to compete in an earlier one.
When participants are ranked, participants with the “highest ranking” (i.e., highest CR) going into the tourney are given a bye to the second round, as it is generally seen as an advantage to be assured entry into a later round. In other tourneys where participants are unranked, a random draw may be used to determine the byes.
The number of competitors offered a bye is generally designed to ensure that the next round consists of a power-of-two number of competitors so the tourney can proceed as a simple single-elimination tourney from that round onward.
If the byes are all single first-round byes into the second round of a tourney, the number of byes required is the difference between the number of competitors and the next-highest power of two. For example, a 12-competitor tourney will require four byes (16−12) to ensure that instead of six competitors in the second round, eight advance (as the four byes avoid two of the four competitors being eliminated).
Classification: Without any additional matches, the only position a single-elimination tourney can reliably determine is first - for example, if sorting the numbers 1-4 ascending, if 4 and 3 meet in the first round, 3 and 1 will lose in the first round and 2 will lose in the second, selecting 4 as the largest number in the set, but insufficient comparisons have been performed to determine which is greater, 1 or 3. Despite this, the candidate that loses in the final round is commonly considered to have taken second place (in this case, 2). When matches are held to determine places or prizes lower than first and second, these typically include a match between the losers of the semifinal matches called third place playoffs, the winner therein placing third and the loser fourth.
Seeding: Opponents may be allocated randomly; however, since the "luck of the draw" may result in the highest-rated (I.e., the highest CR) competitors being scheduled to face each other early in the competition, seeding is often used to prevent this. Brackets are set up so that the top two seeds could not possibly meet until the final round (should both advance that far), none of the top four can meet prior to the semifinals, and so on. If no seeding is used, the tourney is called a random knockout tourney. Standard seeding pairs the highest and lowest, then second highest and second lowest and so on; for an 8-seed tourney, this is 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and 4th vs. 5th.
Sometimes the remaining competitors in a single-elimination tourney will be “re-seeded" so that the highest surviving seed is matched against the lowest surviving seed in the next round, the second-highest is matched against the second-lowest, etc. This may be done after each round, or only at selected intervals.
Evaluation: The single-elimination format enables a relatively large number of competitors to participate. There are no "dead" matches (perhaps excluding "classification" matches), and no matches where one competitor has more to compete for than the other. If a small number of participants compete in a single elimination tourney, sometimes a consolation bracket is included to allow the eliminated participants to compete more than once.
In a single-elimination tourney without any seeding, awarding the second place to the loser of the final is unjustified: any of the competitors knocked out before getting to compete against the losing finalist might have been stronger than the actual losing finalist. In general, it is only fair to use a single-elimination tourney to determine first place. To fairly determine lower places requires some form of “round-robin” in which each competitor gets the opportunity to face every other competitor.
Also, if the competitors' performance is variable, that is, it depends on a small, varying factor in addition to the actual strength of the competitors, then not only will it become less likely that the strongest competitor actually wins the tourney, in addition the seeding done by the tourney organizers will play a major part in deciding the winner. As a random factor is always present in a competition, this might easily cause accusations of unfairness.
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RAISE DEAD INSURANCE:
Shield Mother Belît (30-year-old LN female human [Oerid-Baklunish-Flan] cleric 9 of Stern Alia) of the Church of the Stern and Unalterable Way in Nulbish is joined by High Priest of Heironeous Knight Champion Arafeld (74-year-old LG male human [Oerid-Flan] cleric 18 of Heironeous) from the Court of Seven Bolts in Rel Mord, High Priest of Zilchus Radsworth Gildenrede (N male human [Oeridian-Suel] cleric 17 of Zilchus) from the Cathedral of Zilchus in Rel Deven, and Itinerant Pilgrim-Father Trekkert the Mendicant (53-year-old NG male human [Oerid-Flan-Suel] cleric 17 of Fharlanghn) in offering “raise dead insurance” to all contestants entering the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions.
Raise dead insurance can be secured prior to the first round of combats with a deposit of one diamond worth 5,000 gp (the special material component required to cast raise dead) plus 730 gp (the total cost of spellcasting services for the casting of raise dead and restoration to remove negative levels or Constitution damage). Should a contestant who has secured raise dead insurance survive the competition, the diamond worth 5,000 gp and a partial refund of 657 gp are returned to the contestant (the clerics retain 75 gp as their fee for generously going through the trouble of providing the raise dead insurance).
Diamonds worth 5,000 gp can be purchased from High Priest of Zilchus Radsworth Gildenrede, who arrived at Nulbish with a Heward's handy haversack containing 36 such diamonds for this very purpose.
Most contestants of CR 7 and higher avail themselves of this raise dead insurance, while those of CR 6 and lower are mostly incapable of affording the deposit.
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CONTESTANTS:
The following NPCs arrive at Nulbish to compete in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions (from highest to lowest CR):
XP 12,800
Male human [Oerid-Flannae:
N Medium humanoid Init +6; Senses Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +6 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 shield)
hp 124 (12 HD; 8d10+4d8+12)
Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +4; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2, evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 frost keen rapier +20/+15/+10 (1d6+6/15–20 plus 1d6 cold) or sap +17/+12/+7 (1d6+2 nonlethal)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +18/+13/+8 (1d8+2/x3)
Special Attacks rogue talent (bleeding attack), sneak attack +2d6, weapon training (light blades +1)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 22, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +11; CMB +13; CMD 31
Feats Bleeding Critical, Blind-Fight, Critical Focus, Dazzling Display, Dodge, Improved Critical (rapier), Mobility, Shatter Defenses, Spring Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier)
Skills Acrobatics +20, Appraise +3, Athletics +6, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +12, Escape Artist +10, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (local) +5, Perception +10 (+12 to find traps), Ride +10, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +21, Survival +4
Languages Common
SQ armor training 2, rogue talent (finesse rogue), trapfinding +2
Combat Gear potion of disguise self; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 buckler, +1 frost keen rapier, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, sap, belt of incredible dexterity +2, boots of striding and springing, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, light horse (combat trained) with saddle, thieves’ tools
BACKGROUND
Medaelo of Stoink claims to be just another bandit from the city-state of Stoink, trying to keep a low profile in the former Bandit Kingdoms, which are now referred to simply as the Bandit Lands of Iuz. In fact, he is none other than Duke Gellor, former ruler of the Duchy of Artonsamay, presumed to be dead by most, including the Countess Belissica Gellor of Urnst. Hunted by Iuz’s Greater and Lesser Boneheart mages and priests, Duke Gellor has adopted a false identity — Medaelo of Stoink — using potions of disguise self to hide his familiar features from both foes and friends alike, for he knows that Iuz and his evil minions would not hesitate to inflict pain and suffering upon his allies in order to draw him out. While discreetly visiting the city-state of Stoink, Duke Gellor heard about the upcoming Richfest tourney in the distant Horned Kingdom of Medegia, and about the remarkable grand prize reserved for the champion of the tourney — the sentient dwarven thrower, Whelm, one of the legendary weapons of Keraptis recovered recently from White Plume Mountain by bold adventurers. He has decided that the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions is an excellent excuse for “Medaelo of Stoink” to get far out of harm’s reach for a while, and possibly an opportunity to recruit mighty champions to help him reclaim the Duchy of Artonsamay from the evil forces of the demonic demigod Iuz the Old. Therefore, Duke Gellor has ridden east, halfway across the Flanaess, arriving in Nulbish just as the Richfest celebrations are commencing, and playing the part of “Medaelo of Stoink”….
XP 9,600
Male half-orc barbarian 11:
CE Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+5 armor, +4 Dex, –2 rage)
hp 142 (11d12+65)
Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +9; +4 vs. spells and spell-like or supernatural abilities
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, orc ferocity, trap sense +3; DR 3/—
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 orc double axe +19/+14/+9 (1d8+10/19–20/×3) or +1 orc double axe +17/+12/+7 (1d8+7/19–20/×3), +1 orc double axe +17/+12 (1d8+7/19–20/×3), bite +12 (1d4+3)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +16/+11/+6 (1d8+6/×3)
Special Attacks greater rage (26 rounds/day), rage powers (animal fury, increased damage reduction +1, no escape, raging leaper +11, superstition +4)
TACTICS
During Combat Nazzokk charges into the heart of battle, using one end of his double axe two-handed when charging or moving, and switching back to a double weapon grip when making full attacks. He uses his leaping and Acrobatics to enter melee quickly, using his no escape ability to chase down cowards.
Base Statistics
When not raging, Nazzokk’s statistics are AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15; hp 109; Fort +11, Will +6; no bonus vs. spells and spell-like or supernatural abilities; DR 2/—; Melee +1 orc double axe +16/+11/+6 (1d8+5/19–20/×3) or +1 orc double axe +14/+9/+4 (1d8+4/19–20/×3), +1 orc double axe +14/+9 (1d8+4/19–20/×3), bite +9 (1d4+1); Ranged mwk composite longbow +16/+11/+6 (1d8+3/×3); Str 16, Con 14; CMB +14; CMD 28; Skills Acrobatics +17 (+21 when jumping), Athletics +8
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 29
Feats Double Slice, Improved Critical (orc double axe), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, Weapon Focus (orc double axe)
Skills Acrobatics +17 (+32 when jumping), Athletics +11, Intimidate +10, Perception +15, Ride +7, Stealth +14, Survival +5 SQ fast movement, orc blood, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear potions of blur (2), potion of fly; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1/+1 orc double axe, masterwork composite longbow (+7 Str) with 20 arrows, belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +2, climber’s kit, 50 gp
BACKGROUND
Nazzokk Elf-Eater of Stoneheim is one of Despot Turrosh Mak’s most formidable enforcers, feared throughout the Pomarj and the Wild Coast for his relentless bloodlust and destructive fury. His nickname, “Elf-Eater”, is well-deserved, for elf-flesh is his favorite meat, and elf-blood is his favorite drink. Nazzokk has been responsible for the brutal deaths of countless victims, both enemy combatants and innocent noncombatants — he makes no distinctions and has no qualms about who falls to the savage fury of his orc double axe, as long as he gets to kill. That said, he takes special satisfaction in slaying renowned elven heroes and heroines, and then devouring their corpses. He has journeyed east to the Horned Kingdom of Medegia, having recently heard that a tourney will be held at the capital city of Nulbish. Nazzokk cares nothing about winning the tourney, as long as he gets to slaughter and feast upon elf-flesh.
XP 9,600
Male valley elf rogue 11:
NE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex)
hp 86 (11d8+33)
Fort +5, Ref +13, Will +5; +2 vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +3; Immune sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 rapier +15/+10 (1d6+3/15–20 plus poison)
Ranged mwk dagger +14/+9 (1d4+2/19–20 plus poison)
Special Attacks sneak attack +6d6
TACTICS
Before Combat Ravenshadow applies blue whinnis poison to his rapier and dagger.
During Combat Ravenshadow focuses on one target, using Power Attack, sneak attack, and the ongoing effects of his bleeding attack ability and blue whinnis poison to deal as much damage as possible in a short amount of time. If the target tries to flee, Ravenshadow uses Stand Still to prevent escape, or throws his poisoned dagger.
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 26
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (rapier), Power Attack, Stand Still, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)
Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +16, Bluff +13, Disable Device +21, Disguise +13, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (local) +15, Perception +17, Stealth +19 Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven
SQ elven magic, rogue talents (bleeding attack +6, combat trick, crippling strike, fast stealth, surprise attack), trapfinding +5, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear elixir of hiding, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of invisibility, antitoxin, blue whinnis poison (4); Other Gear +2 studded leather, +1 rapier, masterwork dagger, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, masterwork thieves’ tools, sunrods (3), 617 gp
BACKGROUND
The evil valley elf rogue known as Ravenshadow has become infamous and feared throughout the central Flanaess as a contract killer who has never failed to complete a contract in under three days’ time. His true name is a carefully guarded secret (one that has always proven fatal to those unfortunate enough to discover it), as is his personal history. None still alive today know for certain who he really is, or where he came from, but the hidden truth is this — his true name is Ralobalar Tindrannivil, originally from the Dim Forest. Prior to striking out on his own to pursue his current career as a contract killer, Ralobalar Tindrannivil was a minion of His Most Magical Authority, the Exalted Mage of the Valley and Laird of the Domain, Jaran “The Black One” Krimeah. During this period of service, Ralobalar came to resent “The Black One of the Vale” and his “vile and disgusting” relationship with his drow seneschal and lover, Tysiln San; he fantasized about slaying them both as they laid together, but he knew that he yet lacked the skill and power to make this fantasy a reality, so he fled from the Valley of the Mage in 579 CY. Relocating to the Wild Coast, he took to calling himself by a pseudonym — Ravenshadow —a name that reflected the darkness of his spirit. He honed his murderous skills culling the populations of the orcs, goblinoids, and other rapacious nonhumans of the Pomarj and the Gnarley Forest over the next two decades, becoming one of the most feared contract killers in the Flanaess. He has come to Nulbish in response to the recent reports that a tourney is to be held there, beginning the final day of Richfest, and that whomever is the champion will receive as their prize the legendary sentient warhammer Whelm ….
XP 6,400 Male human [Fruztti Suelii:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+7 armor, +2 Dex, –2 rage)
hp 105 (10 HD; 5d12+5d10+45)
Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +4; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 adamantine vicious greatsword +19/+14 (2d6+13/17–20 plus 2d6 vicious) or spiked gauntlet +16/+11 (1d3+6)
Ranged javelin +12 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks rage (14 rounds/day), rage powers (intimidating glare, strength surge +5), weapon training (heavy blades +1)
TACTICS
Base Statistics
When not raging, the champion has AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; hp 85; Fort +10, Will +2; Melee +1 adamantine vicious greatsword +17/+12 (2d6+10/17–20 plus 2d6 vicious) or spiked gauntlet +14/+9 (1d3+4); Ranged javelin +12 (1d6+4); Str 18, Con 14; CMB +14 (+18 sunder); CMD 26 (28 vs. sunder); Skills Climb +8, Swim +7
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +10; CMB +16 (+20 sunder); CMD 28 (30 vs. sunder)
Feats Dazzling Display, Greater Sunder, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Sunder, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Shatter Defenses, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword)
Skills Acrobatics +13 (+17 jump), Climb +10, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +18 (+20 when raging), Perception +4, Ride +4, Survival +5, Swim +9
Languages Common
SQ armor training 1, fast movement
Gear +1 breastplate, +1 adamantine vicious greatsword, javelins (5), spiked gauntlet, 15 gp
BACKGROUND
Sagard Bölvarrsson of Krakenheim is a notorious Frost Barbarian viking raider who has led numerous raids on ports along the east coast of the Flannaess, from Marner on the coast of Ratik to Dullstrand on the shores of the Aerdi Sea. He is captain of the drakkar Flóðræsir (“Tide Racer”), and leader of a band of 110 Fruztti viking raiders. While he and his crew were spending some of their ill-gotten booty in the taverns and brothels of Ountsy, Sagard heard about the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions from a herald hired by the party to advertise the tourney along the Solnor Coast. Intrigued, Sagard rounded up his crew and they set sail for Nulbish, arriving several days prior to the start of the contest.
XP 6,400
Male human [Fruztii Suelii:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, -2 rage)
hp 150 (10d12+30); +20 temporary hp
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +7
DR 4/—
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee “Dautharís” (frost brand) +21/+13 (2d6+20/19-20 plus 1d6 cold), bite +10 (1d4+11) OR 2 claws +18 (1d8+8/x3), bite +13 (1d4+5)
Ranged mwk composite longbow (+6 Str) +13/+8 (1d8+6/x3)
Special Attacks pounce, rage 24 rounds/day, rage powers (animal fury, beast totem, greater beast totem, increased damage reduction, lesser beast totem)
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 14
Base Atk +10; CMB +16; CMD 28
Feats Cleave, Dodge, Furious Focus, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +14 (+17 in aquatic terrain, on shoreline, or aboard a ship), Athletics +19 (+22 in aquatic terrain, on shoreline, or aboard a ship, +27 to swim), Linguistics (1 rank) +0, Perception +9, Profession (sailor) +6 (+9 in aquatic terrain, on shoreline, or aboard a ship)
Languages Common, Cold Tongue (Suelii barbarian dialect), Giant, Suloise
SQ eyes of the storm, marine terror, savage sailor +3, sure-footed
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potions of water breathing (2), potions of water walking (2); Other Gear mithral shirt, “Dautharís” (frost brand), masterwork composite longbow (+6 Str) and 20 arrows, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, gauntlets of ogre power (+2 enhancement to Str), ring of protection +1, ring of swimming, spyglass, 46 gp
BACKGROUND
Sveinn Heldensson of Krakenheim is a Fruztii Suelii (Frost Barbarian) man in his mid-twenties, powerfully muscled and fair of features. Son of Helden Stormfist, one of the Frost Barbarian adventurers who recovered the five magical Blades of Corusk circa 582 CY (and unwittingly facilitating Iuz the Old’s great deception of the northern barbarian kingdoms, and igniting the Greyhawk Wars), Sveinn has grown up in the shadow of his father’s disgraced legacy, and is determined to forge his own destiny, and write his own saga. Formerly the captain of his own great drakkar (the Fjord Linnorm) and commander of over a hundred fierce Frost Barbarian vikings, the wheel of fortune has turned for young Sveinn, and he has lost both ship (now lying wrecked at the bottom of the Tilva Straight) and crew (presumably drowned or enslaved by the Scarlet Brotherhood), so he has come to Nulbish and presented himself to the Horned King of Medegia, Malvolio I, seeking gainful employ in the tyrant antipaladin monarch’s court as his executioner, bodyguard, huscarl, or even just a swordsman-for-hire. When the Horned King’s Men (Orsino of the House of Naelax, Erlick of the House of Lassiter, and Grimaldi of the House of Rax-Nyrond) announced their plan to host a grand tourney outside the northern wall of Nulbish, Sveinn decided there was no reason why he shouldn’t compete for the grand prize — the legendary sentient warhammer Whelm.
XP 6,400
Male human [Oeridian-Flannae:
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +11; Senses Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 130 (10d10+30)
Fort +6, Ref +13, Will +5
Defensive Abilities charmed life 5/day
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee “Barracuda” (rapier of puncturing) +19/+14 (1d6+6/15-20 plus 1 bleed)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +16 (1d8/19-20)
Special Attacks blood drain with “Barracuda” 3/day (+19 touch, 1d6 Con damage), deeds (derring-do, dodging panache, eyes of the storm, opportune parry and riposte, kip-up, menacing swordplay, plunder, precise strike +10, swashbuckler’s grace, superior feint), panache 4, swagger, swashbuckler’s finesse, swashbuckler weapon training +2
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 18
Base Atk +10; CMB +12; CMD 27
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (one-handed or light piercing weapons), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse (one-handed or light piercing weapons)
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics +10, Intimidate +14, Perception +9, Profession (sailor) +11
Languages Common
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potions of water breathing (2), potions of water walking (2); Other Gear mithral shirt, “Barracuda” (rapier of puncturing), masterwork light crossbow and 20 bolts, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, ring of protection +1, spyglass, 50 gp
BACKGROUND
Captain Mako Greyfinn of the Sea Barons is a cunning and fearless corsair, a top-ranking captain under the command of Basmajian Arras (Lord Admiral of the Sea Barons), and the captain of the war-caravel Blood Frenzy, which is currently docked in the harbor of Nulbish. Captain Mako has come to Nulbish to try his enchanted blood-draining rapier “Barracuda” as a competitor in the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions.
XP 6,400
Female human [Suloise-Oerid:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +11; Senses Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +2 canny defense, +5 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 85 (10 HD; 6d10+4d10+26)
Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +3
Defensive Abilities bravery +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 mithral rapier +18/+13 (1d6+5/18–20)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +16/+11 (1d8+1/X3)
Special Attacks parry, precise strike (+4), weapon training (light blades +1)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 10
Base Atk +10; CMB +11; CMD 27
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier)
Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +7, Climb +8, Escape Artist +12, Intimidate +11, Perception +12, Perform (string) +5, Sense Motive +12, Survival +12 Languages Common, Halfling, 1 other
SQ armor training 1, canny defense, Combat Reflexes, enhanced mobility, grace, improved reaction
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, tanglefoot bags (3); Other Gear +2 chain shirt, +1 mithral rapier, masterwork composite longbow (+1 Str) with 40 arrows, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, 228 gp
BACKGROUND
Lady-Protectress Azurienne Carister is a native of Hardby, a port town on the north coast of Woolly Bay. Though Hardby is still ruled in name by Despotrix Illena Norbelos, in practicality the town is ruled by Greyhawk's Directing Oligarchy through Azurienne’s father, Military Governor Wilbrem Carister, the captain of the Hardby Marines. Having grown bored with her privileged life in Hardby, Lady-Protectress Azurienne hired passage aboard a merchant cog bound for the ports of Relmor Bay. While carousing in the bayside taverns of the Ahlissan port town of Prymp, she heard about the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions (and the fabulous grand prize to be awarded to the winner); in the hours before dawn, she stole a fast horse from the stable of an inn, and after riding west and south for the next two weeks, Lady-Protectress Azurienne Carister arrived in Nulbish only a few days before the start of the contest.
XP 4,800 Male human [Suloise:
LE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 shield)
hp 64 (9 HD; 7d8+2d10+18)
Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +6
Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, red shroud, trap sense +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk sawtooth sabre +10/+5 (1d8+3/19-20) and mwk sawtooth sabre +10/+5 (1d8+2/19-20)
Ranged dagger +11/+6 (1d4+1/19-20)
Special Attacks prayer attack (DC 16), sneak attack +4d6
Spell-like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +6)
1/day—summon mantis
Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +6)
2nd (2/day)—cat’s grace, hold person (DC 14)
1st (3/day)—expeditious retreat, feather fall, spider climb, true strike
TACTICS
Before Combat Nephew Gyrlannxen casts cat’s grace and expeditious retreat and activates his mask of the mantis (deathwatch at day or darkvision at night) before entering combat.
During Combat Nephew Gyrlannxen uses prayer attacks if facing lone targets. He activates his red shroud on the first round of combat in any event.
Morale Nephew Gyrlannex fights until reduced to 16 or fewer hit points, at which point he will make every effort to escape with his life and limbs intact.
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 23
Feats DodgeB, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sawtooth sabre), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception, Stealth), Two-Weapon DefenseB, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon FocusB (sawtooth sabre), Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre)B
Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +14, Climb +8, Intimidate +11, Perception +15, Stealth +19 Languages Common, Infernal, Suloise SQ summon mantis, trapfinding, rogue talent (weapon training)
Gear +1 leather armor, 2 masterwork sawtooth sabres, 4 daggers, mask of the mantis, cloak of resistance +1
BACKGROUND
Rhoidin (“Uncle”) Gyrlannxen is a Scarlet Brotherhood assassin from the contested port city of Scant in Onnwal, where he has earned a reputation for ruthless efficiency, becoming a favorite agent of (and consort to) Exalted Sister Kuranyie. When news of the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions reached Scant and came to Exalted Sister Kuranyie’s attention, she was intrigued; it seemed likely that formidable warriors from throughout the Flannaess would journey to Nulbish to compete for the legendary warhammer Whelm, rumored to be in the offing as the grand prize of the tourney. Her ongoing struggle against Jian Destron (Szek of Free Onnwal) and His Honor Rakehell Chert (Commander of the Free Onnwal Army of Rebellion) for sovereignty over Onnwal would not permit her to compete in the upcoming tourney herself, so Exalted Sister Kuranyie has sent her favorite assassin and consort, Gyrlannxen, to Nulbish in her stead. Gyrlannxen’s directives are twofold: obtain Whelm (whether by winning the contest or by stealing the magic warhammer outright), and gather any information in Nulbish that might prove useful to the Scarlet Brotherhood. He has secretly conferred with the other two Scarlet Brotherhood agents in Nulbish to compete in the tourney, and they made a pact to cooperate in acquiring Whelm for the Scarlet Brotherhood at nearly any cost (except for their lives).
XP 4,800
Female high elf fighter 1/evoker 5/eldritch knight 3:
CG Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +4 shield)
hp 69 (9 HD; 5d6+4d10+31)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +6; +2 vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities blur (20% miss chance)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 elven curve blade +11/+6 (1d10+7/18–20)
Special Attacks intense spells (+2 damage)
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +4)
5/day—force missile (1d4+2)
Spells Prepared (CL 7th, concentration +9; 10% spell failure)
4th—ice storm (+2 damage)
3rd—fireball (+2 damage, DC 17), lightning bolt (+2 damage, DC 17)
2nd—blur (already cast), scorching ray (2, +2 damage), web (DC 15)
1st—chill touch (DC 13), magic missile (3, +2 damage), shield (already cast)
0th (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, light, read magic
Opposition Schools Illusion, Transmutation
TACTICS
Before Combat Olaphyria has already cast false life from her wand. The moment she expects combat, she casts blur and shield (already reflected in her statistics).
During Combat Olaphyria starts combat by casting web, followed by ice storm and fireball. She uses her arcane bonded ring to cast an additional ice storm later in the battle. If forced into melee combat, she uses Vital Strike with her elven curve blade.
Base Statistics
Without her spells, Olaphyria has the following statistics:
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16; hp 61; no miss chance
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Greater Spell Focus (evocation), Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation), Still Spell, Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (elven curve blade), Weapon Specialization (elven curve blade)
Skills Climb +7, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (history) +11, Knowledge (planes) +9, Perception +9, Spellcraft +14 (+16 identify magic item properties), Survival +5, Swim +7
SQ arcane bond (ring of counterspells), diverse training, elven magic, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds, wand of false life (CL 3rd; 8 charges); Other Gear +2 mithral chain shirt, +1 elven curve blade, cloak of resistance +1, ring of counterspells (contains dispel magic), spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all of the above spells plus all 0-level spells, alarm, dispel magic, hold person, invisibility, levitate, and true strike)
BACKGROUND
Olaphyria Hazelstar is a freewheeling adventurer native to the ancient elven city of Lo Reltarma, capital of the mystical Lendore Isles. Nominally, she is also a covert agent of The Most Radiant Bow of Sehanine, Orb of the Heavens, High Priest Anfaren Silverbrow, ruler of that theocratic island realm. In practice, however, Olaphyria tends to be far more obedient to her own chaotic whims and impulsive fancies, doing more or less whatever she pleases; currently, that happens to be exploring and adventuring in the lands of the Flannaess. She has heard intriguing rumors over the last few days concerning an upcoming tourney in the Horned Kingdom of Medegia — the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions — and the fabulous grand prize said to be reserved for the winner — the legendary sentient warhammer of Keraptis the Archmage, known as Whelm ….
XP 4,800
Male hill dwarf evoker 9 :
LE Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +3; Senses Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, –1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 92 (9d6+58)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +9; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities defensive training (+4 dodge bonus to AC vs. giants); Immune fire (108 points)
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee battleaxe +5 (1d8+1/×3)
Special Attacks +1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids, intense spells (+4 damage)
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +13)
At will—elemental wall (9 rounds/day)
7/day—force missile (1d4+4)
Evoker Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +13)
5th—cone of cold (DC 20), transmute rock to mud
4th—empowered acid arrow (+3 ranged touch), greater invisibility, resilient sphere (DC 19), stone shape
3rd—dispel magic, fireball (DC 18), gaseous form, ray of exhaustion (+3 ranged touch, DC 17), stinking cloud (DC 17)
2nd—acid arrow (+3 ranged touch), bear’s endurance, protection from energy, scorching ray (+3 ranged touch), spider climb, summon swarm
1st—burning hands (2, DC 16), color spray (DC 15), feather fall, mage armor, ray of enfeeblement (+3 ranged touch, DC 15)
0th (at will)—acid splash (+3 ranged touch), dancing lights, detect magic, mage hand
Opposition Schools enchantment, necromancy
TACTICS
Before Combat Brumgrim casts bear’s endurance, mage armor, and protection from energy (fire).
During Combat Brumgrim casts greater invisibility, then uses transmute rock to mud to trap foes. He casts area damage spells at trapped targets and uses stinking cloud and resilient sphere to hinder those who escape the mud.
Base Statistics
Without bear’s endurance, mage armor, and protection from energy (fire), Brumgrim’s statistics are AC 11, touch 10, flat-footed 11; hp 74; Fort +6; Immune none; Con 16.
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 15 (19 vs. bull rush or trip)
Feats Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Penetration, Toughness
Skills Appraise +15 (+17 to assess non-magical metals or gemstones), Climb +4, Craft (alchemy) +12, Fly +6, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering) +16, Knowledge (engineering) +12, Perception +12 (+14 to notice unusual stonework), Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +16
Languages Common, Dwarven, Goblin, Terran, Undercommon
SQ arcane bond (bat familiar named “Zarovich”)
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, scroll of clairaudience/clairvoyance, scroll of solid fog, scroll of stinking cloud, scroll of stone shape; Other Gear battleaxe, amulet of natural armor +1, headband of vast intelligence +2, ring of protection +1, spellbook, 663 gp
BACKGROUND
Brumgrim Moltenbeard is an outcast from the dwarven kingdom under the Glorioles, banished from the mountains in Readying of 598 CY for conspiring with fiends from Baator in a plot to replace the dwarven king with a shapeshifting devil. He has spent much of the past couple of years plotting his revenge against the dwarven kingdom of the Glorioles, but he is patient, paranoid, and very cautious, and he realizes that he still lacks the power necessary to act on his plans — for now. He seeks to accumulate power as quickly and efficiently as he can, including the acquisition of powerful magical weapons, like the sentient dwarven thrower, Whelm, rumored to be the grand prize that will go to the champion of the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions he’s been recently informed about ….
XP 3,200
Female human [Suloise:
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 16, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 shield)
hp 52 (8d10+8)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 falcata +10/+5 (1d8+3/19–20/×3)
Ranged light crossbow +12/+7 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks weapon training (light blades +1)
TACTICS
During Combat Quaruné relies on her Combat Expertise feat to increase her Armor Class (–2 to attacks, +2 Dodge to AC). With her Improved Disarm feat she disarms and taunts armed opponents, suggesting they surrender. Morale She has no fear of death. Rather, the only thing she fears is boredom. She will not withdraw against a clearly superior foe, but she may disengage if her opponent is obviously unable to best her and presents no interesting challenges.
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13
Base Atk +8; CMB +8 (+10 disarm); CMD 24 (26 vs. disarm)
Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata),Improved Disarm , Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (falcata), Weapon Specialization (falcata), Duelist (see below)
Skills Acrobatics +17, Bluff +9, Escape Artist +13, Knowledge (history) +3, Knowledge (local) +3, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Perception +10, Perform (Dance) +13, Sense Motive +10, Swim +4
Languages Common, Elven, Suloise
SQ armor training 2
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (3); Other Gear chain shirt, masterwork buckler, +1 mithral falcata, light crossbow with 10 bolts, ring of protection +1, 120 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Feat (Ex)
Quaruné is skilled the art of fighting with the falcata (a type of sword) and buckler. When using this fighting style, her buckler’s shield bonus increases by 1 and she gains a +2 bonus on Acrobatics checks.
BACKGROUND
A petit, graceful, and lethal Suloise swordswoman, skilled in an acrobatic fighting art wielding falcata and buckler, Quaruné Icharydae is native to the ancient city of Niole Dra (Ancient Suloise for “The Old Dragon”), capital of the Kingdom of Keoland. The Noble House of Icharydae is a proud and ancient Suloise tribe, spanning the centuries to the time of the Suloise Imperium before the Twin Cataclysms laid waste to the ancient empire. The Icharydaes had followed the Last Mage Slerotin through the Passage he’d delved under the Hellfurnaces and Crystalmists using magics of mythic power, and were among the Suloise tribes that settled in the Sheldomar River Vally. While adventuring across the central Flannaess, Quaruné ran afoul of Scarlet Brotherhood agents whose primary mandate from the Father of Obedience was to procure pureblooded Suloise for the eugenic breeding program. She was subdued and abducted by the Scarlet Brothers, who brought her east, trekking across leagues of varying terrains and climates, or boarded cogs or coasters flying the Scarlet Sign and sailed along the rugged coasts of the Azure Sea. They were making their way toward the mysterious Tilvanot Peninsula, where they claimed to dwell in the “Hidden Empire of Shar,” but Quaruné was not fooled for a second; she knew that the “Hidden Empire of Shar” was just a new term to use for the Scarlet Brotherhood that the free folk of the Flannaess hadn’t yet learned to fear and despise. A brief stop in the Onnwal port city of Scant provided the opportunity Quaruné had been patiently watching out for, and while the Scarlet Brothers were distracted by a skirmish on the docks with a force of Onnwal resistance fighters, the Suloise swordswoman escaped from the cargo hold of the coaster she’d been smuggled there in, and disappeared into the labyrinthine streets and alleys of Scant. Fleeing the city under cover of night, Quaruné ventured east, eventually arriving in Nulbish just in time to enter herself as a contestant in the imminent and much-anticipated First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions. (She quickly discovered the presence in Nulbish of the three Scarlet Brotherhood agents also planning to compete in the tourney, and she hopes to satisfy her desire for revenge by slaying them all, if possible …. )
XP 3,200
Male human [Oerid-Suloise:
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 25 (+10 armor, +2 Dex, +3 shield)
hp 80 (8d10+36)
Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +6; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 bastard sword +14/+9 (1d10+7/17–20) or spiked gauntlet +11/+6 (1d4+3)
Ranged javelin +10 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 23
Feats Cleave, Improved Critical (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)
Skills Intimidate +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Perception +8, Profession (soldier) +5, Ride +8, Survival +10 Languages Common SQ armor training 2
Combat Gear potions of align weapon, cure light wounds (2), divine favor (2), shield of faith (2); Other Gear +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 bastard sword, spiked gauntlet, javelins (5), cloak of resistance +1, 40 gp
BACKGROUND
Serjeant-of-the-Watch in the city of Irongate, Roaklyss Blagdwynn is a formidable fighter and competent leader, who oversees a contingent of the city watch (25 guards). Besides being an effective and professional enforcer of law and order, Roaklyss takes great care to temper his natural instinct to mete out swift justice with careful consideration for whether mercy might be warranted instead. Word of the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions has come to Irongate, cried out by heralds of Medegia visiting to advertise it, and Serjeant-of-the-Watch Roaklyss’ contingent of watchmen have been urging their commander to go and represent the Irongate Watch. After losing a rare “wager of honor” (he is not usually one for frivolous gambling), Roaklyss is now “honor-bound” to compete in the contest, and he has ridden to Nulbish, arriving a week before Richfest.
XP 3,200
Male wood elf ranger 8 :
CG Medium humanoid (elf) Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 62 (8d10+14)
Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +4; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep; Resist fire 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk elven curve blade +15/+10 (1d10+1/18–20)
Ranged +1 longbow +15/+10 (1d8+1/×3) Special Attacks favored enemy (animals +2, orcs +4)
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +6)
2nd—barkskin, cat’s grace
1st—entangle, resist energy
TACTICS
Before Combat Sabraellon casts barkskin, cat’s grace, and resist energy (fire).
During Combat Sabraellon acts in the surprise round, he casts entangle. He prefers to attack at range and from cover.
Base Statistics
Without barkskin, cat’s grace, and resist energy, the ranger’s statistics are Init +4; AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 16; Ref +11; Melee mwk elven curve blade +13/+8 (1d10+1/18–20); Ranged +1 longbow +13/+8 (1d8+1/×3); Dex 19; CMD +24; Skills Acrobatics +11, Ride +10, Stealth +14.
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 23, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +9; CMD 26
Feats Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim, Endurance, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +9, Heal +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering, geography) +6, Knowledge (nature) +8, Perception +14, Ride +12, Stealth +16, Survival +12, Swim +7
Languages Common, Elven, Orc
SQ elven magic, favored terrain (forest +4, plains +2), hunter’s bond (companions), swift tracker, track +4, weapon familiarity, wild empathy +7, woodland stride
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 longbow with 20 arrows, masterwork elven curve blade, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, 194 gp
BACKGROUND
Sabraellon Silvermist is a wood elf from Welkwood Forest, and hates orcs with a burning passion. When he heard word of the Richfest tourney being heralded all throughout the neighboring Wild Coast towns as the “First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions,” Sabraellon thought it might provide opportunity to slay an orc or three, so he set off on the long journey east, traversing many leagues of wilderness and countryside to reach Nulbish just before the festival begins.
XP 3,200
Male half-orc cleric 8 of Erythnul :
CE Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (+9 armor, +1 natural)
hp 71 (8d8+32)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +8; +2 resistance vs. good
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity; Immune fire (96 points)
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 greataxe +12/+7 (1d12+9/×3)
Ranged javelin +6/+1 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 4/day (DC 15, 4d6), destructive aura (+4, 8 rounds/day), destructive smite (+4, 5/day), scythe of evil (4 rounds, 1/day)
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +10)
5/day—touch of evil (4 rounds)
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +10)
4th—chaos hammer (DC 16), divine power, unholy blightD (DC 16)
3rd—invisibility purge, prayer, protection from energy (DC 15), rageD
2nd—align weaponD (evil weapons only), bull’s strength, darkness, spiritual weapon (2)
1st—bane (DC 13), divine favor, entropic shield, protection from good, shield of faith, true strikeD
0th (at will)—bleed (DC 12), guidance, light, resistance
D Domain spell; Domains Destruction, Evil
TACTICS
Before Combat Lūggraak casts protection from energy (fire).
During Combat Lūggraak casts divine power and shield of faith at the start of combat, then closes to melee distance. If combat starts and he cannot reach any opponents on the first round, he casts chaos hammer or unholy blight. If fighting creatures he knows are good, he uses his scythe of evil ability on his greataxe. If he has allies, he casts prayer.
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 20
Feats Heavy Armor Proficiency, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Skills Intimidate +7, Perception +5, Spellcraft +3
Languages Common, Orc
SQ aura, orc blood, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (2), alchemist’s fire (2); Other Gear +1 half-plate, +1 greataxe, javelins (5), amulet of natural armor +1, wooden unholy symbol, 184 gp
BACKGROUND
Lūggraak Slaughter-Axe is a half-orc cleric of Erythnul “the Many,” and has taken the sobriquet “Wrath of the Many” to indicate his willingness to be a brutal instrument of Erythnul’s wrath. Born from rape and raised amid the chaos and violence of the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj, Lūggraak was a seasoned raider and savage killer by his 16th winter, and had begun to offer bloody sacrifice and dark reverence to the god of slaughter, Erythnul. After sacrificing one of Turrosh Mak’s favorite concubines to his bloodthirsty deity, Lūggraak fled the Pomarj, venturing east to escape the despot’s wrath. He settled in Bone March, where he has been supporting himself by raiding and working as a mercenary, and has established a secret shrine to Erythnul in a cave near Spinecastle. Word of the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions has reached Spinecastle, and Lūggraak has journeyed south to Nulbish, intending to prove his might to the glory of “The Many."
XP 2,400
Male hill dwarf fighter 7:
LE Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +2; Senses Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+10 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 91 (7d10+21)
Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +5; +2 vs. fear, poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities bravery +2, defensive training (+4 dodge bonus to AC vs. giants)
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee mwk cold iron warhammer +14/+7 (1d8+11/×3)
Ranged mwk light hammer +11 (1d4+5/x3) or mwk light crossbow +10 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks +1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids, weapon training (hammers +1)
TACTICS
Before Combat Durrnik drinks his potion of bull’s strength.
During Combat When fighting a magic-user, Durrnik uses the combination of Step Up and Disruptive to interrupt spellcasting.
Base Statistics Without bull’s strength, Durrnik’s statistics are Melee mwk cold iron warhammer +12/+7 (1d8+6/×3); Ranged mwk light hammer +11 (1d4+3/x3); Str 15; CMB +9 (+13 sunder); CMD 21 (25 vs. bull rush and trip, 23 vs. sunder); Skills Athletics +8.
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +7; CMB +12 (+16 sunder); CMD 23 (27 vs. bullrush and trip, 25 vs. sunder)
Feats Disruptive, Furious Focus, Greater Sunder, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Step Up, Weapon Focus (warhammer), Weapon Specialization (warhammer)
Skills Athletics +10, Intimidate +8, Perception +5 (+7 to notice unusual stonework), Survival +10
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ armor training 2
Combat Gear oil of magic weapon (2), potion of aid, potion of bull’s strength, potions of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear +1 full plate, masterwork cold iron dwarven waraxe, masterwork light crossbow with 20 bolts, masterwork throwing axe, cloak of resistance +1, 46 gp
BACKGROUND
Durrnik “Fellhammer” is an evil hill dwarf fighter, considered even by other dwarves to be avaricious and dour. Though he is still nominally a member of Clan Deephammer in the Hestmark Highlands, Durrnik is practically an outcast, shunned by his kin, who have given him the nickname “Fellhammer” because of his cruel and treacherous nature — a nickname Durrnik has bitterly and defiantly embraced. While purchasing provisions at the marketplace in the independent port city of Dullstrand (because his evil reputation is not well known there), Durrnik overheard the town criers advertising the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions. Upon hearing that the grand prize promised to the winner of the tourney was the legendary dwarven thrower known as Whelm, Durrnik wasted no time, riding north through the mountain pass to Nulbish, and arriving just in time for the beginning of Richest celebrations and the much-anticipated tourney.
XP 2,400
Male human [Suloise:
LE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 monk, +3 Wis)
hp 45 (7d8+10)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +9; +2 vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune disease
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +10 (1d8+4) or mwk sai +10 (1d4+4) or unarmed strike flurry of blows +10/+10/+5 (1d8+4)
Ranged dagger +6 (1d4+4/19–20) Special Attacks flurry of blows, stunning fist (7/day, DC 16)
TACTICS
Before Combat Brother Voykhad drinks his potion of mage armor.
During Combat Brother Voykhad uses his sai to disarm opponents, then uses Scorpion Style. If an enemy succumbs, he performs a flurry of blows, augmented with a point from his ki pool, and attempts to stun the opponent.
Base Statistics
Without mage armor, Brother Voykhad’s statistics are AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14.
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +11; CMD 25
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Scorpion Style, Step Up, Stunning Fist, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+25 when jumping), Climb +9, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +3, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +11, Perform (percussion) +6, Sense Motive +13, Swim +10
Languages Common
SQ fast movement, high jump, ki pool (6 points, magic), maneuver training, purity of body, slow fall 30 ft., wholeness of body
Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2), potions of mage armor (2), potions of magic weapon (2); Other Gear dagger, masterwork sai, belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +1, 395 gp
BACKGROUND
Brother Voykhad is a monk of the Scarlet Brotherhood based in Monmurg. With eyes and ears throughout the Flannaess, the Scarlet Brotherhood quickly became cognizant of the imminent tourney to be held in Nulbish, and of the tremendously valuable grand prize rumored to be held in reserve for the champion of the contest — the magical sentient dwarven thrower known as Whelm, one of the legendary weapons of the archmage of White Plume Mountain, Keraptis. Thus, they are keen to shore up their chances of winning the fabled warhammer by fielding multiple contestants. Brother Voykhad is but one of the Scarlet Brotherhood members who’ve journeyed to Nulbish in the Horned Kingdom of Medegia in order to compete for the highly-coveted grand prize. Upon recognizing fellow Scarlet Brethren, the several members that have arrived in Nulbish discreetly convene and quickly agree to treat the acquisition of Whelm for the Scarlet Brotherhood as a team effort; as long as one of them wins (or steals) the legendary weapon, it doesn’t ultimately matter which one of them it is.
XP 2,400
Female half-orc sorcerer 7 :
CE Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 48 (7d6+21) plus 12 temporary hit points
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +7
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity; Resist fire 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk falchion +7 (2d4+4/18–20)
Ranged mwk heavy crossbow +5 (1d10/19–20)
Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +10)
6/day—elemental ray (+4 ranged touch, 1d6+3 fire)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +10)
3rd (5/day)—fireball (DC 17), haste, protection from energy
2nd (7/day)—blur, false life, glitterdust (DC 15), scorching ray (+4 ranged touch)
1st (7/day)—burning hands (DC 15), mage armor, magic missile, magic weapon, ray of enfeeblement (+4 ranged touch, DC 14), shield
0th (at will)—bleed (DC 13), dancing lights, detect magic, flare (DC 14), light, ray of frost (fire), read magic
Bloodline elemental (fire)
TACTICS
Before Combat Greella casts false life and mage armor.
During Combat Greella casts haste before targeting her foes with fireball or scorching ray. In melee combat, she casts shield on herself, and magic weapon on her falchion.
Base Statistics
Without false life and mage armor, the sorcerer’s statistics are AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12; hp 48.
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Combat Casting, Eschew Materials, Iron Will, Power Attack, Spell Focus (evocation), Toughness
Skills Intimidate +11, Knowledge (arcana) +3, Linguistics +0, Perception +7, Spellcraft +4
Languages Common, Ignan, Orc
SQ bloodline arcana (change energy damage spells to fire), orc blood, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, scroll of fly (2); Other Gear masterwork falchion, masterwork heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, amulet of natural armor +1, ring of protection +1, 225 gp
BACKGROUND
Greella Bloodfire is a native of the Pomarj city of Highport, and one of Despot Turrosh Mak’s lieutenants there. Hearing of the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions from unscrupulous merchant traders visiting the despoiled port city, Greella impulsively abandoned her post and boarded the merchant traders’ coaster, the Lamprey, “hiring passage” to the Ahlissan port of Prymp; on arrival, she “paid her passenger fee” with fiery death, incinerating both the captain and crew along with the Lamprey before fleeing east into the Horned Kingdom of Medegia. Greella has arrived in Nulbish just a few days before Richfest and the tourney begin, and she intends to steal the fabled grand prize, if she cannot win it fairly.
XP 2,400
Male human [Oerid:
CE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception +9 (+10 to find traps)
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 53 (7 HD; 4d10+3d8+18)
Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +4; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, trap sense +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 spiked chain +14/+9 (2d4+6) or sap +12/+7 (1d6+3 nonlethal) Ranged mwk composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+1/x3) Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
TACTICS
Before Combat Ehlissa Nightingale (see below) casts good hope on Lord Dellryxen right before he fights.
During Combat Lord Dellryxen uses his spiked chain to trip opponents, making attacks of opportunity on them when he succeeds in tripping them. He also receives considerable unfair assistance from Ehlissa Nightingale’s bardic performances and bard spells (see tactics during combat for Ehlissa Nightingale below).
Base Statistics Without good hope, Lord Dellryxen’s statistics are Init +4; Senses Perception +7 (+8 to find traps); Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +2; Melee +1 spiked chain +12/+7 (2d4+4) or sap +10/+5 (1d6+1 nonlethal); Ranged mwk composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+1/x3); Skills Acrobatics +14, Appraise +5, Athletics +5, Bluff +12, Disable Device +11, Disguise +14, Escape Artist +10, Intimidate +4, Perception +7 (+8 to find traps), Ride +9, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +14.
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +12 (+16 when tripping); CMD 21 (23 vs. trip)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Greater Trip, Improved Trip, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (spiked chain), Weapon Specialization (spiked chain)
Skills Acrobatics +16, Appraise +7, Athletics +7, Bluff +14, Disable Device +13, Disguise +16, Escape Artist +12, Intimidate +6, Perception +9 (+10 to find traps), Ride +11, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +16
Languages Common, Old Oeridian
SQ armor training 1, rogue talent (finesse rogue), trapfinding +1
Combat Gear potion of invisibility; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 spiked chain, masterwork composite longbow (+1 Str) with 20 arrows, sap, cloak of resistance +1, disguise kit, light horse (combat trained) with saddle, silk rope, smokestick, thieves’ tools
BACKGROUND
An impulsive and amoral young libertine of House Darmen with a sadistic streak, Lord Dellryxen of Kalstrand was intrigued by recent rumors concerning the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, especially the rumored grand prize — the fabled warhammer Whelm. He is determined to acquire the sentient warhammer, whether by actually winning it or by stealing it and absconding with it back to Kalstrand. To improve his chances (of either the former or the latter means), Lord Dellryxen has brought with him to Nulbish his favorite actress and lover, Ehlissa Nightingale (see below).
XP 2,400
Female human [Oerid-Flannae:
CE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 47 (7d8+9)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +6; +4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, and sonic
DR 3/— against small ranged piercing weapons
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee whip +7 (1d3–1)
Ranged light crossbow +7 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks bardic performance 21 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, suggestion)
Bard Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +12)
3rd (2)—charm monster (DC 18), good hope (already cast on Lord Dellryxen)
2nd (4)—alter self, gallant inspiration, invisibility, mirror image, suggestion (DC 17)
1st (6)—beguiling gift (DC 16), charm person (DC 16), expeditious retreat, hideous laughter (DC 16), memory lapse (DC 16), saving finale, touch of gracelessness (DC 16), ventriloquism (DC 16)
0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), light, message, prestidigitation, sift
TACTICS
Before Combat Right before Lord Dellryxen is about to compete, she casts good hope on him.
During Combat Whenever Lord Dellryxen is competing, she will bolster him with inspire competence (or inspire courage, if needed) and her beneficial bard spells; whenever a rival competitor begins to get the upper hand against Lord Dellryxen, she cast grease using her wand of grease, or cast suggestion or hideous laughter to hinder them. If Lord Dellryxen narrowly misses on an attack roll against an opponent, or a saving throw against an opponent’s spell or special attack, Ehlissa immediately casts gallant inspiration on him.
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 20
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Arcane Strike, Greater Serpent Lash, Lingering Performance, Serpent Lash, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +5, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nobility) +10, Linguistics +6, Perception +10, Perform (act) +15, Perform (oratory) +15, Sleight of Hand +6, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +11, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Common, Elven, Flan, Old Oeridian
SQ bardic knowledge +3, lore master 1/day, versatile performance (oratory, act)
Combat Gear scroll of comprehend languages, scrolls of disguise self (2), scroll of restful sleep, wand of cure light wounds (50 charges), wand of grease (50 charges); Other Gear quilted cloth armor, light crossbow with 10 bolts, whip, cloak of resistance +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, backpack, spell component pouch, 25 gp
BACKGROUND
Named for the legendary Queen Ehlissa and her Marvelous Nightingale, this stunningly beautiful (but depraved and wicked) bard actress has become a celebrity for her provocative performances on the stages (and in the noble townhouses) of Kalstrand. She has come to Nulbish along with her current patron and lover, Lord Dellryxen of House Darmen (see above), to support his efforts in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions (i.e., to help him cheat by giving him unfair advantages using her bardic performances and spells).
XP 2,400
Male human [Oerid-Flannae:
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +4; Aura courage (10 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+7 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 51 (7d10+13)
Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities divine grace +4; Immune disease, fear
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+5/19–20) or lance +10/+5 (1d8+4/x3) or dagger +10/+5 (1d4+3/19–20)
Ranged +1 composite longbow +12/+12/+7 (1d8+4/x3) or dagger +11 (1d4+3/19–20)
Special Attacks smite evil (3/day, +4 attack and AC, +7 damage)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +11)
At Will—detect evil
Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +8)
2nd—eagle’s splendor (already cast)
1st—bless weapon (already cast), divine favor (already cast)
TACTICS
Before Combat Sir Thendry casts eagle’s splendor and divine favor on himself, and bless weapon on his greatsword. He uses his detect evil ability on his opponent to determine whether or not to use smite evil on them.
During Combat Sir Thendry will use smite evil against foes he has determined to be evil.
Base Statistics Without eagle’s splendor and divine favor, Sir Thendry’s statistics are Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6; Defensive Abilities divine grace +2; Melee +1 greatsword +10/+5 (2d6+4/19–20) or lance +9/+4 (1d8+3/x3) or dagger +9/+4 (1d4+2/19–20); Ranged +1 composite longbow +11/+11/+6 (1d8+3/x3) or dagger +10 (1d4+2/19–20); Special Attacks smite evil (3/day, +2 attack and AC, +7 damage); Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +9); Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6); Cha 14; Skills Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +6; SQ channel positive energy (DC 15, 4d6), lay on hands (3d6, 5/day).
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Deadly Aim, Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Rapid Shot
Skills Craft (armor) +4, Craft (weapons) +4, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +8, Heal +4, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +4, Ride +10, Sense Motive +4
Languages Common
SQ aura of good, channel positive energy (DC 17, 4d6), divine bond (weapon +1), lay on hands (3d6, 7/day), mercies (fatigued, dazed)
Gear +1 breastplate, +1 greatsword, +1 composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, 10 cold iron arrows, and 10 alchemical silver arrows, dagger, lance, silver holy symbol of Heironeous, light horse (combat trained) with military saddle
BACKGROUND
A Knight Templar of Heironeous from Rel Mord, Sir Thendry has come to Nulbish to compete in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions for the glory of Heironeous, but also for the chance to vanquish any evil opponents he might encounter in the process, as well as to gather intelligence on the Horned King and his court on behalf of the King of Nyrond, Lynwerd I (even if spying and political intrigue are not exactly his fortes). Though not the keenest observer, and not generally very subtle, either, Sir Thendry is determined to make his best effort at playing the part of secret agent for the Kingdom of Nyrond, and he is confident that his ability to detect evil will greatly facilitate his mission. Having arrived in Nulbish about a week before Richfest, the Knight Templar of Heironeous has been familiarizing himself with the capital city of the Horned Kingdom (and trying to exercise restraint in spite of all the evil he has been sensing around him). Sir Thendry has never felt more out of place since arriving in the wicked city of the Horned King.
XP 1,600
Female half-elf fighter 6 :
LN Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init –1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+9 armor, –1 Dex, +2 shield)
hp 61 (6d10+24)
Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +3; +2 vs. enchantments, +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2; Immune sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 warhammer +12/+7 (1d8+7/×3)
Ranged warhammer +8 (1d8+6/×3)
Special Attacks weapon training (hammers +1)
TACTICS
During Combat Fleeka stands and deals mighty blows until her foes drop or she dies on her feet.
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 18
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Master Craftsman, Skill Focus (Craft [weapons]), Throw Anything, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (warhammer), Weapon Specialization (warhammer)
Skills Appraise +7, Craft (armor) +10, Craft (weapons) +17, Perception +3
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven
SQ armor training 1, elf blood
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potions of endure elements (2); Other Gear masterwork full plate, masterwork heavy steel shield, +1 warhammer, warhammers (2), masterwork artisan’s tools, waterskin, 43 gp
BACKGROUND
Fleeka Anvilringer is a renowned blacksmith in the city of Verbobonc, known to be a skilled armorsmith, but an exceptionally talented weaponsmith. She forged her own masterwork full plate armor and masterwork heavy steel shield, the latter emblazoned with the arms of Verbobonc (an escutcheon charged in fess point with an oak tree vert on a field or, with bordure vert leafed or). She also forged her prized +1 warhammer (enchanted by her gnome illusionist friend, Krimblezook of the Kron Hills). She has come to Nulbish to compete in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, hoping against the odds to get lucky and win the mighty warhammer Whelm.
XP 1,600
Female human [Oerid:
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 mage armor, +2 Dex)
hp 33 (6d6+12)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5
DR 10/magic against ranged weapons from protection from arrows (60 points)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4–1/19–20) or wand of shocking grasp +2 touch (1d6 electricity)
Ranged dagger +5 (1d4–1/19–20)
Special Attacks intense spells +3
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9, casting defensively +13)
6/day—force missile (1d4+3)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +9, casting defensively +13)
3rd—dispel magic, fly, haste, fireball (2) (DC 17, +3)
2nd—flaming sphere (DC 16, +3), glitterdust (DC 15), mirror image, protection from arrows (already cast), scorching ray (+5 ranged touch, DC 16, +3)
1st—burning hands (DC 15, +3), color spray (DC 14), expeditious retreat, mage armor (already cast), shocking grasp (+2 touch, +3)
0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, light, message
Prohibited Schools enchantment, necromancy
TACTICS
Before Combat Lady Maevelle casts mage armor and protection from arrows.
During Combat Lady Maevelle casts mirror image and haste, trying to stay out of her opponent’s reach while blasting them with fireball and other damaging evocations (with which she deals an extra +3 damage from her intense spells arcane school special attack). If reduced to 10 or fewer hit points, she casts fly to escape from combat.
STATISTICS
Str 9, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 17
Feats Combat Casting, Defensive Combat Training, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation)
Skills Craft (Armor) +10, Craft (Weapons) +10, Fly +11, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +7, Perception +6, Ride +6, Spellcraft +12
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Giant
SQ arcane bond (wand)
Combat Gear scrolls of fly (2), invisibility (2), minor image (2), wand of magic missile (CL 5, 50 charges, arcane bond item), wand of shocking grasp (50 charges), tanglefoot bags (3); Other Gear daggers (2), 20 gp
BACKGROUND
Lady Maevelle is a fiery young noblewoman from one of House Darmen’s less prominent clans in Rel Astra, and is distantly related to “Overking of New Aerdy” Drax the Invulnerable. She has been implanted in Nulbish as one of Drax’s spies for the past four months, and has decided to compete in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions. Lady Maevelle is highly intelligent, and she is realistic about her (very slim) chances of winning the contest and Whelm, but she is also confident in her ability to escape from a fight she is losing; her true motivation for competing is the opportunities for surveillance and gathering of intelligence the much-touted tourney is certain to provide.
XP 1,600
Male human [Tenha Flannae:
CN Medium humanoid (human) Init +3; Senses Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+8 armor, +2 Dex, +3 shield)
hp 42 (6d10+9)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee mwk lance +12/+7 (1d8+6/x3) or shortspear +10/+5 (1d6+4) or dagger +9/+4 (1d4+3/19–20)
Ranged mwk composite shortbow +10/+5 (1d6+3/x3) or shortspear +10/+5 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks weapon training (spears +1)
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Animal Affinity, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
Skills Craft (weapons) +3, Handle Animal +11, Profession (soldier) +5, Ride +9, Survival +5
Languages Common
SQ armor training 1
Combat Gear oil of magic weapon, potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear +1 banded mail, +1 heavy wooden shield, masterwork lance, composite shortbow (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, dagger, shortspears (2), heavy horse (combat trained) with military saddle and leather barding, 18 gp
BACKGROUND
Mateho Kayawa is a Tenha deserter, originally from the embattled garrison city of Redspan in the war-torn Duchy of Tenh. Having lost faith in Duke Ehyeh’s seemingly futile crusade to drive the invading forces of Iuz, the Pale, and Stonehold out of Tenh, Mateho defected and fled Redspan in 588 CY, riding down into the Kingdom of Nyrond, where he sought to make a living as a freelance mercenary. Hearing from town criers in Rel Mord of the upcoming Fist Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, to be held at the end of Richfest, Mateho has ridden many leagues to compete in the tourney.
XP 1,600
Male human [Suloise-Oerid:
N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Senses Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +4 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 66 (6d10+6)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dueling sword +13/+8 (1d8+5/19–20)
Ranged light crossbow +10/+5 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks weapon training (light blades +1)
TACTICS
Before Combat Vespardo ordinarily calls out his opponent to set up a fair fight, preferring to duel until first blood is drawn, though he is willing to duel until one participant lands three hits. He only ambushes opponents in dire circumstances or if he can be convinced that the indignity is absolutely necessary.
During Combat Outside of a duel, Vespardo enjoys closing with spellcasters to make use of his Disruptive feat. Otherwise he attacks the most powerful melee opponent and attempts to shame his enemies into fighting him one-on-one, using vulgar comments, slights against his foe’s appearance, skill, favorite foods, liaisons with sisters and mothers, and anything else he can determine about his opponent.
Morale Vespardo’s air of bravado is quite sincere and doesn’t crack until he reaches 5 hit points or fewer, at which point he flees. If humbled in this fashion, he remembers the face of the one responsible and plots revenge.
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13
Base Atk +6; CMB +10 (+12 to disarm); CMD 22 (24 vs. disarm)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Alertness, Disruptive, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dueling sword), Weapon Finesse (dueling sword), Weapon Focus (dueling sword), Weapon Specialization (dueling sword)
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +7, Intimidate +10, Linguistics +1, Perception +4, Ride +6, Sense Motive +7
Languages Common, Suloise
SQ armor training 1
Combat Gear elixir of tumbling (2), potions of cure light wounds (6); Other Gear masterwork breastplate, masterwork dueling sword, light crossbow with 10 bolts, dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, 142 gp
BACKGROUND
A native of Istivin (“City of Shadows”), capital city of the March of Sterich, Vespardo Delanquin is a duelist of the Order of the Star, and an ardent devotee of Kelanen, “Prince of Swords. Having spent much of his youth training in the art of swordplay at Istivin’s Chapterhouse of the Star, Vespardo has become a skilled swordsman and duelist, relishing the thrill of crossing blades with worthy opponents. In Readying of 593 CY, Vespardo was obliged to flee far away from Istivin and the March of Sterich after killing a powerful baron’s only son in a duel. For the next few years, he wandered eastward across the Flanaess, occasionally working as a caravan guard or sword-for-hire, until he settled down in the Solnor Coast port of Roland in Harvester of last year. He has recently heard town criers advertising the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, and has decided to enter into the contest.
XP 1,600 Male human [Suloise-Oerid:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception –1
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 41 (6 HD; 5d10+1d8+5)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +0; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 rapier +10 (1d6+6/18–20)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +7 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks weapon training (light blades +1), sneak attack +1d6
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier) Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +10, Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Intimidate +11, Profession (sailor) +7
Languages Common, Suloise
SQ armor training 1, trapfinding +1
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 rapier, masterwork light crossbow with 20 bolts, silver holy symbol of Norebo, 30 gp
BACKGROUND
Captain Krixxuss Tine is a notorious pirate captain from the island of Ansabo (one of the Duxchan Islands, a.k.a. the Lordship of the Isles). He is the captain of the Barracuda, a well-armed caravel with a crew of thirty-three pirates. Having heard of the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, Captain Krixxuss and his crew have sailed the Barracuda up the Thelly River to Nulbish, arriving on the day before Richfest (eight days before the start of the tourney). Though he came to Nulbish fully intending to compete for the grand prize — the fabled warhammer Whelm — Captain Krixxuss soon became aware that at least three of the other competitors (Sister Ignatia of Sulward, Brother Voykhad of Monmurg, and Nephew Gyrlannxen of Scant) are agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood (the true rulers of the Duxchan Islands through their puppet, Prince Folmar Ingerskatti of Ganode). Wary of “stepping on the toes” of that sinister monastic order, Captain Krixxuss is reconsidering whether or not it would actually be in his best interest to win the tourney ….
XP 1,200
Female human [Suloise:
LE Medium humanoid Init +2; Senses Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 18, flat-footed 16 (+1 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 monk, +4 Wis)
hp 36 (5d8+10)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +9; +2 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune disease
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +5 (1d8+1) or unarmed strike flurry of blows +5/+5 (1d8+1) or kama +5 (1d6+1) or kama flurry of blows +5/+5 (1d6+1)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +6 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks flurry of blows, ki pool (6 points, magic), maneuver training, stunning fist (5/day, DC 16, fatigued)
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 22
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Scorpion Style, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +10 (+23 jump), Athletics +7, Escape Artist +7, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +10
Languages Common
SQ fast movement, high jump, slow fall 20 ft.
Combat Gear alchemist’s fire, smokesticks (2); Other Gear masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, kama, bracers of armor +1, cloak of resistance +1
BACKGROUND
Dedicated Sister Ignatia of Sulward is a monk of the Scarlet Brotherhood, and has arrived in Nulbish a month prior to the beginning of Richfest to compete in the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions. She has covertly met with the other two Scarlet Brotherhood agents planning to compete in the tourney, and they have conspired together to abscond with the sentient warhammer Whelm regardless of who actually wins the tourney.
XP 1,200
Male human [Schnai Suelii:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (+6 armor, –1 Dex)
hp 31 (4d8+10)
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +6
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee mwk greatsword +7 (2d6+4/19–20)
Special Attacks channel positive energy 4/day (DC 14, 2d6), destructive smite +2 (5/day)
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th, concentration +6)
5/day—strength surge +2
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 4th, concentration +6)
2nd—bull’s strengthD, delay poison, lesser restoration, spiritual weapon
1st—divine favor, magic weapon, remove fear, shield of faith, true strikeD
0 (at will)—light, mending, stabilize, virtue
D Domain spell; Domains Destruction, Strength
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 9, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 15
Feats Combat Casting, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Skills Heal +8, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +5
Languages Abyssal, Common
Traits Favored Son, Reactionary
SQ aura, traits (Favored Son, Reactionary)
Gear chainmail, masterwork greatsword, backpack, grappling hook, iron holy symbol of Kord, rope, sunrods (2), tindertwigs (2), torches (9), 195 gp
BACKGROUND
Finnri Dolffsson is from the Snow Barbarian capital city of Soull, and though he is a young man of only 22 winters, he has already begun to gain renown among the Schnai for being one of Kord’s favored ones. The Suloise barbarians of the Thillonrian Peninsula are generally quite pale, but Finnri is a true albino, with snow-white hair and skin, and crimson eyes. He is known in Soull as the “White Bull of Kord,” and has proven his courage and cunning on several viking raids led by his father, Dolff Sveinnsson (a thane and huscarl of His Bellicose Majesty, King Ingemar Hartensen of the Schnai, when he is not raiding the east coast of the Flanaess aboard his great drakkar, the Sjótroll, or “Sea Troll”). Finnri, Son of Dolff, “White Bull of Kord”, has come down from the frozen taiga of “Rhizia” (the Suloise barbarians’ name for the Thillonrian Peninsula) to the warmer lands of the south in obedience to a vision he received from his god, Kord, compelling the young battle-cleric to compete in the imminent First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, and to either win Whelm for the glory of Kord, or else join his father’s fathers in Kord’s great Valorhall in Ysgard ….
XP 1,200
Female human [Oerid-Flannae:
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 42 (5d10+10)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 longsword +8 (1d8+6/19–20), mwk swordbreaker dagger +6 (1d4+1)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +8 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (swordbreaker dagger), Improved Disarm, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Focus (swordbreaker dagger), Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Skills Athletics +5, Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +5, Ride +5 Languages Common, Old Oeridian
SQ armor training 1
Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2); Other Gear masterwork chainmail, +1 longsword, masterwork light crossbow with 20 bolts, masterwork swordbreaker dagger, masterwork manacles, signal whistle, 27 gp
BACKGROUND
Dame Atrix Drewsell is a swordswoman from the city of Hexpools in the United Kingdom of Ahlissa, and de facto leader of the all-female adventuring party known as the Hellcats Pride. She has come to Nulbish to compete in the upcoming First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, hoping to win the grand prize — the intelligent magic warhammer Whelm — so she can sell it for a prince’s ransom to one of the dwarven lords of the Flanaess (such as Prince of Ulek Olinstaad Corund, or King of the Iron Hills Holgi Hirsute, etc.) and live out the rest of her days in the lap of luxury.
XP 1,200
Male hill dwarf paladin 5:
LG Medium humanoid (dwarf) Init –1; Senses Perception +7; Aura courage (10 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+8 armor, –1 Dex, +2 shield)
hp 62 (5d10+30)
Fort +8, Ref +0, Will +6; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities defensive training (+4 dodge bonus to AC vs. giants); Immune disease, fear
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 warhammer +9 (1d8+3/×3)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +5 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks +1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids, channel positive energy (DC 12, 3d6), smite evil 2/day (+0 attack and AC, +5 damage)
Paladin Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +5)
At will—detect evil
Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +2)
1st—divine favor
TACTICS
During Combat Fargrum prefers melee. He uses Power Attack if easily able to hit opponents, and his divine bond to give his weapon the flaming property.
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 16 (20 vs. bull rush or trip)
Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (warhammer)
Skills Craft (weapons) +4, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +7 (+9 to notice unusual stonework), Sleight of Hand +1
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ aura, code of conduct, divine bond (weapon +1, 1/day), lay on hands (2d6, 2/day), mercy (sickened) Combat Gear potion of shield of faith; Other Gear half-plate, heavy steel shield, +1 warhammer, masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, silver holy symbol of Moradin, 107 gp
BACKGROUND
Fargrum of Clan Thunderforge is a devout paladin of Moradin, and a defender of his clan. The Thunderforge Clanhold is a fortified keep in the Hestmark Highlands, partially aboveground, with extensive mine tunnels, delved halls, and grand vaults running deep under the hills and into the lower Glorioles Mountains. Having heard that the legendary dwarven thrower Whelm is being offered as the grand prize to the champion of the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, Fargrum has ridden north on his trusty dire boar steed (“Goldentusks”), arriving in Nulbish several days before the start of Richfest, determined to win the mighty Whelm, that he might wield it against the enemies of the dwarves — giants, goblinoids, orcs, and their evil ilk.
XP 1,200
Female human [Cruski Suelii:
CN Medium humanoid (human) Init +3; Senses Perception –1
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 42 (5d10++10)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk battleaxe +7 (1d8+1/×3)
Ranged +1 composite longbow +11 (1d8+5/×3)
Special Attacks weapon training (bows +1)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 12
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Deadly Aim, Iron Will, Persuasive, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (composite longbow), Weapon Specialization (composite longbow)
Skills Athletics +9, Craft (carpentry) +9, Intimidate +11, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +4
Languages Aquan, Common, Suloise
SQ armor training 1
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear masterwork chain shirt, +1 composite longbow with 20 arrows, masterwork battleaxe, copper torque inlaid with teardrop-cut aquamarines worth 300 gp, 11 gp, 16 sp
BACKGROUND
Syfla Hrimrssdottir is a young Cruski Suelii (Ice Barbarian) woman from the Ice Barbarian capital city of Glot, not yet 23 winters, but already a skilled sailor and cunning leader. When she was yet a teenaged girl of no more than 14 winters, her father, Hrimr Thargrimmsson, took her on her first viking raid down the coast of the Solnor Ocean aboard his mighty drakkar, the Mánaðdreki (“Moon Dragon”), striking terror into the cowardly hearts of the southlanders and plundering the riches of Ratik, Bone March, North Kingdom, the Medegia, and the Kingdom of Sunndi. She learned to sail and to fight, and how to know when to use cunning and guile instead of brute force. Hrimr Thargrimmsson fell in battle in Reaping of 595 CY while he was attempting to ransack the Basilica of the Scourge in Bellport, struck down by a powerful cleric of Hextor (Patriarch Halldrem of the House of Naelax). Thus it was that Syfla inherited the Mánaðdreki (“Moon Dragon”), along with her fallen father’s magic composite longbow. She became the new captain of the mighty drakkar, and because she was already known for her competence and steely courage in the face of foemen or storm-tossed seas, she soon commanded her own viking crew. By chance or fate, she and her crew were docked in the harbor of Ountsy when town criers there announced the upcoming tourney they were heralding as the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, and told of the wondrous intelligent warhammer Whelm in the offing for the champion of the contest. She ordered her crew to set sail at once for Nulbish, and so she has arrived at the bustling Old Quay docks of the capital city of the Horned King, less than a week before the first day of Richfest.
XP 1,200
Male human [Oerid-Flannae:
LN Medium humanoid (human) Init +5; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 24 (+11 armor, +1 Dex, +3 shield) hp 52 (5d10+20) Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +2; +1 bonus on Will saves against fear Defensive Abilities armor training +1, bravery +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. with armor) Melee masterwork bastard sword +12 (1d10+6/19-20) Ranged masterwork light crossbow +7 (1d8/19-20)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 20
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (bastard sword), Toughness, Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)
Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +7, Perception +6
Languages Common
SQ weapon training (heavy blade) +1
Combat Gear masterwork bastard sword, masterwork light crossbow with 20 bolts, masterwork heavy steel shield, masterwork warplate, 22 gp, 45 sp
BACKGROUND
Guye Raffolk is one of the City Watchmen of Nulbish, and a skilled swordsman. Disciplined and loyal to the Horned King of Medegia and to the city he watches over, Guye Raffolk has entered the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions in the hope of distinguishing himself with valor, and proving his worth. He knows that he likely won’t be the grand champion and win the magic sentient warhammer Whelm, but if he fights bravely and honorably, and makes it through a few rounds, he will be content.
XP 1,200
Male human [Arapahi Flannae:
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 12, touch 9, flat-footed 11 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, –2 rage)
hp 58 (5d12+20)
Fort +9, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +5; +3 vs. magic
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft. (50 ft. when mounted on heavy war horse)
Melee mwk spear +12 (1d8+9/×3) or handaxe +11 (1d6+6/×3)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +7 (1d8+4/×3)
Special Attacks rage (14 rounds/day), rage powers (powerful blow +2, superstition +3)
TACTICS
Base Statistics
When not raging, the Yrrkoon’s statistics are: AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13; hp 48; Fort +7, Will +3; Melee mwk spear +10 (1d8+6/×3), handaxe +9 (1d6+4/×3); Str 18, Con 14; CMB +9, CMD 20.
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +11; CMD 20
Feats Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge
Skills Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +9, Ride +9, Survival +9
Languages Common, Flan
SQ fast movement, trap sense +1
Combat Gear oil of magic weapon, potion of cat’s grace, potions of cure light wounds (2), potions of protection from law (2); Other Gear mwk studded leather, mwk composite longbow with 20 arrows, handaxe, mwk spear, cloak of resistance +1, heavy horse (combat trained) with military saddle and mwk studded leather barding, 45 gp
BACKGROUND
Yrrkoon Draogg of the Grey Lynx Tribe is a fierce Arapahi horseman, a “Rover of the Barrens”, nomadic Flannae barbarians of the frigid tundra known as the Barrens. The Arapahi have a burning hatred of Iuz the Old, who has persecuted and hunted them almost to extinction. He has entered the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions to compete, and if Coyote favors him and listens to his prayers, perhaps he might win the fabled magic warhammer Whelm, reserved for the champion of the tourney; with such a mighty weapon in his hand, he might even have a chance to strike a blow against Iuz and his unholy minions ….
Robilar and Gord the Rogue are too busy?
Robilar and Gord the Rogue are too busy?
Well, sort of... The REAL Robilar is on another alternate Prime Material Plane world called Kalibruhn (Rob Kuntz's home campaign world), engaged in an epic struggle against the evil King Ovar and his court archmage Zayene....
Gord the Rogue is currently in far western Oerik, embroiled in byzantine courtly intrigues and, at the moment, an "honored guest" (captive hostage) of the deranged cambion Emperor Wismerill III of the Dragon Empire of Lynn (actually a much-reduced city-state after a thousand years of decline)....
From the Way Back of when the Contest of Champions was still a new idea.... A reminder of other attendees who've been in Nulbish or in a pavilion campsite outside the city walls for several weeks already:
Freeday 7th of Flocktime, ~1:00 PM: From the Ahlissan city of Rel Deven comes
Prince Carwend (DC 20 Lore of Society/Knowledge of local and nobility):
. the ruler of Rel Deven and the surrounding lands, who maintains the border garrisons, known to be a powerful wizard (capable of casting spells of the 6th order)
. The prince is 6'5", with a slim build. He is clean-shaven with formerly black hair that has gone completely gray. He has brown eyes framed with a complex of wrinkles. With the Prince of Rel Deven comes an entourage of knights, squires, pages, and servants--notably,
Castellan of Goldbolt Karn Serrand (DC 25 Lore of Society/Knowledge of local and nobility):
, a formidable paladin of Rao who serves Prince Carwend as castellan of Goldbolt--a protective garrison near Chathold, to the western edge of the Great Kingdom just south of the Almorian Protectorate;
and
Hierranea, a stunningly beautiful and towering storm giantess (DC 25 Lore of Society or Nature/Knowledge of local and nobility or nature):
, a priestess of the giant deity Stronmaus, and defender of Goldbolt, loyal friend of Karn Serrand
.
Starday 8th of Flocktime, ~11:30 AM: From beneath the Glorioles Mountains comes
Dwarflord Kufrik Copperbeard of the Glittering Halls (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a wealthy and influential dwarflord, obviously intrigued by the rumors that the legendary dwarven thrower Whelm would be the prize won by the contest's champion
,
Count Arthund of New Keep (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a human ranger count of some skill, castellan of New Keep, a recently completed citadel of the Pawluck River Valley
,
Elflord of Greenboughs Solian Lhalabar (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a capable eldritch knight and grey elf cousin of Hazendel (Olvenking of Sunndi)
, and
Gnomelaird Rasildon Neddlefiddle (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
from the Hollow Hills gnome enclave of Sparkleburrows, a wealthy gold and gemstone magnate
. All four of these lords from the Kingdom of Sunndi to the south are accompanied by their own entourages of knights, squires, pages, and servants--which haply include some of the finest bakers, chefs, cooks, and confectioners in the eastern Flanaess, who plan to set up their own tents and stalls to sell fresh pies, cakes, cookies, "oliphant ears", shishkabobs, candies, and confections of every kind.
Sunday 9th of Flocktime, ~6:00 PM: From the Solnor Coast port of Rel Astra comes a caravan of six merchant wains drawn by teams of oxen and other dray beasts, the canvases covering the wains emblazoned with the coat of arms of Rel Astra and the Solnor Compact League of Merchants and Traders. These merchants from Rel Astra plan to set up stalls and tents selling a variety of crafted goods, consumables, and other wares, including an alchemist selling alchemical items, and a potion-brewer selling elixirs, oils, philters and potions of all kinds.
Moonday 10th of Flocktime, ~4:00 PM: From the North Kingdom capital city of Eastfair comes a
Baron Eego of House Naelax (DC 30 Lore of Society/etc.):
, possibly some other actual Naelax prince in the guise of a non-existent baron, intending to enjoy the tourney and/or spy on Nulbish without drawing unwanted attention to himself
, accompanied by an excessive entourage, so large that they set up their own tent village on the meadow north of the Grandwood Gate of Nulbish.
Godsday 11th of Flocktime, ~2:30 PM: From the Ahlissan capital city of Kalstrand comes a
Duke Codswell of House Darmen (DC 30 Lore of Society/etc.):
, another possible faux persona to obscure the actual identity of a real Darmen noble, who wishes to either enjoy the tourney, spy on Nulbish, or both, undetected
, accompanied by a throng of attendants so numerous that they also set up a tent village of their own, on the south bank of the Thelly just west of Nulbish's Riverwatch Gate and Blockhouse Gaol.
SolomonDirge Oct 11, 2025, 06:12 pm | FLAG | LIST | REPLY
+
Xokek
Waterday 12th of Flocktime, ~9:45 AM: From the Ahlissan Principality and city of Innspa comes
Princess Karasin of House Garasteth (DC 20 Lore of Society/etc.):
, known to be a wizard of no little ability, capable of casting spells of the 5th order
, beautiful and elegant, accompanied by an entourage of a score of followers--some dozen of which are foot soldiers in chainmail with longswords and heavy steel shields, the rest being handmaidens, a physician, an advisor, a groom-of-the-stable, a dashing consort, etc.
Starday 15th of Flocktime, ~11:15 AM: From the North Kingdom city of Kaport Bay comes the Kaport Bay Carpentry Company of some dozen carpenters, inquiring of the ferryman at the Thelly River north bank ferry station whether the job of constructing stands, vendor stalls, arena barriers, etc. has yet been contracted to anyone. They are directed by that elderly chap to inquire in the neighborhood under reconstruction by orcs and brigands just inside Grandwood Gate and to the east. They ask the "foreman" among the human brigands, who sends them to inquire with one of three of the Horned King's Men--Orsino the Sage, Grimaldi the Fool, or Erlick the Noble Squire of His Horned Majesty. They will await an audience with one of these three courtiers on the causeway outside the gatehouse of Castle Skullgard. The 12 expert carpenters (9 humans and 3 forest gnomes) have 4 covered wains, each drawn by a pair of oxen (8 total), and these wains are laden with axes, saws, lathes, levels, plumb lines, angles, workhorses, and other tools of the carpenter's trade, plus enough timber to start building stands, stalls, arena barricades, etc.
Sunday 16th of Flocktime, ~2:30 PM: Up from the Hestmark Highlands to the south, mounted on a dire boar in studded leather barding, rides
Fargrum of Clan Thunderforge (DC 30 Lore of Society/etc.):
, "Hammer of Moradin," a lowish-level paladin of indomitable and pious character
, a hill dwarf "knight" in half-plate blazoned with a hammer and anvil symbol, heavy steel shield likewise charged on his back, a heavy-looking warhammer dangling from a belt-thong at his side. His bushy copper beard spills from his open hawk's beak visor, and his steel-grey eyes blaze with indomitably righteous zeal. No entourage travels with him, not even a squire. He books a room at the Undertaker's Rest Inn (A on the Nulbish city map), and inquires about how one enters themselves as a contestant in the upcoming "game of life and death" to be held on the final day of Richfest ....
Moonday 17th of Flocktime, ~8:00 AM: From the Ahlissan city of Hexpools rides in
Dame Atrix Drewsell (DC 30 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a swordswoman of lowish level and de facto leader of the all-female adventuring party known as the Hellcats Pride
, unaccompanied by any squires or attendants. She secures lodging for the next month or so at the Undertaker's Rest Inn in the Grave District of Nulbish, and inquires about entering the upcoming tourney, and whether the prize is truly the "talking dwarven warhammer of White Plume Mountain" or just a knockoff of original.
Waterday 19th of Flocktime, ~3:15 PM: From the Solnor Coast port metropolis of Rel Astra comes
Lady Maevelle of House Garasteth (DC 30 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a fiery young noblewoman from one of House Darmen’s less prominent clans in Rel Astra, distantly related to “Overking of New Aerdy” Drax the Invulnerable, and a lowish-level evoker who enjoys incinerating enemies (and other things "for the hell of it") with fireballs and lightning bolts
, a young noblewoman whose beauty might well win her many suitors were it not for her volatile temper and imperious demeanor. Perhaps because of her arcane capability, she has no bodyguards or other attendants, and books a room at the Undertaker's Rest Inn (which is nearly at capacity because of the upcoming tourney). She inquires about entering the upcoming contest.
Earthday 20th of Flocktime, ~5:00 PM: The remodeling of the old Fairhost House (where the party first discovered the Shifty Six), the Flops (a rundown tenement building of apartments), and the old Redchapel Hostel (a two-story inn formerly operated by the Fairhost clan of hostlers before their extinction from the Greyhawk Wars and the Red Death circa 582-583 CY) is completed. Grimaldi is informed that these locations are now suitable to open for business and to start operating as inns and/or apartments for rent.
SolomonDirge Oct 11, 2025, 06:59 pm | FLAG | LIST | REPLY
+
Xokek
Freeday 21st of Flocktime, ~4:20 PM: Completely booked up until after Richfest, the Undertaker's Rest Inn begins referring travelers seeking lodging to the "just opened, newly remodeled" Redchapel Hostel, Fairhost House, and Flops (unless the party comes up with a better name to call this apartment building). These establishments are newly opened for business, and therefore still working out "bugs" in their system/protocols, but they have been hastily staffed by apprentices and junior thieves of the Thieves' Court Guild and their auxiliary "Nulbish Beggars' Guild" members. The Horned King generously lends his scullery maids, One-Eared Kaylynn and her colleagues, to assist and train the apprentice thieves and beggars in the professional ways of the hospitality industry--housekeeping, front desk clerking, etc. Resisting the urge to fall back on the skills of their original trades when dealing with annoying customers--thieving and begging--proves to be the new employees' biggest challenge initially ....
Starday 22nd of Flocktime, ~2:00 PM: Despite the churlish manners of the "innkeepers" at the Redchapel Hostel (Slippery Pete is clearly profiling travelers when quoting rates), Fairhost House (Gingersnap is offering her "in-house massages with happy endings" to married men staying at the house for a premium "up-charge", provoking the wrath of their wives), and the Flops (Fleabag claims that it's "standard practice" at Nulbish inns and apartment buildings for patrons to entrust the safekeeping of their most valuable possessions with the innkeeper, who charges a "security deposit" based on the value of items stored), these newly opened businesses begin to fill up with travelers coming to enjoy the Richfest revels and the much-promoted tourney to take place on the final day of the festival.
Sunday 23rd of Flocktime, ~9:45 AM: From the Ahlissan capital city of Kalstrand rides in
Lord Dellryxen of House Darmen (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
, an impulsive and amoral young libertine of House Darmen, given to playing the part of robber-baron or highwayman on the roads outside the capital to support his debaucheries
, accompanied by a stunningly gorgeous, raven-haired beauty with the legend-fraught name
Ehlissa Nightingale (DC 25 Lore of Society/etc.):
, a much-celebrated (and lusted-after) diva of the Kalstrand Opera House and Players' Theater
, clearly a talented young bard singer and actress, and probably riding the young lordling's, um, coattails, among other things ....
.
In addition to the guardians under the authority of the Drannoch / Kinky / Herzog Tanar'ri cadre of Owners of the Manor: Scuttlefangs the Ettercap ; the Clockworks: Crankshafts, Levercables, Pistonaxles, & Winchgrinder ; and the Ceustodaemon minor Yugoloths: Hemlockguzzle, Leechveins, & Spirejumper,
.... Herzog Tanar'ri additionally commands the following Fiendish guardians:
Tisiphone of Bel in Avernus .... Erinyes Devil
Three Bearded Devils, Luizenkin, Pokkenstoppels, & Razendebaard
The Flayed Orphan (of Rustravage Gatehouse) in Dis .... Cantor Cenobyte
Six Chain Devil Cenobytes, The Rattling Maiden ; The Jangling Stepdaughter of Dis ; The Clinking Slattern ; 'Clattering Sister' Dis Crucifaea ; The Jingling Waif ; & The Clangoring Widow
The Sentinel Sphere, a Cenobyte: Augur Familiar
While Erlick, Grimaldi and Ivid VIII are ambitiously, ruthlessly adventuring throughout The Great Kingdom and The Flanaess, back in the New Medegia capital under Malvolio's Castle Skullguard, Ivid VIII is building his own cadre of loyal Fiends and Hell-Disciples:
The Great Library of Medegia:
Alecto, Erinyes of Mephistopheles assigned to Orsino from Malvolio
Widerhakken, Barbed Devil of Mammon assigned to Orsino from Mephistopheles
Whiskerpoken, Bearded Devil of Barbatos assigned to Orsino from Malvolio
Gray Marsha, Human Archer of Belial and consort to Orsino
Alexis Furg, Sergeant Man-of-Polearms Human of Asmodeus
Lemure Devil, *Advanced* after service to Orsino, Grimaldi, & Erlick
Hobgoblin guards, SIX, selected from platoon of 25 for showing consistent loyalty and honor to Orsiono (14 other survivors were reassigned to Malvolio)
Grimlock mated pair, female currently pregnant, indoctrinated into Infernal worship by Orsino, Canon Jandor of Dispator, and Selephotisesm.
Lemure Devils, NINE mindless guardians
.
.
.
.
Additional other strong allies of Ivid VIII in Malvolio's capital city of Medegia:
The Temple of The Nine Hells administered by Canon Jandor of Dispator
.
The Temple of Stern Alia built by Orsino and administered by Sister Belit and the Dwarf, Bromgarn Trollgirth, both Clerics of Stern Alia appointed by Orsino.
.
The New Headquarters of The Horned Society administered by Jocelle, an Infernal-Human Sorceress of Asmodeus .... With Yeval Notna (LE Assassin) ; Crauleister (NE Tiefling 2-weapon Fighter) ; Parson Jaax (NE Cleric of Nerul) ; Blix 'Longfangs' (LE Hobgoblin polearm-Fighter) ; Snarf Gobbledowner (LE Hobgoblin Rogue)
.
The Village of Bluelode in Medegia ruled by Vampire Baron Thelly after Orsino promoted him into Malvolio's Empire from hiding in the sewers. The Vampire Baron is aided by a Dwarf of Mammon Orsino brought to Bluelode from SaltCastle to assist Baron Thelly, and a ruthless Accountant who administers the finance and resources of Bluelode (and Saltcastle) for Baron Thelly -- and Malvolio.
.
Sister Mercia, a Suel Nun
.
A butcher-girl and her recovering father
Ivid VIII out-of-group allies:
.
.
.
.
*The Great Library of Medegia*:
Alecto, Erinyes of Mephistopheles assigned to Orsino from Malvolio
Widerhakken, Barbed Devil of Mammon assigned to Orsino from Mephistopheles
Whiskerpoken, Bearded Devil of Barbatos assigned to Orsino from Malvolio
Gray Marsha, Human Archer of Belial and consort to Orsino
Alexis Furg, Sergeant Man-of-Polearms Human of Asmodeus
Lemure Devil, *Advanced* after service to Orsino, Grimaldi, & Erlick
Hobgoblin guards, SIX, selected from platoon of 25 for showing consistent loyalty and honor to Orsiono (14 other survivors were reassigned to Malvolio)
Grimlock mated pair, female currently pregnant, indoctrinated into Infernal worship by Orsino, Canon Jandor of Dispator, and Selephotisesm.
Lemure Devils, NINE mindless guardians
.
.
.
.
Additional other strong allies of Ivid VIII in Malvolio's capital city of Medegia:
The Temple of The Nine Hells administered by Canon Jandor of Dispator
.
The Temple of Stern Alia (re)Built by Orsino and administered by Sister Belit and the Dwarf, Bromgarn Trollgirth, both Clerics of Stern Alia appointed by Orsino.
.
The New Headquarters of The Horned Society administered by Jocelle, an Infernal-Human Sorceress of Asmodeus .... With Yeval Notna (LE Assassin) ; Crauleister (NE Tiefling 2-weapon Fighter) ; Parson Jaax (NE Cleric of Nerul) ; Blix 'Longfangs' (LE Hobgoblin polearm-Fighter) ; Snarf Gobbledowner (LE Hobgoblin Rogue)
.
The Village of Bluelode in Medegia ruled by Vampire Baron Thelly after Orsino promoted him into Malvolio's Empire from hiding in the sewers. The Vampire Baron is aided by a Dwarf of Mammon, Durrnik Fellhammer of the Hestmark Highlands (FTR-7), who Orsino brought to Bluelode from SaltCastle to assist Baron Thelly, and a ruthless Accountant who administers the finance and resources of Bluelode (and Saltcastle) for Baron Thelly -- and Malvolio.
.
Sister Mercia, a Suel Nun
.
A butcher-girl and her recovering father, with her new husband, Guye Raffolk, a guard/soldier in Nulbish (LN FTR-5)
BTW, on further consideration, your (Ray's) suggestion that Lamashtu would be the perfect demon queen / goddess to deceive and seduce Wastri to spawn a semi-divine abomination to help her establish greater influence on Oerth fits a lot better than Malcanthet, who is frankly too sexy for a stunted racist dweeb like Wastri lol.... So, here's my new lore background regarding Gorgothemoth, advanced half-fiend deep froghemoth (CR 23!!) ....
As of circa 600 CY, Gorgothemoth was conceived and spawned just under three decades ago, and to date, very few mortals on Oerth are even aware of the abomination’s existence, let alone the horrific circumstances of its profane genesis. In fact, only Lamashtu, Wastri, the deities and demigods of the Suel pantheon, and the few sentient creatures that dwell in close proximity to the Oozemire are currently aware that Gorgothemoth exists, but this is fated to change in the imminent future. The origin of Gorgothemoth follows.
Circa 505 CY, the “Mad Archmage” Zagig Yragerne, aided by several of his adventuring companions from the Company of Seven, trapped nine demigods of opposing alignments in a magical prison within the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk, known as the “Godtrap,” as part of his bid for divinity. Among these nine demigods was Wastri, formerly the mortal Suel founder of the Scarlet Brotherhood named Kevelli Mauk.
The identities of the other demigods are not widely agreed upon by sages, but it seems clear that Zuoken, prophet of physical and psychic mastery and a disciple of the Baklunish goddess Xan Yae, was imprisoned for a longer term than were the other eight demigods, who were inadvertently freed in 570 CY, in an unforeseen chain reaction resulting from the reckless actions of Lord Robilar, the patriarch Riggby, and the half-orc henchman Quij, who descended into the dungeon level under Castle Greyhawk, located the Godtrap of the Mad Archmage, and attempted to free only the chaotic evil cambion demigod, Iuz the Old, so they could then slay him. Instead, Iuz escaped back to his stronghold in Dorakaa, and seven of the remaining eight demigods (all except Zuoken) were unexpectedly released by some kind of magical chain reaction as a result of the adventurers’ freeing of Iuz. Lord Robilar and his companions barely escaped with their lives, and the powerful mortal monk who had been Kevelli Mauk emerged from imprisonment beneath Castle Greyhawk having undergone a true apotheosis, becoming the demigod Wastri, and sought refuge in the depths of the Vast Swamp.
Realizing that an upstart Suel monk of ill-favored appearance had attained a small spark of actual divinity, the jealousy and hatred of the evil demonic goddess, Lamashtu, “The Mother of Monsters,” was aroused, and she felt compelled to “put the misshapen upstart in his place” by deceiving and humiliating him before the Suel pantheon of gods, goddesses and demigods, whom Wastri so desperately craved approval and acceptance from. She devised a wicked scheme to which Wastri was particularly susceptible, deceiving him by appearing before him in the alluring guise of the Suel goddess of death and magic, Wee Jas, and seducing him under the pretext of choosing him to sire upon her “the perfected evolution of the superior Suel race,” to father the “new Suel ubermensch,” et cetera.
Lamashtu’s plan was cunningly conceived, and Wastri, whose portfolio includes self-delusion to this day, fell victim not only to Lamashtu’s devious deception, but also to his own hubris and arrogance, wanting very badly to believe in the lies he was told by the seductive demon-goddess of aberrance and spawner of the malformed and monstrous. Wastri mated with Lamashtu, thinking that he was siring a new master race of genetically superior Suel upon the coldly beautiful “Ruby Sorceress,” Wee Jas. The misbegotten seed was planted in the corrupt womb of “The Mother of Monsters,” and a true monster was conceived.
After a gestation of nine days and nights, Lamashtu, with hideously swollen and squirming belly, descended into the DeepOerth vault she had discovered in a fitting location—almost three miles beneath Wastri’s newly-erected Temple of the Toad in the Cold Marshes, in the foul and festering slime of the Oozemire—and there, in the chthonic depths of the Oerth, she bore unto the world the horror that is Gorgothemoth, “The Hunter of the Shadows,” “The Fell Croaker in the Depths,” and “The Thing That Should Not Be.”
Lamashtu’s purpose went beyond merely humiliating Wastri; the demonic bearer of innumerable abominations sought to establish a firm foothold within the legendary Prime Material Plane world of Oerth, and to increase her power thereupon, by expanding her influence through the depredations and rampaging horrors of a living weapon and engine of destruction, and Gorgothemoth served quite effectively as such. Through the panic and suffering spread across the realms of the Flanaess by her offspring, Gorgothemoth, the inhabitants of the Oerth would, by extension, come to dread the terrible power of Lamashtu, “The Mother of Monsters” and “The Spawner of Nightmares.” Nonetheless, she would also enjoy striking the cruel blow against Wastri in the fulness of time.
Waiting until the Eve of the New Year on the final night of 570 CY, upon which the Suel pantheon had gathered at the Wheel of Time, divine realm of their patriarch, Lendor, in the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, to formally acknowledge the apotheosis of Wastri to the status of demigod and welcome him (albeit more or less enthusiastically or begrudgingly) into their divine ranks, Lamashtu unveiled her horrific revelation to Wastri and the entire pantheon of Suel divinities, sending her jackal-headed avatar among them to expose the awful truth—that she had duped the pathetic and self-deluded Wastri and seduced him in the guise of Wee Jas, begetting by him a true monster rather than a pureblooded “ubermensch” to usher in a perfected Suel race. Cackling hideously, she pointed out the humiliating and shocking irony of the pitiful would-be father of Suel purity siring an inhuman abomination.
Wee Jas was outraged and infuriated, of course, by Lamashtu’s irreverent imposture and abuse of her divine image and identity, but also by Wastri’s impudent presumption that she, “The Queen of Death and Witchcraft,” would ever deign to take so lowly and ill-favored a creature as he as her mate. She cruelly berated Wastri for several minutes, preventing the stunned and mortified demigod’s flight from the Wheel of Time until her wrath finally cooled and she had finished her stinging tirade. Kord, Norebo, Rudd and others among the younger Suel gods and goddesses could not stifle their mirth at Wastri’s expense, and their snickering quickly escalating into uproarious laughter and barbed jests.
Devastated and mortified by Lamashtu’s terrible revelation and cruel mockery, and by his painful diminishing in the eyes of the Suel pantheon he had so longed to be accepted among, Wastri fled into the Vast Swamp once more, where he would remain hidden and wallow in his unquenchable shame and outrage even unto the present day. He occasionally appears among his growing cult of bullywugs and human cultists who occupy the Temple of the Toad in the Cold Marshes, warning them of a dire abomination deep within the bowels of DeepOerth beneath the toad-shaped basalt temple-fortress, and urging them to remain vigilant against “The Hunter of the Shadows” that lurks in the depths; however, the majority of his time is spent cloistered within his Sacred Polystery in the Vast Swamp, where he rants and rages, unable to forget the injury inflicted upon him by Lamashtu (and other perceived enemies he plans to vent his insatiable wrath upon, especially gnomes, halflings, dwarves and elves, and any “infidels” among humanity that suffer these “demihumans” to dwell in peace among them).
During the past three decades, Gorgothemoth has grown to monstrous size, terrible power, and irredeemable evil, ever torn between the dual natures of his profane progenitors—one a lawful evil demigod of tyranny and xenophobic hatred; the other a chaotic evil demon queen and goddess of deception and wanton destruction. Gorgothemoth falls between these two opposing extremes, being of neutral evil alignment, ever vacillating between embracing the entropy and slaughter for which its Abyssal mother spawned it, and contemplating whether or not it might not rather champion the tyranny and genocidal hatred embodied by its father.
The abomination has inherited divine aspects of both parents—the wanton compulsion to devour and destroy on one side of the evil coin, and a seemingly incongruous idealization of the merciless tyranny, genocidal hatred, and delusional obsession with the genetic purification of the Suel race it inherited from its demigod sire on the other side. Conflicted and confused by its own bipolarity, Gorgothemoth is akin to a tinder keg, upon which Lamashtu will very soon toss a burning ember.
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Not only that, but Metagame, Lamashtu is a major player in mythology and I think deserves, if anyone does, a bigger spot in Greyhawk. Again, Metagame, I was very excited when Paizo decided to make Lamashtu and Pazuzu major players in their new Pathfinder setting when wotc first cancelled the magazines and Paizo had to create Pathfinder. It just fit.
After three years of imprisonment in high chambers of Castle Skullgard, Prince Harnand's Darmen arrogance gets the better of him and he insults the Horned King, who breaks Harland's arms and legs and buries him up to his neck in the Thelly Riverbank, which is teeming with carnivorous vermin.
Three days later, while Harnand's corpse was being dug up and devoured by a pack of coyotes, Prince Gartrel beseeched His Horned Majesty for the chance to bend knee before Malvolio and become his loyal thrall instead of prisoner. Malvolio accepted Prince Gartrel's obeisance and is beginning to allow the prince to join in the hunt and other activities outside the castle.
Moonday night (~10:30 PM), Reaping 10, 600 CY; The Siege of Nulbish by the Unclean Host of Rel Astra...
The second sign of the siege was the putrescent, athrakitis-infected head, neck, and torso of a dead Rel Astran man arching over the eastern city wall of Nulbish, having been launched by a trebuchet, and landing squarely on the death knight of Vecna, Lord Erlick of House Lassiter, exploding into a shapeless slurry of maggoty, rotten flesh, and shattered bone fragments. As soon as this had occurred, Lord Erlick, coated in this foul and virulent corruption, contracted athrakitis--a deadly and highly contagious plague, spread not only through injury or contact, but through miasmas that drifted on air currents.
Of course, as an undead antipaladin, the death knight was immune to the perilous effects of the plague, and could only carry it on and in his undead body--and spread the contagion to any hapless mortal that so much as brushed against him, or breathed the unclean aura that enveloped him like an invisible cloud of death.
While a mortal man would likely have been seized with nauseated retching and sheer panic, frantically (and futilely) staggering about in search for a fountain or trough to wash away the vile, maggot-infested corruption, Lord Erlick gave voice to an evil, sepulchral laugh, realizing his unspoken prayer had been answered in a most morbid way by his master, The Whispered One of the Spider Throne, Vecna, whose dry and raspy whispering had sounded close in the Ear of Vecna, grafted onto where the death knight's severed and discarded left ear had once been, the instant the rotten trebuchet "payload" had exploded over him: "Take this gift, Lord Erlick of House Lassiter... and Drannoch, Devourer of Dreams... and spread it both far and wide, throughout the fractious realms of what was once the Great Kingdom!" It was a divine mandate which Lord Erlick would relish obeying.
Panic swept through the common townsfolk and nonhuman mercenaries--orcs, goblin-kind, gnolls, and the like; but the soldiers, city guards, and adventurers of Medegia began to organize a defense of the city gates and walls, led by the Horned King Malvolio I of House Rax, and aided by not only the Horned King's most valiant and powerful courtiers (Countess Olivia of Pontylver, the sinister "Seer of Nulbish" Selephotsiphem, and the redoubtable Horned King's Men), but by a legion of formidable foreign princes and potentates attending the First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions, including powerful mages like the Circle of Eight founder and Archmage Mordenkainen, Prince Carwend of House Cranden, and even the mythic quasi-deity Heward; puissant warriors like Lord Karn Serrand of Goldbolt, the Snow Barbarian jarl Sagard Bölvarsson (thus far undefeated contestant and candidate for champion of the tourney), and many of the eliminated contestants from the first four rounds of the tourney; cunning master thieves and assassins like Org Nenshen (Guildmaster of the Greyhawk Thieves' Guild) and his entourage of lieutenant thieves, dwarven Prince Olinstaad Corond of Ulek, and the renowned mistress thief Goldwhite; and powerful druids, clerics, oracles, and warpriests, like the storm giantess oracle of Stronmaus Herannea, the high priest of Zilchus Jereader Zomawyn (from Rel Deven's Halls of the Shining Coin), and Archdruid Umina (Servant of the Moons from the Grandwood Forest).
Also coming to Nulbish' defense were the Elfking of Sunndi Hazendel I and his heroic new champion, Iggy Pop (a.k.a. "The Avenging Trident of Trithereon", "The Golarionite"); the former Bandit-King of Artonsamay, Duke Gellor, in the guise of Medaelo of Stoink (now cured of the disease transmitted to him by Lord Erlick of House Lassiter, but still weakened from its effects); several dwarven lords from the Glorioles Mountains, the Iron Hills, and the Hestmark Highlands, who cooperated with some gnomes from Gaborren's Rift in developing a plan to undermine the Rel Astran siege towers arrayed against Nulbish's city walls; even the few Scarlet Brotherhood agents (finding Castle Skullgard too heavily defended to infiltrate in search of the fabled sentient warhammer Whelm during the initial chaos of the siege) made a public show of advising the defenders in defensive strategies and battlefield deceptions, seeking to gain the Horned King's gratitude and lull him into trusting their overtures of alliance.
Others quickly sought to escape from the besieged city, including Lord Admiral Basmajian Arras of the Sea Barons, who boarded his war-galleon, the Hammerhead, along with his crew of seasoned buccaneers, hoping to sail down the Thelly River and leave Nulbish to its fate (preferably, its doom), but they were forced to return to the Riverside Quay and drop anchor again by a flotilla of Drax the Invulnerable's Rhennee mercenaries, forming an impassable blockade and peppering the Hammerhead with crossbow and ballista fire. Likewise, several spies embedded by enemy rulers attempted to flee Nulbish; some, like the powerful Archmage, Prince Reydrich of House Darmen, and his deadly assassin ally, Karnquiza ("The Hidden Sickle of Nerull" and leader of the assassin's cult known as the Syndicate of Midnight) easily accomplished their departure via teleportation magic; others, like Lady Maevelle of House Garasteth (spying for Drax the Invulnerable of Rel Astra), debauched libertine Lord Dellryxan of House Darmen (spying on behalf of Xavener I of House Darmen) and his beautiful consort, Ehlissa Nightingale (soprano diva and rising star of Kalstrand's Opera and Playhouse), did not have such potent magic at their disposal, and found themselves trapped within the besieged city walls; and the least fortunate, such as several headstrong Fists of Hextor and Discordian clerics in the guise of merchants or travelers from afar (spying on behalf of Grenell I of House Naelax), succeeded in exiting Nulbish via underground sewer outflows and storm drainage pipes onto the marshy northern bank of the Thelly, only to be mobbed and dragged down to a horrific doom by hordes of "rat horrors" and plague zombies from Rel Astra...
Similar in appearance to wererats in hybrid form, but more grotesque, misshapen, and monstrous, with longer and sharper teeth, long ghoulish tongues lolling from their frothing maws, and pale eyes that lacked pupils or irises and glowed a baleful yellow-green in the darkness of the night, the so-called rat horrors were Drax the Invulnerable's unholy creations. These abominations were shape-changing aberrations, shaped from the innumerable and ever-multiplying horde of plague-bearing rats infesting Rel Astra, and magically warped and mutated into sentient, bloodthirsty monsters by the profane necromantic powers of Drax the Invulnerable, augmented to a terrible potency by the Eye and Hand of Vecna.
The rat horrors formed a frenzied horde of thousands, driven by an all-consuming thirst for humanoid blood, which they lapped up with their long, squirming tongues as they hunched over the lifeless corpses of their victims...
With the vast horde of rat horrors had come a smaller (but no less terrifying) host of plague zombies, animated corpses of the inhabitants of Rel Astra's ill-fated Barbarian City district, who'd been quarantined within the walled off district to die of the bubonic plague spread by the rats. They marched under the command of juju zombie captains, and all had been animated in a mass necromantic ritual performed by Drax the Invulnerable and his ancient relative, Lord Andromansis of House Garasteth (a death knight fighter-mage), in which they called upon the dreadful synergies of the Eye and Hand of Vecna to call down into the Barbarian City a vast, umbral fog of necromancy that swept through the corpse-littered streets and alleys, quickening the plague-dead to rise up and obey the commands of their lord and master...
The third type of invader sent out from Rel Astra by Drax the Invulnerable to lay siege to Nulbish were the ghoulish siege engineers, who oversaw the operation of several deadly siege engines--trebuchets, catapults, ballistas, siege towers, and battering rams, all of which were mounted on great, wooden, wheeled chassis, and drawn by teams of animated hill giant skeletons and zombies yoked to the siege engines. Crews of plague zombies placed under the ghoulish siege engineers' commands loaded and fired the trebuchets, catapults, and ballistas, or operated the battering rams that pounded at the city gates, or manned the siege towers pulled near the walls by the undead hill giants, so drawbridges could be lowered onto the battlements, allowing the plague zombies to swarm the defenders on the city walls...
Lord Andromansis of House Garasteth,....
Sounds like a bad ass!
Can't wait to vanquish him.
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Lord Andromansis of House Garasteth,....
Sounds like a bad ass!
Can't wait to vanquish him.
He's one of the original 13 death knights tricked and transformed at the Temple of Lothan (see the Anna B. Meyers map, about 60 miles north of Rel Deven and maybe 10 miles east of Bonewood) circa 202 CY by Saint Kargoth the Betrayer by means of the Bilious Sphere of Demogorgon (the corrupted former Orb of Sol/Pelor), and resents Kargoth and Demogorgon (like most of the 13 do) for his undead existence.
Unlike most death knights, who are mainly warriors tied to their armor, Andromansis gave up his armor for the robe of a necromancer (fighter 6/necromancer 6/eldritch knight 6)...
I want the Vecna girl librarian to become my thrall--
I will attempt a gambit to convince Prince Carwend Crandon to move the Rel Deven library to my library in Nulbish.
And in exchange for the Vecna girl librarian (sorry my notes aren't in front of me) moving to Nulbish to work with Alecto (Erinyes), Widerhakken (Hamatula), Gray Marsha (human & consort) among others,.... the Vecna librarian girl gets the following:
Access to the Vecna book in my possession
Access to Erlick
Access to other cultists of Vecna
Domination over the bartender she loves -- via the following:
I cast Charm Person and Modify Memory on the bartender ; I get Kinky's Succubus thrall to cast Dominate Person on the bartender boy -- and finally have the Succubus bestow her "Profane Gift": 'Gift of Domination' on the librarian so she can Dominate the bartender boy herself.
Diabolical! Mephistopheles & Mammon are impressed.
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Reaping 14th: Castle Skullgard, the Court of the Horned King of Medegia, Malvolio I of House Rax:
Malvolio lounges in his skull-shaped ivory throne, hands folded over the pommel of Blackrazor as he contemplates the siege by the rat horrors, plague zombies, hill giant skeletons and ghast siege engineers, sent out of Rel Astra by Drax the Invulnerable a week ago. The Horned King is vexed, for his scouts have hurried back from their positions in the Grandwood Forest to report dire tidings: a second wave has marched forth from the black gates of Rel Astra, this time a mix of the previous monstrous forces with more conventional regiments of heavy and light cavalry, heavy and light infantry, archers, and the death knight Necromancer, Lord Andromansis, commanding the entire force from a flying carpet, aided by mortal and undead lieutenants.
Medegia would need formidable allies, and quickly. He dictated a message for Countess Olivia to send out with a silver raven to his trusty Horned King’s Men, currently involved in their own intrigues in the City of Rel Deven. The silver raven reaches Ivid VIII at the Archmage Schandor Public Library, and delivers this message:
Return at once to Nulbish. Report to us at Castle Skullgard. Your king has need of you. Do not fail him, for your own sakes.
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Reaping 12th—two days before Malvolio’s scouts report the coming of a second wave of Drax’s unholy forces….
Selephotsiphem appears in Malvolio’s court with troubling news of his own, which he delivers promptly, his usual placid indifference replaced with barely-contained wrath.
I must leave you now, My King, for I must look to the defense of my own kingdom of Caina, with all of my attention. I cannot spare even this lowly avatar, though it pains me to leave you in your hour of greatest need. Unfortunately, my hand is forced by demon barbarian filth at my gates. Demogorgon has pulled rank as the Prince of Demons, and leads not only his own horde of hezrous, barlguras and other demons, but has compelled his former rivals, Grazz’t and Fraz-Urb’luu, to commit their forces to the campaign as well. Thus, I needs must depart at once—all of my avatars and aspects will be necessary to defend my realm. I bid you a fond farewell.
Malvolio has no chance to reply, and as he processes what Mephistopheles has just told him, and wonders if he did detect a hint of sardonic sarcasm in the Archdevil’s final words, Mephistopheles vanishes in a puff of sulfurous smoke and a brief, roaring flame of Hellfire that ascends almost to the rafters of the court hall….
From Saltmarsh comes to Rel Deven a basalt bat, sent to Lord Erlick by his father, Lord Egan of House Lassiter. The whirring, chirping bat figurine bobs and buzzes through the cityscape to land finally on Lord Erlick’s left shoulder, to whisper into The Ear that understands all tongues, whispering in a tinny, high pitched version of Egan Lassiter’s voice: ”Your nest mate grows unnaturally large. The father cannot be a human. Gestating at a furious pace. She is protected by the father!”
Mortellan of Reaperkeep’s stuff:
Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (3), scroll of iron body, scroll of spell turning, scroll of wall of force, wand of inflict moderate wounds (20 charges), wand of invisibility (20 charges); Other Gear masterwork silver dagger, amulet of natural armor +3, belt of mighty constitution +4, clear spindle ioun stone, cloak of resistance +4, dusty rose prism ioun stone, handy haversack, headband of vast intelligence +6 (Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth), portable hole, restorative ointment, ring of major energy resistance (cold), ring of protection +4, black robe, onyx gems (worth 2,000 gp), spellbook, spell components in pouches, 8,973 gp
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Once again, Grimaldi sinks into the now-familiar icy gloom of death. He feels a dizzying sensation of simultaneously being infinitely immense and unfathomably microscopic, a sense of plummeting while at the same time ascending like an arrow fired at the sun.
Ivid VIII instructs his zebub familiar, Bassanio, to assist the imp, Carbuncle, in stuffing Grimaldi’s lifeless corpse into his bag of holding, which the droning, cherubic fly devil applies his best effort to at once.
As the two little devils struggle to fold, bend, and shove Grimaldi’s corpse through the mouth of the magic bag, grunting and cursing in Infernal, they both suddenly glance at each other at the same time, then simultaneously glance at Grimaldi’s rump and legs sticking out of the mouth of the bag, and then back at each other again, their initial looks of dawning realization replaced by furtive and conspiratorial leers of diabolical mischief.
At that instant, Sentinel Sphere, the cacodaemon from Duffgordon Manor that had been traveling with the party as one of Grimaldi’s minions flitted over to join the two little devils.
Cacodaemon Sentinel Sphere: “Here, let me help you with this….” Telepathically to Bassanio and Carbuncle: ”Are you two thinking what I think you’re thinking? ‘Cause I could facilitate that, like, really easily… I mean, that’s what I do, you know?”
Zebub Bassanio, telepathically to Sentinel Sphere: ”Of course we are thinking that! That’s what WE do! Now, hurry up and do it, but don’t make it obvious! And don’t barf it up until the mortals are focused on something else! Don’t botch this! This could score me…uh, I mean, this could be a really big deal for my colleague, Carbuncle….”
Imp Carbuncle, rubbing his little claws together furiously with eager anticipation, telepathically to Bassanio and Sentinel Sphere: ”Oh, my Archdevil! Is this about to go down? I’ve been plotting and scheming about this moment—I suppose what mortals would call ‘dreaming’ about it—ever since I found this fool locked in the pillory in the fest hall of Castle Skullgard, and fed him some cheese and biscuits! Finally, it’s about to happen! Mephistopheles might even promote me to a new type for a soul this potent…. Maybe a barbazu…. I’ve always wished I could grow a really sick, disgusting, filthy beard like that!” Suddenly aware that his leering and rapid hand-rubbing might look suspicious to Grimaldi’s mortal companions, he adopts a nonchalant air of bored indifference, a half-heartedly kicks at Grimaldi’s rump a few times, as if that might push the corpse further into the bag….
Cacodaemon Sentinel Sphere, telepathically to the imp and zebub: ”Right, then…. Here goes….” The cacodaemon’s crimson eyes glaze over with concentration and it smacks its lips a few times…. It floats closer to Grimaldi’s corpse, its drooling maw only inches from the dead jester’s rear end, and it begins to make a slurping sound that grows in intensity, eliciting telepathic hisses of alarm from both Bassanio and Carbuncle.
Zebub Bassanio, smiling reassuringly at Ivid VIII and Erlick, out loud: ”Yep…. Just about got it…. Just a few more feet worth of, um, of the legs… yeah, and he’ll be in there, snug as a demon prince in Tuerny’s iron flask…. allllmost there….” Casting an evil glare at the cacodaemon; telepathically to the cacodaemon: ”What in the Nine Hells of Baator is wrong with you!? Why are you making that noise!? You—you’re totally f#%*ing this up already!”
Sentinel Sphere, telepathically to the zebub and imp: ”Damn it to Oinos! Some… something even more powerful than ME, if you can believe it, has seized the soul… I can’t get it in my belly! Damn it! Shit-birds! Snot-weasels! Who!?? Who has seized our tasty prize so quickly—snatched right out of my jaws!? Who, I say!!”