(Circa "The People of the Black Circle")
Medium-sized Outsiders (evil)
Hit Dice: 2d8+20d4 + 44 (116 hp)
Initiative +8 (+4 dex, +4 improved initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 14 (dex)
Attacks: Slam +13/+8/+3 melee, or Stunning Touch +13 melee
Damage: Slam1d6+1, or 1d6+1 plus Stun
Special Attacks: Stunning Touch, Spells
Special Qualities: Inner Strength, Knowledge of the Secrets of Reality, Magical Might, Silence, damage reduction 20/ +1
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +18
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 40, Wis 17, Cha 16
Skills: Alchemy +37, Concentration +24, Knowlege (Arcana) +39, Knowlege (Planes) +37, Scry +37, Spellcraft +37, Intimidate +26
Feats: Skill Focus (Knowlege-Arcana), Improved Initiative, Craft Staff, Spell Focus (Suggestion), Spell Penetration, Combat Casting
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Group of Four
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: By Character Class.
~ The People of the Black Circle, by Robert E. Howard.
The Lords of the Black Circle are tall outsiders who keep their hands and their feet covered, for their hands and their feet are nothing more than masses of octopus-like tentacles. Any viewing their hands and feet must make a will save (DC 15) or be horrified and stunned into inaction for a round.
There are four of them, and they cast spells as 20th level wizards. They serve the Master of Yimsha and he protects them from some nameless doom. They appear humanoid (other than their hands and feet), and they never speak.
The Black Lords generally fight with spells and summoned creatures.
Stunning Touch (Ex): The Master of Yimsha knows pressure points of the body and can strike out, stunning a victim who fails a Fort save (DC=10+Seer's Cha bonus+class level in Seer). This attack is taught so well that, despite it being an unarmed attack, it does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity. It takes concentration and is the only attack the Seer can make that round.
Inner Strength: +1 Bonus to Will Saves
Secrets of Reality I: The Black Lords understand illusions so well that illusion school spells no longer need material or verbal components to function. Casting time remains unchanged. Illusion spells that operate with only a material or verbal component now require a somatic component.
Secrets of Reality II: The Black Lords understand the morphic nature of reality exceptionally well. Alteration spells no longer need a material component. Casting time remains unchanged.
Magical Might: The difficulty class for all spells cast by the Black Lords is increased by 2.
Silence: All spells no longer require verbal components. Any spell with only a verbal component requires either a somatic one or a mental one (DM's call). Casting time is unchanged.
The Lords of the Black Circle are characters from Robert E. Howard's story, "The People of the Black Circle." This story was first published in Weird Tales as a three part seriel in the September, October, and November issues of 1934. The story can also be found in the Ace/Lancer paperback "Conan the Adventurer"; the Berkley/Putnam hardbound collection, "The People of the Black Circle," the Donald M. Grant Limited Edition "The People of the Black Circle", and the Gnome Press collection "The Sword of Conan". Marvel Comics adapted the story into comic form in "The Savage Sword of Conan" issues 16-19. All of these are out of print, but are usually available on eBay.
This story is the first Conan story I ever read, and is one of the best. It is certainly my favorite. Fritz Lieber characterized the story as the best story of the entire Conan saga.