Ruslan Bonescriber
Male Human (hag bloodline) UA variant Necromancer 17 (ECL 18)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Patron Deity: Nerull
Region:
Height: 6' 5''
Weight: 240 lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Dark Gray
Age: 47
XP: 154,410
Str: 14 (+2) [6 points, -1 age, +1 racial]
Dex: 8 (-1) [0 points, -1 age]
Con: 14 (+2) [8 points, -1 age]
Int: 25 (+7) [10 points, +1 age, +4 levels, +4 headband]
Wis: 16 (+3) [8 points, +1 age]
Cha: 9 (-1) [0 points, +1 age]
Class and Racial Abilities: Bonus feat at first level, 4 extra skill points at first level and 1 additional skill point at each level thereafter, no favored class. From hag bloodline - +2 racial bonus on Hide checks, Alertness feat, +1 Str, +1 natural armor, Hag affinity +2 (+2 bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform checks made to interact with hags). Arcane spells, bonus feats, skeletal minion, enhanced undead.
Hit Dice: 17d4 +34
HP: 87
AC: 13 (-1 Dex, +1 natural, +3 ring) [Normally 17 with mage armor]
Init: -1 (-1 Dex)
Speed: 30ft
Saves:
Fortitude +10 [+5 base, +2 Con, +3 from cloak]
Reflex +7 [+5 base, -1 Dex, +3 from cloak]
Will +16 [+10 base, +3 Wis, +3 from cloak]
[Summed resistances, immunities, and permanent or daily extended spells – Ruslan has permanent darkvision and comprehend languages. He always casts an extended mage armor on himself and Clatterbones every morning (which has a duration of 36 hours). He always has a contingency spell (which lasts for 18 days) cast to activate a globe of invulnerability if Ruslan takes more than 15 points of damage from a magical attack in a single round. Ruslan is immune to poison and all diseases, including supernatural diseases due to the fact that he wears magical items that duplicate the effects of the periapt of health and the periapt of proof against poison. Ruslan also wears a bone ring (MaoF) with 50 charges. It makes him immune to energy and ability drain. Each level of energy drain or point of ability drain costs 1 charge from the ring. It can burn multiple charges in a round.]
BAB/Grapple: +8/+10
Melee Atk: +11/+6 (1d4+3/19-20/x2/P, ioun blade)
+13/+8 (1d4+5/19-20/x2/P, ringdagger)
Ranged Atk: +11 (1d4+3/19-20/x2/10 ft. range/P, ioun blade)
+13 (1d4+5/19-20/x2/10 ft. range/P, ringdagger)
Skills:
Bluff +1 vs. hags [0 ranks, -1 Cha, +2 racial]
Concentration +14 [12 ranks, +2 Con]
Craft (calligraphy) +15 [8 ranks, +7 Int]
Craft (bookbinder) +15 [8 ranks, +7 Int]
Decipher Script +19 [12 ranks, +7 Int]
Diplomacy +1 vs. hags [0 ranks, -1 Cha, +2 racial]
Gather Information +1 vs. hags [0 ranks, -1 Cha, +2 racial]
Heal +8 [10 cc ranks, +3 Wis]
Hide +1 [0 ranks, -1 Dex, +2 racial]
Intimidate +1 vs. hags [0 ranks, -1 Cha, +2 racial]
Knowledge (arcana) +27 [20 ranks, +7 Int]
Knowledge (history) +27 [20 ranks, +7 Int]
Knowledge (religion) +27 [20 ranks, +7 Int]
Knowledge (the planes) +13 [6 ranks, +7 Int]
Listen +5 [0 ranks, +3 Wis, +2 Alertness racial feat]
Perform +1 vs. hags [0 ranks, -1 Cha, +2 racial]
Profession (scribe) +11 [8 ranks, +3 Wis]
Spellcraft +29 [20 ranks, +7 Int, +2 synergy]
Spot +5 [0 ranks, +3 Wis, +2 Alertness racial feat]
Feats:
Spell Focus: necromancy (human bonus)
Malign Spell Focus (BoVD) (1st level)
Scribe Scroll (wizard 1st level bonus)
Greater Spell Focus: necromancy (3rd level)
Quicken Spell (wizard 5th level bonus)
Eschew Materials (6th level)
Extend Spell (9th level)
Maximize Spell (wizard 10th level bonus)
Spell Focus (transmutation) (12th level)
Greater Spell Focus (transmutation) (15th level)
Persistent Spell (PGtF) (wizard 15th level bonus)
Languages: Common, Infernal, Abyssal, Draconic, Undercommon
Spells Prepared Cast as 18th level caster
Save DC +5 (transmutation and necromancy spells +7, evil spells +7, evil transmutation or necromancy spell +9) – transmutation spells, necromancy spells, * - evil spells
0th – detect magic, mage hand, preserve organ, prestidigitation
1st – chill touch x3, detect undead x2, expeditions retreat, mage armor x2, ray of enfeeblement x2, unseen servant x2
2nd – command undead x2, ghoul touch x3, Extended expeditious retreat, Extended mage armor x2 (both cast), rope trick x2, spectral hand x2 (one cast)
3rd – halt undead, ray of exhaustion, undead lieutenant (MaoF), undead torch (MaoF), vampiric touch x2 (one cast)
4th – bestow curse, enervation, fear, grim revenge (BoVD)*, iron bones (MaoF).
5th – magic jar, Quickened mage armor, overland flight, waves of fatigue, symbol of pain*
6th – disintegrate, Empowered vampiric touch x2, eyebite*, globe of invulnerability
7th – control undead, finger of death x2 (one cast), greater teleport
8th – horrid wilting, Persistent stone bones (cast)
9th – wail of the banshee
Daily castings: Persistent stone bones on Clatterbones, Extended mage armor on Ruslan and Clatterbones. If necessary, contingency connected to a globe of invulnerability to be activated if Ruslan takes more than 15 points of damage from magic in a round.
Spellbook (prohibited schools, enchantment and illusion)
Save DC +5 (transmutation and necromancy spells +7, evil spells +7, evil transmutation or necromancy spell +9) – transmutation spells, necromancy spells, * - evil spells
0th - acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, preserve organ (BoVD), prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue.
1st - cause fear, chill touch, darkvision, detect undead, expeditious retreat, identify, mage armor, ray of enfeeblement, unseen servant.
2nd - blindness/deafness, command undead, ghoul touch, rope trick, spectral hand, stone bones (MaoF).
3rd - eyes of the zombie (BoVD), gentle repose, halt undead, ray of exhaustion, secret page, sepia snake symbol, undead lieutenant (MaoF), undead torch (MaoF), vampiric touch.
4th - animate dead*, arcane eye, bestow curse, enervation, fear, grim revenge (BoVD)*, iron bones (MaoF).
5th - blight, magic jar, overland flight, permanency, summon undead V (MaoF)*, symbol of pain*, telekinesis, waves of fatigue.
6th - circle of death, contingency, create undead*, disintegrate, eyebite*, globe of invulnerability, symbol of fear, Tenser’s transformation.
7th – control undead, finger of death, greater teleport, symbol of weakness, waves of exhaustion.
8th – create greater undead*, discern location, horrid wilting, polymorph any object, symbol of death, trap the soul.
9th – energy drain, wail of the banshee
Spells purchased - arcane eye (400gp), contingency (600gp), darkvision (200gp), discern location (800gp), disintegrate (600gp), globe of invulnerability (600gp), permanency (500gp), rope trick (200gp), secret page (300gp), sepia snake symbol (300gp), telekinesis (500gp), greater teleport (700gp), tenser’s transformation (600gp), trap the soul (800gp), preserve organ (100gp) BoVD, eyes of the zombie (300gp) BoVD, grim revenge (400gp) BoVD, summon undead V (500gp) MaoF, undead lieutenant (300gp) MaoF, undead torch (300gp) MaoF, iron bones (400gp) MaoF, stone bones (200gp) MaoF.
Permanent spells – darkvision, comprehend languages. Magic Mouth on spellbook.
Clatterbones "Igor" (skeletal minion)
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 18d12 + 36 (152 hp)
Initiative: +6 (6 squares)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 27 (+6 Dex, +11 natural) [34 with mage armor and stone bones]
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+11
Attack: Claw +16 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack: 4 claws, +16/+16/+11/+11 (1d6+7)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +17, Will +11
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 23, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Clatterbones has been carefully inscribed all over with delicate calligraphy, detailing a long and dry treatise on necromancy. However, Rusland has given him a hat of disguise so that his minion may resemble a normal (though thin) human in the company of those that dislike necromancy. While he is so disguised, Ruslan calls him Igor, and Clatterbones responds to both names. He carries a backpack that contains Ruslan's carpet of flying, an item that Ruslan does not wish to have to fish out of his bag of holding when it is needed.
Equipment carried or used by skeletal minion: Backpack (2gp), hat of disguise (1,800gp), necklace of natural weapons +1 (2,600gp), carpet of flying (5 ft. x 5 ft.) (20,000gp)
Equipment for Ruslan
Magic items on Ruslan, worn
Head - Headband of intellect +4 – 16,000gp - This headband is actually in the form of a neat, black satin skullcap with a single faceted onyx on the front.
Eyes - Ruslan will occasionally wear a pair of crystal lenses when working on some experiment, but not when in public.
Neck - Hand of Glory –8,000gp (with ring of protection +3 – 18,000) - This hand is wrapped with gold wire and decorated with gems. It was preserved with myrrh and frankincense, so the fact that it is actually a severed, mummified limb is not readily apparent.
Torso (vest) - Vest of health (as periapt) – 7,500gp – This vest is created from the hide of vrock, and is a fashionable one made of the vrock’s gray feathers.
Body (robe) - Robe of proof against poison – 27,000gp – This robe is made from a shimmering black material, overlaid with an elaborate fringe of jet beads.
Waist (belt) - Belt of adaptation (as necklace) – 9,000gp - The belt is made of smooth silver leather with a quicksilver buckle.
Shoulders (cloak) - Cloak of resistance - 9,000gp - This cloak is made of black velvet lined with midnight blue silk.
Arms (bracers) – Bracers of the Closed Mind (as ring of mind shielding) – 8,000gp - These decorative leather bracers are stitched with images of masks.
Hands (gloves) - No magical item, but Ruslan does wear black leather gloves.
Right hand (ring) - Ring of wizardy I – 20,000gp
Left hand (ring) - Bone ring – 36,000gp (MaoF)
Boots - Boots of the winterlands – 2,500gp - These boots are made of black leather and topped with silky black furr.
Also wearing -
Scholar's outfit (free)
Ioun blade – 6,302gp (A&E) - This simple dagger bears a white stone in its hilt, in actuality, an ioun stone
-Clear spindle ioun stone (sustains without food or water) – 4,000gp
Ringdagger (as ringsword, but dagger) – 22,302gp (A&E) - This dagger bears rings of shimmering metal of at least five different types on its hilt, one of which is a ring of wizardy II.
-Ring of wizardry II – 40,000gp
Bag of holding type IV – 10,000gp - This bag appears as a rich leather shoulder bag.
-2 oils of animate dead – 3,100gp (MaoF)
-Daern’s Instant Fortress – 55,000gp
-5 vials of elixir of love – 750gp
-hip bath, 5 lbs soap, towels and grooming kit – 10gp
-Folding cot with a thick mattress, blanket, and pillow - 10gp
-Everburning lamp - 110gp
-Five blank and partially written-in books - 75gp
-5 vials of ink - 40gp
-2 masterwork calligraphy kits - 110gp
-Chest of Preservation (continuous preserve organ on contents) - This ordinary-looking chest containing various "special" spell components - 5 humanoid children eyes, 10 human fingers, 10 human hearts, 20 human brains. Chest - 1,035gp. Contents - 2gp
-Sorcerer’s hand – 18,335 (A&E) - This curious crossbow has its stock carved to resemble a pointing human hand.
-Aquamarine of Spell Extending (PGtF) – 3,700gp
-Spell components: – five 100gp pearls for identify, 50gp of jade and honeycomb for 5 castings’ worth of magic mouth, 2,300gp worth of 25gp onyx gems for animate dead spell (500 used on ettins), 1,500 of amber dust for 3 castings’ worth of sepia snake sigil (1 already sued to protect spellbook), 100gp ruby as focus for magic jar, 3,000gp of diamond and opal dust for 3 castings’ worth of symbol of pain, 1,500gp of crushed black pearl for 3 castings’ worth of circle of death, 2,000gp worth of black onyx gems for create undead/greater undead (1,400gp already used to create 2 mohrgs), 1,500gp ivory statuette as focus for contingency, 1,500gp for 5 potions of bull’s strength for 5 castings of Tenser’s transformation, 5,000gp worth of mercury, phosphorus, powdered diamond and opal for 1 casting of symbol of death, 5,000gp worth of mercury, phosphorus, powdered diamond and opal for 1 casting of symbol of weakness.
-Spellbook – 300 bone pages done in elegant calligraphy, dragonhide bookcover, tooled black leather slipcase. Hardness of 5, 15 hit points, 15 lbs. Major resistance (resistance 12 against acid, cold, electricity, and fire attacks), levitating, waterproof – 6,325gp total. (MaoF) - 160 pages have been used to inscribe spells. Ruslan has bespelled each page with secret page to make it look simply like musings on magic, but nothing of substance. The first page is bespelled with sepia snake sigil. The book yells out, “Get your hands off me, you filthy heathen!” each time it is picked up by someone other than Ruslan or Clatterbones, thanks to a permanent magic mouth spell.
Masterwork scroll organizer - 60gp (FRCS) - This custom-made black leather scroll organizer Ruslan tends to wear only when he is traveling. Otherwise it stays in the bag of holding.
-scroll of Drawmij’s instant summons (3,275gp, already prepared for spellbook)
-scroll of legend lore (1,900gp)
-scroll of Mordenkainen’s lucubration (1,650gp)
-scroll of Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion (2,275gp)
-scroll of Otiluke’s telekinetic sphere (3,000gp)
-scroll of plane shift (2,275gp)
-scroll of power word kill (3,825gp)
-scroll of clone (4000gp, already used)
-self-made scroll of eyes of the zombie (3rd level scroll) x3 (15 XP each, 187.5gp each)
-self-made scroll of summon undead V (45 XP, 562.5gp)
Portable hole – 20,000gp - This piece of black cloth appears as a handkerchief from a distance. Ruslan keeps it in his breast pocket.
Belt pouch - 1gp
-wand of hold portal (750gp)
-wand of magic mouth (5,000gp)
-wand of alarm (3,000gp, 4th level caster)
-wand of preserve organ (750gp)
Money
1,662gp, and a 1,300gp ruby - Ruslan keeps about twenty gold pieces in his belt pouch, and the rest of his wealth is in the bag of holding.
Appearance: Ruslan is a strong-featured man, with a harsh, angular face. His skin is so dark it's nearly black, with a gray undertone. His shoulder-length hair and thick beard and moustache are midnight black with blue tones in them. He favors the traditional black robes of the necromancer, though his is decorated with jet bead fringes. Over his shoulders he wears a black velvet cape, on his feet he bears black furred boots, and upon his head he wears a black skullcap decorated with onyx. He is usually seen with a leather shoulder bag slung over one shoulder, and his servant, Igor, by his side.
Personality: Ruslan was often taunted as a boy because of his appearance, clumsiness, and bookishness. As an adult, he has a rather large inferiority complex, always trying to prove himself to those around him, whether or not they are cruel or kind to him. He is often baffled by kindness, always waiting for the other shoe to drop in the form of betrayal or asking for a favor. Though he enjoys the power necromancy gives him over death, he does not desire that state for himself. He knows there are worse things than death, because he practices many of them. He is fanatical about keeping himself alive, investing a great deal of money to prevent him from falling victim to disease, poison, or the energy-draining attacks of undead. He keeps himself clean at all times, and always wears gloves to protect him from “contamination.”
Background: Ruslan’s great-grandmother was an annis hag, one of the worst kind. Raping a passing tradesman to get herself with child in order to fulfill some evil scheme, her own child escaped from her lair at the tender age of five. Many people recognized his heritage, and he wandered from place to place, begging and stealing, always living in poverty because no one would take in one such as he. He eventually met and loved another beggar woman, thus continued the hag’s vile bloodline. Unfortunately he was taken to the gallows soon after and hung as a thief. Ruslan’s grandmother attempted to help herself when she realized she was pregnant, selling herself into service at a temple in order to have food and shelter.
Her own child remained at the temple all of her life, learning the scribe’s trade in attempt to buy herself and her mother out of service. Her mother died before she should do that, and shortly afterward, the young woman found herself pregnant with Ruslan after an ill-advised tryst with a priest. The priest was eager to keep Ruslan’s mother quiet, and so agreed to apprentice her to a bookbinder and pay for her child’s apprentice fee.
It became clear that not only did Ruslan share his mother’s odd traits of dark skin and hair in a land of pale-skinned blondes, but in him they were very much pronounced. Despite his innate clumsiness, he had a knack for hiding, even though he was big and raw-boned. He was keen of ear and eye, and sharp enough to pick up every lesson he learned from the bookbinder and his staff of scribes.
However, his talent gave way to jealousy in the other apprentices, who in the manner of children, taunted him on his appearance, lineage, and clumsiness at the typical boyhood games. Ruslan withdrew from them as much as he could, his timid mother unable to protect him. When the other boys would beat him for being different, he found his dark skin was far better at protecting him than he would have thought, having witnessed the aftermath of other boys’ beatings.
Ruslan grew to hate the other boys for taunting him, his mother for not protecting him, and his master for not stopping them. He wished they would all die. As Ruslan grew into his teens, his mysterious heritage provided some consolation in growing him tall and strong. The boys stopped beating him when he began to grow, but they never stopped their teasing, as Ruslan didn’t know to fend off their verbal abuse.
It was during this time that some featherbrained noble found an old tome in the attic of a recently deceased relative. Thinking it important, but obviously very old and ready to fall apart, he sent it to the bookbinder’s shop to have a new copy made and bound. It fell to Ruslan to do it for his masterwork. It would take a great deal of time, and first he had to decipher the strange text.
Many nights and days were spent in the small library, pouring over that book. Ruslan was fascinated, for what he had in his hands was a tome of the blackest sorts of magic! While he did copy the book, he also studied it, mastering the basics of the arts of necromancy. It was when he finished the book that he made his first bid for freedom from his oppressors.
Using his magic to drain the apprentices’ strength, he kicked and beat them without mercy, killing one inadvertently. He left them for his mother and master to find, seeing that as fitting punishment. Taking the scribe's money as payment for ten years’ worth of abuse, he set out on his own.
Ruslan has spent the last thirty-two years involved in the deep study of necromancy. Often using his undead minions to extract “tribute” from travelers or small villages in order to fund his esoteric experiments, killing those who disobey or try to attack, Ruslan has made the lives of many a living hell. A priest of mercy once cursed him for his callousness when he dug up the local graveyard to get bodies to study. The priest became his next victim.
Though occasionally Ruslan would work with other adventurers in order to gain some obscure spell components or knowledge, he was often baffled by their attitudes, particularly the kindness of some of them. Kindness, in Ruslan’s experience, covered treachery or a desire for favors. In recent years, he has shunned most human contact.
As a necromancer, Ruslas has unleashed untold amounts of unholy energy into the world. Places where he spends a great deal of his time have become void of all life, something Ruslan appreciates. The occasional person that comes to “rid the land of the terrible necromancer” warns him that the gods will punish him for his crimes. Ruslan finds this amusing as he strips the flesh from their bones to make new minions.
~~~~
These 4 undead are kept in Ruslan's portable hole. Granted it's a bit cramped in there, but they are undead. While the ettins are under Ruslan's control, the mohgrs are not, so Ruslan will have Clatterbones open up the portable hole while he prepares to cast control undead on the mohgrs. The ettins were created with animate dead, but the mohgrs were created with create undead.
Ettin (2)
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 10d12 + 20 (85 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
AC: 13 (–1 size, +2 natural, +2 Dex), touch 11, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+17
Attack: Morningstar +12 melee (2d6+8) or claw +12 melee (1d6+8) or javelin +7 ranged (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 morningstars +12 melee (2d6+8) or 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+8) or 2 javelins +7 ranged (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, superior two-weapon fighting, undead traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
CR: 6
Alignment: Neutral evil
Mohrg (2)
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 10d12 + 28 (91 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 25 (+6 Dex, +9 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+14
Attack: Slam +14 melee (1d6+9) or tongue +14 melee touch (paralysis)
Full Attack: Slam +14 melee (1d6+9) and tongue +14 melee touch (paralysis)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, paralyzing touch, create spawn
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +9
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 23, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +15, Hide +23, Listen +11, Move Silently +23, Spot +15, Swim +9
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility
CR: 9
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a mohrg must hit a creature of its size or smaller with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Paralyzing Touch (Su): A mohrg lashes out with its tongue in combat. An opponent the tongue touches must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or become paralyzed for 1d4 minutes. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Spawn (Su): Creatures killed by a mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under the morhg’s control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.