Tressa, Part 1
Okay, this will be a couple parter because of the nature of this place.
Background
She bounces the child upon her knee and the child squeals in delight. Only a year old, this seems to be the child's most favorite activity in the world, followed by crawling as a quick second. The child, a baby boy, was always seen crawling when not in the arms of his mother. Though the world the child could crawl to was in reality small, to the boy, it was the whole world. The child never tired of crawling through the house despite the fact that he had already seen everything in it many times. Perhaps the child forgot what he saw immediately after seeing it and thus everything was always new to him. Or perhaps he didn't care about the sites, but was highly into exercise. His mother didn't know.
She worried about him occasionally. She had made everything as child proof as she could, but she worried when she would have to watch him everytime she opened the in case he tried to escape like the lizards they kept. She didn't know what she would do then. Her precious child had rarely been away from her sight longer than a few minutes, with the exception of when she was sleeping or in the hands of his father. She knew the child's father would take loving care with their child. Eventually, the child would grow into a young man and be taught to hunt, as were all their children.
"But there is one spot where you should not go," she whispered to the boy who laughed as he was bounced upon her knee. "An evil spirit lives there, a spirit who was once living but now is trapped between the living and the dead. Peace will never find her and where she goes, she brings only conflict. It is said that this area was once a lush forest, beautiful enough to make even the hated Elves jealous of our land. Just as the forest lost it's beauty, so did we as well."
The woman smiles faintly, lost in thought, barely aware of the child giggling on her lap. "Dryads are a creature of the forest, a beautiful woman bonded to a tree that she cannot, even had she wanted to, break free from. This forest used to contain many of them, but a single Dryad, one who had turned her back on the ways of her kind, destroyed them all. Her heart became twisted as her tree slowly and painfully died. However, it did not fully die. No, undeath gripped the tree and because of her bond, she had been snared by undeath as well. Her heart, irrevocably broken, darkened her thoughts. She lashed out at all near her, striking her neighboring Dryads who had been forced to watch her change.
"The sickness spread out as she strengthened. The forest began to fail, to die. This occurred over the course of but a single year. Our people attempted to stop this maddened Dryad, but failed miserably. Only a few of them returned and the horrors they speak of I cannot repeat to you at this young of an age. Suffice to say that it was not a pretty sight. The border of the Dryad's territory eventually stopped growing. She dwells in the center of this swamp, unable to exit her barrier of death. We are safe from her as long as we do not set foot in her territy. I know you love to travel, young one, but please, never go into Tressa's land."
Tressa's Territory
Tressa's territory consists of a 2-mile radius area in the center of the swamp. A heavy aura of death lays over the swamp, causing any who enter to feel sick [DC 23 or be sickened while within the area]. In the exact center of this unholiest of sites sits the remains of a huge tree. This is the tree Tressa is bounded to, even in death. Beneath the trunk, hidden in the ground, is a small oak box with a sapphire engraved with tiny runes laced in lines of silver. It itself is worth a fortune and though those familiar with lichdom would believe the gem to be Tressa's phylactery, the truth is that the tree itself is the phylactery. [147 hp; 16d12 HD; AC 14 (-4 size, -5 for 9 Dex, +13 NA); DR 10/slashing, vulnerability to fire]. Note: The tree cannot attack or move. The stats above are for those attempting to destroy it.
Lizardfolk live within the swamp. While most Lizardfolk stay far enough away from the unholy site to be considered safe in case Tressa's territory is ever increased, some have chosen to live closer to the site to serve as a rearguard so their people can have enough time to flee from Tressa if necessary. Living this close to an area surrounded in death has changed them. Note: The other Lizardfolk within the swamp are as normal.
Lizardfolk Undead-Blooded Ranger 2
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (28 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+5 natural, +3 studded leather), touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Battleaxe +4 melee (1d8+1/x3) or javelin +3 ranged (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Battleaxe +2 melee (1d8+1/x3) and hand axe +2 melee (1d6/x3) and bite +2 melee (1d4); or javelin +3 ranged (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Detect Undead, Favored Enemy (Undead), Smite Undead
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, Hold breath, Necromancy Affinity, Necromantic Resistance
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +3, Intimidate +2, Jump +4, Survival +6, Swim +1
Feats: Multiattack, Track (Bonus), Two-Weapon Fighting (Bonus)
Challenge Rating: 4
Detect Undead (Sp): At will, an undead-blooded can cast detect undead. Caster level equals the undead-blooded’s character Hit Dice.
Necromancy Affinity (Ex): Undead-blooded cast spells from the necromancy school of magic at +1 caster level.
Necromantic Resistance (Ex): The undead-blooded’s necromantic origin grants it a +2 racial bonus on saves against ability damage, ability drain, death effects, disease, energy drain, mind-affecting effects, poison, paralysis, sleep, and stunning.
Smite Undead (Su): Once per day, an undead-blooded can attempt to smite undead with one normal melee attack. The undead-blooded adds its Charisma bonus (if positive) as a bonus on the attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per Hit Die. The smite has no effect, but is still used up for that day, if the undeadblooded uses it on a creature that is not undead.
Lizardfolk: Monster Manual
Ranger Class: Player's Handbook
Undead-Blooded Template: Book of Templates [Silverthorn Games]
