Special Conversion Thread: The Ghazneths

We used to get tons of requests for these guys, but never got around to 'em.

The Ghazneths

Once important personages in the realm, the ghazneths have all betrayed Cormyr and suffered terribly for it. Their bitterness has twisted them into dark creatures bent on the destruction of the land they once served. Five harken from the past--one is older than the kingdom itself--and one is from the present. The seventh will rise soon to herald the doom of a realm.

All ghazneths absorb magic they contact. To do so, they must touch a magical item or be the target of an item or spell and remain in contact for one round for each level of the spell or item. Magical items are considered to have the following levels:

Charged magical items: 5 levels per charge remaining.

"Permanent" magical items: 100 levels per ability possessed.

Use of any magical item's ability against a ghazneth: 5 levels per use.

Spells that expire in fewer rounds than their level are absorbed instantly, but the ghazneth remains stunned 1 round per spell level. A ghazneth can store one level of magic for each year of age.

After absorbing a level of magic, a ghazneth can expend it as noted in its individual description. Ghazneths temporarily depleted of magic cannot use their special powers, but they can still fly, fight, and move normally.

Death means nothing to ghazneths. They simply exist, and whether they are alive or dead does not affect their abilities, statistics, or personalities. Five are dead already (and can be turned as undead, but not destroyed). If raised, they simply become living ghazneths. Similarly, if a living ghazneth is killed, it simply becomes undead.

A ghazneth reduced to 0 hit points automatically regenerates as many hit points as possible and flees. If it has no magic levels available, it lies dormant for 13 hours, absorbing one level of magic directly from Toril's Magic Weave. The ghazneth can do this even if its "dead" body has been destroyed, disintegrated, and/or otherwise dispersed.

Other common traits:

• Hit only by cold-forged iron weapons
• Regeneration (amount varies)
• Initiative bonus (amount varies)

From Dragon Magazine Annual #4 (1999).

Suzara the Scold
Climate/Terrain: Cormyr and surrounding lands
Freq: Unique
Organization: Band
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Special (see below)
Intelligence: High (14)
Treasure: U
Alignment: Neutral evil
# App: 1
AC: -6
Move: 24, fly 36 (C)
HD: 14 (110 hp)
THAC0: 7 (4 in melee)
# Attacks 3 or 1 weapon
Dmg/Att: 1d4+7/1d4+7/1d6+7, or by weapon +7 (Strength bonus)
SA: Blight (see below), -7 initiative bonus
SD: hit only by iron weapons, regeneration
Magic Resistance: Special, see below
Size: M (6' tall)
Morale: Elite (14)
XP: 21,000

From a distance, Suzara the Scold resembles a beggar in a ragged cape and huge tattered hood. Suzara is the Scourge of Blight, and her true appearance reflects her status as the most dangerous of all ghazneths. She is tall and skeletal, with a pair of leathery black wings and a mane of coarse hair often mistaken for the aforementioned cape and hood. Her red eyes cannot be said to glow, but they are always visible, giving her an otherworldly look.

Suzara the Scold was once Suzara Obarskyr, wife to Ondeth Obarskyr (founder of Cormyr). Never fond of life in the wilderness, Suzara became a ghazneth more than 1,300 years ago after abandoning her husband and eldest son in the city named for her (Suzail) to return to a less toilsome life in Impiltur.

Combat: Not one to seek out combat, Suzara is nevertheless quite capable of defending herself. Because of her incredible speed, she receives a -7 Initiative bonus during any round she is not surprised, while her supernatural Strength (19) provides a +7 damage bonus to her attacks. When pressed, she prefers to slash opponents with her talonlike nails and bite with her teeth for 1d4/1d4/1d6 points of damage plus Strength bonus.

Suzara suffers damage only from weapons made of cold-forged iron, regenerates up to 11 hp per round, and absorbs any magic used against her. (See introduction for details)

During any round in which she has the initiative, Suzara can forgo her attacks and allow her opponent the first action. If the opponent casts a spell at her, she may take refuge behind a wing and negate the effects of the spell while still absorbing its levels. She suffers the full effects of any spell striking her body, but only for as long as it takes to absorb the spell levels.

Suzara's primary weapon is her power to blight. See the Ecology section for details on how she uses this power.

Habitat/Society: Suzara has spent the last 1,300 years alone in a cramped tomb, feeding on the bitterness she bore Ondeth for dragging her away from her comfortable life in Impiltur. Recently freed, she is actively working to destroy her husband's legacy. She especially enjoys taking long walks through Cormyr's more remote regions, spreading blight and disease through the croplands. On the rare occasions when she feels the need of company, she joins her fellow ghazneths in a small keep they have constructed on the edge of the Farsea Marsh.

Ecology: Like all ghazneths, Suzara feeds on magic. When she is not spreading her blight or aiding her fellow ghazneths in terrorizing Cormyr, she hunts magic. At approximately 1,360 years of age, she can hold up to 1,360 levels.

For each level she expends, she can:

1. Detect magic up to 136 miles away for one day; or

2. For one turn, automatically cause all crop plants within 136 yards of her to contract a fungal disease and die within 1d10 days; or

3. Regenerate 11 hit points; or

4. Cause any one inanimate item of no more than 1,100 pounds to rot, crumble, or rust away within 1d10 rounds.

5. Cause any one living being she touches to make a successful saving throw vs. death magic or age 10 years.

Note that the first two powers are automatic; as long as Suzara has any magic levels available, she must expend them to keep these powers active.

First things first...native outsiders?

Shade said:

First things first...native outsiders?

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I could see that or else maybe aberrations. Any details on how these form from other sources maybe?

I haven't read the novels myself, but found a thread that summarizes their origin/demise:

http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9685

Note: It's spoiler-heavy if any of you plan on reading the novels (of course, converting something generally requires spoiliers anyway, eh? )

Only read one of the novels in question, but not the one with the ghazneths. On a skim through the linked threads there, someone posted conversions that someone did on the WotC forums (talk about going around your elbow to get to your nose!). Long story short, those are undead, and I think that actually fits. Apparently ghazneths are created by burying the corpse of someone who betrayed Cormyr (and I think is of nearly-royal blood) under a tree-artifact. So outsider could work, but undead is probably right.

You know, we might also make ghazneth a template, so the DM can create more (though apparently in canon FR lore that's not likely). Then each ghazneth can choose from a list of abilities, a lot like a ghost.

freyar said:

You know, we might also make ghazneth a template, so the DM can create more (though apparently in canon FR lore that's not likely). Then each ghazneth can choose from a list of abilities, a lot like a ghost.

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I'd rather avoid that if at all possible. The existing ghazneths are an odd bunch, each seeming really unique for the most part.

I'm not sold on all of them being undead, since "if a living ghazneth is killed, it simply becomes undead."

Hmm. Didn't notice that bit about the living/unliving bit. I wonder what difference there should be between the living and undead versions (besides type)? Ugh. I can see that these are going to give me a headache.

Yeah, it is no wonder these have remained unconverted so long.