ElectricDragon
Explorer
SHADOWY ASSASSIN
FEMALE HUMAN
ROGUE 16
Dusk, “Twin Death”
Dusk was born, the first of a set of twins, in ancient days. Their mother died in childbirth, thus the nickname “Twin Death.” She was banished to the plane of shadows only once and so she knows how to rebuild her Shadow Blade in only 50 years. She lost touch with her brother nearly an eon ago when they were both banished to the plane of shadows by a band of self-righteouus paladins. After that debacle, Dusk hid her Shadow Blade behind a plethora of traps and stopped using her death blade and death touch abilities. This has prevented her being banished to the plane of shadows on more than one occasion. She has amassed a huge hoard of treasure that would make any dragon envious. She has peopled her lair with hirelings and abductees as well as a cadre of 8 shadesteel shadows (all maximum advanced ones, armed with +1 longswords) as roving guards. Her lair is set on a cloud island high in the sky. An ornate castle sits in the middle of the cloud island ruled by Dusk’s iron hand. In the center of the castle is a small temple dedicated to Nethrancor, complete with a ebony altar prepared with unhallow and bane. The whole castle is an unholy site and is thus protected by a protection from good effect and turning undead suffers a -4 penalty in the castle, with bane affecting all that do not worship Nethrancor.
Dusk offers a slave state with herself at the head and has been known to abduct children to be raised on her cloud by her retainers as a means of replenishing her supply of slaves. Only a few of her original hirelings remain as Dusk decided nearly 50 years ago, “Why pay for servants when I can get them for free?” Chief among her remaining hirelings is a frost giant 9th level cleric of Nethrancor that tends the temple and re-casts the unhallow as needed.
Dusk’s cloud island migrates with the prevailing winds: south in the autumn and north in the spring, covering a huge swath of area. Dusk never abducts more than two children from a city or one child from smaller towns; this has prevented her from being the target of righteous crusades. She puts the child in her bag of holding and becoming incorporeal, flies back to her castle. In the lands over which her cloud island flies, many are the tales of child-snatching in the middle of the night never to be seen again perpetrated by “Baba Yaga” (as she is sometimes referred to), some type of ghost, or spectre.
Dusk speaks Common.
COMBAT
Dusk prefers to strike from hiding or ambush in order to employ her sneak attack (also possibly with Death Blade). Ranged opponents find no corporeal target, until Twin Death has moved to a hiding place and becomes corporeal with concealment or cover. Using her incorporeal movement very few creatures can outrun her, so prey rarely get away. She will use her opportunist attack whenever possible so she likes sending in the fodder to provide ample flanking attempts.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dusk is proficient with all simple weapons plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Dusk is proficient with light armor but not with shields.
Corporeal Form: At will, as a standard action, Dusk can change from her incorporeal form to her corporeal form or vice versa. In incorporeal form, Dusk moves at Fly 60 feet and her DR does not change. Further, Dusk in incorporeal form gains a +3 deflection bonus to her AC. Items carried and clothes worn change with the shadowy assassin; but are unusable while incorporeal for anything other than appearance (and then only to those that can see invisible creatures).
Death Blade (Su): Only usable with sneak attack and her Shadow Blade imbued with Death Touch. A successful sneak attack requires the victim to make a Fortitude save (DC 21) or die. Successful saves still suffer sneak attack damage. This ability cannot be used when incorporeal.
Death Touch (Sp): 1/round as a free action, if hidden, Dusk can activate this ability to imbue her Shadow Blade (in her hand) with Death Touch for one successful (sneak) attack. The blade remains enchanted for up to 1 minute or until Dusk scores a successful sneak attack, whichever comes first. This ability cannot be used while incorporeal. As Dusk has her Shadow Blade expertly hidden and both magically and mundanely protected; she does not use this ability.
Defensive Roll (Ex): When Dusk would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), she can attempt to roll with the damage. She makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt) and, if successful, takes only half damage from the blow. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll. If she is in a situation that would deny her any Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t attempt a defensive roll.
Evasion (Ex): If Dusk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if Dusk is wearing light armor or no armor. If helpless, Dusk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fear Aura (Su): Dusk is shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at her must succeed on a Will save (DC 21) or be affected as though by a fear spell from a 16th level sorcerer. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by Dusk’s aura for 24 hours.
Immortality (Ex): Dusk is not permanently killed as long as her Shadow Blade survives. She revives, next to her Shadow Blade 1d10 days later.
Immunities (Ex): Dusk has immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while Dusk still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she now takes only half damage on a failed save. If helpless, Dusk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dusk can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking it, unless the attacker has at least 20 levels of rogue.
Magic Jar (Sp): Once per day, Dusk can use magic jar as a 12th level caster on anyone foolish enough to touch her Shadow Blade; Will save (DC 21) negates.
Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, Dusk can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as one of Dusk’s attacks of opportunity for that round. Dusk can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
Shape Shadows (Su): At will while in shadows, a shadowy assassin can create a shadowy version of a creature that it has seen that has substance in only 1 hour + the size modifier. Items and creatures can be made according to their size: T or smaller: 1 minute; Small: 5 minutes; Medium: 10 minutes; Large: 15 minutes; Huge: 30 minutes; Gargantuan: 1 hour; Colossal: 2 hours; Colossal+: 3 hours; Awesome (large castles, towns, small and large cities, and other large structures): 10 hours. Having 5 or more ranks in a Craft skill allows the shadowy assassin to make masterwork versions of those kinds of items. Only one item or creature can be made at a time. Creatures will have some skills and some personality traits of whomever they copy (60% of skill ranks). Items that are masterwork can be enchanted. Creating an item or creature using the Shape Shadows ability gives the item the shadesteel property, and gives the creature the shadesteel subtype.
Touch Attack (Su): Dusk has a touch attack that she can use once per round. The touch attack uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save (DC 21) halves the damage.
Trap Sense (Ex): Dusk gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +5 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +5 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Trapfinding (Ex): Dusk can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20.
Dusk can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
If Dusk beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check; she can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her group) without disarming it.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dusk can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
FEMALE HUMAN
ROGUE 16
Dusk, “Twin Death”
| Medium Undead (Incorporeal) | |
| Hit Dice: | 16d12 (104 hp) |
| Initiative: | +9 (+9 Dex) |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 32 (+9 Dex, +5 armor [force], +6 natural, +2 deflection), touch 21, flat-footed 23 //vs. incorporeal touch 26//incorporeal 22 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +12/+13 |
| Attack: | +2 short sword +23 melee (1d6+3) or touch attack +21 melee touch (1d8+5) or +2 short bow +23 ranged (1d6+2) or +2 dagger +23 melee (1d4+3) |
| Full Attack: | +2 short sword +21/+16/+11 melee (1d6+2) and touch attack +19 melee touch (1d8+5) or +2 short sword +21/+16/+11 melee (1d6+3) and +2 dagger +21 melee (1d4+2) or touch attack +19 melee touch (1d8+5) and +2 dagger +21 melee (1d4+2) or touch attack +21 melee touch (1d8+5) or +2 short bow +23/+18/+13 ranged (1d6+2) or +2 dagger +21/+16/+11 melee (1d4+3) and touch attack +19 melee touch (1d8+5) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Death blade, fear aura, opportunist, sneak attack +8d6, touch attack |
| Special Qualities: | Corporeal form, death touch, defensive roll, DR 15/magic and good, evasion, immortality, immunities, improved evasion, improved uncanny dodge, magic jar 1/day, trap sense +5, trapfinding, +4 turn resistance, uncanny dodge |
| Saves: | Fort +5, Ref +16, Will +6 |
| Abilities: | Str (12) —, Dex 25 (29), Con —, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16 |
| Skills:152-110=42 | Balance +26, Disable Device +15, Gather Information +15, Hide +40, Jump +3, Listen +24, Move Silently +40, Open Lock +24, Search +23, Sleight of Hand +24, Spot +24, Tumble +24 |
| Feats: | Combat Reflexes, Deadly Precision, Dodge, Mobility, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse |
| Environment: | Any |
| Organization: | Solitary or with guards (Dusk + 1d6+2 shadesteel shadows armed with +1 long swords) |
| Challenge Rating: | 18 |
| Treasure: | Amulet of natural armor +1, bag of holding (Type 1), bracers of armor +5, gloves of dexterity +4, short bow +2, short sword +2, dagger +2, ring of protection +2, shadow blade, 8 +1 longswords, 447,000 gp, 12,000 pp |
| Alignment: | Neutral evil |
| Advancement: | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +4 |
Dusk offers a slave state with herself at the head and has been known to abduct children to be raised on her cloud by her retainers as a means of replenishing her supply of slaves. Only a few of her original hirelings remain as Dusk decided nearly 50 years ago, “Why pay for servants when I can get them for free?” Chief among her remaining hirelings is a frost giant 9th level cleric of Nethrancor that tends the temple and re-casts the unhallow as needed.
Dusk’s cloud island migrates with the prevailing winds: south in the autumn and north in the spring, covering a huge swath of area. Dusk never abducts more than two children from a city or one child from smaller towns; this has prevented her from being the target of righteous crusades. She puts the child in her bag of holding and becoming incorporeal, flies back to her castle. In the lands over which her cloud island flies, many are the tales of child-snatching in the middle of the night never to be seen again perpetrated by “Baba Yaga” (as she is sometimes referred to), some type of ghost, or spectre.
Dusk speaks Common.
COMBAT
Dusk prefers to strike from hiding or ambush in order to employ her sneak attack (also possibly with Death Blade). Ranged opponents find no corporeal target, until Twin Death has moved to a hiding place and becomes corporeal with concealment or cover. Using her incorporeal movement very few creatures can outrun her, so prey rarely get away. She will use her opportunist attack whenever possible so she likes sending in the fodder to provide ample flanking attempts.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dusk is proficient with all simple weapons plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Dusk is proficient with light armor but not with shields.
Corporeal Form: At will, as a standard action, Dusk can change from her incorporeal form to her corporeal form or vice versa. In incorporeal form, Dusk moves at Fly 60 feet and her DR does not change. Further, Dusk in incorporeal form gains a +3 deflection bonus to her AC. Items carried and clothes worn change with the shadowy assassin; but are unusable while incorporeal for anything other than appearance (and then only to those that can see invisible creatures).
Death Blade (Su): Only usable with sneak attack and her Shadow Blade imbued with Death Touch. A successful sneak attack requires the victim to make a Fortitude save (DC 21) or die. Successful saves still suffer sneak attack damage. This ability cannot be used when incorporeal.
Death Touch (Sp): 1/round as a free action, if hidden, Dusk can activate this ability to imbue her Shadow Blade (in her hand) with Death Touch for one successful (sneak) attack. The blade remains enchanted for up to 1 minute or until Dusk scores a successful sneak attack, whichever comes first. This ability cannot be used while incorporeal. As Dusk has her Shadow Blade expertly hidden and both magically and mundanely protected; she does not use this ability.
Defensive Roll (Ex): When Dusk would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), she can attempt to roll with the damage. She makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt) and, if successful, takes only half damage from the blow. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll. If she is in a situation that would deny her any Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t attempt a defensive roll.
Evasion (Ex): If Dusk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if Dusk is wearing light armor or no armor. If helpless, Dusk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fear Aura (Su): Dusk is shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at her must succeed on a Will save (DC 21) or be affected as though by a fear spell from a 16th level sorcerer. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by Dusk’s aura for 24 hours.
Immortality (Ex): Dusk is not permanently killed as long as her Shadow Blade survives. She revives, next to her Shadow Blade 1d10 days later.
Immunities (Ex): Dusk has immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while Dusk still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she now takes only half damage on a failed save. If helpless, Dusk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dusk can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking it, unless the attacker has at least 20 levels of rogue.
Magic Jar (Sp): Once per day, Dusk can use magic jar as a 12th level caster on anyone foolish enough to touch her Shadow Blade; Will save (DC 21) negates.
Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, Dusk can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as one of Dusk’s attacks of opportunity for that round. Dusk can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
Shape Shadows (Su): At will while in shadows, a shadowy assassin can create a shadowy version of a creature that it has seen that has substance in only 1 hour + the size modifier. Items and creatures can be made according to their size: T or smaller: 1 minute; Small: 5 minutes; Medium: 10 minutes; Large: 15 minutes; Huge: 30 minutes; Gargantuan: 1 hour; Colossal: 2 hours; Colossal+: 3 hours; Awesome (large castles, towns, small and large cities, and other large structures): 10 hours. Having 5 or more ranks in a Craft skill allows the shadowy assassin to make masterwork versions of those kinds of items. Only one item or creature can be made at a time. Creatures will have some skills and some personality traits of whomever they copy (60% of skill ranks). Items that are masterwork can be enchanted. Creating an item or creature using the Shape Shadows ability gives the item the shadesteel property, and gives the creature the shadesteel subtype.
Touch Attack (Su): Dusk has a touch attack that she can use once per round. The touch attack uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save (DC 21) halves the damage.
Trap Sense (Ex): Dusk gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +5 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +5 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Trapfinding (Ex): Dusk can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20.
Dusk can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
If Dusk beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check; she can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her group) without disarming it.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Dusk can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
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