Garnfellow
Explorer
Busirane's Ushackled
The ruebren are a race of monstrous, man-eating giants native to Frilond. The first written account of ruebren comes from the Tynan general and historian Quintinus, who led a famous expedition into the northern frontiers where he encountered many hostile bands of these savage giants. Quintinus brought several captured ruebren back to Tynar as trophies of his conquest. Classical records frequently mention the ruebren fighting naked, their hairy, warty hides painted with red dyes.
The ruebren, now more commonly known as ogres, were once plentiful in Frilond, though over the years they have been hunted nearly to extinction. Small, scattered tribes continue to eke out an existence in the Ruckish Hills and on the edge of the Westwoode, raiding ruckish and Pentian settlements alike. Ogres are occasionally hired by the ruck-men as mercenaries.
A typical Frilond ogre stands between 8-1/2 and 9-1/2 feet tall and weighs between 580 and 800 pounds. They stink like curdled milk and wear poorly-cured furs. These primitive creatures have little culture of their own, being too large, stupid, and quarrelsome to organize into units larger than a single tribe. The ruebren have only a smattering of a language, and enjoy their sour beer, heavy barley bread, and roasted flesh of any sort. They are greedy and hoard treasure, and also enjoy gambling, especially dice games.
Pentian scholars have debated whether the ruebren are, like ruck-men, possibly degenerate humans, some distant descendants of Canem and Larith. Or perhaps the ruebren are the legendary nephilim mentioned in scripture, the cursed product of wayward angels and human women. Many of the common folk hold that ogres are actually creatures of Faerie. The PCs themselves had several run-ins with the three ogres Gnorrin, Glorrin, and Glog.
Prince Busirane has hired several of ruebren to serve as shock troops to his army. A typical mercenary ogre wears a leathern jack or even leather armor reinforced with iron plates or studs. Such creatures are usually outfitted with a longspear and a spiked club.
About six years ago Busirane discovered a clutch of inbred ogres even more degenerate that others, which he then brought to the village of Caxbrill as slaves. There he began a long, terrible process of conditioning these monsters using a cruel combination of starvation and torture. Many of the ruebren died during this process, and the few survivors were transformed into effective instruments of war: creatures of terrible strength, almost immune to pain, and driven half mad with fury. These fearsome creatures are known among the ruck-men as the Unshackled, towering naked monsters that lead Busirane’s armies, swinging enormous spiked chains that are a symbol of their former bondage.
These Unshackled were built using an ogre, adding the Half-Troll template from the Fiend Folio, adding levels of barbarian and then 3 more levels of the War Hulk prestige class from the Miniatures Handbook. These brutes also have the Large and in Charge feat from the Draconomicon, which allows an Unshackled to stop and push back opponents within its threatened area.
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Busirane’s Unshackled: male Half-Troll Ogre Bbn 4/War Hulk 3; CR 12; Large Giant; HD 4d8+32 plus 4d12+32 plus 3d12+28; hp 170; Init +2; Spd 50 ft; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 17; BAB +7; Grp +25; Atk +22 melee (2d6+23, +1 large spiked chain); Full Atk +22/+17 melee (2d6+23, +1 large spiked chain) or +21 melee (1d8+15, bite) and +16 melee (1d6+7, 2 claws) or +21/+16 ranged (2d8+15, rock); Space/Reach 10 ft/10 ft (20 ft with chain); SA great swing, mighty rock throwing, rage 2/day, rend 2d6+22; SQ ability boost (Str +6), darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 5, fast movement, no time to think, scent, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; SV Fort +19, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 40, Dex 14, Con 27, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 4.
Skills and Feats: Climb +22, Intimidate +8; Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Large and In Charge, Power Attack.
Possessions: +1 large spiked chain, 170 gp.
Great Swing (Ex): As a full-round action, an Unshackled can choose three squares adjacent to one another (he must threaten all of them). His attack roll applies to all creatures in those squares. Make one attack roll and apply that roll as an attack against each defender. If the Unshackled uses a special attack, this special attack affects only the first target; the other creatures are attacked normally.
Walls and similar obstacles can block a great swing. Start with one square that the Unshackled threatened. Each successive square chosen must be adjacent to the previous square and have line of effect from that square. The Unshackled may skip creatures, attacking only those he wants to. If an Unshackled drops one of his foes with a great swing, he may make a cleave attack normally. However, he may do so only once for every time he swings, even if he drops more than one foe.
Mighty Rock Throwing (Ex): An Unshackled can throw rocks that deal 2d8+15 points of damage with a range increment of 50 feet. The Unshackled uses his Strength modifier instead of his Dexterity modifier on the attack roll. The rock must weigh approximately 50 pounds.
Rage (Ex): While an Unshackled rages, the following changes to his statistics are in effect: (Str 44, Con 31, AC -2, +22 hit points, +2 to all melee attacks and damage, Fort save +22, Will save +6, Climb +24). His fit of rage lasts 13 rounds. At the end of the rage, the Unshackled loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (Str 38, Dex 12, -1 to AC, -1 to all melee attacks and damage, Ref save +4, Climb +21, can't charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter.
Rend (Ex): If an Unshackled hits with two or more claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches on to the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+22 damage.
Fast Healing (Ex): An Unshackled heals 5 points of damage each round so long as he has at least 1 hit point. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation.
Fast Movement (Ex): An Unshackled’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet.
No Time to Think (Ex): An Unshackled is considered to have 0 ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skills. The only exception is the Intimidate skill, which works normally.
Scent (Ex): An Unshackled can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.
Trap Sense (Ex): An Unshackled gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An Unshackled retains his Dexterity bonus to AC even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Physical Description: An Unshackled is a horrible, bestial figure, naked save for dark red paint smeared across its warty hide. An Unshackled’s form is bent and slouching, its body covered with terrible scars, brands, and burn marks. Some are missing ears and others have had one of their eyes gouged out. They have greasy matted hair, wiry limbs, and small, sharp teeth.
The ruebren are a race of monstrous, man-eating giants native to Frilond. The first written account of ruebren comes from the Tynan general and historian Quintinus, who led a famous expedition into the northern frontiers where he encountered many hostile bands of these savage giants. Quintinus brought several captured ruebren back to Tynar as trophies of his conquest. Classical records frequently mention the ruebren fighting naked, their hairy, warty hides painted with red dyes.
The ruebren, now more commonly known as ogres, were once plentiful in Frilond, though over the years they have been hunted nearly to extinction. Small, scattered tribes continue to eke out an existence in the Ruckish Hills and on the edge of the Westwoode, raiding ruckish and Pentian settlements alike. Ogres are occasionally hired by the ruck-men as mercenaries.
A typical Frilond ogre stands between 8-1/2 and 9-1/2 feet tall and weighs between 580 and 800 pounds. They stink like curdled milk and wear poorly-cured furs. These primitive creatures have little culture of their own, being too large, stupid, and quarrelsome to organize into units larger than a single tribe. The ruebren have only a smattering of a language, and enjoy their sour beer, heavy barley bread, and roasted flesh of any sort. They are greedy and hoard treasure, and also enjoy gambling, especially dice games.
Pentian scholars have debated whether the ruebren are, like ruck-men, possibly degenerate humans, some distant descendants of Canem and Larith. Or perhaps the ruebren are the legendary nephilim mentioned in scripture, the cursed product of wayward angels and human women. Many of the common folk hold that ogres are actually creatures of Faerie. The PCs themselves had several run-ins with the three ogres Gnorrin, Glorrin, and Glog.
Prince Busirane has hired several of ruebren to serve as shock troops to his army. A typical mercenary ogre wears a leathern jack or even leather armor reinforced with iron plates or studs. Such creatures are usually outfitted with a longspear and a spiked club.
About six years ago Busirane discovered a clutch of inbred ogres even more degenerate that others, which he then brought to the village of Caxbrill as slaves. There he began a long, terrible process of conditioning these monsters using a cruel combination of starvation and torture. Many of the ruebren died during this process, and the few survivors were transformed into effective instruments of war: creatures of terrible strength, almost immune to pain, and driven half mad with fury. These fearsome creatures are known among the ruck-men as the Unshackled, towering naked monsters that lead Busirane’s armies, swinging enormous spiked chains that are a symbol of their former bondage.
These Unshackled were built using an ogre, adding the Half-Troll template from the Fiend Folio, adding levels of barbarian and then 3 more levels of the War Hulk prestige class from the Miniatures Handbook. These brutes also have the Large and in Charge feat from the Draconomicon, which allows an Unshackled to stop and push back opponents within its threatened area.
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Busirane’s Unshackled: male Half-Troll Ogre Bbn 4/War Hulk 3; CR 12; Large Giant; HD 4d8+32 plus 4d12+32 plus 3d12+28; hp 170; Init +2; Spd 50 ft; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 17; BAB +7; Grp +25; Atk +22 melee (2d6+23, +1 large spiked chain); Full Atk +22/+17 melee (2d6+23, +1 large spiked chain) or +21 melee (1d8+15, bite) and +16 melee (1d6+7, 2 claws) or +21/+16 ranged (2d8+15, rock); Space/Reach 10 ft/10 ft (20 ft with chain); SA great swing, mighty rock throwing, rage 2/day, rend 2d6+22; SQ ability boost (Str +6), darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 5, fast movement, no time to think, scent, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; SV Fort +19, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 40, Dex 14, Con 27, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 4.
Skills and Feats: Climb +22, Intimidate +8; Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Large and In Charge, Power Attack.
Possessions: +1 large spiked chain, 170 gp.
Great Swing (Ex): As a full-round action, an Unshackled can choose three squares adjacent to one another (he must threaten all of them). His attack roll applies to all creatures in those squares. Make one attack roll and apply that roll as an attack against each defender. If the Unshackled uses a special attack, this special attack affects only the first target; the other creatures are attacked normally.
Walls and similar obstacles can block a great swing. Start with one square that the Unshackled threatened. Each successive square chosen must be adjacent to the previous square and have line of effect from that square. The Unshackled may skip creatures, attacking only those he wants to. If an Unshackled drops one of his foes with a great swing, he may make a cleave attack normally. However, he may do so only once for every time he swings, even if he drops more than one foe.
Mighty Rock Throwing (Ex): An Unshackled can throw rocks that deal 2d8+15 points of damage with a range increment of 50 feet. The Unshackled uses his Strength modifier instead of his Dexterity modifier on the attack roll. The rock must weigh approximately 50 pounds.
Rage (Ex): While an Unshackled rages, the following changes to his statistics are in effect: (Str 44, Con 31, AC -2, +22 hit points, +2 to all melee attacks and damage, Fort save +22, Will save +6, Climb +24). His fit of rage lasts 13 rounds. At the end of the rage, the Unshackled loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (Str 38, Dex 12, -1 to AC, -1 to all melee attacks and damage, Ref save +4, Climb +21, can't charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter.
Rend (Ex): If an Unshackled hits with two or more claw attacks against the same opponent, it latches on to the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+22 damage.
Fast Healing (Ex): An Unshackled heals 5 points of damage each round so long as he has at least 1 hit point. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation.
Fast Movement (Ex): An Unshackled’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet.
No Time to Think (Ex): An Unshackled is considered to have 0 ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skills. The only exception is the Intimidate skill, which works normally.
Scent (Ex): An Unshackled can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.
Trap Sense (Ex): An Unshackled gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An Unshackled retains his Dexterity bonus to AC even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Physical Description: An Unshackled is a horrible, bestial figure, naked save for dark red paint smeared across its warty hide. An Unshackled’s form is bent and slouching, its body covered with terrible scars, brands, and burn marks. Some are missing ears and others have had one of their eyes gouged out. They have greasy matted hair, wiry limbs, and small, sharp teeth.
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