Villians and Monsters of "Into the Icy Darkness."

[Emperor Valerian]

My players (you know who you are) should stay out. You've been warned about possible spoilage...
































I know that checking out other people's monsters, both here on ENWorld and at the WotC forums, has insipired me a great deal when I was suffering from writers bloc when designing encounters. Now I'd like to post some of my stuff, in hopes that others can be inspired as well.


And for critiques and comments from other gamers as well

They won't be in chronological order... more just whenever I can post them. I'll start first with an evil order of monks that people will soon be facing...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The Order of the Black Rose

Based on the Black Rose Prestige Class based on the WotC Boards

The Order of the Black Rose is a secretive society of assassins based in the Holy Santoric Empire (the large human realm in my campaign world). Typically they recruit only the best of the best, and in the intrigue filled world of Imperal politics, merchant squabbles, and gang wars, they are available for hire to those who know who to talk to. Interestingly, they are also all female.

The Order, while secretive with no official halls or buildings, is highly regimented. Based on experience and takedowns, members are assigned a rank, (from lowest to highest, Initiate, Journeyman, Assassin, Elder, High Elder) centered on the five High Elders based in the five largest cities in the Empire. Training is strict, and initiates and journeymen are expected to have alternate jobs to maintain cover.

The Order in addition emphasizes unarmed combat, with much of their training similar to training one would recieved to join a monastic order, and thus monks are a common base class for order members. Unarmed combat provides the advantages that no weapons need to be smuggled into the "kill zone," decreasing suspicion. In the frequently paternalistic world of the Empire, the fact that the Order's members are women further decreases the chance they will be found.

After this, each member usually develops their own specialties based on their inherent strengths. Someone with a background as a huntress would likely learn archery and how to use poisoned arrows; Someone who has experience with daggers would learn how to slip one in unnoticed, etc. Higher ranking members of the order then assign people to "jobs," based on their skills and the skills required.

The signature calling card of the Order of the Black Rose is indeed a black rose. Those who are Journeymen or higher in the orders ranks are proficient with this innocuous by very deadly weapon. By coating the thorns with a potent poison, and then scratching the intended target with a thorn, an instant kill can many times be achieved. Higher ranking order members frequently have or obtain spells to change their black roses to normal colors, disguising the infamous weapon until the last minute.

Black Rose members also learn how to be adept at taking advantage of their quarry's weaknesses; a lecherous man would be lured to bed where he can be struck down while defenseless, a covetous merchant might find himself lured to a warehouse where he and his retinue might find themselves surrounded and cut down. Every tactic from seduction to bribery is fair game for this formidable order.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

This is one of the High Masters of the Black Rose Order:

High Master Belyia of the Blackrose Order of Irulas Mnk 8/Black Rose Assassin 5/Bard 2, CR 16; Age: 38; Size M (5’6”); Type: Half Fey/Human; HD 7d6+8d8+15 (85 hp); Init +4 (Dex); Sp.50 ft.; AC 22 (+4 Dex, +5 Wis, +2 magical, +1 monk level) ; Attacks: +9/+6 melee (1d10+3 x2); Vision: low light; AL: NE; SV Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +9; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 18, Con 12, Wis 20, Int 14, Cha 22 (24)

Special Qualities: Low Light Vision, Immune to Enchantment Spells and Effects, Unarmed Strike, Stunning Attack, Evasion, Still Mind, Slow Fall (50 ft.) Leap of the Clouds, Wholeness of Body (30 hp per day), Purity of Body, Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge,

Special Attacks: Charm Person at will, mass suggestion 1/day (Caster Level 15... DC 22 (24)),

Skills and Feats: Bluff +21 (22), Diplomacy +18, Intimidate +13, Disguise +11, Escape Artist +10, Forgery +10, Gather Information +12, Hide +14, Jump +8, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Listen +13, Move Silently +12, Perform (vocal) +16, Search +10, Sense Motive +10, Tumble +9, Innuendo +12 ; Deflect Arrows, Improved Trip,Sweet Talker, Improved Disarm, Expertise, Mobility, Dodge

Bard Spells (3/2): 0th level: Prestidigitation, Ghost Sound, Detect Magic, Resistance, Read Magic 1st level: Mage Armor, Cure Light Wounds

Possessions: fine linen dress, blue with silver embroidery (310 gp), golden earrings with diamonds (+2 charisma) (100 gp). Ring of Elemental Resistance, Major (DR 30 on acid, fire, cold, electricity or sonic), Ring of Protection +2, Choker of Eloquence (+5 Bluff, Diplomacy, Innuendo, Perform(vocal) )

Black Rose Assassin Feats: - taken from the prestige class on WotC boards:

Banerose(Su)-1/day, Your rose produces a potent toxin. When you scratch someone with the thorns, They must make a For save(DC15+Blackrose Assassin level) or die.

Deadly Embrace(Su)-1/day, when you embrace someone, they must make a Will save (DC 15+ Blackrose Assassin level) or die.

Scent of Decay(Su)-1/day, your rose produces an inhalant toxin that when inhaled, the victim must make a Will save (DC 15+ Blackrose Assassin level) or take one point of permanent Int, Wis, or Cha drain.

Kiss of Death(Su)-1/hour, when you kiss someone, they are affected by an inflict critical wounds.

Darkrose Servant(Su)-1/week, you can plant your rose. It becomes a NE Treant and is under your command for 1 day. It then dies and becomes a rose again




Belyia was the scion of a union between a charismatic human adventurer and a woodland nymph, north of the city of Irulas. Her mother’s forest was on lands desired by Lord Grudhaldt, a rising baron in the northern part of the Valley. After her mother’s repeated attempts to hold him off, Grudhaldt hired out the Black Roses to get rid of the troublesome nymph and her druidic magic.

The person sent to do this act was none less than Maykilia Hanstol, someone who by age 20 had already achieved assassin’s rank. She dispatched the nymph quickly and painlessly (contrary to the irritated noble’s wishes). However, the noble’s request made no reference to the daughter of the nymph (Grudhaldt did not know then nymph had children... if he had it likely would not have made much difference), and so she took the child, then a mere babe of six months, as her own. Belyia remains to this day unaware of the story of her background, as Lord Grunhaldt died under mysterious circumstances a year later after a squabble with a neighbor...

Maykilia continued her rapid rise through the ranks of the Order, becoming High Master of the Irulas contingent when Belyia was merely 15. All through her adopted mother’s rise, Belyia watched, and learned, proving to be an extraordinary beautiful and talented girl that was wise beyond her years. She had a gifted voice, and naturally adopted this to her planned calling in life. Her cover became being a singing bard in the taverns and inns of the large city. Her fey ancestry also blessed her with spell like abilities, which she quickly harnessed to her advantage.

During her performances, she would frequently sing normally for some time, lulling her target into a feeling of security or something more (many times she promised to meet her male targets in a room upstairs after the show, which usually kept them rooted in their seats nicely). Using her Mass Suggestion she would then incite the crowd to violence... nothing more than a standard barfight. In the melee, she would dart off stage towards her target, asking him (it was usually a him) to defend her before scrapping him with the rose. The authorities would discover a dead body, with only a small scratch (and likley many bruises or perhaps even broken bones from patrons fighting and falling on it). None of her attacks were linked to her, and all were attributed to the massive brawl swirling in the room. By the time she was 15, she was already accompanying other assassins on missions, and was made an elder in the Irulas branch by age 25.

When she was 28, her mother was betrayed and murdered by another elder in the Irulas branch, named Denoria Faustus. Denoria was attempting to set herself and her small cabal up to become the next High Master, until Beylia spoiled her plans by sending a crossbow bolt through Denoria’s skull. Beylia quickly rallied most of the Irulas order around herself, and proceeded to quickly and quietly purge the rest of Denoria’s followers.

She has been the undisputed head of the Irulas branch for 10 years now. Evert plan she has reviewed personally has succeeded, many times wildly, and gold and favors continue to line the coffers of the Order under her watch. However, word of her skill has spread through underground circles to the most unlikely or sources, which has now come forward to her with a very specific job in mind...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The following resulted in one of the most interesting combats for my PCs. I had been planning for a while to send an assassin of some kind against them. Considering they were up against the Abyss, at first I considered sending a succubus against them. Then I decided that would be too... boring.

So I put together my little friend Arandul, who uses her sorcerer spells to lure unwary victims to not being as heavily armed and armored, before using her caustic claws and blood to burn them to shreds.

The encounter was even more interesting as the PCs had just returned from a banquet with the local noble... none save the bard and the NPC fighter (another noble) had their regular weapons with them... all the rest had daggers at best.

Arandul took the form of a PC love interest, trying to lure her target upstairs. Another PC remembered the love interested had gone into the tavern kitchen, and went back there to check... the love interest was still there, and the other PCs (the target was very willing and starting to already go upstairs) put two and two together. The resulting combat was short and vicious, as the bard used numerous vivified sonic darts to take Arandul down. Nonetheless, she was a fun toy while she lasted.

Arandul (Quth-Maren): Quth-Maren Sorc 4 CR 12; Medium undead; hp 75; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+1 glamered leather), touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +7; Grp +10; Atk +11 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d6 acid, slam, 1d6+3 plus 1d6 acid, bite); Full Atk +11 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d6 acid, 2 slams, 1 bite); SA caustic blood, command undead, horrifying gaze, spit blood; SQ darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 4, immunity to acid, resistance to electricity 15 and fire 15, turn resistance +2, undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +9; Str 16, Dex 13, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15.

Skills and Feats: Climb +16, Hide +18, Listen +14, Move Silently +18, Search +8, Spot +14, Concentration +7, Knowledge (arcane) +3, Spellcraft +9, Disguise +5; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam), Summon Familiar, Spell Focus (Transmutation).

Spells Known: Level 0: (6 times per day, 1 action to cast):
-Ray of Frost (1d3 cold damage, range 35 feet, 1 action to cast)
-Resistance (+1 bonus on saves, duration 1 minute, 1 action to cast)
Detect Magic
-Ghost Sound (illusion, Range 35 feet, duration 4 rouns, DC 14 Will negates, 1 action to cast)
-Daze (enchantment, Range: 35 feet, Duration 1 round, DC 14 Will negates, 1 action to cast)
- Flare (evocation, Range 35 feet, Duration 1 minute, DC 14 Fort negates, 1 action to cast);

Level 1: (6 times per day)
-Mage Armor (+4 to AC, duration 4 hours)
-True Strike (duration: 1 round, next single attack roll gains +20 attack bonus, 1 action to cast)
-Mirror Image (illusion, duration 4 minutes, creates 1d4+1 images, AC Figment = 15, 1 action to cast)

Level 2:
-alter self (transmutation, +12 to disguise rolls, duration of 40 minutes, can be cast 3 times/day, 1 action to cast)

SPECIAL QUALITIES
Caustic Blood (Ex): Any target hit by the quth-maren's slam attack also takes 1d6 points of acid damage from the creature's caustic blood. Opponents that strike a quth-maren with natural weapons or unarmed attacks also take this acid damage.

Command Undead (Su): A quth-maren commands undead as a 5th-level evil cleric. It cannot rebuke undead, but it can dispel turning or bolster other undead.

Horrifying Gaze (Su): Any living creature within 30 feet of the quth-maren that meets its deathless gaze must succeed at a DC 17 Will save or cower in fear. Cowering creatures lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class and can take no actions. While cowering, a creature takes a -2 penalty to AC and loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to AC.

Spit Blood (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, a quth-maren can, as a standard action, spit a glob of its caustic blood as a splash weapon. The quth-maren must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit its target. This attack has range increment of 10 feet and has five range increments. The glob deals 2d6 points of acid damage on a direct hit and 2 points of acid damage to all creatures within 5 feet of where it lands.

Fast Healing (Ex): A quth-maren regains 4 hp per round as long as it has at least 1 hp.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A quth-maren is treated as a 12-HD undead for the purpose of turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempts.

Undead Traits: A quth-maren is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if it is willing. Darkvision 60 ft.

Skills: Quth-marens have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Spot checks.


Description: A quth-maren appears in the overall form it had in life, but without its skin -- just muscles and ligaments attached to its moist skeleton. Arandul is a special quth-maren, as she has gained from her mistress knowledge of the magic arts. She uses these to diguise her appearance, often appearing as a buxom, harmless young woman to disarm her targets before she strikes.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Sorry for the long hiatus. Here's another set of stats for some villains I used. These were the assassins that attempted to kill Princess Zoe, Siabrey, and Lucius.

They are tabaxi... basically a hybrid of cat and human. Their deadliness comes from the three monks in the group, who use their unarmed fighting style to great effect... especially when coupled with their clawing and raking abilities.

In this case, the five attacked out of an obscuring mist set up by their assassin employer... so by the time the PCs saw them, the monks were leaping upon them.



TIGER’S CLAW ASSASSIN TEAM 2 fighters, 3 monks

Fighter/Rogue Tabaxi, N, Tien Shi (Ak Konylu God of Chaos), Ini +3, AC 18 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +4 +1 studded leather) Attacks: 2 Claws +5 (1d4 +1 ea. ), Bite +0 (1d3 +1), +1 Repeating Heavy Crossbow +6 ranged (1d12 +2), Kukri of Crippling + 3(1d4+2 18-20/x2), Special Attacks: Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d3+1; Special Qualities: Scent, Darkvision 60 ft.; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +4; Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Balance +11, Hide +14, Listen +5, Move Silently +14, Spot +10, Swim +4; Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite, claw), Expertise, Far Shot


Monk/Rogue Tabaxi, N, Tien Shi; Ini+3, AC 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural); Attacks: 2 Claws +5 (1d4 +1 plus 1d6 ea.), Bite +0 (1d3+1); Special Attacks: Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d3+1; Special Qualities: Scent, Darkvision 60 ft.;Saves: Fort +3, Ref +12, Will+6; Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Balance +11, Hide +14, Listen +5, Move Silently +14, Spot +10, Swim +4; Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite, claw), Expertise, Lightning Reflexes

Pounce (Ex): If a tabaxi leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it
can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the tabaxi must hit with a claw
attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A tabaxi that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+5 melee)
with its hind legs for 1d3+1 damage each. Tiger’s Claw Monks get 1d3+1 plus 1d6 damage each. If the tabaxi pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.


The Tiger’s Claw represent the elite of the famous assassin squads from Ak Konylu. They do not understand, nor do they ask, why they have been to Irulas to kill Princess Zoe. They merely obey their master, until the deed is done and they have collected their fee.

Their usual method of assault involves the two fighters, Kaldin and Kalman, firing at the target from long range with their crossbows, as the group’s monks charge in to slash the target apart. Capable of moving silently, and with enough strength to drag away and hide bodies, the Tiger’s Claw has earned through blood their reputation as the elite.