TEXT: ®
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  By Monte Cook and Mike Mearls
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  ®
  LEGACY OF THE
  DRAGONS
  A d20 System Bestiary for Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed
  
  Table of Contents
  Legacy of the Dragons
  2
  Introduction: DRAGONS OF THE DIAMOND THRONE
  Using This Book...................................................4
  Part One: MONSTERS OF THE DIAMOND THRONE
  Akashic Seeker ....................................................6
  Arachtar ...............................................................8
  Arathad ................................................................11
  Arboreal Corrupter..........................................14
  Corrupted Tree ..................................................................15
  Balthrok .............................................................16
  Balthrok Elders.................................................................17
  Blade Breaker.....................................................18
  Blade Breaker Servants....................................................19
  Blade Troll........................................................20
  Blade Troll Body Modifications ....................................21
  Blade Troll Lair ................................................................22
  Bog Salamander ................................................24
  Bone Viper ..........................................................26
  Bone Viper Egg Bearer Template....................................26
  Briar Beast .........................................................28
  Chlorthek..........................................................30
  The Chlorthek Curse........................................................31
  Crested Serpent ................................................32
  Armor and Weapons..........................................................33
  Darval..................................................................34
  Dothrog..............................................................36
  Trained Dothrogs .............................................................37
  Dread Helminth ................................................38
  Elemental Scion Template..............................40
  Faradian..............................................................42
  Ghoul Worm ......................................................44
  Blood Rot ...........................................................................45
  Grynloc ..............................................................46
  Charm Sets.........................................................................48
  New Feat: Create Charm Set..............................................49
  New Magic Item: Three Spectrum Crystal........................49
  Hate Reaper........................................................50
  Hate Reapers and Alchemy..............................................50
  Hypnolox ............................................................52
  Hypnolox Habits and Plans .............................................53
  Kahrn...................................................................54
  Kahrn Larvae......................................................................55
  Lasher Beast.......................................................56
  Lasher Beast Poisons........................................................57
  Lasher Beast Antidote......................................................57
  Lastrogos (Spirit Devourer)...........................58
  Lastrogos Lair...................................................................59
  Mud Slime..........................................................60
  Capturing and Using a Mud Slime..................................61
  Navver’s Curse...................................................62
  Night Beast ........................................................64
  Oathstalker.......................................................66
  New Spell: Call Oathstalker..............................................67
  Qualleg ..............................................................68
  Qualleg Outcasts.............................................................70
  Qualleg Settlement..........................................................71
  Rock Ape..............................................................72
  Advanced Rock Ape............................................................73
  Rune Animal Template ......................................74
  Rune Manifest ...................................................76
  Minor ..................................................................................76
  Arcane.................................................................................78
  Battle..................................................................................80
  Disease................................................................................82
  Terror .................................................................................84
  Rune Reaver .......................................................86
  Shuyarn ..............................................................88
  Slaughterfiend ................................................90
  Slaughterfiend Spines.....................................................91
  Spelleater ..........................................................92
  Spined Grappler.................................................94
  The March of the Horde .................................................94
  Armor and Shields ...........................................................95
  Spirit of Sorrow ...............................................96
  New Alchemical Substance: Tears of Loss.............................97
  Squamous Lir.....................................................98
  New Spell: Stone Shield .....................................................99
  Staj ....................................................................100
  Terrig ................................................................102
  Tingual..............................................................104
  Totem Spectre Template.................................106
  Urgan’s Minion................................................108
  Valkith (Harrid Hound)..................................110
  Map: Harrid Tower Guarded by Valkith .......................110
  Vallorian ...........................................................112
  Vallorian Realms..............................................................113
  Living Weapons and Armor.............................................114
  New Feat: Craft Living Arms and Armor.........................114
  Weapon Templates............................................................114
  Armor Templates ..............................................................115
  Shield Templates ..............................................................115
  Vuldrog .............................................................116
  Wind Lord..........................................................118
  Witchraven.......................................................120
  Master Witchravens.......................................................120
  New Feat: Call Witchraven ...............................................121
  Zetetic...............................................................122
  Part Two: CHARACTERS OF THE DIAMOND THRONE
  Aarach….................................................................125
  Abalan the Wayward Spy.....................................126
  Algar the Gifting Minstrel...............................128
  Bova Tel-Bera .......................................................130
  Briessec-Cur.........................................................132
  Chloris The Bloody Claw...................................134
  Cralla the Dirgewife..........................................136
  Daelan Bitterslice...............................................137
  Denassa The Midnight Vesper ...........................138
  Domagoth the Dominator ................................140
  Kelberen ...............................................................142
  Marvalontal.........................................................144
  Paushen Pugwhistle............................................145
  Veirid Runechaser ..............................................148
  Vo-Tarran..............................................................150
  Appendix: ADDITIONAL RULES AND REFERENCE
  Conversion Issues...........................................152
  Races ..................................................................................152
  Classes...............................................................................152
  Skills..................................................................................152
  Feats...................................................................................152
  Equipment .........................................................................153
  Magic..................................................................................153
  Spells .................................................................................153
  Referenced Feats.................................................154
  Monsters and Characters by CR.......................158
  Open Game License..............................................159
  
  Introduction 3
  Dragons of the Diamond Throne
  “As true as the sun rules the day,these beasts before us were wrought by the demon-seeded dramojh,themselves the scions of the dragons
  that once ruled these fair lands.As true as the moon rules the night,then,these creatures that walk the earth,take wing in the sky
  or crawl the ground on snakelike bellies—they are all the legacy of the dragons.”
  —Day’s Long Lament,Chapter XI,Colranith
  T
  he area now called the Lands of the Diamond Throne
  has known many names: the realm, Terrakal, and, ear-
  liest of all, the Land of the Dragons. In those ancient
  days, it is said, the dragons ruled supreme, and the sky was
  dark with their wings. These dragons were rivals of the
  giants across the sea to the east.
  The dragons were of many species, each belonging to one
  of two categories. There were the chromatic dragons, known
  for their selfishness and cruelty, and there were the nobler
  metallic dragons. Despite their various natures, the dragons
  lived in relative harmony with each other. A conclave of the
  greatest and oldest dragons ruled over their brethren, set-
  tling disputes regarding territory and other matters. At the
  head of the conclave was the demigod Erixalimar, the great-
  est of the dragons. No dragon could think to disobey his rul-
  ings or edicts. No dragon would ever dare challenge him.
  Centuries passed in this fashion. It seemed that the drag-
  on age would never come to an end.
  Then one fateful day, after decades of parleying with the
  giants, Erixalimar finally created a treaty that would keep
  giants to the east and dragons to the west forevermore.
  Afterward, the great dragon felt the need to get away, not
  only from giantish emissaries, but from his fellow dragons as
  well. He decided to fly farther west to discover what lay in
  that uncharted region.
  The chromatic dragons saw Erixalimar’s absence as an
  opportunity to further their own agendas. They made a bid
  to take control of the dragon conclave. They failed, and what
  resulted was a cataclysmic war between the two dragon
  camps. The Land of the Dragons erupted in bitter conflict
  that threatened to destroy it. The conclave continued to
  attempt to sow peace, but it repeatedly failed.
  Then a dragon named Nithogar rose to prominence and
  joined the conclave. Some records say Nithogar was a black
  dragon, while others claim a red. A few suggest that he might
  have even been a copper or gold, although as dragons are
  understood today, that is difficult to believe. In any event,
  Nithogar dipped his claws into other realms and worlds as
  easily as a man might dip his hands into different pools of
  water. He spent his days, his years, his centuries, plying oth-
  erworldly spaces to see what he could find. Although it is
  certain that he found many things, his most famous discov-
  ery was something called the tenebrian seeds. Most likely,
  the dragon encountered them hidden away in some hellish
  netherworld or locked within a prison plane or vault dimen-
  sion. In any event, he brought the tenebrian seeds to this
  world to study them.
  If only the dragons had not been embroiled in a civil war.
  If only Erixalimar had been there when Nithogar presented
  the tenebrian seeds to the conclave. But alas, they were, and
  he was not.
  Nithogar interested some of his chromatic brethren in the
  tenebrian seeds, for any dragon could see they were objects
  of great potential power and magic. Dragon eyes are keen in
  that way—power is like a color or shape to them, as visible
  and tangible as anything else they might see.
  Nithogar and his fellows discovered that they could
  implant portions of their own draconic essence within the
  tenebrian seeds. Although many of the conclave advised
  against it, Nithogar and several others experimented with a
  few of the seeds, infusing them with their “dragon-ness.”
  Soon thereafter, something emerged from the seeds.
  The dramojh were born.
  Part dragon and part otherworldly creature,the dramojh—
  meaning “dragon scions”—fascinated the conclave. They
  found the dramojh, like dragons, to be quick studies with a
  real aptitude for magic. They taught their creations what
  they knew, and still the dramojh hungered for more.
  Moreover, the dragons sensed the dramojh’s thirst for battle
  and death-dealing,a thirst far beyond that of even the darkest-
  hearted dragon. These dramojh, they thought, would make
  excellent warriors. Without the metallics’ knowledge, the
  chromatics created more of the creatures. Soon there were
  thousands of these terrible demon-dragons.
  The dramojh horde, wielding destructive and corrupt
  spells, washed over the already battle-weary metallic drag-
  ons. Though the dragons held out for years, it became clear
  that soon every last one of them would be dead.
  But then Erixalimar returned. He found his homeland in
  flames,befouled dragon half-breeds slaying his folk.The great
  dragon brought peace to all dragonkind, but the dramojh
  would not be quelled. Knowing that the age of the dragon
  had ended, Erixalimar called upon nondraconic gods—the
  Lords of the Denotholan—to aid him in exterminating the
  dramojh. In return for their help, he promised them the
  dragons would leave their land and travel to the Unknown
  West, where Erixalimar had spent these last many years. An
  agreement was reached, and the cooperative efforts of the
  gods wiped the dramojh from the world. Erixalimar kept his
  word and led his people away. Only a few stragglers
  
  remained, hidden away in caves, in distant palaces, or deep
  under the earth.
  As they left, Erixalimar declared that, when the ancient
  treaties came to an end, he and his people would return to
  reclaim their lands.
  Humans, litorians, verrik, and faen came to the realm and
  called it Terrakal. There, they prospered for centuries, but
  without warning, the dramojh returned. Not even the most
  learned sage or accustomed akashic knows how these crea-
  tures survived the divine purge, but there was no denying
  that they were back. They conquered the lands and mastered
  them for a millennium. During this terrible age, they created
  many horrible creatures—most of them cross-breeds like
  themselves. These, the legacy of the dramojh, live on today,
  even though the dramojh were eliminated with the help of
  the giants over 300 years ago. Yet, as the dramojh were
  themselves created by the dragons, many people today refer
  to the monsters of the land as the Legacy of the Dragons.
  And the dragons themselves? Well, they are so rare in the
  Lands of the Diamond Throne that few can claim to have
  ever seen one or even to know someone who has seen one.
  Those that remain have lived in seclusion for so long that
  each has become entirely a unique individual with its own
  special powers, spells, abilities, and appearance. Color no
  longer seems a meaningful category to describe their charac-
  teristics. It’s no longer even a safe bet that color can predict
  the dragon’s type of dangerous breath. One thing that is
  sure—there are very few metallics left. In fact, most people
  no longer even believe they ever existed.
  Using This Book
  Legacy of the Dragons is a bestiary for use with Monte Cook’s
  Arcana Unearthed and all d20 System products.Part One fea-
  tures 50 new monsters and Part Two includes 15 new nonplayer
  characters (NPCs).These creatures and characters are tailored
  for the Diamond Throne setting,but special care was taken to
  ensure that each one would fill a niche in a traditional d20 fan-
  tasy setting as well.Damage reduction and space/reach stats are
  provided for both the 3.5 and 3.0 versions of the game.The
  Appendix offers conversion assistance for those who do not
  own Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed,mostly offering feats and
  alternatives for spells not contained in the Player’s Handbook.
  Throughout this book, a dagger (†) indicates a feat, spell,
  or magic item introduced in this book. Otherwise, Legacy of
  the Dragons refers to spells, feats, and other rules presented
  in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed and the three Core
  Rulebooks:the Player’s Handbook, DMG, and MM.
  Spell-Like Abilities:In many instances of spell-like abili-
  ties, creatures are described as casting spells as a magister,
  mage blade, or witch. This notation is only for purposes of
  determining the ability score modifier and the spells’ save
  DC. Creatures do not need staves, athames, or witchbags to
  use spell-like abilities.
  Bonus source material and ideas to augment the information
  in this book appear on Monte Cook’s website.Find the links to
  these free web enhancements at the book’s product page online
  at the following address:<www.arcanaunearthed.com>.
  This sourcebook is protected content, except for items
  specifically called out as Open Game Content on the title
  page. For full details, please turn to the Open Game License
  in the Appendix. Open content is not otherwise marked in
  the text of this book.
  Legacy of the Dragons 
  4
  About the Authors
  Monte Cook started working professionally in the game industry in 1988.
  In the employ of Iron Crown Enterprises, he worked on the Rolemaster and
  Champions games as an editor, developer, and designer. In 1994 Monte came
  to TSR as a game designer. As a senior game designer with Wizards of the
  Coast, he codesigned the new edition of Dungeons & Dragons, authored the
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, and designed the Book of Vile Darkness and the
  d20 version of Call of Cthulhu. For WizKids Games, he designed the HeroClix
  system of superhero combat. A graduate of the Clarion West writer’s
  workshop, Monte also has published short stories and two novels. 
  In his spare time he runs games, builds vast dioramas out of LEGO
  building bricks, paints miniatures, and reads a lot of comics.
  Mike Mearls has worked as a freelance roleplaying game designer since
  1999. The most prolific writer in the business, his ability to maintain a high
  volume of work without compromising on quality has won him a place on
  many gamers’ lists of favorite designers. Buoyed by positive reaction to his
  first d20 works, he went on to produce a variety of material for the leading
  RPG publishers, including AEG, Atlas Games, Decipher, Fantasy Flight, Fiery
  Dragon, Goodman Games, Mongoose Publishing, Necromancer Games, and
  others. His work can be found in Dragon® Magazine on a regular basis.
  About the Illustrators
  If you like d20 System products, chances are you’ve run across the creative
  work of writer, illustrator, and cartographer Ed Bourelle before. His artwork
  and maps have appeared in products from Bastion Press, Fantasy Flight
  Games, Mystic Eye Games, Sovereign Press, Sword & Sorcery, and more.
  Learn about him at his website <www.skeletonkeygames.com>.
  Born 1972 in Leeds, England, Kev Crossley learned early on that a monster
  lived in the abandoned house three doors down the street—after that, he saw
  monsters everywhere. He drew monsters all the way through school, then
  went to art college and university, where he was told not to draw them
  anymore. After getting a job in computer games, however, people 
  started asking him to draw monsters for money. Moral? 
  Art college and university were a waste of time.
  Jennifer Meyer, sometimes considered a wanderer, currently resides in
  Massachusetts. Her Malhavoc Press work has appeared in Monte Cook’s
  Arcana Unearthed and The Diamond Throne. You can also see her work in
  books from Green Ronin, Sovereign Press, and Goodman Games. Check out
  her online portfolio <http://home.earthlink.net/~tabykat/main.html>. 
  Years ago, Tyler Walpole spent a good deal of time in school being scolded by
  his teachers for drawing when he should have been paying attention in class.
  Today, many of those same teachers are happy that the self-taught 27-year-old
  is able to pursue his illustration career full time. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa,
  with his wife Petra and son Keegan and co-owns a comic book store.
  Artist Sam Wood, a Seattle-based illustrator, works primarily in the roleplay-
  ing and electronic game industries. While a staff artist at Wizards of the Coast,
  Sam illustrated Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and
  many other games. In addition to Malhavoc Press, he's worked for 
  a wide range of companies, from Green Ronin to Microsoft. 
  Malhavoc Press
  Malhavoc Press is Monte’s game imprint devoted to the publication
  of unusual magic, monsters, and evocative game elements that go beyond
  traditional fantasy. Malhavoc Press products exhibit the mastery of the
  3rd Edition rules that only one of its original designers can offer. Coming soon
  from Malhavoc Press, look for Book of Hallowed Might II: Portents and
  Visions. Most current titles are available to purchase in either print or
  electronic (PDF) format at <www.montecook.com>.
  
  PART ONE:
  MONSTERS
  OF THE
  DIAMOND
  THRONE 
  
  Akashic Seeker
  Large Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp), dying/dead –3/–15
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 20 (–1 size, +3 Dexterity, +8 natural), touch 12,
  flat-footed 17
  Base Attack/Grapple:+6/+13
  Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d6+3)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+3), bite +6 melee 
  1d8+1 plus memory damage)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Memory damage, improved grab, pounce,
  rake 1d6+3
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision, akashic tracking
  Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 19
  Skills: Listen +6, Search +14, Sneak +11, Spot +10 
  Feats:Iron Will,Light Sleeper,Multiattack*,Skill Focus (Spot)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary or Pack (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:7–12 HD (Large); 13–18 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:+3
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  The akashic memory pervades the world and its people.
  Sometimes it seeps into certain areas in greater amounts,con-
  gealing into akashic nodes. Born of these nodes, the akashic
  seeker is a terrible catlike beast that feeds on memory and
  guards akashic nodes like another creature might watch over a
  favored watering hole.This quadruped might look like a huge
  wolf or dog from a distance,but up close its grotesquely large
  head and mouth betray its strange and dangerous nature.
  “Creatures born to evil,” the akashic Neverad Nosk terms
  them, but his opinion seems biased. Akashics have a particu-
  lar hatred of these beasts, for obvious reasons. Seekers drain
  memories by tapping into another creature’s link with the
  akashic memory. They also make exploring nodes extremely
  hazardous. They favor remote and forgotten nodes, such as
  those in the Vnaxian ruins in the Southern Wastes of
  Zalavat. Tales of their attacks against explorers looking for a
  node are grisly and meant to terrify would-be adventurers.
  Nevertheless, the tales speak the truth. A pack of akashic
  seekers can end an expedition into a ruined city very quickly.
  Akashic seekers can see the akashic memory in a way that
  only the most learned akashic could begin to understand.
  They use this sight to find akashic nodes and to track specif-
  ic creatures as they pass through the world and into akashic
  memory. Because of the way this ability works, they can track
  only a creature who is being perceived (and thus entering the
  akashic memory). This does not include a creature’s percep-
  tion of itself—the seeker tracks a subject using only the
  memories of others. This ability leads some powerful indi-
  viduals to desire the seekers as allies. The belligerent crea-
  tures rarely show any desire to work with others, though,
  and cannot be bribed with food or treasure. A few successful-
  ly petition an akashic seeker with promises of a plentiful
  supply of its desired prey: akashics of any race.
  Akashic seekers despise dream hunters (see Chapter Four
  in The Diamond Throne) and attack them on sight. Even
  though they are most known for haunting the ruins in
  Zalavat, they have been encountered in almost every clime
  and terrain—but almost always in or near an akashic node.
  Seekers make their lairs in caves, gullies, or ruins. Seekers
  with lairs attract mates—a pair usually has a litter of three to
  six cubs, which mature in about a year. Aggressive and can-
  tankerous, akashic seekers often fight among themselves.
  Only a strong pack leader can keep a pack in line.
  Akashic seekers measure 6 feet high at the shoulder and
  about 8 feet long. Their tough hides bear a strange mixture
  of dark blue scales and white fur, and their eyes are a pierc-
  ing reddish brown. The creature’s broad mouth is filled with
  curved, hooklike teeth meant more for holding prey than for
  killing. An akashic seeker does not digest slain foes, so its
  lair may well contain decaying corpses of varying ages (and
  whatever equipment they carried).
  Akashic seekers are always Unbound.
  Combat
  These creatures are always in a bad mood, ever spoiling for a
  fight. The akashic seeker pounces on foes when it can, usual-
  ly from surprise. It often does not attack to kill, however—or
  at least, not kill quickly. The longer its prey lives, the more
  memories it can drain. Its ideal attack involves grabbing its
  wounded prey in its jaws, where it dies a slow death.
  Memory Damage (Su): Foes bitten by the akashic seeker
  must make a Will saving throw (DC 18) or lose a small part of
  their memories. Characters drained of memories suffer a –1
  competence penalty on all skill checks, as well as 1 point of
  temporary Intelligence damage as they forget what they once
  knew.They also lose one prepared spell (if they prepare spells),
  starting with the highest-level spell prepared.Each time they
  suffer memory damage,they take another point of Intelligence
  damage, suffer an additional –1 penalty on skill checks (the
  penalties stack), and lose another spell. Once a character
  suffers damage from this attack equal to half his Intelligence
  score, he loses use of all his feats (where applicable).
  Legacy of the Dragons
  6
  
  The skill check penalty diminishes as the victim regains
  Intelligence points. The save DC is Charisma based.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an akashic seeker
  must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a
  grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of
  opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold
  and can inflict automatic bite damage and memory damage
  on subsequent rounds. Due to its hooked teeth, the seeker
  gains a +2 competence bonus to offensive grapple checks.
  Pounce (Ex):If an akashic seeker charges a foe, it can
  make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
  Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +8 melee, damage 1d6+3
  Akashic Tracking (Su):With a successful Charisma check
  (DC 15), a seeker can tap into the akashic memory and learn
  the location of any creature of which it is aware. This ability
  allows the seeker to track invisible or even ethereal foes if it
  is aware of them, as long as their location is known to some-
  one. Akashic tracking also helps the creature find hiding
  foes, a hated enemy, or prey that has fled.
  Akashic Seeker Encounter (EL 8)
  Three akashic seekers hunt in a pack near the site of a long-
  forgotten city. All remnants of the city have vanished, but an
  akashic node remains there, and thus the seekers do as well.
  Two of the pack members are a mated pair with a litter of
  young hidden in their lair, a small cave near a river. The pack
  used to be larger, but some adventurers recently came to the
  site looking for the node and slew four of them. The pack
  finished off the adventurers, however, and draped their
  corpses across a large rock in the center of the node.
  Enter the player characters. Passing through the area on
  their way somewhere else, they find the grisly remains of the
  dead explorers. Whether they investigate or simply loot the
  bodies, it doesn’t matter. It’s a trap. While the PCs are dis-
  tracted, the akashic seekers move in to attack. They’ve devel-
  oped a real hatred for humanoid adventurers, due to their
  recent experiences and cantankerous nature, and are looking
  to kill more. If either of the mated pair suffers more than
  half its hit points in damage, however, both retreat to their
  lair; the third belligerently fights to the death. If the PCs fol-
  low them, they fight to the death protecting their cubs. If the
  characters do not follow the seekers, the creatures wait and
  heal their wounds—perhaps even a few months—and then
  track down at least one of the PCs. The pair brings along two
  to four of the newly matured young (all of whom suffer a –1
  hit point penalty per Hit Die and a –1 penalty to attack and
  damage rolls due to their age, but otherwise they act as fully
  grown individuals).
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 7
  
  Arachtar
  Medium Aberration
  Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 hp), dying/dead –3/–15
  Initiative: +7 
  Speed: 40 feet, climb 30 feet
  AC: 19 (+3 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+8
  Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+2 plus poison) or web +9 ranged 
  (as net)
  Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+2 plus poison) and 6 claws 
  +6 (1d6+1); or web +9/+4 ranged (as net)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Animate webs,grasping tendrils,poison,web
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, paralyzing fear,
  pleasing visage, voice of calm, web sense
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 14
  Skills: Bluff +9, Climb* +16, Concentration +9, Disguise +9,
  Spot +8, Tumble +11
  Feats: Defensive Move, Improved Initiative, Multiattack**,
  Opportunist
  Environment: Temperate forest or any urban
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 6
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +3
  ** Denotes a feat from the MM.
  The cunning, murderous arachtar are a bizarre fusion of
  humans and spiders. They use a variety of illusions to hide
  within settlements, spying on their potential victims before
  closing in for the kill.
  Arachtar have the forequarters of a humanoid and the rear
  body of a bloated spider. Eight slender, nimble legs radiate
  from their rear bodies, while six clawed arms extend from
  their humanoid torsos. Arachtar have deep blue skin, wide,
  red eyes, and vicious, fanged mouths. Chitinous plates cover
  their torsos and lower bodies, while their underbellies are
  dotted with tiny spinnerets.
  Their cunning intellect and spiteful hatred of all
  humanoid life combine to make arachtar feared oppo-
  nents. They use their psionic talents to hide within cities
  and towns, usually selecting an isolated, abandoned
  building, a dry well, or a section of the sewers as a lair.
  Their illusions allow them to mask their true nature while
  luring victims into their clutches. Even when their decep-
  tion is sundered, they remain fearsome opponents. They
  share a psychic bond with their webbing, allowing them
  to control its motion and command it to struggle against
  intruders.
  The arachtar share a loose bond, and these creatures
  sometimes work together to terrorize larger settlements. For
  all their psionic abilities and cunning, arachtar are at their
  core paranoid. The racial hatred they harbor toward
  humanoids is rooted in an irrational fear of such creatures.
  An arachtar concealed within a city may take joy in the hunt,
  but when not actively stalking prey it spends hours in a con-
  stant state of fear. The prospect of discovery and death
  haunts these creatures, pushing them to prepare for either
  eventuality. They form informal networks for safety and sup-
  port, allowing a hard-pressed arachtar to flee its current lair
  and seek temporary shelter with its kind. They take care to
  establish hidden supply caches, bolt-holes, and other
  resources that could prove useful after a defeat.
  Arachtar speak Common and have a secret sign language
  of their own that consists of elaborate hand and leg
  motions.
  Combat
  Arachtar loathe combat, for if they must resort to physical
  violence their deceptions have failed them. They prefer to flee
  if intruders have compromised their lair, but when cornered
  they can put up a fierce resistance. They usually try to lure
  opponents into their webs, using their psionic gifts to trap
  and smother their foes. Most arachtar spin webs embedded
  with rocks and dirt on the roofs and walls of their domains.
  Many who venture into an arachtar lair fail to notice these
  hidden webs until it is too late.
  * Skills (Ex): Arachtar gain a +8 racial bonus to all Climb
  checks.
  Animate Webs (Su): An arachtar enjoys a psychic bond
  with the webs it spins, causing them to animate and attack
  its foes. As a standard action, an arachtar can animate a sec-
  tion of webbing that is at least 5 feet by 5 feet and cause it
  to attack. The webbing fights with the arachtar’s unmodi-
  fied base attack bonus, which is +6 for a standard arachtar,
  and deals 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage with a bash
  attack. The webbing has a reach of 5 feet, and it attacks
  once per round. It has a speed of 10 feet and can climb
  through webbing at a speed of 10 feet. An arachtar can ani-
  mate up to four blobs of webbing at once. Once given
  motion, a section of webbing fights until it takes 14 points
  of damage. The web has an AC of 10. It lacks an Intelligence
  score, and its other ability scores are 10. The webbing can
  see and hear as normal, but it lacks the intelligence to do
  anything other than attack.
  Grasping Tendrils (Su): This variation on the arachtar’s
  animate webs ability allows it to fling sticky tentacles from
  its web sheets at foes. As a standard action, an arachtar can
  cause a 5-foot-by-5-foot sheet of webbing that it has spun
  to burst into a horde of tentacles. This ability functions as 
  an arachtar’s ranged web attack, but the target loses his
  Legacy of the Dragons
  8
  
  Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, as the webbing strikes from
  an unexpected direction.
  Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial damage 1d4
  Dexterity, secondary damage 1d4 Dexterity
  Web (Ex): A single strand of arachtar webbing is strong
  enough to support the arachtar and one creature of up to
  Large size. An arachtar can throw a web eight times per day.
  This attack is similar to an attack with a net but has a maxi-
  mum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet,
  and is effective against targets of up to one size category
  larger than the arachtar. An entangled creature can escape
  with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 17) or burst it
  with a Strength check (DC 21). Both are standard actions.
  The check DCs are Constitution based. Both Difficulty
  Classes are increased by 4 because of the creature’s animate
  webs ability, as its sticky tendrils grasp and pull at charac-
  ters. The Strength check DC includes a further 4-point
  increase as a racial bonus.
  An arachtar can create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to
  60 feet square, depending on the size and layout of its lair.
  Approaching creatures must succeed at a Spot check (DC
  20) to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and
  become trapped as though by a successful web attack.
  Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 9
  
  the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while
  pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14 hit points, and sheet
  webs have damage reduction 5/—.
  Any creature trapped within an arachtar’s web takes 1d6
  points of damage per round as the webbing crushes and
  squeezes it. This damage continues for as long as the
  arachtar lives. Any creature hit by the arachtar’s ranged web
  attack or caught within its sheets takes this damage.
  An arachtar can move across its own web at its climb
  speed.
  Paralyzing Fear (Ex): Arachtar are notoriously paranoid
  and fearful of humanoids unless they have such creatures at
  a disadvantage. If an armed humanoid or giant who is free 
  of the monster’s webs makes an Intimidate check (DC 20)
  against an arachtar, the beast suffers a –1 morale penalty to
  attack rolls and saves for the remainder of the encounter. An
  arachtar’s opponent can attempt one Intimidate check
  against it per encounter. If the first attempt fails to unnerve
  it, it maintains its composure.
  Pleasing Visage (Su): Arachtar have the inherent ability to
  cloak themselves in illusions. This counts as sorcerous guise
  cast by a 12th-level magister with the psionic template.
  Arachtar can use this ability at will.
  Voice of Calm (Su): When cloaked in their magical dis-
  guises, arachtar draw upon their psionic abilities to cloak
  their natural fear and apprehension when dealing with
  humanoids. They can cast glamour as a 12th-level magister
  with the psionic template. Arachtar can use this ability at
  will.
  Web Sense (Su): An arachtar’s psionic link to its webs
  allows it to project its senses into them. As long as an
  arachtar takes no other actions, it can observe everything a
  single 5-foot patch of its webbing could see and hear as if it
  possessed the arachtar’s senses. This ability extends up to a
  mile from the arachtar.
  Arachtar Society
  Arachtar are too few in number to form a true society, but
  they do display a variety of standard behavior among
  themselves and toward their prey. The fear and hatred they
  harbor toward other creatures serve to fuel their practices
  and beliefs.
  Arachtar create informal networks of support. Many of
  them know the locations of isolated meeting grounds of
  their kind, though they only rarely know of other arachtar
  lairs. Their paranoia pushes them to avoid revealing such
  sensitive information except under the direst of circum-
  stances. Usually, arachtar meet on neutral ground to forge
  treaties for mutual aid, mate via elaborate ceremonies, and
  exchange information. As creatures bred for infiltration and
  spying, they have an inherent drive to share the secrets they
  have learned about the people and places they haunt in
  search of victims. In rare cases, arachtar ally with other
  creatures. In return for protection or enchanted items that
  can keep their lairs secure, they act as spies and assassins.
  Over time, an arachtar’s webs imprint the memories and
  emotions that the monster experiences. The psychic
  attachment between them works in both directions.
  Investigators sometimes wrap themselves in a defeated
  arachtar’s webs. When they sleep in this gruesome cocoon,
  their dreams give them insight into the monster’s past, its
  actions, and some of the more important knowledge it
  learned.
  Arachtar Characters
  Arachtar with the ambition to gain class levels tend toward
  becoming akashics and magisters. Some of them seek to
  master skills and talents that aid in their spying, while oth-
  ers see magical power as a useful weapon to ensure their
  security.
  Arachtar Encounter (EL 8)
  While staying at an inn for the night, one of the characters
  has vague dreams of a great treasure hoard hidden within a
  nearby cave. The dream includes images of important land-
  marks on the pathway to the cave. In truth, a mated pair of
  arachtar who use their magical abilities to disguise them-
  selves as the innkeeper and her husband run the place. The
  arachtar hide scraps of their webbing within the pillows they
  leave for guests, allowing them to spy on the guests. The
  arachtar consciously meditate on treasures and the pathway
  to their hidden lair when weaving these scraps, luring vic-
  tims to their doom.
  In addition to the threat posed by the monsters, the char-
  acters face two other complications. The path to the lair is
  rife with traps and other hazards, making the trip there diffi-
  cult. Even worse, the local folk are wholly ignorant of this
  deception. Because the arachtar are generous with the food
  and drink they serve to the villagers, they have earned the
  friendship of the local folk. Any violence or accusations
  against the innkeeper and her husband may incite an angry
  mob to attack the characters.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  10
  
  Arathad
  Colossal Ooze
  Hit Dice: 30d10+270 (435 hp), dying/dead –10/–28
  Initiative: –3
  Speed: 20 feet
  AC: 21 (–4 size, –3 Dexterity, +18 natural), touch 3,
  flat-footed 21
  Base Attack/Grapple: +22/+48
  Attack: Tentacle +28 melee (3d6+10)
  Full Attack: 8 tentacles +28 melee (3d6+10)
  Space/Reach: 20 feet/15 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 20 feet by 20 feet/15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Combat adaptations, trail of destruction
  Special Qualities: Blindsight 400 feet,DR 10/good (or 25/+3),
  immunity to acid and fire, ooze traits, SR 30
  Saves: Fort +19, Ref +7, Will +11
  Abilities: Str 30, Dex 4, Con 28, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 7
  Skills: —
  Feats: —
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 18
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 31–50 HD (Colossal)
  Level Adjustment: +6
  An arathad, also known as a dramojh battle ooze, looks
  like a large, bluish-white blob. It has a tough outer mem-
  brane that is as hard as stone to the touch yet flexible
  enough to contain its liquid interior. These creatures leave
  in their wake a trail of devastation that forms a path as wide
  as they can reach. Though few exist, their great size and
  mighty combat abilities have allowed them to overcome
  most opponents.
  Rightly feared as perhaps the deadliest creatures
  spawned by the dramojh, these machines of pure destruc-
  tion creep across the land seeking to fulfill commands
  given to them in the final days of their masters’ reign. In
  battle, an arathad displays its true abilities. Driven by pow-
  erful magic, its inner core can produce and deploy a bewil-
  dering array of attacks. By drawing on the abilities of crea-
  tures it has absorbed, an arathad can belch gouts of fire
  from draconic heads suspended on long tentacles, spurt
  acid from pores it opens on its body, spray an area with a
  horde of grasping feelers to grab prey and drag it into its
  interior, and so forth.
  Battle oozes are mindless creatures that lack the capacity
  to do anything more than devour and destroy whatever
  stumbles into their path. They were forged in the hellish
  workshops of the dramojh empire in the final days of the
  dragon scions’ war with the giants. They were designed to
  spearhead a last, decisive push to break the giants’ momen-
  tum and turn the tide of the war against them. This plan
  failed when a band of heroes penetrated the dramojh spawn-
  ing pools and destroyed most of these creatures before they
  could be unleashed. The few that did emerge to spread hor-
  ror across the land are a testament to the apocalyptic level of
  destruction that the dramojh were on the verge of loosing
  upon the world.
  Combat
  Arathads never employ complex tactics or other plans in
  battle. Instead, they merely march forward in search of new
  victims and fresh targets for their destructive urges. With
  their daunting array of abilities and powerful attacks, they
  have no need for subtle methods or clever stratagems.
  Combat Adaptations (Su): A dramojh battle ooze can
  duplicate almost any attack that a creature it has devoured
  could utilize. It gains spellcasting ability by drawing on
  magical energy, and it learns to duplicate organs, both
  mundane and arcane, that grant it a variety of extraordi-
  nary, spell-like, and supernatural abilities. This adaptability
  means that no two of these creatures are alike. When using
  one as part of an adventure, you need to determine which
  talents the creature can currently employ. The table below
  lists a variety of effects and abilities that a battle ooze
  might obtain. Roll three times to identify the talents that
  a specific ooze possesses, rerolling any duplicate results.
  Alternatively, you can simply pick three abilities that suit
  your needs.
  d20
  Ability
  1–4
  Improved Grab (Ex): A battle ooze with this ability
  can transform its tentacles into a horrid, squirming
  mass of smaller but equally strong, grasping limbs.
  This cluster of tentacles allows a battle ooze to
  make a free grapple check that does not provoke an
  attack of opportunity when it hits an opponent
  with a melee attack. This transformation takes place
  as the battle ooze strikes its foe.
  5–6
  Breath Weapon (Su): A battle ooze with this abili-
  ty can duplicate the head and the breath weapon
  of a creature that it defeated and consumed.A battle
  ooze’s breath weapon is a 60-foot cone that deals
  15d6 points of damage, with a Reflex save for half
  damage (DC 10 + half ooze’s HD + ooze’s Dex-
  terity modifier, or 22 for a standard battle ooze).
  Determine its energy type by rolling 1d8 each time
  it uses this ability, referring to the various breath
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 11
  
  weapons described below. Creatures that fail to
  save against the breath weapon suffer the addi-
  tional effects noted below for each energy type.
  1
  Acid: A searing stream of caustic liquid causes a
  –2 competence penalty to attack rolls, checks,
  and saves on its next action due to the intense
  pain it causes.
  2
  Cold: Deep cold echoes through a victim’s body,
  slowing his muscles and nerves. On the crea-
  ture’s next action, it suffers a –4 penalty to
  Dexterity.
  3
  Electricity: The electrical shock overwhelms the
  victim’s nervous system,stunning him for 1 round.
  4
  Fire: Intense heat ignites affected creatures.
  Each must make a Reflex save (DC 15) after its
  turn each round or take 1d6 points of fire dam-
  age. If a character uses a standard action to beat
  at the flames, he gains a +4 bonus to this save.
  5
  Negative Energy: This breath weapon takes the
  form of a deep, black wave of energy. Creatures
  that fail their saves against it suffer one nega-
  tive level. The DC of the Fortitude save to
  remove the negative level is equal to the breath
  weapon’s save Difficulty Class.
  6
  Positive Energy: This breath weapon manifests
  as a searing blast of light. Creatures that fail
  their saves are blinded for 1d10 rounds.
  7
  Sonic:Concussive waves of sound energy batter
  creatures within the breath weapon’s area.
  Creatures that fail their saves are deafened for
  1d10 rounds.
  8
  Roll twice,ignoring this result:The arathad’s
  breath weapon has two energy types and gains
  the effect of each one, though the damage dealt
  by the breath weapon is not doubled.
  7–10
  Spell-Like Ability (Sp): A battle ooze with this tal-
  ent can cast one spell of 5th, 6th, or 7th level three
  times per day as an 18th-level magister. The ooze
  uses its Wisdom modifier to determine the spell’s
  save DC.
  11
  Ability Score Damage (Su): Each time an ooze
  with this ability strikes an opponent with a tentacle,
  its target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half
  ooze’s HD, or 25 for a standard battle ooze) or take
  2 points of temporary damage to a randomly cho-
  sen ability score. You can roll 1d6 a single time to
  determine the affected ability and use that result for
  all of the ooze’s attacks, or you can roll 1d6 each
  time it strikes a foe (1 = Strength, 2 = Dexterity,
  and so on).
  12–15 Constrict (Ex): If an ooze with this ability grapples
  an opponent, it can crush the foe within the grip of
  its powerful tentacles. The ooze deals 3d6+10
  points of bludgeoning damage after making a suc-
  cessful grapple check. If it also has the improved
  grab ability, it deals constriction damage in addi-
  tion to damage dealt by the tentacle as part of its
  normal melee attack.
  16
  Energy Drain (Su): An ooze with this ability
  inflicts one negative level on any opponent it
  strikes with a tentacle attack. The Fortitude save
  DC to remove this negative level equals 10 + half
  ooze’s HD + ooze’s Charisma modifier, or 23 for a
  standard battle ooze.
  17
  Fast Healing (Ex): A battle ooze with this ability
  rapidly heals damage, allowing it to quickly recover
  from even the most grievous wounds. It gains fast
  healing 5.
  18
  Paralysis (Su): An arathad with this ability can
  paralyze its opponents on a successful hit with its
  tentacles. The Fortitude save DC to avoid this
  paralysis effect equals 10 + half ooze’s HD + ooze’s
  Charisma modifier, or 23 for a standard battle
  ooze.
  19
  Poison (Ex): Each of the tentacles of an ooze with
  this ability is covered with a foul, rancid poison
  that affects any creature it hits. The Fortitude save
  DC to avoid this Touch poison equals 10 + half
  ooze’s HD, or 25 for a standard battle ooze. The
  poison’s initial damage is 1d6 points of temporary
  Strength damage, and its secondary effect is 1d4
  points of temporary Strength damage.
  20
  Trample (Ex): As a full-round action, an ooze with
  this ability can move up to twice its speed and liter-
  ally run over any opponents at least one size cate-
  gory smaller than itself. The ooze merely has to
  move over the opponents in its path. Any creature
  whose space is completely covered by the ooze is
  subject to the trample attack. If a target’s space is
  larger than 5 feet, it is only considered trampled if
  the ooze moves over all the squares it occupies.
  Should the ooze move over only some of a target’s
  space, the target can make an attack of opportunity
  against the ooze at a –4 penalty. This trample
  attack deals 3d6+15 points of damage.
  Trampled opponents can attempt attacks of
  opportunity, but these attacks suffer a –4 penalty. If
  they do not make attacks of opportunity, trampled
  opponents can attempt Reflex saves (DC 35) to take
  half damage.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  12
  
  Trail of Destruction (Ex): Battle oozes create a pool of
  horrific, acidic slime around their bodies, allowing them to
  cut a swath of destruction across the land merely by mov-
  ing from one location to the next. The area in a 30-foot
  radius around a battle ooze is always soaked with a caustic,
  slippery slime. Creatures must make Fortitude saves (DC
  20) when they enter this area and when they begin their
  actions within it. Creatures that fail this save take 2d8
  points of damage and can move at only half their normal
  speed. Creatures that succeed take half damage and can
  move as normal.
  In addition to the area directly around an ooze, this
  effect persists in areas that it visits as the ooze moves
  around. The acid lasts for 1d4 hours before it loses its caus-
  tic properties. Plants and other creatures that cannot move
  from an affected area continue to take damage each round.
  During an encounter, track the area that the ooze covers
  with this ability.
  Arathad Encounter (EL 18)
  The appearance of a battle ooze in a region heralds a state
  of panic and desperate planning to destroy the beast, or at
  least divert it into an uninhabited area. These creatures are
  mindless automatons. Their only goal is to kill as many
  creatures as possible and destroy any settlements they
  encounter. They tear trees from the ground, despoil farm-
  land, and foul bodies of water they encounter. Even ruins
  and other remnants of civilization face their rage, since
  these monsters are too simple to discern a viable settlement
  from an empty one.
  Arathads rarely remain in the same place for long. Their
  insatiable appetite for chaos and destruction pushes them to
  constantly migrate across the world. When one of these
  beasts appears, most folk organize a defense and work to
  destroy it. Petty disagreements and other differences fade
  into the background for the duration of the emergency.
  Entire armies might march into battle against one of these
  menaces, often fighting to buy time for spellcasters and
  other heroes who need to ready a final defense against the
  creature.
  Characters of any level could participate in such an effort.
  Low-level heroes may be asked to shadow an ooze from
  horseback, watching it from a distance and reporting on its
  course and actions. Mid-level PCs may lead forays against
  the monster, quick strikes designed to slowly wear down its
  strength in preparation for the final showdown. High-level
  characters can expect to stand against it during the final
  confrontation, with the future of an entire city or even a
  kingdom resting on their shoulders.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 13
  
  Arboreal Corrupter
  Huge Aberration
  Hit Dice: 16d8+96 (168 hp), dying/dead –7/–22
  Initiative: –2 
  Speed: 10 feet
  AC: 20 (–2 size, –2 Dexterity, +14 natural), touch 6,
  flat-footed 20
  Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+27
  Attack: Tendril +18 melee (1d6+7 plus poison)
  Full Attack: 8 tendrils +18 melee (1d6+7 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/15 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Poison, wrath of trees
  Special Qualities: Corrupt trees, immunity to cold and fire,
  immunity to mind-affecting effects, network of eyes,
  DR 10/good (or 15/+2), spells, SR 22
  Saves: Fort +16, Ref +3, Will +11
  Abilities: Str 24, Dex 6, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 15
  Skills: Concentration +17, Disguise* +21, Listen +20,
  Spellcraft +18, Spot +19
  Feats: Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Psion, Skill Focus 
  (Listen), Stomp, Weapon Focus (tendrils)
  Environment: Any forest
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or grove (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 12
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 17–28 HD (Huge); 29–40 HD (Colossal)
  Level Adjustment: +5
  Even on close inspection,this horrid monster appears to be
  little more than a mundane tree.It adopts the guise of the plants
  that grow around it,slowly altering its outer skin to resemble
  bark and its many limbs to mimic leafy branches.An arboreal
  corrupter slowly converts the forest around it to creatures under
  its control,creating a hidden threat that strikes at travelers
  before they are aware of the menace that surrounds them.
  This twisted, malevolent tree has its genesis in the
  fiendish workshops of the dramojh. A corrupter spreads its
  roots throughout an area, allowing it to infest and control
  normal trees. It uses these puppets to attack travelers.
  Usually, victims who survive an attack never realize that the
  animated tree was under the control of a malevolent intelli-
  gence. Arboreal corrupters communicate with each other
  across great distances using their roots, allowing them to
  coordinate large-scale campaigns.
  While corrupters look like plants, they are actually more
  like animals in function. They have fleshy interiors with
  strange,pulsing internal organs.Their roots resemble tentacles
  rather than woody growths, and their branches are actually
  pulpy tendrils that sprout growths that look like leaves, pine
  needles, and smaller branches. They feed by churning the
  ground around them, dragging dead or decaying animal mat-
  ter into their root network. Experienced travelers learn to
  identify corrupters by the thick, loamy soil around their
  bases, a telltale sign of their churning roots.
  A forest infested with one or more of these monsters
  becomes a dark, foreboding place. Forest settlements suffer
  devastating attacks by corrupted trees, while many of the
  animals and plants that provide food for the region come
  under continual assault. Corrupters wage a highly coordinat-
  ed campaign of terror, using their ability to communicate at
  great distance to launch simultaneous attacks or strike a single
  target from many directions. Some primitive or destructive
  beasts, particularly chlortheks (see page 30), worship these
  twisted beings as deities. These worshippers toss sacrificial
  victims into the root field that surrounds a corrupter, allow-
  ing it to drag the morsel into its root network.
  Corrupters can speak Common in wheezing, gasping
  tones. They are ambitious and vain. Sometimes they negoti-
  ate alliances with promising contacts their thralls bring to
  them, offering them mercy in return for mutual aid. A cor-
  rupter might destroy a greedy warlord’s enemies in return for
  protection against its enemies. Many of them fancy them-
  selves the true lords of the forest. If a greenbond moves into
  a region claimed by a corrupter, a showdown is almost
  inevitable. While some greenbonds with violent or hateful
  tendencies might work with these monsters, most of them
  recognize corrupters as foul mockeries of the natural order.
  Combat
  Arboreal corrupters prefer to allow their thralls to do their
  fighting for them, since their primary defense is to remain
  unnoticed by the world at large. Their slow speed makes it
  difficult for them to disengage from a battle. While they have
  many magical abilities, patient foes can simply use fire and
  ranged attacks to slowly whittle down their strength.
  Corrupters remain motionless even in the face of a deter-
  mined enemy. Sometimes they take no actions until the last
  possible moment. An opponent might have to land the first
  blow before a corrupter moves to defend itself.
  Due to the intimate connection these creatures share with
  each other, they remember enemies who have slain their kin
  and make aggressive moves to destroy them. A hunter who
  defeats a corrupter may find his friends and family harassed
  by attacks launched by other corrupters, while these mon-
  sters’ followers dog his every step in the forest.
  * Skills (Ex): Arboreal corrupters gain a +10 racial bonus
  to all Disguise checks made to conceal themselves as mun-
  dane trees. They can attempt to disguise themselves as trees
  merely by remaining still. They do not need more than a
  standard action to make this check.
  Poison (Ex): An arboreal corrupter’s leafy tendrils are cov-
  ered in a sticky, caustic sap that causes convulsions and the
  loss of motor control in creatures it injures. This poison has
  a Fortitude save DC of 20.It deals 1d4+1 points of temporary
  Legacy of the Dragons
  14
  
  Dexterity damage initially and 3d4 points of temporary
  Dexterity damage as its secondary effect.
  Wrath of Trees (Ex): In battle as a free action, a corrupter
  can flex and shift its vast network of tendrils and roots to
  toss and churn the ground around it. Creatures that stand
  within 60 feet of a corrupter must make Balance checks (DC
  15) each round before they take any actions or fall prone.
  Four-legged creatures gain a +4 competence bonus to this
  check. Creatures that are already prone must make a
  Fortitude save (DC 20) or take 2d6 points of damage as 
  the tendrils and roots rip and tear at them.
  Corrupt Trees (Su): A corrupter can extend its poison
  tendrils into a nearby tree, animating it with its fell malevo-
  lence. A corrupted tree (see statistics at right) obeys all of the
  corrupter’s commands to the best of its abilities. It gladly
  throws its life away to defend its master, since it lacks a true
  free will of its own. A corrupter can control up to three trees
  at once. These servants can travel up to five miles from the
  corrupter’s location, and it can see and experience everything
  these thralls observe. It takes a corrupter one day to work its
  tendrils into a tree and transform it into a servant. If a cor-
  rupter dies, its thralls immediately perish as well.
  Network of Eyes (Su): Corrupters create an intricate net-
  work of tendrils and roots among themselves that allow
  them to remain in contact over great distances. These crea-
  tures communicate via telepathy, exchanging gossip and
  news of the events they have observed. There is no theoreti-
  cal limit to this ability’s range, but most corrupters maintain
  links with their fellows within 25 miles of their current loca-
  tion. In total, the corrupters form a vast network that some
  sages believe extends across the entire continent.
  Spells (Sp): Corrupters have a natural affinity for magic.
  Though they share little, if anything, in attitude and behav-
  ior with greenbonds, they practice a similar type of magic.
  Corrupters prepare and cast spells as 9th-level greenbonds.
  Corrupted Tree
  These twisted mockeries of wholesome plants look like trees
  bent and twisted into vaguely humanoid shapes. Ponderous
  and slow, they rely on brute strength to pummel opponents
  into submission. They usually drag defeated enemies to their
  arboreal corrupter master so the master can feast on the
  flesh and bones.
  Corrupted trees live solitary existences in any forest envi-
  ronment. They have standard treasure and advance as fol-
  lows: 8–16 HD (Huge); 17–21 HD (Gargantuan).
  Corrupted tree:CR 5; Huge plant; HD 7d8+28; hp 59;
  Dying/Dead –5/–18; Init –3; Speed 20 feet; AC 18 
  (–2 size, –3 Dexterity, +13 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 18;
  Space/Reach 10 feet/15 feet (Face/Reach 10 feet by 10
  feet/15 feet); BAB +5; Grapple +18; Attack Slam +8 melee
  (2d6+5); Full Attack 2 slams +8 melee (2d6+5); SQ Plant
  traits, vulnerability to fire; SV Fort +9, Ref –1, Will +7;
  Str 21, Dex 4, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Skills and Feats:—
  Vulnerability to Fire:A corrupted tree suffers half again as
  much (+50 percent) damage as normal from fire.
  Arboreal Corrupter Encounter
  (EL 15)
  An ambitious and corrupt noble near the party’s hometown
  claims to have uncovered a magic item that can animate
  trees, turning them into guardians for a nearby wilderness
  area. Within a few weeks, these newfound “soldiers” have
  driven several bandit gangs out of the area and delivered
  many notorious outlaws to justice. Actually, the noble is
  working with several arboreal corrupters in an attempt to
  destabilize the region. In reaction to the trees’ success in
  guarding the area, he pushes to cut funding to the town
  guard and uses his growing influence to have mercenary
  warriors dismissed from the army.
  Blinded by his own ambition, the noble fails to consider
  that the corrupters might have their own plans. In fact, the
  corrupters intend to rally a horde of bandits and monsters to
  conquer the area as soon as its defenses become weak
  enough. Already, several animated trees have been posi-
  tioned in town to serve as lookouts. With their thralls in
  place, the corrupters can observe the town and refine their
  plans to attack and destroy it.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 15
  
  Balthrok
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid
  Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp), dying/dead –3/–15
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
  Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d8+3)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d8+3)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, digging claws,
  tremorsense 60 feet
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 6
  Skills: Climb +6, Swim +5
  Feats: Sense the Unseen, Weapon Focus (claws)
  Environment: Any temperate
  Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (3–8 plus one 3rd-level 
  elder), war party (4–20 plus one 6th-level elder), or 
  colony (20–500 plus 1d6 10th-level elders)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +1
  Combining the qualities of a bear,mole,and human,a
  balthrok resembles a massive,hairless beast with overly long
  arms.Its wide,powerfully built hands end in thick,jagged
  claws that can tear through armor and tunnel through dirt.
  Driven to aggressive acts because of overpopulation,balthroks
  slowly infiltrate and assault towns and villages from below.
  Balthroks burrow through the ground,lying in wait beneath
  the surface to ambush prey.They sometimes wield crude
  weapons,usually taken from their enemies.Balthroks hate all
  humanoid life,and sometimes groups of them gather to destroy
  a village or town.They burrow beneath walls and homes,coordi-
  nating their actions to cause several important structures within
  a town to collapse at the same time.In the confusion that fol-
  lows,they erupt from the ground and attack the townsfolk.
  The dramojh created and bred balthroks to serve as siege
  troops. Their ability to tunnel through earth and stone
  makes them invaluable in such operations, since they can
  undermine fortifications or create paths into the heart of a
  fortress’s defenses. With their masters long defeated, they
  retreated to the dark corners of the world. In isolated hills,
  forests, and mountain ranges, they have dug extensive towns
  and cities far from prying eyes where they live in peace.
  Over time,their population grew too large for their burrows.
  Recalling the earlier war that spawned them, balthrok lead-
  ers spread propaganda painting the giants and their allies as
  murderers and usurpers of their rightful lands.War parties of
  balthrok scouts now probe the borders of civilized realms,using
  their digging talent to create hidden passages beneath cities.In
  some areas,sewers are rife with these creatures.Balthroks like to
  launch raids on isolated buildings and delight in slaying giants.
  Combat
  Strong and tough,balthroks rarely flee from battle.They prefer to
  stand and die,seeing defeat as a stain that only blood can purge.
  The elders’ propaganda has fanned the flames of fanaticism in
  many balthrok  scouts and warriors,making them liable to win
  battles through sheer force of will.And since they refuse to sur-
  render,they cause heavier casualties than other marauders.
  Balthroks prefer to fight at a place and time of their choos-
  ing.If possible,they sow an area with hidden pits and other
  hazards that disrupt their enemies’ plans and give them the
  advantage of surprise.One of their favorite tactics is digging a
  hole and hiding in it beneath a loose cover of earth,then leap-
  ing out to fall upon an opponent’s flank or rear.
  Digging Claws (Ex): A balthrok’s thick,jagged claws allow it
  to tunnel through dirt and rock with relative ease.It does not
  work fast enough to have a burrow speed,but it can construct
  tunnels more quickly than even the stoutest miners.A single
  balthrok can dig a 10-foot tunnel usable by Medium or smaller
  creatures after 10 minutes of work.It takes an additional 10
  minutes to enlarge such a passage to be usable by Huge or
  Large creatures.Teams of balthroks usually work together to
  create elaborate mazes and intricate subterranean strongholds.
  A balthrok’s claws are tough and durable,owing partially to
  their magical nature.Skilled balthrok smiths  can  improve
  them with mundane and magical weapon enhancements.Use
  the standard rules for enchanting an item,except that the claws
  have a base cost of 0 gp.They must be upgraded to masterwork
  quality as normal before they can receive magical abilities.
  Tremorsense (Ex):A balthrok automatically detects the
  presence and location of any creature or object that stands on
  the ground within 60 feet of it.
  Balthrok Society
  Balthrok society is built around the veneration of and obedi-
  ence to the elders who rule.As a balthrok ages,its claws grad-
  ually take on a gleaming,gemlike appearance.This feature
  allows a balthrok to easily display its social rank.Even the
  fiercest warrior becomes a passive underling in the presence
  of an elder.Balthroks rarely fight among themselves for lead-
  ership,since combat and natural causes kill most of them
  before they grow old enough to claim the mantle of rulership.
  The elders rule as an oligarchy,forging a consensus by popu-
  lar vote among themselves to set policy and make decisions.
  Common balthroks have no say in their government.
  Some sages believe balthroks were bred for maximum pli-
  ability and obedience. The dramojh designed them to blindly
  follow whomever they identified as a leader. In the absence
  of a strict military structure, the balthroks now give their
  obedience to the next closest thing—the elders among them.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  16
  
  Unfortunately, these elders typically have few characteristics
  of a good leader. Many seek only to satisfy their own desires,
  putting their subjects to work as litter bearers, servants,
  miners, and raiders to provide them with a comfortable exis-
  tence. The elders encourage an aggressive stance toward
  other creatures because this is the easiest way to avoid over-
  population and food shortfalls.
  Balthrok Elders
  Balthrok elders develop several psionic abilities that set them
  apart from their mundane kin.Most balthroks die in battle or
  of natural causes long before they are old enough to exhibit
  these talents.The dramojh most likely created this disparity
  among the balthroks to foster a natural ruling class among
  the creatures and to ensure that in the aftermath of the war
  they would not be burdened with a large population of them.
  The elders are the heart and soul of a balthrok community.
  Their idiosyncrasies,obsessions,and desires filter down
  through the ranks to the youngest balthrok.Should a settle-
  ment lose its elders,its members plunge into a state of uneasy
  fear.The balthroks do their best to harvest food and sustain
  their holdings,but they otherwise fall into a paranoid,defen-
  sive state.They may collapse tunnels leading out of their war-
  rens,preferring to risk subsisting on fungus and water drawn
  from wells within their lairs rather than attempt to venture
  into the outer world without leadership.Until a new elder
  appears,the colony remains paralyzed with fear.
  Balthrok elders have long, thick claws speckled with
  shards of gold, crystals, silver, and other valuable materials.
  Their heads are slightly larger than normal, betraying the
  enhanced mental abilities that they have developed. All
  balthrok elders gain the following abilities.
  Dominant Personality (Su): All balthroks have an
  inbred, intuitive tendency to obey an elder’s wishes. All
  balthroks obey an elder’s verbal commands without ques-
  tion, and even ones under magical compulsion refuse to
  attack an elder. Other elders are immune to this effect.
  Rousing Leader (Su): When a balthrok elder leads his fol-
  lowers into battle, he grants them fierce determination and
  an unshakable spirit. All balthroks within 60 feet of an
  elder, except for other elders, gain a +2 morale bonus to
  attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A balthrok elder can cast the follow-
  ing spells as a 5th-level magister:1/day—slow, suggestion; 3/day—
  charm.The save DC against these spells is DC 12 + spell level.
  Ability Scores: An elder gains a +6 bonus to Intelligence,
  +4 bonus to Wisdom, and a +6 bonus to Charisma.
  Challenge Rating: Elders have a base CR of 3.
  Balthrok Characters
  Most balthrok characters are warriors.They disdain weapons,
  preferring to use their sharp claws in battle.Balthroks can
  enchant their claws or grant them the same upgrades and
  abilities,such as masterwork quality or the dire special ability,
  that weaponsmiths can build into weapons.Their claws have
  a natural affinity for magic and exhibit the supernatural abili-
  ty to “remember” any modifications and enchantments
  placed on them.As a balthrok’s claws grow,they retain any
  changes made to their overall shape.Most researchers believe
  that the dramojh granted the balthroks this ability with their
  foul magic,and some unscrupulous smiths pay rich bounties
  for samples of these claws.
  Balthrok Encounter (EL 5)
  Under the leadership of a cunning balthrok elder,a small
  colony of these creatures plans to unleash a terrible disaster on
  a city near their lair.The balthroks have crafted many passages
  beneath a main market square.During the upcoming harvest,
  suicide teams of balthrok diggers will destroy the supports
  that keep those passages intact,turning the crowded square
  into a massive sinkhole.Hundreds of townsfolk may die in the
  disaster,while the balthrok elders hope that the resulting
  chaos will leave the city ripe for the picking.
  While the characters are adventuring in the wilderness
  near the city, they may come across large piles of earth next
  to mysterious tunnels dug into hillsides, as well as increased
  numbers of balthrok patrols. If they piece together the evi-
  dence, they come to realize that they must invade the tun-
  nels, drive away the balthroks, and prevent the creatures
  from retaking and collapsing the passages.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 17
  
  Blade Breaker
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid
  Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: –2
  Speed: 20 feet
  AC: 22 (–2 Dexterity, +14 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 22
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12
  Attack: Fist +12 melee (2d6+6)
  Full Attack: 2 fists +12 melee (2d6+6)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Blade catching, metal affinity
  Special Qualities: DR 10/adamantine (or 10/+1), SR 16
  Saves: Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 22, Dex 6, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 7
  Skills: Climb +11, Wilderness Survival +4
  Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Slippery Mind, Sunder
  Environment:Cold mountains and subterranean
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or gang (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium); 13–18 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: +2
  Blade breakers were created by the dramojh either by mix-
  ing apes and humans with the magical essence of captive
  earth elementals or by using spells to corrupt and pervert
  captive rock apes (see page 72). These beasts resemble hair-
  less, hunched simians with stone-grey skin. With supernatu-
  ral strength and endurance, these beasts can catch their ene-
  mies’ weapons in their hands and snap them in half. Their
  elemental nature allows them to easily sunder iron and steel.
  These creatures were originally crafted to serve as body-
  guards for generals,commanders,and other important figures
  who might have to participate in battle. They were charged
  with fending off opponents and preventing injuries to their
  masters. Though they have the strength and toughness to
  operate as shock troops,they rarely fought in large formations
  during the war against the giants. Few of them lived through
  the struggle, and most died attempting to shield their mas-
  ters from harm. In the aftermath of the giants’ victory over
  the dramojh, the few surviving blade breakers fled to isolated
  areas to escape the conquering armies.
  Blade breakers have no innate drive to conquer or
  destroy others. They are happy to subsist on a diet of dense
  stones, crystals, and the odd metallic item. However, the
  dramojh instilled within them a natural tendency to seek
  out powerful figures to serve and revere. In the absence of
  such inspiring leaders, they are quiet and docile. While
  blade breakers rarely pose a threat on their own, many out-
  laws and warlike folk hunt them down, capture them, and
  force them to serve in their old roles. The pliable blade
  breakers easily fall back into the positions they were creat-
  ed to fill. However, forcing a blade breaker into service is a
  crime in most civilized areas, punishable by a 10,000 gp
  fine and up to five years of hard labor or imprisonment.
  Characters also suffer a –4 penalty to all Charisma-related
  checks while they have a blade breaker in tow, and most
  taverns, inns, and shops refuse them service.
  Blade breakers can understand Common, but they cannot
  speak it.They have difficulty grasping complex commands and
  concepts but can manage most simple orders and requests.
  Combat
  In battle, blade breakers are passive and watchful. They
  remain near their designated leader or the person they are
  assigned to protect, looking out for potential threats and
  never straying far unless ordered to do so. Blade breakers can
  ignore most physical pain and discomfort, and in some ways
  they have no real appreciation of the concept of death and
  injury. In their minds, they are as eternal and invulnerable as
  the earth beneath their feat. For this reason, they readily sac-
  rifice themselves to save their masters and never flee unless
  their charge turns tail and runs.
  Blade Catching (Ex): Blade breakers have an inherent tal-
  ent for deflecting and catching blows with their hands.After
  readying an action to do so,a blade breaker can catch an
  armed melee attack made with a metal weapon.The attack
  may be made against the creature itself or against any crea-
  ture within the area the blade breaker’s fist attacks threaten.
  The blade breaker does not have to designate a specific oppo-
  nent to watch or a specific attack to catch.When a blade
  breaker uses this ability,it makes a normal attack roll immedi-
  ately after an enemy has scored a hit on the blade breaker or a
  nearby creature.If its result (roll plus modifiers,including the
  +4 bonus from the Sunder feat) is greater than or equal to its
  target’s result,the blade breaker prevents the enemy’s attack
  from fully striking its intended target.Instead,the blade
  breaker or nearby creature takes half damage from the attack,
  and the blade breaker immediately makes a damage roll as if
  it were attempting to destroy the weapon (dealing double
  damage,as specified in the Sunder feat).
  Metal Affinity (Su): Owing to their supernatural her-
  itage, blade breakers have a special talent for damaging and
  destroying items crafted from metal. They can sense the
  slightest cracks and imperfections that mar even the finest
  swords, shields, and armor, allowing them to strike at a crit-
  ical weak point in a metal item’s structure. A blade breaker
  ignores the hardness of any metal items that it strikes.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  18
  
  Blade Breaker Servants
  Gaining the services of a blade breaker is often a morally
  questionable act,since these creatures usually cannot help but
  fall into service when introduced to a charismatic or powerful
  figure.Walking into town with a blade breaker in tow is a good
  way to attract attention from the town guard, since anyone
  opportunistic enough to gain a blade breaker and aggressive
  enough to need one is likely to cause trouble. These creatures
  have lost their free will through no fault of their own, and
  many folk consider exploiting or using them a repugnant act
  at best. The blade breakers’ close association with the
  dramojh casts anyone who employs one in a sinister light.
  Luring a blade breaker into service requires a successful
  Charisma check (DC 25), with a +2 competence bonus for
  each breaker a potential master slays in the presence of its
  fellows. In bygone days, the dramojh killed a few of
  these poor creatures to motivate the others into
  submitting to servitude. Blade breakers’ imper-
  fect understanding of death causes them to see
  such actions as merely an attempt to establish
  dominance and respect rather than a foul
  deed.
  An NPC can have one blade breaker
  in his service for every five character
  levels. These creatures obey orders
  without question and gladly give
  their lives for their master’s
  benefit. If left unattended,
  they do their best to pro-
  tect their master but lack
  the initiative and intelli-
  gence to do anything that
  requires active planning or
  foresight. A blade breaker
  might stand over its uncon-
  scious master in a burning build-
  ing, swatting away flaming timbers
  that fall toward him, but never think-
  ing to pick him up and escape the
  inferno.
  Blade Breaker Encounter (EL 8)
  The characters come across four blade breakers that have
  been cornered by a group of ruffians. The bandits tried
  unsuccessfully to compel the creatures to serve and now plan
  to kill them out of anger and frustration. If the characters
  intervene, the creatures ally with them and try to protect
  them from harm.
  The bandits work as scouts and hunters for a powerful
  criminal who, angered by the PCs’ interference with his
  plans, eventually dispatches war parties and assassins to
  deal with them. The characters encounter anger and resent-
  ment from people who see that they consort with blade
  breakers, perhaps prompting them to find a safe, secure
  place where the blade breakers can dwell in peace. All the
  while, the attacks against them continue until they finally
  deal with the villain. Perhaps after the PCs find a safe haven
  for the breakers, the crime lord kidnaps these creatures and
  forces them into his service for his final showdown with the
  characters.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 19
  
  Blade Troll
  Large Giant
  Hit Dice: 6d8+48 (75 hp), dying/dead –9/–26
  Initiative: +6
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 23 (–1 size, +2 Dexterity, +12 natural), touch 11,
  flat-footed 21
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
  Attack: Arm blade +9 melee (1d8+6)
  Full Attack: 2 arm blades +9 melee (1d8+6) and bite +4 
  melee (1d8+3)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Grappling hooks
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 feet, embedded plates,
  low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent
  Saves: Fort +13, Ref +4, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con 26, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Spot +6, Swim +10
  Feats: Elemental Resistance (fire), Improved Initiative,
  Power Attack, Power Charge
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or band (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 7
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +5
  This massive, grey-skinned beast resembles a typical troll
  except for the steel barbs and hooks that project from its
  long, lanky arms. Also, the creature’s skin appears somewhat
  distended, as if it conceals solid, bulky plates of armor inside
  its body. In fact, blade trolls are skilled artisans who create
  weapons and armor that meld with their forms, leaving tell-
  tale signs of their artifice within their bodies.
  More intelligent and cunning than normal trolls, blade
  trolls have learned to use their regeneration ability in a way
  that gives them an additional advantage. They embed hooks,
  blades, metal plates, and other “improvements” in their bod-
  ies, using their rapid healing ability to seal such features in
  place. They serve as mercenaries in the underworld, fre-
  quently allying with the Vallorians (see page 112) and other
  warlike folk of the world’s depths.
  Blade trolls have stony skin covered with warts,scars,thick
  calluses,and other deformities.Unlike other kinds of trolls,
  these creatures frequently heal in such a manner that their
  wounds leave behind scars,pockmarks,and other legacies.
  For instance,a blade troll that suffers a sword wound may
  easily heal the damage from the injury,but the wound leaves
  behind a clear indentation in the creature’s chest and a thick,
  oblong scar.In some ways,blade trolls seem to adapt to the
  damage they sustain.Scholars believe this ability helps them
  survive in their underground environment.A troll that fre-
  quently scrapes or bumps its head against a low cavern ceiling
  may slowly grow shorter and more stooped,while one that
  sustains arm injuries in battle might develop a thick coat of
  natural protection along its arms to better protect itself.
  Smarter and more industrious than other trolls, blade
  trolls long ago learned the secrets of metalcraft and began
  forging weapons, armor, and other tools. Blade trolls insert
  the armored plates and weapons they create into their bod-
  ies, relying on their regeneration ability to grow skin, muscle,
  and sinew around these modifications and improvements. A
  troll might embed three long, barbed hooks in its palm
  before battle. Its body adapts and grows around these
  weapons, allowing the creature to utilize them just like any
  other part of its body. Troll warriors stud their arms and
  hands with blades, hooks, pincers, and bludgeons. They par-
  tially skin their own torsos, peeling back their flesh to slide
  metal plates and, in some cases, flat stones into their bodies.
  By pulling the flesh back over their wounds, they allow their
  regeneration ability to knit their injuries and they adapt to
  the newly added protection.
  The process of adding weapons and armor directly to a troll’s
  body is no easy task.With their heightened intelligence,blade
  trolls have a clearer sense of their bodies and abilities than their
  kin possess.They have learned to mold armor and weapons to
  suit their forms and have developed surgical methods to opti-
  mize the placement and use of their gear.Other trolls reject such
  implants;their bodies expel the modifications as they heal.
  Combat
  Blade trolls are arrogant and vicious, leading them to some-
  times underestimate their opponents in battle. Unless a
  blade troll has reason to suspect its opponent is skilled in
  the martial or magical arts, it is likely to rush headlong into
  battle. Arrogance, rather than stupidity, drives this tendency.
  When aware of a powerful enemy’s talents, blade trolls uti-
  lize ambushes and other intelligent tactics. They place a pre-
  mium on magical gear that can shield them from fire and
  acid, and most blade trolls are smart enough to target obvi-
  ous spellcasters and others who can use energy attacks.
  Grappling Hooks (Ex): Blade trolls embed a variety of
  blades and hooks into their forearms and hands.These varied
  weapons allow them to catch and hold their opponents.Their
  hooks and spikes entangle a victim’s clothing,armor,and pos-
  sibly flesh.If a troll strikes an opponent with both arm blade
  attacks,it may initiate a grapple against her as a free action
  without provoking an attack of opportunity.With a successful
  grapple check,a blade troll deals 2d8+12 points of damage
  against an opponent that it holds within its barbed hooks.
  Note that, while these weapons are forged and added to a
  troll’s body, they count as natural weapons.
  Embedded Plates (Ex): A blade troll’s armor becomes part
  of its body as its flesh grows through and around it. This
  Legacy of the Dragons
  20
  
  armor grants a +7 bonus to Armor Class, but it
  does not confer any of the standard penalties,
  such as reducing the troll’s speed or limiting its
  Dexterity bonus to AC. The troll adapts to the
  plates, making them as much a part of its body
  as its arms or legs.
  Regeneration (Ex): Fire and acid deal normal
  damage to a blade troll.If it loses a limb or body
  part,the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes.
  The creature can reattach a severed member
  instantly by holding it to the stump.
  Scent (Ex):The blade
  troll can detect oppo-
  nents within 30 feet by
  sense of smell.For
  upwind foes,the range
  increases to 60 feet;
  downwind,it drops to
  15 feet.When detecting
  a scent, the blade troll
  doesn’t determine its exact source,
  only its presence in range.It can take a standard 
  action to note the scent’s direction.Once within 5 feet of
  the source,it can pinpoint the source.A blade troll can also
  follow tracks by smell,making a Wisdom check to find or fol-
  low a track.
  Blade Troll Society
  Scattered in a number of small caverns throughout the under-
  world,blade trolls form groups known as bands.Each band
  takes on a specific purpose.A group of warriors forms a war
  band,while a small cabal of magisters creates a mage band.
  During the course of a troll’s life,it may join a variety of bands as
  its interests change,though no troll claims membership in more
  than one band at once.A young,aggressive troll might join a
  war band to raid neighboring caverns or communities on the
  surface.As he ages,the troll might then join a mercenary band,
  trading his opportunity to rapidly gain experience for a safer,
  more lucrative job as the bodyguard of a qualleg (see page 68)
  or in the service of a Vallorian overlord.Blade trolls form bands
  specifically for the purpose of mating,with the males and
  females in the group working together to take care of the young.
  Blade troll artisans and crafters usually form bands that operate
  in isolated,easily defended caves and passages.These precau-
  tions are taken not to ward off marauding beasts or explorers,
  but to prevent blade troll war bands from seizing their goods.
  Blade trolls see themselves as the perfect fusion of intellect
  and brute strength.They prefer to keep slaves to handle mun-
  dane tasks—usually ordinary trolls that are strong enough to
  handle many daunting tasks,yet are no match for a blade
  troll warrior.Humans and other creatures make useful work-
  ers and personal servants,and blade trolls engage in an active
  and aggressive slave trade.Many of their war bands profit
  more from the captives they bring beneath the surface than
  from the treasure they gain in battle.
  Blade Troll Characters
  Unlike normal trolls,blade trolls are reasonably intelligent and
  capable of appreciating intricate concepts. They enter a wide
  variety of classes, though their violent nature pushes many
  toward the warrior class. These brutes form the bulk of the
  troll war bands and mercenary bands that wander from this
  race’s underworld home. Many troll smiths gain levels in the
  expert class, while a few learn to incorporate magic into their
  craft.These rare blade trolls become magisters or runethanes.
  Blade Troll Body Modifications
  Blade trolls’ ability to incorporate metal objects into their
  bodies opens up a variety of equipment options. The modifi-
  cations below are usable only by blade trolls. They must pay
  the listed gold piece cost to purchase and use them.
  All blade trolls can incorporate magic weapons and other
  enhancements into their bodies.They must purchase or cre-
  ate the equivalent of a magic longsword and absorb it into an
  arm over the course of one day.This process improves only
  one arm blade attack.If a troll wants to enhance both of its
  arms,it must create,purchase,or find two separate weapons.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 21
  
  A blade troll can also utilize magic armor by buying or
  crafting the equivalent of an enchanted suit of chain and
  plates (base market price 600 gp). This armor is available
  only from troll crafters; normal humanoid armor is unsuited
  for integration into a blade troll’s form. Likewise, no crea-
  tures other than blade trolls can use this armor, because it
  consists of a set of specially crafted plates that do not link
  together as a normal suit of armor does.
  The following modifications are mundane improvements
  to a blade troll’s arsenal. They can be added to weapons or
  armor that is subsequently enchanted.
  Defensive Weaponry: A skilled blade troll smith can fash-
  ion wide, thick arm blades that protect a warrior’s arms from
  harm. Not only do these weapons scythe through the troll’s
  opponents, they also serve as bucklers. This modification
  counts as a shield that confers a +2 bonus to AC.Cost: 100 gp.
  Internal Plating: This intricately designed modification
  grants a troll virtual immunity to critical hits. By encasing a
  subject’s heart, lungs, and brain in a fine weave of steel mail,
  a blade troll craftsman creates a second layer of protection
  against attacks. A blade troll with this modification gains a
  +8 bonus to AC when an opponent rolls to confirm a critical
  threat scored against it. Cost: 750 gp.
  Lashing Chains: Some blade trolls add long, barbed
  chains to their arms, anchoring them on their shoulder
  blades and running them along their bones, until they
  emerge from holes crafted in their palms. This modification
  grants a blade troll an extra 5 feet of reach with its melee
  attacks. It also gains a +4 bonus to all opposed Strength
  checks made as part of its trip attack against an opponent.
  This bonus does not apply to trip attacks the blade troll
  defends against. Cost: 1,500 gp.
  Sword Catcher Hooks: By adding hooks and barbs beneath
  its flesh,a blade troll can craft a surprise for opponents that
  fight with swords,axes,and similar weapons.Once per
  encounter as a free action,a troll with this modification can
  attempt to disarm an opponent using a melee weapon that
  deals slashing or piercing damage.The attacker snares her
  weapon on the hooks and barbs hidden within the troll’s flesh,
  possibly allowing the beast to tear her weapon from her hands.
  After a blade troll uses this ability,the hooks and barbs dangle
  from its flesh and are unable to catch any more attacks.A troll
  cannot take this modification more than once. Repairing
  sword catcher hooks requires one hour of work.Cost: 1,200 gp.
  Warding Spikes: Some blade trolls implant a variety of
  spikes and long,wicked barbs in their chests.These modifica-
  tions are designed to prevent opponents from drawing too
  close to a troll.A blade troll with this modification suffers a 10-
  foot penalty to its base speed.Whenever an opponent moves
  adjacent to the troll,the troll gains a free attack against the
  foe using its base attack bonus (normally +4).This attack,if it
  hits,deals points of damage equal to the troll’s Strength modifi-
  er (normally +6).This free attack is not an attack of opportuni-
  ty.Instead,the troll’s opponent must dodge and avoid the
  thick,jagged spikes that project from the monster’s body.
  A troll does not gain the benefit of this modification
  when it is flat footed, stunned, paralyzed, sleeping, or other-
  wise unable to take actions. Cost: 2,500 gp.
  Blade Troll Encounter (EL 11)
  A merchant who specializes in rare items and curios approach-
  es the characters with a proposal.He tells them of an associate
  of his, a producer of high-quality weapons and armor, who
  needs help.After the characters agree to undergo a short cere-
  mony of secrecy, the merchant brings them to a cave outside
  town where his friend, a blade troll named Braggi, is hiding.
  Braggi is a skilled smith who long ago underwent a rare blade
  troll ceremony whereby he vowed to give up all acts of violence
  in return for a supernatural insight into smithing. A band of
  four blade troll marauders attacked his subterranean work-
  shop, driving him away and seizing his goods.
  Braggi cannot commit violent acts himself,but if the char-
  acters agree to liberate his workshop,he can reward them well.
  If the characters take him up on his offer, Braggi leads them
  through the underworld to his workshop and forge. After the
  characters deal with the marauders, he can craft magic
  weapons and armor for them as a reward for avenging his loss.
  Blade Troll Lair
  Blade troll bands tend to settle down in isolated spots,using
  their distance from well-traveled areas to shield them from
  intruders.War bands are largely nomadic,but they also keep
  lairs to store their pillaged treasure and as places to train and
  rest between incursions.The following description presents a
  typical blade troll lair and includes notes on how it may be
  used differently depending on the kind of band using it.
  1.Entry Chamber: Most blade troll lairs feature a natural
  barrier,or a constructed obstacle that appears natural,to keep
  out wild animals and lone wanderers.In this case,the trolls dis-
  covered a passage that ends at a 10-foot-tall rock wall separat-
  ing the entry passage from the rest of the lair.Such a site makes
  for an excellent lair,because the trolls can reach over the wall
  to attack intruders while remaining safe from counterattacks.
  In addition,any invaders would have to waste precious
  moments scaling the wall before invading the lair beyond.This
  area is kept bare except for ranged weapons and ammunition.
  Blade troll crafters or experienced war bands and mercenaries
  might keep ballistae, burning oil, and other weapons in the
  entry chamber, to ensure their readiness in case of attack. A
  pit at one end of this area serves as waste storage. The trolls
  occasionally burn their refuse to reduce the space it takes up.
  2.Central Chamber: This area serves as a staging point
  or meeting ground. Large stone stools are placed surround-
  ing a well; the older trolls may spend their free time here
  gossiping or making informal plans for new projects, such as
  raids on nearby areas (for war bands) or new weaponry (for
  Legacy of the Dragons
  22
  
  bands of smiths). Younger trolls may scamper here under-
  foot, since this space also serves as the primary social venue
  during most days. In the event of an attack, the trolls make
  their stand here, should the outer chamber fall.
  3.Work Chambers/Quarters: These rooms serve as private
  chambers for trolls important or powerful enough to demand
  personal lodgings.They hold the tools,storage,bedding,and
  other personal possessions that the important or powerful
  trolls,their mates,and their offspring may have accumulated.
  These chambers tend to be filthy,because the trolls eat their
  meals within their private rooms and only rarely clean up
  after themselves.Trolls that focus on metalworking and
  smithing usually build personal forges in their chambers,
  working in private to protect the secrets of their art.
  4.Meeting Chamber: This large, simple chamber serves
  as a meeting hall in times of trouble or when the community
  faces an important decision. The trolls that have the prestige
  and power necessary to claim a voice in the community meet
  here and argue over plans, such as potential trade partners to
  court or future targets for raids. When not in use for official
  business, it remains empty.
  5.Slave Pens: Humans and other captives are kept here
  when they are not at work under the strict supervision of the
  slave master.This room is rarely,if ever,cleaned.Its furnish-
  ings consist of moldy straw,a few battered stools,and a long,
  low trough carved into the floor that holds food and water.
  6.Common Chamber: The trolls that lack the prestige to
  have their own chambers,those too young or too old to claim
  an important place in the lair,and the troll children live here
  in a single large chamber.Bedding is scattered across the
  floor.Small fire pits dot the room;most of the cooking for
  the entire population of the lair happens here.This place is
  cramped even at the best of times,with trolls squeezing
  together in its confines.Most of the important daily business
  of the lair takes place here.Even the powerful and influential
  trolls spend time in this chamber,the better to establish and
  maintain their dominant position in the social order.
  7.Chieftain’s Room: The troll chieftain dwells here with
  his mates and their children. This room is large and richly
  appointed by troll standards, with any treasures and other
  baubles that have caught the chief’s eye kept here. The secret
  passage to the east serves as an escape route, and the trolls
  may also use it to outflank invaders. The doorways into the
  passage consist of large boulders cleverly placed so as to
  mask the passage behind them. Uncovering the doors
  requires a Search check (DC 20).
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 23
  
  Bog Salamander
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 14d10+70 (147 hp), dying/dead –6/–20
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 20 feet, swim 40 feet
  AC: 19 (–1 size, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 19
  Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+25
  Attack: Bite +20 melee (2d8+7)
  Full Attack: Bite +20 melee (2d8+7) and 4 claws +15 melee 
  (1d8+3)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Force wave, murky vortex
  Special Qualities: Bog lurker, darkvision 60 feet, low-light 
  vision
  Saves: Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 24, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 6
  Skills: Listen +12, Sneak +7
  Feats: Cleave, Fast Healer, Improved Cleave, Power Attack,
  Stomp, Trample
  Environment: Warm swamps
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or clutch (3–5)
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 15–20 HD (Large); 21–30 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +6
  Bog salamanders lurk in isolated swamps and fens.
  Strong and vicious, they are compact enough to hide in shal-
  low water. When prey wanders by, they rear up from the
  murk to rip and tear the victim with their claws and fangs.
  They enjoy a magical bond with their swampy environment,
  allowing them to turn the terrain against their victims.
  The black, scaled bog salamander resembles an eight-
  legged lizard with a large, fanged maw. Over 10 feet long, its
  powerful body barely reaches 5 feet off the ground. Even in
  the shallows, a bog salamander can slip beneath the water
  and hide, leaving only its eyes and nostrils above the surface.
  These creatures’ bodies are imbued with magical energy
  that forges a bond with the water and mud around them,
  allowing them to exercise a crude level of control over their
  environment. When a clutch of bog salamanders settles in a
  swampy area, the land slowly becomes wilder and more dan-
  gerous. Quicksand becomes more common, the fens’ waters
  expand outward from their old borders, and the trees and
  undergrowth seem to grow thicker and more menacing.
  The salamanders’ magical attunement to plant life not only
  draws on the swamp’s nature,but it also feeds back into the ter-
  rain and causes the land to flourish.While humans and giants
  may consider a wild,overgrown swamp to be dangerous,many
  greenbonds would disagree with that assessment.They point
  to the bog salamanders as important children of the Green,
  predators that help maintain the balance between the wilds
  and the encroaching forces of civilization.Greenbonds who
  dwell within swamps rely on these creatures as guardians and
  allies.The spells of greenbonds allow them to forge relation-
  ships with these normally predatory,voracious beasts.
  Combat
  Salamanders prefer to remain in hiding for as long as possible.
  While vicious, they are also cautious and patient. A salaman-
  der would prefer to let a dozen potential targets wander just
  out of reach of its jaws before rising up to overwhelm that
  unlucky thirteenth traveler who stumbles into its hiding spot.
  Salamanders usually pick shallow pools of water near
  pathways or similar areas that see frequent traffic. They
  remain below the surface until an obviously vulnerable oppo-
  nent moves past them. If a salamander spots a wounded or
  apparently weak foe, it remains in hiding but uses its murky
  vortex ability to drag its meal to it.
  Force Wave (Su): A bog salamander’s affinity for its
  watery environment allows it to create sudden, powerful
  surges of water that batter its foes. As a standard action, a
  salamander can project a 60-foot cone of water in the form
  of a crashing wave. All creatures in this area must make
  Reflex saves (DC 17) or take 4d6 points of damage and be
  knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half
  damage and remains on its feet. The save DC is Strength
  based. A salamander can only use this ability in water that
  is at least 2 feet deep.
  Murky Vortex (Su): A bog salamander can form a power-
  ful vortex around its body that drags opponents toward it.
  As a free action, a salamander causes a strong flow of water
  that forces any opponent within 60 feet who fails a Strength
  check (DC 15) to move 10 feet closer to it each round. A crea-
  ture makes this check immediately after taking its actions for
  the round. This ability only operates in areas where the
  water is deep enough to reach mid-thigh on a potential vic-
  tim. For example, a swampy area might be deep enough for a
  salamander’s vortex to drag a human toward it, but too shal-
  low for a giant to feel the effect of the vortex.
  Creatures already adjacent to a salamander using this abili-
  ty fall prone if they fail their Strength checks.A creature that
  becomes prone in shallow water may begin to drown.
  Bog Lurker (Ex): Despite their great size, bog salaman-
  ders are adept at finding cover in swampy areas. A salaman-
  der can almost completely submerge in water as shallow as 
  4 feet. In such areas, it gains a +15 competence bonus on 
  all Sneak checks to remain hidden from view.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  24
  
  Bog Salamander Encounter (EL 10)
  While traveling through a swamp, the characters come across
  obvious signs of bog salamander activity. They uncover the
  shredded remnants of armor and clothing along with dis-
  carded weapons, traveling gear, and camping supplies. Soon,
  they come across a mojh greenbond tending to a badly
  wounded bog salamander. The salamander has obviously
  attacked and killed many of the innocent travelers whose
  remains the PCs uncovered, but if they attack to halt the
  creature’s depredations, the greenbond fights to defend it.
  The mojh considers the beast an important part of the
  swamp. If the PCs attack, the greenbond holds them off for
  as long as possible before fleeing with the aid of spells.
  Enraged by the party’s temerity, the mojh encourages the
  other salamanders of the swamp to lair closer to pathways.
  On the other hand,if the characters aid the mojh,this green-
  bond proves to be a valued ally.By winning its trust and put-
  ting the mojh in their debt,they can convince it to use its
  abilities to encourage the surviving salamanders to lair
  deeper in the swamp, far from paths used by travelers.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 25
  
  Bone Viper
  Small Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19 hp), dying/dead –2/–13
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 16 (+1 size, +2 Dexterity, +2 natural, +1 dodge), touch 14,
  flat-footed 13
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–1
  Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6 plus poison)
  Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Eyes of the serpent, poison
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision,
  spawn egg bearer
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14
  Skills: Hide +9, Wilderness Survival +4
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Defensive, Skill Focus (Sneak)
  Environment: Warm plains and forests
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or nest (4–16)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 4–6 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment: +3
  Nearly 3 feet long,this serpent has bright emerald scales
  and black eyes that gleam with a feral intelligence.Nestled
  beneath its forked tongue is a sharp,hollow,bony stinger that
  it uses to seize control of its victim’s nervous system,allowing
  it to roost within its prey’s body and incubate its spawn.
  Bone vipers have an affinity for magic, particularly spells
  that control other creatures. A bone viper can drill its stinger
  into the brain of a captured or recently slain victim, turning
  it into a mindless slave. Bone vipers dwell within the throats
  of these captives and lay their eggs within their viscera.
  Using its control over the victim’s nervous system, a bone
  viper can direct its slave to perform tasks such as gathering
  food or erecting a crude shelter. The viper-infested victim can
  even pass itself off as a living, free-willed individual, though
  usually only for a short time. After 2d4 weeks, the viper’s
  eggs hatch. The newborn snakes devour the body and burst
  forth in search of more food, leading many bone vipers to
  gather stockpiles of food as their eggs draw near to hatching.
  Bone vipers rarely target humanoids with their attacks,
  since such creatures are much more dangerous prey than
  wild animals. In dangerous, monster-infested regions, bone
  vipers tend to be more aggressive toward travelers. In those
  situations, the relative safety of a humanoid host compen-
  sates for the danger involved in claiming one.
  While bone vipers have low Intelligence scores, they can
  speak Common in rasping, lisping tones. They can be rea-
  soned with, and sometimes they may agree to leave a victim’s
  body if they are promised a different suitable creature to nest
  within. Unscrupulous folk sometimes keep these creatures as
  pets and guardians. They capture rivals and opponents,
  allow the viper to nest within them, and then work with the
  snake to meet their goals.
  Combat
  Bone vipers typically attack from ambush, using their small
  size to sneak up on a lone target before unleashing their gaze
  attack. They are clever enough to approach small groups or
  lone travelers,often striking at night to claim a guard while his
  companions sleep.After claiming a victim,the serpent usually
  directs its host to gather food and supplies before fleeing from
  contact with its former companions. While the serpent can
  hide its nature for a short time, its low intelligence and poor
  grasp of social norms eventually lead to its exposure.
  Eyes of the Serpent (Su): Once per round as a free
  action, a bone viper can use a gaze attack to lull an opponent
  into a trancelike state. The victim of this attack must make a
  Will save (DC 12) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. This is a
  mind-affecting effect. If a magical effect or a mirror is used
  to reflect the viper’s gaze back at it, it must succeed on a save
  to resist its own attack. The save DC is Charisma based.
  Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude save DC 13, initial damage
  paralysis for 1d4 minutes, secondary damage paralysis for
  1d6 hours
  Spawn Egg Bearer (Ex): A bone viper can crawl into a
  paralyzed victim if it can spend 10 undisturbed minutes with
  it. At the end of this period, the victim receives the bone
  viper egg bearer template (see below).
  Bone Viper Egg Bearer Template
  A creature that succumbs to a bone viper’s attacks becomes the
  viper’s puppet,an unwilling participant in its natural life cycle.
  Creating an Egg Bearer
  “Bone viper egg bearer” is an acquired template that one can
  add to any animal, giant, humanoid, or magical beast of
  Medium size or larger. The egg bearer uses the base creature’s
  statistics except as noted below. A recently dead creature can
  also gain this template if the viper burrows into it within five
  minutes of the creature’s death.
  Speed: The bone viper has an imperfect control over its
  victim’s motor skills, giving it a slightly jerky motion as it
  moves. Reduce the speed for all the creature’s movement
  modes by 5 feet.
  Special Attacks and Qualities: A bone viper can use its
  victim’s natural abilities and many of its magical ones. The
  egg bearer uses its extraordinary (Ex) and supernatural (Su)
  abilities, but it loses all spell-like (Sp) abilities. In addition,
  it gains the following abilities.
  Eyes of the Serpent (Su): The viper’s connection with its
  host allows it to channel its magical ability through the
  Legacy of the Dragons
  26
  
  bearer’s eyes. This ability works exactly as the viper’s eyes of
  the serpent special attack.
  Viper Carrier (Ex): All egg bearers have an adult bone viper
  lodged within them. This viper cannot be the target of
  attacks or spells unless the characters can somehow see
  through the bearer’s body. Against area attacks and similar
  spells that could damage both the bearer and the viper inside
  it, the snake gains damage reduction 10/– due to the protec-
  tive layers of flesh and bone around it. The viper can escape
  from its carrier as a standard action. It disengages its bony
  stinger from the carrier’s brain and drops to its feet. The
  viper may choose to hide within a defeated egg bearer’s body,
  allowing it to remain concealed unless its opponents cut
  open the creature’s corpse.
  Mind-affecting effects are the viper’s one weakness when
  it is inside its carrier. Any such spells cast on the carrier
  affect the viper directly, due to the close mental connection
  it forges with its victim.
  Viper Spawn (Ex): The viper’s young burst from the bear-
  er’s torso with a sudden, sharp force. If the eggs within a
  bearer hatch during an encounter, all creatures within 30
  feet of the host must make Reflex saves (DC 14) or take 1
  point of damage per Hit Die of the host creature. A success-
  ful save cuts this damage in half. The newborn vipers are too
  small and weak to have any effect on combat, though the
  full-grown viper emerges from the bearer to attack as nor-
  mal. The egg bearer must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) to
  survive this experience. The bearer becomes dying if it suc-
  cessfully saves; on a failed save, it dies.
  Saves: The egg bearer uses its own Reflex and Fortitude
  save bonuses as normal, but it uses the viper’s Will save
  bonus. The creature suffers most attacks as normal except
  for mind-affecting ones. Those attacks (as explained above)
  directly affect the bone viper.
  Abilities: Since the viper has imperfect control over its
  victim’s physical body, the egg bearer suffers a –2 penalty 
  to Strength and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. The viper’s
  Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores replace the
  victim’s scores in those abilities.
  Skills and Feats: Because the viper lacks its victim’s knowl-
  edge,it cannot access its victim’s learned abilities.The egg bear-
  er loses the benefit of all its skills and feats,though the viper
  can still use its own skills and feats.The viper does not learn
  its victim’s languages and gains no knowledge of its memories.
  Challenge Rating: As the base creature’s.
  Level Adjustment: As the base creature’s.
  Curing an Egg Bearer
  Once a bone viper has claimed a victim, the unfortunate
  creature can survive for 2d4 weeks until the viper’s eggs
  hatch. A variety of spells and treatments can remove the
  viper before that time.
  A Heal check (DC 25) removes the viper and purges the
  eggs, though the viper is immediately free to attack. This
  procedure requires one hour of work, and the patient must
  be tied down or otherwise incapacitated.
  Several spells can cure the victim. Any mind-affecting
  effect that compels, commands, or charms the viper can be
  used to force it out of the victim’s body. Remove disease
  destroys the eggs and forces the viper to abandon its victim
  immediately. Attack from within and other spells that cause
  internal damage injure the viper and its host. Both must
  save against the spell as normal. Such spells automatically
  destroy any eggs within the victim.
  If a victim was recently dead when a viper inhabited it,
  there is a chance that the victim may survive. The viper can
  inject its egg bearer with a powerful healing draught that
  mends mortal injuries and keeps the victim’s brain in a deep
  coma. For purposes of spells used to revive the fallen, start
  counting time when the viper leaves the body to determine
  how long the victim has been dead.
  Bone Viper Encounter (EL 2)
  While exploring some ancient ruins, the characters come
  across an elderly hermit who lurches and stumbles as he
  walks. The old man has long studied the ruins’ secrets and
  the mysteries of the dungeons beneath them. Unfortunately
  for him, a bone viper crept up on him while he slept. If the
  PCs can lure the viper out of the hermit’s body, they can
  learn several important legends of this place. The viper
  might evacuate the hermit if presented with a new, suitable
  host or if the PCs use magic to compel it.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 27
  
  Briar Beast
  Large Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 8d10+40 (84 hp), dying/dead –5/–19
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 23 (–1 size, +14 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 23
  Base Attack/Grapple:+8/+18
  Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d6+6) or briar whip +8 melee 
  (1d8+6)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+6) and gore +11 melee
  (1d8+3), or 2 briar whips +8 melee (1d8+6)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet or 15 feet (briar whips) 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet or 15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Control briars
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision, briars, immunities
  Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 23, Dex 11, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 9
  Skills: Knowledge (nature) +4, Listen +4, Spot +3 
  Feats:Light Sleeper, Multiattack*, Opportunistic Attack†,
  Stunning Blow
  Environment: Temperate forest or hills
  Organization: Solitary or pair 
  Challenge Rating: 6
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:9–12 HD (Large); 13–16 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:+3
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  A huge beast covered in briar tangles, this monstrosity
  roams the wilderness, capturing prey by mentally controlling
  the strands of briars wrapped around it. It can use them to
  grab foes, whip them, or spray them with barbs. It can even
  control briars found in patches nearby, causing them to
  grasp at foes or forming them into difficult barriers.
  The briar beast is a predator, but normally it only goes
  after prey that does not fight back. Nevertheless, it can prove
  a threat to humanoids, because it defends its territory
  against all other perceived competition. It is an obstinate
  and easily irritated beast.
  The briar beast usually roams alone, but occasionally two
  siblings (the beasts are always born in litters of two) or a
  mated pair hunt together. Unless part of such a pairing, briar
  beasts hate others of their kind more than anything.
  Anytime a beast comes upon a briar patch, it renews the
  briar tangles that wrap around it. It often sleeps within briar
  patches but rarely keeps a permanent lair, unless it is caring
  for newborn young. For their first year, the parents watch
  over these young beasts closely.
  Known for its extremely durable armored hide, the briar
  beast has a muscular physique. It normally walks on all
  fours, with its back hunched. It can, for short periods, walk
  on only its rear legs, which—unlike the massive weapons
  on its front legs—bear only small claws. Its head looks a lit-
  tle like that of a boar, with two yellowish tusks on each side
  of its wide snout. Its hide is dark brown with tufts of long,
  wiry black hair. The briars covering the creature are light
  brown and dark green.
  Combat
  When hunting, a briar beast aggressively pursues its quarry
  by running it down and grasping with briars (or its claws).
  Against dangerous foes, it fights defensively, retracting into a
  tight mass of muscle, claws, and briars.
  Briars (Ex):This beast is covered in barbs. Any creature
  that attempts to grapple it, becomes grappled by it, or strikes
  it with natural weapons (including unarmed strikes) suffers
  1d3 points of damage per round from the barbs.
  Control Briars (Su): The briar beast can psionically con-
  trol all briars within 50 feet at will, making them move as if
  using telekinesis. This ability allows it to produce a number of
  effects, each requiring a standard action (except for wall of
  thorns, which requires a full round).
  Whip: The simplest thing the briar beast can do is whip
  someone with a strand of briars. It can strike anyone within
  15 feet of itself with a strand from its own body. It can also
  use a separate briar strand within 50 feet of it to attack a tar-
  get within 15 feet of the briar. (A briar whip not wrapped
  around the beast strikes with an attack bonus of +8, inflict-
  ing 1d8 points of damage.) The briar beast can use one briar
  whip attack as a standard action or two as a full attack
  action.
  Grapple: A creature struck by a briar whip is subject to an
  immediate grapple attack if the beast wishes it. This does
  not provoke an attack of opportunity. A briar attached to
  the beast may use the beast’s size and grapple bonus.
  Otherwise, the briar’s grapple bonus is +8, and it is treated
  as a Medium creature. An individual strand has a hardness
  of 2 and 5 hit points.
  Spray Barbs: The briars wrapped around the beast flail
  about, launching their barbs in all directions. Everyone with-
  in 30 feet suffers 3d6 points of damage. A Reflex saving
  throw (DC 14) decreases the damage by half. The beast can
  spray barbs only from its own encircling briars. The saving
  throw DC is Dexterity based.
  Wall of Thorns: This effect, which takes a full-round action
  to create, requires a particularly thick, briar-filled area
  beyond those briars attached to the beast itself. The beast
  creates an effect as described in the wall of thorns spell, as if
  cast by a 10th-level caster. The briar beast can use this ability
  once per day.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  28
  
  Entangle: This effect requires a thick, briar-filled area
  beyond those briars attached to the beast itself. Briars
  wrap, twist, and entwine about creatures within or enter-
  ing an area 30 feet wide, holding them fast and causing
  them to become entangled unless they succeed at a Reflex
  saving throw (DC 13).
  An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run
  or charge, and suffers a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a
  –4 penalty to its effective Dexterity score. An entangled
  character attempting to cast a spell must make a
  Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or lose the
  spell. The creature can break free and move at half its nor-
  mal speed by using a full-round action to make a Strength
  check (DC 20) or Escape Artist check (DC 20). A creature
  that succeeds at its Reflex save is not entangled but can
  still move at only half speed through the area. On the
  briar beast’s turn each round, as a standard action, the
  beast can once again attempt to entangle all creatures in
  the area that have avoided or escaped entanglement.
  Otherwise, the briars do not grasp again at free creatures.
  Those entangled are held for 1d6+1 rounds. The saving
  throw DC is Charisma based.
  Immunities (Su):The briar beast cannot be harmed by
  briars, plant thorns, or similar damaging objects. This is
  true even of the physical attacks made by intelligent plants.
  Likewise, it remains immune to effects that cause plants to
  grasp or grab (like bind with plants).
  Briar Beast Encounter (EL 6)
  Making their way through the wilderness, the PCs
  encounter a man who claims to have had a vision. He says
  he was once an evil financier, cheating widows out of their
  savings and taking the land from innocent farmers who
  had fallen on hard times. To redeem himself, the vision
  showed him, he must come into the wilderness and find a
  creature that would lash his sins away. As they speak, an
  angry briar beast crashes out of a nearby copse of trees.
  The man exclaims that the briar beast is the creature he
  saw in his vision. The PCs must decide what to do when
  the financier charges headlong toward the beast—and 
  certain doom. Even if they let him go (a callous act, to be
  sure, considering the man seems sincerely repentant), after
  the briar beast has made short work of him, it comes after
  them as well.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 29
  
  Chlorthek
  Medium Aberration
  Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (34 hp), dying/dead –5/–19
  Initiative: +4
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
  Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d8 acid)
  Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d8 acid)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Acidic touch, burst of rage
  Special Qualities: Immunity to acid, low-light vision,
  regeneration 2
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 7
  Skills: Climb +6, Listen +6
  Feats: Improved Grapple B, Improved Initiative, Iron Will,
  Resistance to Magic
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or mob (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class or 5–8 HD (Medium),
  9–18 HD (Large), 19–30 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +1
  These miserable abominations resemble short humanoids
  with patches of melted,baggy skin hanging from their bodies.
  The dramojh created these twisted humanoids by subjecting
  captives to a horrific combination of acid baths,preserving
  salts,and magical rituals.Chlortheks are coated in acid,mak-
  ing their slightest touch deadly.This acid burns and warps
  their skin,but their regeneration ability allows them to heal
  these injuries before they become life-threatening.In battle,
  they draw strength from their state of endless pain.
  Were chlortheks any less violent, they would perhaps find
  succor and pity from giants and men. Unfortunately, the
  dramojh cursed them to find relief only when they channel
  their agony into destructive acts. To a chlorthek, each blow it
  lands on its enemy drains away the pain it feels. These crea-
  tures leave a wide swath of devastation in their path, as they
  topple buildings, fell trees, and seek to slay or destroy any-
  thing they come across.
  While chlortheks are potent enemies, their overly aggres-
  sive actions make it difficult for them to survive for long.
  Invariably, they push the folk of the areas they despoil to
  hunt them down. Years ago large bands of chlorthek
  marauders ravaged the countryside, but over time their num-
  bers have dwindled. They persist in a few small, isolated
  groups. While these groups pose a lesser threat than in earli-
  er times, they are still deadly enemies. Their depredations
  may be less extensive, but their urge to slay and pillage
  remains intact.
  Most chlortheks speak Common,though they rarely com-
  municate even with their own kind.Most of the time,their
  speech is limited to low,agonized moans and shrieks of pain.
  Combat
  Chlortheks employ simple,direct tactics against their enemies.
  They prefer to charge forward in large numbers.They rarely
  use weapons and armor,since their acidic nature weakens or
  destroys such gear.Instead,they grapple opponents and allow
  their strength and acidic secretions to carry the day.
  Chlortheks gain Improved Grapple as a bonus feat. Their
  squat, strong bodies and melted, viscous flesh make them
  adept at closing with an opponent and grabbing him in a
  powerful hold.
  Chlortheks almost always fight to the death.If battle brings
  them a reprieve from their miserable condition,then the empty
  oblivion of death is the final reward they can hope to reap.
  Acidic Touch (Ex): Due to the acidic film that covers their
  bodies, chlortheks smear caustic fluid on their opponents
  with a successful attack. They deal 1d8 points of acid damage
  with each attack. In addition, they automatically deal 1d8
  points of acid damage each round they successfully initiate
  or maintain a grapple against an opponent.
  Burst of Rage (Ex): The chlortheks’ ceaseless pain drives
  them to seek release in battle and destruction, granting them
  temporary reprieve from their agony. In combat, this ability
  to channel their emotions allows them to fight on despite
  horrid injuries. When a chlorthek is reduced to fewer than 0
  hit points, it gains a +2 bonus to Strength and continues to
  fight until it is slain. It does not fall unconscious while
  dying, though it suffers the other drawbacks as normal.
  Regeneration (Ex): The chlortheks’ ability to heal
  wounds swiftly is the only thing that prevents them from
  succumbing to their state of endless pain. They do not
  regenerate fire or electricity damage.
  Chlorthek Society
  Some sages believe that the curse laid upon the chlortheks
  can somehow be broken and these poor creatures returned
  to their true forms. While many warriors see such talk as evi-
  dence of a soft heart and cloudy vision, those who believe
  the chlortheks can be saved point to their crude culture as
  proof of their worthiness. When chlortheks gather in small
  numbers away from civilization, they tend to erect crude 
  settlements that bear faint echoes of the architecture and
  governments used by humans, giants, and other creatures.
  Those who study chlortheks call this tendency evidence that
  these beasts retain some distant memory of their former
  states. Other, more militant observers believe that the
  dramojh simply preserved memories and impulses that could
  Legacy of the Dragons
  30
  
  prove useful for their slaves. No one has yet dared to venture
  into a chlorthek settlement to learn the truth, nor has any
  evidence of how to break this supposed curse come to light.
  The Chlorthek Curse
  The curse that afflicts all chlortheks is a legacy of the hated
  dramojh. In the research that led to the genesis of these
  creatures, the dramojh learned that the easiest way to pro-
  duce willing, violent servitors was to horribly warp intelli-
  gent creatures’ personalities and forms. The traumatic alter-
  ation produced sufficiently vicious servants that the dramojh
  could easily set against their foes without fear of revolt. Too
  often in the past, the dramojh had found their experiments
  too intelligent to accept servitude willingly.
  All chlortheks suffer from a magical curse that places them
  in their current state. This condition extends to their
  descendants, though two chlortheks can have children only
  if they were originally from the same or compatible species.
  To prevent the easy defeat of their minions (the dramojh
  feared that a single powerful spellcaster could undo their
  work), they placed a specific, customized method of shatter-
  ing the curse in the genetic makeup of each creature they
  altered. Breaking the curse frees an individual chlorthek, his
  ancestors, and his children and other descendants.
  Unfortunately for the chlortheks as a race, the dramojh
  created a multitude of specific strains of this curse. One
  chlorthek bloodline may be cured by bathing one of its mem-
  bers in water anointed by a greenbond and collected at the
  peak of the world’s tallest mountain. Other chlortheks may
  need to journey to the deepest point in the underworld and
  breathe the vapors of a specific volcanic rift. Of course, drag-
  ging a chlorthek along on this sort of quest can prove diffi-
  cult, but the effort promises to remove a deadly menace per-
  manently from the world. Furthermore, freed individuals
  retain their own memories plus recollections of their ances-
  tors’ lives. Forgotten lore, important knowledge of the
  dramojh era, and other secrets may linger on within the
  mind of a seemingly mad, vicious monster.
  Chlorthek Characters
  The strongest and toughest chlortheks become warmains,
  tempering their destructive urges with the intelligence and
  cunning needed to become highly trained combatants.
  Otherwise,some specimens gain levels in the warrior class.
  Chlortheks lack the intelligence and clarity of mind to master
  spellcasting or any complex talents,because their continual
  state of pain breaks their concentration and leaves them
  unable to perform any purely mental endeavor.
  Chlorthek Encounter (EL 7)
  While staying in town,the characters hear news of a small
  group of chlortheks lurking in a nearby forest.If they investi-
  gate,they learn that a merchant and his bodyguards saw the
  monsters and fled before they could suffer an attack.Within a
  short time,the story spirals out of control.Now,rumors run
  rampant of a large band of these monsters bearing down on
  the town,while others speak of a mad,giant greenbond who
  has rallied the creatures under his leadership.
  In truth, the greenbond is seeking to unlock the curse that
  affects the chlortheks. The town’s leaders, fearful that the
  giant may accidentally unleash the monsters and worried
  that her efforts could drive away trade, launched a subtle
  propaganda campaign to turn popular sentiment against
  her. The PCs might find themselves unwittingly recruited by
  fearful townsfolk to oppose a potentially beneficial act.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 31
  
  Crested Serpent
  Gargantuan Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 20d10+200 (310 hp), dying/dead –11/–30
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 20 feet
  AC: 30 (–4 size, +1 Dexterity, +23 natural), touch 7,
  flat-footed 29
  Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+43
  Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d8+13)
  Full Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d8+13) and 2 claws +25 melee 
  (1d10+5)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Coiled charge
  Special Qualities: DR 10/adamantine (or 20/+3), low-light 
  vision, psychic bond, SR 30
  Saves: Fort +22, Ref +13, Will +11
  Abilities: Str 32, Dex 13, Con 30, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 13
  Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11, Wilderness Survival +7
  Feats: Cleave, Defensive Move, Mobility, Multiattack*,
  Power Attack, Power Charge, Weapon Focus (bite),
  Weapon Specialization (bite)
  Environment: Any temperate or warm
  Organization: Solitary or pair
  Challenge Rating: 15
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 21–30 HD (Gargantuan);31–50 HD (Colossal)
  Level Adjustment: +5
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  This four-legged, serpentine beast has a long, beaked
  mouth and a towering, jagged spur that runs from the base
  of its neck to the crown of its tail. Its thick blue scales glitter
  in the sun. A crested serpent attacks its prey by crushing it
  beneath an overwhelming charge. These creatures attack
  humanoids only when their young are threatened or when
  mating season causes them to become temperamental and
  aggressive.
  Crested serpents usually keep to isolated forest areas,but
  inevitably they overhunt their home territory and must range
  farther afield to track down suitable prey.Their strength and
  ferocity in battle lead most travelers to avoid areas where they
  are rumored to hunt.Crushed trees,the shattered bones of
  prey,and other such signs are the best indicators of their
  presence.Wherever one of these beasts settles down,it quick-
  ly establishes itself as the mightiest predator in the region.
  Despite their reputation as terrible monsters,crested ser-
  pents only rarely hunt humanoid creatures.Usually they pre-
  fer to avoid such prey,since armored warriors and skilled
  mages are much more difficult to overcome than herd beasts.
  During their mating season,they become exceptionally
  aggressive and temperamental.They lash out at any perceived
  invasion of their hunting grounds and may attempt to claim
  additional territory to help impress potential mates.If a crest-
  ed serpent lairs near civilized lands,it may attack border
  towns,ambush travelers and caravans,and wreck farmlands.
  These beasts mate only once each decade,but in some cases
  that delay between rampages merely provides settlers enough
  time to repair the damage dealt by the previous attack.
  Crested serpents pose a vexing problem to settlers and
  others who dwell near them. Attacking these creatures in
  their lairs might prevent their depredations, but crested ser-
  pents are daunting foes. A failed attack might prompt one to
  become more aggressive than normal. Magical solutions
  offer the best hope, and many greenbonds use their spells to
  lead crested serpents to deserted regions or other areas
  where they can exist in peace.
  The only thing more aggressive than a crested serpent
  seeking to improve its status during mating season is one
  whose young are threatened.A serpent protecting its off-
  spring flies into a rage at the slightest hint of interlopers and
  works tirelessly to defeat would-be kidnappers and scav-
  engers.Crested serpent hide is a valued material for forging
  weapons and armor.Since adult specimens are such danger-
  ous opponents,some hunters try to corner and kill young ser-
  pents while the parents are away hunting.Unfortunately for
  such opportunists,crested serpents have a strong emotional
  and psychic bond with their young.Many outposts and bor-
  der settlements have been reduced to rubble by a rampaging
  crested serpent in search of its young or their remains.
  Combat
  In battle, a crested serpent folds its body over so that its
  beak latches onto a bony spur at its tail. It then rolls through
  its enemies, slicing them with its crest before unlocking its
  jaws to attack. If possible, it makes repeated passes with its
  coiled charge attack, sweeping in to strike before slipping
  away from an enemy’s grasp.
  Serpents usually employ direct, simple tactics. They con-
  tinually roll through an area, hammering their opponents
  with their spines. Serpents rarely attack with their claws and
  bite unless cornered.
  Coiled Charge (Ex): This fearsome attack is similar to a
  trample. A crested serpent throws itself at its enemies, crush-
  ing them with its tremendous bulk and gashing them with
  its sharp, bony plate. The serpent may use a full-round
  action to take its normal charge movement. It gains the ben-
  efits of any feats that modify its charge attack or distance as
  normal, though it can move through both enemies and allies
  that are Huge or smaller. Any creature’s space that the ser-
  pent completely covers during the course of its movement is
  affected by the coiled charge attack. This attack deals
  4d6+20 points of slashing and bludgeoning damage. A
  Reflex save (DC 27) cuts this damage in half.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  32
  
  Creatures affected by this attack can choose to suffer a –4
  penalty to their Reflex saves in order to make attacks of
  opportunity against the serpent. A target can never take
  damage from this ability more than once from the same ser-
  pent in a single round, even if the serpent moves back and
  forth over the target.
  Psychic Bond (Su): Crested serpents have a natural psy-
  chic bond with their young. Some theorists believe that this
  affinity forms due to the unique properties of the serpents’
  hides. In any case, a crested serpent can detect the location
  or the remains of its young (if they have died) as long as the
  young are within 100 miles of its current position.
  Armor and Weapons
  A crested serpent’s thick blue hide serves as an excellent
  material for weapons and armor. Though the hide is difficult
  to harvest (because doing so involves slaying the serpent),
  the price offered on the open market for serpent hide more
  than justifies the risk.
  Serpent hide offers a variety of benefits when formed into
  armor and weapons.It has 8 hit points per inch of thickness
  and hardness 8.In addition,serpent armor is lighter and eas-
  ier to wear than mundane armor of the same type.It increas-
  es the maximum Dexterity modifier to AC by +2,reduces the
  armor check penalty by 2,and is half the normal weight.
  Serpent armor counts as masterwork armor due to the skill
  required to forge it,though it gains the bonuses given above
  rather than the standard benefits of masterwork quality.A
  suit of serpent armor costs an additional 4,000 gp.
  Weapons crafted from crested serpent hide are surprising-
  ly effective. The hide holds an edge when properly treated. A
  weapon crafted from serpent hide costs an additional 50 gp
  and weighs half as much as a normal weapon.
  Crested Serpent Encounter (EL 10)
  Reports filter into town of a rampaging crested serpent fol-
  lowing a straight path toward the town where the characters
  are staying. A 10th-level magister, eager to acquire crested
  serpent hide for a powerful item he seeks to forge, uncovered
  a serpent’s nest. He used his spells to approach it in secret,
  and cast teleport to escape with several of the serpent’s eggs.
  The enraged beast has tracked him to the town. The charac-
  ters must find the magister’s workshop, reclaim the eggs,
  and return them to the serpent or move them to an unpopu-
  lated area before the monster descends upon the town.
  While the characters track the magister, the townsfolk
  descend into chaos as many people flee to the relative safety
  of the countryside and looters take advantage of the situa-
  tion to rob and pillage as they wish.
  The magister could be a well-respected member of the
  community. He deals in rare and powerful magic items and
  has used his wealth and charming manner to win support
  from many of the local elders. Even if the characters uncover
  his plans, they must convince others of the threat he has
  inadvertently brought upon the town. For his part, the mag-
  ister is confident that the town’s defenders can destroy the
  monster. He is too blinded by his greed to see the impending
  disaster he has set into motion.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 33
  
  Darval
  Huge Aberration
  Hit Dice: 16d8+96 (168 hp), dying/dead –7/–22
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
  Base Attack/Grapple:+12/+26
  Attack: Bite +18 melee (2d6+6)
  Full Attack: Bite +18 melee (2d6+6), slam +16/+11 melee
  (1d8+1 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 15 feet/15 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Attraction, improved grab, swallow whole,
  poison
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, camouflage
  Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +13
  Abilities: Str 23, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 5, Wis 16, Cha 15
  Skills: Climb +18, Sneak +15, Spot +13 
  Feats: Cleave, Fast Healer, First Strike, Lightning Reflexes,
  Multiattack*, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Sneak) 
  Environment: Underground
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 14
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:17–32 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:—
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  A terrible subterranean predator, the darval has earned
  the name “the living trap.” A few refer to it as “the joyous
  death.” The akashic Neverad Nosk once used his abilities to
  learn of the fate of the human explorer Maggerin Thyll at the
  “hands” of a darval:
  “Maggerin made his way down the narrow, natural passage. Like
  a cleft in the earth, the tunnel’s floor angled toward the center, and
  the passage rose very high above him. His companion, the spryte
  Theea, hovered behind him a few steps. Ahead, the tunnel split.
  Normally, the two would take a moment to discuss the proper path,
  often with Theea flying ahead to scout down each option. This time,
  however, Maggerin kept moving forward and entered the left tunnel
  branch, ducking beneath a low rock formation jutting from the wall. 
  “‘Wait!’ Theea called, but her companion did not stop. 
  “It lay just ahead! Maggerin thought excitedly. What he’d been
  seeking all his life. His heart raced as he quickened his pace. The
  tunnel was treacherous, sloping down roughly and filled with loose
  stones, but he thrust aside concerns for safety.
  “Theea called again, but he did not answer. Had she only real-
  ized he had fallen victim to a magical compulsion, things may have
  ended differently.
  “Maggerin stumbled into a high-ceilinged cave. Above him
  loomed a creature of nightmare—tall and slender, spiderlike legs
  supporting a bulbous body that seemed to be almost all mouth. A
  broad tendril-like tail covered in spikes rose from the thing’s body,
  flailing about. Maggerin did not see the beast until he was actually
  underneath it. Rather than being afraid, however, he was delight-
  ed. This monstrosity was the most wonderful thing he had ever
  seen—it was what he had sought all his life. Even as the creature
  lowered its body toward him, even as the huge maw engulfed him,
  Maggerin felt joy. Theea flew into the cave and shrieked. She
  attempted to cast a spell, but the beast thrashed her with its tail,
  smashing her against the cavern wall.
  “Maggerin disappeared down the creature’s throat, pulled along
  by muscles that crushed his bones as it swallowed. He slid down
  into its gut, happier than he had ever been.”
  This carnivorous creature dwells deep underground—so
  deep, in fact, that most surface dwellers have never heard of
  it. The slassans (see Chapter Four in The Diamond Throne)
  and the Vallorians (see page 112) hate and fear the darvals
  and destroy them whenever they can find them. Sometimes,
  deep-delving chorrim use darvals to guard their own lairs
  (bribing them with food) or even to battle as tests of combat
  prowess and willpower. (In such tests, a powerful chorrim
  warrior is thrown into a darval’s lair and must come out
  alive.) 
  The darval does not burrow but lives in natural caves and
  underground structures constructed by others. Once every
  10 years, females lay 11 to 20 eggs, but they abandon them
  immediately afterward. Most darval eggs in a clutch never
  hatch, but instead form into crystalline nodules worth 1d6 ×
  100 gp each. Darvals live at least a hundred years, sometimes
  going for almost a year without eating. During such periods,
  they become almost dormant, never moving until prey
  approaches. Darvals obtain all the water they need from the
  creatures they kill.
  With their legs fully extended, these creatures stand
  almost 16 feet high. When at rest, however, they often
  crouch, their round bodies resting on the ground.
  Underground explorers can easily mistake their four spindly
  limbs for tall “soda straw” stalagmites or thin pillars. This
  sometimes allows the creatures to “hide in plain sight” right
  above an entrance to a cavern.
  Darvals do not speak, but some learn to understand a few
  words in various languages. They are usually Unbound.
  Combat
  The darval relies on its attraction ability to draw prey to it
  and hold the prey nearby until it can bite and swallow it.
  While eating, it uses its barbed tail to strike at other foes.
  The poison on each barb weakens and incapacitates its tar-
  gets, giving the creature victims for its next meal. The darval
  is content to wait for hours or even days, hidden in a cave,
  for prey to come along.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  34
  
  Attraction (Su): The darval can choose to emanate magi-
  cal vibrations that attract living creatures within 100 feet
  and compel them to come toward it unless they succeed at a
  Will saving throw (DC 20). Affected creatures feel elated and
  pleased to be near the darval and desire to touch it. The
  compulsion to stay in the area or touch the darval is over-
  powering, and victims will fight to follow their urges. Those
  affected will neither harm the darval nor defend themselves
  against its attacks. If an unaffected character spends a
  full round shaking an affected one, the victim
  can attempt another saving throw. This can
  only be attempted once. A successful second
  save releases the creature from the enchant-
  ment, but it can be subject to the effect
  again as soon as 1d6 minutes later, even if
  it is no longer within the darval’s range
  (unless the subject knows for certain the
  darval is dead). In such a case, the creature
  must make a third save. If this save fails, the
  affected creature attempts to return to the
  darval. The compulsion lasts up to an hour.
  The save DC is Charisma based.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a
  darval must hit with its bite attack. It can then
  attempt to start a grapple as a free action without
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the
  grapple check, it establishes a hold and can inflict
  automatic bite damage, then swallow the foe on the
  subsequent round.
  Swallow Whole (Ex):A darval can try to swallow a
  grabbed opponent of a size smaller than itself by
  making a successful grapple check.Once inside,the
  opponent takes 2d8+12 points of crushing damage
  plus 8 points of acid damage per round from the dar-
  val’s gut.A swallowed creature can cut its way out by
  using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25
  points of damage to the gizzard (AC 17).Once the
  creature exits,muscular action closes the hole;anoth-
  er swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.A
  Huge darval’s interior can hold one Large,two Medium,eight
  Small,32 Tiny,or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.
  Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 24, initial damage 1d6
  Strength, secondary damage 2d6 Strength. The save DC is
  Constitution based.
  Camouflage (Ex): The darval can alter its skin coloration
  and texture to fit its surroundings, giving it a +20 racial
  bonus to Hide checks.
  Darval Encounter (EL 14)
  The PCs, traveling underground or simply exploring a cave,
  fall into a sinkhole and down a sloping shaft until they find
  themselves quite deep underground in entirely unknown
  territory. This new cave system is the domain of a darval
  that has lain dormant for months. Awakened by the noise,
  the creature activates its attraction ability, trying to draw
  prey to it.
  If it manages to lure some (but not all) of the PCs, and
  the remaining characters pose too much trouble for it to eat
  its fill, it moves to an area of the cave that contains yet
  another unstable sinkhole. It slides down into the sinkhole
  and buries itself 60 feet below. Later, it crawls out into a still
  deeper cave to wait for the PCs it had attracted previously to
  come back to it.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 35
  
  Dothrog
  Large Aberration
  Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 20 feet, swim 30 feet
  AC: 15 (–1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+9
  Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2)
  Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Improved grab,stinging stream,swallow whole
  Special Qualities: Agile leaper,low-light vision,prodigious 
  leaper
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 14, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Skills: Jump* +30, Spot* +7
  Feats: Affinity With Skill (Jump), Power Leap†, Weapon 
  Focus (bite)
  Environment: Temperate marsh
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or pod (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 5–8 HD (Large); 9–16 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +2
  This lizardlike beast has a large, spherical body, two mas-
  sive hind legs, and a pair of puny forelimbs much like a
  tyrannosaurus rex’s arms. It has slimy, scaly skin and round,
  bulging eyes. A dothrog maintains a small colony of its
  young within its body. It drinks tremendous amounts of
  water and swallows prey whole to feed them. In battle, it can
  blast a foe with a combination of mucus and a stream of its
  stinging, tadpolelike young. These creatures are usually little
  more than a nuisance in swampy areas, though they can
  cause severe injury when they combine their melee attacks
  with their acidic mucus.
  Dothrogs have a strange life cycle that has drawn the
  interest of many researchers. They reproduce asexually, with
  a single dothrog spontaneously producing a swarm of viable
  young every few years from within its gullet. Dothrogs con-
  tinually have small clusters of their young within their stom-
  achs, but the vast majority of these tiny creatures never
  mature into adults. A “pregnant” dothrog swallows prey and
  digests it to give its spawn sustenance. After a few months, it
  belches them into the swamp’s waters, thereafter requiring
  them to fend for themselves. These creatures undergo a
  rapid, explosive period of growth soon after their liberation.
  Within a few months, they mature into adult dothrogs.
  In their tadpole form, dothrogs are easy to capture but dif-
  ficult to tame. Still, their ferocity makes them a popular
  mount for creatures that dwell in swamplands. Their
  strength and impressive leaping ability can prove useful to
  an owner, but training a dothrog is a difficult task. The stub-
  born creatures prove resistant to most training methods, but
  a trained dothrog is a faithful companion.
  Combat
  Dothrogs are usually skittish and fearful of humanoids, but
  hunger can drive them to attack almost anything. They pre-
  fer to harry an opponent with repeated, quick strikes. A
  dothrog may leap in to bite an opponent and jump away
  before its foes can ready a response. Many expeditions into
  wet areas have been surprised by a dothrog that leaped into
  their midst, swallowed a guide or pack bearer, and disap-
  peared into a thick grove of trees or similar terrain before the
  other explorers can counterattack.
  * Skills (Ex): With their long, powerful legs, dothrogs
  gain a +20 racial bonus to all Jump checks. Their wide, large
  eyes give them a +4 racial bonus to all Spot checks.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the dothrog must
  hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can attempt to
  swallow its opponent.
  Stinging Stream (Ex): Dothrogs carry their stinging,
  tadpolelike young within their gullets. If one of these crea-
  tures stands in a pool, it can gulp down water and then
  forcibly eject a combination of acidic mucus and stinging,
  tiny young dothrogs at an opponent. This attack functions
  as a ranged touch attack that deals 2d6 points of acid dam-
  age with a maximum range of 30 feet and no range incre-
  ment. If a dothrog has a creature in its gullet when it uses
  this attack, the swallowed foe flies from its mouth toward
  the target. The swallowed creature takes 1d6 points of dam-
  age and lands prone in the target square. If the attack hits,
  the target takes an additional 1d6 points of damage from
  the impact.
  Swallow Whole (Ex): A dothrog can try to swallow a
  Medium or smaller opponent that it has grabbed. It must
  make a successful grapple check to force an opponent down
  its gullet. Once inside, the opponent takes 1d8+2 points of
  damage as digestive fluids and the dothrog’s young eat away
  at it. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a
  light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 10 points of dam-
  age to the dothrog’s gizzard (AC 10). Once the creature exits,
  muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed oppo-
  nent must cut its own way out. A dothrog’s interior can hold
  one Medium, two Small, or four Tiny or smaller opponents.
  Agile Leaper (Ex): With their strong legs, dothrogs can
  leap high into the air with a minimum of effort and wasted
  motion. They never provoke attacks of opportunity due to
  moving if their movement consists entirely of a jump. For
  example, if a dothrog jumps through a threatened area, it
  does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  36
  
  Prodigious Leaper (Ex): A dothrog’s massive hind legs
  allow it to leap through the air with ease. In addition to
  the racial bonus to Jump checks mentioned above, a
  dothrog is considered to be making a running long
  jump even if it does not move before attempting a
  Jump check.
  Trained Dothrogs
  Raising, training, and riding a dothrog takes a
  tremendous amount of skill and patience.
  These creatures resist most attempts to
  domesticate them, and adults are impossible
  to train. Swamp folk may capture dothrog
  young to raise, but even these creatures rarely
  prove pliable to instruction. However, a
  trained dothrog is a valued boon. It can prove
  to be a versatile and faithful pack animal and
  fighting beast.
  Training a young dothrog takes longer than
  normal and is a daunting task. It takes one year
  to properly raise a dothrog, and the Handle
  Animal check DC is 20 + twice its HD. Thus, only
  expert trainers commonly attempt to teach these
  creatures.
  A trained dothrog gains a +2 competence bonus
  to all Will saves and a +1 competence bonus to all
  attacks against creatures that threaten its master.
  A key component of training a dothrog involves
  teaching it to recognize its owner and master
  as a parent. In the wild, dothrogs never
  develop emotional attachments to their par-
  ents, but with training and care they can
  build intense, deep feelings for those that
  they see as their caretakers.
  With proper tutelage, dothrogs can develop a surprising
  mastery of simple fighting techniques. With six months of
  training and a Handle Animal check (DC 30), a domesti-
  cated dothrog can gain the ability to acquire levels in the
  warrior class. The dothrog receives XP equal to 1/10 of the
  share a character would gain for an adventure and pro-
  gresses through that class as normal. It gains feats,
  improves its Hit Dice, and even acquires skills just like a
  character.
  Swamp folk commonly outfit dothrogs with studded
  leather barding, riding saddles, and specially designed
  satchels (price and weight as for an exotic pack saddle) that
  keep the equipment they carry secure as they move.
  Dothrog Encounter (EL 5)
  While traveling through a swampy area, the characters
  come across a narrow bridge that connects one low hill to
  another. The area between the hills is flooded with thick,
  murky swamp water. If the characters attempt to cross
  here, two dothrogs leap from a nearby patch of grass to
  attack them. A gang of bandits has trained the beasts to
  grab travelers, swallow them, and bear their captives to the
  bandit camp. There the unfortunate victims are expelled,
  tied up, robbed, and held for a steep ransom.
  The characters may have to chase the monsters in order
  to rescue one of their companions. Unbeknownst to them,
  the bandits lurk nearby to better control their pets. If the
  PCs travel to the bandits’ camp, they discover that it con-
  sists of several buildings suspended above an area of deep
  water and connected by tall platforms. The bandits ride
  dothrogs through the area and already hold several captives
  waiting to be ransomed. Until payment is made, the cap-
  tives are kept within wooden cages half-submerged in the
  murky water.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 37
  
  Dread Helminth
  Small Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 4d10+4 (26 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 20 feet
  AC: 21 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity, +6 natural, +1 dodge), touch 14,
  flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple:+4/–1
  Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d4–1 + poison)
  Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d4–1 + poison)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Breath weapon, poison
  Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 feet; air, earth, fire, and 
  water resistance 5
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 8, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 7
  Skills: Sneak* +7, Spot +2 
  Feats:Defensive, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary (usually in addition to a host creature)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:5–6 HD (Small); 7–8 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:—
  The dread helminth presents a terrible surprise to a foe.
  This parasitic worm remains within its host until that crea-
  ture dies, at which point it comes out, ready to hunt. Thus a
  character may think she has defeated her opponent, only to
  have a helminth burst from its corpse and attack her.
  The dread helminth procreates by laying eggs in a corpse,
  which is then eaten by a predator or scavenger. Only one egg
  survives within a given host, and the larva grows quickly. If
  the host is Small or smaller, the helminth never grows large
  enough to be anything but a vicious parasite that slays the
  host prematurely and then dies itself. If the host is at least
  Medium, however, the helminth can grow to become a dead-
  ly and horrible predator on its own. Within a Medium crea-
  ture, the dread helminth can grow to full size, although this
  almost always creates a distended lump in the host’s
  abdomen or back. Within a Large or larger creature, the
  helminth’s presence causes no external change to the host.
  When the host dies, the helminth bursts out of the corpse
  and attacks any and all nearby creatures. A dread helminth
  free of its host must eat almost continually or die, so outside
  of a host one of the creatures usually lives a week at most. A
  few, however, find enough food to continue much longer,
  and grow to be almost six feet long.
  A full-grown dread helminth usually measures about 2 to
  3 feet long, depending on the size of its host. Its pale yellow
  skin glistens with a sticky moisture that coats its body. It has
  no eyes, and one can distinguish its head from its tail only
  by its large, hooked mouth.
  The dread helminth is more intelligent than one would
  expect for a parasitic worm. Although it cannot sense what 
  is going on outside its host, it can interpret various physical
  signals from the host to get a basic idea—it knows when the
  host is in danger, when it is moving, fighting, eating, sleep-
  ing, and so forth. Dread helminths cannot speak or under-
  stand language, and they are always Unbound.
  The dread helminth is not a native of this world, but
  instead a parasite brought here within another creature. It
  has lived here long enough to have adapted to the realm,
  however, and made itself at home. Sages speculate that such
  adaptability may be a special ability of the creature, allowing
  it to propagate throughout any and all environments. Dread
  helminths are able to live on flesh normally anathema to
  other creatures, such as the substance of an ooze or meat
  from a demon’s corpse.
  A remove disease spell cast on the host of a dread
  helminth slays the parasite if the caster can make a caster
  power check (DC 10 + the helminth’s Hit Dice + its
  Constitution bonus, DC 15 for an average specimen). There
  is a 10 percent chance, however, that, rather than slaying
  the helminth, the spell merely forces it to burst out of the
  living host (inflicting 6d6 points of damage) and leave it.
  Of course, it immediately attacks any and all nearby crea-
  tures, including even the host.
  Combat
  Inside a host, the dread helminth attaches itself to an
  inner cavity and feeds off food the host eats or off the
  host’s own flesh, if it must. Its poison is such that it can
  make the host unaware of its presence by numbing its
  nerves. While in the host, the helminth suffers no damage
  or ill effects experienced by its host until the host is dead.
  Outside of its host, the creature uses its breath weapon on
  the first creature(s) it sees, and then moves in to attack
  with its bite, relying on the surprise of its sudden appear-
  ance as it emerges. If not attacking from within its host, it
  attempts to hide, sometimes within corpses, sometimes
  simply in the mud, to attack prey. Impatient and starving,
  however, it doesn’t wait long before moving to a new, hope-
  fully more fruitful location. It can control the virulence of
  its venom, changing its numbing bite to one that induces
  complete paralysis.
  Extremely hardy creatures, dread helminths prove resist-
  ant to all elements (air, earth, fire, and water resistance 5).
  Legacy of the Dragons
  38
  
  *Skills (Ex): The dread helminth gains a special +10 racial
  bonus to Sneak checks for determining whether a creature
  spots it as it emerges from its dead host.
  Breath Weapon (Ex):The dread helminth can spray a 20-
  foot cone of foul, greenish yellow vapor three times per day.
  Those within the area suffer 4d6 points of acid damage. A
  Fortitude saving throw (DC 13) reduces the damage by half.
  The saving throw DC is Constitution based.
  Poison (Ex): The dread helminth’s bite injects a numbing
  poison that simply renders the victim (usually the host)
  without feeling in a very localized portion of its body.
  However, with but a thought, the helminth can change the
  dosage so that the victim must make a Fortitude saving
  throw (DC 13) or face complete paralysis for 10 rounds. The
  saving throw DC is Constitution based.
  Dread Helminth Encounter (EL 6)
  The characters must transport a wagon holding a captive
  manticore—magically sedated and in chains—to a nearby
  city for a mysterious employer. On the way, they are
  attacked by another manticore swooping out of the sky. The
  beast menaces the PCs, but then—without warning—
  attacks its helpless mate. It feels it would be better to kill
  the other manticore than to let it go into captivity. The
  manticore attempts to use a coup de grace attack to slay the
  other. If it succeeds, however, it simply unleashes the dread
  helminth within it. If still alive, the remaining manticore
  flees at that point, leaving the characters to deal with the
  freed parasite. The attacking manticore had no idea the
  dread helminth lay within its mate, and neither, most likely,
  did the PCs. It should be clear by now that the characters
  were actually transporting the helminth, not its manticore
  host. But why? 
  If the group investigates, it turns out that their employer
  is in fact a madman intent on spreading the dread helminths
  wherever he can. He has a small fortress filled with unwilling
  and/or unwitting hosts.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 39
  
  Elemental Scion Template
  The strength of earth, the ferocity of fire, the speed of wind,
  and the tenacity of wave—these factors come together to 
  create an elemental scion,a creature of both mortal flesh and
  otherworldly might.When the force of the elemental spirits
  manifests itself in the normal world,a creature can use this
  power to become an elemental scion.This never happens by
  accident,always by choice.Elemental scions are always intelli-
  gent enough to make the choice for themselves,and it changes
  one forever.The elemental power seething within these scions
  manifests itself with varied effects.The physical changes to the
  transformed creature are generally minor.In appearance,the
  scion looks about the same.Yet the power of the earth bolsters
  him,fire makes him agile and quick,air allows him to float
  above the ground,and he can breathe water.
  All four elements work together within the creature:not in
  opposition,but in synthesis.It is only the union within a living,
  mortal creature that allows this convergence to occur.That
  spirit—perhaps the fifth element—unites the other four in a
  way not otherwise possible.In any event,elemental scions are
  rarer than even runechildren,and most people remain unaware
  of them.The transformation into an elemental scion does not
  change one’s outlook.Those with a dark heart are still cruel and
  selfish.More giving creatures retain their benevolent nature.
  Sample Elemental Scion: Orichol 
  (4th-level mojh mage blade)
  Medium Humanoid
  Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (26 hp), dying/dead –2/–10
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet, fly 30 feet (average)
  AC: 18 (+2 Dexterity, +3 natural, +3 armor), touch 12,
  flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple:+3/+6
  Attack: Longsword (athame) +10 melee (1d8+5)
  Full Attack: Longsword (athame) +10 melee (1d8+5)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Fireburst, earth blast, athame, spells
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, water breathing,
  shimmering shield
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 17
  Skills: Balance +2, Forgery +2, Knowledge (runes) +2
  Feats: Bonded Item (longsword), Elemental Mage (fire),
  Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Unique 
  Challenge Rating: 6
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+2
  Even after Orichol transformed into a mojh, he—it—was
  not content. It still craved more power. Specifically, the
  power Orichol craved was that which would unite it with
  mystical energies. It wanted to feel them course through its
  veins. So the mojh sought far and wide, reading well-
  researched texts and consulting with learned sages.
  Eventually, it learned of the Temple of the Four Pillars, locat-
  ed in the strange land of Kish. No one knows who built the
  temple, with its 444 steps leading up to its four grand doors.
  One thing was sure, though: Just as the texts had said,
  whosoever shall drink from the four pools surrounding the
  four pillars in the temple for 444 days straight shall come to
  liken themselves closer to the fundamental nature of the
  world and the four key elements that comprise it. Orichol
  discovered the truth of that personally.
  The mojh returned to the Lands of the Diamond Throne with
  newfound powers—an entirely new nature.Mentally,however,
  Orichol was still the power-craving mojh it had always been.
  Orichol wears a +1 studded leather jack and wields a
  longsword as an athame. It is tall for a mojh, and its elemen-
  tal nature gives its flesh a rough texture and dark color.
  Combat
  Orichol favors its elemental scion abilities over all else. It
  enjoys floating over foes and spraying its fire burst down
  upon them. It is overconfident and prone to foolhardiness,
  but it isn’t stupid.Orichol will run from a fight it cannot win.
  Fireburst (Sp):See ability description on next page.
  Earth Blast (Sp):See ability description on next page.
  Athame (Su):In Orichol’s hands, its longsword becomes
  a +2 weapon. It shares an empathic link with the weapon
  and knows where it is at all times.
  Water Breathing (Su):See ability description on next page.
  Shimmering Shield (Sp): Once per day, Orichol can cre-
  ate a shimmering aura around itself that grants the mojh a
  +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class for 4 rounds.
  Spell Slots: 4/3/1
  Spells Readied: 0—bash, detect magic, lesser repair, minor illu-
  sion;1st—acrobatics, fireburst, mudball, obscuring mist;2nd—boil
  Creating an Elemental Scion
  “Elemental scion” is a template that one can add to any liv-
  ing, corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of at least
  3. An elemental scion uses all the base creature’s statistics
  and special abilities, except as noted here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s type does not change.
  Speed: Elemental scions can fly at half their normal
  speed, carried aloft by the wind.
  AC: Increase the creature’s natural armor bonus by +2 due
  to a stony substance that infuses the flesh.
  Special Attacks: An elemental scion retains all the base
  creature’s special attacks and gains the following special abil-
  ities (cumulative):
  Legacy of the Dragons
  40
  
  HD
  Ability
  1–2
  Fireburst, water breathing
  3–4
  Earth blast, improved flight
  5–8
  Greater elemental resistance
  9–10
  Fireball, water walking
  11–12
  Stony skin, wall of wind
  13–15
  Summon elemental
  16+
  Elemental type
  Earth Blast (Sp): The elemental scion can,three times per
  day,cause the ground at one creature’s feet to explode,inflicting
  5d6 points of earth damage and knocking the creature prone if
  it is size Large or smaller.A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half
  the elemental scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma
  bonus) halves the damage and negates the knockdown effect.
  Greater Elemental Resistance (Su): The elemental scion
  enjoys air, earth, fire, and water resistance 20.
  Elemental Type (Su): The elemental scion’s type can be con-
  sidered elemental when it is desirable (but not elemental when
  it is not).For example,if someone casts a spell on a humanoid
  scion that normally would affect only humanoids,the spell
  does not affect him.If another mage cast a spell on the same
  scion that affected elementals,it would not affect him,either.
  Fireball (Sp): The elemental scion can, once per day, throw
  a ball of fire up to 200 feet that explodes in a 20-foot
  spread, inflicting 10d6 points of damage.
  Fireburst (Sp): The elemental scion can, three times per
  day, spray a 30-foot cone of fire that inflicts 3d6 points of
  damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half the elemental
  scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma bonus) halves
  the damage.
  Improved Flight (Su): The elemental scion can fly at his
  normal ground speed, with average maneuverability.
  Stony Skin (Su): The elemental scion’s natural armor bonus
  increases by another +2 bonus.
  Summon Elemental (Sp): The elemental scion can summon
  a Huge elemental of any type once per day, as described in
  the spell lesser summon major elemental.
  Wall of Wind (Sp): The elemental scion can, three times per
  day, create an invisible vertical curtain of wind 2 feet thick
  and up to 80 feet long and 100 feet high. Tiny and Small fly-
  ing creatures cannot pass through the barrier. Ranged pro-
  jectiles smaller than a catapult-hurled boulder are deflected
  upward and miss. Gases cannot pass through the wall. Other
  creatures, flying or not, attempting to pass through the wall
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the elemental
  scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma bonus), or they
  are repelled and knocked down. The immobile wall lasts for
  10 minutes per elemental scion Hit Die. The scion can shape
  the wall so that it curves horizontally, even to form a cylinder
  (but not a sphere).
  Water Breathing (Su): The elemental scion can breathe water
  as well as air.
  Water Walking (Su): The elemental scion can walk (or even
  run) on water as if it were solid ground.
  Special Qualities:An elemental scion has all the base
  creature’s special qualities and gains the following:
  Elemental Resistance (Su): The elemental scion has air,
  earth, fire, and water resistance 5.
  Abilities: Alter from the base creature’s as follows: Str +2,
  Dex +2, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2.
  Challenge Rating: As base creature’s +2.
  Level Adjustment: As base creature’s +2.
  Elemental Scion Encounter (EL 6)
  Orichol arrives in the community where the PCs currently
  reside. It is looking for one of the sages that helped it find
  the Temple of the Four Pillars, to demand still more informa-
  tion about the temple’s origins. The sage, however, is afraid
  of the mojh now, with its newfound power, and comes to the
  characters for help. Orichol was none too gentle in its
  inquiries before, and now the sage wants none of it. The PCs
  need to protect the sage and perhaps confront the mojh,
  learning in the process what an elemental scion is—and
  about the mysterious Temple of Four Pillars.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 41
  
  Faradian
  Large Monstrous Humanoid 
  Hit Dice: 9d8+45 (85 hp), dying/dead –6/–21
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 30 (–1 size,+1 Dexterity,+8 natural,+12 armor),touch 10,
  flat-footed 29
  Base Attack/Grapple:+9/+18
  Attack: Large dire masterwork greataxe +15 melee (2d8+11)
  Full Attack: Large dire masterwork greataxe +15/+10 melee 
  (2d8+11) and bite +15 melee (1d8+2)
  Face Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Ensorcel weapon, dazzle, telekinesis
  Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 feet, immunities, precogni-
  tive flashes
  Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +13
  Abilities: Str 20, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 17, Wis 21, Cha 19
  Skills: Climb +13,Craft (weaponsmithing) +8,Intimidate +10,
  Jump +10,Knowledge (geography) +9,Knowledge (history) 
  +9, Listen +10, +10, Wilderness Survival +11 
  Feats: Ambidexterity,Bloody Strike,Exotic Weapon Proficiency
  (heavy) B,Iron Will B, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon 
  Focus (greataxe), Weapon Specialization (greataxe) 
  Environment: Any land
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Double standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+4
  Living by their own strange code, the faradians are as
  enigmatic as they are fearsome. Nothing is truly black and
  white in the Lands of the Diamond Throne, and the faradi-
  ans exemplify that truism. These towering warriors are as
  likely to murder a seemingly innocent person as they are to
  help someone in distress.
  The faradians are not what they once were. Long ago they
  served as allies and friends of the mysterious crystal weavers
  of days past. As such, they were also close companions of the
  grynlocs (see page 46). Despite their great strength, the fara-
  dians were farmers and herders living in and around the
  northern reaches of the Elder Mountains.
  In those days, the great kingdom of Sennes encompassed
  much of what was then called Terrakal. Queen Adrilashe
  decreed that she must have an elite force of bodyguards and
  troops. She commanded her allies, the Devanians, to bring
  the best and the brightest of the faradians to her generals,
  and they complied. The faradians were taught loyalty,
  prowess, and strategy. They even learned sorcerous tricks
  from the mages of Sennes, who were at their height at the
  time. Thanks to their special connection to the akashic mem-
  ory, the faradians ensured that once they were trained, all
  other faradians would share their knowledge, as would their
  future generations. Thus, an elite force of faradian warriors
  attended the monarch of Sennes and, eventually, Devania.
  Even as political tides turned and human rulers changed,
  faradians always served them as faithful warriors. When the
  dramojh invaded, the faradians held them off longer than
  anyone would have thought possible. The dramojh hated
  them for their power, but even more for their steadfastness
  and loyalty. Using sorcery, the demon-dragons captured a
  number of faradians and murdered the rest.
  For long years,the dramojh tortured their captives but could
  not break them.Finally,they used magic to give the naturally
  blind faradians sight—but no ordinary sight.They cursed the
  faradians with flashes of the future,but only terrible aspects of
  what would be.They tormented them with the horrors that
  were,that had been,and that were still to come.No one knows
  exactly what happened after that,but when the armies of the
  giants,sibeccai,humans,and others arrived at the dramojh
  gates bringing freedom,the faradians were still in the dramojh
  prisons.They would speak of nothing that had happened.
  Today, faradians are quite rare. When one sees them, they
  are usually doing something difficult to understand—they
  attack individuals seemingly at random, while providing
  cryptic advice to others. They show up in numbers to help
  defend a tower against bandit attack, then walk away word-
  lessly when the same tower is beset by shadow trolls. The
  truth is, in their ongoing visions of future horrors, they see
  things that they know can be changed. Their assistance
  helps others alter or avoid the terrible events still to come.
  This knowledge sometimes calls for strange—even violent or
  evil—acts, from a nonfaradian perspective, but they do not
  care, and they never explain themselves. Thus, today faradi-
  ans enjoy a sinister and fearsome reputation.
  Tall and muscular,these humanoids stand at least 12 feet tall.
  They wear massive,gleaming armor covered in spikes and mov-
  able,shifting plates (usually a definitive harness with armor
  spikes).They wield huge dire axes and wear helmets that
  cover the part of their faces where their eyes would be,if they
  had eyes.The helmet always has an opening for the faradian’s
  mouth,which is large with many pointed teeth.A faradian’s
  hands and feet are large,too,and it has only four fingers on
  each hand and four toes on each foot.Its flesh is pale white,
  almost pink,not that most people ever see faradian flesh.
  Faradians speak Common as well as their own language,
  which is closely related to Grynloc,but much simpler.Though
  few in number,those who remain appear immortal and ageless.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  42
  
  Combat
  Faradians are straightforward but intelligent combatants.
  They attempt to infuse their weapons with magic before
  they enter combat, and then blast with their dazzle ability
  before closing for melee. They rarely use telekinesis in a
  fight, saving it for more practical purposes. They fight to the
  death and show no mercy. In battle, they are savage and do
  anything to emerge victorious.
  Ensorcel Weapon (Sp): A faradian can, once per day,
  grant its weapon a single +1 or +2 magical weapon quality
  of its choice for up to 10 rounds. Doing so is a standard
  action.
  Dazzle (Sp): By creating a brilliant flash of multiple
  lights, a faradian calls up an effect similar to that of
  a dazzlesphere spell three times per day. It is
  immune to this effect.
  Telekinesis (Sp): A faradian can use
  lesser telekinesis at will and greater
  telekinesis three times each day.
  Immunities:Faradians are immune to
  gaze attacks,visual effects,illusions,and
  other attack forms that rely on sight.
  Precognitive Flashes (Su):Faradians
  can see into the future, but they have no
  control over what they see. What they see
  is always bad, though not necessarily
  about them personally. In a given
  encounter, there is a 25 percent chance that
  the faradian has seen something ahead of
  time that pertained to the encounter. In such a
  case, they gain a +4 insight bonus to attack rolls,
  saving throws, checks, and Armor Class. They
  might also (at the DM’s discretion) know an oppo-
  nent’s weakness, likely tactics, or some other vital bit
  of information ahead of time.
  Faradian Characters
  Faradians are warmains or, more rarely, champions.
  Faradian champions are always champions of
  light or freedom.
  Faradian Encounter (EL 10)
  The PCs are on a mission involving a visit to a woman who
  lives alone in a tower in a small town. When two faradians
  suddenly appear, seemingly from nowhere, and prevent them
  from entering the tower, the characters can ask for explana-
  tions all they want, but they won’t get one. If they leave and
  come back later, the faradians do not stop them. If they
  fight, the faradians fight to the death to keep them from
  going in.
  Inside, they find the woman dead. They discover that she
  was a powerful witch performing a dangerous experiment on
  a dramojh artifact. The experiment went awry, unleashing an
  infectious, corruptive power. The witch is dead, but had the
  PCs been there, during the explosion they would have car-
  ried the tainted energy with them, corrupting the entire
  town (and perhaps worse). As it is, since no one else was
  present, the corruptive power simply faded.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 43
  
  Ghoul Worm
  Large Aberration 
  Hit Dice: 10d8+50 (95 hp), dying/dead –6/–20
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 18 (–1 size, –1 Dexterity, +10 natural), touch 8,
  flat-footed 18
  Base Attack/Grapple:+7/+14
  Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+4)
  Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+4) and slam +5 melee (1d8+2)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Horror, enhanced speed burst, disease,
  improved grab, constrict
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, stench, sunlight 
  vulnerability
  Saves: Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 19, Dex 9, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 9
  Skills: Sneak +4, Spot +8 
  Feats: Bloody Strike, Improved Initiative, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Night Owl, Skill Focus (Sneak)
  Environment: Any land
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 9
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:11–20 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:—
  It is common knowledge that ghoul worms are undead.
  Gossipy tales told by those “in the know” invariably call the
  creatures undead, and when a person first sees one, nothing
  suggests that such information might be incorrect. In both
  appearance and smell, the creatures appear to be the still-
  thrashing but rotting corpse of some deceased worm or
  snake of incredible size, or possibly a naga.
  Despite what its appearance would suggest,what common
  knowledge—even its own name—attests, the ghoul worm
  is not undead, nor does it bear any relationship to true
  ghouls. The only thing it has in common with its namesake
  is its food preferences (and sometimes its habitat). The
  ghoul worm feeds on humanoid and giant corpses, prefer-
  ably those a week to two weeks old. Sometimes ghoul
  worms come to cemeteries to eat recently buried bodies. As
  such, many areas plagued by these terrible beasts post a
  watch over their cemeteries to keep the graves from being
  defiled. A ghoul worm tears up a whole graveyard when it
  arrives looking for food. They are the bane of necromancers,
  who usually attempt to kill them on sight, as do most cham-
  pions of death, who do not wish to see the dead disturbed.
  A ghoul worm does not care if the corpse is animated or
  not—an undead humanoid or giant not too long out of the
  grave provides just as good a meal as one the ghoul worm
  digs up itself.
  These aberrations live nocturnal lifestyles. They spend the
  day in caves or holes, hunting at night on the surface. A
  ghoul worm will not willingly come into the sunlight. In fact,
  it squeals and screams if the rays of the sun fall upon any
  part of its body.
  When it isn’t foraging through a cemetery, the ghoul
  worm stalks and kills its prey, then drags it back to its grisly
  lair to wait for the corpse to decompose to its liking. Thus, a
  ghoul worm’s lair is usually filled with rotting corpses wait-
  ing to be devoured. Its home also may contain three to four
  eggs that it nurtures; these eggs take almost a year to hatch.
  The creatures establish their lairs near roads, towns, or other
  sources of food. They seem to prefer giant carcasses most of
  all, but they learn quickly that giants make dangerous prey.
  Ghoul worms are hideous. Their skin has the pale green-
  ish white color of a decaying corpse, and their flesh hangs on
  them in drooping folds that appear to be rotting off them.
  Their misshapen, humanlike heads are surrounded by
  squirming tendrils that help them hold objects (but are not
  useful in combat, except to make their appearance all the
  more horrific). The flesh on a ghoul worm’s face is darker
  than on the rest of its body, and its wide mouth bristles with
  long, jagged teeth like mispounded nails protruding from
  the back of a board. Its dark eyes flare with a fiery red-
  orange when it strikes.
  Sages and akashics studying the varied lifeforms of the
  Lands of the Diamond Throne have determined that ghoul
  worms are distantly related to nagas:dramojh-created fusions
  of humans and serpents into chimerical beings.However,no
  records show any dramojh influence on ghoul worms.Thus,
  learned folk conjecture that the ghoul worms are an offshoot
  of the naga—perhaps nagas themselves are in a state of flux.
  Ghoul worms speak a few words of Common. They are
  always Unbound.
  Combat
  The ghoul worm’s preferred method of attack is to surprise
  its foes with a sudden strike. It can coil itself up and lunge
  forward with incredible speed. The creature’s sudden appear-
  ance can stun foes, making them perfect targets. The bites
  from its foul mouth carry disease and infection, and it can
  also slam a foe with its long tail, then coil around to suffo-
  cate it with a few squeezes of its horrid body. Once a ghoul
  worm kills a single humanoid or giant foe, it attempts to
  make off with its prize rather than continue to fight.
  Horror (Ex): If it can achieve surprise, the sudden
  appearance of a ghoul worm is horrifying. Those who see it
  must succeed at Will saving throws (DC 14) or remain
  stunned for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The
  save DC is Charisma based.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  44
  
  Stench (Ex): The ghoul worm exudes a stench so foul
  that any creature within 10 feet of it must succeed at a
  Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or become nauseated for
  1d3 rounds. Nauseated creatures cannot attack, cast spells,
  concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring atten-
  tion. The only action such a character can take is a single
  move action per turn, plus free actions (but not casting
  quickened spells). Once the saving throw is made, success-
  ful or not, a creature need attempt no further saves against
  this specific ghoul worm’s stench until a day has passed
  (unless the creature is constricted; see below). The saving
  throw DC is Constitution based.
  Enhanced Speed Burst (Ex):Similar to the Speed Burst
  feat, a ghoul worm can take an additional move action in a
  single round three times per day. Further, if it uses both of
  its move actions for the round for actually moving its speed,
  it can move at three times its speed (180 feet in 1 round) and
  still take a standard action.
  Disease (Ex):The ghoul worm’s bite transmits disease. A
  foe must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or
  contract a disease called blood rot (see below). The saving
  throw DC is Constitution based.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a ghoul worm
  must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a
  grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of
  opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold
  and can constrict.
  Constrict (Ex):When a ghoul worm establishes a hold, it
  wraps its body around its foe. The ghoul worm inflicts 1d8+4
  points of damage each round as it holds a foe. Worse, a con-
  stricted foe must make a new saving throw against the
  worm’s stench, this time with a –4 penalty.
  Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex): Ghoul worms suffer a –2
  competence penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and skill
  checks when exposed to direct, natural sunlight.
  Blood Rot
  Infection: Injury
  DC:20
  Incubation: One day
  Damage: 1d3 Dexterity, 1d3 Strength
  Description: Blood rot is an infection that curdles and
  thickens the victim’s blood with dead organic matter. It is
  extremely deadly, as the thickened blood clogs the victim’s
  heart and arteries until they burst.
  Ghoul Worm Encounter (EL 9)
  Friends of the player characters contact them, saying they
  are worried about a young human boy named Machal. When
  asked what’s wrong with the boy, the friends reply that he’s
  dead—but that’s not the problem. There have been graveyard
  defilements in the area recently, and they don’t want
  Machal’s grave disturbed. The locals fear ghouls or necro-
  mancers, although some tell of seeing an undead serpent
  wandering the fields at night. If the PCs keep a vigil in the
  cemetery, a ghoul worm attacks. Although the beast came
  looking for corpses, it will certainly settle for a living
  humanoid it can kill and drag away.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 45
  
  Grynloc
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid 
  Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 15 (+1 Dexterity, +2 natural, +2 enhancement), touch 11,
  flat-footed 12
  Base Attack/Grapple:+3/+3
  Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4) or staff +3 melee (1d6)
  Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4) or staff +3 melee (1d6)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, spells, charm sets
  Special Qualities: Magic sight
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 12
  Skills: Alchemy* +12, Concentration +5, Knowledge (magic)* 
  +12, Knowledge (runes)* +12, Spellcraft* +12, Spot +7
  Feats: Attune to Magic Item, Create Charm Set†B, Iron 
  Will, Power of the Name
  Environment: Any land
  Organization: Solitary, pair, band (3–6 and 1 nystra),
  or clan (7–18 and 1–2 nystra and 1 milnystra)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+2
  Grynlocs (also called gryhnlocks or even drynlocs in some
  older texts) sense magic the way other creatures sense light.
  In other words, where there is magic, they can see.
  Fortunately for them, the magic of the land extends almost
  everywhere.
  In ancient times, grynlocs were allies and companions of
  the mysterious crystal weavers (see Chapter Two of The
  Diamond Throne). A few, it is said, still retain the crystal
  weaving ability they learned from their long-lost compan-
  ions. If true, they keep this secret to themselves.
  Nevertheless, the grynlocs are some of the best links that
  remain to the time when the crystal weavers roamed the
  land, and thus they know much about those ancient days.
  Most people look at grynlocs as the source for potent
  magical lore and, truth be told, this assumption is rarely
  wrong. Still, these creatures usually like to keep to them-
  selves and avoid other peoples’ cities except in groups, and
  then only for short periods. Grynloc caravans are known to
  cross the land collecting and selling minor magical items
  and bits of lore. The grynlocs find themselves welcome in
  most places, although they never remain long enough to
  truly engender any trust from the locals.
  Grynlocs are only vaguely humanoid. Their tall, lanky
  bodies stand just short of 7 feet. Their oddly angled legs are
  positioned well for speed. The flesh on a grynloc’s body runs
  from ivory to a dark, creamy brown. They have no hair, and
  their heads are long and angular. A typical individual weighs
  about 250 lbs. They cover themselves with magical charms
  and various fetish items (see “Charm Sets,” page 48).
  Despite their somewhat fierce appearance and strange
  manner of dress, grynlocs are gentle, peaceful creatures. They
  do not eat meat. They dislike fighting and those who make
  war, but they do what they must to defend themselves, their
  possessions, and their secrets. Rarely, a certain magic item 
  or morsel of magical knowledge will corrupt a grynloc.
  Corrupted individuals become more aggressive, selfish, and
  belligerent. They are cast out from the clan and live their
  lives stealing magic items, books, and secrets wherever they
  can find them.
  Grynlocs live to be more than 200 years old, and some,
  enhanced by magic, enjoy far longer life spans. Their young
  are rare and are very fragile as well—most do not survive to
  adulthood. This keeps the grynloc population at a flat level.
  Chorrim (see Chapter Four of The Diamond Throne) hate
  grynlocs, and the feeling is quite mutual. Grynlocs still do
  not really know what to make of the faradians (see page 42),
  once their close allies. Grynlocs revere arcane rune manifests
  (see page 78) as near demigods and worship Vekik the
  Runegod in a very formal but secretive way—usually in
  hidden chapels or ancient stone circles atop lonely hills or 
  in concealed caves. Traditionally, they enjoy the company of
  faen more than that the other major races. They like verrik
  the least, and sibeccai usually seem far too bestial and unpre-
  dictable for their tastes.
  Grynlocs speak their own extremely complex language (it
  is similar to Faradian, but not the same). Even though they
  “see” magic, they hear, feel, smell, and taste normally.
  The stats for the above grynloc assume it has a warding
  charm set activated. Grynlocs are never Unbound.
  Combat
  Grynlocs retain a fairly powerful bite—a vestige of a much 
  earlier time when they lived more primitive and savage lives.
  Many carry staves or daggers as weapons.However,in combat,
  they prefer to rely on their spell-like abilities and their charm
  sets.A common tactic is to use distraction, then animate their
  staff or dagger to fight for them while they back away. Most
  grynlocs would prefer not to fight;they always consider flight
  a viable option. They see no shame in prudence.
  *Skills (Ex): All grynlocs gain a +4 racial bonus to
  Alchemy, Knowledge (magic), Knowledge (runes), and
  Spellcraft.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  46
  
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp):A grynloc can cast the following
  spells as a 2nd-level magister 1/day—analyze, animate weapon,
  distraction, and read magic. The save DC against these spells
  is DC 13 + spell level.
  Spells (Sp): In addition to the above spell-like abilities, all
  grynlocs can ready and cast three simple or complex cantrips
  each day as a 2nd-level magister. The save DC against these
  cantrips is DC 13 + spell level.
  Charm Sets (Sp): See separate section, page 48.
  Magic Sight (Su): Grynlocs see magic, viewing objects
  and creatures only as the ambient magic of the land reflects
  off them (in the way that normal creatures see objects only
  as light reflects off them). They see active spells as brilliant
  halos and can tell a magic item from a mundane one without
  a second glance. In almost every way, this functions as blind-
  sight. This means, then, that a grynloc can see creatures that
  are invisible—in fact, if they are magically invisible, their
  glowing magical aura actually makes them easier to see.
  Likewise, a creature with a magic item that grants a bonus to
  Sneak actually suffers the bonus as a penalty to Sneak rolls
  opposed by a grynloc’s Spot check. Grynlocs are never fooled
  into thinking that illusions are real, and they can even track
  creatures with magic items or active spells.
  Grynlocs can tell a spellcaster from a nonspellcaster and
  can even gauge a spellcaster’s level just by looking. Similarly,
  they can tell the level of an active (or residual) spell and
  sense the potency of a magic item. They can determine spell
  schools by the color and shape of the auras they see.
  Grynlocs are blind in a null magic zone and stunned the
  first round they spend within it (no save). A dispel magic spell
  cast on them stuns them for 1d3 rounds, unless they succeed
  at a Fortitude save to resist it.
  Shape Magic (Su): Grynlocs can create an aura of magical
  energy around themselves or other objects. The aura lasts a
  number of days equal to the grynloc’s Hit Dice. This ability
  has two main uses. First, the grynlocs create beautifully
  shaped, often amazingly elaborate magical raiment for them-
  selves that only members of their race can see. They use
  these auras to identify themselves to one another. The other
  use allows them to leave brief symbolic messages for others
  of their kind to see. While their precision is not such that
  they can spell out words, they can leave magical symbols of
  warning or welcome, or convey similar, simplistic meanings
  for one another.
  A detect magic spell, a see invisibility spell, or similar magic
  can perceive the auras the grynlocs create. Someone who
  speaks Grynloc or makes a Knowledge (runes) check (DC 15)
  can understand them.
  Grynloc Society
  Grynlocs live in small familial groups called clans. Some
  clans keep a nomadic lifestyle, traveling across the land in
  strangely shaped wagons pulled by horses, mules, or oxen.
  The nomadic clans stop at villages and towns to sell crystal-
  woven items or minor magical trinkets that they collect in
  their travels or create themselves. These grynlocs seek knowl-
  edge of great spells, artifacts, or power cysts. Sometimes they
  follow black streams or travel lines in their journeys (see
  Chapter One of The Diamond Throne for more on cysts,
  blacks streams, and travel lines). Members of non-nomadic
  clans usually live as farmers and gatherers. They enjoy an
  even simpler existence, concerning themselves mainly with
  safety and maintaining the peace.
  All grynloc clans are led by spellcasters called nystra in
  their own tongue. Nystra are usually magisters or
  runethanes of 1st to 5th level. Nystra who surpass their fel-
  lows become milnystra: spellcasters of at least 6th level who
  lead the clan. Nystra and milnystra usually prepare spells
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 47
  
  and runes that are defensive in nature, to protect their clan
  against raiders, magic thieves, and those who would try oth-
  erwise to take advantage of the creatures’ gentle nature.
  Grynloc young are guarded very closely—most nongrynlocs
  never get to see one at all. They are taught various lores and
  secrets of magic from a young age; their entire development
  is steeped in spells, runes, and magic. When they reach
  maturity (at about age 25), they must go on an individual
  spirit-quest. During this quest they learn their truename
  and often have some kind of personal revelation about the
  nature of magic—the possibility of a previously unknown
  spell, the location of a magical power cyst, a potential new
  rune, or the like.
  Grynlocs make little distinction toward gender and do not
  value physical appearance or beauty—at least, not the way
  other creatures perceive such. They value only magic, both
  for its raw power and for its delicate applications.
  Grynloc Characters
  Grynlocs are always spellcasters, usually magisters or
  runethanes. Very rarely, a militant or corrupted individual
  will become a mage blade, or a reticent one will become a
  greenbond (almost always leaving the clan to live alone in
  the wild). Curiously, grynlocs are never witches.
  Charm Sets
  Grynlocs have access to a number of minor magical items,
  but none more interesting than what they call charm sets.
  These consist of collections of various strange fetish items
  and charms, gathered together in a precise manner and acti-
  vated with a minor spell. They produce a variety of effects,
  only a few of which are described here.
  The key to the charm sets lies with the items and ingredi-
  ents that comprise them. Such items include skulls (often
  small animal skulls), bones, bits of flesh, teeth, small bags
  of herbs, string soaked in an herbal brew, slivers of precious
  metal, leaves, stalks of plants, blood, bat wings, animal
  claws, colored stones, feathers, locks of hair, bark, eggshell,
  seeds, acorns, nuts, dried mud (often with herbs mixed in),
  paint, tiny clay figurines, nails or pins, wood splinters,
  scratched shards of glass, and so on. When the proper
  charms are assembled in a specific manner and chanted
  over for an hour (using the Create Charm Set† feat, next
  page), the charm set is ready. It does not activate until a user
  intentionally casts a cantrip into it (ignoring the cantrip’s
  normal effect), at which point the charm set takes on the
  property it was designed for. The effect lasts for one hour.
  When the effect ends, the components and charms become
  useless and cannot be used as part of a charm set again. A
  spell more powerful than a cantrip can activate the charm
  set, but the user gains no enhanced benefit from doing so.
  Once created, a charm set can be used by the creator or by
  someone else.
  With a caster level of 0, charm sets are simple to dispel.
  Their effects are always treated as 0-level effects (even when
  the potency of the effect would suggest otherwise).
  A few example charm sets include the following:
  Avoidance: The creator must assemble the following
  ingredients upon a headband, hat, helmet, or headdress:
  three clear crystals tied with leather cords and sprinkled with
  powdered hemlock, a metal strip etched with special sym-
  bols, and four claws of a badger. When activated, the charm
  set forces anyone wishing to attack the wearer to make a Will
  saving throw (DC 11). Those who succeed can attack normal-
  ly. Those failing the saving throw cannot make successful
  attack rolls against the wearer and cannot cast offensive
  spells at her for 10 rounds. Once the saving throw is
  attempted, successful or not, a creature need make no fur-
  ther saves against this specific charm set. Cost of components:
  230 gp. Time to create: 11 hours.
  Devilry: The creator must assemble the following ingre-
  dients upon a wooden staff: three jagged bits of metal, 16
  teeth from monstrous humanoids, a 6-foot leather cord
  soaked in rhodin sweat (cut into pieces to tie the other
  components to the staff), and a smattering of human
  blood. When activated, the charm set grants the wielder a 
  +2 bonus to the saving throw DCs of her negative energy
  spells. Cost of components: 450 gp. Time to create: nine hours.
  Grace: The creator must assemble the following ingredi-
  ents upon a belt: a rabbit’s foot painted red, three teeth from
  a gazelle, a silver thread 12 inches long, and five leaves from
  a rosebush. The creator wraps the leaves in a piece of parch-
  ment that bears special symbols drawn in ink made from the
  blood of a cockatrice, then ties off each end of the rolled
  parchment with pieces of string exactly 4 inches long. When
  activated, the charm set grants the belt’s wearer a +4 compe-
  tence bonus to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, and
  Tumble checks. Cost of components: 120 gp. Time to create: 
  10 hours.
  Might: The creator must assemble the following ingredi-
  ents upon a bracer or armband: 2 feet of metal wire, an iron
  circular plate set with a red stone, and a leather pouch made
  from the flesh of a bull and containing a shard of glass
  soaked in bear’s blood and inscribed with a special symbol.
  When activated, the charm set provides a +2 enhancement
  bonus to Strength. Cost of components: 200 gp. Time to create:
  16 hours.
  Personality: The creator must assemble the following
  ingredients on an individual’s person: two cloth pouches
  filled with rose petals and powdered rhino horn, a strap of
  Legacy of the Dragons
  48
  
  cloth rubbed with sea salt and bearing three gold circular
  charms, and a broken dagger hilt. When activated, the charm
  set provides a +2 enhancement bonus to Charisma. Cost of
  components: 200 gp. Time to create: 12 hours.
  Resistance: The creator must assemble the following
  ingredients upon a vest, cloak, robe, or shirt: a small iron orb
  filled with incense, a bit of melted tallow with a pair of nails
  pushed through in a cross shape, and three coiled rat tails in
  a pouch made of a folded bit of chainmail and tied with a
  piece of purple string. When activated, the charm set provides
  a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws. Cost of components: 
  75 gp. Time to create: seven hours.
  Speed: The creator must assemble the following ingredi-
  ents upon a pair of boots or on bands meant to be wrapped
  around a creature’s legs: three feathers from a giant eagle (or
  the wings from a spryte), a silver charm made to look like a
  horse’s head, a 1-inch circle of cloth with the claw of a lizard
  pinned to it with a bronze pin, and two 2-foot-long pieces of
  leather cord soaked in urine and vinegar. When activated,
  the charm set provides a +10 bonus to speed. Cost of compo-
  nents: 300 gp. Time to create: 14 hours.
  Striking: The creator must assemble the following ingre-
  dients upon a melee weapon: a small animal bone carved
  with a special symbol and a bag containing three beans, a
  handful of copper dust, iron filings, and ground terrifin root
  (found in any humid climate). The bag and bone are affixed
  tightly to the melee weapon’s haft, handle, or pommel. When
  activated, the charm set provides a +2 enhancement bonus to
  attack and damage rolls. Cost of components: 150 gp. Time to
  create: eight hours.
  Warding: The creator must assemble the following ingre-
  dients upon a shield or on an individual’s person: two small
  animal skulls marked with special symbols, a patch of animal
  flesh from a paw or claw (or flesh from a humanoid’s hand)
  painted with blue symbols, a muddy paste mixed with
  ground garlic and festril leaves (found only in the Harrow-
  deep), and at least 3 feet of cord soaked in water boiled with
  lizard eggs. The cord is used to affix all of the other bits to
  the shield or other subject, but it must remain uncut. When
  activated, the charm set provides a +2 enhancement bonus to
  Armor Class. Cost of components: 200 gp. Time to create: 
  10 hours.
  New Feat
  Create Charm Set†
  You can create charm sets with the proper ingredients.
  Prerequisites: Caster level 1st, Wisdom 13
  Benefit: You have the ability and knowledge to assemble
  the needed components for a charm set, as described above.
  When creating a charm set, you must gather the required
  ingredients and items first, then spend the listed time put-
  ting them together in specific, prescribed ways. The time
  spent must be uninterrupted and in a comfortable, quiet
  location, or the effort (and ingredients) is ruined. As always,
  a spell must activate the charm set, but you do not have to be
  the caster.
  Grynloc Encounter (EL 7)
  The PCs, on their way to explore an old ruin, encounter a
  band of five grynlocs and a 2nd-level runethane nystra. The
  grynlocs are also headed for the ruin; they’re after a specific
  magical item there called the three spectrum crystal†. While at
  the ruin, the grynlocs attempt to avoid the characters, nei-
  ther helping nor harming them. If the PCs leave them alone,
  everything goes fairly smoothly—until someone uncovers
  the three spectrum crystal.
  If the grynlocs find it, they attempt to make off with it. All
  the PCs will know is that their mysterious “competitors”
  exploring the ruin found something and are leaving with it
  in their possession. If the PCs are greedy, or if they came to
  the ruin looking for something in particular, they’re going to
  want to investigate. If they are also after the three spectrum
  crystal (or if they’re just greedy), they may have a fight on
  their hands. The grynlocs want nothing but to escape with
  their treasure.
  Should the characters find the item, the grynlocs try to get
  it, but they won’t simply attack them outright. They may try
  to trade for it, and eventually may resort to thievery if they
  have to.
  New Magic Item
  Three Spectrum Crystal†: This clear prism is half the size of
  a man’s fist. When held up to sunlight, it creates three rain-
  bow patterns. Any lock the prism’s light falls upon instantly
  opens, as long as the Open Lock DC is 25 or less.
  Faint transmutation; Caster Level 1st; Craft Constant
  Item, open lock; Price 2,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 49
  
  Hate Reaper
  Small Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: +4
  Speed: 20 feet, burrow 10 feet
  AC: 18 (+1 size,+4 Dexterity,+3 natural),touch 15,flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–2
  Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4–1)
  Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4–1) and 2 claws –2 melee (1d3–1)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Aura of rage, inspire terror
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, tremorsense 60 feet
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
  Abilities: Str 8, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 16
  Skills: Sneak* +12, Spot +3
  Feats: Affinity With Skill (Sneak), Compensate for Size,
  Iron Will
  Environment: Warm plains
  Organization: Solitary or pack (3–18)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 4–6 HD (Small)
  Level Adjustment: +1
  This small, rodentlike magical beast manipulates the emo-
  tions of humanoids and animals it encounters.
  Hate reapers are so named for their magical ability to
  inspire a murderous rage in other creatures. They reach
  roughly 3 feet in length. They have coarse hair along their
  bodies; black, malevolent eyes; and jagged, needlelike teeth.
  Their handlike paws end in thick, sharp claws that they use
  to burrow. A hate reaper hides in loose soil, usually in a spot
  near a well-traveled path or a watering hole. It can amplify a
  creature’s emotions, allowing it to incite fights between nor-
  mally docile creatures. In the aftermath of the struggle, the
  hate reaper burrows beneath the fallen foes and feeds on
  their remains.
  These troublesome rodents are usually solitary,though they
  may gather in small packs to bring an entire area under their
  influence.No one can guess how many violent arguments,clan
  feuds, and even wars these creatures have touched off. Most
  right-minded folk hunt them mercilessly. While hate reapers
  approach humanoid intelligence, they have a wholly alien
  outlook. Popular lore holds that reapers feed only on emo-
  tions,but gnaw marks left on their victims suggest otherwise.
  Hate reapers usually stay in wilderness areas,but sometimes
  greedy folk use them as weapons.To cause tension between
  neighboring realms,a diplomat might secretly place a hate
  reaper near a chamber scheduled to hold a political conference.
  Corrupt town guards sometimes let captive hate reapers loose
  in taverns.After the brawl the creature touches off,the guards
  accept generous bribes to keep the participants out of jail.
  Combat
  Hate reapers avoid physical confrontation with their prey—
  they rarely take part in the fights they cause. They remain
  burrowed in the dirt while their victims battle nearby. After
  the fight, they dig to the surface and enjoy their meal.
  Luckily for travelers, a hate reaper must look upon its
  intended victims to affect their emotions. While it can take
  cover during a battle, to instigate a fight it must find a con-
  venient hiding spot to observe a path or other location. If
  cornered, it uses its inspire terror ability to force its foes to
  flee. Should that tactic fail, it attempts to burrow to safety.
  * Skills (Ex): The thick, soft pads on a reaper’s paws grant
  it a +4 racial bonus to all Sneak checks to move quietly.
  Aura of Rage (Su): A hate reaper can focus its malevolent
  eyes on a single creature and push it into a bloodthirsty rage.
  This ability is a mind-affecting effect.The target must make a
  Will save (DC 13) or enter a bloodthirsty frenzy.The victim
  attacks the nearest accessible living creature for 2d4 rounds
  using its physical attacks.The rage prevents a victim from using
  supernatural,spell-like,or other magical abilities.Doing any-
  thing besides drawing a melee weapon and attacking with it is
  beyond its ability.If prevented from reaching the nearest visible
  target by a barrier of some sort,the victim screams and rages
  until the effect ends.In this state,a victim gains a +4 bonus
  to Strength and Constitution but suffers a –2 penalty to AC.
  This ability has a range of 120 feet. The reaper must be
  able to see its target, though the target does not need to look
  upon the reaper (as with a gaze attack).
  Inspire Terror (Su): By using an effect similar to aura of
  rage, a hate reaper can emit waves of horror that force its vic-
  tims into a blind panic. All creatures within 30 feet of the
  reaper must make Will saves (DC 13) or flee the area for 2d4
  rounds. Victims use double move actions to move as far away
  from the reaper as possible, though they avoid any danger-
  ous environment and never take suicidal actions when mov-
  ing. If forced into a corner, a victim stops moving but takes
  no action to attack. This is a mind-affecting effect.
  A fleeing victim never attacks or takes other offensive action,
  but if it is attacked this effect immediately ends.The presence
  of an immediate,physical threat breaks the magical influence.
  Tremorsense (Ex):A hate reaper automatically detects the
  presence and location of any creature or object that stands on
  the ground within 60 feet of it.
  Hate Reapers and Alchemy
  Alchemists who deal with banned or quasi-legal concoctions
  value hate reapers for the wide range of substances that can
  be extracted from them. Sages believe that a reaper’s glands
  and organs absorb and store the emotions they evoke in
  other creatures, ranging from rage and fear to ecstasy and
  contentment. Some of these mixtures can prove beneficial.
  For instance, an ill patient that receives a dose of reaper
  extract may become energetic and hopeful, its body revived
  Legacy of the Dragons
  50
  
  to fight off the disease. In most cases, these creatures serve
  as a source of narcotics and other dangerous substances.
  A skilled alchemist can extract one or more of the sub-
  stances described below from the remains of a hate reaper. A
  reaper can yield one dose of any concoction per Hit Die. For
  example, the typical 3 Hit Die reaper can be used to make
  one dose of each of three different substances, three doses of
  a single concoction, or two doses of one substance and one
  dose of a different one. Each substance has a specific
  Alchemy check DC associated with it. Use the rules given for
  the Craft skill to determine how long it takes an alchemist to
  craft an item based on its gold piece cost.
  Falthra: A favored alchemical tool among slavers,falthra
  turns a creature into a mindless,easily manipulated pawn by
  overwhelming it with intense feelings of boredom and depres-
  sion.By emotionally enervating a creature,falthra leaves him
  open to suggestions and robs him of the will to resist others.A
  creature that ingests falthra can resist its effects with a
  Fortitude save (DC 16).If the save fails,the creature suffers a
  –6 penalty to all Will saves for 1d6 hours.In addition,the
  creature’s handler can make an Intimidate check opposed by
  the creature’s Will save (including the penalty) to force the
  creature to obey commands.If the Intimidate check succeeds,
  the creature must obey any orders that do not place its life in
  obvious danger.Alchemy DC 20;Cost 4 gp.
  Karrath: Extracted from a hate reaper in the form of a fine,
  white powder, karrath induces feelings of contentment and
  happiness in those who ingest it. Karrath is intensely addic-
  tive. Many unfortunates become hooked on it after only a
  single use. In most civilized lands, karrath is strictly banned,
  though an active black market ensures that it is available
  almost everywhere.Anyone using this drug suffers a –4 com-
  petence penalty to all attack rolls, checks, and saves for 1d4
  hours due to dulled reactions and foggy senses. In addition,
  anyone who takes the drug must make a Will save (DC 15,
  ignoring the –4 penalty incurred by taking karrath) or become
  an addict. This Difficulty Class increases by 1 for each time a
  user has taken karrath in the past week. Addicts spend all
  their available money on karrath, with many turning to rob-
  bery or going without food and shelter to fund their
  addiction. Alchemy DC 20; Cost 5 gp.
  Red Fury: A single dose of this thick,deep red liq-
  uid can transform a person into a frothing,enraged
  whirlwind of destruction.Some warriors drink this
  stuff before battle to give them enhanced strength
  and toughness,while blotting out the fear and
  doubts they may feel.Villainous crea-
  tures sometimes force feed it to
  their minions before pushing
  them into battle.Any creature that
  drinks this concoction gains a +2
  bonus to Strength and a +4 bonus
  on all saves against mind-affecting
  effects and fear for 2d6 rounds. However, red fury robs a 
  creature of its wits and physical coordination.It suffers a –2
  penalty to Dexterity,Intelligence,and Wisdom for 1d3 hours
  after taking it. Alchemy DC 25; Cost 50 gp.
  Hate Reaper Encounter (EL 3)
  While traveling, one of the characters’ mounts (or perhaps a
  pack animal) suddenly enters a berserk fury and attacks the
  nearest person. A hate reaper hiding nearby has learned to
  target mounts instead of travelers, because such creatures are
  more susceptible to its powers and because it knows their
  masters usually leave the corpses of mounts on the road
  rather than carry them home for burial.
  Hate Reaper Encounter (EL 6)
  A greedy magister is using three trained hate reapers to con-
  duct a smear campaign against a small group of mojh
  akashics who dwell within an ancient library that she wants
  to claim. The magister positions the creatures along a path-
  way near the place, from where they incite wild animals to
  attack travelers. The magister then conceals the bodies,
  removing evidence that the victims were killed by something
  other than the mojh from the library.
  The folk in the local town, already suspicious of the mojh
  and not aware of the magister’s plan, hire the characters to
  track down and defeat the residents of the library. Unless the
  characters realize the lack of direct evidence against the mojh
  and investigate accordingly, they could unwittingly hand
  over an important collection of lore to a black-hearted fiend.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 51
  
  Hypnolox
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 8d10+16 (60 hp), dying/dead –3/–14
  Initiative: +7
  Speed: 40 feet, climb 30 feet
  AC: 19 (–1 size,+3 Dexterity,+7 natural),touch 12,flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+15
  Attack: Stinger +10 melee (1d8+3 plus poison)
  Full Attack: 2 stingers +10 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) and 
  bite +5 melee (1d6+1)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Glaring eyes, hypnosis, poison
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, glittering shell
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18
  Skills: Intimidate +9, Listen* +10, Sneak *+7, Spot +5
  Feats: Ability Focus** (glaring eyes), Combat Reflexes,
  Defensive, Improved Initiative
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Solitary or colony (2–8 plus 3–30 slaves)
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +6
  ** Denotes a feat from the MM.
  This insectoid creature has a long, segmented body and
  over a dozen legs. Its two large red eyes can cause agonizing
  hallucinations in creatures that gaze into them, leaving
  them helpless. A pair of stingers emerges from directly
  behind its head, mounted on bony, L-shaped limbs that it
  uses to stab down at its foes. The hypnolox’s  black carapace
  reflects light, sometimes dazzling the eyes of those fighting
  it by torchlight.
  Hypnoloxes lurk in dark places beneath the earth. They
  are intelligent, deadly, and aggressive, with a maniacal bent
  on capturing and enslaving humanoid creatures. According
  to hypnolox legends, they once ruled the lands above and
  cloaked the realm in a halo of darkness. Even akashics can
  find no memory evidence to support such claims; never-
  theless, these creatures become enraged at the merest hint
  that their supposed former empire never existed.
  This reaction hints at a dark secret that casts the hypnolox-
  es in a sinister light.The few akashics who are aware of these
  creatures believe that they represent the polar opposite of the
  collective,akashic memory.According to a clouded,incom-
  plete body of lore,hypnoloxes can literally devour memories.
  They manifest this effect in the form of their baleful gaze,a
  magical attack that can scramble a creature’s mind and leave it
  confused.The victims never recognize that they have lost
  memories,as they tend to be minor.Over time,though,these
  losses have led to increasing gaps within the akashic memory.
  Hypnoloxes relish their role as devourers of the world’s
  shared heritage.Hateful,spiteful,and bitter over their supposed
  lost glory,they hide within their caves and attack any creatures
  that draw close.Opponents that seem useful but not overly
  powerful are captured and forced into servitude.The powerful
  hypnolox personality can pummel a creature into service
  through sheer force of will.These “mind slaves” gather treas-
  ure,hamper others’ efforts to explore the depths of the earth,
  and spread misery and political instability through the land.
  Hypnolox slaves may poison granaries,set fire to crops,and
  incite riots,all with an eye toward toppling civilization.
  Combat
  Hypnoloxes relish physical combat against humanoids,
  because it gives them a chance to prove their superiority.
  They prefer to attack intruders within tight, constrained pas-
  sages to affect as many enemies as possible with their gaze
  attack. They focus on using their poison to render a creature
  unable to resist their supernatural abilities. Usually, a hyp-
  nolox picks out one foe as a potential slave and focuses on
  destroying the rest. This tactic can backfire if the hypnolox
  underestimates the strength and ability of its chosen victim.
  * Skills (Ex): A hypnolox’s long,sensitive antennae grant it a
  +4 racial bonus to all Listen checks.In addition,the hypnolox’s
  dark carapace grants it a +4 racial bonus to Sneak checks made
  to hide in dark or shadowy areas.As a rule,if a hypnolox gains
  concealment from darkness,it receives this bonus.
  Glaring Eyes (Su): A hypnolox’s red eyes pulse and seethe
  with magical energy.Any creature that gazes into them risks
  suffering one of a variety of mind-affecting effects.The eyes’
  hypnotic nature allows them to induce hallucinations,confu-
  sion,intense pain,or other trauma.This is a gaze attack with
  a range of 30 feet and a Will save DC of 20.The save DC is
  Charisma based.Each time a character fails a save against this
  ability,roll on the following table to determine the effect.
  d20
  Effect
  1–4
  Hallucinations: The victim attacks a randomly deter-
  mined target within his threatened area.
  5–8
  Pain: The victim takes 3d6 points of damage.
  9–12
  Dazed: The victim loses his current action.
  13–16 Nausea: The victim takes 1d2 points of temporary
  Strength damage. This damage disappears at the
  end of the encounter.
  17–20 Mind Sludge: The victim’s thought process slows
  down and becomes scrambled. He takes 1d2 points
  of temporary Wisdom damage that disappears at
  the end of the encounter.
  Hypnosis (Su): If a victim suffers exposure to a hypnolox’s
  gaze attack for a full hour,the beast can infuse it with an obe-
  dient, fearful personality. This effect functions as a height-
  ened version of greater dominate as cast by a 20th-level 
  Legacy of the Dragons
  52
  
  magister. The victim is allowed a Will save (DC 14) to resist.
  The save DC is Charisma based. If the victim makes its save
  after the first hour of exposure,it must succeed at another Will
  save,with a –1 penalty for each consecutive hour of exposure,
  to break free of the hypnosis.If a victim remains exposed long
  enough (failing saves all the while),it can become permanently
  affected. Hypnoloxes take captives and forcibly expose them
  to this ability to create pliable, useful slaves.
  Poison (Ex): A hypnolox’s stingers deliver an insidious poi-
  son.While the venom does not sap a creature’s vitality,it does
  leave a victim more vulnerable to mind-influencing effects.
  Victims describe the effect as a disoriented,sleepy feeling.The
  poison has a Fortitude save DC of 15. It causes a –2 penalty
  to Will saves for 10 minutes and has no secondary effect.
  Glittering Shell (Ex): With its dark but reflective carapace,
  a hypnolox can dazzle and confuse creatures in the presence of
  bright lights. If it is within the illumination radius of a light
  source, all attacks against it have a 20 percent miss chance.
  This chance applies only to those who rely on normal sight.
  Hypnolox Habits and Plans
  The foul hypnoloxes see their current status as the fault of
  the humans, giants, and even the defeated dramojh. While
  they are aggressive and dangerous monsters, they have
  become largely forgotten by surface  folk, consigned to men-
  tions in fairy tales, legends, and superstitions. This igno-
  rance is the hypnoloxes’ greatest asset, because few adven-
  turers think to trace the actions of the creatures’ slaves to
  their source. In many cases, a person controlled by a hyp-
  nolox is judged to be mad or under the influence of some
  unknown spellcaster. Hypnoloxes use this state of affairs to
  their advantage. While they hate humanoid life and consider
  themselves patently superior, they are cunning enough to
  avoid lingering in one place too long. A hypnolox might cap-
  ture an explorer, enslave him, send him on a mission to
  spread havoc on the surface, then flee the area long before
  investigators can track down the monster.
  Despite their conceit about their abilities, hypnoloxes see
  no tenable method for reconquering the surface world. That
  attitude does not stop them from researching magical lore in
  a bid to find some method to regain their former glory. In
  the deepest regions of the underearth, small colonies gather
  slaves and develop new spells, weapons, and other methods
  for sparking a war of conquest. These strange, hidden cities
  consist of ancient ruins crafted by the hypnoloxes’ forerun-
  ners. Here the creatures pore over stone tablets and other
  records in hopes of finding the key to victory. In some
  places, they have uncovered ancient artifacts but have yet to
  determine how to use them or identify their true function.
  A hypnolox lair is a surreal landscape that reflects the
  alien minds that created it. The main cave or chamber fea-
  tures a tall, domed roof set with gems and crystals to reflect
  and enhance light. Here, hypnoloxes scribe accounts of the
  memories they have stolen, a grim monument to the knowl-
  edge forever denied the rest of the world.Tall,jagged spires of
  luminescent crystals shed a soft,blue light across the area.The
  rest of the lair consists of tubelike passages crafted out of a
  thick,resinous substance that hypnoloxes secrete.These pas-
  sages are designed for creatures that can climb sheer slopes;
  most of them twist and turn at odd angles or lead directly up
  or down. These passages’ interior surfaces are covered with
  frescoes and runes that record the settlement’s history.
  Until the hypnoloxes discover an overpowering weapon,
  they continue to wage a guerrilla war against surface-dwellers.
  In many realms, famine, terrible accidents, and the like have
  their root in a single, scheming hypnolox that evades detec-
  tion while its slaves carry out its fiendish plans.
  Hypnolox Characters
  Hypnoloxes usually gain levels in magister or akashic. They
  use spells to supplement their inherent abilities.
  Hypnolox Encounter (EL 8)
  While traveling, the characters come across a town celebrat-
  ing a harvest festival. At the height of the dancing, song, and
  revelry, a fire breaks out in one of the tents erected to house
  the celebration. As the fire rages, a gang of brigands attacks
  the town in the confusion. After extinguishing the fire and
  fighting off the bandits, the characters discover that a small
  child was responsible for the blaze. If the PCs investigate,
  they find that the child sometimes plays near a cave just out-
  side town. By exploring the cave, they can discover that a
  hypnolox colony has dwelled there for many years, manipu-
  lating criminal gangs and innocent commoners to orches-
  trate a series of attacks and disasters in the region.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 53
  
  This eight-limbed creature walks on four legs and uses
  four arms for battle, which is its sole preoccupation. The
  kahrn literally feeds on conflict and uses physical strife to
  reproduce. Kahrns once roamed the Central Plains as a fairly
  peaceful omnivore, albeit one quite capable of defending
  itself. Nevertheless, the kahrn herds grew thin, and the
  species faced extinction, unable to compete with other, more
  successful types of creatures.
  Then came the dramojh. Experimentation by the dragon
  scions centuries ago transformed the remaining kahrns into
  very different creatures. While their appearance remained
  similar, the kahrns became creatures that thrived on combat.
  Bred to be soldiers, the kahrns were given minds greater
  than those of simple beasts, plus entirely new reproductive
  and digestive systems. Now kahrns do not eat flesh or plant
  life, but subsist on combat. The act of battle—the strife,
  the danger, the anger, the pain, the challenge—magically
  nourishes them. To gain sustenance, they must be involved
  in the combat; their feeding cannot be a passive act.
  Moreover, combat fertilizes embryos within the creatures,
  allowing them to reproduce asexually in the midst of con-
  flict. A bud forms on a kahrn’s back, growing quickly with a
  cracking and snapping noise (the sound of bones and tissue
  rapidly expanding). The bud bursts, spraying fluid and blood
  everywhere, and a kahrn larva spurts out, landing on the
  ground behind its parent. It’s an unsettling display to
  behold, but it inflicts no real harm on the parent kahrn—
  its natural rapid healing takes care of it well. A kahrn can
  reproduce only once every six months.
  The creatures love to fight, and they like combat to last a
  long time. With supernaturally fast regenerative abilities,
  they enjoy a remarkable capacity to stay in a fight.
  Sometimes folk in an area frequented by kahrns use the
  phrase “heals faster than a kahrn” to refer to someone who
  recovers from an injury or illness quickly. Further, and even
  stranger, their venom possesses healing qualities that keep
  their opponents alive and fighting. Kahrns hate it when foes
  run away or die too quickly. Sometimes they attempt to
  antagonize creatures that otherwise would not fight them:
  They strike their foe, give chase, and even make belligerent,
  bleating, and annoying noises. Kahrns may even observe
  another creature for a while to discern the best way to anger
  or provoke it—attacking the young or weak members of a
  group, damaging or stealing an important item, and so on.
  They also like to corner foes or trap them in an area from
  which they cannot easily escape.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  54
  Adult
  Larva
  Large Magical Beast 
  Small Magical Beast
  Hit Dice:
  10d10+50 (105 hp), dying/dead –6/–20
  2d10+6 (17 hp), dying/dead –4/–17
  Initiative:
  +5
  +2
  Speed:
  30 feet
  30 feet
  AC:
  20 (–1 size, +1 Dexterity, +10 natural),
  18 (+1 size, +2 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 13,
  touch 10, flat-footed 19
  flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+19
  +2/–2
  Attack:
  Claw +10 melee (1d8+5)
  Claw +2 melee (1d4)
  Full Attack:
  4 claws +10 melee (1d6+5) and bite +8 melee 
  4 claws +2 melee (1d4), bite +0 melee (1d6)
  (1d8+3 + poison)
  Space/Reach:
  10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks:
  Improved grab, rend 2d6+10, spawn, poison
  Rend 2d4
  Special Qualities:
  Low-light vision, fast healing 5
  Low-light vision, fast healing 2
  Saves:
  Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5
  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1
  Abilities:
  Str 21, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 14
  Str 11, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 9
  Skills:
  Listen +8, Spot +9 
  Listen +3, Spot +4
  Feats:
  Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Light 
  Light Sleeper, Multiattack* 
  Sleeper, Multiattack*, Power Attack
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  Environment:
  Any
  Any
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  7
  2
  Treasure:
  Standard
  None
  Advancement:
  11–15 HD (Large); 16–20 HD (Huge)
  3–6 HD (Small); 7–9 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:
  —
  —
  Kahrn 
  
  Kahrns once roamed in small herds but now are solitary
  creatures, as they no longer need one another to reproduce.
  Kahrns are immune to their own healing venom, so they dis-
  like fighting each other.
  Adult kahrns stand about 8 feet high and are about 6 feet
  long. They have broad heads and muscular arms and legs.
  Their bodies bend in the middle of the torso, with the arms
  connected to the upper part and the legs to the lower. Coarse
  yellow-brown hair covers a kahrn’s body. Their eyes are large,
  bulging, and white. Kahrns are usually Unbound.
  Combat
  For obvious reasons, the kahrn seeks out combat. Yet it
  enters into a fight carefully. It has no interest in fighting an
  opponent it cannot defeat. In combat, it usually refrains
  from using its bite. However, if a weak opponent appears to
  be faltering, the kahrn uses the healing poison in its bite to
  restore and sustain it, so it can continue to fight. The kahrn
  will never use its bite on an obviously superior foe.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability,a kahrn must hit
  with a claw attack.It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free
  action without provoking an attack of opportunity.If it wins the
  grapple check,it establishes a hold and can immediately rend.
  Rend (Ex): A kahrn that successfully grapples with one
  claw or hits with two or more claw attacks latches onto the
  opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack auto-
  matically deals an extra 2d6+10 points of damage.
  Spawn (Su): After 4 rounds of continuous com-
  bat,the kahrn can,as a full-round action,attempt
  to reproduce.The spawn forms as a bud on its
  back,which spurts open the following round,
  producing a larval kahrn.The creature can
  use this ability only once every six months.
  Poison (Ex):The kahrn’s bite carries
  a poison that actually heals 2d8 hit
  points of the creature it affects.
  Injury, Fortitude save DC 20, no sec-
  ondary effect. The saving throw DC
  is Constitution based.
  Fast Healing (Ex): A kahrn
  with this ability rapidly heals
  damage, allowing it to recover
  quickly from even the most
  grievous wounds. Adults enjoy
  fast healing 5, while larvae
  gain fast healing 2.
  Kahrn Larvae
  Kahrn larvae look like smaller
  versions of the parents. They
  feed on combat like adults, and
  they are born hungry, eager to join
  in the battle that gave them life. They are about 4 feet high
  and 3 feet long. Their hairless bodies are covered in moist
  grey flesh. After about a year, the larvae mature into adults,
  but they are forced to fend for themselves immediately.
  Their rend attack inflicts only 2d4 points of damage. They
  have no venom, nor can they create spawn.
  Kahrn Encounter (EL 7)
  A champion of freedom enlists the aid of the player charac-
  ters. It seems that a band of brigands has captured a wild
  beast and keeps it in a pit. They throw slaves into the pit to
  fight the monster for sport, and occasionally renowned war-
  riors volunteer to go into the pit to earn a reputation for
  themselves. The champion wants the PCs to help him defeat
  the brigands and free the creature. The champion vows to
  hold off the captors while the characters go into the pit to
  free the monster.
  However, the captive creature is a kahrn. It doesn’t want to
  be freed—it loves its lot and doesn’t mind the conditions in
  the pit, for it gets all the fighting it can handle. It’s even
  managed to spawn a couple of times, its larvae sold off to the
  highest bidder (presumably to happily engage in combat in
  other fighting pits). The kahrn fights the PCs, resisting any
  attempt at “rescue.”
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 55
  
  Lasher Beast
  Large Aberration
  Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp), dying/dead –3/–15
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 18 (–1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10
  Attack: Lashing tendrils +6 melee (1d6+4 plus poison)
  Full Attack: 2 lashing tendrils +6 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) 
  and bite +1 melee (1d8+1)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Grasping hooks, poison
  Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 feet, DR 5/magic (or 5/+1),
  immunity to poison, light sensitivity
  Saves: Fort +9, Ref +2, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 8
  Skills: Listen +5, Sneak* +11, Spot +6
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Opportunistic Attack†, Weapon 
  Focus (lashing tendrils), Weapon Specialization (lashing 
  tendrils)
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3–24)
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 7–12 HD (Large); 13–20 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +4
  This monster has dull, grey skin, an eyeless, beaked face,
  and long arms that end in fleshy tendrils. In battle, it lashes
  its enemy with these tendrils, exposing the foe to a variety of
  toxins delivered by means of small hooks within them. A
  lasher beast can use these hooks to capture its opponents,
  holding them in place while it continues to pump venom
  into them.
  Lasher beasts dwell in caverns and passages beneath the
  earth, where they hunt a variety of monsters. They are not
  normally aggressive toward humanoid explorers, but they
  experience a strange reaction to light sources. They are eye-
  less, but their skin is sensitive to light of any sort. They do
  not take damage from this sensitivity under most circum-
  stances, but the discomfort annoys them and causes them to
  seek out and extinguish all but the dimmest lights. For this
  reason, lasher beasts commonly attack adventurers and
  other surface-dwellers who wander into their territories.
  While they are too simple to establish a formal culture or
  civilization,lasher beasts usually congregate in large caverns
  where they hunt as packs.They are fiercely territorial among
  themselves and have been known to wage small wars for con-
  trol of hunting grounds.During these chaotic melees,lasher
  beasts sometimes strike out at all creatures they encounter,
  making them unpredictable and potentially deadly enemies.
  The lasher beasts’ primary value lies in their ability to syn-
  thesize a wide variety of toxins. Their tendrils have a number
  of glands that produce poison at a prodigious rate when
  these creatures engage in battle. A creature may suffer from a
  poison that saps its strength from one blow and then be
  exposed to one that drains its agility on the next attack.
  Some animal handlers have learned to control the poisons a
  captive lasher beast produces by varying its diet. Since these
  monsters break down food and use it in part to create their
  venom, feeding them a specific blend of herbs and alchemi-
  cal mixtures can yield particular types of poison.
  Combat
  In battle, a lasher beast prefers to focus on a single target to
  slowly overwhelm with its poison. It prefers to attach both
  sets of its tendrils to a single victim, pumping him full of
  poison while gnawing on him with bite attacks.
  Taking advantage of their natural camouflage, lasher
  beasts usually lurk near well-traveled pathways in their
  native environment. They wait for a solitary target to pass by
  before attacking. They sometimes attack obviously powerful
  or heavily armed targets in hopes of quickly subduing them
  with poison.
  Explorers must take particular care to avoid attracting
  lasher beasts with a light source. These monsters attack any-
  one bearing a torch or similar item in preference to other
  opponents. Luckily, illusions and other tricks can deflect
  their attention.
  * Skills (Ex): A lasher beast’s dull grey hide allows it to
  hide in underground areas with relative ease. It gains a +15
  racial bonus to all Sneak checks to hide from sight while in a
  subterranean environment, for a total skill modifier of +11
  after accounting for size.
  Grasping Hooks (Ex): A lasher beast’s tendrils are sown
  with sharp, vicious hooks that allow it to catch and hold
  creatures it attacks. If the creature hits an opponent with its
  tendril attack, it may initiate a grapple as a free action that
  does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Should the lasher
  get a hold, it automatically deals tendril damage and exposes
  its target to its poison on its action as long as it maintains
  the hold. The lasher’s opponents suffer a –4 competence
  penalty to all grapple checks to break free because of these
  hooks. A lasher beast can sink both sets of tendrils into one
  target or it may take hold of two separate opponents.
  Poison (Ex): Unlike other creatures that deliver a poison
  attack, a lasher beast uses a wide variety of venom. Its poison
  glands create variable poisonous mixtures that have different
  effects on targets each round. These poisons always require a
  Fortitude save (DC 15) to resist; each time a target fails its
  save, randomly determine the exact nature of the poison by
  rolling 1d4 and referring to the following table. A lasher
  beast’s poisons are delivered via injury in amounts too small
  and weak to deal any secondary damage.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  56
  
  d4
  Damage
  1
  1d3 points of temporary Strength damage
  2
  1d3 points of temporary Dexterity damage
  3
  1d3 points of temporary Constitution damage
  4
  1 point of temporary damage to Strength,
  Dexterity, and Constitution
  Light Sensitivity (Ex): Lasher beasts find all but the
  dimmest light distasteful and annoying.They attack creatures
  that carry light sources in preference to other opponents and
  even strike at creatures that linger near illumination—their
  simple minds draw a connection between the disturbance
  and the creatures they find close to it.If exposed to sunlight
  or some other intense source of bright light,a lasher beast
  takes 1d4 points of damage per round until it finds protection
  from the light.Merchants who bring lasher beasts to the sur-
  face usually use thick cloaks and coverings to protect them.
  Immunity to Poison (Ex): As a side effect of the variety of
  toxic materials that flow through their systems, lasher beasts
  have developed immunity to all poisons. They automatically
  succeed at any Fortitude save to resist the effect of venom.
  Lasher Beast Poisons
  Some enterprising and criminal-minded merchants capture
  lasher beasts and use them to create poisons they can sell on
  the black market.If it is fed a carefully designed diet of meats,
  spices,and chemicals,a lasher beast can create specifically
  designed poisons for use on weapons or in food and drink.
  Devising the proper diet to create a poison requires a
  Knowledge (dangerous beasts) check (DC 25) and one week of
  experimentation and observation.With a successful check,a
  character can create an injury or ingested poison that deals 1d2
  points of temporary ability score damage as its primary and sec-
  ondary effects and has a Fortitude save DC of 13.The creator
  chooses the affected ability when creating the poison.One
  dose of lasher beast poison costs 25 gp in raw materials to pro-
  duce,primarily rare and expensive herbs and foods to feed the
  creature.A single dose costs 50 gp on the open market.
  Lasher Beast Antidote
  Underworld explorers have discovered that a steady diet of
  lasher beast flesh can help them develop a strong resistance
  to a variety of poisons. A lasher beast’s body is rife with nox-
  ious chemicals, but only at its tendrils are they concentrated
  in strong enough quantities to pose a true risk to anyone
  who eats them. By ingesting a small amount of lasher beast
  flesh each day, a humanoid’s body slowly builds up improved
  defenses against poison. A humanoid following this regimen
  for seven consecutive days gains a +2 circumstance bonus on
  all Fortitude saves against poison as long as she continues to
  eat lasher beast flesh on a daily basis.
  A one-day dose of lasher beast flesh costs 10 gp and weighs
  1 lb.The first time a character ingests this flesh,she must suc-
  ceed at a Fortitude save (DC 10) or take 1 point of temporary
  Constitution damage as her body adjusts to the substance.
  Lasher Beast Encounter (EL 6)
  A small group of alchemists keeps several lasher beasts in a
  cellar beneath their workshop.These researchers sell the usual
  range of useful alchemical items,but this activity is a front for
  their dealings with assassins,thieves,and other outlaws.They
  specialize in crafting poisons and antidotes,endeavors that
  would be impossible without their lasher beasts.
  Recently, one of the alchemists’ customers—the leader
  of a gang of thieves—has launched a plan to ruin the
  alchemists after they sold him a batch of improperly crafted
  poison. He and his minions sneak into the workshop, break
  the lock on the lasher beasts’ pen, and unleash the monsters
  while the streets near the shop are crowded with people.
  If the heroes intervene,first and foremost they must deal with
  the lasher beasts—but they may also become embroiled in the
  simmering war between the alchemists and the gang of thieves.
  Both sides may see the PCs as a threat,with the thieves blaming
  them for ruining their scheme for revenge and the alchemists
  enraged that strangers are interfering in their business.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 57
  
  Lastrogos (Spirit Devourer)
  Medium Aberration 
  Hit Dice: 9d8 (40 hp), dying/dead –1/–11
  Initiative: +5
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 21 (+5 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple:+6/+7
  Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d8+1)
  Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d8+1) and bite +9 melee (1d4) 
  and 2 claws +9 melee (1d4)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Paralysis gaze, devour spirits
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, see invisibility,
  DR 10/magic (or 10/+1), SR 18
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +9
  Abilities: Str 12, Dex 20, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 19
  Skills: Knowledge (magic) +4, Listen +13, Sneak +10,
  Wilderness Survival +8
  Feats: Defensive Stance, Mobility, Multiattack*, Track B,
  Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Any land or underground 
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Triple standard
  Advancement:10–18 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:—
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  Although there are creatures far more powerful than the
  lastrogos,few are as feared.For even the common folk know
  that if a lastrogos,or “spirit devourer,” slays you,it eats your
  soul, destroying it forever. Throughout the Lands of the
  Diamond Throne, people have many different ideas about
  what happens to one’s soul when one dies,but just about all
  would agree that utter destruction by a spirit devourer is a
  terrible thing. The exceptions, of course, are the Cultists of
  the Brief Respite, who welcome the reprieve when their time
  comes, as they believe the soul suffers only torture and pain
  when not incarnated in the world. In fact, more than one
  adherent to this bleak belief has sought out a spirit devourer
  as a final quest,in order to avoid torment in the hereafter.
  Even undead spirits have much to fear from the spirit
  devourer,a creature who cannot only affect incorporeal crea-
  tures as easily as corporeal ones, but whose touch renders
  them immobile and unable to act—the easier to devour them.
  Despite its two dangerous-looking mouths, the lastrogos
  does not eat meat. It literally eats spirits. Created by terrible
  sorcery in the alchemical pits of the dramojh, the spirit
  devourers roam the world today still looking for food. The
  dramojh bred them to stalk and annihilate their victims, so
  they could never be brought back. The lastrogos proved
  effective but difficult to control, so the dramojh did not cre-
  ate many. The creatures appear able to reproduce asexually,
  laying one to two fertilized eggs every two to three years.
  These adults are too selfish to care for their young, however,
  so the little ones must fend for themselves as soon as they
  hatch.
  This creature looks, at first glance, like a humanoid with
  grey and green mottled flesh. However, a closer inspection
  reveals that what one might take to be hair on the creature’s
  head is actually many tiny, flagellalike tendrils surrounding a
  large maw at the very apex of its head. This secondary mouth
  can open wide enough to reveal that, unlike a human, the
  lastrogos does not house its brain inside its skull (instead, it
  lies within the creature’s chest).
  Combat
  A lastrogos can subsist on the spirits of small animals and
  vermin, but it prefers those of more intelligent creatures,
  from which it gains more sustenance. It likes to attack from
  ambush, usually on a well-trod path far from its lair. Its
  strategy involves using its gaze to paralyze all threats. Should
  some foes resist its gaze at first, it mounts a defensive fight
  until all are paralyzed. Then, it can slay and devour spirits
  without worry for its own safety.
  Paralysis Gaze (Su):The creature’s gaze paralyzes foes for
  1d6+2 rounds. It has a 40-foot range (Fortitude save, DC
  18). The saving throw DC is Charisma based.
  Devour Spirits (Su): The lastrogos can strike incorporeal
  creatures with no miss chance. Its touch immobilizes an
  Legacy of the Dragons
  58
  
  incorporeal creature for 1d6+2 minutes (Will
  saving throw, DC 18, to negate).
  If the spirit devourer slays a corporeal crea-
  ture,the victim must succeed at a Will save (DC
  18) or the lastrogos eats its spirit.Such a victim
  cannot be revivified or raised from the dead,as
  if a permanent rest spell had been cast upon it.
  See Invisibility (Su): At all times, the las-
  trogos can see invisible creatures and objects,
  including incorporeal creatures and objects.
  Lastrogos Lair
  Lastrogos keep a lair, usually underground or
  in some other dark, dank place. Typically they
  guard their lairs with traps, due to their com-
  pulsive need to hoard valuables: gems, gold,
  artwork, weaponry—anything they can get
  their hands on. Such treasure is a symbol of
  status among their kind (since they produce
  nothing, it is, of course, all stolen or collected
  from dead victims).
  1.Secret Door. A successful Search check
  (DC 24) uncovers the entrance, which is crafti-
  ly sealed with an innocuous stone slab.
  2.Pit Trap. Beyond the entrance lies a cov-
  ered pit, 10 feet across and 30 feet deep, filled
  with jagged rocks. Those who fall in suffer 3d6
  points of damage from the fall and 2d6 points
  from the rocks. A Reflex save (DC 20) allows
  one to avoid it altogether. A Search check 
  (DC 20) reveals the trap, and a Disable Device
  check (DC 20) disables it.
  3.Rockfall Trap. Those who enter this area
  may snag a tripwire,which brings a precarious
  load of rocks down upon them.Anyone in the
  area suffers 4d6 points of damage (Reflex save,
  DC 20,reduces damage by half).A Search check (DC 22)
  reveals the trap,and a Disable Device check (DC 28) disables it.
  4.Sleeping Chamber. This room, where the lastrogos
  lives, is filled with slain creatures—still intact but in various
  states of decay.
  5.Hoard. This chamber is sealed with another stone slab,
  not concealed but very heavy (about 900 lbs.). Here, the las-
  trogos keeps all of its valuables. The pile amounts to around
  10,200 gp worth of treasure, on average.
  Lastrogos Encounter (EL 7)
  The animate, free-willed spirit of a long-dead woman con-
  tacts the player characters and pleads for their help. If they
  will listen, she explains that a number of ghosts and spirits
  still tied to the world inhabit a nearby ruined castle.
  However, in the last few days, a lastrogos has arrived at the
  castle and made its lair there. This spirit devourer has
  made short work of a number of the spirits, eating them
  and destroying them forever. The spirits are nearly power-
  less against it, she says. Some have simply fled the castle,
  but others are bound to the place and cannot leave. She
  herself can only speak with the PCs for a short time before
  she must return.
  The woman’s spirit begs them to come and slay or drive
  off the lastrogos, offering them ancient treasure still hidden
  in the castle as a reward for their efforts. If the PCs agree,
  sure enough, they find the spirit devourer within the castle
  ruins, its lair beneath the structure in the old dungeons.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 59
  
  Mud Slime
  Medium Ooze (Aquatic)
  Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 hp), dying/dead –3/–15
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 20 feet, swim 40 feet
  AC: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
  Attack: Pseudopod +5 melee (1d8+2)
  Full Attack: 3 pseudopods +5 melee (1d8+2)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Envelop, improved grab
  Special Qualities: Amphibious, natural camouflage,
  tremorsense 60 feet, ooze traits
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 14, Dex 11, Con 15, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 4
  Skills: Listen* +10, Spot* +10
  Feats:—
  Environment: Temperate marshes
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or clutch (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 6–10 HD (Medium); 11–18 HD (Large)
  A mud slime is an oval-shaped pile of sludge that resembles
  the muck found at the bottom of a river or stream. It lurks
  along the edges of ponds and creeks, waiting for a creature
  to draw near it. When it attacks, it rears up to engulf its tar-
  get and suffocate it. It also sometimes hides in deep mud or
  swamp water. In either case, its dark coloration often allows
  it to catch its opponents by surprise. In a few cases, these
  creatures serve as watchers and sentinels. Their finely
  honed senses allow them to detect intruders, even those
  hidden by magic.
  Mud slimes are a common danger in most swamp areas.
  They lack the ability to distinguish dangerous prey from
  creatures they can easily overwhelm, prompting them to
  attack almost anything that draws near. Their aggressive
  behavior is driven by neither malice nor evil. They need
  tremendous amounts of food to sustain themselves. Once
  a mud slime has devoured a large amount of food, it enters
  a dormant state much like sleep. This state can last up to
  five days.
  Although they are mindless, mud slimes make excellent
  guardians and lookouts. A mud slime’s entire outer mem-
  brane is one large sensory organ. The creature can “feel”
  sound and light by detecting the variations and patterns
  in sonic and light energy in the environment around it,
  allowing it to see and hear as a human. It can also sense
  changes in pressure and the vibrations in the ground and
  water, allowing it to instantly pinpoint the location of any
  creature that draws close. Even invisible or concealed
  intruders cannot avoid a mud slime’s detection. These
  abilities, combined with the mud slime’s voracious
  appetite, make it a good choice for watching over an iso-
  lated or hidden pathway. Few individuals let one loose in
  an area they expect to use, because a mud slime is difficult
  to control and unable to recognize allies. Instead, the
  slimes are left to wander sewers, mine passages, and aban-
  doned tunnels that lead to important locations that have
  fallen out of use.
  Combat
  A mud slime knows only one combat tactic—it simply
  lunges at the nearest target and attempts to engulf him. The
  creature is incapable of realizing that smaller or unarmored
  targets make easier prey. Although it can move on land (and
  will do so to chase down a target trying to avoid it), typical-
  ly a mud slime waits in a pool of water and strikes at the
  first thing that comes within its reach.
  * Skills (Ex): Due to their keen senses and the nature of
  their outer membrane, mud slimes gain a +10 racial bonus
  to all Listen and Spot checks.
  Envelop (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a mud
  slime can engulf a target of Medium size or smaller. A
  slime that has engulfed a victim can take no actions
  except for holding its prey in a death grip as its digestive
  juices burn him with acid. The victim takes 3d6 points of
  acid damage each round on the slime’s turn. He may
  attempt to break free with a successful grapple check, but
  the slime gains a +4 bonus to its check to maintain its
  grip. A victim’s allies can attempt to cut him free. Any
  attack with a slashing weapon that deals more than 10
  points of damage denies the slime its +4 bonus to the
  grapple check and gives the victim a +4 bonus. The vic-
  tim’s allies may also attempt to pull their friend free with
  a Strength check (DC 25).
  Improved Grab (Ex): If a mud slime hits an opponent
  with its pseudopod attack, it may initiate a grapple as a free
  action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
  Amphibious (Ex): Mud slimes can breathe both water
  and air, allowing them to both survive underwater and crawl
  across land.
  Natural Camouflage (Ex): A mud slime gains a +12 com-
  petence bonus to Sneak checks made to hide while it
  remains motionless in a watery or muddy area.
  Tremorsense (Ex): A mud slime automatically detects the
  presence and location of any creature or object that stands
  on the ground or in the water within 60 feet of it.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  60
  
  Capturing and Using a Mud Slime
  Most individuals who want to capture a mud slime start by
  plying the creature with tremendous amounts of food. A
  slime that has gorged itself falls into a sleeplike state, after
  which hunters can easily drag it into a large chest or other
  container, transport it to a distant location, and set it loose
  to watch over that location. Since these creatures are nonin-
  telligent, training them to perform specific tasks is impossi-
  ble; however, their very nature makes them ideal guardians.
  Once they are deposited in an area, their keen senses and
  boundless appetites make it difficult for visitors to that area
  to sneak past them. At the same time, they lack the intellect
  to accept bribes or turn on their master.
  Mud Slime Encounter (EL 3)
  A crime lord active in the town where the characters are cur-
  rently staying had been using several mud slimes to watch
  over a passage that leads from the town’s sewers into the
  basement of his hideout. The criminal had a magic item that
  enabled him to fly, allowing him to easily avoid his own
  guards. Recently his competitors eliminated the crime lord
  and seized most of his goods. Rather than fight the slimes to
  get access to his hideout, they knocked holes in the passage
  near where the guards were located and waited for the slimes
  to escape into the sewers.
  For the last several weeks, the slimes have been enjoy-
  ing their newfound freedom. They have devoured several
  beggars who had been living in the sewers and have
  spawned many young. The disappearances have caught
  the attention of authorities, who originally suspected
  slavers or kidnappers were behind them. As the slime pop-
  ulation grows, the monsters become more aggressive in
  seeking meals—a few of them even venture out of the
  sewers in search of food, which makes the true reason for
  the disappearances clear. If the characters want to help,
  they must descend into the sewers to vanquish the slimes
  before their population grows so great that the townsfolk
  cannot hope to defeat them.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 61
  
  Navver’s Curse
  Large Fey 
  Hit Dice: 9d6+18 (49 hp), dying/dead –3/–14
  Initiative: +4
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 27 (–1 size, +4 Dexterity, +5 natural, +9 armor),
  touch 13, flat-footed 23
  Base Attack/Grapple:+4/+11
  Attack: Greatsword +7 melee (2d6+4)
  Full Attack: Greatsword +7 melee (2d6+4) and short sword 
  +7 melee (1d6+2)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, curses
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision, SR 20, DR 10/magic 
  (or 10/+1)
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7
  Abilities: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 19
  Skills: Climb +14, Concentration +10, Sneak +12, Spot +11 
  Feats: Ambidexterity, Iron Will, Natural Swordsman, Skill 
  Focus (Sneak), Two-Weapon Fighting
  Environment: Temperate or cold woods
  Organization: Solitary or pair
  Challenge Rating: 6
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+1
  The faerie creatures known as Navver’s curse are tall, lithe
  beings of an awkward grace, clad in dragonscale armor and
  wielding Devanian weapons. To understand these forest-
  dwelling creatures, one must first know the story of Navver.
  Navver was a loresong faen living in the Harrowdeep who
  wanted to engage in the metamorphosis unique to his people and
  transform himself into a spryte. He wandered deep within the dan-
  gerous woods that were his home to find a place he thought appro-
  priate. As he tried to create his chrysalis, however, he was attacked
  by the murderous faen known as darklings (see “Beyond the
  Diamond Throne” in Chapter One of The Diamond Throne).
  They destroyed his partially created chrysalis and wounded him
  grievously, leaving him for dead. When his friends came to check
  on him days later, he still lay unconscious. However, the psychotic
  darklings remained nearby and ambushed Navver’s friends, slay-
  ing them all. When Navver awoke, days later still, he expected to
  find himself transformed, for a terrible head wound had destroyed
  his memory of the attack. Instead, he found his chrysalis destroyed
  and everyone he had ever loved dead all around him. 
  First Navver thought he had acquired some dreaded curse or
  disease, like vampirism, and became convinced that he had killed
  his friends. He wandered the Harrowdeep engulfed in sorrow, con-
  templating suicide. Finally, he decided to complete the metamor-
  phosis, hoping the transformation into a spryte would not only
  cure him of his affliction but would ease his conscience as well.
  Alas, he found he could no longer create a chrysalis—the ability
  was lost to him in the trauma he had suffered. 
  At that point, the young faen lost all hope and faith. When he
  found a nearby faen village, he thought to give in to the murderous
  curse that gripped him. He began murdering the faen villagers one
  by one, whenever he could find one alone. He thought these acts
  would ease the terrible feelings inside him, convinced as he was
  that he had become some kind of vampire or cursed killer. This not
  being the case, of course, his actions only made things much worse.
  Finally, he left the village he had preyed upon, just as the villagers
  were readying to mobilize against him.
  Deeper in the woods, Navver encountered another band of
  darklings. As they swarmed around him, his memories came rush-
  ing back. He realized it was the darklings who had killed his
  friends, not he. The horror of what he had done in the village
  crashed upon him in a wave far worse than the physical attacks of
  his assailants. He did not struggle or defend himself. He took each
  blow and each lash as a mark of shame, justice, and as a testa-
  ment to the cruel whims of fate. As he took his deathblow, Navver
  spoke a terrible curse, bequeathing his soul to the Harrowdeep if
  that dark forest would in turn manifest itself as a force of terror
  that reflected the horrors perpetrated upon him.
  Thus, the creatures known as Navver’s curse rose from the for-
  est and have been a bane in that region ever since.
  Also called “dread slayers,” the creatures collectively known
  as Navver’s curse not only wield their weapons with prowess,
  but also have a number of spell-like abilities enabling them to
  wreak havoc.They live only to stalk and kill those they find in
  the forest, particularly faen. And—perhaps due to Navver’s
  quest to become one—they hold a special hatred for sprytes.
  Navver’s curse are malicious creatures of hatred and spite.
  A Navver’s curse stands 9 feet tall but weighs only 300 lbs.
  (without armor).Its flesh is pale,its body gaunt.The eyes of a
  Navver’s curse are pits of churning darkness and seething spite.
  Their armor and weapons—said to be items lost within the
  Harrowdeep or worn by those who died there and were never
  recovered—are always ornate and well cared for.These creatures
  do no reproduce normally;their numbers are finite.When they
  are finally all slain,the world will be free from the curse.
  Navver’s curse speak Faen.
  Combat
  A Navver’s curse attacks when it is ready, and not before. It
  almost always knows the surrounding terrain and makes use
  of it if possible. With its spell-like abilities it sneaks up on
  unwary victims, then strikes without mercy. Once it enters
  combat, it does not flee—except to maneuver for a more
  advantageous position or to lure foes into a trap.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  62
  
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A Navver’s curse can cast the
  following spells as a 7th-level magister: 3/day—gusting wind,
  mind stab, touch of pain, veil of darkness; 1/day—bind with
  plants, cloak of darkness, scream, silent sheath, woodland prison.
  The save DC against these spells is DC 12 + spell level.
  Curses (Su): Once per day, a Navver’s curse can attempt a
  touch attack that carries with it a terrible curse. Those
  touched should make a Will saving throw (DC 18). If they
  fail, they begin to lose their will and succumb to lethargy
  and despair. It starts slowly. Immediately after the curse
  takes effect, victims simply suffer a –2 morale penalty on
  attack rolls, saving throws, and checks. After 24 hours,
  they suffer 1d3 points of temporary Wisdom damage, and
  suffer a like amount each day. After three days, the
  cursed victims must make a Will saving throw (DC 18)
  every six hours or spend the next six hours doing
  nothing,unwilling to take any action except to defend
  themselves.After three weeks (assuming the victim
  has not completely succumbed to the Wisdom dam-
  age),victims lose all will to live and fall into catato-
  nia,punctuated by a daily suicide attempt (a victim
  can stave off the suicidal urge with another Will
  save,DC 18,but not the catatonia).
  Further, when a Navver’s curse dies, it inflicts a
  curse on all within 30 feet. Those within range must
  make Will saves (DC 18) or earn the enmity of the land
  itself. For most characters, this curse imposes a –2 cir-
  cumstance penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and
  checks whenever they touch the ground. For greenbonds,
  however, it means a loss of all supernatural and spell-like
  class abilities and all spellcasting ability.
  Both curses last until removed.
  Navver’s Curse Characters
  A few Navver’s curse have gained levels in mage blade,
  using their Devanian greatswords as their athames.
  Navver’s Curse Encounter (EL 5)
  The PCs make their way through the Harrowdeep, experienc-
  ing all of its dangers and mystery. Those who succeed at
  appropriate Listen or Spot checks realize they are being fol-
  lowed. A Navver’s curse is after them—but they do not know
  it yet. If they try to find out what’s behind them, it flees
  under cloak of darkness and uses silent sheath as well. Only
  when they reach a river gully with rocky walls rising up on
  either side (known to the curse, but not to the characters),
  does the creature strike. It seeks to trap them in this gully,
  for it knows that, unless they wade into the river, the ravine
  is a dead end. The shore on either side of the river eventually
  disappears. PCs that enter the river must make Balance
  checks (DC 18) or be knocked off their feet and carried off by
  the surprisingly strong current. They must make Swim
  checks (DC 20) just to keep their heads above water. Worse
  yet, the river carries them to a waterfall, where they tumble
  down 40 feet onto the rocks below (4d6 points of damage).
  Should the Navver’s curse survive the encounter, it follows
  them down the river in an attempt to finish them off.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 63
  
  Night Beast
  Large Undead
  Hit Dice: 14d12 (91 hp), dead 0
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet, fly 60 feet (perfect)
  AC: 17 (–1 size, +2 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 11,
  flat-footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+13
  Attack: Claw +9 melee (2d4+2 plus energy drain)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (2d4+2 plus energy drain) and 
  bite +3 melee (1d6+1 plus energy drain)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Choking darkness, death field, energy 
  drain, spells
  Special Qualities: Amorphous,darkvision 60 feet,DR 10/good
  (or 20/+2), SR 20, sunlight vulnerability, undead traits
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +14
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con –, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
  Skills: Balance +20, Intimidate +21, Listen +21, Search +20,
  Sneak* +20, Tumble +20
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Corrupt Mage, Flyby Attack, Iron 
  Will, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claws)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +4
  Beings of pure,liquid shadow,night beasts are said to be
  intelligent shards of the raw stuff of the Dark.The monster
  appears as an amorphous cloud of dark material that drifts
  through the air and sometimes crawls along the ground.In
  battle,it manifests a leering,skull-like face and two long arms
  that end in jagged claws that can rend and tear their enemies.
  A night beast is called into the world by a power-mad
  undead creature or an ambitious living creature that seeks to
  expand its might.By conducting a blasphemous ritual known
  as the Song of Infinite Dark,an undead creature unleashes
  its inner soul and binds it with the raw substance of the
  Dark.With the ritual complete,the creature transforms into a
  night beast.It retains any class levels it may have had,along
  with its memories.In its new form,it serves as an avatar of
  destruction,slaughtering all living things it encounters and
  leaving a trail of death in its wake.Simple plants turn brown
  and die at a night beast’s merest touch;an entire village can
  fall to this rampaging monster in the course of a night.
  Litorians greatly fear these creatures,for they are a contin-
  uing menace on the plains the litorians call home.Many
  night beasts were once litorians who,after having been exiled
  from their tribes for some horrid crime,have returned as
  night beasts to exact their vengeance.While these monsters
  are found almost all over the world,nowhere are they as com-
  mon as on the plains the litorians roam.In this region,night
  beasts maintain a tradition of approaching obvious outcasts
  and pariahs with an offer of tremendous power.They supply
  the secrets of the Song of Infinite Dark to such loners,hop-
  ing to corrupt them to the Dark with promises of great power
  and an opportunity to reap vengeance against their tribes.
  This act of recruitment is the only known case of a night
  beast communicating or working with living creatures.
  Combat
  A night beast is a cunning adversary that maximizes the use
  of its abilities to overcome its enemies. Driven by an
  unquenchable need to drain the life from all creatures, it is a
  vicious foe that grants no quarter.
  A night beast uses its choking darkness ability against
  weaker creatures and those that have already suffered serious
  wounds.While this maneuver leaves the night beast vulnerable
  to attack, it can quickly overwhelm enemies that are on the
  verge of defeat. Its death field ability benefits nearby undead,
  causing many night beasts to collect undead allies as a
  coterie of servants. The creature considers these followers to
  be nothing more than disposable minions. It uses them to
  occupy opponents while it moves into position for an
  ambush or escapes from a powerful foe.
  * Skills (Ex): A night beast is virtually impossible to see in
  areas of shadow or darkness. It gains a +10 racial bonus to
  all Sneak checks made to hide in areas that are dimly lit or
  darkened.
  Choking Darkness (Ex): A night beast’s physical form is
  akin to liquid night, allowing it to grasp its opponents and
  drown them within its embrace. A night beast can opt to
  end its move in the same space as an opponent. If it com-
  pletely covers its foe, the target takes 8d6 points of damage.
  A Fortitude save (DC 20) halves this damage. Using this
  ability counts as a standard action, since the beast must
  envelop the creatures trapped within it. A creature within
  this area gains a +2 competence bonus on all attacks
  against the beast. A creature within a night beast gains full
  concealment from those outside of it and a 30 percent con-
  cealment miss chance against those also caught in it.
  Death Field (Su): The area around a night beast is perme-
  ated with negative energy. All living creatures within it lose
  their strength and stamina while undead ones grow
  stronger. All living creatures within a 30-foot radius of a
  night beast must make Fortitude saves (DC 20) or suffer a
  –2 penalty to Strength and Constitution for 1d10 minutes.
  Once a creature succeeds at a save against this effect, it does
  not need to check against that specific night beast’s death
  field again for 24 hours. Undead  within this area gain a +2
  Legacy of the Dragons
  64
  
  profane bonus to Strength as the night beast’s aura fortifies
  their dark nature.
  Energy Drain (Su): If a night beast hits an opponent
  with a claw attack or a bite attack, that opponent also
  receives one negative level. The Fortitude save DC to remove
  any negative levels a night beast inflicts is 20.
  Spells: A night beast prepares and casts spell as a 7th-
  level magister.
  Amorphous (Ex): As a free action, a night beast can
  shape its body so that the creature can pass through open-
  ings as small as 1 foot in diameter. However, it cannot use
  this ability to flatten out its body and thereby increase the
  space it occupies when using its choking darkness ability
  Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex): Bright light burns a night
  beast like a devouring flame, blasting the inky darkness of its
  form into oblivion. A night beast takes 3d6 points of damage
  per round that it suffers full exposure to sunlight, either
  from the sun itself or a magical effect that duplicates the
  strength of the sun’s radiance.
  Night Beast Characters
  Many creatures that become night beasts have levels in
  magister or witch, since the process needed to become one
  of these monstrosities requires some research into and
  knowledge of arcane power. Night beasts gain levels just as
  they did in life.
  Night Beast Encounter (EL 10)
  The characters hear stories of a haunted, fortified man-
  sion that stands in the woods outside town. Several inves-
  tigators who sought to explore the place have failed to
  return. In truth, a night beast lairs within the place and
  preys on any creatures that visit the mansion. The build-
  ing has many holes in its roof and walls due to age and
  neglect. To shield itself from the sun during daylight
  hours, the beast lurks in the space between the walls.
  From there, it preys on anyone foolish enough to enter its
  domain. It raps on the walls and floors to confuse and
  distract the characters, seeking to split them up in order
  to attack a lone target.
  In addition to the obvious hazard posed by the night
  beast, the mansion is on the verge of collapse. The floor-
  boards give way in some places, while a few hostile vermin
  lurk in dark corners. If the characters defeat the night
  beast, they find the treasures it has gathered, along with an
  old stash of coins and magic items left by the place’s previ-
  ous owner, buried in the cellar.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 65
  
  Oathstalker
  Large Outsider 
  Hit Dice: 20d8+180 (270 hp), dying/dead –10/–28
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 50 feet
  AC: 32 (–1 size, +3 Dexterity, +20 natural), touch 12,
  flat-footed 29
  Base Attack/Grapple:+20/+34
  Attack: Slam +30 melee (1d8+10)
  Full Attack: 2 slams +30 melee (1d8+10), gore +25 melee 
  (2d6+5),plus 20/day:Rapid Strike slam +20 melee (1d8+10)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Drain away speed, forcebeam, spell-like 
  abilities
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immunities, find 
  oathbreaker, fast healing 5, DR 10/chaotic (or 10/+3)
  Saves: Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +17
  Abilities: Str 30, Dex 16, Con 28, Int 10, Wis 21, Cha 19
  Skills: Climb +33, Concentration +18, Jump +34, Listen +24,
  Sense Motive +28, Sneak +22,Spot +24,Tumble +28,
  Wilderness Survival +28
  Feats: Cleave, First Strike, Improved Intuitive Sense,
  Intuitive Sense,Power Attack,Power Charge,Rapid StrikeB,
  Speed Burst, Track B, Weapon Focus (slam)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 17
  Treasure: None
  Advancement:21–30 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment:—
  Oathstalkers are otherworldly creatures who come to exact
  retribution upon those who have broken an oath.They excel at
  melee combat and command fearsome magical abilities as well,
  many stemming from the single,dark horn that sprouts from
  their foreheads.Oathstalkers are shadowy figures,vaguely
  humanoid in appearance,eyes swirling with green menace.
  Random encounters with an oathstalker are virtually
  unheard of. When someone breaks an oath, there is a small
  chance that an oathstalker enters the world from whatever
  strange plane it normally inhabits. While here, its sole preoc-
  cupation involves enacting a just reckoning for the oath-
  breaker’s deed. Normally, its justice comes in the form of
  death. However, it can also involve destroying the oathbreak-
  er’s property, slaying family and friends, or undoing some
  great accomplishment of the offender. It can also mean a
  combination of all these things. The retribution required is
  solely up to the discretion of the oathstalker, which bases its
  decision on the importance of the oath and the position of
  the offender. A commoner’s broken oath is not as serious as
  that of a ruler.
  Likewise,the chance of an oathstalker appearing at the
  time of a broken oath also depends on circumstances.While
  this chance does vary based on the importance of the oath
  and the oathbreaker,it also depends on the importance of the
  oath to the oathbreaker and to those to whom it was sworn.
  For example,a high-level oathsworn’s broken oath is likely to
  call forth an oathstalker (since the oath was important to the
  oathbreaker),as is the broken oath of a giantish steward that
  results in hundreds of people going hungry (since the oath
  was important to those to whom it was sworn).
  As strange outsiders,oathstalkers do not seem to have a cul-
  ture understandable to those from this world. They appear to
  be genderless,and no one has ever seen a young oathstalker—
  or, for that matter, a noticeably old one. They may be ageless.
  Some speculate that they are actually brought into existence
  when they come into this world to mete out justice and that
  they do not actually “dwell” anywhere.
  Oathstalkers speak only rarely and usually only to pro-
  nounce sentence (often after the punishment has been
  exacted). They speak Common as well as their own language.
  They can also telepathically understand any living creature
  within 30 feet as well as read its mind. Their voices are deep
  and resonant. Reasoning or pleading with oathstalkers usu-
  ally proves fruitless, as they are almost always without mercy.
  Lying to an oathstalker almost certainly ensures an even
  more horrible enactment of retribution.
  Combat
  Using its Speed Burst and Rapid Strike feats, plus its great
  speed and reach, the oathstalker can move up to a foe from
  55 feet away and make three slam attacks as well as its gore
  attack. This is normally how it initiates combat, perhaps
  after it has used its forcebeam ability.
  If a creature has not violated an oath, an oathstalker
  ignores it if possible. If a creature insists on getting in the
  oathstalker’s way, protecting the oathbreaker or otherwise
  preventing it from its task, it will use force. However, unless
  harming the creature is a part of its overall scheme of retri-
  bution, it uses only subdual (nonlethal) attacks. It suffers no
  attack penalty to inflict subdual damage with its slams.
  Drain Away Speed (Su):The touch of an oathstalker’s
  horn reduces a foe’s speed to 0 for 10 rounds, unless it can
  make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 24), in which case the
  foe’s speed is reduced by 10 feet for 10 rounds. Multiple
  touches can result in stacking speed penalties (two touches
  with successful saves reduce the foe’s speed by 20 feet). Since
  this ability requires only a touch, the oathstalker can choose
  to make a touch attack rather than a normal attack with its
  horn. A touch attack inflicts no damage, but it does drain
  away speed. The saving throw is Charisma based.
  Forcebeam (Sp): Three times per day, the oathstalker can
  fire from its horn a beam of pure force that inflicts 20d6
  points of force damage in a line 5 feet wide and 200 feet
  Legacy of the Dragons
  66
  
  long. A Reflex saving throw (DC 24) reduces the damage by
  half. Creatures of size Huge and smaller that fail their saves
  are knocked prone. The saving throw is Charisma based.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): An oathstalker can cast the follow-
  ing spells as a 20th-level witch:at will—creature loresight, curse
  of vengeance, lesser resilient sphere,locate object, object loresight, peer
  through matter, steal health; 1/day—gaze of terror, greater eldritch
  wall. The save DC against these spells is DC 15 + spell level.
  Immunities (Su): Oathstalkers are immune to all charms
  and compulsions. They see through all illusions and cannot
  be affected by any kind of fear effect, poison, petrification,
  vitrification, paralysis, slow, drain away speed, or polymorph-
  ing. They also cannot be banished or dispelled back to their
  home plane.
  Find Oathbreaker (Sp): At will, the oathstalker knows
  where its quarry is. Nothing short of a 9th-level spell effect
  can protect the oathbreaker from this divinatory ability.
  Fast Healing (Ex): An oathstalker with this ability rapidly
  heals damage, allowing it to recover quickly from even the
  most grievous wounds. It gains fast healing 5.
  Oathstalker Encounter (EL 15)
  A friend of the player characters, a sibeccai runethane
  named Jorek the Lost, swore to help a loresong faen magis-
  ter named Saenul Giftbringer build a tower and protect it
  with traps and magic. An enemy of Saenul’s named
  Thienos Riverbound convinced Jorek that the tower would
  be used to house slaves and conduct horrible magical
  experiments. This was untrue. Still, Jorek believed it. He
  pretended to use magic to seal Saenul’s tower and instead
  trapped it so that the whole place would come crumbling
  down when Saenul entered, obviously breaking his agree-
  ment. Saenul survived, and struggled long and hard to find
  and learn the call oathstalker† spell (see below). He has
  almost mastered the spell and will cast it as soon as he can.
  Jorek asks the PCs for help.
  Initially, the characters can try to find the truth of the sit-
  uation and convince Saenul that Jorek was deceived—that
  while his actions were foolish and rash, they were done with
  good intentions. If this doesn’t work, Saenul casts the spell,
  and now the PCs must help defend their friend. The
  Encounter Level of the encounter has been reduced by 2 due
  to the fact that the oathstalker most likely will use only subd-
  ual attacks against the PCs, and the fact that they will have
  the help of a 14th-level runethane if it comes to a fight.
  New Spell
  Call Oathstalker
  Conjuration (Calling)
  Level: 9 (Exotic)
  Casting Time: One minute
  Range: 30 feet
  Effect: One oathstalker
  Duration:Instantaneous
  You cast this spell when someone you know (and most
  likely despise) breaks an oath. The spell calls an oathstalker
  from its own world and brings it here, into your presence.
  You need not say anything to the conjured creature. If you
  know of an oathbreaker, the oathstalker knows exactly what
  has been done, what it needs to do, and where it needs to go
  to do it. You cannot give the oathstalker commands or sug-
  gestions. Most likely, in fact, the oathstalker ignores you and
  immediately goes about its task.
  If you cast this spell but know of no broken oath worthy
  of the oathstalker (in its own eyes), the conjured creature
  attacks you for 1d4 rounds, then returns whence it came.
  Diminished Effect: The caster must know the oathbreak-
  er’s truename (this version of the spell gains the truename
  descriptor).
  Magic Item Creation Modifiers:Constant N/A, single-use
  ×3, spell-completion ×2
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 67
  
  Qualleg
  Large Aberration (Aquatic)
  Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp), dying/dead –4/–17
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet, climb 20 feet
  AC: 25 (–1 size, +2 Dexterity, +10 natural, +4 deflection),
  touch 11, flat-footed 19
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11
  Attack: Tentacle +6 melee (1d6+1)
  Full Attack: 2 tentacles +6 melee (1d6+1)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/15 feet
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 5 feet/15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Manipulate enveloping liquid, spells
  Special Qualities: Enveloping liquid, darkvision 180 feet,
  enveloping liquid, wall walker, weaknesses, DR 10/magic 
  (or 15/+2), SR 22,
  Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 13, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 16
  Skills: Concentration +14, Knowledge (magic) +15, Listen 
  +13, Spellcraft +13, Spot +13
  Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Eidetic Memory,
  Expertise, Improved Trip B
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or cabal (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: Double standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +5
  This strange creature is suspended within a mobile
  sphere of thick, gelatinous material that protects it from the
  elements and allows it to survive. Once, the quallegs pos-
  sessed a mighty arcane tradition, but their glory has faded.
  They strive to regain their lost glory, though few of the
  intelligent creatures they meet can fathom their plans and
  motivations.
  The qualleg is a long, finned, fishlike beast with a single
  red eye that glows with a malevolent light. As it moves, the
  liquid that surrounds it keeps pace, allowing the qualleg to
  remain at its center.
  Quallegs are difficult for members of other races to under-
  stand and cope with. They are obviously sentient—they
  speak with each other in strange, keening tones and build
  settlements beneath the earth—but few can comprehend
  their motivations, desires, and plans. They appear to select
  goals at random, with some quallegs pursuing material
  wealth and others attacking trivial topics with equal vigor.
  Some quallegs welcome outsiders with open arms, communi-
  cating by means of halting Common or even notes scribed
  on parchment. Others of this race attack any intelligent crea-
  tures they encounter. To understand quallegs, one must first
  piece together their origin and nature. Only then do their
  actions begin to make sense.
  First and foremost,the qualleg is a creature of magic.The
  liquid sphere that surrounds each one,and the creature’s fish-
  like body,suggests that quallegs are aquatic in nature.While
  they are indeed adapted to life beneath the waves,the materi-
  al that surrounds them is highly infused with magical energy.
  Quallegs need this energy to sustain them in much the same
  way that other creatures require oxygen,water,and food.
  Quallegs originally dwelled in a realm of pure magical
  energy. Deep within the earth, they flooded caverns with raw
  magic, turning them into seething oceans of crackling energy
  and roaring torrents of power. They swam within this ocean,
  built cities, and mastered the arcane arts. In time, their
  methods of sustaining this realm proved unreliable. As one
  generation gave rise to another, the quallegs’ knowledge
  shrank. In an event they call the great schism, the quallegs
  splintered into a variety of cabals, each with a divergent view
  on how best to restore their race’s power. The quallegs’
  realm crumbled and waned, leaving behind isolated settle-
  ments of these creatures. Quallegs today can still manipulate
  magical energy with skill equal to an experienced magister’s,
  but they are mere children compared to their ancestors.
  Memory of their race’s ancient glory pushes quallegs to
  restore that greatness.Some of the cabals have formed
  alliances and worked together in pursuit of short-term goals,
  while others have retreated far from their ancestral lands to
  follow their own cryptic plans.For this reason,quallegs appear
  to follow incomprehensible priorities.Some of them seek out
  powerful magic items and artifacts,while others believe that
  their ancestors derived power from runes,or from a strange
  process involving mundane rocks and water,or even from the
  life force of other sentient creatures.What remains consistent
  is that quallegs are fanatical in the pursuit of their goals.
  Combat
  To successfully battle a qualleg, one must first contend with
  the magical liquid that constantly surrounds the creature.
  Land-based creatures risk drowning if they remain within
  the liquid for too long. Quallegs use this fact to their advan-
  tage, pressing into opponents and cornering them while
  using their spells to defend themselves until their opponents
  drown. Quallegs make good use of their Expertise and
  Improved Trip feats. Most quallegs prefer to avoid direct
  physical confrontation; instead, they rely on their spells to
  overcome their foes and tend to be conservative rather than
  reckless.
  With their long reach, quallegs use attacks of opportunity
  to trip their opponents, slowing their progress and forcing
  them to waste precious seconds. When casting spells, qual-
  legs prefer defensive magic that boosts their armor or foils
  their enemies’ attacks rather than spells that deal damage.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  68
  
  They also have an affinity for enchantments and illusions;
  many quallegs prefer to outsmart or trick opponents rather
  than use brute force to overcome them.
  Enveloping Liquid (Su): A qualleg is constantly sur-
  rounded by a powerful field of magic that manifests as a
  thick, viscous liquid. This material fills the space that a qual-
  leg occupies, providing a variety of benefits to a qualleg and
  drawbacks to its enemies.
  A qualleg gains the following benefits while within its liq-
  uid sheath: +4 deflection bonus to AC, immunity to all gas
  attacks, immunity to drowning, and resistance to acid 20
  and fire 20. A qualleg within this material does not need to
  breathe, eat, or drink. It draws sustenance directly from the
  magical energy that forms this bubble.
  Other creatures have difficulty functioning while within
  this material. The liquid does not contain oxygen, forcing a
  creature within it to hold its breath or risk drowning. This
  material counts as water for purposes of melee and ranged
  combat. Nonaquatic creatures suffer a –2 penalty to attack
  rolls, AC, saves, and checks while within a qualleg’s liquid
  environment. Consult Chapter Three: Adventures of the
  DMG for more information on fighting underwater.
  Manipulate Enveloping Liquid (Su): The liquid sheath
  that encases a qualleg responds to the creature’s mental com-
  mands. Once per round a qualleg can, as a free action, use
  this ability to cause one of the effects described below. If the
  creature spends a move-equivalent action or a standard
  action, it can use this ability one additional time during the
  current round. If it spends a full-round action, it gains two
  additional uses of this ability. Any benefits the qualleg gains
  from this ability apply until its next action.
  1. The qualleg can make the liquid around it denser and
  better suited to deflecting attacks. The deflection bonus to
  AC granted by the liquid increases to +6. It can use this abil-
  ity only once per round.
  2. The creature can opt to produce arcane harmonics
  through this material that disrupt and ruin magical effects.
  The qualleg gains a +4 enhancement bonus to its spell resist-
  ance. It can use this ability only once per round.
  3. The liquid can shift, turn, and swirl to disrupt the
  efforts of creatures within it. Any creatures within the liquid
  must make Balance checks opposed by the qualleg’s attack
  roll. (Remember to include the –2 penalty to checks for non-
  aquatic creatures within this liquid environment.) Any crea-
  tures that fail this check fall prone. Aquatic creatures and
  those that can move through water without penalty do not
  suffer this effect. A qualleg can use this ability more than
  once during a round. Prone creatures suffer no further ill
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 69
  
  effects from it, but those that remain on their feet must
  make Balance checks against each use.
  4. A qualleg can select a single creature to choke and crush
  within its liquid surroundings. The target takes 6d6 points
  of damage as the liquid squeezes her, forces its way into her
  mouth, nose, and eyes, and buffets her within its grasp. A
  Fortitude save (DC 18) halves this damage. A qualleg affects
  one target with each use of this ability; it cannot select the
  same target more than once during the course of its action.
  Spells: A qualleg casts spells as a 9th-level magister. All
  quallegs are born with an inherent ability for magic that
  helps sustain and nourish their physical forms. Smaller qual-
  legs possess weaker spellcasting abilities. If you decide to
  decrease a qualleg’s base Hit Dice to represent a younger
  member of the race, lower the creature’s spellcasting ability
  by one level for each Hit Die removed.
  Wall Walker (Su): A qualleg’s liquid sphere can stick to
  surfaces at its command, allowing it to move along walls
  and ceilings with ease. A qualleg can move along vertical
  surfaces and can move upside-down at its full climb speed.
  It never needs to make Climb checks to maintain its posi-
  tion, nor does it suffer the standard penalties for climbing
  in combat.
  Weaknesses (Ex): Quallegs rely on their mobile liquid
  environment to survive. Several spells and effects can dis-
  rupt their protective sheaths and indirectly harm them.
  Their sheaths conduct and empower electrical energy. Any
  creature within the liquid, including a qualleg, takes 50 per-
  cent more damage from electricity attacks on either a failed
  or a successful save. Spells that manipulate water can harm
  or immobilize a qualleg. Water roil, boil, and other spells that
  function within water work as normal within a qualleg’s
  environment. As a supernatural effect, the qualleg’s envelop-
  ing liquid might be vulnerable to effects or abilities that
  counter or cancel magical effects. See the individual spell or
  ability descriptions for details. The enveloping liquid counts
  as a 9th-level spell cast by a 20th-level magister with an
  Intelligence score of 20.
  A qualleg’s protective liquid always moves to keep its body
  in the center of its space. Bull rushing a qualleg or using
  spells to move it affects the liquid along with the qualleg.
  Spells or abilities that create impenetrable, protective barri-
  ers, such as lesser resilient sphere, allow a creature to avoid the
  liquid’s effects. If a qualleg somehow loses its protective liq-
  uid, it begins to drown as normal unless it can enter another
  qualleg’s sphere. It takes one of these creatures 24 hours to
  recreate its liquid sheath.
  Qualleg Society
  An encounter with a qualleg cabal poses a tremendous risk
  to travelers, because these creatures pursue such diverse
  goals. For every qualleg willing to treat guests with hospitali-
  ty, there is another that believes it can restore its ancestors’
  greatness by collecting human brain fluid.
  The majority of qualleg individuals and cabals pursue a
  specific,highly specialized goal.Many of these goals center
  on collecting magic items,obtaining a specific component for
  a ritual or ancient spell,or completing a complex,involved
  series of tasks.The quallegs believe these efforts are necessary
  to regain their racial mastery of spellcasting.Once a traveler
  determines a qualleg’s needs,the creature can become rela-
  tively easy to deal with.Any effort to cater to a qualleg’s
  desires or aid its goals prompts the creature to make friendly
  overtures or even an offer of alliance.Unfortunately,many
  quallegs consider other sentient beings to be little more than
  simple animals when compared to their race’s greatness.They
  are just as likely to talk to a sibeccai or a giant as they are to
  hunt them down for material components.
  With their ability to scale sheer cave walls and ceilings,
  quallegs prefer to erect settlements in areas that only they
  can access. They use magic to create or modify caves and
  cracks high in cave walls or atop a cavern’s roof. In other
  areas, they erect tall, stone pillars that support wide plat-
  forms with elaborate towers standing atop them. From these
  homes, the quallegs continue their research and work to
  improve their magical abilities.
  Many humanoid spellcasters brave the dangers of the
  underworld in order to travel to qualleg settlements. With
  their ancient lore and natural talent for magic, quallegs have
  much to teach other folk.They usually require such petitioners
  to complete tasks that help the settlement’s goals or further
  its research. In return, the visitors can gain access to a library
  that holds lore and spells the surface world has never seen.
  Qualleg Outcasts
  Not all quallegs pursue the epic goal of restoring their
  ancient empire. Some have decided that it is best to forge a
  fresh new destiny for their people, while others prefer to
  serve their own interests and selfish desires. Known as out-
  casts, these quallegs are hated and feared by their fellows.
  They represent the possibility that the great quest to restore
  the glory of ancient days could fail.
  Outcasts adopt a wide variety of tasks and positions.Some
  take control of a few caverns and set up new domains,complete
  with enslaved humanoids that serve as guardians,servants,and
  workers.Others work with spellcasters from the surface,tutor-
  ing them in the ways of magic and working to exchange knowl-
  edge for the benefit of all.Many outcast quallegs are arrogant,
  vain,ambitious,and greedy.They toss aside their cultural bur-
  den in favor of their own self-interested desires.These rene-
  gades work with criminals to amass great fortunes,slay pow-
  erful mages from the surface to steal their secrets,and con-
  quer underworld settlements to establish themselves as dicta-
  tors.Their actions tend to garner more attention than the
  Legacy of the Dragons
  70
  
  undertakings of their more passive kin,causing many surface-
  dwellers to view all quallegs in a sinister light.
  Qualleg Characters
  Most quallegs gain levels in magister. The spellcasting ability
  they enjoy from that class stacks with their inherent casting
  ability, allowing them to master powerful spells in relatively
  short order. A few quallegs become akashics, with most of
  these creatures focusing on researching the ancient, forgot-
  ten secrets of their ancestors.
  Qualleg Encounter (EL 11)
  While exploring the underworld, the characters come across
  a qualleg ruin situated in the middle of a vast cavern. The
  place consists of splintered pillars bearing faint traces of
  runes too damaged to decipher.
  Included in the wreckage is a small storeroom hidden at the
  base of a crumbling stairway.If the characters investigate,they
  discover the storeroom has apparently remained undisturbed
  for centuries.They find an ancient figurine of a qualleg cast in
  obsidian.A gleaming red gem serves as the idol’s eye.
  Unfortunately for the PCs,this artifact has a subtle but
  powerful magical ability.It once served as a nexus for power
  and stability in the ruins and dates back to the ancient days of
  the qualleg society’s greatness.Many different qualleg factions
  seek this item,and if the PCs carry it with them,they face a
  growing threat from assassins,summoned monsters,and
  other opponents sent by cabals who want the artifact.Other
  groups dispatch qualleg emissaries to negotiate with the PCs.
  Some of these groups are motivated by greed,while others are
  passive or merely seek to investigate the item’s true nature.
  If the PCs turn the idol over to the wrong faction, they
  could help to unleash a rampage of destruction and misery.
  In the right hands, the idol can aid the quallegs’ research
  and establish a lasting bond of friendship between the PCs
  and a normally alien species. The characters must decipher
  the quallegs’ strange motives and fumbling attempts to com-
  municate with them. Perhaps the sinister groups are better
  adapted to dealing with other creatures, making them adept
  at deceiving their victims.
  Qualleg Settlement 
  There is no truly typical qualleg settlement; these creatures
  devise habitations with the same alien motives and principles
  that make them difficult for humanoids to relate to. The
  sample fortress described here is located relatively close to
  the surface, about a three-day journey through the forbid-
  ding darkness of the underworld. This settlement, known as
  Tradepoint, hosts many merchants who are willing to brave
  the depths to reap tremendous profits in exchanging goods
  that are relatively common on the surface, such as foodstuffs
  and wood, for rare ores, gems, and metal tools.
  Tradepoint is remarkable not only because of its qualleg
  masters, but because of its strange design and arrangement.
  Its outer walls are arranged in an octagonal pattern, with
  gates set into the walls that face the four cardinal directions.
  The walls rise 50 feet into the air, with a central platform
  anchored to the walls by four soaring arches that reach down
  from the platform to rest just above the gates’ upper edge.
  Quallegs crawl on the underside of these arches, inspecting
  the goods brought into their city and offering exchanges for
  the strange goods they collect.
  The platform’s underside is riddled with holes that the
  quallegs use to crawl to the upper surface. There, they keep
  their treasure vaults and personal quarters in broad, hollow,
  stone spires that have niches carved into their inner sides.
  The quallegs crawl into these spires and climb along their
  inner surfaces to access their living chambers. In the event of
  a disaster, they ascend their spires to the roof of Tradepoint’s
  cavern and flee to safety.
  The undercity, the walled area beneath the upper plat-
  form, is a gigantic marketplace. In a few areas, frequent visi-
  tors have erected stone dwellings of brick and mortar with
  the quallegs’ permission. Many visitors spend as little time
  here as possible—rumor has it the quallegs descend from
  their spires to snatch subjects for their magical experiments
  from the outpost below, but longtime residents dismiss such
  matters as the product of a fevered imagination. Still, none
  dare cross the quallegs. Their magic is powerful, and though
  they rarely take an interest in the outpost aside from barter-
  ing, they have been known to make examples of those who
  would disrupt business here.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 71
  
  Rock Ape
  Medium Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 4d10+16 (38 hp), dying/dead –5/–18
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 26 (+1 Dexterity, +15 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 25
  Base Attack/Grapple:+4/+9
  Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d6+5)
  Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+5) and bite +4 melee 
  (1d4+2), or stone +5 ranged (1d8+5)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Slow gaze, throw stones
  Special Qualities: Spell immunities, darkvision 60 feet
  Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 21, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 10
  Skills: Sneak* +13, Spot +1
  Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Power Charge
  Environment: Any land or underground
  Organization: Solitary or band (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:5–8 HD (Medium); 9–16 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment:+3
  “The rock ape is the epitome of quiet contemplation.
  Surely these are some of the most thoughtful and secretly
  ingenious creatures known to exist.” So stated the explorer
  and archivist Zaron Whelm.Whelm was one of the first people
  in modern times to encounter the rock ape, a rare creature
  that haunts only the most secluded areas. He was fascinated
  with the creatures and exaggerated their attributes. The truth
  is, although quiet and peaceful (except when threatened or
  hunting), rock apes have no greater intellect than most
  beasts. While cunning, they are not ingenious by most stan-
  dards. Compared to animals, however, they are quite smart,
  and their societies can become fairly intricate.
  Rock apes are hulking brutes that stand almost 7 feet tall,
  although most of the time they remain hunched over or on
  all fours, making them seem more like 5 feet tall. They pos-
  sess massive arms and broad physiques, but their most dis-
  tinguishing feature is the rocklike flesh which gives them
  their name. These creatures’ skin serves as a natural armor
  that protects them from most harm. Few predators prey
  upon the rock apes for this reason.
  One thing Zaron Whelm found particularly interesting
  about rock apes is their predilection toward hunting other
  predators. They seem drawn toward preying upon creatures
  otherwise designed to be the aggressor. Whelm believed that
  in this way the rock apes were avenging lesser creatures, car-
  rying out some kind of natural justice. This seems unlikely,
  however—it is far more likely that the practice simply arose
  from the rock ape finding a particular niche. Their armored
  flesh makes its difficult for another predator to harm them,
  so the hunter becomes the hunted.
  Rock apes are found in many locales, but particularly in
  thick forests, jungles, and swamps. Their dark grey, black, or
  dark green flesh blends in well in dark, wooded areas. Those
  found underground are usually exclusively subterranean.
  Their flesh is light grey or white. When not moving, rock
  apes appear to be chiseled from stone. They may even be dis-
  tantly related to gargoyles. Some speculate that a long-ago
  ancestor was an earth elemental creature or that they are
  natives of an earth elemental plane who came to this world
  and prospered. If this latter thought is true, rock apes did
  not come via the planar gates in Thartholan, because ancient
  Devanian records mention the beasts, calling them the
  “stone brutes of the woods.”
  Dwelling in small communities, rock apes make only tem-
  porary lairs where the young and infirm can rest and the
  strong can most easily provide protection. Most who
  encounter a solitary hunting rock ape meet a female, for the
  males (usually fewer in number) remain behind to protect
  the lair.
  Over time, some rock apes grow moss and lichen over
  their flesh, which gives them an even rockier appearance. A
  few develop a special lichen that interacts with their unique
  flesh and gives them a resistance to magic (SR 18). Such
  individuals are quite rare, however.
  Rock apes are vulnerable to the domineering wishes of a
  strong master. Sometimes this master is a more intelligent,
  advanced rock ape (see next page). Other times, this master
  is a human who has captured some rock apes and trained
  them to be guards. Other creatures, such as medusas (rock
  apes are immune to petrification), also enjoy mastering a
  band of rock apes to use as guards and servants.
  These creatures do not speak but can understand a variety
  of words if trained to do so.
  Combat
  Cunning combatants, rock apes employ all sorts of tricks
  and strategies when attacking a foe. They set ambushes and
  sometimes even crude traps, such as luring opponents into
  quicksand, a tar pit, or a quagmire, driving them up against a
  cliff, or starting a landslide. They work well in a group and
  coordinate their actions to flank opponents, aid one another,
  and cover the retreat of their wounded.
  * Skills (Ex): Rock apes gain a +6 racial bonus to Sneak
  checks.
  Slow Gaze (Su): 1/day for 1 round, 60-foot range, save
  DC 12. Victims are affected as described in the slow spell,
  caster level 5th. The saving throw DC is Charisma based.
  Throw Stones (Ex):Accomplished rock throwers, rock
  apes receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing
  Legacy of the Dragons
  72
  
  rocks. A rock ape can hurl stones weighing 20 to 30 lbs. each
  (Small objects) up to five 40-foot range increments.
  Spell Immunities (Su): Rock apes are immune to slow,
  drain away speed, gaze of petrification, vitrification, and similar
  movement-prohibiting or -limiting spells, as well as all petri-
  fication effects (such as a medusa’s gaze).
  Advanced Rock Ape
  Rarely, a rock ape is born with the capacity for much
  greater than normal intellect. These may choose to learn to
  use weapons, develop their skills, and even cast spells.
  Such rock apes have an Intelligence score of 11 (or higher),
  with the following skills: Sneak +15*, Spot +3, and
  Wilderness Survival +4. Advanced rock apes either become
  the leaders of their band or leave their fellows to seek out
  more intelligent company. Bands led by an intelligent rock
  ape end up virtually ruling their hunting grounds like
  lords. Sometimes, an advanced rock ape will lead the
  band to complete some beneficial but complex
  task, such as running off the nearby chorrim or
  building a rock dam. The band of rock apes
  look upon the advanced leader as a god
  and carve his or her likeness on cliff
  walls.
  Advanced rock apes are usually
  gentle, thoughtful, and careful
  individuals. A few of them
  allow their superiority to get
  to them and become violent
  despots that exploit their
  fellow rock apes.
  Advanced rock apes
  learn to give other rock
  apes unique verbal
  commands, which they
  are trained to follow.
  If given the opportu-
  nity, an advanced
  rock ape can learn
  to speak a real lan-
  guage, most often
  Common. Advanced
  rock apes that adopt
  classes tend to be
  warriors or experts,
  but those trained by
  members of other
  races sometimes end
  up becoming mage
  blades, witches, or war-
  mains instead.
  Rock Ape Encounter (EL 4)
  As the player characters travel through the wilderness, they
  inadvertently head toward a rock ape lair. A hunting female
  sees them and suspects they are a threat. She attempts to
  stop them or drive them off by hurling stones at them from
  a distance. If she can, she’ll even attempt to start a rockslide
  as she waits in ambush. The slide inflicts 8d6 points of
  damage (Reflex save, DC 15, for half). For more information
  on landslides, see Chapter Three: Adventures in the DMG.
  If that doesn’t stop them, she attempts a more direct
  approach and attacks, first using her slow gaze. The lair the
  PCs head toward has many more apes, as well as a number
  of young.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 73
  
  Rune Animal Template
  “The land does not seek defenders only from your kind—
  intellect and ‘civilization’ are poor ways to measure devo-
  tion or worth.” 
  So spoke Teeshal, the rune eagle. Rune animals are to nor-
  mal animals what runechildren are to normal people. The
  same mysterious, seemingly intelligent force that selects
  runechildren and bestows upon them wondrous abilities
  (and great responsibilities) also finds representatives from
  among the animals of the world to work on its behalf as
  well.
  Rune animals gain the ability to speak and reason, but
  they keep their animal natures. Sometimes even the lowliest
  of the animal kingdom, the vermin, are chosen to become
  rune animals. No matter what their original form or mind,
  however, the rune animal becomes a magical, powerful, and
  intelligent representative of its kind.
  Aside from the obvious differences, the main distinction
  rune animals have from runechildren is that rune animals
  become something of a champion for their own kind.
  Although they still look at things holistically—they do not
  defend their own kind at the expense of all others—their
  primary concerns in day-to-day life involve the well-being of
  animals of their own type. A rune bear looks after all bears, a
  rune dolphin pays attention to all things concerning dol-
  phins, and a rune spider sees to the well-being of spiders.
  Most rune animals avoid people in the same way that nor-
  mal animals do. Rune animals that are also predators can
  prove dangerous in the eyes of humanoid races, however.
  They’re still predators, and their increased power and ability
  to organize others of their kind makes them willing to take
  on more dangerous game (humans, faen, giants, and so on)
  if need be.
  Rune animals look like normal members of their kind,
  except that a mystical rune is visible somewhere on their
  body, usually their head.
  Sample Rune Animal: Rune Wolf
  Medium Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 2d10+6 (17 hp), dying/dead –4/–17
  Initiative: +3
  Speed:50 feet (10 squares) 
  Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 13,
  flat-footed 13
  Base Attack/Grapple:+2/+4
  Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
  Full Attack:Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks:Trip, command wolves, bolster wolves, spell-
  like abilities
  Special Qualities:Low-light vision, scent, speak with ani-
  mals, DR 10/magic (or 10/+1)
  Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Skills: Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +4, Sneak +5, Spot +4,
  Wilderness Survival* +4
  Feats: Track B, Weapon Focus (bite)
  Environment: Temperate forests
  Organization:Solitary, pair (one rune wolf and one normal 
  wolf), or pack (one rune wolf and 7–16 normal wolves)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure:None
  Advancement: 3 HD (Medium); 4–6 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: +2
  Wolves are cunning, persistent pack hunters. A rune wolf
  almost always leads a pack of normal wolves. Although it
  cannot command them, even creatures such as dire wolves
  and winter wolves show a rune wolf respect.
  Combat
  A favorite tactic is to send a few individuals against the foe’s
  front, while the rest of the pack circles and attacks from the
  flanks or rear.
  * Skills:Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Wilderness
  Survival checks when tracking by scent.
  Trip (Ex): A rune wolf that hits with a bite attack can
  attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free
  action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack
  of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot
  react to trip the wolf.
  Command Wolves (Su): A rune wolf can command
  wolves. Trained wolves or wolf companions get a Will saving
  throw (DC 10) to resist. See ability description on next page.
  Bolster Wolves (Su): Wolves within sight of a rune
  wolf gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving
  throws.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp):A rune wolf can cast the follow-
  ing spells as a 3rd-level magister: 1/day—lesser ability boost,
  predict weather, saving grace, true strike. The save DC against
  these spells is DC 12 + spell level.
  Scent (Ex):The rune wolf can detect opponents within 30
  feet by sense of smell. For upwind foes, the range increases
  to 60 feet; downwind, it drops to 15 feet.
  When detecting a scent, the rune wolf doesn’t determine
  its exact source, only its presence in range. The rune wolf can
  take a standard action to note the scent’s direction. Once
  within 5 feet of the source, it can pinpoint the source. A rune
  wolf can also follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check
  to find or follow a track.
  Speak With Animals (Su): See ability description on the
  next page.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  74
  
  Creating a Rune Animal
  “Rune animal” is a template that one can add to any animal
  or vermin. A rune animal uses all the base creature’s statistics
  and special abilities except as noted here.
  Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to magical
  beast. Size does not change.
  Hit Dice: The rune animal’s Hit Die type changes to d10.
  AC: Increase the natural armor bonus of the base creature
  by +1.
  Attacks:The rune animal’s attack progression changes to
  that of a magical beast, +1/HD.
  Special Attacks: A rune animal retains all the special
  attacks of the base creature and also gains the following
  special abilities:
  Command (Su): A rune animal can command animals of
  its exact type (black bears command black bears, Medium
  constrictor snakes command Medium constrictor snakes,
  etc.). Animals under the magical compulsion of another,
  those who are animal companions, or those with at least a
  year’s experience as a trained animal all get a Will saving
  throw (DC = 10 + half the rune animal’s HD + rune ani-
  mal’s Charisma modifier) to resist. Otherwise, there is no
  saving throw. Commanded animals obey anything the rune
  animal says to the best of their ability. Any appropriate ani-
  mal that can hear the words of the rune animal can be com-
  manded. This is a free action for the rune animal.
  Bolster (Su): A rune animal’s presence bolsters animals of
  its exact type. Those within sight of a rune animal gain a +1
  morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A rune animal can cast the follow-
  ing spells as a 3rd-level magister or of a level equal to its total
  HD, whichever is greater: 1/day—lesser ability boost, predict
  weather, saving grace, true strike. The save DC against these
  spells is DC 12 + spell level or DC 10 + the creature’s
  Intelligence bonus + spell level, whichever is greater.
  Special Qualities:A rune animal has all the base crea-
  ture’s special qualities and also gains the following special
  qualities:
  Damage Reduction (Ex): The animal gains DR 10/magic (or
  10/+1).
  Speak With Animals (Su): The rune animal can comprehend
  and communicate with all animals. It can ask questions of
  and receive answers from animals, although they are no
  more friendly or cooperative than normal.
  Abilities: Alter from the base creature’s as follows: Str +2,
  Dex +2, Con +2, Int +8, Wis +2, Cha +2.
  Challenge Rating: As base creature’s +1.
  Level Adjustment: Most animals and vermin do not pro-
  vide level adjustments. In such a case, use +2 for a rune ani-
  mal. If it does have a level adjustment, use the base creature’s
  adjustment +1.
  Rune Animal Encounter (EL 6)
  A rune wolf and her six normal wolf followers guard the
  entrance to a narrow ravine. Down the ravine lies a natural
  magical area called a power cyst (see “Other Features” in
  Chapter One of The Diamond Throne). Unfortunately, years
  earlier a darkbond cursed the power cyst so that anyone
  who entered it would receive a curse of vengeance. Worse
  still, the curse spreads throughout the area, affecting ani-
  mals and other creatures living nearby. As a side effect, it
  even withers plant life when triggered. The rune wolf
  knows of this curse and thus prevents anyone from enter-
  ing the ravine.
  The player characters have learned of the cyst but not
  the curse and seek to explore the area. The rune wolf, unac-
  customed to reasoning with others, simply warns off the
  PCs when they reach the ravine entrance and threatens
  them with harm if they do not comply. If the characters
  ignore the wolf, she and her small pack attack. If the PCs
  instead attempt to question the rune wolf to find out why
  she and her brethren stand watch, they might be able to
  convince her to tell the whole story. If the player characters
  can manage to dispel or remove the
  curse, the rune wolf not only allows
  them free access to the power
  cyst but also shows them
  where the darkbond
  buried some valuable
  treasure nearby.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 75
  
  Rune Manifest
  Runes have a power far beyond their simple ability to convey
  a concept or serve as a system of writings and markings.
  They represent magic in an encoded, physical form that
  runethanes can craft and manipulate to produce a variety of
  arcane effects.
  Some runes have such a strong tie to a basic, fundamental
  concept of reality that they literally take on a life of their
  own. The power contained within such a rune grows and
  develops to encompass the thoughts, emotions, and history
  behind its concept, giving rise to a being that mirrors the
  rune’s traits—a rune manifest.
  A rune manifest embodies a rune and expresses its mean-
  ing through its actions. Most rune manifests are simple
  creatures, glimmers of magical energy that possess the low-
  est form of sentience. A few manifests, particularly those
  that embody powerful or well-known runes, are every bit as
  intelligent as a giant, human, or verrik. (Four examples of
  intelligent rune manifests are provided later in this sec-
  tion.) These manifests seek to increase their rune’s power
  and stature by spreading its concept across the land. For
  example, a battle rune manifest seeks to ignite warfare,
  while a disease rune manifest slips into a settlement and
  leaves a horrible plague in its wake.
  Intelligent rune manifests are liable to be a threat to any
  settled area; their zeal and narrow-mindedness invariably
  lead them to clash with other creatures. They rarely stray
  from what they see as their duty to spread the concept
  embodied by their rune. Manifests have great difficulty
  relating to intelligent creatures that are capable of having
  several priorities or pursuing more than one goal at the
  same time. From a rune manifest’s point of view, all that
  matters is the propagation of its concept. The creature finds
  it incomprehensible that others could hold differing views.
  The single-minded behavior of intelligent rune manifests
  leads some sages to question whether they are truly sen-
  tient. In some cases, it appears that they are merely the
  physical projection of the elemental motivations and
  actions that comprise their runes.
  While intelligent rune manifests are troublesome at
  best and deadly at worst, minor rune manifests are useful
  tools that many spellcasters and commoners call upon for
  aid. By means of a simple ceremony, anyone can summon
  and bind a minor rune manifest into service for a short
  period of time. Minor rune manifests lack the physical
  form and personality of independent manifests, but they
  embody simple concepts that make them useful as tools
  and aids. A healing manifest can cure an injured warrior’s
  wounds, while a speed manifest can help a character cover
  a long distance more quickly. These creatures exude their
  runic concepts, channeling them into the masters that
  bind them when ordered to do so. Calling and command-
  ing manifests is a relatively uncommon practice, since the
  rituals used to summon them require expensive material
  components, but knowledge of these rituals is wide-
  spread.
  All rune manifests, whether intelligent or minor, lack
  truenames. As individual parts of a greater concept, they
  display much less individuality than other intelligent crea-
  tures do.
  Minor Rune Manifests
  A minor rune manifest embodies a single, specific concept
  that is both simple and direct. It lacks true material form,
  and cannot directly manipulate, or in turn be manipulated
  by, physical objects and energy. However, it can channel its
  essence into a creature that binds itself with the rune mani-
  fest. Calling and controlling a minor rune manifest requires
  a ritual with a cost measured in gold pieces to reflect the
  rare components and materials needed for its completion.
  Once called, a manifest remains with its summoner for one
  week or until its master uses the energy of the rune by acti-
  vating it. At that time, the bond between the creature and
  the manifest breaks. Unless otherwise indicated in the
  description of a specific rune manifest, activating a minor
  rune manifest is a standard action that provokes an attack
  of opportunity.
  Anyone can learn to summon a minor rune manifest by
  making an Intelligence or Knowledge (runes) check (DC 20).
  The ceremony needed to call a minor rune manifest requires
  one hour of work and the proper material components (the
  cost of these components is given in each manifest’s descrip-
  tion below). At the climax of the ceremony, the minor rune
  manifest appears as a burst of energy,then resolves into runic
  form on the dominant hand of the creature who called it.
  A manifest’s effects cannot be dispelled by magical means,
  because they represent a primal, elemental alteration to the
  creature receiving them. For example, a litorian that activates
  a strength rune manifest grows slightly larger as her muscles
  gain definition and size. At any given time, a character can
  have bound to her a number of minor rune manifests equal
  to 1 + her Charisma modifier (minimum one).
  Amity: These rune manifests are unique in that they
  always appear in pairs. The ceremony that calls them
  requires two creatures to work together. When they complete
  it, the ceremony grants them a bond through the manifests.
  Once during the next week, either participant may send a
  telepathic message of no more than 50 words to the other.
  The recipient hears the words in his mind spoken in the
  sender’s voice. Cost: 100 gp.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  76
  
  Beauty: This rune manifest enhances its summoner’s
  physical beauty and appeal. When activated, it provides a +2
  enhancement bonus to all Charisma checks and Charisma-
  based skill checks for one hour. Cost: 75 gp.
  Calm: This rune manifest grants serenity,clarity,and peace
  to those who use it. When it is activated, this manifest’s user
  gains a +2 morale bonus to all Will saves and a +5 morale
  bonus to Concentration checks for one hour. Cost: 100 gp.
  Death: This dreaded rune manifest is favored by cruel war-
  riors and others who delight in slaying their enemies.A death
  rune manifest lurks near its master, waiting to snuff the
  spark of life from any living thing. The first time its master
  approaches within 10 feet of a creature that is unconscious
  and has fewer than 0 hit points,it springs into action.Its vic-
  tim loses 2 hit points per round rather than 1 while dying and
  has only a 5 percent chance to stabilize. After the manifest
  latches onto a victim in this manner,the manifest’s bond with
  its master breaks.Note that its master cannot direct the death
  rune manifest’s attack; it merely springs upon the first avail-
  able victim it encounters. Cost: 150 gp.
  Defense: This rune manifest wards off attacks and pro-
  tects its master, granting her a +1 deflection bonus to Armor
  Class for one hour. Cost: 150 gp.
  Foresight: This rune manifest grants its master a brief
  glimpse into the immediate future. It is activated at the start
  of an encounter (this is not an action; it can take place even
  if it’s not the master’s turn). When it is activated it allows its
  master to ignore the effects of surprise for the current
  encounter. He may act as normal during the surprise round.
  Cost: 300 gp.
  Fury: A fury manifest sets all who draw near its master on
  edge, as its seething rage is held barely in check. When acti-
  vated, it confers a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution at
  the cost of a –4 penalty to AC for a number of rounds equal
  to 2 + the master’s base Constitution modifier (not includ-
  ing the benefit of this rune manifest’s increase to Consti-
  tution). In addition, its master cannot use any Intelligence-,
  Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skills during this effect’s dura-
  tion, nor can he cast spells or use magic items that must be
  activated. Cost: 150 gp.
  Hate: A hate manifest instills a seething rage into its mas-
  ter, allowing her to fuel her efforts with raw emotion directed
  against a specific opponent. When a character activates a
  hate manifest, she must select a single target in her line of
  sight. Against this target, she gains a +1 morale bonus to
  attack rolls and a +2 morale bonus to damage rolls for 10
  rounds. Cost: 100 gp.
  Healing: This rune manifest can channel healing energy
  to its master to bind minor wounds. When activated, a heal-
  ing manifest cures 1d8 points of damage. Cost: 50 gp.
  Health: A health rune manifest strengthens its master
  against disease, infection, and other threats. When acti-
  vated, it grants a+2 enhancement bonus to Constitution
  for one hour. Cost: 600 gp.
  Knowledge: Valued by sages and magisters, this kind of
  rune manifest confers a bit of lore upon its master. When
  activated, a knowledge rune manifest grants 5 ranks in a
  Knowledge skill that its master does not possess or a +5
  competence bonus to a Knowledge skill that its user
  already has. These benefits last for one hour. Cost: 50 gp.
  Laughter: Favored by diplomats, arbiters, and others who
  must enter tense situations, a laughter rune manifest brings
  relief, joy, and brotherhood to the world. When activated, a
  laughter rune manifest grants its master a +2 competence
  bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks for five minutes.
  In addition, it brings a sense of peace and comfort to the
  immediate area. Any creature within 50 feet of the rune
  manifest’s master refuses to take any violent actions against
  him for 1d4 minutes after the laughter manifest is activated.
  This effect does not apply to creatures in combat or those
  with a clear, obvious, or driving reason to attack the master.
  For example, a laughter rune manifest could prevent a
  group of suspicious litorians from attacking a wandering
  minstrel, but it would not help him if they recognized him
  as a thief and trickster who had stolen from their kin.
  Cost: 200 gp.
  Luck:Luck rune manifests are perhaps the most popular
  type of minor rune manifest. This rune manifest grants a 
  +2 bonus to any die roll its master’s player is about to make,
  after which it dissipates. This benefit can also be used after
  a die roll, but the bonus it provides is reduced to +1.
  Cost: 100 gp.
  Speed: A speed rune manifest grants its master a burst of
  energy in the form of a +10-foot enhancement bonus to
  speed for one hour when activated. Cost: 300 gp.
  Strength: A strength rune manifest confers vigor, power,
  and might to its master. When activated, it grants a +2
  enhancement bonus to Strength for one hour. Cost: 600 gp.
  Valor: Fueled by the deeds of great heroes, a valor rune
  manifest strengthens its masters’ confidence and fills him
  with a steely resolve. When activated, it confers immunity to
  all fear-based effects for one hour. Cost: 150 gp.
  Wisdom: A wisdom rune manifest channels the thoughts
  and advice of a thousand revered scholars. It taps into the
  akashic memory, granting temporary insight into pressing
  matters. This rune manifest can tell its master if a given
  action will result in prosperity, disaster, or a neutral result.
  After it answers the question, its bond of service ends.
  Cost: 100 gp.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 77
  
  Rune Manifest, Arcane
  Medium Elemental
  Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp), dying/dead –2/–12
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 23 (+2 Dexterity, +6 natural, +4 deflection, +1 dodge),
  touch 17, flat-footed 20
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4
  Attack: Staff +3 melee (1d6)
  Full Attack: Staff +3 melee (1d6)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Arcane instability, spells
  Special Qualities: DR 10/silver (or 15/+1), magic sense,
  manifest traits, SR 22, telepathy 100 feet
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 17, Cha 16
  Skills: Alchemy +13, Knowledge (magic) +13, Listen +12,
  Spellcraft +13, Spot +12, Use Magic Device* +22
  Feats: Defensive, Defensive Stance, Expertise, Improved 
  Disarm
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or cabal (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +6
  Beings of pure arcane energy, arcane rune manifests can
  affect the flow of magic through an area and have the ability
  to produce a variety of spell effects. They appear as shimmer-
  ing, golden humanoids clad in metallic robes. Their faces are
  blank, and they communicate via telepathy. Their robes are
  usually silver or bronze. The more powerful an arcane mani-
  fest, the more valuable the metal used to craft its garb.
  Of all the intelligent rune manifests, the arcanes are the
  most likely to traffic with other creatures. Some verrik com-
  munes perform rituals to call these creatures to their halls
  and invite them to instruct and tutor their students in the
  art of magic. This summons is by no means a forced binding.
  The manifest must decide freely to aid the verrik, who con-
  sider gaining an arcane manifest ally to be one of the great-
  est achievements that a college of magic can attain. With a
  being of pure magic to train their pupils, these communes
  produce some of the finest casters that the verrik have to
  offer. Some verrik believe the most powerful spellcasters
  among them can ascend to become arcane rune manifests, as
  their souls join as one with the flow of magic.
  Like the verrik that court their services,arcane rune mani-
  fests are sometimes difficult to comprehend.They claim that
  they can see into several dimensions at once,with arcane ener-
  gy appearing to them as another physical object no different
  than the wind above them or the earth below them.Thus,their
  actions can sometimes appear nonsensical or bizarre to mor-
  tals.Of all the intelligent rune manifests,arcanes are the most
  likely to exhibit distinct personalities and motives.Akashics
  theorize that this is due to their innate connection to a partic-
  ular type of magic.Those who favor fear-based magic are usu-
  ally threatening and aggressive,while others that focus on
  psionic energy are quiet,passive,and perceptive.
  Arcane rune manifests usually take on physical form in
  response to a summons or to investigate some strange magi-
  cal phenomenon. Litorians consider an arcane rune mani-
  fest’s appearance to be a harbinger of disaster, since they
  invariably arrive on the heels of a powerful magical creature
  or in the days shortly before or after some strange event.
  Some of the more warlike tribes hunt them down, believing
  that the arcane manifests are behind such events.
  These creatures are usually passive and observant in their
  fact-finding missions,but sometimes they can be aggressive
  and direct.While an arcane rune manifest exhibits a sentient
  personality,on a fundamental level it is a being of magical
  energy rather than thought and emotion.If it encounters a
  strange creature or a humanoid with unexplained magical
  abilities,it may take the unfortunate subject prisoner and dis-
  sect him with little concern for his life.While this sort of
  behavior is an extreme example,it illustrates the arcanes’
  inability to account for morality and justice in their acts.They
  usually avoid confrontational actions out of a fear of reprisal
  or interference in their research,not because they feel any
  moral compulsion to respect the rights and health of others.
  Combat
  Arcane rune manifests prefer to avoid combat. They journey
  into the physical world in search of enlightenment and
  knowledge. If pressed into battle, they use spells that quickly
  remove a threat without necessarily causing injury. Lesser
  resilient sphere is a particular favorite spell among them, since
  it can trap an opponent or shield a manifest from attack.
  * Skills (Ex): Due to their inherent magical nature, arcane
  rune manifests gain a +10 racial bonus to all Use Magic
  Device checks. They can sense the ebb and flow of the pat-
  tern of magic in enchanted items, allowing them to easily
  unleash their power.
  Arcane Instability (Ex): As beings of pure magic, arcane
  rune manifests can see into the spectrum of mystical energy.
  Their physical being and influence extends into dimensions
  and realities that mortal spellcasters can only dream of
  accessing. This “arcane sight” and their ability to change the
  course of magic gives arcane rune manifests the ability to
  Legacy of the Dragons
  78
  
  disrupt the flow of energy through their immediate vicinity.
  Each time a caster tries to use a spell while within 100 feet of
  an arcane rune manifest, she must make a caster level check
  (DC 16), or the spell fizzles in a brief flare of energy. The
  spell slot is considered used, but the spell has no effect. This
  effect also applies to any spells with durations longer than
  Instantaneous that have been cast on a character. The spells’
  casters must make a caster level check (DC 16) for each such
  spell, or the spell in question immediately ends.
  This ability does not affect most magic items or inherent
  spell-like or supernatural abilities. It does affect spells cast
  from scrolls and wands. Use the minimum caster level of the
  spell that the scroll or wand duplicates to make the check
  against this ability.
  An arcane rune manifest can choose to suppress this abili-
  ty to prevent affecting spells cast by its allies or to avoid
  interfering with friendly casting efforts. It makes this choice
  on a case-by-case basis during a round. The creature must be
  conscious to use this ability.
  Spells (Su): Arcane rune manifests can manipulate and
  command magic with great skill. Each one has the spellcast-
  ing ability of a 7th-level magister. They usually focus on a
  mixture of spells that allow them to evade attacks while
  immobilizing their enemies, such as lesser resilient sphere,
  dimensional door, suggestion, dispel magic, slow, distraction, 
  fireburst, and obscuring mist.
  Magic Sense (Ex): Because arcane rune manifests can see
  into the spectrum of magic, they gain the equivalent of a
  detect magic effect at all times.
  Manifest Traits (Ex): All intelligent rune manifests have
  immunity to critical hits, sleep effects, poison, paralysis,
  stunning, and flanking.
  Telepathy (Su): An arcane rune manifest can communi-
  cate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has
  a language.
  Arcane Rune Manifest Characters
  Arcane rune manifests only take levels in magister. Their
  spellcasting ability in that class stacks with their innate cast-
  ing ability. Thus, a 5th-level arcane rune manifest magister
  has the casting ability of a 12th-level magister.
  Arcane Rune Manifest 
  Encounter (EL 5)
  Two arcane rune manifests have journeyed to the town
  where the characters are currently resting between adven-
  tures. The creatures seek to uncover evidence of a strange
  fluctuation in the flow of magic in the area. A once-mighty
  artifact is buried in a ruined sepulcher located in the ancient,
  long-abandoned sewer passages beneath the town. The
  item’s decay has caused the magic it once contained to slowly
  unravel and disturb the magical landscape of the entire
  region. While this turbulence is too minor to affect spells,
  the sensitive manifests are drawn to it.
  One of the manifests has adopted the name of Kurzolt. It
  works in secret, capturing citizens that it believes are con-
  nected to the disturbance and using magic to torture them
  to learn more. The other one, Athric, works peacefully, delv-
  ing into the sewers to find the artifact and determine its
  nature. Both wear bronze robes and appear identical to
  mortal eyes.
  Kurzolt slowly builds a small collection of unsavory char-
  acters as his servants, with minor spellcasters and thugs
  eagerly buying into his promise of great wealth to be found
  within the sepulcher. In truth, he simply needs them to serve
  as fodder for the pitfalls and monsters that guard the place.
  The characters must stop Kurzolt, but Athric’s presence may
  confuse them and cause them to waste precious time chasing
  down the wrong manifest.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 79
  
  Rune Manifest, Battle
  Medium Elemental
  Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 hp), dying/dead –4/–16
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 20 feet
  AC: 22 (+12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 22
  Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+14
  Attack: Great maul +15 melee (2d8+9)
  Full Attack: Great maul +15/+10 melee (2d8+9)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Animate weapons, battle mastery
  Special Qualities: DR 5/–, manifest traits, spirit of battle,
  SR 20, war skill
  Saves: Fort +13, Ref +4, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
  Skills: Climb +15, Spot +12, Swim +15
  Feats: Cleave, Improved Cleave, Improved Sunder, Power 
  Attack, Weapon Focus (maul), Weapon Specialization 
  (maul)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or squad (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +4
  A battle rune manifest takes the form of a gleaming suit of
  black plate armor and bears a massive two-handed great
  maul crafted from rock. These creatures live for battle and
  seek to spark warfare wherever they go.
  A close inspection reveals that a battle rune manifest’s
  armor is an empty shell crafted in one of a variety of styles
  from a wide range of different historical eras and worlds. A
  few of its components appear unsuited to a humanoid form,
  while others are scribed with iconography unrecognizable to
  even the most learned akashics. The manifest’s raw energy
  gives its form locomotion and thought.
  Battle rune manifests crave combat. They care little for the
  stakes in a given conflict and make no judgments on the
  moral grounding of one side or the other. To these creatures,
  combat is a worthy end on its own. The situation that sur-
  rounds a battle is merely worthless detail that they can
  ignore. All that matters is that verrik, humans, sibeccai, and
  giants fight and die in combat.
  During times of crisis or before an epic battle, battle
  rune manifests may appear to take part in the struggle.
  They stride into battle and attack both sides with equal
  vigor. They seek out the most skilled combatants on both
  sides to challenge them to single combat to the death,
  sometimes tipping a conflict in favor of one side or the
  other by doing so. These creatures cannot be reasoned
  with, and most commanders consider them an ill omen.
  When battle rune manifests arrive on a battlefield, they
  herald a terrible day of death and destruction. Warlike folk
  may welcome them, but most soldiers consider them a har-
  binger of a long, hard-fought battle that leaves both sides
  with terrible casualties.
  Battle rune manifests speak in energetic, metallic tones.
  They know Common and frequently pepper their battles
  with war cries, challenges, and even compliments on a foe’s
  skill or tactics.
  Combat
  Battle rune manifests always carry the struggle to their
  enemies. They pick out a promising opponent, usually after
  observing a melee for a short time, and seek to push their
  foe’s skills and their own to the limit. They never flee from
  a fight, and only their destruction or an impenetrable bar-
  rier can prevent a battle rune manifest from finishing a
  duel.
  Animate Weapons (Su): Swords, axes, and other melee
  weapons are the tools of warfare. As the physical representa-
  tion of combat, a battle rune manifest has a special affinity
  for and power over such items. Once per encounter, as a
  standard action, a battle rune manifest can cause any
  weapon it can see to animate and fight on its own. The
  weapon uses a base attack bonus of +9 and gains any bonus-
  es and benefits it may have due to its masterwork or magical
  qualities. The weapon gains one attack per round and can fly
  at a speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability. The
  weapon deals its normal damage, including bonuses or
  penalties granted by abilities it possesses. It continues to
  fight for up to 10 minutes, as long as it remains within 100
  feet of the manifest that animated it. The weapon’s AC is
  always 10, and it sustains damage according to the standard
  rules for attacking an object. The weapon can flank creatures
  as normal, and it attacks the closest opponent. As a move-
  equivalent action, the battle rune manifest that animated the
  weapon can mentally command it to select a different target.
  A battle rune manifest cannot animate ranged weapons,
  such as bows and crossbows. Thrown weapons attack as if
  they were used in melee.
  If the battle rune manifest uses this ability against a
  weapon that a creature holds in its hand, the weapon jerks
  and shifts in its user’s hand, but it remains under her con-
  trol. She suffers a –4 competence penalty to attacks and
  damage. If she drops the weapon, it attacks as described
  here. A weapon animated in this manner does not normally
  make attacks of opportunity.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  80
  
  The manifest’s opponents can attempt to grab an animat-
  ed weapon. Treat this as a grapple attack. While the animat-
  ed weapon does not normally gain attacks of opportunity, it
  does gain them against creatures that try to grab it. It has
  one attack of opportunity per round as normal. Its Strength
  counts as equal to the rune manifest’s. If the weapon is
  pinned, the person grabbing it can wield it with a –4 compe-
  tence penalty to attacks and damage. If he lets go of the
  weapon, it animates and attacks again, unless this ability’s
  duration has expired.
  Battle Mastery (Su): A battle rune manifest has knowl-
  edge not only of the practice of warfare but also of its meth-
  ods and teachings. The manifest can use this knowledge,
  along with its magical nature,to negate an opponent’s train-
  ing. Once per round as a free action, a battle rune manifest
  can choose to nullify a single feat that an opponent possess-
  es.The manifest must be able to see its foe.The chosen target
  must make a Will save (DC 20) or lose the use of the chosen
  feat until the manifest’s next action. The victim also loses
  access to any feats that have the feat he lost as a prerequisite.
  Manifest Traits (Ex): All intelligent rune manifests have
  immunity to critical hits, sleep effects, poison, paralysis,
  stunning, and flanking.
  Spirit of Battle (Su): A battle rune manifest lives for
  combat. When fighting opponents, it is in its natural envi-
  ronment. Its affinity for combat amplifies and enhances
  the natural fighting ability of all creatures that ally with it.
  These allies gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls and
  saves.
  War Skill (Ex): Battle rune manifests count Weapon
  Specialization as a talent rather than as a ceremonial feat.
  Battle Rune Manifest
  Encounter (EL 8)
  While staying at an inn, the characters spot a litorian merce-
  nary named Raflar who brags loudly about his many victo-
  ries and his great skill at arms. If any of the PCs are obvious-
  ly warriors, the litorian taunts them and ridicules their skills.
  The litorian is spoiling for a fight. Fueled by the drinks he
  has downed, he is eager to demonstrate to everyone in the
  place his unparalleled skills.
  Luckily for the PCs, the litorian’s true talents are not as
  great as his words would indicate. However, his loud boasts
  attract the attention of a battle rune manifest. As the litorian
  continues to provoke the PCs, the manifest appears in the
  midst of the taproom. It announces that it is eager to take
  part in the great duel that is soon to commence and attacks
  the nearest armed individual.
  The characters must act quickly to stop the manifest from
  slaughtering the folk in the place. If they are observant, they
  may note that a human magister companion of Raflar sum-
  moned the manifest using a scroll. The pair has used this
  ruse in the past to arrange for the death of their rivals and to
  pick through their victims’ remains.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 81
  
  Rune Manifest, Disease
  Medium Elemental
  Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp), dying/dead –5/–18
  Initiative: +7 
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 17 (+3 Dexterity, +4 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+6
  Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6 plus disease)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d6 plus disease)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 
  feet)
  Special Attacks: Aura of sickness, disease touch, plague seed
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, DR 10/silver (or 
  15/+1), immunity to disease, manifest traits, SR 17
  Saves: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 13
  Skills: Alchemy +13, Listen +11, Sneak +14, Tumble +14
  Feats: Defensive Stance, Improved Initiative, Resistance to 
  Poison, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or mob (3–18)
  Challenge Rating: 7
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +4
  A disease rune manifest is the physical avatar of the
  arcane force behind the various runes that describe and
  express the concepts of illness, contagion, and sickness.
  Disease rune manifests possess keen intellects and a morbid
  sense of purpose, driven by their nature to spread disease
  wherever they go. They tend to compose simple but cunning
  plans to infect entire towns and regions.
  A disease rune manifest appears as an elderly, emaciated
  human (male or female) covered in festering sores. Its hair is
  matted and oily, with dried patches of slime and blood scat-
  tered throughout the tangled mess. Long, jagged claws
  extend from its fingers. These talons are covered in dried
  blood, slime, and ichor. Flies buzz around the creature in a
  thick cloud, crawling over its body, into its mouth, and even
  across its eyes. These creatures usually wear simple, blood-
  and gore-stained robes and cloaks.
  Like the pathogens they embody,disease rune manifests
  are silent but effective killers.They prefer to remain out of
  sight,hiding within warehouses,granaries,and other areas
  where they can infect food,water,and other goods.Once they
  are satisfied that they have planted the seeds of an outbreak,
  they sneak away in the night to find a new target.The telltale
  signs of the illnesses they spread—black fever and green
  plague (both described below)—are the only evidence that
  distinguishes their infestations from a mundane epidemic.
  Disease rune manifests have no goal aside from spread-
  ing sickness. While intelligent, they cannot conceive of
  pursuing other endeavors or even developing independent
  personalities. In many ways, each disease rune manifest is
  a single, physical shard of a much greater mind or being. A
  disease rune manifest can speak Common; its voice is a
  dull, hollow monotone that hints at its unsavory nature.
  Some disease rune manifests seem to exhibit personalities,
  but these creatures have merely learned to mimic
  humanoid behavior in order to complete their tasks. A dis-
  ease rune manifest never takes on an individual name; if
  asked to provide one, the creature becomes confused and
  angry. In some regions, guards on watch always ask for a
  traveler’s name, because this idiosyncrasy can immediately
  identify a traveler as a disease rune manifest rather than
  merely an afflicted human.
  Combat
  Disease rune manifests try to avoid physical combat
  whenever possible. All they care about is spreading ill-
  nesses, not engaging in battle or slaying enemies with
  their claws. A disease rune manifest may strike at an
  opponent from the shadows to infect him, but it rarely
  lingers for an extended melee.
  Aura of Sickness (Ex): A cloud of flies surrounds a dis-
  ease rune manifest, and some of these insects “attack” any-
  one who closes with the creature. The flies crawl into gaps
  in an opponent’s armor, stinging and biting any exposed
  flesh they can find. Each round a creature is within 10 feet
  of a disease rune manifest, it must make a Fortitude save
  (DC 20) or suffer a –4 competence penalty to attack rolls
  and checks due to the distracting flies.
  The flies are part of the form of a disease rune manifest,
  and when the creature wants to hide, it can command them
  to remain silent or stop attacking opponents. If a disease
  rune manifest tries to make a Sneak check while the flies are
  active, it suffers a –6 circumstance penalty to its checks. A
  disease rune manifest can activate or deactivate the flies as a
  free action.
  Disease Touch (Ex): A disease rune manifest’s claws drip
  with putrid slime, mucus, and other sickening fluids. Each
  time the creature strikes a foe, the victim must make a
  Fortitude save (DC 22) or contract green plague, a sickness
  that causes convulsions, the formation of weeping, green
  sores on the victim’s skin, and severe coughing and conges-
  tion. This disease has an incubation period of one minute,
  and it deals 1d8 points of temporary Dexterity damage and
  1d8 points of temporary Constitution damage.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  82
  
  Plague Seed (Ex): The very presence of a disease rune
  manifest causes an area to become rife with sickness. If the
  creature remains in one spot for 12 hours, all food within
  100 feet of it becomes tainted. Anyone who eats the food
  becomes exposed to black fever. In addition, any creature
  that spends more than an hour within 50 feet of a disease
  rune manifest also becomes exposed. These carriers in turn
  can infect others. Anyone who touches a carrier or spends
  more than an hour in an enclosed space with one also
  becomes exposed. Black fever causes a victim to sweat a
  thin, black fluid. He develops a severe fever, and small,
  black blisters appear on his forehead and arms. The
  Fortitude save DC to resist this disease is 15, its incubation
  period is 24 hours, and it deals 1d6 points of temporary
  Constitution damage.
  Manifest Traits (Ex): All intelligent rune manifests have
  immunity to critical hits, sleep effects, poison, paralysis,
  stunning, and flanking.
  Disease Rune Manifest 
  Encounter (EL 7)
  A disease rune manifest has infiltrated the wine cellars at an
  important and prosperous vineyard. Many shipments of
  expensive wine have been tainted, but the vineyard’s owner
  is unaware of this fact. While traveling along a country
  road, the characters come across a wagon that has crashed
  on the side of the road. It bears several wooden kegs of the
  diseased wine.
  If the characters investigate, they find the wagon’s driver
  near death from black fever. (He sampled some of his cargo
  and contracted the disease.) The characters must find the
  vineyard, track down the destinations of its shipments, and
  prevent the wine from making it to market before it touches
  off a catastrophic plague.
  Unfortunately, the vintner is a selfish and petty man. He
  has an irrational hatred of giants and sibeccai and reacts
  angrily to any such characters who present him with evi-
  dence of the disease, claiming that they are trying to put him
  out of business. From its hiding place in the wine cellars, the
  disease manifest attempts to interfere with the characters’
  plans, perhaps infecting one of them to convince the vintner
  that the characters are carrying the disease and that they
  played some role in spreading it to his goods.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 83
  
  Rune Manifest, Terror
  Medium Elemental
  Hit Dice: 6d8 (27 hp), dying/dead –1/–11
  Initiative: +6 
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 16 (+2 Dexterity, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4
  Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d6)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d6)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 
  feet)
  Special Attacks: Aura of fear, horrifying visage, impart 
  horrific visage, ward of terror
  Special Qualities: DR 5/silver (or 5/+1),manifest traits,SR 15
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 18
  Skills: Intimidate +19, Knowledge (runes) +13, Listen +13,
  Sneak +13
  Feats: Elemental Resistance (cold), Great Fortitude,
  Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary or pair
  Challenge Rating: 5
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +7
  Terror rune manifests are clad in grey, tattered, hooded
  cloaks that drape over their hands and faces. When they
  reveal anything of their true form, these creatures always
  take the guise of whatever would terrify a viewer the most.
  They can warp others’ minds and convince them that their
  friends are horrific monsters, perhaps causing them to
  attack their allies.
  Terror rune manifests are interested only in spreading
  fear. The more terror that exists in the world, the stronger
  they become and the more numerous they grow. Thus, they
  have a vested interest in ensuring that wars grow to encom-
  pass as much territory as possible. They use their innate abil-
  ities to spark riots, turn friends into foes, and instigate hor-
  rific crimes that live on in folktales and spread fear and
  uncertainty from generation to generation.
  Few sane folk willingly traffic with terror rune manifests,
  but some see them as useful tools to gain greater power and
  control over others. Fear is a powerful ally for a would-be
  tyrant, and the manifests are only too happy to aid anyone
  who wishes to further their aims. These alliances rarely end
  favorably for the mortals who precipitate them. Terror rune
  manifests are incapable of feeling friendship or other warm
  feelings toward anything. Even when dealing with others 
  of their kind, they act solely out of their shared desire to
  spread terror and fear rather than out of a sense of brother-
  hood or unity.
  Terror rune manifests sometimes seek out those who
  could spread terror and make offers of alliance. They never
  speak, instead offering contracts written on crumbling
  parchment and scribed in a language that only the one
  meant to read the contract can understand. It offers the
  alliance so long as both parties work to ensure their mutual
  prosperity and growth. The mortal must wage war against
  his enemies, brutalize his subjects, and spread fear. In
  return, the manifest fights on its ally’s behalf and hunts
  down his enemies.
  New terror manifests are created spontaneously by trau-
  matic incidents that leave an indelible mark on the world. A
  horrific murder that gives birth to a frightening legend may
  spawn one of these creatures, as could a terrible slaughter
  that claims hundreds of lives and spreads news of agony and
  misery across the continent.
  Combat
  In battle, terror rune manifests rely on their magical abilities
  to fend off their enemies. They delight in sparking fear with-
  in living creatures and seek out combat with an eye toward
  using their impart horrific visage ability to turn their oppo-
  nents against each other.
  Aura of Fear (Su): Terror rune manifests are continually
  cloaked in a palpable aura of dread. A living creature that
  draws close to one breaks out in a cold sweat, trembles
  uncontrollably, and has difficulty concentrating. Any crea-
  ture within 60 feet of a terror rune manifest must make a
  Will save (DC 14) or suffer a –2 morale penalty to attack
  rolls, checks, and saves. Furthermore, a spellcaster who fails
  this save must make a Concentration check (DC 10) when
  casting a spell, or trembling hands and an unsteady voice
  cause the spell to be ruined.
  A character need only save against a particular terror rune
  manifest’s aura of fear once every 24 hours. On a successful
  save, the character remains unaffected by the aura for 24
  hours. On a failed save, the character suffers the aura’s draw-
  backs for 24 hours and then may attempt a new save. This
  aura of fear is a mind-affecting, fear-based effect.
  Horrifying Visage (Su): A terror rune manifest can peer
  into an opponent’s mind in search of the foe’s greatest fear.
  Once it has gained this knowledge, it can use its powers to
  sculpt its appearance to mimic this primal, horrifying image.
  Once per round, it can use this ability against an opponent
  as a standard action. The chosen target must make a Will
  save (DC 18) to resist the intense terror that overcomes it.
  On a failed save, the creature enters a state of deep shock
  that leaves it helpless. Each round on its action, the creature
  may make another Will save (DC 18) to snap out of this
  state. On a successful save, a creature suffers a –2 morale
  Legacy of the Dragons
  84
  
  penalty to attack rolls, checks, and saves until the manifest’s
  next action. The victim is so thoroughly shaken that it can-
  not summon the effort needed to cast a spell without a
  Concentration check (DC 20). On a failed check, the victim’s
  spell fails. This is a mind-affecting, fear-based effect.
  Impart Horrific Visage (Su): A terror rune manifest can-
  not only adopt the guise of a horrific creature, it can also
  cloak its opponents in illusions to confuse them and cause
  dissension within their ranks. Once per minute, a terror
  rune manifest can use a powerful illusion to create a repre-
  sentation of something feared and hated by its opponents
  and place it upon one of its foes. The chosen target suffers
  no direct ill effects from this ability. However, each of her
  allies must make a Will save (DC 14) or attack her if she is
  the closest target and no other opponent has damaged the
  ally since the ally’s last action. The target’s allies make this
  save before they take any actions in the current round and
  continue to make saves each round until they succeed. Once
  an ally succeeds on this save, it sees through the deception. A
  creature gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its save for each
  ally that makes its save and uses a free action to warn the
  creature of the illusion.
  Ward of Terror (Su): A terror rune manifest’s innate aura
  of fear is so powerful that weaker creatures cannot bear to
  come near it. Any creature with Hit Dice equal to half the
  manifest’s total or less cannot approach or remain within 30
  feet of it. This is a mind-affecting, fear-based effect.
  Manifest Traits (Ex): All intelligent rune manifests have
  immunity to critical hits, sleep effects, poison, paralysis,
  stunning, and flanking.
  Terror Rune Manifest Characters
  To better serve their purpose, some terror rune manifests
  gain levels in the akashic class. By tapping into the collective
  memory, they can better learn to spread pain and terror
  across the land.
  Terror Rune Manifest
  Encounter (EL 5)
  An ancient castle near the characters’ hometown has long
  been thought haunted. Strange apparitions appear within its
  windows by night, and several grisly murders have taken
  place there. The place is beyond the local ruler’s jurisdiction
  and uninhabited. Anyone who has tried to claim it has
  invariably met a bad end.
  Long ago, a terrible warlord controlled the castle. He
  delighted in pain and torture. Fed by his paranoia, he con-
  demned many of his servants to terrible deaths at the hands
  of his head torturer. Over time, the accumulated pain and
  misery gave rise to a terror rune manifest. The creature now
  dwells within the castle. For years, it was content to main-
  tain the place’s fearsome reputation and build it up as a per-
  manent monument to fear.
  Recently, a gang of bandits has set up camp in the castle,
  confident that the authorities would not look for them there.
  The manifest approached their leader during the night, and
  the two agreed to an alliance that furthers their mutual aims.
  As the chieftain unites other smaller bands under his com-
  mand and the bandits become more organized, the charac-
  ters may be called upon to investigate the menace.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 85
  
  Rune Reaver
  Large Monstrous Humanoid 
  Hit Dice: 17d8+170 (246 hp), dying/dead –11/–30
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 23 (–1 size, +2 Dexterity, +12 natural), touch 11,
  flat-footed 21
  Base Attack/Grapple:+17/+29
  Attack: Huge glaive +26 melee (2d6+12)
  Full Attack: Huge glaive +26/+21/+16/+11 melee (2d6+12)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet, 15 feet with glaive 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet, 15 feet with glaive)
  Special Attacks: Steal runes
  Special Qualities: Immune to runes, SR 22, sense runes
  Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +12
  Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 30, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 17
  Skills: Knowledge (runes) +22, Listen +18, Sneak* +16,
  Spot +18, Wilderness Survival +20
  Feats: Cleave, Fast Healer, Light Sleeper, Power Attack,
  Stomp, Track, Weapon Focus (glaive)
  Environment: Any land
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 13
  Treasure: None
  Advancement:18–25 HD (Large); 26–34 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:—
  For as long as men have learned and inscribed runes,
  there have been rune reavers. These creatures track and hunt
  those who use runes (runethanes) and those who bear them
  (runechildren and rune animals), seeking their destruction.
  Created by some strange universal law of balance, the rune
  reavers live for their appointed task of destroying those asso-
  ciated with runes. Legend says that, if they succeed in wiping
  out all knowledge of magical runes, all rune reavers—as a
  race—can ascend to some higher state of being. Working
  toward this eternal reward consumes them.
  To this end, they can sense runes from a great distance,
  they are immune to the effects generated by runes, and they
  can even absorb runes they encounter as well as gain
  strength and stamina from them. Rune reavers are very
  good at what they do.
  The rune lords (see Chapter Two of The Diamond Throne),
  in retaliation for all of the murdered runethanes and
  runechildren, have placed a large bounty (about 5,000 gp)
  on the head of any rune reaver. But in truth, the greatest
  enemies of the rune reavers are the shuyarns (see page 88).
  These two types of creature fight to the death if they
  encounter one another, and shuyarn specifically watch over
  favored runethanes or runechildren to prevent rune reavers
  from carrying out their grisly mission.
  Despite their single-minded nature, rune reavers are living
  creatures. They eat, breathe, and sleep. They mate and pro-
  duce young, although telling a male from a female is a task
  only another rune reaver can manage. Because they must
  always be on the hunt, rune reavers do not settle down. They
  only meet others of their kind by happenstance, and then
  socialize only for a short time. Young rune reavers mature
  very quickly (four to five years). Once they reach adulthood,
  they are likely to live at least another 90 to 100 years,
  although successful reavers live even longer if they have
  absorbed the power of a great many runes (see below).
  Rune reavers are careful, contemplative, and serious, rarely
  prone to unbridled fury or foolhardy behavior. They act with
  calculation and without mercy, never contemplating morals
  or ethics beyond the good of wiping out all those associated
  with runes. Neither logic, well-worded speeches, nor impas-
  sioned pleas can sway them from their goal.
  A rune reaver is vaguely humanoid in appearance and stands
  9 feet tall.Its flesh is smooth and black,covered in glowing red,
  yellow,and blue runes.While on the hunt,particularly when
  it nears its quarry,it wears a sinister,unnerving grin.
  These hulking brutes usually wield a long pole arm and
  wear only breeches.
  Rune reavers speak Common. They are always Unbound.
  Combat
  When encountering creatures with no magical runes of any
  kind, a rune reaver ignores them at worst and is mildly, cau-
  tiously friendly at best. (For now, rune reavers ignore those
  simply having some ranks in Knowledge [runes], mostly
  because it is so hard to determine. Eventually, however, they
  will have to find a way to hunt down such creatures as well.)
  If the rune reaver encounters those who have or use runes,
  however, it attacks immediately and ruthlessly. It fights to
  the death.
  The way that rune reavers really like to carry out their mis-
  sion, however, involves a little more forethought than simply
  wandering about hoping to run into runethanes or rune-
  children. They use their magical abilities to sense the pres-
  ence of runes, then cautiously track those involved. When a
  rune reaver has located its quarry, it sets up an ambush to
  slay its prey quickly and efficiently.
  Those without runes who accompany rune-bearers are
  guilty by association. Although a rune reaver won’t go out of
  its way to track and kill such creatures, it won’t hesitate to
  cut them down if they stand in the way of its mission.
  *Skills (Ex): Rune reavers gain a +5 racial bonus to Sneak
  checks.
  Steal Runes (Su):Should a rune reaver touch a rune cre-
  ated by a runethane or rune lord, the creature absorbs it.
  Even if it is a touch-trigger rune, it does not trigger the
  rune. An absorbed rune is gone. Further, the rune reaver
  Legacy of the Dragons
  86
  
  gains a cumulative +10 bonus hit
  points (they last until used) and a +2
  bonus to Strength (lasts for one hour).
  A stolen rune also adds about a month
  or so to the natural life span of a rune
  reaver, so successful hunters sometimes
  live years longer than their fellows.
  If a rune reaver touches the fleshrune of
  a runechild or rune animal, the effect is far
  more dramatic (or traumatic). The victim
  must make a Will saving throw (DC 21) or
  lose all abilities gained from the rune, which is
  gone forever. The rune reaver, in this case,
  gains +10 permanent bonus hit points and a
  permanent +2 bonus to Strength. A runechild
  drained in this way can become a runechild
  again, with the sacrifice of yet another level, as if
  becoming a runechild for the first time.
  Should a rune reaver touch a rune manifest (see
  pages 76 to 85), the manifest must make a Will saving
  throw (DC 21) or be disintegrated.
  Immune to Runes (Su): No rune created by a runethane
  or rune lord can affect a rune reaver (treat as if it has spell
  resistance the rune cannot overcome). No power granted to 
  a runechild or rune animal by its rune can affect the reaver,
  and neither can the rune-based special abilities of a shuyarn.
  Sense Runes (Su): As a free action, a rune reaver can
  sense the direction and distance of the nearest magical rune
  within 100 feet. If it uses a full-round action, the rune reaver
  extends this range to one mile and can determine whether it
  senses an inscribed rune created by a runethane, a runic
  magic item, or a fleshrune on a runechild or rune animal,
  plus sense the rank of power (or Hit Dice, whichever is
  appropriate). If the rune reaver concentrates for a full
  minute, the range extends to 10 miles, and it gets the addi-
  tional information as well. After a full hour, it can sense
  runes up to 100 miles away, plus the additional information.
  Rune Reaver Encounter (EL 13)
  Tarnel the Cold is a 10th-level sibeccai runethane. Three days
  ago, he was making his way down the lonely path from his
  home to the nearby town when he saw a dark, hulking figure
  waiting for him in ambush. He knew it was a rune reaver,
  having just read about them in a letter from a rune lord
  acquaintance. Tarnel ran on to town. The reaver followed,
  but Tarnel was able to outdistance him.
  Although he is not a terribly likable sort, the townsfolk
  have pledged to help protect Tarnel in his time of need. This
  is where the PCs show up. It doesn’t take much to realize
  that a creature that makes a fairly powerful runethane run
  for his life is going to cut a bloody swath through the com-
  moners trying to protect him. Player characters with any
  kind of heart should want to help, whether it be to fight off
  the creature or try to spirit Tarnel away before the rune
  reaver can get to him. The relentless reaver isn’t going to give
  up easily, however, and the PCs may have a vicious fight on
  their hands eventually, no matter what they do.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 87
  
  Shuyarn
  Medium Outsider 
  Hit Dice: 18d8+144 (225 hp), dying/dead –9/–27
  Initiative: +8
  Speed: 40 feet, fly 80 feet (perfect)
  AC: 41 (+8 Dexterity, +10 natural, +8 armor, +5 deflection),
  touch 23, flat-footed 33
  Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+25
  Attack: +5 flaming runic dire greatsword +31 melee 
  (2d6+19+1d6 fire)
  Full Attack: +5 flaming runic dire greatsword +31/+26/+21/+16 
  melee (2d6+19+1d6 fire) and 2 wing buffets +25 melee 
  (1d6+3 plus sleep)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, aura of confusion,
  runes, sleep
  Special Qualities: DR 15/unholy (or 15/+3), SR 38, rune
  armor, immunities, darkvision 60 feet, fast healing 5
  Saves: Fort +24, Ref +24, Will +24
  Abilities: Str 25, Dex 26, Con 27, Int 28, Wis 27, Cha 29
  Skills: Alchemy +30, Concentration +29, Diplomacy +30,
  Intimidate +25, Knowledge (ceremony) +24, Knowledge 
  (cosmology) +30, Knowledge (engineering) +25,
  Knowledge (geography) +25, Knowledge (magic) +30,
  Knowledge (nature) +25, Knowledge (religion) +24,
  Knowledge (runes) +30, Knowledge (science) +25, Listen
  +29, Search +25, Sense Motive +29, Sneak +29, Spot +29,
  Tumble +29
  Feats: Blessed Mage, Cleave, Craft Constant Item, Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, Power Attack, Power of the 
  Name, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon 
  Specialization (greatsword)
  Environment: Any
  Organization:Solitary
  Challenge Rating: 20
  Treasure: Triple standard
  Advancement: 19–36 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: +6
  Shuyarns are so rare that some people believe only one of
  them exists. Certainly, no one’s ever seen more than one at a
  time. More often than not, people call shuyarns “rune
  angels,” and it’s easy to see why. These angelic outsiders
  embody the essence that allows runes themselves to func-
  tion. They represent the ordered aspect of the universe that
  translates precise symbols into exacting effects.
  As such, shuyarns only rarely come into the world, and
  when they do, their business normally involves runes—and
  thus, usually a runethane, runechild, or rune animal.
  Occasionally a shuyarn acts as a “guardian angel” for such
  an individual. Other times, they come to counter the machi-
  nations of a rune reaver (see page 86). Shuyarns, for obvious
  reasons, hate rune reavers and attack them on sight (and
  usually vice versa). On other occasions, shuyarn motives are
  more mysterious. Sometimes they act to preserve a bit of
  runic lore or to grant a new gift of knowledge to an individ-
  ual deemed worthy (such as a new rune for a runethane).
  Shuyarns are inherently kind and good-natured. They are
  not traditional angels, however (or, in fact, related to them in
  anything but appearance). They do not concern themselves
  with righting wrongs, fighting evil, or performing good
  deeds the way an actual angel might. Rune angels despise
  stupidity and ignorance and have no respect for creatures
  unable to learn, use logic, and wield (or at least understand)
  magic. Thus, shuyarns sometimes come across as cold or
  arrogant, depending on who interacts with them.
  Most shuyarns appear to be female,although they are actu-
  ally genderless creatures of magical essence that live on
  another plane.That same essence ties them to this world as
  long as runic power remains a force of importance and might.
  Standing 8 feet tall, these regal, golden-skinned
  humanoids bear wings made of entwined, floating runes and
  sigils. They have long, fiery hair, wear glistening breastplates,
  and wield scintillating, ornate swords in both hands.
  Shuyarns can speak all languages, thanks to their at-will
  tongues ability (without that, they speak only Celestial).
  Combat
  Shuyarns are far more likely to be seen teaching or instructing
  than fighting.If they do fight,shuyarns like to enter combat
  prepared for their foe—they hate being caught unawares.
  Most of the time,if surprised,a rune angel will teleport away,
  ready some appropriate runes,activate appropriate spell-like
  abilities,then return.Despite their skill with their magical
  swords,a favored tactic involves keeping to the air and relying
  on psychic blast and sorcerous blast to harm their enemies.
  Although they can be kindly and benevolent,once a shuyarn’s
  relationship with another creature reaches the point of violence,
  they rarely show mercy.Their attacks are swift and deadly.
  Runes (Sp): A shuyarn can create any rune except the
  ultimate rune as if it were an 18th-level runethane with a
  rune capacity of 36. A typical shuyarn normally has these
  runes currently inscribed: password-protected, invested rune
  of blasting on weapon (+20d6 points of fire damage with
  weapon on first strike, DC 28 Reflex save for half), rune of
  enrichment on weapon (add +1 luck bonus to attack and dam-
  age listed above), elemental rune (fire) on armor (fire resist-
  ance 10), rune of cheating death on self. This leaves the shu-
  yarn with a rune capacity of 23.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  88
  
  Rune Armor (Su): The shuyarn is protected by armor
  woven from runes of energy that serves as a +3 breastplate
  with no armor check penalty, spell failure chance, or move-
  ment modifications. Further, shuyarns are surrounded by
  floating runes that deflect attacks and provide a +5 deflec-
  tion bonus to Armor Class and a +5 resistance bonus to sav-
  ing throws. Both these effects are intrinsic to the shuyarn
  and cannot be used by another.
  Aura of Confusion (Su):Whenever shuyarns wish it,the
  runic symbols that hover around their bodies twirl and spin,
  creating a magical aura of confusion that extends up to 30
  feet around them.Every round that a creature other than the
  shuyarn is within the aura,the creature must make a Will sav-
  ing throw (DC 28) or become stunned for 1 round.A stunned
  creature drops everything held,can’t take actions,suffers a 
  –2 penalty to Armor Class,and loses his Dexterity bonus to
  Armor Class (if any).The saving throw is Charisma based.
  Sleep (Su): Anyone struck by the gentle blow of a shu-
  yarn’s wing must make a Will saving throw (DC 28) or fall
  into a deep, unwakable slumber for 1d6+1 rounds. After that,
  the creature sleeps for another 1d6 minutes in a normal
  slumber from which it can be awakened by a loud noise or
  shaking. The saving throw is Charisma based.
  Immunities (Ex): Shuyarns are immune to compulsions,
  curses, and fire. They have cold, electricity, and sonic resist-
  ance 20.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A shuyarn can cast the follow-
  ing spells as an 18th-level magister: at will—bypass ward,
  charm, detect magic, lesser learn secret, sorcerous blast, sugges-
  tion, tongues; 3/day—chains of vengeance, greater battle healing,
  psychic blast, see invisibility, teleport; 1/day—duplicate, greater
  telekinesis, mass devastation, perfect health, portal to another
  plane, revivification, scrying, telekinetic shield, vitrification. The
  save DC against these spells is DC 19 + spell level.
  Fast Healing (Ex): A shuyarn with this ability rapidly
  heals damage, allowing it to quickly recover from even the
  most grievous wounds. It gains fast healing 5.
  Shuyarn Encounter (EL 20)
  The player characters are asked, as a favor—perhaps to pay
  off an old favor they themselves owe—to escort the aged
  human runethane Edik Ranoth to a special gathering of the
  greatest runethanes and rune lords (see Chapter Two of The
  Diamond Throne) in a nearby city. Incredibly old and feeble,
  Edik requires the help of others even to move. Despite the
  aid of great magic that has prolonged her life, Edik, at 188
  years old, has almost reached her limit. Still, the job should
  certainly be no great strain on the PCs. Edik is well liked and
  has no real enemies. The characters, in this sense, are more
  honor guard than bodyguards.
  What no one except a few powerful runethanes realizes is
  that the meeting is to be in a secret chamber where a shu-
  yarn appears every 100 years to teach a new rune to the wor-
  thy. And what even they do not know is that the shuyarn has
  ruled that Edik is not worthy. (Her mind is going quickly—
  she is senile and almost always in a state of dementia. The
  other runethanes invited her only out of respect.)
  On the way to the meeting, then, the shuyarn appears and
  forbids Edik from proceeding. Edik, of course, doesn’t
  understand what’s going on. The player characters must deal
  with the shuyarn, who has no intention of explaining itself
  to Edik’s “servants.” The PCs have a few options: convince
  the shuyarn to elucidate, agree, then come up with some-
  thing to tell Edik and her family as to why she can’t go; con-
  vince the shuyarn to explain and then attempt to persuade it
  to let Edik come anyway; or attempt to use force. The third
  option, of course, has dire consequences, for if the PCs suc-
  ceed, the reason for the meeting itself is gone.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 89
  
  Slaughterfiend
  Huge Aberration
  Hit Dice: 15d8+105 (172 hp), dying/dead –8/–24
  Initiative: +6
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 22 (–2 size, +2 Dexterity, +12 natural), touch 10,
  flat-footed 20
  Base Attack/Grapple:+11/+28
  Attack: Slam +20 melee (2d6+9)
  Full Attack: Slam +20 melee (2d6+9) and bite +18 melee 
  (1d8+4)
  Space/Reach: 15 feet/15 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet)
  Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, tremorsense 50 feet,
  spines, water breathing
  Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +11
  Abilities: Str 28, Dex 15, Con 24, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 11
  Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11 
  Feats: Defensive Move, Improved Initiative, Multiattack*,
  Night Owl, Power Attack, Power Charge, Trample
  Environment: Temperate desert or mountains, or temperate 
  aquatic
  Organization: Solitary 
  Challenge Rating: 11
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:16–30 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment:—
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  The slaughterfiend is a predator that dwells within rocky
  wastelands and mountainous regions, like the Southern
  Wastes or the Elder Mountains. Burkut’s Pass in the Elder
  range is known to be a particularly common hunting ground
  for them. The creature hunts deer, antelope, sheep, goats,
  cattle, and even other predators such as bears, wolves, and
  mountain lions. It is not averse to attacking humanoid tar-
  gets or even giants for food. Its courage knows no bounds—
  it even attacks prey found in large numbers. Only the oldest
  slaughterfiends ever learn fear, and in turn, discretion. In a
  predator-heavy ecology such as the Lands of the Diamond
  Throne, where the most vicious creatures can become prey,
  even slaughterfiends often live short lives.
  A slaughterfiend measures at least 25 feet long and weighs
  3 tons. Its body is broad and covered in dark blue or purple
  flesh. It exudes a foul and distinct odor that creatures with
  the scent ability can detect up to 500 feet away. It is normal-
  ly a silent creature, but in combat it looses a terrible roar. On
  its death, it keens a death knell that creatures up to a mile
  away can hear easily.
  A slaughterfiend lair is usually a rock crevice or a small
  ravine, often close to a source of fresh water (both for itself
  to use and to prey upon other creatures attempting to use
  it). Common belief is that the slaughterfiend never needs to
  sleep. They do, however, build large nests of grass, leaves,
  and mud for their eggs. A slaughterfiend defends its nest to
  the death, but once the young are born, it forces them to
  fend for themselves. Young slaughterfiends dwell in or very
  near fresh water. Each is 1 to 2 feet long and feeds on fish.
  They take almost five years to mature and gain their full size.
  Some tales speak of a variant type of slaughterfiend that
  lives in the high desert. This burrowing version of the beast
  waits in the sand, just below the surface, for prey to come by.
  When it senses something moving above it, it lunges to the
  surface, hoping to trap the creature in its spiny grip as it
  emerges, belly-up. The slaughterfiend then curls around its
  prey to kill it.
  Combat
  The slaughterfiend has a very specific way of attacking prey.
  It lunges forward with surprising speed, slamming its body
  into the smaller creature. The spines on its belly impale and
  hook the prey, then trap it as the slaughterfiend’s muscles
  move it forward. This bull-rush attack is similar to a dragon’s
  snatch: It moves toward the victim, makes a slam/grab
  attack, then continues to move with the prey caught in its
  spines. Eventually, it curls around the creature until the
  trapped victim dies. It can reach down and bite a constricted
  foe, but it usually saves its bite attack for creatures of its size
  or larger or uses it against other opponents while it con-
  stricts its prey.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a slaughterfiend
  must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a
  grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of
  opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold
  and can immediately constrict (if the foe is smaller than the
  slaughterfiend).
  Constrict (Ex):The muscles on the slaughterfiend’s belly
  can cause the spines impaling a foe to draw it in and hold it
  (inflicting more damage as the action forces the spines deeper
  into the foe’s flesh).The slaughterfiend inflicts 2d6+9 points
  of damage each round as it holds a foe smaller than itself.
  Spines (Ex):Any creature attempting to grapple a slaughter-
  fiend automatically suffers 1d6 points of damage each round
  from its spines.
  Tremorsense (Ex):A slaughterfiend automatically detects
  the presence and location of any creature or object that stands
  on the ground within 50 feet of it.
  Water Breathing (Ex): The slaughterfiend can breathe
  water and air equally well.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  90
  
  Slaughterfiend Spines
  Knowledgeable folks prize the largest slaughter-
  fiend spines as weapons. If such a spine is
  affixed to a shaft, it makes the equivalent of a
  masterwork spear. Likewise, one can use just
  the spine tips as arrowheads to make the
  equivalent of masterwork arrows or bolts. In
  all cases, the cost (in time and skill) required
  to make such a weapon is the normal, not the
  masterwork, cost.
  There are enough large, quality spines on a
  typical slaughterfiend to produce 1d6+4 such
  weapons. Thus, each spine is worth about 150
  gold pieces.
  Slaughterfiend 
  Encounter (EL 11)
  The PCs are warned of Grandfather Blue, a
  slaughterfiend that haunts the mountainous or
  rocky area they are about to traverse. The locals
  have named the creature and tell of how it has
  hunted the region for almost 50 years—longer
  than most of them remember. All their lives
  they have heard tales of Grandfather Blue, and
  all of them agree that no one escapes his clutches.
  If the player characters enter the region despite the warn-
  ings, sure enough, they encounter a particularly large
  slaughterfiend. Grandfather Blue hasn’t reached old age by
  being foolish, however. If its chosen prey does not die easi-
  ly, it retreats before it can suffer significant harm. If the PCs
  allow it to escape, though, it waits until a more convenient
  time and strikes again—perhaps after they have faced
  another foe and are weakened, or perhaps at night while
  some of them are asleep. If driven off twice, Grandfather
  Blue leaves the PCs alone and looks for easier prey.
  Hidden away in its lair, Grandfather Blue keeps a prized
  treasure: a shiny gem once carried by a stranger who wan-
  dered through this area long ago. The slaughterfiend does
  not realize it, but the gem is actually a gem of seeing.
  However, the years it has spent in the vicious predator’s pos-
  session have given it a strange and potentially terrible curse.
  The now-tainted gem magically compels anyone possessing
  it to eat twice as much as a normal member of its species
  (Will save, DC 20, negates for the day). The food must be
  fresh meat killed by the possessor himself.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 91
  
  Spelleater
  Medium Aberration
  Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 hp), dying/dead –1/–10
  Initiative: +6
  Speed: 30 feet, climb 20 feet, burrow 10 feet
  AC: 14 (+2 Dexterity, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
  Attack: Claw +3 melee (1d6)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +3 melee (1d6)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Drain magic, magical strength, power surge,
  sap energy
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, null zone
  Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +8
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 16
  Skills: Knowledge (magic) +9, Search +9, Spot +8, Use 
  Magic Device +20
  Feats: Improved Initiative, Intuitive Sense, Iron Will
  Environment: Subterranean
  Organization: Solitary, pair, scout party (3–12), outpost 
  (10–100 plus one 2nd-level overseer), colony (40–400 
  plus 1d10 2nd-level overseers and one 5th-level noble), or
  city (100–800 plus 2d10 2nd-level overseers, 1d10 5th-
  level nobles, and one 10th-level king)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +6
  Spelleaters absorb and devour raw magical energy. The
  power behind incantations affects them in a manner similar to
  a narcotic. They devour spells cast at them and can suck the
  ambient arcane potential from a caster. They are intelligent
  and have been known to harvest spellcasters, imprisoning
  them within their lairs and slowly leeching away their essence.
  From their rocky lairs, they strike out to capture spellcasters
  and drag them back to their domains in chains. While some
  spelleaters master the ability to use magic, most prefer sim-
  ply to absorb the energy provided by casters of other races.
  A spelleater has a long, furred body, large eyes that shim-
  mer and glow with a variety of swirling colors, and needlelike
  fangs. Its short legs end in claws that allow it to burrow and
  climb with ease.
  Spelleaters can survive on vegetables,fruit,and meat,and
  for many of them,such low fare forms the bulk of their diets.
  Usually only the strongest spelleaters,called nobles,regularly
  feast on magical energy.These nobles either develop casting
  ability of their own,employ a cache of magic items,or have a
  captive spellcaster chained to a wall inside their lair.Spelleaters
  provide their captives with food and drink to keep them healthy
  and ruthlessly harvest their magical energy each day.
  Combat
  Spelleaters focus their efforts on spellcasters, bearing down
  upon them like starving men racing to a feast. Their inherent
  ability to wield magic items makes them dangerous foes;
  many of these creatures hoard scrolls, wands, staves, and
  other items for use against their enemies. While most spell-
  eaters would rather use such items as food, they grudgingly
  turn them against intruders.
  The typical spelleater is smart enough to use basic tactics
  against opponents. The creatures maximize the use of their
  magical resources, preferring to use spells and items that
  split their enemies into smaller groups, especially if they can
  isolate and carry away a lone caster. If possible, they mask
  their true nature with crude robes in an effort to trick oppo-
  nents into using spells against them. Imbued with the nar-
  cotic effect of fresh magical energy, they throw themselves
  into battle with a ferocious rage.
  Drain Magic (Su): Spelleaters got their name from their
  ability to drain the energy from spells cast at or near them. If
  a spelleater is the target of a spell or if it is within the area of
  a spell, the caster must make a caster level check (DC 20).
  Should this check fail, the spell has no effect. The spelleater
  can choose either to absorb the spell and use its energy to
  strengthen itself or to store the energy and later unleash it in
  an attack. The creature must make this decision immediately
  upon causing a spell to fail.
  This ability functions only against spells cast by a charac-
  ter, spell-like abilities that duplicate a spell, or spells cast
  from wands or scrolls. If someone who is not a spellcaster
  uses a magic item to create a spell effect, he makes his caster
  level check using a level of 0.
  Magical Strength (Su): If a spelleater opts to absorb 
  a spell, it gains 2 temporary hit points, a +1 bonus to
  Strength, and a deflection bonus to AC equal to the level 
  of the spell. These effects last for 10 rounds. If a spelleater
  absorbs multiple spells, these benefits stack.
  Power Surge (Su): If a spelleater chooses not to use the
  energy of a spell to strengthen itself, the creature can expel
  some or all of that energy in a power surge that deals 1d4
  points of force damage per spell level it spends. This is a
  ranged touch attack with a maximum range of 100 feet. A
  spelleater’s body can retain unabsorbed energy for 10
  rounds, after which the energy dissipates harmlessly. If a
  spelleater dies with unabsorbed energy stored in its body, it
  explodes in a blast of raw magical power. All creatures within
  30 feet of the spelleater’s body take 1d4 points of force dam-
  age per spell level stored within it. A Reflex save (DC 13) cuts
  Legacy of the Dragons
  92
  
  this damage in half. When a spelleater holds unabsorbed
  magical energy within itself, its skin shimmers and its body
  shudders visibly.
  Sap Energy (Su): When a spelleater strikes a spellcaster
  with its claw attack, the caster must make a Will save (DC
  17) or lose one of her highest-level spell slots. The spelleater
  immediately takes on the magical energy of the spell thanks
  to its drain magic ability, using it either to strengthen itself
  or to create a power surge.
  Null Zone (Su): All spelleaters have an innate ability to
  unravel the energy that powers a spell. They can use dispel
  magic three times per day as 5th-level magisters.
  Spelleater Society
  Spelleaters organize themselves into a highly stratified, rigid
  hierarchy. At the top are those nobles who practice magic,
  own small caches of items, or have captive spellcasters. These
  leaders dole out arcane energy to their followers in small
  doses, winning their loyalty and support by fulfilling their
  voracious, inherent appetites for raw magical energy. Among
  the spelleaters, he who controls magic controls society.
  These creatures often dig burrows and caves in the earth,
  usually with an eye toward maximizing their defensive abili-
  ties.They make careful plans for their defense,with the lowest-
  ranking spelleaters expected to rush into battle to delay any
  attackers. The nobles either stand and fight, if the odds seem
  in their favor, or, should the invaders possess formidable
  strength, escape via secret tunnels to safety.
  Spelleater society rarely remains stable for extended peri-
  ods. At times, a small group of underlings may uncover a
  magic item or capture a spellcaster. With this important bar-
  gaining tool in hand, they can demand a place among the
  nobles or threaten to lead an uprising against the ruling
  cabal. Politicking, backstabbing, and elaborate games of
  power run through spelleater society. Since their overriding
  goal in life is to devour magical energy, they are easily swayed
  by charismatic rulers who can offer them their heart’s desire.
  Spelleater Characters
  Spelleaters strive to gain levels in any spellcasting class, with
  most of them aiming to become mage blades or magisters.
  However, few of these creatures can ignore their addiction
  long enough to commit to the training and study needed to
  enter those classes.
  Spelleater Encounter (EL 7)
  A small group of spelleaters has discovered a wand of coma
  or a similar item that allows them to put their victims into a
  deep sleep.In search of a ready source of magical energy,they
  slip into a large city and hide within the sewers beneath it.By
  night,they track inexperienced spellcasters,use the wand on
  them to render them helpless,then drain their magical energy
  by making repeated claw attacks (but not dealing enough
  damage to kill the victims).Using the energy gained,they can
  unleash power surges potent enough to damage buildings.
  A player character spellcaster may be targeted by these
  marauders. Unless the character takes precautions each
  night, the group of spelleaters descends upon him to feast.
  In time, they may decide to kidnap the character and carry
  him back to their lair.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 93
  
  Spined Grappler
  Small Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 1d10 (5 hp), dying/dead –1/–10
  Initiative: +6
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 15 (+1 size,+2 Dexterity,+2 natural),touch 13,flat-footed 13
  Base Attack/Grapple: +1/–3
  Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d4)
  Full Attack: 2 claws +2 melee (1d4)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Horde attack
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, evasion, spiny shell
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +0
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 6
  Skills: Climb +2, Spot +2
  Feats: Improved Grapple*, Improved Initiative B, Lightning 
  Reflexes B, Resistance to Poison
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Swarm (3–36), colony (10–200), or horde 
  (201–1,000)
  Challenge Rating: 1/4
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 2–4 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment: —
  * Denotes a feat from the Player’s Handbook.
  This odd, subterranean predator has a central body pro-
  tected by a tough, spiny shell. Its long, muscular legs and
  arms are surprisingly strong for such a small creature,
  though it is no match for a giant or a trained warrior. In 
  battle, it uses its speed and power to leap upon enemies and
  grapple them. Spined grapplers typically appear in large
  numbers, and they have learned to fight as a group in order
  to defeat larger and stronger opponents.
  Spined grapplers are generally regarded as little more than
  nuisances, but at times they can gather in numbers great
  enough to pose a threat to those who wander near their ter-
  ritory. In the absence of predators to keep their numbers
  down, spined grapplers can exhaust a cavern’s food supply.
  Since most creatures cannot stomach their taste, and their
  hard, spiked shells make them difficult for most beasts to
  devour, their population often outgrows the caverns where
  they lurk. When this happens, the spined grapplers migrate
  from their territory in search of a new home. Typically, they
  descend deeper into the earth, where more powerful mon-
  sters and other threats keep them from overpopulating their
  new lair.
  If the grapplers find a passage to the surface, they can
  quickly become a daunting threat to those who live nearby.
  While their flesh is wholly unpalatable, in some areas smiths
  craft their hard, spiny shells into armor, shields, and other
  equipment. A colony or horde of these creatures that reaches
  the surface has the potential to turn into a looming disaster
  if inattention, laziness, or other factors render a community
  unable to cope with the problem before it grows out of control.
  Combat
  Spined grapplers use simple but effective tactics to defeat
  opponents who are larger and stronger than they are. Their
  small size and high degree of cooperation allows them to
  fight in close ranks. They mob around an opponent, with
  over a dozen grapplers attacking a foe at once. They have
  learned to use their numbers to their advantage, employing
  grapple attacks to pull an opponent to the ground and
  grind him against their sharp spines. What these tactics
  lack in finesse, they compensate for with sheer, brutal effi-
  ciency. Even a heavily armored and trained warmain thinks
  twice before taking on more than a handful of spined 
  grapplers alone.
  Horde Attack (Ex): Spined grapplers excel at using group
  tactics to overwhelm larger, stronger opponents. When
  attempting to grapple an opponent, they work together to
  ruin a target’s defenses and drag her down with sheer weight
  of numbers. Whenever a grappler attacks or attempts a grap-
  ple check against a target, it receives a +1 competence bonus
  to its attack roll or check for each spined grappler that cur-
  rently grapples the attacker. In addition, spined grapplers
  can crowd together to attack a single target. Two grapplers
  can occupy the same 5-foot-by-5 foot space while attacking,
  moving, or taking any other actions. However, grapplers who
  share a space in this manner lose their evasion special abili-
  ty; they are too closely packed together to dodge with their
  usual speed.
  Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows
  a creature to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage,a
  spined grappler takes no damage with a successful saving
  throw.Grapplers have quick reflexes that allow them to take
  cover and avoid damage before an attack strikes them.
  Spiny Shell (Ex): Spined grapplers get their name from
  the hard, sharp spines on their shell-like outer covering. Any
  creature that attempts to grapple one of these monsters
  automatically takes 1d4 points of damage if it succeeds in
  getting a hold. Each time a spined grappler succeeds at a
  grapple check, regardless of the reason for the check or the
  maneuver it attempts, it deals 1 point of piercing damage to
  its target.
  The March of the Horde
  The sight of a horde of spined grapplers on the march is
  enough to fill even an experienced soldier with cold dread.
  When a horde is driven from its lair by overpopulation, the
  monsters wander until they can find a new area that offers
  enough space and food to support their now diminished num-
  bers.Predators and the environment take their toll on a horde’s
  Legacy of the Dragons
  94
  
  population, slowly wearing it away until the group is small
  enough to form a viable colony based on the resources at hand.
  Once a horde is on the move, little can halt or slow its
  progress. The grapplers press on through fierce storms and
  difficult terrain, cutting a swath through any settlements
  they encounter. Since it is on a constant search for food, a
  horde will avoid any area that does not promise sustenance;
  it will not knowingly march through fire, into a barren area,
  or into a river or large body of water. Some settlements that
  have been hit by a horde before have learned to use bonfires
  or controlled flooding by means of dams and irrigation
  ditches to divert a marching horde away from the boundaries
  of the town. Killing all the grapplers in a horde is almost
  always out of the question, unless a settlement includes a
  powerful spellcaster who can call upon a variety of destruc-
  tive spells. Even in those cases, spined grapplers exhibit an
  uncanny ability to avoid such effects.
  Changing the path of a horde can make it someone else’s
  problem. Border skirmishes and full-scale wars have been
  sparked by one group’s attempt to send a rampaging horde
  into its neighbor’s territory. Spined grapplers often cause
  problems that have repercussions far beyond the simple
  physical threat they present.
  Armor and Shields
  A spined grappler’s outer shell is tough enough
  that a smith can forge it into armor if he has
  enough of the material on hand. Two grap-
  plers provide enough material for a small
  shield with shield spikes, while four bear
  enough chitinous material to craft a medium
  shield with spikes. Eight of these creatures
  can produce a large shield with spikes. A smith
  can produce any shield of the given size in this
  manner. A smith can harvest enough material
  from eight spined grapplers to produce a suit of
  hide armor with the armor spikes extra, while 20 of
  these creatures provide enough material for banded
  mail with the armor spikes extra. The prices of these
  armors and shields are the same as for normal armors and
  shields of the same type, but an artisan with the necessary
  number of shells can produce armor or a shield in half the
  time normally required. He can cut this time in half again,
  but the finished product’s maximum Dexterity bonus is
  reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0) and its armor bonus is
  reduced by 1.
  Spined Grappler Encounter (EL 8)
  A horde of grapplers has begun to emerge from a cave
  entrance in the foothills near a town, catching the townsfolk
  off guard. The town has a long history of troubles with grap-
  pler hordes and has developed the strategy of sending out
  hunting expeditions to seek colonies of grapplers and trim
  their population. According to the town’s records, a 20-year
  gap between hunts is enough to keep the monsters in check
  without overly taxing the area’s resources—but the last 
  grappler hunt took place only a little over a decade ago,
  so the townsfolk had no reason to expect an incursion by
  a horde this soon.
  The reason for the grapplers’ early exit can be found in the
  caverns they are escaping from. If the characters investigate
  these caverns, they discover that a small gang of bandits has
  intentionally collapsed part of the cave network to force the
  grapplers out earlier than normal. By cutting off access to
  the lower regions of the caves, the bandits ensured that the
  grapplers would march on the nearby town. The thugs hope
  to pick over the ruins left in the monsters’ wake, giving them
  an easy opportunity to ransack the town.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 95
  
  Spirit of Sorrow
  Large Undead (Incorporeal)
  Hit Dice:16d12 (104 hp), dying/dead —/0
  Initiative:+1
  Speed:Fly 60 feet (perfect)
  Armor Class:23 (–1 size, +1 Dexterity, +12 deflection,
  +1 dodge), touch 23, flat-footed 21
  Base Attack/Grapple:+8/—
  Attack:Touch +8 melee (1d8 plus paralysis and energy drain)
  Full Attack:Touch +8 melee (1d8 plus paralysis and energy 
  drain)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks:Energy drain, moan of sorrow, greater 
  animate the dead, paralysis
  Special Qualities:Darkvision 60 feet, incorporeal, SR 25,
  unnatural aura, sunlight powerlessness, undead traits
  Saves:Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +12
  Abilities:Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 34
  Skills:Intimidate +28, Listen +21, Sneak +21, Spot +21
  Feats:Defensive, Defensive Move, Defensive Stance,
  Lightning Reflexes, Night Owl, Weapon Finesse, Weapon 
  Focus (touch)
  Environment:Any
  Organization:Solitary
  Treasure:Standard
  Challenge Rating:13
  Advancement:17–24 HD (Large), 25–32 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: —
  Very rarely, when a giant dies an ignoble death, or when a
  giant does a disservice to that which it has sworn to serve as
  steward and dies before righting its wrong, its despair is so
  great that the afterlife rejects its spirit. That giant is cursed
  to roam the world of the living as a spirit of sorrow.
  The spirit of sorrow is so inwardly focused, so utterly self-
  absorbed, that it no longer realizes its existence inflicts pain
  and suffering upon others. It sees only its own plight and
  feels only its own monumental sorrows and regrets.
  The spirit of sorrow created its lot in life—or rather,
  afterlife. It’s said that only a giant has the capacity for the
  strong emotion needed to accomplish such a feat, as igno-
  minious as it might be. In any event, only giantish spirits of
  sorrow have been recorded.
  Unlike other types of incorporeal undead,spirits of sorrow
  do not create spawn.Only specific,heartbreaking circum-
  stances can bring about the creation of a spirit of sorrow.
  These undead spirits haunt ruins and desolate areas,almost
  always in places once frequented by giants.Sometimes,a spirit
  of sorrow will move into a city or stronghold currently occu-
  pied by giants,driving them out or forcing them to take a cer-
  tain action.Some types of undead creatures,particularly the
  more intelligent ones,see the value in having a spirit of sorrow
  nearby.Not only can it animate more undead,but its moan
  can affect large numbers of foes while leaving its fellow undead
  unaffected.These vile creatures will lure a spirit of sorrow into
  their lair or trick it into going where they wish it to go.
  This hulking spectre looks like nothing more than a float-
  ing hooded cloak of giantish proportions. It leaves behind a
  sticky residue wherever it goes, which dries slowly into a grey
  stain. This substance, called the “tears of loss,” is prized by
  some as a treasure (see next page).
  Spirits of sorrow speak Giantish and sometimes
  Common. They possess whatever knowledge they had in life,
  but they would never share that knowledge, and most of
  what they know only heightens their despair.
  Combat
  The spirit of sorrow avoids melee—it attempts to avoid
  being struck at all. In melee, it gains an additional +1 dodge
  bonus to Armor Class (Defensive Stance) and against
  ranged attacks it gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC if it moves
  more than 10 feet in a round (Defensive Move). Usually, in a
  combat situation, the spirit uses animated undead to attack
  its foes while it moans and stays clear of assailants. After a
  few rounds, even the hardiest of opponents finds it difficult
  to deal with its undead servants.
  Moan of Sorrow (Su): As a standard action, the spirit of
  sorrow can moan, afflicting all living, intelligent creatures
  within 50 feet with terrible sadness. Foes who fail a Will sav-
  ing throw (DC 27) suffer a –2 penalty to attacks, damage
  rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws. The
  penalty stacks with itself, so consecutive rounds of moaning
  bestow greater and greater penalties. The sorrow lasts for 10
  rounds. This is considered a mind-affecting attack, and the
  saving throw is Charisma based.
  Energy Drain (Su):Living creatures hit by a spirit of sor-
  row’s incorporeal touch attacks gain three negative levels.For
  each such negative level bestowed,the spirit of sorrow gains
  5 temporary hit points.Removing a negative level requires a
  Fortitude save (DC 27).The saving throw is Charisma based.
  Paralysis (Su): The touch of the spirit of sorrow, in addi-
  tion to bestowing negative levels, chills a living victim to the
  bone with sorrow, paralyzing it. The paralysis lasts for 10
  rounds. A Will save (DC 27) negates the effect. This is con-
  sidered a mind-affecting attack, and the saving throw is
  Charisma based.
  Greater Animate the Dead (Sp):Three times per day, the
  spirit of sorrow can use this spell to create undead creatures
  to help protect it.
  Incorporeal (Su):An incorporeal creature has no physical
  body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures,
  magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons,
  Legacy of the Dragons
  96
  
  and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is
  immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by
  spells or magic weapons, it has a 50 percent chance to ignore
  any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive
  energy, negative energy, force effects such as forcebeam).
  An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid
  objects,but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior,and
  so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larg-
  er than its own.It can sense the presence of creatures or
  objects within a square adjacent to its current location,but
  enemies have total concealment (50 percent miss chance)
  from an incorporeal creature that is inside an object.In order
  to see farther from the object it is in and attack normally,the
  incorporeal creature must emerge.An incorporeal creature
  inside an object has total cover,but when it attacks a creature
  outside the object it has only half cover,so a creature outside
  with a readied action could strike at it as it attacks.An incor-
  poreal creature cannot pass through a force effect.
  An incorporeal creature’s attacks pass through (ignore) nat-
  ural armor,armor,and shields,although deflection bonuses
  and force effects (such as eldritch armor) work normally against
  it.Incorporeal creatures cannot grapple or be grappled.
  Unnatural Aura (Su):Animals, whether wild or domesti-
  cated, can sense the unnatural presence of a spirit of sorrow
  at a distance of 30 feet. They do not willingly approach near-
  er than that, and they panic if forced to do so; they remain
  panicked as long as they stay within that range.
  Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex):Spirits of sorrow  are pow-
  erless in natural sunlight and flee from it. A spirit of sorrow
  caught in sunlight cannot attack and can take only a single
  move or attack action in a round.
  Spirit of Sorrow Encounter (EL 13)
  While investigating a giantish ruin,the player characters find
  a dried,grey substance covering the floor and even some of
  the old,abandoned furniture.The ruin,a fortress built
  during the war with the dramojh,is haunted by a spirit
  of sorrow.The spirit animates the bones of a few
  giantish generals entombed below the fortress.If the
  PCs attempt to breach the underground level,the giant
  skeletons attack.The spirit remains in the background.
  During the battle,it advances close enough to use its moan of
  sorrow,but if any foe approaches,it fades incorporeally into a
  wall or the floor to escape.The spirit continues to harass the
  characters until they leave or until it is finally defeated.
  New Alchemical Substance
  Tears of Loss
  The ectoplasmic residue a spirit of sorrow leaves behind can
  be gathered by those with skill in alchemy (DC 18). If the
  tears of loss are collected and sealed within a flask (to pre-
  vent them from dying out), no other checks or work is
  required. Usually, wherever there is a spirit of sorrow, one
  can find enough residue to fill 1d4 flasks. If a flask’s worth 
  of the residue is thrown upon an intelligent living creature,
  that creature must make a Will saving throw (DC 15) or suf-
  fer a –2 penalty to attacks, damage rolls, ability checks, skill
  checks, and saving throws for 10 rounds. A flask of tears of
  loss can be thrown as a grenadelike missile. It is considered a
  mind-affecting attack. If the check to gather the tears of loss
  fails, the character making the attempt is affected by the
  tears herself. A flask of tears of loss is worth 35 gp.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 97
  
  Squamous Lir
  Medium Humanoid 
  Hit Dice: 6d8 (27 hp), dying/dead –1/–11
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 17 (+2 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple:+4/+4
  Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4) or spikestick +6 melee (1d8)
  Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4) or spikestick +6 melee (1d8)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, earth template
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 19
  Skills: Concentration +9, Knowledge (history) +7,
  Knowledge (magic) +7, Listen +8, Sneak +9, Spellcraft +7 
  Feats: Blood as Power, Iron Will, Sense the Unseen, Weapon
  Finesse
  Environment: Warm or temperate plains 
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or band (3–6) 
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+1
  Squamous lir (singular and plural) vie with the slassans
  (see Chapter Four of The Diamond Throne) for the distinction
  of being the “ultimate legacy” of the dramojh. Unlike the
  slassans, however, these dramojh creations reject the path set
  out for them by their cruel masters. Long ago, the squamous
  lir learned that not all dragons were selfish and vile. They
  have since sought a better path. For this reason, they are
  sometimes called the “redeemed,” or even the “redeemed
  dramojh”—although the latter is wholly inaccurate.
  Some say it was the squamous lir that taught humans
  the rituals for transforming into mojh. This might be true.
  Squamous lir call mojh “vajel darr,” which in Draconic
  means “little brothers.” In any event, it is easy to see the
  resemblance. Squamous lir very much resemble mojh, but are
  even more inherently magical. Some of their inherent magi-
  cal abilities are tied loosely to the earth, and the creatures
  have a close connection with stone and earth.
  Today, squamous lir have little contact with humans,
  mojh, or other humanoids. Most spend their long life spans
  seeking out dragons—specifically, nonmalevolent dragons.
  Many squamous lir have traveled to the Unknown West on
  this quest, but others seek their distant forebears in a far less
  straightforward manner. They search dramojh ruins, exam-
  ine and interrogate creatures created by the dramojh, and
  study records of dramojh activities. These squamous lir
  researchers believe that within the activities and creations of
  the dramojh lie some vital secret of the dragons who created
  them. They call this secret, whatever it is, the Legacy of the
  Dragons, and they believe it ties in with the land, the
  runechildren, and more.
  Unlike mojh, these humanoid creatures have genders and
  bear children through sexual reproduction. (The genderless
  nature of the mojh has more to do with their transformation
  than the necessities of their physiology.) They are long lived,
  with life spans of up to 500 years. Children, however, are
  rare, for few squamous lir take the time from their quest for
  the Legacy of the Dragons to bear and care for young.
  Squamous lir look a little like mojh—scaly-skinned,
  reptilian humanoids—except that their flesh is a reddish-
  brown color, and their heads are crested. The crest ranges
  from a golden yellow to a deep, blood-red.
  Squamous lir use spikesticks in combat,although they call
  the weapon a jiras and claim to have developed it on their own.
  They speak Common, Draconic, and Terran. A squamous
  lir is never Unbound, unless it is some aberrant outcast.
  Combat
  Though most carry weapons to protect themselves (and all
  have a vicious bite), squamous lir prefer to use their spell-
  like abilities in a fight. While not particularly bloodthirsty,
  they recognize that sometimes conflict is necessary and
  would never shrink from defending themselves if threat-
  ened. Their magical abilities often have earth-and-stone
  visual effects. For example, when they cast magic armor, the
  armor takes a stony appearance. When they levitate, the spell
  tears away a small piece of the ground at their feet or sum-
  mons a small rock, which they float atop. These are just
  visual effects—the spell-like abilities work just like the
  spells of the same name.
  All squamous lir are proficient with spikesticks.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A squamous lir can cast the fol-
  lowing spells as a 5th-level mage blade: 3/day—earth burst,
  read mind, stone blast, stone shield†;1/day—dispel magic, levitate,
  magic armor, magic weapon, sorcerous guise. The save DC
  against these spells is DC 14 + spell level.
  Earth Template (Su): All squamous lir can give their spells
  and even their spell-like abilities the earth spell template.
  Squamous Lir Society
  Squamous lir live and work in very small groups and often in
  just pairs. Most focus on their quest for the Legacy of the
  Dragons and do not travel or communicate with others
  (even of their own kind) except as part of that quest. They
  recognize, however, that combat training and learning new
  spells can be vital to that quest, so many of them gain levels
  in character classes. While they have no government or hier-
  archy, squamous lir respect those of their kind with such
  training more than those without. (Likewise, they respect
  Legacy of the Dragons
  98
  
  members of other races with great skill or knowledge as well, particularly if
  it can be used in some way to help further their quest.)
  Squamous lir quietly revere a mysterious stone elemental deity called the
  Earth Mother,whom they believe is connected to the ancient dragons.They
  have no temples or shrines;their worship of her is very personal and private.
  Squamous Lir Characters
  Squamous lir characters most often become mage blades with a slightly vari-
  ant outlook,as they treat their jiras (spikesticks) as their athames.Some squa-
  mous lir become magisters or greenbonds,the latter being the rarer case.
  New Spell
  Stone Shield
  Abjuration (Earth)
  Level: 1 (Exotic)
  Casting Time: Standard action
  Range: Personal
  Target: You
  Duration: 1 round/level
  You can cast this spell only on the ground, with a source of natural or
  worked stone nearby. When cast, the nearby rock floats in front of you and
  protects you from harm, like a shield that thinks on its own. You gain a +4
  shield bonus to Armor Class. If the stone shield is destroyed, the spell imme-
  diately calls forth another, until its duration runs out.
  Special: If used with the earth spell template,the shield bonus is +1 greater.
  Diminished Effect: The stone provides a +1 shield bonus to Armor Class.
  Heightened Effect: Two stone shields appear, granting a total +6 shield
  bonus to Armor Class.
  Magic Item Creation Modifier:Constant N/A
  Squamous Lir Encounter (EL 5)
  Two squamous lir, Terrikolar and Destirichan, believe the player characters
  have some special knowledge about an obscure bit of dramojh lore. It may
  seem insignificant to the PCs, or they may not even realize they possess it.
  It may even be a secret important to another quest of the characters. (The
  squamous lir also might be mistaken.)
  In any event, Terrikolar and Destirichan do not know enough about the
  PCs to know if they can be trusted, so they are wary of approaching them
  directly. At first, then, the two attempt to trick the player characters into
  thinking they are humans (or another race) using sorcerous guise, and then,
  while the disguised squamous lir ask them general questions about their
  adventures and the dramojh, they use read mind to try to get what they are
  after. If the PCs discover what they are doing, the two attempt to flee.
  Should this scheme fail to get them the results they want, they leave,
  planning to return. Upon their return, their next course of action is to
  search through the characters’ belongings while they sleep, while they are
  at a bathhouse, or at some other opportune time. If, after all this, the squa-
  mous lir still have not gotten what they wanted, they may attack and threat-
  en the PCs, capturing them for interrogation if they seem unwilling to help.
  If in the first two encounters, the PCs seemed benevolent or at least not
  overly unfriendly, the squamous lir simply approach and ask for help.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 99
  
  Staj
  Small Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 hp), dying/dead –1/–10
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 17 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 14,
  flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple:+2/–2
  Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4)
  Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4) and 1 claw +1 melee (1d3)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Eye extraction, improved grab
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 11, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 13
  Skills: Listen +5, Sneak +8 
  Feats: Light Sleeper, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Warm or temperate plains 
  Organization: Horde (5–16)
  Challenge Rating: 1
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:3–4 HD (Small); 5–6 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:—
  Staj are unique predators in that they often leave their prey
  alive. Litorians call the staj “eye hunters,” and with good rea-
  son.These vicious little creatures eat eyes.They can eat other
  types of meat,but they prefer eyes.Bred by the dramojh (said
  to be a failed experiment that escaped), the staj spread like a
  plague. They breed quickly and mature at a very rapid rate.
  Litorians speak of the eye hunters in whispers. Dedicar,
  an old, honorable hunter of the plains, told this tale to
  Naervos Starshadow, a faen sage:
  We were looking for game in the area we call the Sundowner
  region. It was a poor year, and the gazelle we sought felt the heat
  and drought of the summer worse than we. As we scoured the
  empty plains, we heard a distant sound. It is difficult for me now
  to describe to you what this sound was like. Perhaps if you imag-
  ined everyone you ever loved crying out in complete despair all at
  once, it would be similar to this sound. We moved forward, cau-
  tiously, for we knew not what we would find.
  Through the tall grass, we emerged into a camp of our people.
  This surprised us, for we had seen no sign of fires, even though the
  evening shadows had grown long. We smelled no cooking meals,
  and we heard no children laughing. Only the terrible, mournful
  wail of many voices crying as one.
  As we looked around the camp, I gripped my warclub tighter. All
  around us, we saw wounded litorians, each covered in blood. But
  we saw no enemy. I grabbed the nearest warrior by the shoulder
  and saw that his wounds were in his eyes—he had been blinded.
  “Who did this?” 
  I got no answer. So I approached the next warrior. She, too, had
  only empty sockets where her eyes had been. I looked at my brothers
  and they nodded. All of us had come to the same conclusion. 
  Eye hunters.
  We brought the people together in the center of the camp. Some
  had wandered into the grass, slashing at foes that were no longer
  there. They were easy to find, for we followed the trails of blood.
  We found a number of the staj, killed by warclubs, arrows, tooth,
  and claw. Still, all 34 people in the camp had been blinded perma-
  nently. Everyone.
  I knew that eye hunters each take only one eye. That meant, at
  minimum, there were almost 70 in the horde that had attacked
  this camp. The victims, once we managed to get them to speak,
  indicated that they thought there had been many more.
  I shuddered at the thought of it, and I could see my brothers
  did as well. We led the 34 to our own camp, where they could
  be properly tended. The burden of new mouths to feed in that
  poor year was difficult to bear, since none of them could hunt.
  But at least our camp was never attacked by that horde of eye
  hunters. 
  I still have nightmares about that day. 
  Staj are sinewy creatures with a dark green ridge running
  down their backs. They look a little like black cats with long
  wirelike hair, but they have no tails, and their heads are
  longer, bearing furless snouts filled with small teeth. Their
  eyes are long, narrow, and yellow. They have a single whip-
  like tendril that rises from the spot where their head meets
  their spine. This appendage ends in a small clawlike extrac-
  tor comprised of three opposing, needlelike phalanges, each
  quite dexterous. The staj uses this strange tendril to extract a
  victim’s eye.
  Staj possess a surprising intellect and, in fact, jabber to
  each other in their own squeaky, high-pitched language.
  Because they think of practically nothing but hunting and
  eating, their language is very crude, short, and specific. They
  have no words for art, music, or philosophical concepts.
  Their vocabulary consists of various words for eyes, danger,
  ambushes, eating, and so forth.
  In lean times, staj turn on each other. Many older staj
  have only one eye because of this tendency.
  All eye hunters are Unbound.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  100
  
  Combat
  Staj leap toward a foe en masse, biting and tearing flesh
  with their vicious teeth—but this attack is actually only a
  distraction. The real attack comes from their whiplike ten-
  dril, which ends in a small claw. After a successful claw
  attack, a staj can begin the eye extraction process. Once a
  staj has an eye, it flees, usually leaving the victim alive.
  A staj will not attack an eyeless creature and fights only in
  self defense against such a foe.
  Improved Grab (Ex):To use this ability, a staj must hit
  with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as
  a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If
  it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can
  immediately make a claw attack and attempt to extract the
  foe’s eye.
  Eye Extraction (Ex): While grappling, a staj that scores a
  hit with its claw attack has struck the foe in or near an eye. It
  then uses the claw to attempt to extract the eye. The victim
  must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 11). Failure indi-
  cates that the staj has removed the eye. Obviously, a foe with
  no eyes is blind. Blinded characters suffer a –2 penalty to
  Armor Class, lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if
  any), move at half speed, and take a –4 penalty on Search
  checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill
  checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision, such as
  reading and Spot checks, automatically fail. All opponents
  are considered to have total concealment (50 percent miss
  chance) relative to the blinded character.
  Creatures left with only one eye suffer a –2 competence
  penalty to Spot and Search checks.
  Staj Encounter (EL 3)
  The player characters make their way through the plains on a
  journey somewhere. From out of the tall grass, three staj leap
  at them. The eye hunters choose one foe and concentrate
  their attacks. If a staj manages to remove an eye, it retreats
  with its meal. Thus, if two of the staj succeed, the third must
  choose a new target, attacking all by itself.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 101
  
  Terrig
  Medium Humanoid 
  Hit Dice: 1d8+3 (8 hp), dying/dead –4/–16
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 15 (+3 Dexterity, +2 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 12
  Base Attack/Grapple:+1/+2
  Attack: Spear +2 melee (1d8+1) or shortbow +4 ranged 
  (1d8 plus poison)
  Full Attack: Spear +2 melee (1d8+1) or shortbow +4 ranged 
  (1d8 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attack:Poison
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
  Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Skills: Knowledge (nature)* +3, Sneak* +4, Wilderness 
  Survival* +4
  Feats: Fleet of Foot, Track
  Environment: Warm or temperate plains 
  Organization: Solitary, pair, hunting party (3–6 plus 1 war-
  rior of 2nd to 3rd level), or tribe (11–30 plus 2–7 warriors 
  of 2nd to 3rd level and a totem warrior leader of 4th to 5th
  level)
  Challenge Rating: 1
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:By character class
  Level Adjustment:+0
  Distant cousins of the litorians that roam the plains of the
  north,terrig live in the jungles of the south.They are cunning
  hunters and adept trackers, but they have experienced little
  contact with the city-dwelling cultures and technologically
  advanced races,such as humans or giants.For example,the ter-
  rig use no metal.They have not developed the wheel or agricul-
  tural methods.Mostly this is because they have no need for
  such things where they live.They are masters of their domain.
  Terrig stand, on average, about 6 feet tall. Their shoulders
  are wide and their bodies muscular and sinewy. They are cov-
  ered in short,striped fur:golden-yellow and black,brown and
  black, or orange and black. A few rare tribes have black and
  dark brown spots on golden-yellow fur. All of these patterns
  make it much easier for them to hide in dense foliage. Terrig
  males do not have manes like litorians, but their fur/hair is
  sometimes longer on their heads than elsewhere. They have
  feline snouts, sharp teeth, and feline eyes. Most wear only a
  little clothing,although warriors going into battle wear armor
  similar to leather jacks, made from tanned skins. They use
  spears, shortbows, and sometimes stone axes.
  On the whole, Terrig are less intelligent than their plains-
  dwelling brethren. They are hardier and just as fast, however.
  Their language resembles standard Litorian enough to be
  considered the same tongue, but there are a number of
  minor cultural differences and nuances.
  The terrig’s statistics here are for a typical 1st-level warrior
  wearing a leather jack.
  Combat
  Terrig normally hunt in small groups, using tactics developed
  over generations. For example, they might chase or lure prey
  into a trap or an ambush. Most individual terrig are not
  exceptionally intelligent, but they have had centuries to per-
  fect their techniques.
  * Skills:Terrig enjoy a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge
  (nature), Sneak, and Wilderness Survival checks.
  Poison: Some terrig tribes use poisoned arrows for
  hunting and self-defense. This poison, made from jungle
  roots, inflicts 1d3 points of Strength damage as both pri-
  mary and secondary damage, and has a Fortitude save
  Difficulty Class of 13.
  Terrig Society
  Terrig live in small tribes. When a tribe grows too large, a few
  families agree to leave, forming their own new tribe. They
  worry about exhausting their hunting grounds, so they never
  let their communities grow too large. Terrig tribes sometimes
  feud over food and water supplies, but mostly they get along
  with members of their own race.
  Terrig are very superstitious. They have little direct experi-
  ence with magic, but their belief in animism is such that they
  see spirits in every tree, rock, and fern. This belief leads them
  to perform small rituals and acts, or refrain from certain
  activities, all to appease various spirits. These acts consume a
  great deal of a terrig’s day, and remembering each of them
  (as well as the proper omens that show whether the spirits
  are pleased) is extremely difficult for them. The superstitious
  terrig have many ways to appease angered spirits.
  Terrig are xenophobic and reclusive. Winning the trust of
  a terrig is a feat worthy of mention in a history book. These
  folk do not see litorians as any closer relations to them than
  humans, faen, or any other creature (litorians feel differently,
  however). They distrust all outsiders and anything new,
  whether it be a creature, a mode of dress, an object, or some
  aspect of magic.
  Unlike litorians, terrig have no strong sense of personal
  honor. For them, survival is the key concept. They will do
  whatever it takes to survive and to ensure the survival of
  their family and tribe (in that order). A great individual wor-
  thy of praise is one who survives to an advanced age with a
  large family and a prosperous tribe.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  102
  
  Terrig make few gender-based distinctions as to duties,
  although traditionally females care for the children while
  they are very young, and a male takes on additional hunting
  duties. Otherwise, both males and females hunt and perform
  all needed tasks. Terrig bond for life.
  Terrig Characters
  Terrig are most often warriors. Groups are usual-
  ly led by totem warriors, unfettered, or—far
  more rarely—greenbonds.
  Terrig characters possess the following racial
  traits:
  • +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, –2 Intel-
  ligence, –2 Charisma
  • Low-light vision
  • +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature),
  Sneak, and Wilderness Survival checks
  Automatic Languages: Common,
  Litorian
  Bonus Languages: Any
  Terrig Encounter (EL 4)
  The player characters stand in the middle
  of a small town and watch as a wagon pulls
  in before of them.In the wagon are a num-
  ber of strange-looking litorians.These
  litorians are,in fact,six terrig warriors
  captured in the jungles of the south and
  brought to the Lands of the Diamond
  Throne as a curiosity.The cruel 
  humans driving the wagon have 
  bound the terrig’s hands and feet.
  They’ve stopped in town for supplies.
  While the PCs watch,one of the terrig
  wriggles free of her bonds.She quietly tries
  to free the others,but their captors are
  already on their way back to the wagon.If
  the characters do anything to distract the
  humans,the terrig can get enough time to
  free the others.If they do nothing,she
  gives up trying to help her comrades and
  simply tries to flee.If the PCs actually
  intervene,they must deal with the humans,
  both 3rd-level warriors.Since no one in
  town has ever seen a terrig before,no one
  else moves to help them—these creatures
  might be dangerous,after all.Even the
  local authorities seem unsure of what to do.
  PCs who manage to free all the terrig must then 
  figure out what to do with them, so far from their 
  jungle home. And if they were expecting gratitude or trust
  from the freed terrig, they can forget it—these creatures are
  justifiably terrified and angry at anyone not of their race.
  If the player characters do nothing, the single terrig
  escapes. They hear over the next few days of a murder com-
  mitted by a “strange, striped litorian woman” in town. (She
  was only defending herself.)
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 103
  
  Tingual
  Medium Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 5d10+5 (27 hp), dying/dead –2/–13
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 17 (+2 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple:+5/+7
  Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+2)
  Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+2) and 4 claws +5 melee 
  (1d4+1)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Heat drain
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision,
  fire suppression
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 9
  Skills: Listen +5, Sneak +8 
  Feats: Light Sleeper, Multiattack*, Skill Focus (Listen)
  Environment: Any warm
  Organization: Pack (4–9)
  Challenge Rating: 4
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:6–10 HD (Medium); 11–15 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment:—
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  Sparkling blue eyes. 
  Those are the first words that come to mind of most people
  who’ve encountered a tingual. The next words are often
  “cold, very cold.” 
  The tingual is a shaggy mammal with six legs. Its head is
  broad and its eyes are large, as are its long, pointed ears. It
  dwells in hot regions, often in the same area as creatures of
  the fire subtype—hellhounds, red dragons, and the like.
  However, such creatures hate the tingual, for the tingual
  eats heat.
  The creature can draw any amount of heat within 30 feet
  of it into its body immediately—this is an unconscious and
  reflexive action that the tingual does not control. Thus, crea-
  tures that come close to the tingual notice a severe drop in
  temperature, both in the air around them and within their
  own bodies. (The air around a tingual is about 40 to 50
  degrees Fahrenheit at all times.) Fire of any kind, even that
  generated by magic, is immediately extinguished within this
  radius. Torches go out. Fire spells fizzle. A witch’s fire shield
  winks out. Further, the tingual can focus its ability to drain
  heat on a single target each round, just by looking at it.
  Tinguals measure 4 feet long and 3 feet high. They run
  in packs, like wolves, always with a strong, dominant
  leader. While they can feed on any heat source, only tem-
  peratures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit can really sustain a
  tingual, and temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or
  more are best. Thus, living creatures usually provide some
  of the easiest “meals.” During the high summer months,
  however, the tingual need not hunt at all—it is sustained
  by the ambient high daytime temperatures. Likewise, a
  pack of tinguals lucky enough to find the vent of an active
  volcano or hot spring can feed easily for days. (Of course,
  even these geothermal heat sources won’t last forever when
  drained at a tingual’s insatiable rate. Alternatively, such an
  area might sustain only a few tinguals at a time.) In any
  case, if the tinguals have a nonliving source of heat, people
  will find them quite docile.
  Tinguals were created by the dramojh to combat fire-
  using creatures. Most such creatures attack tinguals on
  sight, and the tinguals love to fight them, as they provide
  such high temperatures to feed upon. Some people use
  tinguals as guardians—bribing them with fire (mages
  might bribe them with conjured fire elementals). A human
  mage blade named Kerreckis lives in the southern Elder
  Mountains within an active volcano. His trained tinguals
  draw the heat from the surrounding magma to cool it,
  allowing him to dwell safely within a fortress surrounded
  by molten rock. By getting the tinguals to move, he can
  slowly change the shape of his molten manse, expanding
  or contracting its area, creating entrances or sealing it up
  tight with hardened magma.
  Combat
  Tinguals drain heat, upon which they subsist; with enough
  heat, they have no need to kill prey and eat meat. However,
  since most creatures do not want their heat drained, the
  tingual has adopted keen combat instincts as well. It can
  support itself on two legs long enough to make four claw
  attacks against foes in melee. A tingual initiates combat by
  draining heat, resorting to melee only if the victim chooses
  to do so first.
  Fire Suppression (Su): Fire within 30 feet of the tingual
  ceases to exist. Natural fires go out, and magical fire is sup-
  pressed. For example, a fiery sorcerous blast detonating next
  to a tingual has no effect, while one centered on a point at
  the edge of its effect only spreads out in areas not within
  the tingual’s suppression. A fiery energy blade spell ceases to
  exist while a tingual is nearby, but it flares back to life again
  when it leaves. This effectively makes the tingual and any-
  one within 30 feet of it immune to fire and heat damage.
  Even lava cools and hardens in this area, although if the
  tingual leaves and conditions are right, the stone becomes
  molten once again. A fire elemental in a tingual’s range
  Legacy of the Dragons
  104
  
  must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 13) or be snuffed
  out (destroyed) instantly. Even those who make successful
  saves suffer 10d6 points of damage. Likewise, any creature
  with the fire subtype within the area of the tingual’s sup-
  pression suffers 4d6 points of damage (Fortitude save,
  DC 13, reduces the damage by half). The save DC is
  Constitution based.
  Heat Drain (Su): Once per round as a standard action, a
  tingual can drain the heat from one target it can see within
  30 feet. The victim must make a Fortitude save (DC 13) or
  suffer 3d6 points of cold damage. The save DC is
  Constitution based.
  Tingual Encounter (EL 8)
  A terrible forest fire rages in the woods outside a large
  town. The people of the town cannot stop the spread of
  the fire—their only course of action is to flee, letting the
  town be engulfed. However, a learned local greenbond
  has an idea. He offers the PCs a great reward if they will
  travel into the nearby hills and capture at least four tin-
  guals. The group must bring the creatures back alive and
  let them loose in the forest, where their innate powers
  will extinguish the flames. The tinguals feed on the fire,
  so it is to their benefit as well, but of course they will not
  understand that fact when the characters arrive at
  their lair to haul them away.
  Smart PCs will know what the tinguals can
  do going in and won’t waste fire spells or simi-
  lar useless magic in an encounter with them
  (in fact, they probably won’t even ready
  them at all).
  The tinguals fight tenaciously to keep
  themselves from capture, but if the player
  characters succeed and take them to the fire,
  they greedily “attack” the blaze and consume it.
  The town is saved. Now there are four tinguals in the
  area, though, and travelers into the woods are not safe. The
  PCs are faced with a decision: Leave the situation as it is,
  kill the tinguals, or capture them again and take them back
  up to the remote hills where they lived before. The first two 
  choices are the simplest, but neither is particularly ethical.
  The town rewards the characters in any event, but respects
  them far more if they actually finish the job.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 105
  
  Totem Spectre Template
  It is a truism, sadly, that anything pure risks corruption.
  Totem spectres are hateful, murderous reflections of the ani-
  mals they once represented. Although totem spectres were
  never living animals, they were the spiritual manifestations
  of all the qualities the living animals represented. Thus, the
  corrupted spirits are, for all intents and purposes, undead
  entities.
  Totem spectres come in many varieties—virtually any kind
  of animal—but the most common forms are bears, wolves,
  wolverines, snakes, sharks, and hawks. Sometimes a totem
  spectre manifests itself to a totem warrior or greenbond that
  can communicate with spirits, posing as a pure totem spirit.
  In this guise, it tells the mortal lies that run counter to the
  best interests of both the listener and the land. Cunning and
  clever,totem spectres never tell obvious lies  but mix them with
  the truth.If caught in a lie,they attack.Their spiritblast power
  affects only those with animistic ties,but their regular attacks,
  such as the energy draining touch,are devastating to everyone.
  Although the presence of a totem spectre terrifies normal
  animals, they can (and often do) enslave animals to do their
  bidding. Totem spectres speak Common.
  Sample Totem Spectre: Bear
  Large Undead (Incorporeal)
  Hit Dice:10d12 (120 hp), dying/dead —/0
  Initiative:+4
  Speed:Fly 80 feet (good)
  Armor Class:19 (–1 size, +4 Dexterity, +6 deflection),
  touch 19, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple:+5/—
  Attack:Claw +7 melee (1d8+8)
  Full Attack:2 claws +7 melee touch (1d8+8) and bite +2 
  melee touch (2d6+4)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks:Spiritblast, energy drain, enslave animals,
  spell-like abilities, undead traits
  Special Qualities:Low-light vision, scent, incorporeal, speak 
  with animals, unnatural aura
  Saves:Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +8
  Abilities:Str —, Dex 19, Con —, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Skills:Bluff +14, Intimidate +9, Listen +14, Sneak +10,
  Spot +16, Wilderness Survival +12
  Feats:Defensive Move, Night Owl, Speed Burst, Track,
  Weapon Finesse
  Environment:Cold forests
  Organization:Solitary
  Treasure:None
  Challenge Rating:9
  Advancement:11–14 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: —
  These creatures stand nearly 9 feet tall. Only semi-corpo-
  real, the front/upper half of their body appears mostly solid,
  while the rear/lower half gradually fades into near invisibili-
  ty. Totem bear spectres are bad-tempered and territorial.
  Combat
  A totem bear spectre attacks mainly by tearing at opponents
  with its spiritual claws, inflicting terrible damage and drain-
  ing energy. Using its Speed Burst feat, it starts combat by
  moving its full speed and making a full attack.It prefers to act
  at night,when its Night Owl feat makes it more powerful.
  Spiritblast (Sp): See ability description on the next page.
  A Reflex save (DC 16) can reduce this damage by half.
  Energy Drain (Su):See ability description on the next
  page. The Fortitude save to remove a negative level is DC 16.
  Enslave Animals (Sp): See ability description on the next
  page. The Will save to resist is DC 16.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp):A totem bear spectre can cast
  the following spells as a 10th-level witch: 1/day—enfeebled
  mind, fireburst, learn truename, stone blast, suggestion, water roil,
  whisper of madness, wind churn. The save DC against these
  spells is DC 10 + the creature’s Wisdom bonus + spell level.
  Scent (Ex):The totem bear spectre can detect opponents
  within 30 feet by sense of smell. For upwind foes, the range
  increases to 60 feet; downwind, it drops to 15 feet.
  When detecting a scent, the totem bear spectre doesn’t
  determine its exact source, only its presence in range. The
  spectre can take a standard action to note the scent’s direc-
  tion. Once within 5 feet of the source, it can pinpoint the
  source. A totem bear spectre also can follow tracks by smell,
  making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track.
  Incorporeal (Su):See ability description on the next page.
  Unnatural Aura (Su):See description on the next page.
  Creating a Totem Spectre
  “Totem spectre” is a template that one can add to any ani-
  mal, although it is usually applied only to typical totem ani-
  mals. A totem spectre uses all the base creature’s statistics
  and special abilities except as noted here.
  Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead.
  Size does not change.
  Hit Dice: The Hit Die type changes to d12; increase the
  number of Hit Dice by +4.As undead versions of the epitome
  of their species,all totem spectres have maximum hit points.
  Speed:The spectre’s means of movement becomes flying,
  if it isn’t already. Speed doubles. Maneuverability is good.
  AC: Change the creature’s natural armor bonus to a
  deflection bonus, plus give it an additional deflection bonus
  to Armor Class based on its Charisma modifier.
  Attacks:The creature’s attack progression changes to that
  of an undead creature (+1/2 per Hit Die). All attacks become
  touch attacks. Damage remains the same. Despite its incor-
  poreality, its damage psychically mimics the damage a living,
  Legacy of the Dragons
  106
  
  physical animal of its kind would inflict. Creatures immune
  to mind-affecting attacks suffer only 1d6 points of damage
  per attack, regardless of creature type or size.
  Special Attacks: A totem spectre retains all the base crea-
  ture’s special attacks (except those precluded by its incorpo-
  reality, such as Improved Grab) and also gains the following:
  Enslave Animals (Sp): The totem spectre can use an effect
  identical to greater dominate, except that it affects only ani-
  mals. The spectre need not know the animal’s truename. It
  can use this ability at will,but can enslave only one animal at
  a time. The animal can resist with a Will save (DC 10 + half
  the totem spectre’s HD + totem spectre’s Charisma modifier).
  Energy Drain (Su):Living creatures hit by a totem spectre’s
  incorporeal touch attack gain two negative levels.The creature
  can remove a negative level with a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half
  the totem spectre’s HD + its Charisma modifier). For each
  negative level,the totem spectre gains 5 temporary hit points.
  Spiritblast (Sp): The totem spectre can loose a blast of spir-
  itual energy at a single target (only one that can see and
  communicate with spirits) up to 50 feet away as a standard
  action once per day. The blast inflicts 10d6 points of dam-
  age. A Reflex save (DC = 10 + half the totem spectre’s HD +
  its Charisma modifier) reduces this damage by half. Those
  failing their save are also permanently struck blind.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A totem spectre can cast the follow-
  ing spells as a 10th-level witch: 1/day—enfeebled mind, fire-
  burst, learn truename, stone blast, suggestion, water roil, whisper
  of madness, wind churn. The save DC against these spells is
  DC 10 + the creature’s Wisdom bonus + spell level.
  Special Qualities:A totem spirit has all the base creature’s
  special qualities and also gains the following:
  Incorporeal (Su): An incorporeal creature has no physical
  body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures,
  magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons,
  and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is
  immune to nonmagical attack forms. When hit by spells or
  magic weapons, it has a 50 percent chance to ignore damage
  from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative
  energy, force effects such as forcebeam).
  An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid
  objects but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior,and
  so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger
  than its own.It can sense the presence of creatures or objects
  within a square adjacent to its current location, but enemies
  have total concealment (50 percent miss chance) from an incor-
  poreal creature that is inside an object.To see farther from the
  object it is in and attack normally,it must emerge.An incorpore-
  al creature inside an object has total cover,but when it attacks a
  creature outside the object,it has only half cover,so a creature
  outside with a readied action could strike at it as it attacks.
  An incorporeal creature cannot pass through a force effect.
  An incorporeal creature’s attacks pass through (ignore) nat-
  ural armor, armor, and shields, although deflection bonuses
  and force effects (such as eldritch armor) work normally against
  it. Incorporeal creatures cannot grapple or be grappled.
  Speak With Animals (Su): The totem spectre can compre-
  hend and communicate with all animals. It can ask ques-
  tions of and receive answers from animals, although they are
  no more friendly or cooperative than normal.
  Unnatural Aura (Su):Animals, whether wild or domesti-
  cated, can sense the unnatural presence of a totem spectre at
  30 feet. They do not willingly approach nearer and panic if
  forced to do so;they remain panicked while within that range.
  Abilities: Alter from the base creature’s as follows: Str —,
  Dex +6, Con —, Int +10, Wis +4, Cha +6.
  Saving Throws:Recalculate saves so Will saves are good.
  Skills:The creature gains 2 additional skill points/Hit Die.
  Organization:Always solitary.
  Challenge Rating: As base creature’s +4.
  Level Adjustment: As base creature’s.
  Totem Spectre Encounter (EL 11)
  Arson fires ravage a small town,and the elders offer a substan-
  tial reward for help.It’s not hard for the PCs to discover the
  fires are being set each night by Wold Agorak, a 9th-level
  human bear totem warrior.When they confront him,he raves
  that the town presents a danger to the countryside and must be
  destroyed.If they ask him why he thinks so,he says his totem
  spirit told him. Wold has been deceived, of course, through
  use of clever lies and suggestions, by a bear totem spectre. If
  Wold reveals his source, the spectre manifests and attacks,
  urging Wold to aid it against “these enemies of the land.”
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 107
  
  Urgan’s Minion
  Medium Monstrous Humanoid
  Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp), dying/dead –2/–13
  Initiative: +0
  Speed: 30 feet
  AC: 17 (+4 natural, +3 hide armor), touch 10, flat-footed 17
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
  Attack: Greatclub +7 melee (1d10+3)
  Full Attack: Greatclub +7 melee (1d10+3)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, environmental
  adaptability, SR 16
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5
  Abilities: Str 14, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Skills: Jump +5, Spot +3
  Feats: Bonded Item (greatclub), Iron Will, Weapon Focus 
  (greatclub)
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary, pair, war party (2–16 plus one 4th-
  level war leader), or colony (10–100 plus four 4th-level 
  lieutenants and one 8th-level chieftain)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +2
  These monsters were crafted by a powerful spellcaster
  named Urgan to serve as his personal army. Urgan subse-
  quently died at the hands of a rival magister, leaving his cre-
  ations to fend for themselves in the world. They established
  several small colonies and, driven by a warped view of the
  world imposed on them by their creator, began attacking
  travelers who entered their territory.
  Urgan’s minions resemble a cross between a fish, a lizard,
  and a human. They have scaled, green skin, a large, bony frill
  that runs from the crown of the head to the base of the neck,
  and long, pointed ears. Their teeth resemble a human’s,
  except for their long, sharp incisors.
  Urgan designed his minions to be both capable in combat
  and resistant to his opponents’ magical abilities. He had
  grand plans for his creations, and in many ways they are a
  masterpiece of the arcane arts. In actuality, Urgan was delud-
  ed and paranoid. Many of the enemies he sought to defend
  himself against were merely phantoms in his mind, conven-
  ient scapegoats on whom he could blame the setbacks in his
  research. To Urgan, his enemies always lurked in the shad-
  ows, ready to ruin his plans.
  This attitude was passed down to his minions. Utilizing a
  version of the lore that the giants used to elevate the sibec-
  cai, Urgan sought to create a race of faithful creatures that
  would defend him to the death and never turn against him.
  His minions view Urgan as a god. They regard his writings, a
  collection of crazed rantings peppered with profound
  insights into magical theory known as Urgan’s Codices, as
  their holy book. They painstakingly follow these precepts,
  and their priests use them to make many important deci-
  sions. Needless to say, this attitude leads colonies of Urgan’s
  minions to take aggressive, violent action against anyone
  perceived as a threat.
  Combat
  In battle, Urgan’s minions prefer to use ambushes and other
  stealthy maneuvers to defeat their enemies. As befits a race
  founded on paranoia and fear, they constantly worry that
  their enemies possess some hidden advantage over them.
  They believe that quick, unexpected strikes are the best
  method to keep a foe off balance. The minions always fear
  that an enemy will track them back to their lair and destroy
  the entire colony. To assuage this worry, they rarely flee from
  combat. If they are forced to retreat, they use circuitous
  routes to get home or even spend a few days away from their
  lairs before returning.
  Environmental Adaptability (Ex): Urgan’s minions can
  survive in a wide range of environments, from subterranean
  caves to beneath the ocean’s waves. They have immunity to
  drowning and all gas attacks. They gain a +4 racial bonus to
  saves against poison. They need to eat and drink only one-
  quarter the usual amount for a creature of their size.
  Spell Resistance (Su): An Urgan’s minion has spell resist-
  ance equal to 13 + its Hit Dice.
  Urgan’s Minions Society
  Urgan’s minions base their society and actions solely on the
  principles set forth in Urgan’s Codices, which makes them
  violent, unpredictable, and prone to aggressive actions
  against nearby settlements. They blame others for the sim-
  plest predicament, from a month of poor hunting to an acci-
  dent that ruins part of their lair. They see all outsiders as
  potential thieves and murderers. Though they rarely make
  unprovoked attacks, they shadow anyone who comes close to
  their settlements. After a few hours of watching an intruder,
  they can usually concoct some reason to justify an ambush
  against her.
  The priests of Urgan run the minions’ society, ruling with
  an iron fist based on their interpretation of the Codices.
  These creatures have an ingrained sense of trust toward each
  other and to Urgan, a trait that allows them to function as a
  society without devolving into absolute paranoia and mis-
  trust. The priests make most decisions as a group, with each
  Legacy of the Dragons
  108
  
  of them casting a vote and the majority carrying any decision. The
  priests are usually the eldest minions. Those who show skill in battle or
  intelligence are taught to read by the current priests and then given
  access to the Codices. Each colony’s book is regarded as a holy object,
  and it plays an important role in many of the minions’ rituals.
  Minions prefer to settle in easily defended areas such as caves and
  hidden grottos.They share living space,tools,and food much like a mil-
  itary organization.Private space is an unheard-of luxury;even impor-
  tant business is conducted by the priests in full view of the rest of the
  colony.While the minions usually lack the resources to erect forges,
  their suits of hide armor and their greatclubs are well-crafted items
  rather than the crude tools of rabble.
  Other races see the minions as a sad result of what can happen
  when magic is used irresponsibly. The giants feel they have a responsi-
  bility to at least attempt to reform these creatures, since their work
  with the sibeccai was Urgan’s inspiration. Sadly, the minions’ para-
  noia is far too deeply embedded in their natures for it to be easily
  purged. Many sibeccai loathe these creatures; their mere existence
  makes sibeccai uncomfortable, because they are reminded of their own
  animal origins. Calling a sibeccai “Urgan’s pet” or a similar epithet is
  a sure way to spark a fight.
  Urgan's Minion Characters
  Owing to their savage culture and warlike attitude, many of Urgan's
  minions train with weapons and armor. Warmains are relatively rare
  among them unless they can steal or loot heavy weapons and armor,
  as the minions lack the tools and technology to produce them. Most
  are champions of their race. The few spellcasters among them, partic-
  ularly their priests, are greenbonds and mage blades.
  Urgan’s Minions Encounter (EL 4)
  The giant magister Ur-Nalgron believes he has finally broken the con-
  ditioning that makes Urgan’s minions violent and paranoid. He cap-
  tured a few creatures from a nearby tribe and succeeded in reforming
  them. He has brought his subjects into town and hopes that, by slow-
  ly exposing them to normal civilization, he can integrate them into
  society.
  At the same time, the rest of the minions’ tribe is convinced that
  Nalgron has twisted and corrupted their brethren. Urgan’s writings tell
  of how he defeated a rival by setting the commoners against him. The
  minions decide to copy that ploy and create evidence that Nalgron’s
  subjects are not truly converted. They slip into town and attack people
  or otherwise cause trouble, escaping through channels in the sewers
  and leaving behind hatred and fear toward Nalgron and his work.
  Many of the townsfolk assume that the magister’s “friends” are
  behind the attack. The minions of the tribe fear that if Nalgron suc-
  ceeds, he will return to their camp and “destroy” all of them with his
  foul plans. Their paranoia makes them unable to see Nalgron’s noble
  intentions. They can only conceive that he wishes to dominate and
  enslave them.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 109
  
  Valkith (Harrid Hound)
  Medium Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 4d10+4 (26 hp), dying/dead: –2/–13
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 40 feet
  AC: 17 (+1 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
  Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+2)
  Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+2) and gore +4 (1d4+1)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Trip
  Special Qualities: Energy absorption, phase into earth,
  see through earth, low-light vision, scent
  Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 11
  Skills: Sneak +7, Spot +1 
  Feats: Iron Will, Multiattack*, Weapon Focus (bite)
  Environment: Any
  Organization:Solitary, pair, or pack (3–8)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 5–8 HD (Medium); 9–12 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: —
  * Denotes a feat from the MM.
  The twisted and corrupt harrids (see Chapter Four of The
  Diamond Throne) bred the valkith on the distant continent to
  the south. They use the beasts, sometimes called “harrid
  hounds,” to help them hunt for slaves. Since the harrids
  themselves feed upon magical energy, they created the
  valkith to absorb energy in a similar way. The harrids use
  their own magic to heal and strengthen their hounds when-
  ever needed.
  Further, they gave the valkith the ability to move and see
  through rock and earth. The hounds use this ability to hide
  just below the surface and attack a foe when it crosses the
  ground above it.
  With a wide body like that of a dark mastiff, the valkith
  has a head that looks vaguely reptilian—almost crocodilean—
  but with horns on either side of it, curving outward. Scales
  cover the creature’s entire body, and it has a long tail.
  Valkith do not speak, but they understand the simple
  commands of their masters.
  Combat
  A group of valkith, for the most part, uses tactics similar to
  those of a wolf or dog pack, making coordinated hit-and-run
  attacks to bring down a much larger foe. A lone valkith is
  more likely to use its phase into earth ability to hide in the
  ground and wait in ambush for prey.
  Energy Absorption (Su):Valkith absorb magical energy
  directed at them.Spells,spell-like abilities,and the spell-like
  effects of magic items directed at them are drawn harmlessly
  into their bodies.Even area spells and effects do not affect
  them,although they do not cancel out the effect for others in
  the area.Further,the creature feeds on the energy and uses it
  to heal its wounds.A wounded valkith gains 5 hit points per
  spell level absorbed.Thus,if a magister casts cold blast at a
  valkith,the hound heals 5 hit points.If the same magister
  uses a wand to cast sorcerous blast with three valkith in the
  area,each instantly heals 15 hit points.The energy absorption
  cannot raise a valkith over its normal hit point maximum.
  Magical energy can, however, restore a dead valkith to life.
  If a valkith reaches –13 hit points or is slain in some other
  way, two spell levels of magical energy will restore it to –12
  hit points, no matter how long it’s been dead, as long as at
  least three-quarters of its body remains intact. Three spell
  levels will restore it to –12 and then heal it 5 points, bringing
  it to –7. Four levels will bring a dead valkith to –2, and so on.
  The only way to permanently destroy a valkith is to com-
  pletely dismember, burn, or otherwise obliterate its body,
  using a method other than spells or spell-like abilities.
  A valkith within an area of continuous,natural magic,such
  as a power cyst (see “Magical Effects of the Land” in Chapter
  One of The Diamond Throne),has the fast healing 5 ability in
  Legacy of the Dragons
  110
  
  addition to its ability to gain healing
  from spells and effects directed at it.
  Supernatural abilities such as dragon’s breath,or
  magic weapon qualities such as that of a +1 flaming
  longsword,affect the valkith normally.
  Phase Into Earth (Su): A valkith can sink down into the
  ground or enter a boulder or rock wall as if it did not exist.It
  uses this ability to pass through stone and earth barriers well as
  to hide.The creature can “swim” through solid rock or earth at
  its normal speed.If the valkith is to hide within a stone or area
  of earth,it must be large enough to accommodate the hound
  in all three dimensions.Minor physical damage to the stone or
  ground does not harm the valkith,but its partial destruction
  (to the extent that the hound no longer fits within it) expels
  the beast and deals it 5d6 points of damage.The stone’s or
  earth’s complete destruction (such as with a disintegration)
  expels the valkith and slays it instantly,unless it succeeds at a
  Fortitude save (DC 18).Any spell with the earth descriptor that
  changes,reshapes,or damages the earth the valkith is inside
  expels the creature and deals it 5d6 points of damage.
  If a valkith is aware of the attack,weapons made of stone—
  a hurled boulder, a stone from a sling, or a stone-headed
  hammer—inflict no damage and pass right through the beast.
  Likewise, the valkith does not take falling damage if it falls
  onto stone or earth, and rockslides and cave-ins present no
  danger if the creature is conscious and aware of the threat.
  Scent (Ex):The valkith can detect opponents within 30
  feet by sense of smell. For upwind foes, the range increases
  to 60 feet; downwind, it drops to 15 feet. When detecting a
  scent, the valkith doesn’t determine its exact source, only its
  presence in range. The valkith can take a standard action to
  note the scent’s direction. Once within 5 feet of the source, it
  can pinpoint the source. A valkith can also follow tracks by
  smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track.
  See Through Earth (Su): A valkith can see through up to
  10 feet of earth or stone as if it were not there.
  Trip (Ex):A valkith that hits with a bite attack can
  attempt to trip the opponent (+2 check modifier) as a free
  action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack
  of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot
  react to trip the valkith.
  Valkith Encounter (EL 9)
  A clutch of harrids has taken over a tower as a residence.
  The player characters learn that these harrids have stolen
  an important magic item from a wealthy human magister,
  and she is willing to pay handsomely for its return. If the
  PCs go to the tower, they find out that five valkith guard
  the outside—and they most likely find out the hard way.
  The valkith maintain their trained positions just under
  the surface of the ground. (Refer to the map to see the posi-
  tion of each hound.) They attack as soon as anyone passes
  within 5 feet of their position. If anyone reaches the stairs
  to the door, they all come out of hiding.
  Further, the harrids have placed a magical “trap” on the
  door. When opened, it releases a burst of magical energy. The
  energy flashes with a green pulse for a moment but is other-
  wise harmless. However, it counts as a 6th-level spell effect
  that spreads out for 100 feet (beyond the edges of the map).
  The energy heals any valkith up to 30 hit points. Any dead
  valkith comes back to life with 8 hit points, whereupon it
  immediately attacks again.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 111
  
  Vallorian
  Medium Humanoid
  Hit Dice: 1d10 (5 hp), dying/dead –1/–10
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 20 feet, base 30 feet
  AC: 19 (+2 Dexterity, +5 swarm† breastplate, +2 long shield),
  touch 12, flat-footed 17
  Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1
  Attack: Bloodthirster† longsword +5 melee (1d8+2)
  Full Attack: Bloodthirster† longsword +5 melee (1d8+2)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Cast compelling command 2/day
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, SR 11
  Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0
  Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Skills: Climb +3, Handle Animal +3, Intimidate +3, Swim +4
  Feats: Bonded Item (bloodthirster longsword), Weapon 
  Focus (longsword)
  Environment: Any subterranean
  Organization: Patrol (3–18 plus one 3rd-level leader), war 
  band (6–36 plus two 3rd-level sergeants and one 5th-level 
  commander), or outpost (10–200 plus ten 3rd-level 
  sergeants, five 5th-level overseers, two 8th-level masters,
  and one 12th-level overlord)
  Challenge Rating: 1
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +1
  Vallorians are a degenerate, malicious subrace of humani-
  ty. These creatures have small, slender, frames, pale skin,
  snow-white hair, and large, black eyes. Many males and
  females shave their heads bald, while others style their hair
  in strange, elaborate patterns. From deep within their sub-
  terranean realms, Vallorians plot to invade the surface using
  their bizarre and deadly living weapons.
  In the ancient days,an entire kingdom of humanity disap-
  peared shortly before the rise of the dramojh.A mighty human
  king named Vallor led his people beneath the earth rather than
  face possible defeat at the hands of the dramojh.Legends tell
  that this king and his followers had the power to win the
  struggle  but were too self-centered to consider sacrificing any
  of their number for the good of all—and thus the Vallorians
  descended into the depths of the earth.For untold generations
  they lived within the deepest caves.Inbreeding,magical exper-
  imentation,and natural adaptation transformed them into a
  degenerate race of subterranean creatures.Over the centuries,
  their legends have changed to include tales that blame the other
  human factions for turning against them and working with the
  dramojh to force them beneath the earth.Now,they plot and
  wait for an opportunity to take what they see as rightfully theirs.
  The Vallorians have learned to manipulate living creatures
  to create a wide variety of items.A Vallorian sword is a spe-
  cialized creature crafted from an undulating vat of proto-
  flesh.It has a hard,sharp-edged carapace and can smell blood
  and lunge at an opponent as its Vallorian master wields it.
  Vallorians’ armor is made of living creatures that cloak them
  in protective shells and heal them of their wounds.
  The Vallorians gained this knowledge by forging a pact
  with a being of pure malevolence, a dark god known as
  Harzahk, who gave them the secrets of proto-life and
  fleshcrafting in return for their obedience. Since that time,
  the Vallorians have followed the dictates of Harzahk’s
  priests. They offer living sacrifices, preferably intelligent
  humanoids, to the writhing, tentacled pools of proto-flesh
  from which they craft their strange weapons and armor.
  During times of famine, when the fungus crops bear little
  edible food and the great hordes of underworld herd lizards
  and beetles dwindle, this sickening mass of pulpy flesh also
  serves the Vallorians as an emergency food source.
  The Vallorian’s statistics here reflect a typical 1st-level warrior.
  Combat
  Vallorians are vicious and fanatical in battle,as befits a race that
  blames humanity for its current plight.When spurred into battle
  by the Harzahkite priests,they fight to the death and never
  yield ground.However,they are far from mindless killers.They
  prefer to sacrifice inexperienced troops and slaves to draw out
  their enemies’ abilities,then respond with ambushes and other
  tactics that build on the information they have gathered.
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Vallorians can cast compelling
  command twice per day as a 1st-level magister. The save DC
  against this spell is DC 13.
  Vallorian Society
  Within their underworld settlements,the Vallorians have built
  a highly stratified society in which an individual’s clan dictates
  much of his lot in life.The nobles that led the Vallorians into
  their self-imposed exile founded a society based on inheritance
  and social position.Each clan has a specific task charged to it,
  and its members are expected to perform that task to the best
  of their ability.For example,the Stonehammer clan specializes
  in masonry and construction,while the Swiftblades are sol-
  diers and war leaders.Only Vallorians who display exceptional
  skill with magic or weaponry can rise above their clan’s station.
  Such individuals are placed into elite training cadres at a
  young age. If they develop their talents, they are allowed to
  take as a surname the name of one of the five royal houses:
  Tyrgar, Philomon, Ulthar, Grevin, or Cyrthrik. Otherwise,
  trainees remain without a surname, placing them above the
  other clans but still below the five royal ones.
  The royal clans rule by means of clever politicking and
  their influence in the religious hierarchy. They have divided
  Legacy of the Dragons
  112
  
  the caverns their race controls into five roughly equal por-
  tions and rule as oligarchs, with the patriarchs and matri-
  archs of each clan serving on a ruling council. Infighting
  plagues this arrangement, with the lower clans continually
  putting their support behind different royal clans. Since each
  of the lower clans controls one industry, the five ruling ones
  need to maintain at least passable relations with all of them,
  all while competing among themselves for power.
  This balancing act would have long ago collapsed into
  anarchy without the power of the Harzahkite priests. Each of
  the ruling houses contributes its most skilled and brightest
  children to the priesthood, where they are trained in the art
  of magic while maintaining their familial ties. Thus, the
  priests’ control over the proto-flesh vats keeps the lower
  houses in line, but those lesser families’ numbers and skill in
  a wide variety of crafts allow them to remain independent.
  Compared to surface folk, the average Vallorian has a rela-
  tively secure, safe, and prosperous life.
  Unfortunately for those surface folk,the Vallorians blame
  them for their banishment.With the Harzahkite priests fan-
  ning the flames of hatred,the Vallorians capture explorers
  and travelers who venture into the earth and cast them into
  the proto-flesh as sacrifices.Vallorians dream of conquering
  and enslaving the world above,but their numbers are too few
  for a direct invasion to have any chance of success.They pre-
  fer indirect actions,such as hiring blade trolls (see page 20)
  and other monsters to raid towns for sacrificial victims and
  loot.As the Vallorian population continues to grow slowly,
  the caverns they inhabit will eventually be too small to house
  and feed them all.In time,Harzahk’s divine vision of a
  Vallorian conquest of the upper realms may come to pass.
  Vallorian Realms
  The original Vallorian settlements grew up in massive cav-
  erns deep within the earth. The settlers survived by cultivat-
  ing mushrooms and hunting a species of small, subter-
  ranean pig known as vraka. These creatures feed on bugs and
  small insects and have proven relatively easy to breed in cap-
  tivity. In addition, the Vallorians hunt large beetles and keep
  small herds of giant crickets and other bugs. Their cities are
  protected by stone walls, with a cathedral to Harzahk and
  a pool of proto-flesh positioned in the center of each
  city. When a settlement needs more room, the
  Vallorians build downward, with many of their
  dwellings featuring multiple floors carved from
  the rock and earth. Wells dug into the rock 
  provide water.
  Vallorian Characters
  Vallorians tend to become mage blades, magisters, and war-
  mains. Their priests are spellcasters, usually magisters. A few
  akashics serve the race as historians and sages.
  All of the following traits and abilities apply to Vallorian
  characters:
  +2 Dexterity,+2 Intelligence,–2 Charisma:With their
  slightly smaller, agile frames, Vallorians are quicker than
  average. With their natural affinity for magic and 
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 113
  
  engineering, they are smarter than other creatures, but their
  cold, distant manner makes them difficult to relate to.
  Spell Resistance  10 + Character Level:Due to their
  arcane background and exposure to the strange elements
  and energies of the underworld’s depths, Vallorians are diffi-
  cult to affect with spells.
  Magic Affinity:Vallorians are powerful spellcasters who
  have an innate ability to master even the most complex
  spells. They gain a +2 bonus to the ability score that deter-
  mines their casting ability for the purpose of determining
  the number of bonus spells they can cast and ready per day
  and their spells’ save DCs. This bonus does not apply to
  other situations or applications of the same ability score.
  Vallorians have an innate connection to the bizarre, living
  tools they create. They can employ items that have received
  one of the Vallorian item templates without penalty.
  Darkvision 60 Feet:Vallorians can see in utter darkness
  as well as other creatures see in the light. They can distin-
  guish color and all other visible details.
  As Vallorians gain power,their innate connection to magic
  grows and strengthens.They receive spell-like abilities based
  on their character level.A Vallorian gains the abilities listed
  for his current level and all lower ones and casts as a magister
  with a level equal to his character level.Since these are innate,
  spell-like abilities,Vallorians never suffer a chance of spell
  failure based on the armor they wear or shields they carry.
  Level
  Spell-Like Ability
  1st–3rd
  Compelling command 2/day
  4th–6th
  Cloak of darkness 3/day
  7th–9th
  Invisibility 3/day
  10th–12th
  Ghost weapon 3/day
  13th–15th
  Lesser dominate 1/day
  16th–19th
  Blindsight 3/day
  20th
  Rock’s hand 3/day
  Adjusted Level:Due to their inherent powers and abili-
  ties, Vallorians add 1 to their character level when determin-
  ing their Challenge Rating and effective character level.
  Living Weapons and Armor
  The strange weapons of the Vallorians represent a fusion
  between living creatures and carefully designed tools. Living
  swords and sentient armor form a symbiotic bond with their
  users,combining abilities to create a potent duo.In the hands
  of creatures other than Vallorians,these items react violently,
  lashing out at their would-be users and refusing to obey them.
  Vallorians forge their weapons and armor from the sim-
  mering vats of proto-flesh that the deity Harzahk enabled
  them to create deep within the world.Deprived of many of
  the goods and resources they once relied upon,their powerful
  mages bent themselves to the task of creating new materials
  they could harvest within the underworld.This research led
  to an unholy pact with their blasphemous god Harzahk,the
  Wellspring of Life and the Keeper of the Way.At the direction
  of Harzahk’s priests,the Vallorians collected living creatures
  and wrought terrible changes to them,giving rise to the mass
  of proto-life that now dominates each cathedral devoted to
  Harzahk and forms the center of every Vallorian settlement.
  Creating weapons, armor, and other tools from this abom-
  inable substance is accomplished by Vallorian spellcasters
  who use their formidable intellects to shape the stuff. This
  process is by no means easy. A Vallorian may spend days in
  deep concentration, laboring to produce a living sword that
  meets the exacting level of quality demanded.
  In game terms, these living weapons and armor receive
  one of the templates described below. These templates grant
  an item several benefits, at the cost of gold pieces or experi-
  ence points paid by the person responsible for its creation.
  They do not otherwise alter a weapon’s function.For example,
  a heavy mace that receives a template still counts as a heavy
  mace for the purpose of feats such as Weapon Focus.
  A spellcaster must possess the Craft Living Arms and Armor
  feat (described below) to produce goods that have these tem-
  plates.Living weapons and armor can receive any standard
  magical qualities as normal.A living weapon or suit of armor
  can receive only one of the following templates,and the item
  does not count as magical unless it is otherwise enchanted.
  Living items do not count as masterwork items,though they
  can receive that quality (and its benefits) for the normal price.
  Living weapons and armor are designed,trained,and bred
  to obey only Vallorians.Other creatures cannot utilize them.
  New Feat
  Craft Living Arms and Armor
  [Item Creation]
  As a Vallorian fleshsmith, you have learned to sculpt chunks
  of proto-flesh into living weapons through the power of
  your intellect.
  Prerequisites: Vallorian, Intelligence 13, caster level 3rd
  Benefit: You can apply Vallorian templates to items you
  create. Add half the template’s given cost to the base price in
  materials and components needed to produce the item. You
  can apply these templates to magical or mundane items.
  Weapon Templates
  Bloodthirster: A weapon with this template twists and
  writhes in its wielder’s grasp,moving like a snake that darts
  to the right and left in search of an opening in its opponent’s
  defenses.A bloodthirster weapon gains sentience based on
  the strength of its user’s intellect.In battle,it moves and
  bends to evade its foe’s defenses and strike at him.Its blade or
  bludgeon sprouts a pair of beady,malicious eyes and a small,
  slavering maw that nips at its foe.A bloodthirster weapon
  Legacy of the Dragons
  114
  
  adds its user’s Intelligence modifier to its attack rolls and
  damage rolls in addition to all other modifiers.Cost: 500 gp.
  Flailing: Flailing weapons are similar to bloodthirster
  weapons, in that they move independently of their wielder’s
  actions. However, they are simpler, stronger creatures that
  are more suited to overpowering their enemies. When used
  to trip or disarm an opponent, a flailing weapon grants a +2
  enhancement bonus to attack rolls and Strength or Dexterity
  checks to complete the maneuver. These weapons have small
  but powerful tentacles to grip and pull on their opponents or
  their weapons. Cost: 500 gp.
  Gnawing: A favored adaptation for arrows, bolts, and
  sling stones, this trait grants a weapon a small, fanged
  mouth that bites down on its foe and holds fast. Gnawing
  weapons latch onto their target when they hit, dealing 1
  point of damage per round until they are removed. They deal
  this damage starting on the round after they strike a target.
  A standard action removes all gnawing weapons from a single
  creature. A melee weapon with this trait deals this additional
  damage only if the Vallorian wielding it lets go of the
  weapon immediately after a successful attack. Cost: 100 gp.
  Seeker: Seeker weapons develop finely honed senses that
  allow them to spot weak points in their opponent’s armor and
  strike at vital areas with relative ease.Weapons with this trait
  increase their threat range by one.For example,a weapon that
  threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19–20 increases that range
  to 18–20 with this template.Apply this template before
  accounting for any feats or talents that improve a weapon’s
  threat range.A seeker weapon has a single,baleful eye that
  continually watches its user’s foe.Cost: 2,000 gp.
  Venomous: A favorite of Vallorian assassins and scouts, a
  venomous weapon has a single long fang that drips a vis-
  cous, green poison. On a successful hit, it injects this poison
  into its target. The poison has a Fortitude save DC of 14 and
  deals 1d4 points of temporary Strength damage as its initial
  and secondary effects. Cost: 6,000 gp.
  Warden: Weapons with this template are creatures with
  thick, protective plates and dozens of tiny eyes. A warden
  weapon defends its user from attacks, knocking aside incom-
  ing blows and aiding his attempts to parry.It grants the equiv-
  alent of the Expertise feat.Users who already possess that feat
  can double the AC bonus it grants them. Cost: 2,000 gp.
  Armor Templates
  Chameleon:By stretching a thin layer of proto-flesh scales
  over a suit of armor, a Vallorian fleshsmith can grant it the
  ability to blend into a wide variety of environments. The
  scales mirror the color and texture of the environment
  around them, granting anyone wearing this armor the abili-
  ty to camouflage her presence. Chameleon armor negates
  the armor check modifier to all Sneak checks made to hide.
  In addition, it grants a +4 competence bonus to such skill
  checks. Cost: 2,000 gp.
  Mending: Armor with this template includes a number of
  small, wormlike creatures that crawl over and beneath its
  plates and joints. The worms are pulpy, slimy creatures that
  produce fluids that can quickly heal wounds. Three times per
  day, a character wearing mending armor can heal herself of
  1d8 points of damage as a free action. Cost: 300 gp.
  Swarm: Armor with this template consists of several inde-
  pendent plates that move to arrange themselves based on
  their user’s desire.These “plates” are small,beetlelike crea-
  tures with thick,heavy outer shells.These beetles can move to
  protect their wearer’s vital areas,or they can distribute their
  weight to reduce the protection they offer while improving
  their user’s mobility.The wearer of swarm armor can improve
  its maximum Dexterity bonus by as much as 4 and reduce its
  armor check penalty by as much as 4 if she chooses to reduce
  its armor bonus by the same amount.If the item’s armor
  bonus falls to half its original value or less,the armor counts
  as light armor until its armor bonus rises back to more than
  half its original value.Any manipulation of the attributes of
  swarm armor,whether to reduce its armor bonus or to restore
  it to a higher value,requires a full-round action.Vallorian
  scouts favor this armor,since they can maximize their maneu-
  verability when not in battle and then alter the armor to pro-
  tect them in combat.Cost: 500 gp.
  Shield Templates
  Biting:A biting shield features a toothy, leering maw set
  below a pair of small, glaring eyes. Once per round, a shield
  with this template can attack by snapping its jaws at an
  opponent that has just hit its bearer with a melee attack. The
  shield attacks only if its bearer instructs it to do so; neither
  the instruction nor the shield’s attack are considered actions
  (one can take them at any time during a round). The shield
  has a base attack bonus equal to its bearer’s base attack
  bonus before any modifiers, and it deals 1d6 points of slash-
  ing damage on a successful hit. Cost: 500 gp.
  Grasping: Shields with this template have a number of
  long, limp tendrils hanging from their outer edges. When
  used to bash an opponent, a grasping shield can help to
  grapple the target with these tendrils. It grants its bearer the
  ability, after a successful shield bash, to make a grapple
  attempt as a free action that does not provoke an attack of
  opportunity. Cost: 4,000 gp.
  Searing: This bulky, slimy shield has a single sphincterlike
  opening at its center. A fleshy, baglike organ hangs from the
  shield’s inner side, opposite the sphincter. Once per day
  when in battle, the bearer can instruct the shield (as a free
  action) to draw in a great breath and spew forth the acidic
  digestive juices stored in that organ. This attack is a standard
  action that the shield takes during its bearer’s turn. The
  caustic spray deals 2d6 points of acid damage to any crea-
  tures within a 15-foot cone. Cost: 1,000 gp.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 115
  
  Vuldrog
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 10d10+50 (94 hp), dying/dead –6/–20
  Initiative: +2 
  Speed: 30 feet, fly 80 feet (good)
  AC: 19 (–1 size, +2 Dexterity, +8 natural), touch 11,
  flat-footed 17
  Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+18
  Attack: Beak +14 melee (2d6+6) or talon +13 melee (1d6+4)
  Full Attack: Beak +14 melee (2d6+6) and 2 talons +11 melee
  (1d6+4)
  Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Improved grab, pinned strike, powerful legs,
  rend (2d6+6)
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision
  Saves: Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Skills: Spot* +7, Wilderness Survival +6
  Feats: Combat Reflexes, Multiattack**, Power Attack, Power 
  Charge, Weapon Focus (beak), Weapon Specialization 
  (beak)
  Environment: Cold mountains
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or flock (3–12)
  Challenge Rating: 6
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: 11–16 HD (Large); 17–24 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +4
  ** Denotes a feat from the MM.
  Each of these winged beasts has thick, black feathers,
  long, clawed legs, a scaled torso, and a vicious beak that ends
  in a sharp point capable of punching through plate armor.
  The vuldrog’s serpentine neck allows it to impale an enemy
  on its beak, while its powerful legs can grasp and rend an
  opponent with ease.
  Vuldrogs inhabit mountains and hills, though hunger can
  sometimes drive them to seek prey in lowland areas. They are
  predatory and vicious, preferring humanoid prey to simple
  animals because intelligent creatures provide them with
  more enjoyable displays of pain and torment. They keep iso-
  lated aeries high in the mountains, usually within caves or
  under sheltered ledges accessible only by air. In these grim
  domains, they keep prey captive until they grow weary of
  playing with it. At that point, they finally devour their unfor-
  tunate victims.
  Because vuldrogs place little value on gold, gems, and
  other treasures, their lairs contain many valuable items
  among the remains of their foes. During mating season,
  these beasts seek to impress potential partners with the piled
  bones and possessions of their victims.
  Combat
  A vuldrog prefers to swoop upon a victim, grasp him in its
  powerful talons, and whisk him away to its lair. Against
  armored opponents or trained warriors, a vuldrog uses its
  talons to hold a victim in place while attacking him with its
  vicious beak. Even the strongest warrior may have difficulty
  escaping a vuldrog’s clutches.
  Vuldrogs usually target smaller creatures or those that lack
  any obvious weapons and armor. They generally try to attack
  from ambush, plummeting from the sky in a blur of scales
  and feathers to claim their victims.
  * Skills (Ex): A vuldrog’s sharp eyes grant it a +4 racial
  bonus to all Spot checks.
  Improved Grab (Ex): If a vuldrog hits an opponent with
  one talon attack, it can make a grapple attempt as a free
  action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If a vul-
  drog pins a Medium or smaller creature, it can carry its vic-
  tim off into the air.
  Pinned Strike (Ex): When grappling an opponent, a vul-
  drog can attack with its beak as a standard action. It gains a
  +4 competence bonus to this attack as it holds its opponent
  in place. Otherwise, this counts as a standard attack made
  against a grappled creature.
  Powerful Legs (Ex): A vuldrog’s legs are so heavily muscled
  that it gains its full Strength bonus to damage rolls when
  using its talons as secondary weapons rather than half its
  Strength bonus.
  Rend (Ex): If a vuldrog hits an opponent with both its
  talon attacks, it rips and tears for an additional 2d6+6
  points of damage.
  Vuldrog Society
  While vuldrogs lack the intelligence to establish a sophisti-
  cated civilization, they do gather in a rough approximation
  of a society. Usually, these creatures keep to themselves, but
  at times a powerful figure may appear among them to forge
  several into an organized group. Vuldrogs respect strength,
  durability, and skill in combat. Among themselves, they fight
  for the right to take mates and engage in sharp skirmishes
  for control of choice lairs. A vuldrog that loses any of these
  struggles has its wings torn off and is thrown from its cliff
  home by the victors.
  Usually these struggles for power remain beyond the notice
  of civilized realms,but at times they can spill over to concern
  even the mightiest of lords.Vuldrogs make no distinction
  between creatures of their race and other creatures.A power-
  ful warrior or spellcaster could conceivably defeat a band of
  vuldrogs,slay the leaders among them,and establish herself
  as their ruler.Many ambitious bandit lords and tyrants have
  used magic items that granted them the ability to fly in order
  to gain the services of a powerful,aerial fighting force.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  116
  
  Vuldrog Encounter (EL 10)
  Large flocks of vuldrogs have swept in on the lowlands,
  attacking travelers seemingly at random. While the charac-
  ters go about their business in town or while they are on the
  road between destinations, four vuldrogs descend upon
  them and attempt to carry off one of their number.
  If the characters defeat the beasts, they discover that sim-
  ilar attacks have occurred throughout the area, with many
  innocents having been kidnapped. The characters must
  track the flock to its distant lair, where they discover that a
  power-mad spellcaster has gained control of the beasts. The
  magister needs living sacrifices for a terrible ritual that will
  unlock the secret of a strange, rune-covered staff she uncov-
  ered in an ancient ruin.
  Vuldrog Encounter (EL 6)
  While traveling through the mountains, the characters come
  to a narrow path that curves along a rounded cliff face. If
  they are observant, they can note bones, broken weapons,
  and other debris at the cliff’s base 50 feet below them. This
  area is a preferred hunting ground for a vuldrog. The beast
  uses the narrow terrain to fight one traveler at a time, the
  curves in the path allowing it to attack a lone character as he
  moves around a corner on the trail.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 117
  
  Wind Lord
  Large Giant
  Hit Dice: 12d8+48 (102 hp), dying/dead –5/–18
  Initiative: +5
  Speed: 30 feet, fly 60 feet (good)
  AC: 21 (–1 size, +1 Dexterity, +8 natural, +3 studded leather),
  touch 10, flat-footed 20
  Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19
  Attack: Greatclub +19 melee (2d8+18)
  Full Attack: Greatclub +19/+14 melee (2d8+18) and 2 talons 
  +14 melee (1d8+5)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet)
  Special Attacks: Shock wave, sonic blast
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision, magical flight, resistance 
  to cold 10 and sonic 10
  Saves: Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +6
  Abilities: Str 23, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9
  Feats: Improved Initiative, Modify Combat Style, Power 
  Attack, Power Charge, Weapon Focus (greatclub), Weapon
  Specialization (greatclub)
  Environment: Cold and temperate mountains
  Organization: Solitary, pair, raiding party (3–12 plus one 
  4th-level leader), or flock (4–48 plus one 8th-level baron)
  Challenge Rating: 8
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement: By character class
  Level Adjustment: +4
  A wind lord resembles a warped combination of a bird
  and a human. It stands 10 feet tall, with ragged, feathered
  wings that stretch like membranes from its torso and legs to
  its arms. Its legs end in fierce talons that it uses to tear into
  opponents. Its wings serve to stabilize and direct it in the
  air, allowing it to glide upon powerful winds and elemental
  energies. When angered, a wind lord can send tremendous
  shock waves toward its enemies by drawing on this power
  that swirls and capers around it. It can direct powerful gusts
  of wind that knock its enemies prone or summon the energy
  of elemental air to produce bursts of sonic energy.
  Wind lords are wild,reckless predators that haunt the
  highest mountain peaks in the world.They view anything
  that relies on its feet for travel as an inferior creature worthy
  only of pity and contempt.Their teachings hold that they are
  the true lords of the air,and other races are fit only for service
  or exploitation.Their raiding parties are rightly feared for
  their nocturnal attacks,in which they descend upon a city or
  town to force captives into great cages they carry with their
  talons.Other raiders carry off as much food,gold,gems,and
  other treasures as possible.The unfortunates taken prisoner
  are forced to toil as slaves high in the wind lords’ aerie with
  little hope for rescue.Even the bravest rescue parties have
  trouble coping with the thin air and other perils of the moun-
  tain peaks—not to mention the wind lords themselves,who
  stand ready to cast any intruders down upon the rocks.
  Combat
  In battle, wind lords are careful fighters who prefer to study
  their opponents. Their ability to fly allows them to wait for
  the perfect moment to attack. Like vultures, they fly just out
  of bowshot from potential targets, watching for the slightest
  sign that their targets are ripe for the picking. While wind
  lords are brave, if not overconfident, they realize that their
  speed and maneuverability allow them to dictate when and
  where a fight takes place.
  Shock Wave (Su): A wind lord can generate an intense,
  magical burst of wind and energy that knocks its opponents
  prone and may tear an enemy’s weapon from his hands. As a
  full-round action once per hour, the wind lord draws the
  power of elemental air to its body, focuses it into magical
  force, and projects it out as a 60-foot cone. Creatures within
  the cone are blasted by a combination of a powerful gust of
  wind and a mighty burst of energy. They must make
  Strength checks with a +4 bonus per size category larger
  than Medium or a –4 penalty per size category smaller than
  Medium. A creature receives an additional +4 bonus to this
  check if it is exceptionally stable or has four or more legs. If
  the creature receives any bonuses to resist bull rush attacks,
  it gains them for this Strength check as well.
  The shock wave ability has several potential effects
  depending on the target’s Strength check result. If the result
  is 20 or higher, the target suffers no ill effects. If the result is
  10 to 19, he is knocked prone in his current space. If the
  result is less than 10, the target is knocked prone, and any-
  thing he carried in his hands is hurled 1d20 feet away by the
  force of this attack. Unattended objects are also affected by
  this shock wave. As a rule of thumb, objects that weigh 20
  lbs. or less move 1d100 feet, those between 21 and 100 lbs.
  move 1d20 feet, and heavier objects remain in place (but
  might topple over). All objects affected by the shock wave are
  propelled away from the wind lord, in the direction of the
  force that emanates from it.
  Sonic Blast (Su): By gathering elemental energy to them
  and unleashing it in a single, devastating burst, wind lords
  can hammer their opponents with sonic energy. Once per
  hour, a wind lord can create a blast of sonic power in a 60-
  foot cone. All creatures within this area take 8d6 points of
  sonic damage, with a Fortitude save (DC 15) halving this
  effect. In addition, characters that fail this save are deafened
  for 1d10 minutes.
  Magical Flight (Su): Wind lords can take to the air because
  of the magical and elemental energy that surrounds them.This
  effect counts as a 9th-level spell cast by a 20th-level magister.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  118
  
  It operates continually and provides the wind lord with its fly-
  ing capabilities.If this effect is somehow dispelled,a wind lord
  can gather a new nimbus of energy to it by resting for four
  days.At the end of this time,the wind lord can fly once again.
  Of course, such measures mean little to a wind lord who
  plummets to the earth due to a skillfully cast dispel magic.
  Wind Lord Society
  Wind lords gather in groups called flocks, each led by a pow-
  erful figure known as a baron. These nobles rule with an iron
  fist, and their command over their followers is based more
  on their ability to fight and defeat would-be usurpers than
  on any claim to royal heritage. To the wind lords, those who
  are strong must rule. This philosophy is a natural extension
  of their belief that creatures that cannot fly are inherently
  weak and unfit. To the wind lords, flight is a vital, necessary
  component of a creature’s worth. Among their own kind, this
  willingness to categorize creatures as fit or weak, worthy or
  despicable, extends to everyday life. The strongest wind lords
  belittle and bully those below them on the social ladder.
  Competition marks their ranks from highest to lowest, as
  each wind lord hopes to gain the
  respect and leverage needed to
  improve his place in the flock.
  Wind lords that are at the top of
  this pecking order receive first
  choice of any treasures claimed in
  battle, the best bits of food, and
  the services of personal slaves.
  Low-ranking wind lords may
  themselves be forced to endure
  servitude. Even those that escape
  this fate endure harsh treatment.
  Many of these wretches are forced
  to leave the nest in order to raid
  the countryside, battling men,
  wind lords, and other enemies,
  and otherwise hone their skills in
  hopes of one day returning to the
  nest to claim a place at the head
  of the social order. This tradition
  forces wind lords to stage regular
  attacks on civilized regions, since
  treasure and tales of success in bat-
  tle rank as the two best methods for
  getting ahead in a flock.
  Wind Lord Characters
  Wind lords commonly take levels in warrior,
  because many of them are hunters, raiders, and
  marauders. Their cultural emphasis on personal
  skill pushes them to develop their fighting ability,
  though luckily most of the strongest and most skilled 
  wind lords remain high in their aeries, secure in the pres-
  tigious rank they have attained. The younger wind lords,
  those that attack the lowlands, are rarely skilled in anything
  more than the basics of combat.
  A few rare wind lords become greenbonds. These creatures
  break away from the ruthless, predatory traditions of their
  people and become the caretakers of the highest mountain
  reaches. They share a special affinity for birds, and some of
  these spellcasters construct large havens for migratory flocks.
  Wind Lord Encounter (EL 8)
  The characters are awakened from their slumber by a loud,
  crashing sound on the roof of the inn where they are stay-
  ing. A renegade wind lord has descended upon the place in
  the dead of night. It smashes through the roof to grab sleep-
  ing victims before they can arm and armor themselves,
  throwing them into a large sack it carries. The characters
  must act quickly to foil the monster’s plans—it hopes to
  carry off a few would-be slaves to help establish a new colony
  it wants to construct in the nearby mountains.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 119
  
  Witchraven
  Small Magical Beast 
  Hit Dice: 3d10 (16 hp), dying/dead –1/–11
  Initiative: +2
  Speed: 10 feet, fly 50 feet (average)
  AC: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dexterity, +1 natural), touch 13,
  flat-footed 12
  Base Attack/Grapple:+3/–2
  Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3–1)
  Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3–1)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet 
  (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Paralysis, curse
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, SR 11, aid witchery
  Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3
  Abilities: Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
  Skills: Move Silently +5, Sneak +6, Spot +5
  Feats: Defensive Move, Focused Healing, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Any
  Organization: Solitary or murder (6–13)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:4 HD (Small); 5–9 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:—
  In a ritual handed down through familial ties, some
  witches can call upon the services of a witchraven, a creature
  that is a boon to the witch and a bane to virtually anyone
  else. The witchraven serves a witch for a year and a day as 
  a companion, assistant, and—if need be—defender. In
  exchange, the witch provides the witchraven with food, shel-
  ter, and safety for the same period.
  Most people consider witchravens a bad omen when
  sighted. They have a sinister reputation, perhaps unfairly so.
  In the wild, they keep to themselves and feed on rodents and
  small animals. Witchravens are found mainly in magical
  areas: around witchery sites, akashic nodes, power cysts,
  ancient tombs, and so forth.
  Aeons ago,witchravens were a powerful and intelligent
  race of avian creature that dwelled in the Lands of the
  Diamond Throne.They committed a heinous crime in those
  long-lost days,however,offending the gods of the Denotho-
  lan (see “The Gods and Religions” section in Chapter One of
  The Diamond Throne).Their subsequent curse relegated them
  to the position of servants to the races that would follow,but
  only those who could understand them.The verrik’s discovery
  of witchcraft finally allowed people to communicate with the
  creatures and work with them.Before that time,they were a
  menace and a nuisance,but one rarely encountered.Despite
  the fact that their destiny revolves around an ancient curse,
  witchravens do not seem to object to their role.They form
  sincere bonds with the witches who call them.
  Witchravens are indistinguishable from other ravens except
  for their size—they stand 3 feet tall—and an unnerving aura.
  Witches can use the Sight to tell a witchraven from a normal
  but prodigious raven. Some people compare witchravens to
  the verrik, saying that witchravens are to other birds what
  verrik are to other humanoid races. Most verrik take that as a
  compliment. It’s unknown what witchravens think of such a
  statement.
  Witchravens speak Common, although they usually talk
  only to each other and to witches.
  Combat
  Witchravens tend to fight defensively. They use their paraly-
  sis ability against the first foe that meets their gaze, then
  attempt to fly away. A witchraven only uses its curse ability
  against a creature that has wronged it.
  Paralysis (Su): Once per day, the witchraven can paralyze
  one foe it can see within 60 feet, unless the creature makes a
  Will saving throw (DC 13). The paralysis lasts for 1d6+4
  rounds. The saving throw DC is Charisma based.
  Curse (Su):Once per day, the witchraven can curse one
  foe it can see within 60 feet, unless the creature makes a Will
  saving throw (DC 13). The affected creature suffers a –2
  penalty on attacks, saves, and checks until the curse is
  removed. The saving throw DC is Charisma based.
  Aid Witchery (Su): Witches within 30 feet of a witch-
  raven can use all witchery powers as if they were two levels
  higher than their actual level. Further, three times per day,
  the witchraven can concentrate (requiring a standard action)
  during the same round as a witch within 30 feet uses a
  witchery power to grant the power’s saving throw DC (if
  any) a +2 bonus and double its range and duration (if any).
  Master Witchravens
  Instead of serving witches, sometimes a witchraven can be
  a witch itself. These masters often have some distinguish-
  ing physical characteristic, such as a red tuft of feathers
  around their eyes, yellow tips to their wings, and so on.
  Such witchravens always have at least one level of witch
  (often wind or ice witch) and an additional racial bonus of
  +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. They have max-
  imum hit points on their witchraven Hit Dice, but not on
  their witch class Hit Dice. Their witchery powers are aided
  by their own presence, and they gain a further +1 bonus to
  their witchery powers’ saving throw DCs (if any). In addi-
  tion, the powers’ range and duration (if any) double for
  every three normal witchravens within 30 feet. (Normal
  Legacy of the Dragons
  120
  
  witches do not gain these cumulative
  effects.)
  A witchraven always obeys the commands of
  a master, unless bound to a witch. These rare
  individuals almost always lead a murder of the
  birds, operating with their own agendas. They
  resent witches that call their fellows off to 
  service, so witches in general fear master
  witchravens greatly. Legends and rumors of
  master witchravens plucking out the eyes of
  sleeping witches circulate among witch com-
  munities, and some witches know special
  wards to guard them from master witchravens
  while they sleep.
  Master witchravens cannot be called.
  New Feat
  Call Witchraven (Ceremonial)
  You and another witch, related to you by blood, per-
  form a ritual that requires one hour to complete.
  Prerequisite:Witchery ability, caster level 5th,
  Charisma 15
  Benefit:A witchraven appears and serves you for one year
  and one day. During that time, it accompanies you wherever
  you go (unless you tell it otherwise), obeys your commands,
  aids your witchery powers, and even defends you with its
  life. It does not act stupidly or give its life wantonly. One
  year later, you can call upon another witchraven by perform-
  ing the ritual again (but you need take the feat only once).
  The second time, the witchraven remains with you forever.
  You cannot have more than one witchraven companion
  at a time.
  Witchraven Encounter (EL 7)
  When clearing a new area of the forest to cultivate, some
  farmers become plagued by witchravens. They summon
  the player characters for help in discovering who has sent
  this blight upon them. (Many of the farmers are already
  cursed, as well as wounded, from encounters with the
  creatures.) Upon investigation, the PCs must deal with six
  of the creatures.
  Soon they realize that—unbeknownst to anyone but the
  witchravens—the area the farmers are attempting to clear is
  in fact a power cyst. At the center of this magical area lies the
  tomb of a powerful ancient witch. The characters must
  decide whether to drive off the witchravens (and explore the
  tomb), or convince the farmers to go elsewhere.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 121
  
  Zetetic
  Medium Aberration 
  Hit Dice: 18d8+90 (171 hp), dying/dead –6/–20
  Initiative: +9
  Speed: Fly 50 feet (perfect)
  AC: 34 (+5 Dexterity, +12 natural, +7 armor), touch 12,
  flat-footed 22
  Base Attack/Grapple:+13/+20
  Attack: +2 scimitar +23 melee (1d6+11)
  Full Attack: 2 +2 scimitars +23 melee (1d6+11), 2 claws +20
  melee (1d8+7), bite +18 melee (1d8+3), tail +18 melee 
  (1d6+3 plus numbing effect)
  Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet)
  Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict, numbing effect,
  power of the name
  Special Qualities: DR 10/magic (or 10/+2), SR 25, improved 
  evasion, identify truename, darkvision 60 feet
  Saves: Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +15
  Abilities: Str 25, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 17, Wis 19, Cha 18
  Skills: Knowledge (geography)* +20, Knowledge (history)*
  +25, Knowledge (religion)* +20, Listen +20, Sense 
  Motive +15, Sneak +23, Spot +20, Tumble +23
  Feats: Ambidexterity, Defensive Move, Improved Initiative,
  Lightning Reflexes B, Multiattack**, Power Attack,
  Weapon Focus (scimitar), Weapon Specialization 
  (scimitar)
  Environment: Any land 
  Organization: Solitary or band (3–6)
  Challenge Rating: 16
  Treasure: Standard
  Advancement:19–36 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment:+2
  ** Denotes a feat from the MM.
  Masters of secrets,the zetetics were once knights in the serv-
  ice of the legendary hero Denothol.They command not only
  terrible powers due to the new forms they inhabit,but they
  can discern any creature’s truename and use it against it.
  When the warrior scribe Denothol entered his twilight
  years, he spent more time writing of what he had seen and
  done than adventuring. After all his travels and accomplish-
  ments, however, he sought to create an order of men and
  women that would follow in his footsteps. These were the
  Knights of the Zetetic. Like Denothol, they trained their
  minds as well as their bodies. They focused on arts both
  cerebral and martial.
  Denothol’s plans,however,came to a terrible end 34 years
  after his death,when a mage named Garros cast a spell that
  drew all the Zetetic Knights into a magical vortex,where they
  were held for 1,001 years.Once freed,the zetetics that
  emerged were no longer recognizable as human,nor did most
  of them uphold the ideals of their founder any longer.
  Changed in body and spirit,the zetetics now wander the
  realm,usually alone but sometimes in bands.They search for
  power and knowledge—specifically,for the knowledge and
  power to regain their former selves,undo what has been done
  to them,and even reverse time,if such a thing is possible.
  Of course, since they know so much and have their own
  supernatural link to knowledge (almost certainly related to
  the akashic memory), sometimes others seek out the zetetics
  to inquire about some ancient mystery. Zetetics are difficult
  to find and harder to parley with, but those who succeed
  often learn lore unavailable anywhere else.
  In their new form, zetetics are sexless and ageless. They
  sleep and eat only a little, although they still breathe. They
  make no permanent lairs, for they are wanderers, searching
  for knowledge which may not exist.
  More than anything else, zetetics hate undead. This may
  be because they see themselves, in a way, as being far too
  similar to undead. It may also be due to some ancient pre-
  cept of their order they still cling to. In any event, even the
  most powerful of undead fear the zetetics—the mighty
  Death-King, Vahr of Verdune, fell to the blades of a band of
  zetetics 100 years ago.
  Zetetics flitter and float in the air, ignoring gravity. Their
  upper torsos resemble those of black-skinned humanoids,
  but they possess long, thin (but powerful) tails rather than
  legs. A zetetic has four arms; two of them end in huge claws,
  and the other two in slightly smaller claws capable of hold-
  ing weapons. Their flesh is slick and hairless, their heads
  long and thin. A zetetic’s large mouth holds needlelike teeth.
  They frequently wear ornate golden jewelry and breastplates
  and use magical weaponry.
  The typical zetetic, as presented here, carries two +2 scimi-
  tars and wears a +2 breastplate.
  Zetetics speak Common, Faen, Litorian, and a number of
  dead languages.
  Combat
  Due to their innate ambidexterity and incredible agility, a
  zetetic can make attacks with all four arms without penalty,
  whether it wields weapons or simply utilizes its natural
  razorlike claws. The creatures also make attacks with their
  bite and tail, the tail being particularly dangerous due to the
  numbing effect it has upon living creatures it touches.
  Perhaps a zetetic’s most dreaded aspect is its ability to
  instantly ascertain a creature’s truename. It uses its special
  knowledge to invoke the power of the name upon those who
  dare stand against it.
  * Skills (Ex): All zetetics gain a +10 racial bonus to 
  the Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history) and
  Knowledge (religion) skills.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a zetetic must hit
  with its tail attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a
  Legacy of the Dragons
  122
  
  free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it
  wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can begin to
  constrict as well as make the grappled foe face a cumulative
  numbing effect (see below). The zetetic can use its tail to
  grapple and hold foes without being considered grappling
  itself (it does not lose its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class).
  Constrict (Ex):When a zetetic establishes a hold with its
  tail, it wraps the tail around its foe. The zetetic inflicts 1d8+7
  points of damage each round as it holds a foe, as well as
  automatically inflicting its numbing effect each round.
  Numbing Effect (Su): Any living creature not immune to
  paralysis that is touched by the zetetic’s tail feels its muscles
  relax and lose strength and feeling. The result is a –2 penalty
  to attack and damage rolls,Strength and Dexterity checks,skill
  checks based on Strength or Dexterity, and Reflex saves. This
  numbness lasts for 6 rounds.If the tail strikes a creature more
  than once,the numbing effect is cumulative.Thus,a character
  struck twice suffers a –4 penalty, and one struck three times
  suffers a –6 penalty. Characters grappled by the tail suffer
  the cumulative penalty each round they remain grabbed.
  Improved Evasion (Ex):When subjected
  to an attack that normally allows a Reflex
  saving throw for half damage, a zetetic takes
  no damage if it makes a successful saving
  throw and only half damage if the saving
  throw fails.
  Identify Truename (Su): The zetetic can,
  as a free action once per round, stare intently
  at a single target within 25 feet to learn the
  creature’s truename (if it has one). The target
  must make a Will saving throw (DC 23) to resist
  the effect. The zetetic can try again multiple times
  against resisting foes. The foe must be aware of the
  zetetic in order for this ability to work (a zetetic
  cannot attempt to identify the truename of a sleep-
  ing foe or while in hiding). The saving throw is
  Charisma based. A zetetic cannot use its identify
  truename and power of the name abilities in the
  same round.
  Power of the Name (Su): As with the feat of
  the same name, the zetetic can compel a crea-
  ture (Will save, DC 23, to resist) to perform
  actions. (See page 157 for the feat.) Unlike with
  the feat, the zetetic can perform this task once
  per round as a free action and can use this
  ability against the same creature more than
  once. The saving throw is Charisma based. A
  zetetic cannot use its identify truename and
  power of the name abilities in the same round.
  Zetetic Encounter (EL 16+)
  The player characters must find an ancient scroll that
  holds a special secret. It lies out of the reach of any akashic,
  in a chamber high in a tower that is magically shielded from
  the akashic memory—along with the decaying corpse of the
  sage who wrote the scroll. This individual’s memories never
  joined with all other memories. (The DM can tailor the
  secret to the needs of the campaign.)
  Unbeknownst to the PCs, a zetetic also wants the secrets
  of the scroll, hoping it contains some knowledge of how it
  can restore itself. The tower is filled with traps and
  guardians. The zetetic watches the characters as they enter
  and attempts to sneak in behind them. If discovered, it
  fights—with lethal force, for the PCs are its rivals. Smart
  characters might be able to negotiate with the creature and
  convince it that they can work together to obtain the scroll.
  If the player characters are too powerful for the zetetic
  and do not offer to work together, it retreats if it can. It goes
  immediately to a nearby magister and uses power of the
  name to compel her to help attack the PCs as they exit the
  tower. It also provides her with any of the characters’ true-
  names that it has learned, to aid her in spells against them.
  Part One: Monsters of the Diamond Throne 123
  
  PART TWO:
  CHARACTERS
  OF THE
  DIAMOND
  THRONE 
  
  Aarach
  If one could get Aarach’s version of the tale, he would
  say that when he was young, the river spoke to him. He
  would explain that the river awoke something inside of
  him with its words, and he joined with the river’s tribe
  and abandoned his own. Getting that story would be
  an impressive feat, however, for Aarach would still
  sooner kill and eat the questioner than respond. He is
  still a rhodin. (See Chapter Four: Creatures in The
  Diamond Throne.)
  Aarach has lived alone for most of his life,aban-
  doned by his kind due to a strange feeling that they got
  about him.Expected to die in the desert,he found an
  isolated stream and was saved.Along the river’s banks,
  he grew—and grew.Years later,he joined with a new
  band of rhodin as its fearsome skurg leader.The raiding
  band prospered,not due to his leadership,but due to
  his might,ferocity,and skill in combat.However,Aarach
  still felt a strange stirring within him.With no one to
  teach him of such things,he manifested his witchery
  power and spellcasting abilities through trial and error.
  He still has not realized,for example,that his spells fre-
  quently fail in battle because he wears armor and carries a
  shield.Aarach,in fact,does not think of himself as a witch or
  even as a spellcaster.(Although technically a sea witch,
  Aarach certainly would never use that term.He’s never even
  seen the sea,having lived in the hot,dry wastes all his life.) In
  his mind,his powers come from being in the “tribe of the
  river.” The river no longer speaks to Aarach,but he doesn’t
  care.He looks upon it as a human might look upon a parent,
  never straying too far from its banks.
  A monstrous, hulking brute, Aarach is even more dull-
  witted than most of his kind. However, he has keen intuition
  and a way about him that draws other rhodin to his side,
  even as he repelled them when he was young.
  Combat
  Aarach begins most fights with his liquid fire ability,then
  charges into melee.His only thought toward tactics is that he
  prefers to fight opponents weaker than himself,although he has
  no problem with fighting multiple foes.Like most rhodin,he
  gives no thought to honor or bravery.He is only interested in
  survival and success.Thus,he doesn’t hesitate to flee if needed.
  Using Aarach
  Aarach dwells in the Southern Wastes with his band of rhodin.
  Folk in those parts refer to him as “the skurg witch,” which is
  quite descriptive—he’s the only rhodin/skurg witch anyone
  has ever heard of.Because they hate and fear him so,they
  might be inclined to raise funds to put a bounty on his head.
  Aarach would never do anything to help someone else
  unless it was only the indirect result of his benefiting himself.
  Therefore,he is not likely usable as an ally of the player charac-
  ters—he can become an effective opponent for them,however.
  Aarach,male rhodin (skurg) War3/Wtc3 (sea): CR 9; Large
  humanoid; HD 6d8+18 + 3d8+9 + 3d6+9; hp 103;
  Dying/Dead –4/–17; Init +1; Speed 30 feet; AC 21 (–1 size,
  +1 Dex, +3 natural, +5 armor, +4 shield), touch 10, flat-
  footed 13; Armor Check–7, Spell Failure 45%; Space/Reach
  10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet);BAB +9;
  Grapple +15; Attack +15 melee (2d6+6, critical 20/×3,
  heavy mangler); Full Attack +15/+10 melee (2d6+6, critical
  20/×3, heavy mangler) and +12 melee (1d8+2, horns);
  SA Liquid fire; SQ Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision,
  breathe water; Hero Points 0; SV Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +8;
  Str 21, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 15
  Languages: Common, Rhodin
  Skills and Feats: Climb +2, Heal +4, Intimidate +7, Jump +2,
  Listen +3, Spot +4, Swim +1; Cleave, Exotic Weapon
  Proficiency (heavy), Multiattack, Night Owl, Power Attack,
  Skill Focus (Swim), Weapon Focus (heavy mangler).
  Liquid Fire (Su): Once per day Aarach can spray burning liquid
  in a 180-degree arc with a 20-foot range,inflicting 2d6
  points of acid damage (Reflex save,DC 13,for half damage).
  Water Breathing (Su): Once per day, for up to 30 minutes,
  Aarach can breathe water as well as air.
  Possessions: +1 heavy mangler, breastplate, +2 Devanian great
  shield, witchbag, 3 tindertwigs, 25 gp
  Spell Slots: 3/3
  Spells Readied: 4/3: 0—bash, ghost sound, lesser repair, scent
  bane; 1st—acrobatics, resistance, touch of fear
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 125
  
  Abalan the Wayward Spy
  It is rarer than a dragon’s scale that War Marshal Rasham,
  leader of the chorrim,hand picks a child from one of the train-
  ing camps to serve in the Black Bolts,an elite branch of the
  chorrim reconnaissance machine.But Abalan was no ordinary
  child.Less brawny but more agile than his kin,Abalan’s great-
  est gift was his cunning and guile.Perhaps it was this clever-
  ness that Rasham saw in the boy.It did not hurt that Abalan
  was the offspring of two respected officers.In just three years,
  the boy rose through the ranks of the Black Bolts to command
  their primary squad.Time and again,he proved his worth,
  finding and exploiting the weaknesses of the chorrim’s ene-
  mies.Yet,at the heart of it all,Abalan could not ignore the
  tinge of doubt that lingered in his psyche.
  The chorrim (see Chapter Four:Creatures in The Diamond
  Throne) are not “dirty” fighters;they abhor the chaos that
  such tactics yield.Regimentation,precision,and militaristic
  order are prized.It is curious how,with but a subtle shift,a
  tenet can be turned on its head.For Abalan,the indoctrina-
  tion of these ideals became distorted.What,in most chorrim,
  is a mere appreciation for exactitude became in him a sense of
  honor and fair play.To the chorrim way of thinking,such
  concepts impede victory,so it was only a matter of time before
  this crisis of character became a matter of military security.
  It was a week before Landsmilk in the Common Year 1748.
  Abalan received orders to scout a string of villages on the
  eastern shore between the towns of Khorl and Ravadan. His
  squad carried out this duty with the completeness and skill
  that had come to be expected of them. He reported to his
  superior’s quarters and relayed the tactical information: The
  time for an attack was ripe. The men of these towns had
  made a trip for supplies, and the other townsfolk were dis-
  tracted with plans for the upcoming festivities. Captain
  Hagatta commended Abalan, informing him that he would
  recommend a full assault on the very eve of the harvest festi-
  val. Something in Abalan snapped, and he barked a protest.
  Taken aback by the sudden impudence of the prodigy,
  Hagatta swung the back of his mailed fist at Abalan’s cheek.
  Abalan dodged the blow easily and threw a counter-punch to
  the officer’s midsection. With that single blow, his life
  changed forever. Hagatta called for his personal guards, and
  Abalan beat a hasty escape. He ran first to the towns to warn
  them of the coming assault. Then he headed into the wilder-
  ness to lose himself.
  War Marshal Rasham would not suffer such effrontery. He
  sent the most skilled chorrim assassins to hunt down the
  traitor. But he had trained Abalan too well—the very skill
  that had sent him up the ranks now kept him hidden from
  his trackers. Abalan underwent a disavowal ceremony, for-
  ever severing his ties with his race. For a time, he lived a life
  of seclusion, reflection, and study. But the chorrim’s attacks
  upon the people of the realm did not stop, and he could no
  longer sit idle. He turned his vast skill to the task of thwart-
  ing his own people, swearing an oath to protect the wild
  lands of the Far South from their unyielding tide.
  Combat
  A natural spy, Abalan prefers not to enter into direct melee
  combat when possible. When he must, however, his martial
  upbringing and natural sense of honor come to the fore—he
  won’t attack a foe unawares. Although like most chorrim he
  is a natural swordsman, he never uses a weapon, but he
  remains skilled at fighting those who wield swords.
  Using Abalan
  Abalan stands a hair under 8 feet tall and weighs a relatively
  slight 310 lbs. Preferring to work under cover of darkness, he
  has spent much less time beneath the southern sun than
  most folk, and the tinge of his skin is greener than that of
  most chorrim. He rarely speaks, and when he does it is in a
  whisper of a voice. He dresses in drab, nondescript garb,
  including a black cloak and tunic, preferring to keep his
  identity a secret. Abalan does not partake of fortified drink
  or other indulgences. He finds pleasure in the recovery and
  reading of ancient books, bird-watching, and the crafting of
  Suherlennish courtesy masks.
  In fulfilling his oath, he has taken a few mercenary jobs
  and often offers his protection for free. Much of the time, he
  simply gathers intelligence on chorrim activity and passes
  the information to others for a response. On several occa-
  sions he has worked in defense of the lands with a local
  chapter of the Order of the Axe—the largest and most
  powerful knighthood in the realm.
  Abalan,male chorrim Wrm2/Osn9: CR 14; Large giant; HD
  4d8+12 + 2d12+9 + 9d10+27; 121 hp; Dying/Dead –4/–16;
  Init +4; Speed 50 feet; AC 24 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +4 natural,
  +5 insight, +2 deflection), AC 25 against foes with swords,
  touch 20, flat-footed 20; BAB +11/+6/+1; Grapple +19;
  Attack +15 melee (1d12+6, unarmed); Full Attack
  +15/+10/+5 melee (1d12+6, unarmed) or +13/+13/+8/+3
  (1d12+6, flurry of blows); Space/Reach 10 feet/10 feet
  (Face/Reach 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet); SA Unarmed strike,
  flurry of blows, throw object, objects as weapons, shatter-
  ing strike; SQ Darkvision 60 feet, natural tactician, well-
  trained, eschew food, evasion, minor adaptation, refuse
  fatigue, refuse fear, eschew water, refuse wounds; Hero
  Points 2; SV Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +11; Str 18, Dex 18,
  Con 16, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 9
  Languages: Common, Giant
  Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +7, Concentration +5,
  Craft (mask-making) +3, Escape Artist +6, Handle Animal
  +1, Intuit Direction +4, Jump +6, Knowledge (history) +3,
  Listen +11, Ride +12, Sneak +14 Spot +14, Tumble +12,
  Wilderness Survival +7; Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon
  Proficiency (heavy), Night Owl, Skill Application (Sneak 
  Legacy of the Dragons
  126
  JUSTIN JACOBSON
  
  and Spot), Stomp, Sturdy, Trample, Weapon Specialization
  (unarmed).
  Throw Object (Ex): Abalan can use any object he can lift above
  his head as a ranged (thrown) weapon he is proficient with.
  The object must weigh at least 1 lb.to use it as a ranged
  weapon.He uses his normal attack bonus and unarmed
  damage,and the weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.
  Objects as Weapons (Ex): Abalan can use any object he can
  lift over his head as a weapon he is proficient with. The
  object must weigh at least 1 lb. to use it as a weapon. He
  uses his normal attack bonus and unarmed damage.
  Shattering Strike (Ex): Abalan ignores 4 points of damage
  reduction or object hardness with each blow.
  Natural Tactician (Ex): Abalan gains a +1 circumstance
  bonus to all attack rolls for an entire encounter against any
  foes that were surprised at the beginning of the encounter.
  Well-Trained (Ex): All attempts to intimidate Abalan suffer a
  +6 circumstance modifier to the check’s Difficulty Class.
  Eschew Food and Water (Ex): Abalan does not need food
  or water.
  Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a
  creature to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage,
  Abalan takes no damage with a successful saving throw.
  His quick reflexes allow him to take cover and avoid dam-
  age before an attack strikes him.
  Minor Adaptation (Ex): Abalan can ignore ongoing damaging
  environmental effects of up to 1 point of damage per round.
  Refuse Fatigue (Ex): As long as he gets a good night’s rest
  (eight hours), Abalan never feels the effects of fatigue. He
  could run at his top speed all day and not tire.
  Refuse Fear (Ex): Abalan is immune to fear and fear effects.
  Refuse Wounds (Ex): Abalan can cure up to 18 hit points
  each day,spreading this healing out among several uses.
  Unarmed Strike: When fighting unarmed, Abalan
  does not provoke attacks of opportunity from
  armed opponents he attacks. Using unarmed
  strikes, he doesn’t have the option of making
  an off-hand attack, as he uses his whole
  body in every attack (see “flurry of
  blows,” below). If fighting with a one-
  handed weapon, Abalan can make an
  unarmed strike as an off-hand
  attack but suffers the standard
  penalties for two-weapon fighting.
  Usually, his unarmed strikes
  deal normal damage rather than
  subdual damage. However, he can
  choose to deal subdual damage
  without penalty.
  Flurry of Blows: Abalan may make 
  one extra attack in a round at his highest base
  attack, but this attack and each other attack made that
  round suffer a –2 penalty apiece. This penalty applies for 1
  round, so it affects attacks of opportunity he might make
  before his next action. He must use the full attack action to
  strike with a flurry of blows. Do not reduce his damage
  bonus on the additional attack.
  Possessions: Boots of tracelessness, dazzlesphere detonation, oil of
  gird the warrior, potion of greater battle healing (2), potion of
  invisibility, ring of protection +2, spellbane bracers†, detailed
  maps of the Far South and journal of chorrim activity in
  the vicinity, 5,620 gp
  New Magic Item
  Spellbane Bracers†: Once per day,these black leather bracers
  permit the wearer to dispel magic (the targeted dispel effect),on
  any target successfully struck by an unarmed attack.The wear-
  er must declare use of this item after it is determined whether
  the attack roll has succeeded,but before determining damage.
  Faint abjuration; Caster Level 5th; Craft Constant Item,
  dispel magic; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 127
  
  Algar the Gifting Minstrel
  Algar spent his human childhood in a small tribe on the jungle
  coast of Naveradel,living in near squalor.His mother,a deeply
  unhappy woman who simply tried to make the best of her life,
  offered little in the form of parenting. His father, Koman,
  was a rugged, tough-love type of man who let nothing slide.
  Koman provided for his family as a middleman,trading
  between local terrig hunters and verrik coastal ships.He put
  Algar to work at a young age.It was not an easy life—exotic
  forest beasts could turn you to stone with but a glance,the
  back-breaking lifting and loading never seemed to end,and the
  condescending stares of the verrik bored through your very soul.
  Poverty,fear,and hard work filled his days,but Koman gave no
  ground with his son:Algar was going to be what he wanted him
  to be.The man’s words stung worse than a physical blow.Algar
  hated his life,and he hated his father for forcing it upon him.
  One particularly bad summer, a relentless monsoon
  thrashed what few possessions they had, including Algar’s
  cherished secret savings. With a hatred that churned his
  insides, Algar confronted his father at the docks. Angry
  words led him to grab Koman by the throat, intent on
  squeezing the life out of the man. In the same moment, the
  monsoon swelled, causing the docks to crumble beneath
  their feet. Algar and his father suddenly found themselves
  scrambling underwater to reach the surface amid the flotsam
  of the smashed dock. In a desperate moment of self-
  preservation, Algar placed his foot on Koman’s face and
  kicked, propelling himself up to the surface. The kick caused
  Koman to swallow water and he vanished from sight.
  As Algar dragged himself to shore, he knew his father was
  dead—he’d seen Koman’s lifeless body sucked west into the
  tumultuous Gulf of Firesight. Plagued with anger and self-
  loathing, Algar set out west along the gulf once the weather
  had calmed, following the path his father’s body had taken.
  He hoped that finding the body would put his mind at ease.
  But by the time he reached the eastern shores of the Wild-
  lands of Kish, he had found no body. A parched mouth,
  empty gullet, and weakened spirit were his only rewards.
  A reptilelike humanoid named Vinathar took him in;later
  Algar learned it was a mojh.For weeks,the determined Vinathar
  worked on Algar.His well-chosen words wove through Algar’s
  mind like a poison through the veins,stroking the boy’s pain:
  “Shed your nonmojh skin and humanity’s mundane des-
  tiny with it. How can you enjoy all of life’s fruits with only
  one century? Learn the secrets of magic that only a mojh life-
  time can show you. Replace mediocrity with power.”
  Vinathar’s promise of a better life consumed his thoughts.
  Algar decided to forsake his humanity and underwent the
  transformation to mojh.The ceremony was held at a large
  crater lake known as the Rune Sea in the western Wildlands.
  The swirling runes of the black lake turned almost blue as
  they danced and sang ever louder,as if cheering the event.
  The music wrought a terrible chord in Algar’s mind,however,
  at the exact moment of his metamorphosis.He knew down to
  the very core of his being that he had made a terrible mistake.
  The transformation had not washed his sin clean. It
  revealed no answers. His life was no more meaningful now
  than before.Under the scrutiny of Algar’s new mojh intellect,
  Vinathar’s promises were empty. The new mojh—no longer
  male, nor any gender at all—fled the Wildlands, wandering
  aimlessly northeast for weeks, disgusted with itself.
  Nightmares plagued Algar’s sleep. In one recurring dream,
  its mind gently touched the collective memory of all living
  beings. The dream-touch had an almost tangible sensation,
  like that of melting ice on the back of the neck. Wisdom of
  the past dripped into the corners of Algar’s mind. For the
  first time, Algar understood that one cannot escape one’s self
  by donning scale in place of skin. Salvation lies within.
  From that day forward, Algar decided to live in contrast 
  to its tortured soul, to be the unexpected. Not hide behind
  cloaks like other mojh, but display itself in full view. Not
  dwell in isolation, but become heavily involved in communi-
  ties. Not follow the path of magic and the intellectual, but
  that of skill and artistic pursuits.
  Today, Algar moves from town to town, bringing joy as a
  performer to those in despair. The mojh hopes to prevent its
  past from becoming another child’s future. To that end, Algar
  swore an oath to fulfill this ongoing task till the end of its
  days—no small thing for one with a life span of centuries.
  Whatever money Algar earns is immediately reinvested
  locally to buy goods.These Algar gives out during perform-
  ances in the next town,spreading one community’s delicacies
  to another.Not only does this promote trade,but it has
  earned the mojh the title of the “Gifting Minstrel.” Children
  can hardly contain themselves when Algar arrives,wondering
  what trinkets the visitor has for them.The mojh’s engrossing
  stories have children gasping and rugged men crying.(In one
  of Algar’s favorite stage acts,a dramatic tale of a blinded hero
  who must make his way over an acid pit on a decrepit bridge,
  the mojh illustrates the words by walking a narrow pole over
  a vat of hot oil while blindfolded.) So well known are Algar’s
  performances that the mojh has been invited to Sormere to
  entertain at Lord Uthelor Katanis’ annual gala.Even Neverin,
  mojh leader of the capital’s akashic guild,has recently invited
  Algar to De-Shamod for some hidden purpose.
  Combat
  Algar tries to use its amazing diplomatic skill to get out of
  any situation that could result in violence. When pressed,
  Algar tries to flee—unless the combat directly involves its
  oath, in which case the mojh uses unarmed attacks.
  Using Algar
  Some things have not changed for Algar.Rare is the night it
  does not awake caked in sweat.It has been thus since the trans-
  formation,for the dark deed of the past is not easily undone.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  128
  DAVID DAVIDSON
  
  The minstrel introduces itself as Algar, never mentioning
  its mojh name (Avuderan). When asked about it, the mojh
  skillfully negotiates the conversation elsewhere. Algar fears
  that if it says too much, someone might uncover its past—
  and dreads the effect this might have upon itself. For the
  dark waters of the Rune Sea still dance and sing in the
  recesses of its mind, mingling with the terrible monsoon
  that carried its father’s lifeless body out to sea.
  Despite its akashic abilities, Algar remains ignorant of
  those who mean him harm. Vinathar, outcast from its group
  in the Wildlands for the fiasco surrounding Algar’s transfor-
  mation, hires adventurers to uncover Algar’s dark past and
  publicly discredit the minstrel. Other mojh, hearing that
  Algar has talked many out of undergoing the metamorpho-
  sis, plot its demise. One spellcaster of great power has locat-
  ed and raised Algar’s father from the dead, with designs to
  use the angry spirit for some dark purpose. Beyond this,
  Algar’s fame has drawn the attention of several racist, mojh-
  hunting humans.
  Algar,mojh Aks10/Osn2: CR 12;Medium humanoid;HD
  10d6+2d10;43 hp;Dying/Dead –1/–10;Init +0;Speed 30
  feet;AC 12 (+1 oathsworn,+1 natural,touch 11,flat-footed
  12);BAB +8/+3;Grapple +8;Attack +8 melee (1d6,critical
  20/×2,unarmed attack);Full Attack +8/+3 melee (1d6,crit-
  ical 20/×2,unarmed attack);SA Flurry of blows,shattering
  blow;SQ Darkvision 60 feet,delve into collective memory,
  perfect recall,skill memory,spell-like abilities,eschew food,
  unarmed strike;Hero Points 2;SV Fort +6,Ref +6,Will +12;
  Str 10,Dex 10,Con 10,Int 16,Wis 14,Cha 16
  Languages: Common, Draconic, Faen, Giant, Goblin
  Litorian, Terran, Verrik
  Skills and Feats: Balance +14, Bluff +11,
  Climb +5, Craft (performance props)
  +7, Diplomacy +28 (+32 Born
  Leader), Disguise +8,
  Escape Artist +5,
  Gather Information +20, Innuendo +14, Jump +7,
  Knowledge (merchant trading) +10,Knowledge (sailing and
  navigation) +10, Perform (dancing) +8, Perform (drama)
  +20,Perform (singing) +8,Perform (storytelling) +23,Sense
  Motive +17,Sleight of Hand +7,Speak Language (3),Tumble
  +7; Born Leader, Skill Application (+2 Diplomacy and +2
  Gather Information), Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus
  (Bluff), Skill Focus (Perform [storytelling]), Slippery
  Mind, Title (“The Gifting Minstrel”).
  Skill Memory (Su): Five times per day, Algar gains a +4
  bonus to a single skill check attempt made the next round.
  Perfect Recall (Ex): Algar enjoys a +3 bonus to Knowledge
  skill checks when not using skill memory.
  Delve Into Collective Memory (Su): Algar can, 10 times per
  day, make an ability check with a bonus of +13 to remem-
  ber some relevant information about notable people, leg-
  endary items, or noteworthy places.
  Akashic Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—creature loresight,
  location loresight, object loresight
  Kinesthetic Memory (Su): Algar can easily get around in
  familiar surroundings with no penalty, even with a single
  damaged or deprived sense .
  Lesser Delve Into Personal Memory (Su): Once per day as a
  standard action, Algar can mentally probe the memory of
  one creature within 25 feet to find a truthful one-word
  answer to a question. A Will save (DC 18) negates the
  attempt; succeed or fail, the subject remains unaware.
  Eschew Food (Ex): Algar does not need to eat.
  Shattering Blow (Ex):Algar can take a full-round action 
  to make a powerful strike with the full force of its oath
  behind it. The unarmed strike ignores 2 points of a 
  creature’s damage reduction or object hardness.
  Unarmed Strike: When fighting unarmed, Algar does not
  provoke attacks of opportunity from armed opponents it
  attacks. It doesn’t have the option of making an off-hand
  attack, as it uses its whole body in every attack (see “flurry
  of blows,” below). If fighting with a one-handed weapon,
  Algar can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack but
  suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting.
  Usually, its unarmed strike deals normal damage rather
  than subdual damage. However, Algar can choose to deal
  subdual damage without penalty.
  Flurry of Blows: Algar may make one extra attack in a
  round at its highest base attack, but this attack and
  each other attack made that round suffer a –2 penalty
  apiece. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it affects
  attacks of opportunity it might make before its next
  action. It must use the full attack action to strike with a
  flurry of blows. Do not reduce its damage bonus on the
  additional attack.
  Possessions:Performer’s garb,several self-crafted performing
  props (Algar gifts all other possessions to others).
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 129
  
  Bova Tel-Bera
  If you traveled the caravan routes from Gahanis,you may
  have encountered her.At first glance,she might not strike you
  as remarkable from any other caravan guard.Nevertheless,
  you would remember the distinctive crimson leather armor,
  the long raven hair woven in complicated plaits,the wiry
  frame,and the finely crafted greataxe slung over her shoulder.
  If you sought a further glimpse,her beauty would come upon
  you swift and sudden,like a hawk on a field mouse.Her fea-
  tures,so soft and tender,would make you ponder why such a
  woman of 20 summers would choose the life of a caravaneer.
  But when your eyes met her cold,haunted gaze,you would
  have felt as if a thousand daggers of ice had pierced your
  heart.Unavoidably,you would turn away.
  If you asked about her, you would be directed to a tavern
  in Gahanis called “The Scarlet Arrow.” Here, you may chance
  upon Tiber, the innkeeper and the uncle of the woman you
  saw. The fat, oily man would draw deep from his pipe, his
  eyes gleaming like his golden earrings, and then recount to
  you, in a private booth, the tale of Bova Tel-Bera, the wolf
  warrior, the caravaneer’s daughter.
  In happier times, Bova grew up with her two brothers Pac
  and Najo,her mother Iroa,and father Kerris.Her parents were
  both proud caravan riders, their families descended from the
  original escaped slaves who founded Gahanis and blazed the
  first trade routes after the giants’ victory over the dramojh—or
  so Tiber would tell you.When they were of age,the boys eager-
  ly took up the way of the caravan guard in the family’s mer-
  chant house and caravan escort service, while Iroa insisted
  that the fleet-footed and mischievous Bova be sent to school.
  When she was 14, weeks after her naming ceremony,
  tragedy struck. Iroa was killed in a rhodin ambush two days
  outside Gahanis. The death left her father a shattered man
  who turned to drink for solace. Her brothers dealt with the
  blow in other ways: Pac continued caravanning, while Najo
  took over the merchant house, only to lose it to gambling
  debts and grave misfortune. Bova quit school to look after
  her father and help in the tavern, becoming a quiet, bitter,
  creature who hardly resembled her former vivacious self.
  Four years later, Kerris embarked on a venture with a ver-
  rik named Xeridam to recover the family’s lost wealth. They
  sought to found a new trade route though the Bitter Peaks to
  Verdune using a trail that Xeridam knew. To look after her
  father, Bova joined her brothers on the first caravan escort.
  Tiber would repack his pipe as he described the party’s three-
  week journey through twisted,jagged ravines,mist-shrouded
  passes,and dead-end gorges of the Bitter Peaks.One evening
  three weeks into the trip,the party decided to camp at a temple
  with white marble columns and golden gates.The place had
  appeared just as they skirted the lip of a caldera.
  About two hours after sundown that night, the camp was
  attacked by ghoulish and reptilian creatures in tar-smelling
  robes. The attackers fell upon the escorts, cutting them down
  with black blades dripping with yellow poison. Bova fled,
  only to be tackled by a pale, rubbery body in robes. In the
  ensuing struggle, she and her assailant sailed over the cliff
  into the caldera lake below.
  Bova doesn’t remember the impact,or what became of her
  attacker.She only remembers the cold light of a grey dawn as
  she awoke on the shore of the opposite side of the lake,
  bruised and bleeding from a multitude of cuts.The rising
  plumes of smoke on the eastern ridge told her the fate of the
  caravan.Desolate,Bova wandered the forest,seeking a way
  out.After three days and nights,subsisting on wild mush-
  rooms and berries,she heard footsteps behind her,and the
  sound of her father’s voice.Renewed,she ran toward it,call-
  ing out with joy.She had sighted her father’s silhouette
  between the trees when an arrow flew over her head and
  struck him straight in his eye—without producing a reaction!
  Then she noticed his purple,lacerated flesh,gore-soaked
  clothing,and the sewn-up mouth and eyes of the ...thing
  from which her father’s voice issued.It continued urging her
  to come to him.Bova stood motionless as the figure hefted
  her father’s familiar greataxe and stumbled toward her.
  Bova claimed she must have fainted,for she awoke,startled,
  in the crude,smoky hut belonging to a wolf totem warrior
  named Emer.After cleaning and dressing her wounds,he told
  Bova that a malevolent spirit dwelled in the deep,dark places
  of these mountains—places such as the temple,a site left over
  from the dramojh’s blasphemous works.He promised to take
  her over the mountains back home as soon as she was stronger.
  To pass the time as she regained her strength, Emer told
  her stories of past glories. Perhaps he inspired her, for in the
  two weeks she spent recuperating, Bova started on her path
  to becoming a child of the wolf. Though she denies it with
  an angry silence when questioned, Tiber would tell you that
  Bova also came to love Emer and would have stayed with
  him in the mountains if he hadn’t insisted she return to tell
  her people what had happened.
  Five days into the trek toward Gahanis, Tiber would
  recount, the two were crossing a raging river on a fallen tree
  trunk when Bova heard Emer cry out. Spinning around, she
  was horrified to see Emer cleft in twain by the charred but ani-
  mated remains of a skeleton wielding her father’s unmistakable
  axe. As the warrior’s lifeless corpse tumbled into the white-
  water, the skeleton burst into a sickly green fire and hurtled
  across the trunk toward Bova. Armed only with a knife, she
  had no choice but to flee the abomination that was once her
  father. She managed to lose it in a maze of basalt pillars, but
  spent the next three harrowing days pursued through the
  wood by her father’s voice pleading her to join him.Finally,she
  found a narrow lava tube that Emer had described to her. But
  once in its lightless depths, she again heard the sounds of
  pursuit—this time it was Emer’s voice! Having no other
  choice, she waited in ambush for the creature and, after a 
  desperate fight in which he sought to spill her blood with her
  Legacy of the Dragons
  130
  VLADIMIR DZUNDZA
  
  father’s axe,she managed to grab the weapon and use it to
  send her former lover to his doom in a pool of magma.
  Some miners found her two months later, wandering
  aimlessly, clutching the axe tight to her chest. A family
  friend recognized her and sent her immediately to Tiber.
  When she’d recovered from her ordeal, she told the story
  Tiber had just related. She remembers nothing after the
  magma pit, so the hidden way to the Bitter Peaks is lost to
  her. Since then, she has prepared to return to the Bitter
  Peaks, raising money via caravanning and learning what she
  can of the ways of the wolf. Someday she hopes to put her
  family and lover’s spirits to rest, but Tiber thinks it is her
  soul she is really trying to save.
  With that, Tiber would thank you for your generous time
  and resume his duties, leaving you to ponder the tale.
  Combat
  Bova prefers to use her great speed in combat to feint and con-
  fuse her opponents, though her insistence on wielding her
  father’s heavy axe occasionally negates this hit-and-run tactic’s
  usefulness.Though not greatly agile or strong,since her ordeal
  in the Bitter Peaks her endurance and determination puts
  others toshame. With her natural brightness and percep-
  tion, she’s rarely caught with her guard down.
  Using Bova
  Bova stands at 5 feet,10 inches and weighs
  just 120 lbs.She is incredibly beautiful,with
  statuesque looks and clear blue eyes.However,the
  fear that more people might die because of her
  tends to make her act abrasive to others in an effort to
  keep them at a distance,and gives her something of a haunt-
  ed air.For this reason,she has not yet received a vision leading
  her to an animal companion.But she is slowly beginning to
  realize that she can’t continue to live as a lone wolf any longer.
  An offer of her genuine respect and friendship may find her
  willing to join forces,but woe to anyone who offers flattery,pity,
  or charity—such individuals she despises.She also nurtures a
  deep hatred for rhodin,mojh,and verrik,and does not hesitate
  to expound upon the worst qualities of any of them.She is well
  known for her stubbornness.She avoids gambling and alcohol.
  Her goals are to return to the Bitter Peaks to avenge her
  family’s and lover’s slaughter, and put their souls to rest.
  Nothing else matters.
  Bova Tel-Bera female human Twr4 (wolf):CR 4;Medium human-
  oid;HD 4d10+8 (31 hp);Dying/Dead –2/–15;Init +5;Speed
  50 feet;AC 14 (+1 Dex,+3 armor),touch 11,flat-footed 13;
  Armor Check 0;BAB +4;Grapple +5;Attack +6 melee (2d6+2,
  critical 20/×3,great axe),or +5 ranged (1d6+1 critical 20/×3,
  shortbow);Full Attack +6 melee (2d6+2,critical 20/×3,
  greataxe),or +5 ranged (1d6+1 critical 20/×3,shortbow);SA
  Speed of the wolf,cunning of the wolf;Hero Points 0;SV Fort
  +2,Ref +6,Will +4;Str 12,Dex 13,Con 15,Int 12,Wis 16,Cha 9
  Languages:Common, Giant
  Skills and Feats:Climb +4, Craft (armorsmith) +1, Craft
  (painting) +1, Craft (weaponsmith) +1, Handle Animal +3,
  Heal +3, Intuit Direction +8, Jump +4, Knowledge (geogra-
  phy) +3, Knowledge (nature) +3, Listen +6, Ride +4, Sneak
  +2, Spot +6, Swim +3, Wilderness Survival +8; First Strike,
  Fleet of Foot, Improved Initiative, Light Sleeper, Track
  Speed of the Wolf (Ex): Bova gains +10 feet to her ground
  speed (already figured in).
  Cunning of the Wolf (Ex): Bova enjoys a +2 enhancement
  bonus to Wisdom (already figured in).
  Possessions: +1 greataxe, masterwork mighty composite short
  bow (+1), 20 arrows, masterwork studded leather jack,
  adventurer’s outfit, water skin, bedroll, whetstone, back-
  pack, 19 gp, 53 sp
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 131
  
  Briessec-Cur 
  The savagery of the Southern Wastes has borne legends of
  mystic pyramids, cruel slavers, and fearsome beasts. But no
  myth is as peculiar as that of Briessec-Cur, a sibeccai more
  likely to be seen in dreams than in flesh.
  His name varies with the attitude of the race spotting him.
  Briessec-Cur translates into both spirit speaker (for those
  sibeccai who believe he exists) and wind-talk (a derogatory
  expression for nonsense—the preferred translation for most
  sibeccai).The rhodin give him the prosaic name “Goldfur.”
  Despite their lack of spirituality,the rhodin fear the mere
  mention of Briessec-Cur as a bad omen.The verrik of Zalavat
  bordering the Southern Wastes take a more enlightened per-
  spective.Recognizing his ability to travel and speak through
  dreams,they have named Briessec-Cur “The Dream Walker.”
  But even the verrik remain unaware of Briessec-Cur’s
  past. Part of his mystery is that he seemed to appear in the
  Southern Wastes overnight. Unknown to anyone, Briessec-
  Cur is a creature of dreams made solid. Just as the akashics
  developed a group memory, so too did a small tribe of sibec-
  cai explore dreams with hopes of developing shared dreams
  for their people. They sought to preserve the history of their
  race in dreams so future generations could passively gain the
  wisdom of their elders. The tribe developed a complex ritual
  for finding a spirit of the dream world to guide them. But as
  they began the ritual one night and slipped into the dream
  state, a band of rhodin ambushed their encampment. The
  slumbering sibeccai were mercilessly slaughtered.
  From their blood rose Briessec-Cur.The sibeccai had success-
  fully summoned him into their dreams,but their deaths had the
  unexpected effect of pulling the dream spirit into the physical
  world.Briessec-Cur emerged into a world much harsher than
  the one he knew.The spirits of his home had gone silent;
  instead,he heard new voices singing new songs.When the
  rhodin overcame their surprise and attacked him,he entreated
  the new spirits to aid him.The rhodin were decimated.
  Combat
  Briessec-Cur always casts greater beastskin and plant armor
  well before going into battle. He wades into melee with his
  club, Nature’s Fury, using his spells and special abilities only
  as backup. If outnumbered, he summons a dream hunter
  (see next page).
  Using Briessec-Cur
  Briessec-Cur wanders the Southern Wastes searching for a
  means back to his dream world. The dreaming sibeccai envi-
  sioned him as one of their kind, with an above-average
  physique and unusually rich golden fur. He retained this
  form when made solid. Although the summoning tribe lies
  dead, Briessec-Cur feels obligated to fulfill their dying wish:
  guiding the splintered sibeccai tribes of the Southern Wastes
  toward unification. While otherwise unconcerned with the
  affairs of this world, his limited experience with the rhodin
  has shaped an intense dislike for them. He is aware of the
  verrik to the south indirectly, through the dreams of travelers
  to and from this nation. Although Briessec-Cur would like to
  know more of their strange mental gifts, he avoids direct
  contact for fear of how they would react to him.
  The sky, the earth, and the shrubs sing to Briessec-Cur
  with many voices, but one song in particular has caught his
  ear.Its resonating tones contain great power while warning
  of grave danger. It is the song of the Hadath, a powerful
  energy pattern hidden within the fabric of the universe. The
  essence of the Hadath is bound to every man, plant, and
  stone of the universe, woven throughout all spirits of this
  world.Since the Hadath is present everywhere in this world,
  only a greenbond from another world can recognize it for
  what it truly is.Briessec-Cur is unfamiliar with the legends of
  Virdella Tesham,an otherplanar creature who seeks the secret
  of the Hadath, but the songs warn Briessec-Cur that a great
  evil searches for it. For now, he resists the temptation to
  unveil the Hadath and access its power.While Briessec-Cur
  most likely could use the Hadath to go home,doing so would
  reveal its hidden form and risk destroying this universe.
  Briessec-Cur has levels in somnamancer, a prestige class
  from Chapter Three of The Diamond Throne.
  Briessec-Cur, male sibeccai Grn8/Somnamancer6:CR 14;
  Medium humanoid; HD 8d8+16 + 8d6+16; hp 86;
  Dying/Dead –3/–14;Init +2;Speed 30 feet;AC 12 (+2 Dex),
  touch 12, flat-footed 14; BAB +8; Grapple +9; Attack +11
  melee (1d6+3 +1d6 earth +1d6 water, critical 20/×2, club);
  Full Attack +11/+6 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d6 earth plus 1d6
  water,critical 20/×2,club);SA Nature sense,infuse with life,
  trackless step, bond with the green, percipience, speak with
  spirits,induce sleep,subtle steps,dream tracking,dream spy,
  silent sheath, control dream, summon dream hunter, sense
  dreamer, steal dreams, spells; Hero Points 2; SV Fort +6,
  Ref +8,Will +14;Str 12,Dex 15,Con 14,Int 14,Wis 17,Cha 12
  Languages:Common, Giant
  Skills and Feats:Concentration +14, Diplomacy +14, Heal +9,
  Knowledge (magic) +14, Knowledge (nature) +10, Sense
  Motive +9, Sneak +10, Spellcraft +10, Wilderness Survival
  +9; Craft Spell-Completion Item, Creator Mage, Elemental
  Mage (earth),Elemental Mage (water),Power of the Name,
  Slippery Mind
  Nature Sense (Ex): Briessec-Cur can identify plants and ani-
  mals with perfect accuracy and determine whether water is
  safe to drink or dangerous.
  Infuse With Life (Sp):Three times per day, Briessec-Cur can
  heal 3d8+8 points of damage.
  Nature’s Gift (Su): Once per day, Briessec-Cur can add a +4
  divine bonus to any d20 roll he makes in the following
  round. He can impart this gift to an ally he touches during
  the following round (the ally must use the bonus in that
  Legacy of the Dragons
  132
  ANDY JAMES
  
  round). He can even divide the bonus among up to four allies that he can reach in the
  round, each getting a portion of the bonus as he decides.
  Trackless Step (Ex): As a greenbond, Briessec-Cur leaves no trail in natural surroundings
  and cannot be tracked.
  Bond With the Green (Su): Briessec-Cur has an intuitive sense of the condition of the land.
  Percipience (Su): Briessec-Cur can see and hear nature spirits otherwise imperceptible to
  mortals (unless a spirit wishes to show itself).
  Speak With Spirits (Su): Once per day, Briessec-Cur can ask nature spirits a question with
  a one-word answer. The spirit has an 83 percent chance to know the answer to a ques-
  tion about things beyond its immediate surroundings.
  Induce Sleep (Sp):Twice per day,Briessec-Cur can put a creature to sleep with a touch attack.
  The creature cannot have more than 12 HD,and it gets a Will save (DC 18).The creature
  sleeps for a minimum of 1d6+4 rounds if left undisturbed,even with loud noises and harsh
  conditions.In restful conditions,the creature continues sleeping for 3d6+2 more minutes.
  Subtle Steps (Sp): Three times per day, Briessec-Cur can cast subtle steps upon himself.
  Dream Tracking (Sp): Briessec-Cur can use a creature’s dreams to find it.The only limitations
  are that the character must be asleep when he makes the attempt,and the character must fail
  a Will saving throw (DC 18).If he knows a character’s truename,no saving throw is allowed.
  Dream Spy (Sp): Briessec-Cur can look into the dreams of any sleeping creature within 5
  feet and see what it is dreaming about.
  Silent Sheath (Sp): Twice per day Briessec-Cur can cast silent sheath upon herself.
  Control Dream (Sp): Briessec-Cur can control the dream of any sleeping creature within 5 feet
  whose dreams he can see with the dream spy ability.This ability is a standard action that can
  be used at will.If Briessec-Cur induces terrifying images or other disturbing dreams,the
  creature must make a Will saving throw (DC 18) or suffer 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom
  damage.Should Briessec-Cur attempt to implant dreams that seem prophetic or “impor-
  tant” in some way,the creature must make the save in order to disbelieve them.Those who
  fail believe that what they learned in the dream is true or will be true for the following day.
  Summon Dream Hunter (Sp): Once per day, Briessec-Cur can summon a dream hunter
  (see Chapter Four: Creatures in The Diamond Throne) that appears within 10 feet of him
  and obeys his verbal commands for 6 rounds. This is a full-round action.
  Sense Dreamer (Su): Even if Briessec-Cur has no special knowledge or connection to a sleep-
  ing creature,he can sense it within 50 feet at will,discerning the creature’s exact location.
  Steal Dreams (Su): After using his dream spy ability on a subject,Briessec-Cur can learn one
  fact about that subject:name,fondest wish,true love,greatest fear,location of the key to
  her locked vault,and so on.The information learned must come in the form of an answer
  no longer than six words.He can even try to learn the subject’s truename,but in that case
  the subject gets a Will saving throw (DC 18) to resist;on a successful save,the subject
  awakens immediately and knows what he tried to do.Attempting to steal dreams takes
  one minute.Briessec-Cur can attempt it only once on a given subject in a 24-hour period.
  Possessions: Nature’s Fury (+2 earth and water elemental club), bag of needful things, boots of
  tracelessness, cloak of heat resistance (grants fire resistance 5), wand of heightened lesser battle
  healing (30 charges), wand of conjure repast (30 charges), three days’ rations, camping and
  survival gear, 15 gp
  Spell Slots (11th-level caster): 6/6/5/5/3/2/1
  Spells Readied (11th-level caster):10/9/7/6/4/3/2; 0—bash, canny effort, detect disease,
  detect magic, detect poison, hygiene, lesser glowglobe, lesser repair, saving grace, scent bane;
  1st—animate weapon, charm, compelling command, lesser transfer wounds, mudball, obscuring
  mist, plant armor, safe fall, stone blast; 2nd—blinding light, cloak of darkness, darkvision,
  greenspy, lesser battle healing, muddy ground, protective charm; 3rd—attack from within, 
  carnivorous plant defense, lesser creation, protection from elements, slow, whisper of madness;
  4th—bind with plants, gaze of terror, ghost weapon, neutralize poison; 5th—greater summon
  minor elemental, lesser dominate, wall of stone; 6th—greater beastskin, shape element
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 133
  
  Chloris the Bloody Claw
  The peak of Mount Thoularn was once adorned by five
  colossal statues of litorian tribe leaders. Their shape was
  thoughtfully carved into black volcanic rock by giant hands.
  At the base of the sculptures the words “Remember the five
  fingers that were once a fist” were masterfully inscribed in
  silver letters. The statues were built in memorial for three
  lost litorian tribes, destroyed by the dramojh.
  Three centuries ago,while the dramojh concentrated their
  war efforts against the giants,several tribes,including the
  proud Smathor (“Red Claws”) and the Purathandor (“Silvery
  Manes”),turned as one against the tyrants that ruled the land
  with an iron fist in what was later named The Great Rebellion.
  And so it came to be that when the first giants entered
  Lotharandor,they discovered a land that was already free.
  It was not a peaceful land, however. The Smathi were
  unsatisfied with the Purathandi efforts during the rebellion.
  Rumors turned into accusations that were whispered, then
  spoken, then shouted: “Where were the Silvery Manes when
  so few proud tribes stood against the Scaled Ones?”
  The smearing of their name and reputation enraged the
  Purathandi, and The War of the Tribes broke out. As the
  violence escalated, the Smathi—all but destroyed in The
  Great Rebellion against the dramojh—were at the brink of
  extinction.It was the giant governor,Poh-Narsod who ended
  the war between the tribes and established the Peace Vow.
  Years passed,and the Smathi grew in number.Their wounds
  healed,but their pride seemed forever impaired.Among them
  grew a new generation that carried the burden of disgrace.They
  owed their lives to the giants who had saved them from oblit-
  eration,and some considered this a fate worse than death.
  From this generation of victims,Mavuane was born.
  It was Mavuane who led many young Smathi to the peak
  of Mount Thoularn on a rainy day later known as “The Day
  of the Weeping Blackstone.” She spoke with a clear voice
  against the patronizing giants who had robbed her tribe of
  their honor and pride, and she asked her fellows to fight for
  freedom by her side. Her words found the heart of the young
  warrior known as Chloris, but her eyes found the eyes of his
  elder brother, Charon. He refused to accept her vision, how-
  ever, and left to join the Peace Vow faction.
  And so,when the moment of choice arrived,it was the
  brave young Chloris who smashed the statue of Purathan-
  dor’s tribe leader atop the mount,becoming the first to swear
  allegiance to Mavuane.Her band came roaring down the
  mountain,charging with fierce and grim determination
  against the Peace Vow giants.Many hearts became hard and
  many hands learned war the day the Blackstones wept.
  For seven years Chloris fought in the service of Mavuane.
  Countless times he painted his claws red,countless times he
  charged against all odds in her name,spreading havoc in his
  path,confusing the mightiest of foes with his utter lack of hes-
  itation.He always thought of himself more as a servant of the
  revolutionary than a servant of the revolution.He carried
  Mavuane’s word through the battlefields and turned her from
  a fanatic preacher into a prime political leader.The Purathandi
  called him “The Bloody Claw,” and the giants feared him.
  Few suspected that Chloris also carried a passion for
  Mavuane in his heart. He nurtured his romantic dreams
  secretly,anticipating the right moment to share them with her.
  After Chloris slew the giant head of the Peace Vow faction,
  his own brother, Charon, took his place as their leader.
  Charon asked for a meeting with Mavuane and, against
  Chloris' advice, she accepted.
  Charon and Mavuane conferred,but the negotiations were
  fruitless.Mavuane returned from the meeting burning with
  anger.She refused to share any details,which troubled
  Chloris deeply.Mavuane was now more determined than ever
  before to defeat the Peace Vow faction and execute her venge-
  ful justice upon her enemies.Tired of war,Chloris hoped for a
  swift victory and a love to flourish in the peace that should
  follow.But a loathsome betrayal denied him his dream.
  At the foot of Mount Thoularn the battle ensued. Chloris
  was fighting at the side of his beloved Mavuane when his
  brother, Charon, invoked The Power of the Name and com-
  pelled him to sheathe his sword. His eyes refused to believe
  the sight of Mavuane struck down by the giant governor
  Poh-Narsod in the heat of Chi-Julud. The warring sides
  parted, and the battle soothed quickly as Mavuane’s war-
  riors scattered. Chloris took the dying Mavuane in his arms
  and, with tears in her eyes, she begged him for forgiveness:
  She was a fool, she said, and her foolishness deprived the
  Smathi of their hope for freedom and honor. She confessed
  to Chloris that she was infatuated with his brother. After
  years of abstinence, she offered herself to him during the
  negotiations, and his refusal to accept her was the cause for
  her wrath.
  Chloris was enraged.The envious warrior decided to avenge
  Mavuane’s death by taking Poh-Narsod’s life.He invoked the
  name of Mavuane,roaring his intentions loud and clear.His
  brother answered with an oath of his own: that as long as he
  had fists to serve him,eyes to see,and warm blood flowing
  through his veins,Poh-Narsod shall not be harmed.Chloris’
  last vestige of feeling for his brother was gone.
  Combat
  Chloris charges into melee wearing Mavuane’s splendorous
  armor (this is the source of at least some of the rumors
  regarding the allegedly vengeful and relentless spirit of
  Mavuane). He is truly awe-inspiring and seems fearless. He
  combines his dancing bastard sword, wounding battle
  claws, and his summoned shield and weapon to create a
  masterful combination of defense and offense, timed to
  the second.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  134
  BEN SHALOM
  
  Using
  Chloris
  At 44 years old, Chloris stands 6 feet, 5 inches tall. He
  weighs 195 lbs. and has brown eyes. His brownish fur shows
  a red tint around the paws, and a branding mark symboliz-
  ing freedom shows through the fur on his neck.
  Today, Chloris is a man with a cause. He must kill gover-
  nor Poh-Narsod before a year and a day pass or disgrace the
  memory of Mavuane and lose the cause he had fought for—
  though he sometimes doubts it was ever there in the first
  place. When he feels he lacks confidence in the cause, he
  draws strength from the memory of his beloved Mavuane.
  The few who are closest to him can tell that Mavuane’s
  memory constantly torments his waking hours.Fewer still
  know that sometimes he unknowingly curses her in his sleep.
  In a conversation, Chloris seems rather boring—all he
  ever talks about is killing Poh-Narsod. Even his deputies
  find his single-minded behavior lately disturbing.
  Chloris,male litorian Cmp15 (Freedom,Mavuane): CR 15;
  Medium humanoid;HD 15d10+45;hp 136;Dying/Dead
  –3/–17 dead;Init +3;Speed 20 feet;AC 30 (+2 Dex,+13
  armor,+1 luck,+3 deflection),touch 16,flat-footed 27;BAB
  +15/+10/+5;Grapple +19;Attack +20 melee (1d8+7,19–20/×2,
  dire greater battle claw);Full Attack +20/+15/+10 melee
  (1d8+7,19–20/×2,dire greater battle claw);SA Call upon
  power,take on the mantle;SQ Low-light vision,freedom’s will,
  freedom’s strength,invoke the name,call shield,heartening
  cry;Hero Points 0;SV Fort +12,Ref +9,Will +10 (+12 vs.
  enchantments);Str 18,Dex 16,Con 17,Int 12,Wis 13,Cha 8
  Languages: Litorian, Common, and Giant
  Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Craft (sculpture) +3, Heal +6,
  Intimidate +7, Jump +8, Knowledge (geography) +3,
  Knowledge (history) +3, Listen +3, Search +3, Spot +10,
  Wilderness Survival +10; Bonded Item (Mavuane’s armor),
  Exotic Armor Proficiency, Exotic Weapon Proficiency
  (agile), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (heavy), Power Attack,
  Power Charge, Speed Burst
  Call Shield (Sp): Once per day for 15 minutes, Chloris can
  summon a +4 long shield that a foe cannot take against his
  will, although it can be dispelled. The shield negates 50
  percent of the critical hits he might suffer.
  Call Upon Power (Su): Four times per day, Chloris gains a +2
  enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for up
  to 15 rounds as a free action.
  Call Weapon (Sp):Once per day for 15 minutes, Chloris can
  summon a +4 defending weapon that a foe cannot take
  against his will, although it can be dispelled.
  Heartening Cry (Su):Once per day as a free action, Chloris
  gives a battle cry that rallies and inspires his allies. All
  allies within 30 feet gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls,
  saving throws, and checks for 10 rounds. Further, all allies
  within the area under the effects of an unwanted enchant-
  ment can make another saving throw against the effect (at
  the original DC) to throw it off.
  Take on the Mantle (Su): Once per day Chloris gains a new form
  called “The Roaring Thunder.” This form lasts 30 rounds,
  adds a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength,Constitution,and
  Charisma,and grants him DR 10/magic (or 10/+1) and SR 26.
  Freedom’s Will (Su): Chloris enjoys a +2 resistance bonus to
  spells of the enchantment school.
  Freedom’s Strength (Su): Chloris enjoys a +1 luck bonus to
  attack and damage rolls when in a fight to free someone or
  something from captivity, or against an oppressive force or
  figure.
  Invoke the Name (Su): Chloris gains an additional attack at his
  highest bonus if he swears to do a task in Mavuane’s name.
  Possessions: Mavuane’s armor (+3 articulated plate fitted with
  +2 armor spikes), +1 dire greater battle claw of wounding,
  +2 dancing dire bastard sword, ring of protection +3, terrifying
  battle colors† (4 doses)
  New Magic Item
  Terrifying Battle Colors†: After being applied, each dose of
  this oil activates upon the user’s first Intimidate attempt,
  regardless of its success. The effects are as a heightened gaze
  of terror spell.
  Moderate enchantment; Caster Level 15th; Craft Single-
  Use Item, heightened gaze of terror; Price 3,750 gp; Weight —
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 135
  
  Cralla the Dirgewife
  Cralla the sibeccai sings a dirge for every opponent laid low
  by her swordstaff. A champion of death, Cralla calls herself
  a champion of life. She claims to have the unique talent of
  being able to judge who should live and who should die—
  a gift she maintains no one but she truly understands. She
  believes it her duty to give her targets a wondrous demise.That
  the deserving party does not see the need to die is irrelevant.
  Cralla is the best judge of such things (according to her).
  Cralla works as a high-paid assassin,but she requires clear
  proof that the would-be victim does not deserve to live. This
  proof is not terribly hard to accomplish, since Cralla believes
  that most people do not deserve their lives, but it is not a
  mere formality.She turns down more work than she accepts.
  Before she plans and carries out her work,she attempts to
  learn enough about the target to compose a worthy dirge that
  she can sing as death approaches.These songs are usually of
  only mediocre quality,but she thinks they are beautiful.The
  practice has certainly helped further her reputation.
  Combat
  Although she carries two swordstaves with her at all times,
  obviously in battle she only uses one. She calls her shield
  and weapon only if caught unarmed (appearing to be
  unarmed is part of one of her schemes). Her combat style
  boasts a great deal of flourish and artistry, and her tactics are
  rarely straightforward. She likes her victim’s end to be slow
  and elegant, as she would term it. Thus, she often designs
  elaborate schemes, employing others to help her enact her
  plots, build her traps, and concoct her poisons. She thinks of
  herself as a mastermind—her talent is her brilliance, vision,
  and creativity more than her physical prowess.
  Using Cralla
  Although Cralla makes an excellent opponent,she is sure to be
  an atypical encounter.If contracted to kill a player character,
  she might hire thugs to maneuver her victim into a theater so
  she can kill the character herself on stage.Or she could invite
  the victim to a sumptuous banquet,with each course contain-
  ing a different drug that—once the meal is finished—all
  interact within the victim’s system as a terrible poison.
  On the other hand, Cralla may try to employ the player
  characters to work with her in one of her complicated
  designs, assuring them (as she honestly believes) that the
  victim is an evil person who deserves to die. She pays well,
  because she demands exorbitant fees herself.
  Cralla the Dirgewife,female sibeccai Cmp10 (death): CR 10;
  Medium humanoid; HD 10d10+40; hp 99; Init +8; Speed
  30 feet; AC 14 (+4 armor), touch 10, flat-footed 14; BAB
  +10/+5, Grapple +12; Attack +12 melee (1d8+4, critical
  17–20/×2, +1 swordstaff); Full Attack +11/+6 melee (1d8+3,
  critical 17–20/×2, +1 swordstaff) and +11 melee (1d8+2,
  critical 19–20/×2, +1 swordstaff);
  SA Death’s blessing, death’s wrath,
  call upon the power, call weapon,
  heartening cry; SQ Low-light
  vision, immune to spells with
  negative energy descriptor, call
  shield; Hero Points 0; SV Fort +11,
  Ref +4, Will +10; Str 14, Dex 11,
  Con 18, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 16
  Languages: Common, Giant
  Skills and Feats: Climb +6,Dip-
  lomacy +7,Jump +6,Knowledge
  (history) +6,Perform (singing) +4,
  Spot +9;Ambidexterity,Exotic
  Weapon Proficiency (heavy),
  Two-Weapon Fighting
  Call Shield (Sp):Once a day for 10
  minutes, Cralla can summon a 
  +3 long shield that a foe cannot
  take against her will, although 
  it can be dispelled. The shield
  negates 50 percent of the
  criticals she might suffer.
  Call Upon the Power (Su):
  Five times per day, Cralla
  gains a +2 enhancement
  bonus to Strength and
  Constitution for up to
  10 rounds as a free
  action.
  Call Weapon (Sp):
  Five times a day for
  10 minutes,Cralla
  can summon a +3
  weapon that a foe
  cannot take against
  her will,although it can be dispelled.
  Heartening Cry (Su):Once a day as a free action, Cralla can
  give a battle cry that rallies and inspires her allies. All allies
  within 30 feet gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls, sav-
  ing throws, and checks for 10 rounds. Further, all allies
  within the area who are under the effects of an unwanted
  enchantment can make another saving throw against the
  effect (at the original DC) to throw it off.
  Death’s Blessing (Ex): Cralla enjoys a +1 luck bonus to attack
  rolls against living foes.
  Death’s Wrath (Sp): Once a day, Cralla can summon forth a
  blast of negative energy that inflicts 10d8 points of dam-
  age to a single living creature within 100 feet. She  must
  make a successful ranged touch attack to inflict damage.
  Possessions: +1 keen/+1 swordstaff, +2 leather jack, elegant
  clothing, silver and ebony necklace (500 gp), potion of
  greater battle healing, silver and ebony rings (3, 50 gp each)
  Legacy of the Dragons
  136
  
  Daelan Bitterslice
  People say that, for a brief time, Queen Naerath’s court flour-
  ished. But her reign was not meant to be.
  When Naerath established herself as queen of the faen, it
  flew in the face of all faen tradition since before anyone
  could remember. The faen were always ruled by a set of
  twins, alternating in a cycle of loresongs and quicklings.
  Naerath ignored all of that and proclaimed herself rightful
  ruler of her people. An extremely charismatic spryte mage
  blade, Naerath had a number of devoted followers.
  Hundreds of faen agreed to follow her and, for a few
  months, her bloodless usurpation looked like it might gather
  enough momentum to become a political force in the
  Harrowdeep.
  But it ended as suddenly as it began when Naerath was
  assassinated by a group of traditionalist quicklings. All of
  her court was likewise murdered or scattered. Only one
  member of her royal guard survived the attack. His name was
  Daelan Bitterslice, a quickling unfettered who saw the attack
  coming in a dream but never warned his queen, because he
  didn’t believe he had seen a portent of the future. He fled
  when it was clear Naerath was dead, and soon after he
  entered his chrysalis in order to transform into a spryte.
  According to faen tradition, if one enters a chrysalis in
  despair, he is doomed to a life of misery. That may very well
  be true in Daelan’s case, for his life is ruled by guilt and
  regret. After his transformation, he left the Harrowdeep and
  swore never to return. He hates all other faen and never will-
  ingly spends any time in their company. Instead, he wanders
  through the Lands of the Diamond Throne seeking meaning
  and purpose. Daelan wants to devote his sword to some
  noble pursuit to redeem the cause—and the queen—he
  allowed to die.
  He has struck up a few friendships here and there but has
  yet to find a home. Bad luck follows Daelan like a raincloud,
  and he takes it all quite personally. He has even gained a bit
  of reputation as “the dour spryte,” in some circles.
  Combat
  Daelan’s main strategy in a fight is simply not to get hit.
  Unless he is fairly certain an opponent isn’t skilled enough
  to hit him, he usually fights defensively, adding another +2
  dodge bonus to his Armor Class (and subtracting –4 from
  his attacks).
  Using Daelan
  Daelan is a wanderer whom one might encounter almost
  anywhere. If the player characters undertake some noble
  quest, he might be interested in joining them. On the other
  hand, if they involve themselves in some shady dealings,
  they might find Daelan opposing their plans. He could work
  as a guard or even as a spy for a nonfaen whom he was con-
  vinced was both noble and influential—someone worthy of
  aiding. Otherwise, the PCs might encounter him as simply a
  down-on-his-luck adventurer who might know some impor-
  tant bit of information.
  In the areas he frequents, Daelan is known for his distinc-
  tive red leather armor.
  Daelan Bitterslice,male spryte Unf3: CR 3;Tiny fey;HD 3d10–6;
  hp 15; Init +9; Speed 10 feet, fly 30 feet (average); AC 23
  (+2 size,+5 Dex,+3 dodge,+3 armor),touch 20,flat-footed
  15; BAB +3, Grapple –5; Attack +11 melee (1d4+1, critical
  19–20/×2, tiny rapier) or +10 ranged (1d4, critical 20/×3,
  sprytebow);Full Attack +11 melee (1d3+1,critical 18–20/×2,
  tiny rapier) or +10 ranged (1d4, critical 20/×3, sprytebow);
  SQ Low-light vision,parry;Hero Points 1;SV Fort –1,Ref +8,
  Will +2; Str 11, Dex 21, Con 6, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13
  Languages: Common, Faen
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Craft (leather) +3, Disable Device
  +2, Knowledge (nobility and courtesy) +4, Listen +7, Open
  Lock +11, Spellcraft +2, Spot +7, Tumble +9; Defensive,
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (agile), Improved Initiative,
  Weapon Finesse
  Parry (Ex): Daelan may add a +1 bonus to his Armor Class
  against a single melee opponent in a given round.
  Possessions:+1 tiny Devanian rapier, masterwork studded
  leather, sprytebow, 10 arrows, 124 gp
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 137
  
  Denassa the Midnight
  Vesper
  Not all tales of loyal servitude end with the devotee hon-
  ored among the masses—sometimes such people are
  feared, cursed, and reviled. And not just by those who
  oppose the ones they serve, but by those who gave them
  power and life ... and death. Denassa, the Midnight
  Vesper, is one such creature.
  Born a verrik of moderate station but unique intellect,
  Denassa grew to adulthood within the confines of an
  akashic guild that many believed to be only rumor—an order
  that commanded the utmost zealotry to protect a powerful
  coven of witches. This coven pushed the strains of morality
  to pursue perfection in its guardian-assassins, who were
  raised from birth to die for them in the greatest test of fealty.
  In fact, they hand-selected the most loyal and accomplished
  of the guild, grooming them to die and be raised again in
  undeath as members of the Haunt.
  The favors the guild granted Denassa’s family escape
  record, perhaps stripped by the beast herself. But what 
  the guild reportedly received in return, the folk of the
  Diamond Throne lands know all too well. Stories of her
  infiltrations, thefts, murders, and myriad acts of sabotage
  pour freely from too many lips for them all to be truly the
  work of one creature. However, the facts justify enough of
  them that few doubt the veracity of any claim. The coven
  uses such stories to drive home fear of the Haunt’s power,
  ordering all members to leave behind Denassa’s mark of
  the purple lily, always reminding those who tell the tales
  that none are safe.
  Yet this is not her story’s end. Robbed of her youth and
  promising life, Denassa has grown tired of serving her mas-
  ters. Recently, she escaped their control to travel freely and
  ply her trade as she likes. Skilled in the arts of disguise, infil-
  tration, and educated in all matters, Denassa is uniquely
  suited to pass among the living, slipping from one place to
  the next with few ever the wiser.
  The coven alone knows of her current rogue status. That
  its prize possession has fled presents a dire challenge to the
  order’s authority. In response, they have unleashed dozens of
  new members of the Haunt to bring her back or destroy her.
  None have succeeded, many have disappeared, and few of
  them still know the fearlessness they once enjoyed.
  Haunted by the abomination of her existence, Denassa
  seeks some form of solace that is not a final death. In her
  heart she believes what she has been told most of her life:
  that her deeds served some greater purpose, which she
  could not fully understand. And having passed out of the
  world of the living, life is not her final pursuit—divinity is.
  She hopes to ascend, as the verrik of old once did, to a
  higher state of being by helping her legend to grow through
  her ever-greater deeds. Her search for such a reward is tire-
  less, all-consuming, and utterly without mercy.
  Combat
  Denassa wields her flaming claws as weapons skillfully in
  battle. She is also likely to use her disorient and mind stab
  spell-like abilities during combat.
  Denassa is well suited to preserving herself, both in heal-
  ing and disguise. Her tattooed spell can overcome most
  injuries in time, while her Disguise skill is unsurpassed.
  She still leaves her trademark purple lily at the scene 
  of each of her attacks, to enlarge her already considerable 
  legend.
  Using Denassa
  While Denassa currently travels deep in the Central Plains,
  the whispered myth of the Midnight Vesper is known from
  Zalavat to the Harrowdeep. Characters who encounter her
  may have the misfortune of also tangling with the members
  of the Haunt who pursue her.
  If a cause serves her, Denassa will see it completed. Her
  legend does not allow failure, thus she remains utterly
  dependable as friend or foe.
  Denassa,female (undead) verrik Aks8/Verrik3:CR 12; Medium
  undead; HD 11d12; 86 hp; Dying/Dead —/0; Init +2;
  Speed 30 feet; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural armor), touch 12,
  flat-footed 12; BAB +8/+3; Grapple +8; Attack +8 melee
  (1d4+2 and 1d6 fire, critical 20/×2, claw), or +10 ranged
  (1d8, critical 20/×3, light crossbow); Full Attack +8/+3
  melee (1d4+2 +1d6 fire, critical 20/×2, claw), or +10
  ranged (1d8 critical 20/×3, light crossbow); SA Sneak
  attack +1d6; SQ Darkvision 60 feet, undead traits, sensory
  control,spell-like abilities;Hero Points 0;SV Fort +5,Ref +5,
  Will +12; Str 10, Dex 14, Con —, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 14
  Languages: Common, Faen, Giant, Goblin, Litorian, and
  Verrik
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +8,Balance +9,Bluff +11,Climb +5,
  Diplomacy +15, Disable Device +10, Disguise +17, Escape
  Artist +9, Forgery +10, Jump +5, Knowledge (architecture)
  +12, Knowledge (ceremony) +12, Knowledge (cosmology)
  +12, Knowledge (dangerous beasts), Knowledge (engineer-
  ing) +12,Knowledge (geography) +12, Knowledge (history)
  +12, Knowledge (magic) +12, Knowledge (nature) +12,
  Knowledge (nobility and courtesy) +12, Knowledge (reli-
  gion) +12, Knowledge (runes) +12, Knowledge (sailing
  and navigation) +12, Knowledge (science) +12, Listen +5,
  Open Lock +8, Search +11, Sense Motive +10, Sleight of
  Legacy of the Dragons
  138
  MICHAEL TRICE
  
  Hand +11, Sneak +11, Spot +5, Tumble +11, Use Magic
  Device +9; Great Fortitude, Hands as Weapons (+2, flam-
  ing), Intuitive Sense, Night Owl, Skill Focus (Disguise),
  Tattooed Spell (touch of disruption)
  Sensory Control (Su): Denassa can selectively shut down
  one or more senses.
  Innate Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—compelling command,
  contact, detect magic, disorient, lesser telekinesis, levitate, mind
  stab, read mind, sense thoughts; 2/day—telepathy; 3/day—
  object loresight
  Skill Memory (Su): Four times per day, Denassa gains a
  +2 bonus to a single skill check attempt made the next
  round.
  Perfect Recall (Ex): Denassa enjoys a +3 bonus to
  Knowledge skill checks made without using skill
  memory.
  Delve Into Collective Memory (Su): Eight times per day,
  Denassa can make a +13 check to remember some rele-
  vant information about notable people, legendary
  items, or noteworthy places.
  Akashic Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—creature 
  loresight, location loresight, object loresight
  Lesser Delve Into Personal Memory (Su): Once per
  day as a standard action, Denassa can mentally
  probe the memory of one creature within 25 feet to
  find a truthful one-word answer to a question. A
  Will save (DC 16) negates the attempt; succeed or
  fail, the subject remains unaware of the attempt.
  Minor Battle Memory (Su): Once per day, for 8
  rounds, Denassa enjoys a +4 competence bonus to
  attack and damage rolls, as well as a +4 dodge bonus
  to Armor Class.
  Lesser Battle Memory (Su): Twice per day, for 8 rounds,
  Denassa enjoys a +3 competence bonus to attack and
  damage rolls, as well as a +3 dodge bonus to Armor
  Class.
  Kinesthetic Memory (Su): Denassa can easily get around
  with no penalty when she has a single damaged or
  deprived sense and is in familiar surroundings.
  Possessions:Amulet of unknown (usable once per day for 12
  hours, caster level 15th); light crossbow and 20 bolts; a
  large, fine leather satchel; six scroll cases, 20 pieces of vel-
  lum, and pen and ink vial; fine clothes befitting a courtier,
  including necklace, earrings, and bejeweled coif (250 gp);
  75 gp
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 139
  
  Domagoth the Dominator
  In the final years of the great war, while the victorious giants
  hunted down the dramojh, Talyn son of Molen was taken.
  Servants of the dramojh stole him from his bed at the age of
  two—he was one of many children taken this way, to be
  raised by the dramojh as special weapons against their ene-
  mies. The children were instructed in the arts of dominating
  others, through both magic and more mundane means, and
  were implanted with magical items that enhanced these pow-
  ers.Their mission was to turn the enemies of the dramojh
  against each other and cause chaos in the opposing ranks.
  While some of them succeeded at times, obviously the effort
  made no difference in the eventual fate of the dramojh.
  Talyn’s childhood was not pleasant. Even the allies of the
  dramojh were treated cruelly and without a spark of kind-
  ness. By the time the dramojh were gone, Talyn had long
  since lost the last bit of humanity within him. He had
  become an adept magister, extremely skilled in dominating
  others, and nearly as cruel as his former masters. He was
  19 years old.
  Talyn spent the next 70 years keeping his magical abilities
  secret.He knew if the giants discovered him,his life would
  surely be forfeit.In secret,he used his powers of domination
  to gather resources for his driving obsession.He wanted to
  transform himself into a dramojh.He gained enormous wealth
  and a vast library of magical books and dramojh artifacts.
  By the time he was 90, he had despaired of ever reaching
  his goal. He was dying and had found no magical or mun-
  dane means of becoming dramojh. Shortly before his 91st
  birthday, a hooded figure appeared on his doorstep with
  word of a newly discovered ceremony that allowed a human
  to become akin to the dramojh. The creature was brought
  before Talyn and removed its hood. It was the first mojh
  Talyn had ever seen.
  The mojh, Travathar, offered to sell Talyn the instructions
  for the technique. The price was steep—more than half of
  Talyn’s considerable wealth. However, no price was too high.
  With no hesitation, Talyn accepted the offer and began
  preparations for the ceremony. Within a few months, the
  human known as Talyn was no more. He had taken a new
  name in his new form. Domagoth meant dominator in the
  language of the dramojh, so that was the name Talyn chose.
  Domagoth—now genderless, as are all mojh—soon became
  feared throughout the Lands of the Diamond Throne.
  Eventually, tales of the Dominator became legend, of the
  kind told to children to make them behave. Domagoth lived
  on. The mojh continued to build its magical and monetary
  resources to protect itself from discovery. Memories of the
  war were still fresh in its mind, and the mojh still worried
  that groups of giants would hunt him down for the crimes of
  Talyn. Domagoth focused all its energy on hiding its identity
  and location. The mojh scried on veterans of the dramojh
  war to watch them die, one by one. This behavior continued
  until finally, one day, it believed itself the only one left.
  Domagoth could find no other humanoid creature that had
  been alive during the war.
  At this point, Domagoth became less afraid. The mojh
  remained vigilant against discovery, but it no longer feared
  being punished for wartime offenses. In time it renewed its
  attempts to discover a way to transform into a dramojh. The
  mojh shape had satisfied Domagoth for more than two cen-
  turies, but the magister was now starting to feel its age. The
  creature desired the virtual immortality of the dramojh—
  wanted it with every fiber of its being. But, in the many years
  that have passed since then, Domagoth has not found even
  a hint of such a transformation.
  Bitterness filled the mojh. It eventually gained enough
  power and knowledge to magically reduce the effects of its
  great age, but its body is ancient and weak. Its mind is keen-
  er and more powerful than ever, though. Domagoth spends
  its waking hours tormenting and dominating prisoners the
  servants bring to it. The practice gives it small pleasure.
  Combat
  Domagoth avoids direct confrontation at all costs.If accost-
  ed,the mojh uses its dominated minions and defensive spells
  as shields while retreating to one of its many safe houses.
  When dominating its victims, it first uses spells to learn
  as much about a target as possible, including its truename, if
  possible. Domagoth records this information in a great book
  that contains the truenames of many powerful living and
  dead creatures.
  The mojh then boosts its spell save Difficulty Class as
  high as necessary, depending on the dominated creature’s
  strength of will. Domagoth then reduces the creature’s resist-
  ance and dominates it for as long as possible, sometimes
  permanently.
  Using Domagoth
  Domagoth is an ancient and shriveled version of its former
  self. Hunched and weak, the mojh is frequently troubled by a
  wracking cough. It still retains some of its mojh height,
  standing slightly over 6 feet, but is quite thin. Domagoth
  wears fine robes and jewelry of considerable value. It always
  wears two magical rings and carries a pair of magical lenses.
  The mojh also has a magical green gem imbedded in the cen-
  ter of its chest by its dramojh masters. It glows when the
  mojh uses its spells to dominate other minds.
  Domagoth surrounds itself with a constantly changing
  group of dominated servants. Servants who break free of
  Legacy of the Dragons
  140
  J.D. BRUCE
  
  domination (by making a successful saving throw,for example)
  or those whom Domagoth has tired of,are either killed or
  given to the mojh’s chief lieutenant.
  This lieutenant—Fenorial, a twisted 10th-level champion
  of life—has devoted himself to protecting the oldest living
  humanoid he has ever heard of and helping to extend that
  life as much as possible. Not cruel like his master, he hopes
  to mitigate the evil his master does. Rather than kill the vic-
  tims he receives, he uses one of his master’s artifacts to wipe
  their recent memory, then returns them to their families.
  Domagoth,mojh Mgr15/Mojh1: CR 16; Medium humanoid;
  HD 15d6–60 + 1d8–4; hp 16; Dying/Dead 0/–3; Init +0;
  Speed 30 feet; AC 11 (+0 Dex, +1 natural armor), touch 10,
  flat-footed 11; BAB +7/+2; Grapple +4; Attack +4 melee
  (1d6–3, critical 20/×2, staff); Full Attack +4/–1 melee
  (1d6–3, critical 20/×2, staff); SA Spells; SQ Darkvision 60
  feet, detect magic at will, distinct voice, mind over matter;
  Hero Points 0; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +13; Str 5, Dex 11,
  Con 3, Int 24, Wis 10, Cha 22
  Languages:Common, Draconic, Faen, Giant, Litorian,
  Sibeccai, Verrik
  Skills and Feats: Alchemy +26,Balance +2,Concentration +15,
  Craft (drawing) +10,Decipher Script +17,Diplomacy +15,
  Disguise +10,Forgery +13,Intimidate +25,Knowledge (cere-
  mony) +8,Knowledge (cosmology) +8,Knowledge (danger-
  ous beasts) +8, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge
  (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge
  (magic) +18, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (nobility
  and courtesy) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, Knowledge
  (runes) +10, Knowledge (sailing and navigation) +8,
  Knowledge (science) +8, Spellcraft +27; Brandish Magical
  Might,Craft Charged Item,Creator Mage,Eldritch
  Training,Iron Will, Mirror Sight, Modify Spell, Power of
  the Name, Resistant Spell, Sense the Unseen, Signature
  Spell (lesser dominate), Title (The Dominator)
  Familiarity With Magic (Ex): Domagoth gains a +2
  competence bonus to all saving throws against spells
  and spell-like and supernatural abilities (including
  magic items). Further, it gains a +2 competence bonus to
  Armor Class against spells requiring attack rolls.
  Distinct Voice (Su): Domagoth can be heard by anyone with-
  in 100 feet, regardless of surrounding noise, even when
  whispering, if desired.
  Mind Over Matter (Ex): In situations requiring a Strength
  check, Domagoth can make an Intelligence check instead.
  Possessions: Loresight lenses, ring of spellcasting, ring of magical
  might (6th), manacles of interrogation, magister’s staff,
  imbedded gem of dominate (constant 1/day item casts
  heightened lesser dominate as a 12th-level caster)
  Spell Slots: 8/8/8/7/5/6/4/3/1
  Spells Readied:11/11/10/9/7/6/5/4/2; 0—canny effort, contact,
  detect creature, disorient, enchanting flavor, hygiene, lesser
  telekinesis, read magic, saving grace, sense thoughts, touch of
  nausea; 1st—charm, creature loresight, directed charm, distrac-
  tion, lesser compelling question, mind stab, resistance, tears of
  pain, touch of fear, touch of pain, veil of darkness; 2nd—cloak
  of darkness, eldritch web, lesser ability boost, lesser enhance
  magical flow, magnetism, protective charm, read mind, scream,
  see invisibility, silent sheath; 3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance,
  dispel magic, greater compelling question, invisibility, locate
  object, steal health, suggestion, tracer, unknown; 4th—detect
  scrying, dimensional door, greater enhance magical flow, locate
  creature, modify memory, telepathy, tongues; 5th—defensive
  field, enfeebled mind, lesser dominate, scrying, spell resistance,
  teleport; 6th—greater ability boost, learn truename, protect
  soul, security, stimulate; 7th—curse of the chaotic mind, 
  incorporeal form, phase door, song of paralysis; 8th—greater 
  dominate, spell magnet
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 141
  
  Kelberen 
  Kelberen’s earliest memories are of lying in bed while his
  father told him stories: tales of mighty heroes, terrible mon-
  sters, forgotten gods, and ancient evils that stalked the
  darkness only to be defeated by the forces of light. His
  favorites were always the stories featuring his namesake, the
  Lord Kelberen Liathes, a knight from the empire of Sennes.
  As Kelberen would fall asleep, his father would remind him
  that “heroes are made by their actions, not born in their
  blood.”
  Although his family’s status had dwindled over the cen-
  turies to an empty title and a few merchant holdings, they
  remembered proudly their days of past glory. In fact, every-
  one seemed to be more proud of an empire that had col-
  lapsed under its own weight 1700 years ago than the living,
  breathing world they experienced every day. Kelberen wanted
  more than anything to give his family something to be proud
  of besides the deeds of the distant past, but he never expect-
  ed to have the chance to do so. His parents knew more about
  his dreams than he imagined, however.
  As the youngest of five children and the second son,
  Kelberen traditionally would enter either the priesthood or
  the military. But his parents had him tutored in the magical
  arts (secretly, so as not to induce talk among the neigh-
  bors). Much arcane lore proved to be beyond his grasp, but
  he took well to the fusion of magic and a warrior’s skills.
  When he had mastered the arts of a mage blade and
  reached the age of adulthood, his parents gifted him with a
  sword and released him into the wider world. Kelberen
  swore he would bring honor to the family name—and write
  home frequently.
  Kelberen’s adventures are something of a byword in the
  region. Many know of the aid he gave to the village of
  Seldron during the Great Flood. The time he won a riddle
  duel with a concussed chorrim inspired more than a few
  ballads. But his time as a wandering hero couldn’t last for-
  ever, and it was a chance encounter with a caravan in a
  storm that ended his adventuring career. Kelberen learned
  that the caravan master followed a mysterious cult that
  kidnapped children. With the assistance of Desdimne
  (dess-DIM-ni), a young woman he released from the cara-
  van, he sought out the temple of this cult and sent word
  to the authorities of its location. To stop a ritual that
  would cost its kidnapped subject his life, Kelberen had to
  enter combat with the cultists. He was able to hold them
  off until reinforcements arrived, but at a high cost: his
  athame was shattered, his left hand maimed, and he was
  severely injured.
  Kelberen remained unconscious for more than a month.
  When he awoke, he found himself in the household of a
  giantish noble, whose grand-nephew would have been
  sacrificed without Kelberen’s aid. The noble had brought
  Kelberen to his estate to recover. Desdimne, a keeper of
  songs and a healer, had watched over him during his coma
  and continued to do so during his convalescence. During
  the fourth month of his recovery, she agreed to marry him.
  When he had returned to full health, Kelberen was offered a
  position as bodyguard in the giant’s household. At first he
  refused it, thinking his days as a warrior were finished, but
  he soon learned to compensate for his injury. He now bears
  a shield, concealing a hidden blade, strapped to his domi-
  nant left arm.
  Kelberen has served this household for more than 10
  years with distinction and honor. Visitors might easily mis-
  take him for a mere ceremonial guard, as he bears few
  weapons—but most overlook the cutting edge of his shield.
  His knowledge of courtly behavior permits him to be present
  at even the most formal of occasions. Desdimne’s musical
  talents are often called for, and she has occasionally served
  as a vital pair of eyes at state dinners, although Kelberen is
  loath to put her in harm’s way. He and Desdimne have two
  children: a daughter, Iarel (EYE-ah-rel, seven summers), and
  a son, Murres (Mur-ay, two).
  To date, Kelberen and the guard have stopped two
  major assassination attempts, seven robberies, and one
  kidnapping. Although there have been no such incidents
  in the past year, Kelberen has detected subtle signs that
  his family was the true target of the kidnapping attempt.
  This concerns him and his employer greatly, and he is
  considering sending Iarel and Murres to stay with their
  grandparents for a time.
  Combat
  Kelberen’s first duty is to protect his employer, and he
  will do so even at the cost of his life. Sometimes the best
  defense is a good offense, and Kel handles both with grace
  and speed. He uses his magic to sneak near and stalk
  intruders, taking them alive if possible. Should physical
  combat become necessary, he uses his dagger with its ani-
  mate weapon spell to strike from a distance, if he can do so
  safely; otherwise, he casts energy blade (usually with sonic
  energy) and enters melee. Most adversaries don’t realize his
  shield is also a potent weapon until it’s too late—he uses it
  purely defensively until he sees an opening. Kel’s combat
  style is elegant, almost like the movements of a dance, and
  he often relies on dodging and ducking to avoid blows.
  When on duty, he casts a heightened glamour on himself to
  augment his spellcasting ability, then a diminished lesser
  ability boost to aid flexibility.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  142
  MATTHEW GEORGE
  
  Using Kelberen
  At the age of 37, Kelberen stands 6 feet, 1 inch tall. His light
  brown hair is complemented by his pale, gold-brown eyes
  and beige skin. Tall and slim, he has a slightly aristocratic
  nose. He usually wears a tunic with the crest of his giantish
  patron and a light cloak over his chain shirt. For special
  occasions, like formal dinners or ceremonial guard posts,
  he owns a decorative uniform.
  Kelberen’s sonic spells often manifest as the scream of a
  bird of prey. His beastskin spells tend to create a layer of fine,
  feathery scales and down. He is left-handed.
  Kelberen’s immediate goals are simple:protect the family of
  his employer,his wife,and his children.Although he remem-
  bers his adventuring days fondly, his brush with death dis-
  suades him from striking out on his own—he has too much
  to live for. More abstractly, Kelberen now desires to serve his
  employer honorably and well. Ironically, he finds service to
  be more fulfilling than the pursuit of glory ever was.
  Kelberen, male human Mbl8: CR 8; Medium humanoid;
  HD 8d10; hp 42; Dying/Dead –1/–11; Init +2; Speed 30
  feet; AC 21 (+2 Dex, +6 armor, +3 shield), touch 12, flat-
  footed 18; Armor Check 0; BAB +6/+1; Grapple +5; Attack
  +11 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d6 sonic, 17–20/×2, shield blade),
  or +9 ranged (1d4–1, 19–20/×2, dagger); Full Attack
  +11/+6 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d6 sonic, 17–20/×2, shield
  blade) and +5 melee (1d4–1, 19–20/×2, dagger), or +9
  ranged (1d4+1, 19–20/×2, dagger); SQ Shimmering shield;
  Hero Points 1; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4; Str 9, Dex 14,
  Con 11, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 16
  Languages: Common, Faen, Giant, Litorian
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +10, Knowledge (history) +5,
  Knowledge (magic) +7, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Search +7,
  Spellcraft +9, Swim +5; Complex Spell (2nd level), Craft
  Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Spell-Completion Item,
  Expertise, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse
  Shimmering Shield (Sp): Once per day, this aura
  provides Kelberen with a +4 deflection bonus
  for 8 rounds.
  Possessions: Raptorwing (+2 Devanian round
  shield with a +3 keen sonic shield blade,
  specially crafted to resemble the out-
  stretched wing of a falcon [athame]);
  Featherlight (+2 Devanian chain shirt); a
  masterwork dagger with a charm of ani-
  mate weapon embedded in its pommel;
  bracer with charms: diminished lesser
  enhance magical flow,lesser enhance magical flow,
  heightened scent tracker,heightened canny effort
  (3), heightened scent bane, lesser transfer wounds (3),
  heightened saving grace (3),see invisibility,safe fall (3),dimin-
  ished silent sheath; a spider-shaped cloak fastener that acts
  as a charm of eldritch web; wand of icebolt (21 charges);
  snowflake obsidian pendant (akashic memory stone) con-
  taining his spell notes;plus 36 gp and 100 gp worth of gems
  Spell Slots: 5/4/3/2
  Spells Readied:6/5/4/2; 0—contact, detect magic, detect poison,
  ghost sound, hygiene, sense thoughts; 1st—glamour, lesser
  transfer wounds, mind stab, precise vision, resistance; 2nd—
  energy blade, lesser ability boost, lesser beastskin, scream; 3rd—
  protection from elements, slow
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 143
  
  Marvalontal
  In her own language, Marvalontal is an iladan, or “one that
  works magic with a blade.” Her athame is a frosted glass
  longsword named Yanial, which means “splintered speed.”
  Yanial’s glass is a rare material that originates on the alabast
  home world (see Chapter Four: Creatures of The Diamond
  Throne). It is as strong and light as adamantite.
  Marvalontal may be her people’s most skilled iladan.
  Soon, in fact, she plans to challenge the current alabast
  king to a duel. If she wins, she will become her people’s new
  ruler in their pyramid city of Kellest Minos in Thartholan.
  The road to success for Marvalontal has been a slow and
  quiet one, at least recently.
  When she was young, Marvalontal was wild and unruly
  by her people’s standards. She loved to fight and argue,
  frequently disobeying both her parents and the more gen-
  eral authorities. It appeared that, while skilled and intelli-
  gent, the alabast girl would spend most of her life in
  prison.
  Her attitude changed when she met a woman named
  Kediril who saw great potential in her. She convinced the
  young Marvalontal to leave Kellest Minos with her and
  travel into the alien world around them. As they traveled,
  Kediril taught her to harness her talents and quick wits
  and focus them. She instructed her in the ways of patience
  and careful consideration. And she taught Marvalontal to
  fear and distrust the world in which they were trapped,
  but not to hate it the way other alabasts do. All these
  teachings helped make Marvalontal into the woman she is
  today.
  Marvalontal spent a few years avenging the murder of
  her teacher at the hands of a warband of chorrim, methodi-
  cally tracking down each of the creatures. Now that this
  task is done, she has returned finally to Kellest Minos,
  quickly earning an impressive reputation among her people.
  Combat
  Supremely skilled at both melee combat and spellcasting,
  Marvalontal rarely backs down from a fight. Instead, she
  leaps into a fray with determination and confidence. Using
  Speed Burst and Rapid Strike, she can run into battle and
  make four attacks on the second round (using the first
  round to activate her shimmering shield). She normally casts
  a diminished greater ability boost (which adds +8 to her
  Dexterity), then a diminished lesser ability boost (which adds
  +2 to her Charisma), and finally a diminished greater ability
  boost again (which adds +8 to her Strength), as well as spirit
  of prowess and heightened spell resistance before entering a
  battle if possible. If it seems she needs it, she casts gaze of
  terror once she’s in a fight.
  She often attempts to disarm foes wielding powerful mag-
  ical weapons, risking the attack of opportunity (if the foe can
  make one) to pick up the dropped weapon herself.
  Using Marvalontal
  Until she succeeds in supplanting the
  alabast king, Marvalontal is likely to act as
  an emissary of her people, sent out to deal
  with others when absolutely necessary. The
  rather xenophobic alabasts know they do
  not need worry for her while she is gone
  (although alabast worry is very low-key by
  human standards), for she knows the ways
  of the outside world better than most.
  Marvalontal,female alabast Mbl17: CR 17;
  Medium humanoid;HD 17d8;hp 71;Init +4;
  Speed 30 feet;AC 26 (+4 Dex,+8 armor, +4
  natural),touch 14,flat-footed 22,AC 27 in
  melee,AC 28 against foes with swords;Armor Check –1;
  BAB +12/+7/+2,Grapple +13;Attack +23 melee (1d8+5,criti-
  cal 19–20/×2,+4 longsword);Full Attack +23/+18/+13 melee
  (1d8+5,critical 19–20/×2,+3 longsword);SA Slice through
  wardings;SQ Low-light vision,shimmering shield,familiari-
  ty with magic,spell parry;Hero Points 0;SV Fort +7,Ref +11,
  Will +6;Str 12,Dex 19,Con 10,Int 16,Wis 9,Cha 18
  Languages: Alabast, Common
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +20,Craft (glass) +13,Jump +11,
  Knowledge (magic) +13,Listen +6,Search +17,Spellcraft +13,
  Spot +1, Tumble +18; Bonded Item (athame), Defensive
  Stance, Expertise, Improved Disarm, Modify Combat Style,
  Natural Swordsman, Rapid Strike, Speed Burst, Weapon
  Finesse, Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Shimmering Shield (Sp): Once per day, this aura provides
  Marvalontal with a +8 deflection bonus to AC for 17 rounds.
  Slice Through Wardings (Su): Marvalontal can,17 times a day,
  ignore magic-based protections on a foe with a single attack.
  Familiarity With Magic (Su): Marvalontal enjoys a +2 bonus
  to saves against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural
  abilities. Further, she gains a +2 competence bonus to
  Armor Class against spells requiring attack rolls.
  Spell Parry (Su): An attack roll (opposed by caster power
  check) allows Marvalontal to resist a spell directed at her.
  Possessions:Yanial (+4 glass longsword in her hands),+4 leather
  coat, amulet of natural armor +4, major cloak of displacement,
  scrolls of greater battle healing and greater ability boost, 98 gp
  Spell Slots: 5/5/5/5/3/2/1
  Spells Readied:7/7/7/6/4/3/1: 0—bash, canny effort, detect
  magic, ghost sound, lesser glowglobe, lesser repair, scent bane;
  1st—acrobatics, animate weapon, compelling command, mind
  stab, precise vision, resistance, touch of pain; 2nd—blinding
  light, icebolt, lesser ability boost, lesser battle healing, levitate,
  see invisibility, subtle steps; 3rd—greater compelling question,
  greater repair, hand of battle, lesser summon minor elemental,
  protection from elements, spirit of prowess; 4th—gaze of terror,
  strength to strike, telepathy, wall of ice; 5th—greater battle
  healing, open door, spell resistance; 6th—greater ability boost
  Legacy of the Dragons
  144
  
  Paushen Pugwhistle
  A sibeccai with a faen name, Paushen has a story that really
  begins in the late days of the giants’ war against the dramojh,
  around the Common Year 1389, when the settlement that
  would later evolve into the city of Erdaenos was but a depot
  on the giantish supply lines. This place, populated by giants
  and their sibeccai servants, free faen, and humans, provided
  goods and a rear position where battle-weary troops could
  refresh themselves before returning to the front lines. The
  area enjoyed not only a good view of the war front in the
  Bitter Peaks, but also the cover of an arm of the Harrowdeep.
  Unfortunately, dramojh spies uncovered the depot’s loca-
  tion and engaged in a brutal, flanking counterattack against
  it in the winter of the Common Year 1390. The giants of
  Erdaenos, as the repository was already named (after an
  obscure faen deity of secrets), died to the last. All other
  forces were routed, while any who stood to fight were killed.
  A large group of sibeccai retreated into the Harrowdeep, led
  there by faen allies. These were Paushen’s ancestors.
  Paushen was apparently born among the dwindling
  Harrowdeep sibeccai on the twenty-second day of Flameleaf,
  Common Year 1719, near the faen settlement of Whistlebark.
  At the time, many of the remaining sibeccai in the faen
  homeland were leaving, knowing their kind would not sur-
  vive without fresh bloodlines with which to mix. Paushen’s
  unknown parents were among these pilgrims. Like many
  before him, the stagnation of the blood among the
  Harrowdeep sibeccai showed on Paushen—he was born
  deformed and tiny. Perhaps for this reason, Paushen’s par-
  ents rejected him, leaving the infant to succumb in the chill
  of the harsh, northern autumn.
  Loresong faen children playing among the fallen leaves
  found the infant. One of the kids, a girl name Shaouri, was
  the daughter of the local and renowned ollamh lorekeeper of
  Whistlebark—Haem Pugwhistle. Shaouri convinced her
  father to keep the sibeccai newborn, whom she called
  Paushen. The name means, quite literally, “puppy,” for “pau”
  is Faen for hound and “-shen” is a suffix added to anything
  that is small and cute.
  Haem, in his wisdom and power, saw the promise of
  greatness in the little sibeccai. The stars had been just right
  when Paushen was delivered to the village. So, the Pug-
  whistle clan of Whistlebark cared for Paushen, who never
  grew to dislike his childish name.
  As Paushen grew, his adoptive father discovered the
  youngster’s knack for remembering things—even things the
  pup had not been told. Haem trained the young sibeccai in
  his art, the craft of the akashic. That is, the old lorekeeper
  did so when “Puppy” wasn’t running about the forest of
  Whistlebark with Shaouri and her cohorts.
  A curiosity to the faen, Paushen was treated as some-
  thing special and grew to think highly of himself. His
  supernatural abilities to tap consciousness allowed him to
  mine his racial nature without a sibeccai teacher. This
  served to reinforce his pride, ironically strengthening his
  feelings of inferiority at the same time—Paushen is not a
  “true” sibeccai in his own mind. By his naming ceremony,
  at 20 years of age per faen tradition, Paushen was as
  sprightly as any loresong faen, as genteel as his station as a
  lorekeeper’s son demanded, a bit self-centered, and only
  slightly taller than a faen man.
  With a great desire to serve his community, Paushen
  trained as a quick-footed warrior, even helping to put down a
  group of displaced rhodin raiders from the Bitter Peaks.
  Such activities garnered him adulation and respect, the
  praise of his father, and even the half-jest title of “Wolf
  Knight of Whistlebark.” Yet, the dwarf sibeccai had a grow-
  ing feeling of sadness—although he was among loved ones,
  he was alone. Haem advised the youth to leave Whistlebark
  and seek his destiny, but Paushen could not.
  Fate had bigger plans. In the Common Year 1751, a small
  group of litorian mercenaries, led by the inscrutable warrior
  Vanian Kaldori, passed near Whistlebark. With them they
  carried a young human girl who, at age nine, though not a
  runechild, bore a runic birthmark on her chest. Gurta Ritter,
  as she was named, had been kidnapped from her uncle’s fief-
  dom of Grunwald, just south of the Harrowdeep. While the
  forces of Whistlebark did not engage these trespassers, they
  did watch. When Gurta’s older brother, Taodric, and his
  party caught up to Kaldori and the mercenaries, Paushen
  impulsively joined the fray with some of his faen compan-
  ions. The litorians were defeated, Kaldori fled, and Gurta
  was rescued. Of Taodric’s original party, only he survived.
  Gurta, it turned out, had the potential to be a powerful
  mind witch, and Taodric had already focused his innate skill
  with magic as a mage blade. Why Kaldori and his mercenar-
  ies had kidnapped the lass was a mystery, but Paushen felt a
  strong connection to her. When Gurta and her brother made
  to leave Whistlebark a few days later, Paushen went with
  them with his adoptive father’s blessing. The sibeccai has
  been their companion ever since.
  Many years later, during a visit to Whistlebark, Paushen
  and his companions sought out the source of some mysteri-
  ous disappearances and goblin sightings in the western
  Harrowdeep. They traced the events to a hidden keep in the
  treeless hills near the great forest. Aided by Paushen’s sister,
  Shaouri, who was now a greenbond, the group successfully
  infiltrated the hold.
  The party defeated the harrid magister who lived in the
  place, along with the creature’s goblin and undead servants,
  rescuing a few enslaved faen in process. Shaouri was struck
  down by the wicked sorcery of the harrid in a final con-
  frontation, dying in Paushen’s arms as acid and poison
  churned in her body.
  All was not strife and loss, however. As strange fortune
  would have it, the explorers also discovered old records that
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 145
  CHRIS SIMS
  
  showed the citadel had been run, at the time of Gurta’s kid-
  napping, by a mysterious organization known as the Synod
  of Forethought. Gurta was named in some of the documents
  left in the place after what must have been a hasty exodus,
  but the Synod’s intentions toward the young witch remained
  unclear.
  On the return to Whistlebark, Shaouri’s remains were
  cremated with honor and returned to the land. Devastated
  by the loss, Haem was never quite able to forgive his adopt-
  ed son. Paushen never absolved himself of this failure,
  either, remaining in self-imposed exile from Whistlebark
  from that time on. The enigmatic Synod of Forethought,
  and their nameless purpose, became the companions’
  obsession. For Paushen, it was a method of forgetting
  the pain.
  Over the next few years, Paushen and his companions
  tracked rumors and innuendos of the Synod as far as Ka-
  Rone. Troubling was the fact that the organization seemed to
  have few blemishes on its reputation. In fact, it had little rep-
  utation at all. Yet, through their search for the group,
  Paushen and the Ritters uncovered many evils and righted
  many wrongs.
  In Ka-Rone, the three discovered a small slassan cabal
  conducting vile rituals focused on sibeccai subjects. The
  three slassans had built a magical device to taint the unfor-
  tunates with a festering hatred of giants that would infect
  the descendants of those changed by the artifact. While
  Paushen and Taodric were distracted fighting the last of the
  dramojh-spawned monsters and its poor, mindless slaves,
  Gurta used the slassan artifact to purify the polluted sibeccai
  trapped in the underground complex. In so doing, she
  sapped her own life force. Death came quickly.
  A heartbroken pair ascended from the slassan lair with
  the body of their beloved witch, oblivious to the praise of the
  freed sibeccai. Paushen and Taodric took Gurta’s body to the
  temple of Niashra, hoping the priests of the goddess of life
  could revive her. As if he had been watching for just that
  moment, Vanian Kaldori and a group of capable warriors
  attacked the temple and stole Gurta’s body. One of Kaldori’s
  men, slain in the battle, bore a strange tattoo—the mark of
  the Synod of Forethought.
  Combat
  After tapping the ferocity of his mother race, Paushen
  became ruthless in combat. He is unafraid to take any
  advantage for a quick and favorable outcome on the battle-
  field, yet he always acts mercifully and honorably toward
  those who deserve such. While Paushen dislikes killing
  other intelligent beings, he won’t hesitate to do so to pro-
  tect those in his care.
  Using Paushen
  At 38 years old—sibeccai middle age—Paushen stands 4
  feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 95 lbs. His muzzle is short for a
  sibeccai, and his head a bit too wide. His brown left eye is
  smaller than the blue right one, and the tip of his tongue
  sometimes sticks out of his mouth involuntarily. Covered
  Legacy of the Dragons
  146
  
  with dark grey fur, silvering here and there with age,
  Paushen’s body is stout and broad. His arms are dispropor-
  tionately long, ending in large hands, and his short legs are
  slightly bowed. A shade darker than his fur, Paushen’s hair is
  worn long in the style of loresong faen. As an adolescent
  envious of his faen friends, Paushen managed to cultivate a
  small tuft of dark hair on his chin, which he proudly calls his
  “beard.” The dwarf sibeccai dresses impeccably whenever
  possible, favoring simple jewelry.
  Paushen has a soft voice, spoken with a lisp due to his
  overlong tongue. A generous soul, he is childlike in many
  ways, ever curious and seeking fun, yet trusting and loyal. He
  is always ready with a joke, a smile, a good story, a bit of
  rough play, or a patient ear. Dedication to self-exploration
  defines Paushen’s free time, as do the joys of spending hours
  with loved ones.
  Overbold, Paushen gets into trouble with a sharp wit and
  a desire to prove himself superior to those who insult or
  threaten him. He sometimes finds himself in over his head,
  rushing forth while thinking more of quick victory than
  sound tactics. Pride, impulsiveness, and a slight—if well
  hidden—inferiority complex are Paushen’s biggest flaws.
  Because of the passing of his sister and Gurta, Paushen
  feels such responsibility for his companions that he would
  rather die than see another one fall. He hates harrids (see
  Chapter Four of The Diamond Throne), imagining that entire
  race to be like the evil spellcaster who slew his adoptive sib-
  ling. When it comes to these avian sorcerers, the sibeccai
  warrior has no pity.
  Paushen not only wants to find his parents, but he also
  desires a place in sibeccai society. Estrangement from
  Haem weighs heavily on his mind, though redemption for
  Shaouri’s death seems against all odds. The loss of Gurta,
  an echo of familial bereavement, offers the promise of
  some deliverance. Thus, Paushen must find Gurta’s body
  and see that Vanian Kaldori and the Synod of Forethought
  face whatever justice their actions require. At a loss as to
  what to do next, and unfamiliar with the workings of Ka-
  Rone, he and Taodric may well need help. Until he falls,
  Paushen will remain by Taodric’s side, a steadfast brother
  in arms.
  Paushen Pugwhistle,male sibeccai Aks5/Sibeccai 3/Unf6:CR 14;
  Medium humanoid;HD 5d6+15 + 3d8+9 + 6d8+18;hp 102;
  Dying/Dead –4/–17; Init +3; Speed 30 feet; AC 26 (+3 Dex,
  +8 armor, +2 deflection, +3 dodge), AC 27 vs. one oppo-
  nent in melee;touch 18,flat-footed 20;Armor Check 0;
  BAB +12; Grapple +13; Attack +18 melee (1d8+4, critical
  17–20/×2, greater battle claw), or +16 ranged (1d2+2,
  critical 20/×2, shuriken); Full Attack +18/+13/+8 melee
  (1d8+4, critical 17–20/×2, greater battle claw) and +19/+14
  (1d8+3, critical 17–20/×2, greater battle claw), or
  +16/+11/+6 ranged (1d2+2, critical 20/×2, shuriken);
  SA Sneak attack +2d6; SQ Low-light vision, scent, parry,
  skill memory, perfect recall, delve into collective memory,
  DR 1/—; Hero Points 2; SV Fort +10, Ref +13, Will +9;
  Str 12, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14
  Languages:Common, Faen, Giant
  Skills and Feats:Balance +10, Bluff +10, Climb +10 (+12 with
  kit), Diplomacy +10, Jump +10, Knowledge (history) +9,
  Knowledge (magic) +4, Knowledge (nobility and courtesy)
  +5, Listen +7, Perform (storytelling) +7, Search +5, Sense
  Motive +10, Sneak +12, Spot +7, Swim +7, Tumble +13, Use
  Magic Device +8, Use Rope +5, Wilderness Survival +5;
  Ambidexterity, Bite, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Move,
  Expertise, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack
  Parry (Ex): Paushen may add a +1 bonus to his Armor Class
  against a single melee opponent in a given round.
  Skill Memory (Su): Twice per day Paushen gains a +2 bonus
  to a single skill check attempt made the next round.
  Perfect Recall (Ex): Paushen enjoys a +1 bonus to Knowledge
  skill checks made without using skill memory.
  Delve Into Collective Memory (Su): Five times per day
  Paushen can make a +13 check to remember some relevant
  information about notable people, legendary items, or
  noteworthy places.
  Scent (Ex): Paushen can detect opponents within 30 feet by
  sense of smell. For upwind foes, the range increases to
  60 feet; downwind, it drops to 15 feet. When detecting a
  scent, Paushen doesn’t determine its exact source, only
  its presence in range. He can take a standard action to
  note the scent’s direction. Once within 5 feet of the
  source, he can pinpoint the source. Paushen can also fol-
  low tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or
  follow a track.
  Possessions:+4 glamered adamantine chain shirt, +2 keen crystal-
  laced greater battle claws of crippling (set of two), +1 shuriken
  (10), masterwork whip, ring of protection +2, ring of swim-
  ming (improved), cloak of resistance +1, boots of the winter-
  lands, hew’s handy haversack [small pouches contain: 350
  gp, detonations of disorient (5), smoke bombs (5), flash
  powder (5 bags), sunrods (5), tindertwigs (15), caltrops 
  (2 bags); large pouch contains: 100-foot silk rope, grap-
  pling hook, climber’s kit, blanket, tent, pot, mirror, needles
  (3), wax, case with ink (3) and parchment (40), waterskin,
  trail rations (3 days), soap, comb and brush, travel outfits
  (3), courtier’s outfits (3)], gold earrings (3, 75 gp), gold
  neck chain (150 gp)
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 147
  
  Veirid Runechaser
  “Everything—our magic, our memories and the world that
  surrounds us—is written in the same language.”
  Although the fantastic wears many faces,there are always
  those who seek a common thread uniting seemingly unrelat-
  ed phenomena.Veirid has devoted her life to following in the
  tracks of one who traveled that path more than a millennium
  ago.She has always been sensitive to the magic around her,
  even beyond the abilities of other loresongs,yet her focus
  seemed somehow slightly removed to a place beyond her cur-
  rent surroundings.It came as no great surprise to her or any-
  one around her that she could tap into the akashic memory
  almost like reading a book.But what she found there turned
  the life of the dreamy young loresong girl upside down.
  She believes it was Tialla, the goddess of sudden revela-
  tions, who gave her a fleeting glimpse of Kaeleon, a faen
  rune lord who lived in ancient Thartholan at the time of the
  dramojh invasion. Kaeleon theorized that the magic of the
  runethanes was merely a pale reflection of the true potential
  of runes. Anything named is symbolized by a rune, Kaeleon
  thought, and knowing the rune gives you power over what it
  represents. He devoted his life to seeking the runes for such
  things as the Bitter Peaks (where he might have had a labo-
  ratory), the faen race, and time itself. However, his studies
  came to an abrupt end at the claws of the dramojh.
  After this vision, Veirid began to sense the runes every-
  where around her. At first, they were too complex for her to
  fathom, but through hard work and study of the memories
  of runethanes and rune lords, she has begun to recognize
  certain simple patterns.
  Today,after having spent nearly half of her years hunting
  for bits of knowledge that might help her dig up more memo-
  ries of Kaeleon,she looks a bit thin and worn—“a quickling’s
  build with a loresong’s height,” as the spryte Porua Flower-
  song expressed it while patching up Veirid after yet another
  of her quests for obscure lore. Her grey-spotted black hair is
  drawn back tightly from her slightly sad face. Her eyes either
  stare at something no one else seems to see or burn with
  inner fire as she chases her newest lead to Kaeleon’s secrets.
  She believes he recorded all his results in his seven journals,
  of which the second, chronicling many of his early journeys
  both east and west of the Bitter Peaks, is her most prized
  possession.
  Veirid generally travels alone, going where she must and
  doing what it takes to further her quest—whether that
  means exploring an ancient ruin or stealing a needed object.
  Often, she gets what she seeks without anyone realizing she
  was there. She is used to traveling light and being prepared
  for anything. Occasionally she works with or hires others,
  but these relations generally do not last, as she is too focused
  on seeking and expanding Kaeleon’s results to have much
  time for anything else. It’s not that she dislikes people, they
  are just not as important as rune lore.
  Combat
  Veirid always has a rune of armor on her clothing. In a fight,
  the first thing she tries to use is a rune of conjuring on one of
  her rune plates. She is also likely to drink her potion of invisi-
  bility and sneak away. If she’s cornered, Veirid pulls out her
  dagger or her crossbow.
  Using Veirid
  To a low-level party Veirid might act as an employer, sending
  characters to acquire some item she is too busy to get herself.
  She also could serve as an expert on runic lore. To a mid-
  level party, she could be an ally for those seeking something
  in the ancient ruins that call her. She also could hire the
  player characters for an expedition into Thartholan to seek
  Kaeleon’s ancient lab, or she could be an enemy or a foil if a
  character has something (an item or pence of information)
  she wants. She could even try to convince the PCs to help
  her prove her own theories—such theories as the idea that
  the faen gods are actually a higher form of rune manifest
  (see page 76), and that the akashic memory is “written” in
  runes. If the party is high level, she could discover clues to
  what might be the nearly complete rune of the dramojh race,
  created by Kaeleon in a vain attempt to protect himself
  against their attacks. However, a cabal of slassans has moni-
  tored her research, hoping to finish the rune and use it to
  transform themselves into true dramojh.
  Veirid Runechaser, female loresong faen Aks4/Rth4: CR 8;
  Small humanoid; HD 4d8+8 + 4d8+8; hp 46; Dying/Dead
  –3/–14; Init +4; Speed 20 feet; AC 19 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4
  armor [rune of armor]); touch 15, flat-footed 19; BAB +5;
  Grapple +0; Attack +11 melee (1d4–1, critical 19–20/×2,
  dagger) or +12 ranged (1d8, critical 19–20/×2, light cross-
  bow); Full Attack +11 melee (1d4-1, critical 19–20/×2, dag-
  ger) or +12 ranged (1d8, critical 19–20/×2, light cross-
  bow); SQ Low-light vision, spell-like abilities, skill memo-
  ry, perfect recall, delve into collective memory, runes;
  Hero Points 0; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9; Str 9, Dex 18,
  Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Languages:Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic,
  Faen, Giant, Ignan, Infernal, Litorian, Terran,
  Undercommon, Verrik, and three ancient languages
  Skills and Feats: Balance +9, Climb +4, Concentration +7,
  Decipher Script +14, Disable Device +8, Gather
  Information +2, Jump +4, Knowledge (cosmology) +5,
  Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (history) +5,
  Legacy of the Dragons
  148
  DANIEL LUNDSBY
  
  Knowledge (magic) +15, Knowledge (runes) +15, Listen +4, Open Lock +9,
  Search +6, Sneak +15, Spellcraft +13, Spot +4, Use Magic Device +2; Intuitive
  Sense, Sensitive, Skill Mastery (Balance, Climb, Concentration, Disable Device,
  Jump, Open Lock), Weapon Finesse
  Spell-Like Abilities (Sp):1/day—detect magic, ghost sound, lesser glowglobe, lesser
  learn secret
  Skill Memory (Su): Twice per day Veirid gains a +2 bonus to a single skill check
  attempt made the next round.
  Perfect Recall (Ex): Veirid enjoys a +2 bonus to Knowledge skill checks made with-
  out using skill memory.
  Delve Into Collective Memory (Su): Four times per day, Veirid can make a +13
  check to remember some relevant information about notable people, legendary
  items, or noteworthy places.
  Akashic Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—creature loresight,location loresight, object
  loresight
  Lesser Delve Into Personal Memory (Su): Once per day as a standard action,
  Veirid can mentally probe the memory of one creature within 25 feet to find a
  truthful one-word answer to a question. A Will save (DC 10) negates the effort;
  succeed or fail, the subject remains unaware of the attempt.
  Minor Battle Memory (Su): Once per day for 8 rounds, Veirid enjoys a +4 compe-
  tence bonus to attack and damage rolls, as well as a +4 dodge bonus to Armor
  Class.
  Lesser Battle Memory (Su): Twice per day for 8 rounds, Veirid enjoys a +3 compe-
  tence bonus to attack and damage rolls, as well as a +3 dodge bonus to Armor
  Class.
  Kinesthetic Memory (Su): Veirid can easily get around with no penalty when she
  has a single damaged or deprived sense and is in familiar surroundings.
  Runes Available:4
  Runes Known: Lesser—armor, conjuring, knowledge, sleep, warding
  Erase Rune (Sp): Veirid can always erase her own runes without fail. If the rune
  was created by another runethane, she can make a caster power check (DC 10 +
  creator’s level) to erase it. An advanced rune adds +4 to the Difficulty Class, a
  greater rune adds +6, a rune of power adds +8, and the ultimate rune adds +10.
  She must know a rune’s location to erase it. Erasing a rune she created is a stan-
  dard action; otherwise, it takes a full minute.
  Sense Rune (Su): Veirid can use a caster power check (d20 + level + Intelligence
  modifier) to sense whether an invisible or otherwise hidden rune lies within 10
  feet of her (DC 15). It takes a standard action to sense a rune. After a round of
  sensing, she can tell the direction of the closest unknown rune.
  Spell Slots: 4/4/1
  Spells Readied: 0—detect magic, minor illusion, read magic, saving grace; 1st—
  acrobatics, charm, detect secret doors, lesser compelling question; 2nd—levitate
  Possessions: Masterwork daggers (2), masterwork light crossbow, masterwork
  bolts (20), bag of holding I, runeplates (3, one bearing a rune of conjuring),
  potions of lesser battle healing (3), potion of invisibility, potion of darkvision,
  spellpower elixir, 400 gp worth of andrecite, masterwork thieves’ tools, magnify-
  ing glass, Kaeleon’s Journals volume II (book of runes +3), Fevrik’s Travels in the
  Lands of the Diamond Throne (book of geography +2), The Fall of Thartholan
  (book of history +2), sunrods (3), bags of caltrops (4), tindertwigs (6), portion
  of trollbane powder, smokebombs (4), thunderstones (3), purse with 150 gp
  worth of small gems
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 149
  
  Vo-Tarran
  Vo-Tarran grew up north of Navael, a city of artists. Most of
  his family worked for the Navael watch,protecting the people
  of that delightful city. Vo-Tarran traveled that path for a
  while, using a keen and clever tongue to defuse many hostile
  situations. He was more used to using his mind than his
  strength in his duties. But when the young giant went above
  and beyond the call of duty in rescuing a swordsmith’s
  apprentice from his own folly—taking a grievous wound in
  the process—his life took an abrupt turn.
  Ti-Kerras, the master swordsmith, wanted to thank Vo-
  Tarran for saving his apprentice. As a token of his apprecia-
  tion, he offered to train the young giant in the swordsmith’s
  art, if he was willing. Having been a traveling warrior in his
  youth, Ti-Kerras wanted to nurture the raw potential and
  clever mind he saw in Vo-Tarran. Since Vo-Tarran was par-
  ticipating in the ceremonies of Shu-Rin, through which
  giants can attain even greater height and power, Ti-Kerras
  knew he had the skills to be both an excellent fighter as 
  well as a decent weaponsmith. Vo-Tarran accepted and
  spent many off-duty hours in the forge and in the yard
  behind Ti-Kerras’ smithy, learning both to make swords 
  and to use them.
  The older swordsmith filled the younger giant’s head with
  tales of his travels and adventures, of his righting of wrongs
  and seeing things that no one ever had. He also revealed
  that, unlike most of his giant kin, Ti-Kerras practiced a form
  of fighting that focused on the freedom of movement
  instead of heavy armor. Intrigued, as Ti-Kerras’ style comple-
  mented his training as a city watchman, Vo-Tarran was
  delighted to learn from him. Also, he increasingly began to
  yearn for the far-off places his teacher spoke of. The idea of
  being able to span the land, fighting evil wherever he found
  it, seemed wonderful.
  Vo-Tarran had a strong sense of duty to protect others,
  but he began to wonder if he could better protect them by
  going to the places where trouble was, rather than staying
  put. With this thought in mind, he decided to resign from
  the city watch. Taking with him two swords he had forged
  and a bit of gold, he set off southward, traveling where he
  felt the most needed.He would question caravans that showed
  signs of attack, then set out to find those responsible. He
  aided towns troubled by rhodin or inshons, fighting along-
  side people of many different races in order to capture those
  lawless raiders.
  His experiences quickly taught him that using the more
  rigid structure of fighting he learned as a boy would quickly
  get him killed. Indeed, he was wounded several times before
  he began to adapt. Relying heavily on Ti-Kerras’ teachings,
  Vo-Tarran developed an acrobatic style that baffled and con-
  fused the outlaws he fought. Few could believe that one as
  large as he could move so fast and so well.
  Vo-Tarran continued to test himself as he traveled, con-
  sulting with other giants in the towns he traveled through in
  order to keep himself on the right track. He underwent the
  grueling tests of the Ghi-Nammor to continually remind
  himself of the reasons he was traveling and fighting alone.
  The youthful exuberance in which he had started on this
  quest became tempered as he fought, developing into a more
  focused purpose to help others wherever he can.
  Combat
  In combat, if he is trying to bring a person to justice, Vo-
  Tarran will forsake his swords and grapple, using his size to
  bring down the target, then bind the foe with rope. If it
  comes to killing, he makes full use of his Tumble skill to
  avoid attacks of opportunity and uses his Speed Burst feat to
  attack, move, and spring away again. He brings his full attack
  to bear on whoever seems to be the leader, hoping to use the
  leader’s fall to help Intimidate the others into breaking off
  their attacks, surrendering, or running. However, generally
  he tries to use Diplomacy or Intimidate to get lawbreakers 
  to surrender before he attacks.
  Using Vo-Tarran
  Vo-Tarran is a neatly and fashionably dressed giant of awe-
  some proportions. Tall even for those giants that have gone
  through the rite of Ghi-Nammor (see “The Giant Paragon”
  in Chapter Two of The Diamond Throne), Vo-Tarran towers
  over any crowd. He usually dresses fashionably, appearing
  ready to attend a noble’s court or party, even if encountered
  in the middle of the Southern Wastes or atop the Bitter
  Peaks. He prefers bold colors of red and blue, with gems of a
  differing hue. He wears his hair slightly long for a giant,
  bound back at the nape of his neck with a silver ring. His
  skin, tanned from a life spent traveling, is striped with the
  occasional thin white scar. He has a deep blue cloak flung
  over his clothes.
  He carries Flamekiss on his left hip, Storm’s Embrace on his
  right, and his bow on his back. His backpack is usually neat-
  ly packed, but strapped on in such a way as to allow him to
  drop it in a second, should he need to fight. He generally has
  a smile on his face whenever he meets someone, as he likes
  to assume the best of people unless given a reason to believe
  otherwise. But when roused, his face becomes like a tempest:
  dark and terrible to behold.
  Vo-Tarran is a man of strongly held beliefs. He has a very
  powerful sense of duty both to his people and to virtually
  anyone he encounters who has suffered at the hands of law-
  less people. He considers himself a wandering champion of
  all those wronged, bringing his combat skills, clever tongue,
  and considerable physical presence (with the dedication and
  power that implies) to bear on those who dare break the law
  within his purview.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  150
  HOLLY GRAY
  
  However, Vo-Tarran also enjoys life to the fullest. He
  loves a good joke and a well-told tale, and will gladly sit on
  the ground outside the stoop of a farmhouse and listen to
  a farmwife or greybeard spin a yarn. He enjoys good food
  and drink, and never hesitates to lavish praise upon a tal-
  ented cook or brewer. Because he sees himself as a man of
  the law, he knows the importance of keeping an impeccable
  appearance in order to make a good impression on the
  local steward. Because few inns can handle someone of his
  size, he makes do with a large tent and a warm bedroll,
  often setting up his traveling “home” just outside town. He
  favors encounters out of doors where he doesn’t have to
  stoop. Also, as no normal mount can carry his large form,
  he walks with a free and easy stride, often hiking alongside
  travelers on horseback that he is protecting as they journey
  through treacherous lands.
  Vo-Tarran, male giant Unf9/Giant3/Giant Paragon5: CR 17;
  Huge giant; HD 9d8+18 + 8d10+16; hp 141; Dying/Dead
  –3/–14; Init +3; Speed 40 feet; AC 22 (–2 size, +3 Dex, +5
  armor, +2 deflection, +4 dodge), AC 23 against one oppo-
  nent, touch 17, flat-footed 15; Space/Reach 15 feet/15 feet
  (Face/Reach 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet); BAB +14/+9/+4;
  Grapple +28; Attack +21 (2d8+10 plus 1d6 fire, 17–20/×2,
  giant’s sword); Full Attack +21/+16/+11 (2d8+10 plus 1d6
  fire, 17–20/×2, giant’s sword) and +21 melee (2d8+7 plus
  1d6 electricity, giant’s sword), or +16/+11 ranged (2d6+1,
  20/×3, giant’s bow,); SA Sneak attack +2d6; SQ Parry
  (including ranged attacks), evasion; Hero Points 3;
  SV Fort +15, Ref +18, Will +14; Str 23, Dex 17, Con 14,
  Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 14
  Languages: Common, Faen, Giant
  Skills and Feats: Balance +17, Craft (weaponsmith) +12,
  Diplomacy +10,Intimidate +11,Knowledge (ceremony) +13,
  Knowledge (nobility and courtesy) +12, Sense Motive +11,
  Tumble +24; Ambidexterity, Chi-Julud, Improved Critical
  (giant’s sword), Massive Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Speed Burst, Stomp, Weapon Focus
  (giant’s sword), Weapon Specialization (giant’s sword)
  Parry (Ex): Vo-Tarran can choose to add his Intelligence
  modifier (+1) to his Armor Class against a single oppo-
  nent.
  Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a
  character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage,
  Vo-Tarran takes no damage following a successful saving
  throw.
  Possessions: Beauty Hurts (+3 glamered damage absorbing
  leather jack), Flamekiss (+2 fire energy giant’s sword),
  Storm’s Embrace (+2 electrical energy giant’s sword), cloak
  of resistance +4, ring of protection +2, stone of good luck,
  +1 giant’s bow, arrows (40) in a quiver, backpack, bedroll,
  sunrods (5), 50-foot silk rope, signet ring, soap (2 lbs.),
  masterwork dagger with silver blade, waterskin, flint and
  steel, trail rations for two weeks, courtier’s outfits (2) with
  100 gp worth of jewelry, belt pouch, huge tent, Laws of
  Dor-Erthenos (book of Knowledge [nobility and courtesy,
  specifically laws of various cities and regions] +5), bowl of
  health†, 74 gp, 9 sp
  New Magic Item
  Bowl of Health†: This small ceramic bowl is a shallow base 
  5 inches in diameter, decorated with a blue glaze depicting
  waves. When filled with water and used in a cleansing ritual
  (to wash the face, rinse out the mouth, clean hair, etc.) it
  casts hygiene on the user. It can be used three times per day
  in this manner.
  Dim transmutation; Caster Level 1st; Craft Constant Item,
  hygiene; Price 600 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  Part Two: Characters of the Diamond Throne 151
  
  Conversion Issues
  The main purpose of this appendix is to aid players who have access to the d20 core rules but not Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed.
  In truth,most of the monsters in this book can be used with almost no conversion.Still,this Appendix covers any details you really need.
  I
  n a standard d20 System campaign, players and DMs
  may want to convert the monsters in Part One to stan-
  dard races or classes or find substitutes for skills, feats,
  spells, and items from Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed. You
  will find some suggested replacements below. It is recom-
  mended, however, that the characters in Part Two are run 
  just as they are published here.
  Races
  For the most part, it’s best to use the races as they are pre-
  sented, particularly since the statistics are already provided
  for you. You can simply treat the races of Monte Cook’s Arcana
  Unearthed characters as exotic or rare creatures in your game.
  If you must convert, here are the suggested replacements:
  Giant: Dwarf or half-orc (or ogre)
  Litorian: Elf (or orc)
  Loresong Faen: Gnome
  Quickling Faen: Halfling
  Sibeccai: Dwarf (or gnoll)
  Spryte: Pixie
  Verrik: Elf (or dark elf) or human
  Classes
  If need be, you can convert the Arcana Unearthed classes to
  standard d20 classes in this way:
  Akashic: Rogue (perhaps multiclassed with sorcerer)
  Champion: Paladin
  Greenbond: Druid
  Mage Blade: Bard or cleric
  Magister: Wizard
  Oathsworn: Monk
  Runethane: Sorcerer
  Totem Warrior: Ranger or barbarian
  Unfettered: Rogue (perhaps multiclassed with fighter)
  Warmain: Fighter
  Witch:Sorcerer
  Skills
  To convert the skills mentioned in this book that come from
  Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed rather than the standard d20
  System, you can use these substitutions:
  Alchemy: Craft (alchemy)
  Intuit Direction: Spot or Search
  Knowledge (Ceremony): Knowledge (religion)
  Knowledge (Cosmology): Knowledge (the planes)
  Knowledge (Magic): Knowledge (arcana)
  Knowledge (Runes):Knowledge (arcana)
  Sneak:Divide ranks between Hide and Move Silently, as
  seems appropriate (usually evenly)
  Wilderness Survival: Survival
  Feats
  Because many of the feats in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed
  were designed to offer options not available in the standard
  d20 System, the suggested replacements below—while
  appropriate—do not necessarily perform the same game
  functions as the original feats. If a feat is not on this list, flip
  to the “Referenced Feats” section starting on page 154,
  where the entire feat is presented for you to use.
  Affinity With Skill: Skill Focus
  Ambidexterity: Two-Weapon Fighting or Improved Two-
  Weapon Fighting
  Blessed Mage: Enlarge Spell
  Born Leader: Leadership
  Brandish Magical Might: Spell Penetration
  Complex Spell: Spell Focus
  Corrupt Mage: Heighten Spell
  Craft Charged Item: Craft Wand
  Craft Constant Item: Craft Wondrous Item
  Craft Single-Use Item: Brew Potion
  Craft Spell-Completion Item: Scribe Scroll
  Creator Mage: Craft Staff
  Defensive: Dodge
  Defensive Move: Dodge
  Defensive Stance: Dodge
  Eldritch Training: Magical Aptitude
  Elemental Mage:Spell Focus (evocation)
  Hands as Weapons: Deflect Arrows
  Improved Cleave: Great Cleave
  Massive Two-Weapon Fighting: Improved Two-Weapon
  Fighting
  Modify Spell: Any one metamagic feat
  Psion: Spell Focus (enchantment)
  Resistant Spell: Spell Focus
  Sense the Unseen: Blind-Fight
  Sensitive: Magical Aptitude
  Signature Spell: Iron Will
  Skill Mastery: Skill Focus
  Slippery Mind: Spell Focus
  Stunning Blow: Stunning Fist
  Sturdy: Toughness
  Title: Leadership
  Appendix
  
  Appendix: Additional Rules and Reference 153
  Equipment
  Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed includes some equipment not
  present in the core rules. The items explained briefly below
  are mentioned in this book.
  Dire Weapon Quality: Dire weapons cost 300 gp more
  than standard and are considered exotic weapons. They
  inflict +2 damage more than their nondire counterparts.
  Devanian Weapon and Armor Quality:Weapons and
  armor made according to ancient Devanian techniques
  require special training to use. They weigh half as much as
  items of a similar type; treat a Devanian weapon of a charac-
  ter’s own size as a light weapon for that character. Devanian
  weapons, armor, and shields are all exotic (weapons being
  either ranged or melee [agile]).
  Other Weapons:Spikestick (use d20 spiked chain); heavy
  mangler (use dwarven waraxe), battle claws (use kama), and
  giant’s sword (use Large greatsword).
  Magic
  Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed has a somewhat different
  magic system than the core rules, but that almost never
  comes up in Legacy of the Dragons. The only significant
  exceptions are the two issues mentioned below:
  Runes: Treat all general references to runes as symbol of ...
  spells and/or glyphs of warding. For example, a shuyarn has
  free use of any symbol or glyph spells.
  Truenames: Almost all creatures have a secret truename.
  If a foe knows your truename, you suffer a –1 penalty on all
  saves against her spells. Further, she can use certain effects
  against you, as described in the Power of the Name feat,
  below (other effects, both good and bad, are detailed in
  Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed).
  Creatures that do not have truenames are “Unbound.”
  They cannot take ceremonial feats.
  Spells
  As with feats, many of the spells that come from Monte
  Cook’s Arcana Unearthed fulfill a slightly different game func-
  tion than standard d20 spells. Below are suggested replace-
  ments for the spells mentioned in this book. Note that
  sometimes spells of equivalent overall effect or power are
  chosen rather than spells that fit the flavor of the originals.
  Acrobatics: use cat’s grace
  Analyze: use identify
  Animate weapon: use spiritual weapon
  Attack from within: use fireball
  Bash: use divine favor
  Bind with plants: use entangle
  Blinding light: use blindness/deafness
  Blindsight: use true seeing
  Boil: use burning hands
  Bypass ward: use find traps
  Canny effort: use guidance
  Carnivorous plant defense: use speak with plants
  Chains of vengeance: use hold monster
  Charm: use charm person
  Cloak of darkness: use deeper darkness
  Cold blast: use color spray
  Coma: use hold monster
  Compelling command: use command
  Conjure repast: use hero's feast
  Contact: use message
  Creature loresight: use legend lore
  Curse of the chaotic mind: use insanity
  Curse of vengeance: use bestow curse
  Dazzlesphere: use glitterdust
  Defensive field: use fire shield
  Detect disease: use detect poison
  Dimensional door: use dimension door
  Directed charm: use charm person
  Disintegration: use disintegrate
  Disorient: use daze monster
  Distraction: use daze monster
  Drain away speed: use hold person
  Duplicate: use time stop
  Earth burst: use shatter
  Eldritch armor: use mage armor
  Eldritch web: use web
  Enchanting flavor: use purify food and drink
  Energy blade: use flame blade
  Enfeebled mind: use feeblemind
  Fireburst: use burning hands
  Gaze of petrification: use flesh to stone
  Gaze of terror: use fear
  Ghost weapon: use keen edge
  Glamour: use disguise self
  Greater ability boost: use greater heroism
  Greater animate the dead: use create greater undead
  Greater battle healing: use cure critical wounds
  Greater beastskin: use stoneskin
  Greater compelling question: use suggestion
  Greater dominate: use dominate monster
  Greater eldritch wall: use wall of force
  Greater enhance magical flow: use Ray's mnemonic enhancer
  Greater repair: use make whole
  Greater summon minor elemental: use summon monster V
  Greater telekinesis: use telekinesis
  Greenspy: use prying eyes
  Gusting wind: use gust of wind
  Hand of battle: use inflict serious wounds
  Icebolt: use Mel's acid arrow
  Incorporeal form: use gaseous form
  Learn truename: use legend lore
  Lesser ability boost: use bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s
  grace, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, or owl’s wisdom
  Lesser battle healing: use cure moderate wounds
  
  Lesser beastskin: use barkskin
  Lesser compelling question: use command
  Lesser creation: use minor creation
  Lesser dominate: use dominate person
  Lesser enhance magical flow: use fox's cunning
  Lesser glowglobe: use light
  Lesser learn secret: use identify
  Lesser repair: use mending
  Lesser resilient sphere: use Otil’s resilient sphere
  Lesser summon major elemental: use summon monster VII
  Lesser summon minor elemental: use summon monster III
  Lesser telekinesis: use mage hand
  Lesser transfer wounds: use cure light wounds
  Location loresight: use legend lore
  Magic armor: use shield of faith
  Magnetism: use levitate
  Mass devastation: use meteor swarm
  Mind stab: use magic missile
  Minor illusion: use silent image
  Modify memory: use confusion
  Mudball: use magic stone
  Muddy ground: use soften earth and stone
  Object loresight: use legend lore
  Open door: use passwall
  Open lock: use knock
  Peer through matter: use clairvoyance
  Perfect health: use heal
  Permanent rest: use soul bind
  Plant armor: use barkskin
  Portal to another plane: use plane shift
  Precise vision: use detect secret doors
  Predict weather: use augury
  Protect the soul: use death ward
  Protection from elements: use protection from energy
  Protective charm: use sanctuary
  Psychic blast: use holy word
  Read mind: use detect thoughts
  Revivication: use raise dead
  Rock’s hand: use big grasping hand
  Safe fall: use feather fall
  Saving grace: use resistance
  Scent bane: use ghost sound
  Scent tracker: use invisbility purge
  Scream: use shout
  Security: use Mord's private sanctum
  Sense thoughts: use message
  Shape element: use stone shape
  Silent sheath: use silence
  Song of paralysis: use mass hold person
  Sorcerous blast: use fireball
  Sorcerous guise: use alter self
  Spell magnet: use spell turning?
  Spirit of prowess: use divine power
  Steal health: use vampiric touch
  Stimulate: use greater heroism
  Stone blast: use magic missile
  Subtle steps: use silence
  Tears of pain: use chill touch
  Telekinetic shield: use holy aura
  Telepathy: use Ray's telepathic bond
  Touch of disruption: use inflict light wounds
  Touch of fear: use cause fear
  Touch of nausea: use touch of fatigue
  Touch of pain: use inflict moderate wounds
  Tracer: use locate creature
  Unknown: use nondetection
  Veil of darkness: use darkness
  Vitrification: use flesh to stone
  Water roil: use control water
  Whisper of madness: use touch of idiocy
  Wind churn: use gust of wind
  Woodland prison: use imprisonment
  Referenced Feats
  Some of the feats referenced in this book are presented here
  for your ease of use. Most also appear in Monte Cook’s Arcana
  Unearthed. Two feats, marked with a dagger (†), are new to
  this book and can be used for your own monsters and char-
  acters. (New feats appearing in Part One relate specifically to
  one particular monster and so appear with the monster.)
  Feats carrying the (Talent) designation can be taken only
  at 1st level. Ceremonial feats require a daylong ritual, involve
  the participation of other characters, and carry a cost of
  100 gp.
  Attune to Magic Item [Ceremonial]
  After a ceremony held with you and at least three other spell-
  casters in a closed area filled with herbal smoke, you gain the
  ability to understand the powers of magic items you study.
  Prerequisites: Wisdom 13
  Benefit:After studying a magic item carefully for one
  minute, the character makes a caster power check with a
  Difficulty Class of 11 + the item’s caster level. If successful, he
  learns one random function of a magic item, as well as how
  to activate it. Instead of taking a minute, he can attempt to
  attune as a full-round action, but the Difficulty Class
  increases by +10. A character cannot learn multiple func-
  tions with this ability—he must use object loresight or analyze
  to do so. Once one has tried to attune with an item, whether
  successful or not, he cannot try again with the same item.
  There is no limit to how many items a character can attempt
  to attune with.
  Bite [General]
  Although most civilized creatures have lost the skill to use their
  sharp teeth in combat,you can use yours as terrible weapons.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  154
  
  Appendix: Additional Rules and Reference 155
  Prerequisite:Litorian, mojh, or sibeccai (or other race
  with powerful jaws and sharp teeth)
  Benefit:The character is proficient with using bite attacks
  in combat and, unless gagged or muzzled, is always consid-
  ered armed (and the bite is considered a light weapon). The
  character inflicts damage based on her size, as follows:
  Size 
  Damage
  Diminutive or Fine 
  1d2 + Strength bonus
  Tiny
  1d3 + Strength bonus
  Small
  1d4 + Strength bonus
  Medium
  1d6 + Strength bonus
  Large
  2d4 + Strength bonus
  Huge
  2d6 + Strength bonus
  Gargantuan
  2d8 + Strength bonus
  Colossal
  2d10 + Strength bonus
  When a character takes a feat requiring her to specify a
  weapon (such as Weapon Focus), she can choose “bite.”
  If a character uses a weapon (or unarmed attack) in the
  same round as the bite attack, both the bite attack and the
  other attack suffer a –2 penalty. A character fighting with a
  weapon in each hand (or a double weapon) can make a bite
  attack, but all attacks suffer a –4 penalty in addition to
  normal two-weapon fighting penalties the character might
  incur. The feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting
  do not modify the penalties associated with the Bite feat.
  Blood as Power [Ceremonial]
  As the result of a ceremony involving you and at least six other
  spellcasters,you can use your own blood to power your spells.
  Prerequisites: Caster level 1st, Wisdom 17
  Benefit:A character with this feat can cut himself as a
  somatic component added to a spell. After dealing himself 6
  points of damage per spell level (3 points for 0 level), he can
  cast a spell he knows without losing the spell slot. He can
  use this feat only three times per day.
  Bloody Strike [General]
  You know how to inflict wounds that prove particularly trou-
  bling to your foes.
  Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +5 
  Benefit: A character must wield a slashing or piercing
  weapon to use this feat. As a full attack action, the character
  can make a single attack roll that inflicts normal damage.
  If she damages her opponent, he must make a Fortitude
  saving throw (DC 10 + half her level + Wisdom bonus).
  Should the opponent fail the save, he bleeds profusely, los-
  ing 1 hp per round until he receives magical healing of any
  kind, someone performs a Heal check (DC 15) upon him,
  or he makes a successful save (the second save attempt
  requires a full-round action as he staunches or nurses the
  wound himself).
  Bonded Item [Ceremonial]
  A ceremony involving you and a particular item as the cen-
  tral figures ties you magically to the item.
  Benefit:Any time a character uses the bonded item in its
  straightforward function,he gains a +1 luck bonus for the
  attempt.For example,if it is a weapon,he gains a +1 bonus to
  attack rolls.If it is armor or a shield,he enjoys a +1 bonus to
  Armor Class.If it is a lockpick,he gains a +1 bonus to use it.
  If the item is lost or destroyed, the character must go
  through the ceremony again to bond with a new item (but
  the character need not take the feat again).
  Chi-Julud [Ceremonial]
  In a ritual involving seven other giants, you learn the ability
  of the Wardance.
  Prerequisite: Must be a giant, Wis 13, Cha 13, truename
  Benefit: The character takes a full round of concentration
  (Concentration check,DC 15) to turn everything peaceful and
  caring in her into a raw,warlike savagery.After this round,the
  character loses her Wisdom and Charisma modifiers (if posi-
  tive),and her scores in both become 10 (if they were higher).
  Her former Wisdom bonus now adds to her Strength bonus
  (stacking with any other bonuses),and her former Charisma
  bonus adds to her Constitution bonus (stacking with any
  other bonuses).These extra bonuses last as long as the char-
  acter wishes,but if Chi-Julud persists longer than 10 minutes,
  she suffers 1 point of temporary Wisdom and Charisma dam-
  age.Each full hour of Chi-Julud afterward,she suffers anoth-
  er point of Wisdom and Charisma damage during the first
  day.After that,if she is somehow still going (through use of
  magic),every day she suffers 1d4 points of temporary
  Wisdom and Charisma damage until she reverts back to her
  normal state of Si-Karan (Caretaker).During the time this
  feat is in effect,anything that normally would add to her
  Wisdom bonus adds to Strength instead,and anything that
  would add to Charisma adds to Constitution instead,even if
  the bonuses would not normally stack.For example,if some-
  one casts a lesser ability boost on the character to give a +2
  enhancement bonus to Strength and Wisdom,she instead
  gains a +4 bonus to Strength.These bonuses do not stack
  with further enhancement bonuses,such as from a belt of
  strength or a periapt of wisdom.
  Compensate for Size [General]
  You leap up and around when fighting a larger foe, compen-
  sating for your small size.
  Prerequisite:Dexterity 13
  Benefit: The character leaps about when fighting a crea-
  ture one size (or more) larger than she is, granting her an
  additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 compe-
  tence bonus to melee attack rolls per size category difference.
  To use this feat, the character must wear either Light armor
  or no armor.
  
  Eidetic Memory [Talent]
  You have a near perfect memory.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character gains a +1 bonus to all Knowledge
  skills and a +4 bonus to Intelligence checks to remember
  past events. He also proves immune to magical attempts to
  modify his memory (such as with the spell modify memory).
  Elemental Resistance [Talent]
  You are naturally resistant to a particular element and suffer
  less damage from it.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character has resistance 5 against any ele-
  ment he chooses (air, earth, fire, water) at the time he takes
  the feat. Each time he suffers damage from that element, he
  subtracts 5 points of damage from the attack.
  Fast Healer [Talent]
  When you rest, you heal faster than others.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character heals at 1.5 times the normal rate
  (which is 1 hp per level per day). So an 8th-level character
  with this feat heals 12 hp per day rather than 8 hp. With the
  help of a healer making a Heal check, the character would
  heal 24 hp rather than 16 hp.
  First Strike [General]
  You are skilled in attacks that take out opponents quickly.
  Prerequisite:Dexterity 13 
  Benefit:When the character strikes a foe who is flat foot-
  ed at the beginning of combat, the attack inflicts +1d6
  points of damage. This damage bonus stacks with sneak
  attack damage and faces the same limitations as sneak
  attack (creatures immune to critical hits and sneak attacks
  are immune to this ability). The character can make ranged
  attacks using this ability, but only when within 30 feet of
  the target.
  Special: A character can take this feat up to three times.
  Each time, she adds +1d6 points to the damage inflicted
  against flat-footed opponents. So, the second time a charac-
  ter takes the feat, she inflicts +2d6 points of damage, and
  the third time she inflicts +3d6 points of damage.
  Fleet of Foot [Ceremonial]
  After a ceremony held with you and at least five others, you
  become much faster than you look.
  Benefit: The character adds +10 feet to his ground speed.
  Focused Healing [Ceremonial]
  After a ceremony held with you and at least five others, you
  gain the ability to use your powers of concentration for bet-
  ter healing.
  Prerequisite: Wisdom 11
  Benefit:Once per day, the character can concentrate for a
  full minute and heal herself of up to 2 hit points of damage
  per character level. In order to succeed, the character must
  make a Concentration check (Constitution check if she has
  no ranks in Concentration) with a DC equal to 10 + the
  amount of damage to be healed. Thus, a 5th-level character
  with this feat can heal up to 10 points of damage (DC 20). If
  the character only needed to heal 8 hp, she could choose to
  heal only 8 hp and thus make the DC 18.
  Intuitive Sense [Ceremonial]
  You participate in a ritual requiring you to spend 24 hours
  alone in a dark, incense-filled room, while at least one other
  person stands outside chanting. Afterward, you are difficult
  to surprise.
  Benefit: Thanks to the character’s uncanny sense of danger,
  he does not lose his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when
  flat footed or attacked by an invisible or unknown opponent.
  He is always considered “aware” of all incoming attacks for
  purposes of Dexterity and dodge bonuses to Armor Class.
  Intuitive Sense, Improved
  [Ceremonial]
  Following a ceremony in which at least five people buffet you
  with mock attacks while you are blindfolded, your intuition
  becomes so canny you can deal with two attackers at once,
  the way someone else might deal with just one.
  Prerequisite: Intuitive Sense
  Benefit: Thanks to the character’s enhanced sense of dan-
  ger, he cannot be flanked.
  Light Sleeper [Talent]
  You sleep lightly and are ready for action the moment you
  awake.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character makes Listen checks while asleep as
  though awake. Further, he can act immediately upon waking.
  Mirror Sight [Ceremonial]
  After a ceremony involving you and at least five other spell-
  casters, held in a room full of mirrors, you can look through
  a mirror for a special sort of scrying.
  Prerequisites: Spellcaster level 1st, Charisma 19, truename
  Benefit:Once per day the character can look into a mirror
  and see through it to view a reflection in another mirror. She
  can choose to see one of three types of reflection:
  •
  The current reflection in another mirror she is famil-
  iar with.
  •
  The reflection of a person she knows well, assuming
  that person is near a mirror.
  •
  The reflection of a place she knows well, assuming the
  location is being reflected in a mirror.
  Legacy of the Dragons
  156
  
  Appendix: Additional Rules and Reference 157
  The character receives only visual information through this
  feat. However, she can choose to transmit information both
  ways—so a person reflected in the remote mirror can view
  whatever appears in her mirror.Contact lasts 1d4 rounds,plus
  a number of rounds equal to the character’s Charisma bonus.
  For example, Maedi knows that her friend Tu-Methus
  keeps a mirror in his living room over the mantel. She can
  look through her own hand-held mirror and see into Tu-
  Methus’ living room. But he is not there. The next day,
  Maedi can attempt to find him by looking into her mirror. If,
  at that moment, Tu-Methus is near any mirror at all, she can
  see him. Otherwise, she sees nothing but her own reflection.
  Mirror Sight works with mirrors only; it is not effective
  when attempting to scry with another reflective surface, such
  as a still pool or a polished metal shield.
  Modify Combat Style [General]
  You can adapt your combat moves to counter a foe’s style.
  Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +7 
  Benefit: The character spends a full round in melee with
  an opponent,then makes a Spot check (DC = the opponent’s
  attack bonus).If she succeeds,she spots a weakness in the
  foe’s combat style and modifies her own style to take advan-
  tage of it.The character gains a +2 competence bonus to
  attack rolls against the foe for the rest of that combat session.
  Natural Swordsman [Talent]
  You have a natural affinity for swords of all kinds.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character gains a +1 competence bonus to
  damage rolls made from attacks with swords (short swords,
  longswords, greatswords, bastard swords, double-bladed
  swords, swordstaves, and so on). Further, if a foe attacks him
  with a sword, the character gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC.
  Special:A condition that makes the character lose his
  Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes him lose
  dodge bonuses. The character must be aware of the attack to
  gain this bonus. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other,
  unlike most other types of bonuses.
  Night Owl [Talent]
  You are more active at night.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character gains a +1 competence bonus to
  attack rolls, saving throws, and checks made after the sun
  goes down. (This ability only takes effect above ground, and
  when the character can verify that it is indeed night.)
  Opportunist [Ceremonial]
  As the result of a ceremony involving you and at least four oth-
  ers, you excel at taking advantage of your foes’ weaknesses.
  Prerequisites: Intelligence 15
  Benefit: Once per round,a character can make an immediate
  attack of opportunity against an opponent whom another char-
  acter has just damaged with a melee strike.The character gets
  this attack regardless of whether the foe has taken an action
  that normally would provoke an attack of opportunity.This
  attack counts as the character’s attack of opportunity for that
  round.Even a character with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use
  the Opportunist ability more than once per round,however.
  Opportunistic Attack [General]†
  You have a keen eye for spotting gaps in your opponent’s
  defenses and the reflexes needed to take advantage of them.
  Benefit:The character gains one additional attack of
  opportunity per round.
  Normal: A character receives only one attack of opportu-
  nity per round.
  Special:Even if the character has more than one attack 
  of opportunity, a creature can only provoke one such strike
  from him per round. He may take this feat more than once,
  each time gaining an additional attack of opportunity.
  Power Charge [General]
  Once you start a charge, you become extremely dangerous.
  Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13
  Benefit: When using the charge action, the character deals
  double damage with a melee weapon. Only the weapon’s
  damage is doubled, not the bonuses from Strength, magic 
  or other factors.
  Power Leap [General]†
  Using your great leaping ability, you crash into your foe and
  drive him into the ground.
  Benefit: As a full-round action, the character may make a
  Jump check to leap onto an opponent. If she lands in any
  space occupied by the foe, it counts as charging him, and the
  character may make an attack with the normal charging ben-
  efits and drawbacks. In addition, the character gains a +2
  bonus to damage. The opponent must make a Strength
  check (DC equal to the damage inflicted by the attack) or he
  falls prone. The character ends her action in a space of her
  choice that is adjacent to the target.
  Power of the Name [Ceremonial]
  In a ritual involving at least 10 people and always held with-
  in the center of a large library, you gain the ability to use a
  person’s truename against her.
  Prerequisites: Intelligence 17
  Benefit: If he knows a subject’s truename,a character with
  this feat can force her to carry out some service or to refrain
  from some action or course of activity,as desired.The subject
  can make a Will saving throw to resist (DC 10 + half the
  character’s level + Charisma bonus).The subject must be able
  to understand the character.While he cannot compel a sub-
  ject to kill herself or perform acts that would result in certain
  death,the character can compel almost any other activity.The
  subject must follow the given instructions until the task is
  
  Legacy of the Dragons
  158
  Monster or Character
  CR
  Spined grappler
  1/4
  Staj
  1
  Terrig
  1
  Vallorian
  1
  Balthrok
  2
  Bone viper
  2
  Grynloc
  2
  Kahrn (larva)
  2
  Rune animal (wolf)
  2
  Urgan’s minion
  2
  Witchraven
  2
  Balthrok (elder)
  3
  Daelan Bitterslice* (spryte unf)
  3
  Dothrog
  3
  Dread helminth
  3
  Hate reaper
  3
  Mud slime
  3
  Spelleater
  3
  Squamous lir
  3
  Valkith
  3
  Bova Tel-Bera* (human twr [wolf])
  4
  Chlorthek
  4
  Lasher beast
  4
  Rock ape
  4
  Tingual
  4
  Monster or Character
  CR
  Akashic seeker
  5
  Blade breaker
  5
  Corrupted tree
  5
  Rune manifest, arcane
  5
  Rune manifest, terror
  5
  Arachtar
  6
  Briar beast
  6
  Elemental scion (mojh)
  6
  Navver’s curse
  6
  Vuldrog
  6
  Blade troll
  7
  Kahrn (adult)
  7
  Rune manifest, disease
  7
  Faradian
  8
  Hypnolox
  8
  Kelberen* (human mbl)
  8
  Lastrogos
  8
  Rune manifest, battle
  8
  Veirid Runechaser*
  (loresong faen aks/rth)
  8
  Wind lord
  8
  Aarach* 
  (rhodin skurg war/wtc [sea])
  9
  Ghoul worm
  9
  Totem spectre (bear)
  9
  Monster or Character
  CR
  Bog salamander
  10
  Cralla* (sibeccai cmp [death])
  10
  Night beast
  10
  Qualleg
  10
  Slaughterfiend
  11
  Algar* (mojh aks/osn)
  12
  Arboreal corrupter
  12
  Denassa* (undead verrik aks)
  12
  Rune reaver
  13
  Spirit of sorrow
  13
  Abalan* (chorrim wrm/osn)
  14
  Briessec-Cur* (sibeccai grn/somn)
  14
  Darval
  14
  Paushen Pugwhistle* 
  (sibeccai aks/unf)
  14
  Chloris* (litorian cmp [freedom])
  15
  Crested serpent
  15
  Domagoth* (mojh mgr)
  16
  Zetetic
  16
  Marvalontal* (alabast mbl)
  17
  Oathstalker
  17
  Vo-Tarran* (giant unf/paragon)
  17
  Arathad
  18
  Shuyarn
  20
  * Indicates an NPC in Part Two of this book
  MONSTERS AND CHARACTERS BY CHALLENGE RATING
  completed,no matter how long it takes.If the instructions
  involve some open-ended task that the subject cannot com-
  plete through her own actions,the subject remains compelled
  for a maximum of one day per the character’s level.Note that
  a clever subject can subvert some instructions.
  If something prevents the subject from obeying the instruc-
  tions for a whole day,she takes 3d6 points of damage each day
  she does not attempt to follow them.Additionally,each day
  she must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw.A failure means
  she becomes sickened.A sickened subject moves at half her
  normal speed and suffers a –4 penalty on both Strength and
  Dexterity.She heals damage at one-tenth her normal rate and
  cannot benefit from any magical healing effects.Starting on
  the second day,a sickened creature must succeed at a Fortitude
  save each day or become crippled.Once crippled,the subject is
  effectively disabled (as if she had 0 hit points) and can’t
  choose to take strenuous actions.These effects remain until
  the day after the subject attempts to resume the task.
  This magical effect can be dispelled,and it ends if the charac-
  ter with the feat dies.A character can use this feat over a given
  subject only once,whether she makes the initial Will save or
  not.It is a full-round action to invoke the Power of the Name.
  Rapid Strike [General]
  You can make an extra, blindingly fast melee strike.
  Prerequisites: Dexterity 15, Weapon Focus, proficiency
  with weapon, base attack bonus +3 
  Benefit: The character selects a weapon that she’s profi-
  cient with and wields with the Weapon Focus feat. Once per
  day per level, as part of a full attack action, she can use this
  weapon to make an additional attack, with a base attack
  bonus of half her highest normal base attack bonus. Even if
  she wields more than one weapon, however, no more than
  one rapid strike is possible in a round.
  Special:A character may take this feat multiple times, each
  time selecting a different weapon.
  Resistance to Magic [Talent]
  You have an innate resistance to magic.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character gains a +1 saving throw bonus to
  all saves against spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abili-
  ties, magic items, and so on.
  Resistance to Poison [Talent]
  You have an innate resistance to toxins.
  Prerequisite:Character level 1st only
  Benefit: The character gains a +4 saving throw bonus to
  all saves against poisons, including magical poisons.
  Speed Burst [General]
  You can move very fast in short bursts.
  Benefit:Once per day per two character levels, the charac-
  ter can take an extra move action in a single round.
  
  Appendix: Additional Rules and Reference 159
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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  formed or adapted;(c) “Distribute" means to reproduce,license,
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  distribute;(d) “Open Game Content" means the game mechan-
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  Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply
  with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all
  of the Open Game Content due to statute,judicial order,or gov-
  ernmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game
  Material so affected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if
  You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such
  breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach.All
  sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be
  unenforceable,such provision shall be reformed only to the
  extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000–2003,Wizards of
  the Coast,Inc.
  d20 System Reference Document Copyright 2000–2003,
  Wizards of the Coast,Inc.;authors Jonathan Tweet,Monte
  Cook,Skip Williams,Rich Baker,Andy Collins,David
  Noonan,Rich Redman,and Bruce R.Cordell,based on original
  material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Legacy of the Dragons,copyright 2004 Monte J.Cook.
  All rights reserved.
  Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed,copyright 2003 
  Monte J.Cook.All rights reserved.
  Stomp [General]
  Using your great size and mass,you make the ground shudder.
  Prerequisites: Size Large, Strength 19
  Benefits: The character can stamp her foot or slam her fist
  on the ground (as a standard action), causing it to shake. All
  creatures smaller than the character within 10 feet must
  make a Balance check (DC 10 + stomping character’s
  Strength modifier) or fall prone.
  Tattooed Spell [Ceremonial]
  In a ritual featuring just you and the artist/caster (or just you
  if you are the artist/caster), you receive a tattoo with magical
  abilities. The artist/caster involved in the ritual must be able
  to cast the spell to be tattooed and must have at least one
  rank in Craft (tattoos).
  Prerequisite:Truename
  Benefit:One simple spell, whose level is no more than
  half the character’s (and never more than 4th level), is
  infused within a tattoo etched into the character’s flesh. (A
  1st-level character can have a tattoo of a 0-level spell.) The
  character can cast that spell once per day, using half her
  character level as the caster level. No somatic or verbal com-
  ponents are needed. (See illustration on the next page.)
  Diminished versions of spells are treated as one level
  lower, and heightened spells are treated as one level higher
  for purposes of tattooed spells.
  Special: Spellcasters with this feat can gain a tattoo of any
  spell they can cast (no level limit), even ones that are not
  simple. A character can take this feat multiple times, choos-
  ing a different spell each time, although she cannot have
  more than four tattooed spells on her body at any given
  time. A character can remove a tattooed spell any time she
  wishes, but dispel magic does not remove the tattoo unless
  she wishes it. To replace a tattooed spell requires the charac-
  ter and caster/artist to perform the ritual again, but she need
  not take the feat again.
  
  BOOK OF HALLOWED MIGHT II™
  A divine-magic sourcebook by Monte Cook and Mike Mearls
  Exciting new spells, classes, magic items, and feats for your divine spellcasters. Plus, rules
  for visions and omens, a full pantheon, the Celestial River, and new hallowed locales.
  Supercharge your clerics, druids, rangers, and paladins!
  More dungeon mastery from the guy who wrote the book.
  On sale in July • 64 pages • $13.99 (US) • WW16106 • ISBN 1-58846-967-0
  Free previews at www.montecook.com
  ©2004 Monte J. Cook. Malhavoc is a registered trademark and Hallowed Might is a trademark owned by Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. 
  The Sword & Sorcery logo is a trademark of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Dungeon Master is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast.
  The d20 System and d20 System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission. 
  ®
  ®
  LISTEN—
  THE 
  DIVINE
  VOICE
  CALLS
  YOU TO 
  ARMS!
  LISTEN—
  THE 
  DIVINE
  VOICE
  CALLS
  YOU TO 
  ARMS!
  
  The hideous ghoul worm . . . the deadly blade trolls . . .
  the prowling kahrn, which literally feeds on combat
  and anger. . . . This monster supplement provides
  dozens of new adversaries and allies like these, created
  as a bestiary for the best-selling Monte Cook’s Arcana
  Unearthed variant player’s handbook.
  Inside Legacy of the Dragons, 3rd Edition codesigner
  Monte Cook and popular d20 System author Mike
  Mearls present dozens of new nasties for your delight.
  From akashic seeker to zetetic, this book has what you
  need to add some teeth to your campaign!
  For original, well-designed, and fearsome monsters,
  look no further than those who serve as the Legacy of
  the Dragons. In the pages of this bestiary you’ll find:∑
  •50 new monsters, from CR 1/4 to CR 20—each complete
  with its own encounter;
  •15 new and exciting NPC personalities from the lands
  of the Diamond Throne;
  •New feats, magic items, spells, weapons, diseases, and
  more, all inspired by the monsters in this book; and
  •Quick and easy guidelines for converting all these
  creatures to the standard d20 System rules.
  Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons® Third Edition Core Books,
  published by Wizards of the Coast®. Requires the use of Monte Cook’s
  Arcana Unearthed, published by Malhavoc Press. 
  Free bonus material at www.montecook.com
  ©2004 Monte J. Cook
  Dungeons & Dragons is a registered trademark and the d20 System logo, d20 System, and Unearthed Arcana are trademarks of
  Wizards of the Coast Inc. in the USA and other countries. Arcana Unearthed is used with permission from Wizards, and all rights
  are reserved. Malhavoc is a| registered trademark of Monte J. Cook. The Sword & Sorcery logo is a registered trademark of White
  Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
  ®
  ®
  PDF Version 1.0
  February 26, 2004
  $14 U.S.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D 3.5/Sword and Sorcery/Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Unearthed - Legacy Of The Dragons.pdf