TEXT: STEVEN S. LONG
  
  Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers © 2006 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. 
  All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. 
  d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by 
  any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the 
  Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
  Printed in the Canada. First printing September 2006
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number:  DOJHERO508 • ISBN Number:  1-58366-061-5
  http://www.herogames.com
  An Enemies Book for Fnatasy Hero
  Author: Steven S. Long
  Editing and Developing: Darren Watts
  Layout & Graphic Design:  Andy Mathews
  Cover Illustration: Mack Sztaba
  Interior Illustration:  Bret Jordan, Sam Kennedy, Peter Reid, 
  Juan, Sanchez, Mack Sztaba
  
  INTRODUCTION ............................................. 4
  CHAPTER ONE:  LORDS OF EVIL
  THE LORD OF SPIDERS ................................. 6
  SARGATH THE VAMPIRE LORD ....................... 9
  THORG SPLIT-CHIN ...................................... 13
  TORGAR THE FIST ...................................... 15
  VORAK ...................................................... 17
  ZAAROGRATH KHROM ................................. 19
  CHAPTER TWO:   
  FIENDISH ORGANIZATIONS
  THE BARAGON COVEN ................................. 24
  OLD JHISELDA ........................................... 25
  MELSARA GILDENHAND ............................. 27
  LADY VELYNDA GARAITHE .......................... 29
  KAL-TURAK’S LIEUTENANTS ....................... 31
  OBAR BLACKTHEW .................................... 31
  VARAKES THE LICH .................................... 33
  VARL ......................................................... 36
  ZARLANG THUL .......................................... 38
  KROGG’S BANDITS ...................................... 41
  KROGG THE AXE ........................................ 42
  GORBAR THE ARCHER ................................ 44
  THE RED TALON GUILD ................................ 46
  ARVAGH .................................................... 47
  KELGAR COALBEARD ................................. 50
  VALMARRELLIAN ....................................... 52
  YANNA WINDHAND ..................................... 54
  THE SARRESHARAN REGENCY .................... 56
  PRINCE RHODAS OF SARRESHAR ............... 57
  DUKE BORILARD ........................................ 59
  MARQUIS POLLOS ..................................... 61
  GENERAL TRAYGAR .................................... 63
  THE SILVER GUILD ....................................... 65
  YLRAGI OF THE SEVEN DAGGERS ................ 66
  FAT HARRIK ............................................... 68
  TISANDRA THE CAT .................................... 70
  TRELGON .................................................. 72
  THE THREE DEATHS .................................... 74
  FELRAS THE WAND .................................... 75
  OGARL THE BLADE .................................... 78
  VINRUS THE SHADOW ................................ 80
  ZELATAR’S BLADES ..................................... 82
  ZELATAR COROMSON ................................ 83
  CHUUNDA .................................................. 85
  ELGARON .................................................. 87
  TAAL MEROTH ........................................... 89
  UGEHN ...................................................... 91
  CHAPTER THREE:   
  SOLO ADVERSARIES
  ARCINGETAR ............................................... 94
  ARENDELL, BARON OF VERLICHTEN ............ 96
  ARKOSH BLOODTOOTH ................................ 98
  AUGIROS ................................................... 100
  AVELARD GLIMTONGUE ............................. 103
  B’BATREEG ................................................ 105
  BARAXUS THE GREAT ................................ 107
  BRODOK GOLDBEAR .................................. 109
  BRONAK SCARHAMMER ............................ 111
  DAIMIANIA, PRINCESS OF TYRANDIUM ..... 113
  ALARCH DENBROSE .................................. 115
  THE DRAGON TWINS ................................. 117
  SKARM .................................................... 118
  SKORAX .................................................. 119
  DRUATHEK THE MALEFICENT .................... 120
  GAZTIGAR THE MAD .................................. 123
  HADETHINALIREL ...................................... 125
  LADY HELIDA OF CELBARIA ....................... 127
  HLUGOK .................................................... 129
  KASHAI JAHHAR ........................................ 131
  SENATOR GARETZON JHEGANI .................. 133
  MAGHERO LUCOLI ..................................... 135
  ROBAT MEHRDAD ..................................... 137
  NALGAR FOURBLADES .............................. 139
  NANUMAR HALFELVEN .............................. 141
  NARRG ...................................................... 144
  NEDANA .................................................... 146
  PALANIETH ................................................ 149
  RED-EDGE ................................................. 151
  R’TANTH THE RAT ...................................... 153
  SA’AKIV THE RED NECROMANCER ............ 156
  SATEEN ..................................................... 159
  COUNT ATROSE SIGLOF ............................. 161
  SILVERTINE ............................................... 163
  SORGAHL GREYMANE ............................... 165
  STELBARAN CURVECLAW .......................... 167
  K’NGRA VEL-HRAG .................................... 169
  CAPTAIN VELLTAR ...................................... 172
  XELDRUTHAK ............................................ 174
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  4 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  O
  ne of the things every good Fantasy Hero 
  GM struggles with is creating just the right 
  types of enemies for the heroes in his cam-
  paign. It doesn’t take much work to quickly 
  make a “generic” wizard, Orc chieftain, or dragon 
  — but characters like that don’t have much ﬂavor. 
  To truly be a memorable villain, an adversary the 
  player characters (and players!) will remember 
  with a sort of grudging admiration, an enemy has 
  to be more than just numbers on a character sheet. 
  He needs a history, personality, goals, and special 
  abilities. But creating characters like that game after 
  game can tax the creativity of even the best GMs.
  To save you some of that work and create a 
  common group of adversaries for Fantasy Hero 
  gamers everywhere, Nobles, Knights, And Necro-
  mancers presents dozens of evil sorcerers, ﬁendish 
  dragons, corrupt noblemen, and wily thieves for 
  use in your campaigns. Chapter One, Lords Of 
  Evil, details four “master villains” with the power 
  and resources to challenge any group of heroes:  
  the Lord of Spiders, spymaster for the Hargeshite 
  Empire of Vashkhor; Sargath the Vampire Lord, 
  usurper of Dragosani; Thorg Split-Chin, a powerful 
  Orc chieftain, and his main followers; and Zargo-
  raath Khrom, the Yellow King of Valicia and a sor-
  cerer-warrior of great skill.
  Chapter Two, Fiendish Organizations, has 
  groups of adversaries to oppose your team of 
  heroes. It includes:  the Baragon Coven, a cabal of 
  malicious witches; Kal-Turak’s Lieutenants, several 
  of the Ravager’s most powerful servants; the Red 
  Talon Guild, a group of wicked slavers; the Sar-
  resharan Regency, a council of ambitious nobles 
  and merchants ruling Sarreshar until the King and 
  Queen return; the Silver Guild, a gang of thieves led 
  by Ylragi of the Seven Daggers; the Three Deaths, 
  a trio of powerful assassins; and Zeletar’s Blades, a 
  skilled and ruthless band of adventurers.
  The third and longest chapter of the book, 
  Mercenaries And Mages, features enemies who work 
  by themselves, or whom you can team together as 
  you see ﬁt. Here you’ll ﬁnd everything from sells-
  words to mad alchemists, wickedly clever dragons, 
  Ogre chiefs, bandit lords, greedy thieves, evil wiz-
  ards, and Hargeshite priests and spies... plus every-
  thing in between.
  In this book you’ll ﬁnd villains built on fewer 
  points than most starting Fantasy heroes, and some 
  built on hundreds more. Sometimes it’s not possible 
  to deﬁne a villain properly on 150 Character Points, 
  and it’s preferable to build a villain right rather than to 
  follow rigid point restrictions or nebulous concepts of 
  “points eﬃciency.” Villains, after all, aren’t the central 
  focus of the campaign, so you don’t have to worry as 
  much about campaign standards as you do with PCs 
  (who are always on center stage) when creating them.
  SPELLS AND ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Many of the characters in this book have spells 
  or magical items from The Fantasy Hero Grimoire, 
  The Fantasy Hero Grimoire II, or The Turakian Age, 
  bought following the rules for Turakian magic (see 
  The Turakian Age, page 230). In most cases the 
  information about these spells (such as how they’re 
  built using the HERO System rules) is not included 
  in this book for space reasons — just refer to the 
  Grimoires and The Turakian Age for the full spell 
  descriptions if necessary. If you don’t own those 
  books, the name of the spell or item usually pro-
  vides some hint about what it does, allowing you to 
  create your own version.
  In some cases, references to spells or magic 
  items in other books include a page reference using 
  the following abbreviations:  FH, TA, FHG1, FHG2.
  USING THIS BOOK
  Although the characters in  Nobles, Knights, 
  And Necromancers are tied to the Turakian Age set-
  ting published by Hero Games, you can adapt them 
  to your game in just a few seconds if you’re not 
  using that campaign. Just change the background, 
  and perhaps the name, and voila! — you’ve got a 
  new villain for your heroes to confront. Similarly, 
  you should feel free to re-arrange or revise the vil-
  lains in this book to suit your campaign. If you’d 
  rather have Nalgar Fourblades working with the 
  Red Talons than Kelgar Coalbeard, you can easily 
  make the change. If you need more groups instead 
  of solo adversaries, pick some likely candidates 
  from Chapter Three and group them into a gang. If 
  Zargoraath Khrom is too powerful for your game, 
  decrease his Characteristics and the Active Points 
  in his spells and powers. Each character comes with 
  a “Campaign Use” section that includes suggestions 
  on how to make him stronger or weaker in case 
  you have to adapt him to the power level of your 
  campaign. After all, each game is a little diﬀerent, 
  so not every published character ﬁts every GM’s 
  preferences as-is. The Campaign Use section also 
  discusses possible ways to integrate the character 
  into your game, interesting plot hooks associated 
  with him, and how he’d function as a Hunted.
  As an enemies book, Nobles, Knights, And Nec-
  romancers is designed primarily for use by GMs. 
  If you’re not a GM, you may still ﬁnd it useful as a 
  source of example powers and character ideas, but 
  get the GM’s permission to read it. Some GMs may 
  prefer to keep the information in this book secret 
  until they reveal it during game play, and may not 
  ever want players to read villains’ character sheets.
  INTRODUCTION
  
  chapter one:
  chapter one:
  MASTER VILLAINS
  
  6 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  THE LORD OF SPIDERS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [2]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   23 INT 
  16 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   26 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  76
  Movement: 
  Running:  3”/6”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  2 
  Hospin’s Healing Touch (TA 249)
  3 
  Nightwalker’s Mantle (TA 253)
  6 
  Radiant Bolt (FHG 252)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  1 
  Skyfather’s Judgment (TA 255)
   
  Powers
  1 
  Long-Lived:  Life Support (Longevity:  ages at 
  half normal rate) 
  0
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  -6 
  Old And Fat:  Running -3” (3” total)
   
  Perks
  12 
  Contact:  Hierakte of Vashkhor 14- 
  (extremely useful Skills/resources, access to 
  major institutions, signiﬁcant Contacts of his 
  own, good relationship)
  10 
  Contact:  High General Durakan of Vashk-
  hor 14- (extremely useful Skills/resources, 
  access to major institutions, signiﬁcant Con-
  tacts of his own)
  10 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Espionage Rank:  Spymaster 
  of Vashkhor
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank:  Basa-Robat
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Bribery 13-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  10 
  Cramming (x2)
  3 
  Cryptography 14-
  5 
  Deduction 15-
  3 
  Disguise 14-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  3 
  AK: Vashkhor 14-
  3 
  CK: Marasa 14-
  3 
  KS: Enemies Of Vashkhor 14-
  3 
  KS: The Espionage World 14-
  3 
  KS: Hargeshite Religious Doctrine 14-
  14 
  Network Of Spies And Informers:  KS: What’s 
  Going On In Arduna 25-
  1 
  Language:  Aarnese (basic conversation; Cen-
  tral Khorian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Besruhani (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Ilurian (basic conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Sirrenic (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Velkaran (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lipreading 14-
  3 
  Lockpicking 12-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  13 
  Power:  Faith 18-
  2 
  PS: Brew Poison 11-
  2 
  PS: Hargeshite Priest 11-
  3 
  PS: Spy 14-
  3 
  PS: Spymaster 14-
  3 
  Security Systems 14-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  212
  Total Cost:  288
  THE LORD  
  OF SPIDERS
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  7 
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Hierakte of Vashkhor 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Hunted:  Alarch Larenath of the Anvilites 
  14- (As Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vashkhoran 
  Patriot (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devout Hargeshite 
  (Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  143 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  288
  Background/History:  He’s so old now that no one 
  else remembers his real name — and he deliber-
  ately forgot it a long time ago. What purpose serve 
  childhood memories now? Only when he went to 
  Ebistan Derende to begin his training as a priest do 
  his memories snap into focus, so bright-edged they 
  could cut like a blade were they not so cherished. 
  His days at the ebistan are the last he remembers as 
  being truly care-free, though he knew it not at the 
  time; then the work seemed endless and the task-
  masters harsh. But the learning and the 
  rituals, these were things of joy.
  When the gods made him a robat, 
  he left the temple to journey the world, 
  preach on their behalf, and cleanse Evil 
  as they permitted him to. Many adven-
  tures he had, many monsters he slew, and 
  much gold he recovered for the glory of 
  the church — but it was his last adven-
  ture in Tor Vilos that changed the course 
  of his life.
  While resting in the city, he and 
  his adventuring companions, one the 
  son of a Tor Vilan nobleman, became 
  embroiled in a murder mystery involv-
  ing several members of the city’s nobil-
  ity. When they solved the mystery, 
  clearing from suspicion a relative of 
  the Emperor’s, the Emperor himself 
  called them to the halls of Zaruldi-
  nah and rewarded them personally. 
  Throughout the adventure he kept 
  his eyes open and asked the right 
  questions, learning a great deal more 
  about Sirrenic society than the Empire 
  might have wished. After receiving 
  his reward, he returned to Marasa and 
  reported what he had learned to the 
  Hierakte’s spymaster.
  Impressed with his cleverness and 
  skill, the spymaster had him assigned 
  to work as a spy permanently. Many a 
  dark and dangerous mission he con-
  ducted, traveling into enemy lands and learning 
  what his masters wished to know. In time he 
  rose in the ranks, eventually giving up adventur-
  ing to command other adventurers. With skill 
  and precision he built up a network of spies, 
  informers, contacts, friends, traitors, and help-
  ers throughout Vashkhor, Mhorecia, and beyond. 
  When the old spymaster died — and not a natu-
  ral death, according to certain dark rumors that 
  swirl through Marasa to this day — the Hierakte 
  wisely appointed him to the position.
  In the decades since then, he’s come to serve 
  that Hierakte’s son with the same fervent loyalty he 
  showed the father. His network of spies has grown 
  and grown, forming a vast, dark web of conspiracy, 
  intrigue, and secrets. And at the center of that web 
  he sits, seeing all, hearing all, knowing all, and strik-
  ing ruthlessly — the Lord of Spiders.
  Personality/Motivation:  The Lord of Spiders is ﬁrst 
  and foremost devoted to the safety, security, and 
  political and military ascendancy of the Hargeshite 
  Empire of Vashkhor. Like nearly all high-ranking 
  Vashkhorans he’s a priest, but his religious fervor 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  6 
  Usually poisoned; can be thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Magnifying glass, vial of poison, various false papers, quick disguise kit, writing materials
  
  8 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  pales in comparison to his love of Empire. He sees 
  himself as a secret soldier ﬁghting a war against 
  other realms and religions — the Sirrenic Empire, 
  the kingdoms of Mhorecia, the petty city-states 
  of Vornakkia, and even at times the Westerlands 
  — on the Hierakte’s behalf, and there’s very little he 
  wouldn’t do to win that war. Without so much as 
  a ﬂutter of guilt he orders his spies to assassinate 
  kings, blackmail noblemen, kidnap people, and 
  commit all manner of other crimes to improve the 
  Hargeshite Empire’s position in the world.
  Quote:  “By my command — slay Sir Corlemond 
  and make it appear that his lover did the deed.”
  Powers/Tactics:  The Lord of Spiders is one of the 
  highest-ranking individuals in the Hargeshite 
  Empire, and as such has enormous inﬂuence 
  and access to numerous resources. Dozens of 
  priests and wizards use their powers on his behalf, 
  Hargeshite adventurers travel the world in his ser-
  vice, and he can gain access to the Hierakte (one of 
  the few men he considers a friend) and High Gen-
  eral Durakan whenever he wants. His network of 
  spies, informers, and contacts throughout the world 
  is second to none (though it may take time for a 
  request for speciﬁc information to ﬁlter out to them 
  and the information, if available, to return to him).
  The Lord of Spiders wields enormous inﬂu-
  ence in Vashkhoran society — in fact, many Vashk-
  horans fear him even more than they do the Hier-
  akte. Many people consider a summons to appear at 
  his palace tantamount to a death sentence, though 
  he never kills anyone whom he believes will be 
  more useful than dangerous in the future.
  Despite his fabled longevity, the Lord of Spi-
  ders is too old (and fat) to be a serious combatant 
  at this point in his life. If forced to ﬁght, he’ll use 
  cleverness and treachery instead of brute force. 
  He almost always has at least one dagger (usually 
  poisoned) hidden on his person somewhere, and he 
  also knows a few priestly spells.
  Campaign Use:  The Lord of Spiders is the ultimate 
  adversary in a campaign focused on Ardunan 
  politics, social life, and espionage rather than mon-
  ster-ﬁghting or questing. As the greatest spymas-
  ter in the world, he’s in a position to manipulate 
  entire kingdoms and bodies of nobility if he has to 
  (though the further one gets from Vashkhor, the 
  more his power and inﬂuence diminish). His chief 
  target is the Sirrenic Empire, but no potential threat 
  or weapon escapes his gaze for very long. His chief 
  rival in this great game is Alarch Larenath of the 
  Anvilite order, whose has fewer resources to call 
  upon but just as much zeal.
  Nearly anyone could be in the Lord of Spi-
  ders’s network of spies and informers. Most of his 
  agents are servants in the houses of noblemen and 
  other such little-noticed folk, but more than a few 
  are Hargeshite or mercenary adventurers, traitorous 
  nobles, or the like.
  To make the Lord of Spiders more powerful, 
  reduce his age (and size) and give him abilities to 
  represent the adventuring priest he once was:  more 
  spells, more magical items, and so on. To weaken 
  him, reduce his overall inﬂuence and power by 
  removing (or decreasing the rolls for) Contacts, 
  KSs, and so forth. You could also remove some of 
  his Skills, and reduce his INT to 18-20.
  The Lord of Spiders is one of the most danger-
  ous Hunters a hero could have. He might never 
  even see the man, but the Lord of Spiders’s agents 
  — ranging from highly-skilled assassins to every-
  day servants — could make what little would be left 
  of the hero’s life an absolute Hell.
  Appearance:  The Lord of Spiders looks like a Vash-
  khoran man in his early 50s, though he’s closer to a 
  hundred years old. He’s 5’8” tall and corpulent, his 
  large belly straining against his robes; he dresses 
  like a minor nobleman or priest rather than one of 
  the most powerful men in the Hargeshite Empire. 
  His hair is black and usually plastered to his head 
  by sweat; he keeps his face cleanshaven.
  THE LORD OF SPIDERS’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Within reason, the Lord of Spiders could get just about 
  any magical item he needs — either the wizards work-
  ing for him can make it, or via the Hierakte or his own 
  network of informers he could ﬁnd one. Here are the 
  items he routinely keeps with him:
  Belt Of Shielding:  Worn underneath his clothing, this 
  belt protects the Lord of Spiders from many attacks 
  (Force Field [10 PD/10 ED/10 Mental Defense/10 
  Power Defense], 0 END; OIF)
  Mesmeric Ring (TA 262)
  Ring Of Teleportation:  This ring allows for quick, short 
  escapes — but usually that’s all the “edge” the Lord of 
  Spiders needs to get away completely. (Teleportation 
  30”; OIF, 9 Charges)
  Wand Of Twelve Thunderbolts:  The Lord of Spiders usu-
  ally prefers “utility” enchanted items to “attack” ones, 
  but if he has no other option he can use this wand to 
  blast his enemies. (RKA 3d6, +2 Increased STUN Mod-
  iﬁer; OAF, Limited Range [20”], 12 Charges)
  THE LORD  
  OF SPIDERS  
  PLOT SEEDS
  A mysterious message 
  requests the PCs’ pres-
  ence in Marasa, even 
  granting them free 
  passage through Vash-
  khoran lands. When 
  they arrive, they ﬁnd 
  that their audience is 
  not with the Emperor, 
  but his spymaster. What 
  could be so dangerous 
  that the Lord of Spiders 
  needs their help — and 
  what are his secondary 
  and tertiary goals?
  The Lord of Spiders 
  becomes more aggres-
  sive in his activities 
  against Mhorecia and 
  the Westerlands. The 
  heroes uncover evi-
  dence that suggests that 
  someone’s using sorcery 
  to make him more sus-
  picious and active. Can 
  the heroes reveal the 
  plot and convince the 
  Hierakte to do some-
  thing about the situation 
  before the Lord of Spi-
  ders starts a major war?
  A PC’s arranged (or 
  simply planned) mar-
  riage to the daughter 
  of a noble house falls 
  apart unexpectedly for 
  no good reason. When 
  the heroes learn that the 
  Lord of Spiders may be 
  the ultimate cause, what 
  will they do?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  9 
  SARGATH THE VAMPIRE LORD  
   Usurper Of Dragosani
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  30 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   25 DEX 
  60 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   23 INT 
  16 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   25 PRE 
  20 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  10 
   
  Total:  12 PD (8 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 ED (6 rED)
   5 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  5
   50 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  234
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Air Magic
  5 
  Fogbreaking (FHG 65)
  5 
  Lightning Bolt (FHG 66)
  2 
  Mage’s Wind (FHG 66)
  6 
  The Spell Of The Deadly Cloud (FHG 67)
  5 
  Stelrane’s First Spell Of The Slumbrous 
  Vapors (FHG 68)
  7 
  Ulgar’s Spell Of Deadly Deprivation (FHG 69)
  4 
  Wall Of Cloud (FHG 70)
  3 
  Wings Of The Wind (Free version) (FHG 71)
   
  Necromancy
  3 
  Create Skeleton (FHG 141)
  3 
  Create Zombie (FHG 145)
  4 
  Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters (FHG 146)
  6 
  Druathek’s Osseous Malady (FHG 147)
  8 
  Sargath’s Premonitions Of Death (FHG 148-49)
  2 
  The Spell Of True Necromancy (FHG 162)
  6 
  Veltharex’s Spell Of Torment (FHG 153)
   
  Sorcery
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Aﬄiction Of The Confused Mind 
  (FHG 170)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  4 
  Prismatic Blast (FHG 177)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Scribe (FHG 244)
  3 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
   
  Powers
  38 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (180 END, 20 REC) 
  0
  7 
  Fangs:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR),  
  Penetrating (+½) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range 
  (-½), Fangs Must Do BODY First (-½) 
  0
  64 
  Create Vampire:  Major Transform 10d6 
  (humans into lesser vampires, heals back 
  through special exorcisms and holy  
  rituals), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); No Range (-½), Must Drain All  
  But 1 BODY Of Victim’s Blood With  
  Drink Blood, Then Have Him Drink  
  ½d6 BODY’s Worth Of Vampire’s Blood  
  (-1), All Or Nothing (-½), Limited  
  Target (humans; -½) 
  0
  10 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  70 
  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 12d6,  
  Telepathic (+¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Eye Contact Required (-½) 0
  7 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (8 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Undead Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  21 
  Hard To Slay:  Healing 3d6 (Regeneration;  
  3 BODY per Day), Resurrection (others  
  can stop resurrection by burning the body,  
  driving a stake through the vampire’s heart,  
  cutting oﬀ its head, or laying it to rest with 
  a holy symbol of a Blue God on its chest), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Self Only (-½), Extra Time  
  + Increased Time Increment (3 BODY/Day; 
  -2¾), Resurrection Only (-½) 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except Diminished Eating; including  
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  6 
  Swift:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  6 
  Vampire’s Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Vampire’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  SARGATH THE 
  VAMPIRE LORD
  
  10 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  27 
  Mist Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected  
  by wind, heat, or cold); Cannot Pass  
  Through Solid Objects (-½) 
  4
  35 
  Wolf And Bat Forms:  Multiform  
  (assume 150-point wolf or bat form) 
  0
  52 
  Call Dark Creatures:  Summon up to 16  
  90-point wolves, rats, or bats, Expanded  
  Class (+¼), Slavishly Devoted (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Arrive Under Own Power (-½),  
  Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-½) 0
   
  Perks
  15 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  King of Dragosani
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 with Spells
  15 
  +3 HTH
  7 
  Climbing 16-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  2 
  Cryptography 14-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  Interrogation 14-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 14-
  3 
  Language:  Dragosa (completely ﬂuent;  
  Sitherian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Teretha (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Paramedics (Healing) 14-
  17 
  Power:  Elemental Magic (Air) 21-
  11 
  Power:  Necromancy 18-
  17 
  Power:  Sorcery 21-
  15 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  3 
  Seduction 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 14-
  7 
  Stealth 16-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1)  KS: Air Magic 14-
  2 
  2)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  2 
  3)  KS: Necromancy 14-
  2 
  4)  KS: Sorcery 14-
  2 
  5)  KS: Wizardry 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  794
  Total Cost:  1,028
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  No Reﬂection (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction)
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  15 
  Hunted:  High King Arhardt of Teretheim 
  8- (As Pow, NCI, Kill)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Will Do Anything 
  To Maintain His Power (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Considers 
  Humanity Cattle (Common, Moderate)
  25 
  Susceptibility:  to holy objects and places, 
  takes 2d6 per Phase is in contact with  
  them (Common)
  863 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,028
  Background/History:  Several centuries ago there 
  lived in the west of Sitheria a wizard. Reclusive and 
  scholarly, at ﬁrst he specialized primarily in Air 
  Magics — spells of wind and cloud, of breath and 
  lightning-bolt. But in time his interests expanded, 
  and he added spells of Sorcery to his repertoire... 
  and then invocations of Necromancy.
  One night in the dark of the moon he worked 
  an enchantment to call to him one of the most 
  powerful of the undead:  a vampire. And a vam-
  pire came, but not a lesser vampire such as he 
  had expected — a greater vampire of power and 
  cunning. Unused to dealing with such beings, the 
  wizard faltered... and then he felt fangs in his neck, 
  and his life’s-blood draining away....
  He awoke three nights later, a vampire himself, 
  thrall to the one who’d given him unlife. His knowl-
  edge of wizardry remained, but now he had to use 
  it in service to his master. And so he did... for a 
  time. The wizard wasn’t the only one prone to mis-
  calculation. After several years his master let down 
  his guard, thinking the vampire-wizard no threat, 
  and a barrage of spells ended his undead existence.
  Now a greater vampire himself, the wizard 
  took a new name:  Sargath, meaning “night-prince” 
  in an ancient tongue. Decades passed, and Sargath’s 
  power waxed. Fear of him lay like a mantle over 
  western Sitheria, spreading slowly but surely east-
  ward. Several times adventurers sought out his dark 
  castle in the foothills of the Maha Torend to end 
  his foul unlife, but all of them failed and died... and 
  the unlucky ones, like many a Sitherian peasant, 
  became lesser vampires in his service.
  In 4900 SE, a powerful party of adventurers led 
  by the paladin Temburgon succeeded where others 
  had failed:  it defeated the self-styled Vampire Lord in 
  his lair. Though they did not slay Sargath, they drove 
  him away from Sitheria and captured many of his gri-
  moires and enchanted items, greatly weakening him.
  For two years Sargath hid and brooded, nurs-
  ing his wounds and considering schemes of power 
  and revenge. On a Whitefall night in 4902 SE, 
  he descended from the mountains to the city of 
  Orasamn in Dragosani, slaying the king and his 
  nobles and seizing the throne for himself. Since 
  then he’s ruled Dragosani with an iron ﬁst, turning 
  it into a land of horror and dread.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  11 
  Personality/Motivation:  Sargath possesses all the 
  evil and cruelty of the typical vampire in double 
  measure. Centuries of unlife have left him with no 
  regard for the living except as a source of food. He 
  commits horriﬁc tortures and other crimes as read-
  ily and casually as a living person decides what to 
  eat for dinner. He lives to create fear and dread, and 
  revels in evil acts that spread terror.
  Sargath desperately wants to recover the spell-
  books and enchanted items Temburgon “stole” from 
  him a century ago. He’s regained a few, but most of 
  them remain lost to him. If in a good mood, he’d 
  richly reward someone who brought him one; if not, 
  he’d thank them and then turn them into vampires.
  Quote:  “Send forth Lord Balogh and the gargoyles! 
  Destroy the village of Kessel and bring back all who 
  live there for our feasting-night.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Sargath is a vampire-wizard of 
  great power. In addition to his vampiric abili-
  ties and vitality, he knows many spells of Air 
  Magic, Necromancy, Sorcery, and Wizardry. If 
  threatened, his first response is usually to cast 
  spells. Since he believes he’s pretty well-protected 
  already, he usually opens with powerful attack 
  spells, like Lightning Bolt or Prismatic Blast. If it 
  becomes apparent his enemies can hurt him, he 
  either casts Wizard’s Shield or uses his Mist Form 
  to retreat and attack in some other way. (He has 
  arranged all the rooms in his castle so he can 
  access them in Mist Form through tiny holes too 
  small even for an arrow to go through.)
  Sargath has used magic to negate many of 
  the usual vampiric restrictions. Although he still 
  cannot abide the touch of holy objects or ground, 
  he can walk in the sunlight without harm, has no 
  fear of water or garlic, and can enter any building 
  freely. However, powerful magics could temporarily 
  counteract his spells, forcing those restrictions back 
  on him for a time. If he enters a Suppress Magic 
  ﬁeld with at least 100 points of eﬀect, or is aﬀected 
  by a Dispel or Suppress Magic that achieves at least 
  100 points of eﬀect, he regains the normal vampiric 
  restrictions for 1d6 hours (if Dispelled) or as long 
  as the Suppress is maintained.
  Unlike most kings, who have human armies 
  and noblemen, Sargath has legions of monsters. He 
  has used his powers to turn 
  many Dragosani nobles, sol-
  diers, and guards into lesser 
  vampires under his direct 
  control (and they’ll remain 
  behind to aﬄict the kingdom 
  even if your PCs slay Sargath). 
  If he doesn’t Transform some-
  one into a lesser vampire, he 
  often uses his Hypnotic Gaze 
  to mesmerize them and make 
  them work as his unwill-
  ing spies. If all that weren’t 
  enough, he has trolls and gar-
  goyles aplenty to serve him, 
  and if need be could almost 
  certainly recruit armies of 
  Orcs and Goblins from the 
  Maha Torend.
  Campaign Use:  Sargath 
  possesses several types 
  of power, making him a 
  dangerous foe to contend 
  with. First, he’s politically 
  powerful. Although his 
  power’s blunted by the fact 
  that everyone knows he’s an 
  usurper and no other realm 
  will ally with him, ruling 
  Dragosani still gives him a 
  political power base to work 
  from. He augments this with 
  his sorcerously-controlled 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Blackblade Sword 
  +2 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  12 
  See Enchanted Items box
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components, whatever else he needs or wants (within reason)
  SARGATH  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Arhardt, High King of 
  Teretheim, wants Sar-
  gath slain to protect his 
  own realm. Having tried 
  and failed twice, he dare 
  not obviously involve 
  himself in another 
  attempt, lest Sargath 
  discover his involve-
  ment and war against 
  him. But he cannot let 
  such a threat live, so he 
  secretly hires the heroes 
  to inﬁltrate Orasamn 
  and end the Vampire 
  Lord’s evil unlife.
  The heroes ﬁnd a 
  strange object next to a 
  skeleton in an old ruin 
  — a crystal amulet. 
  At ﬁrst it seems like a 
  piece of ordinary, low-
  value jewelry, but they 
  soon ﬁnd out it’s a very 
  powerful magical item. 
  Unfortunately for them, 
  it’s one of the objects 
  Temburgon took from 
  Sargath a century ago... 
  and the Vampire Lord 
  has sensed its awaken-
  ing. Now he just has to 
  get it from the PCs....
  Sargath ﬁnds a way, 
  using his necromantic 
  powers, to turn people 
  into lesser vampires at 
  a distance. Suddenly 
  outbreaks of vampirism 
  occur all over Mitharia... 
  and all the vampires 
  are loyal to Sargath! 
  The heroes have to stop 
  him before he turns the 
  entire continent into 
  one vast undead empire.
  
  12 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  spies and informers, whom he uses to destabilize 
  nearby kingdoms in the hopes of taking them 
  over someday. He can also use his wealth to 
  obtain social influence, albeit indirectly.
  Second, Sargath has mystical power. He 
  himself is a mage of no small accomplishment, 
  and some of his lesser vampire servants are also 
  spellcasters. If he regains the grimoires and items 
  taken from him by Temburgon, he’ll become 
  even more powerful.
  Third, as a vampire Sargath is physically pow-
  erful — stronger than the strongest warrior, able to 
  resist sword-blows without armor. And he can turn 
  other people into vampires, transform into other 
  shapes, and summon wolves and bats to aid him.
  All of that adds up to a potent combination 
  that should make him a challenge for most adven-
  turing parties. But if that’s not enough, increase his 
  various Magic Skills and give him more spells, and 
  perhaps more magical items as well. If he’s already 
  too powerful, remove some of his enchanted items 
  and spells, or reduce his Magic rolls so he has a 
  harder time casting his spells.
  As a Hunter, Sargath is fearsomely tena-
  cious — he doesn’t need to sleep, and neither 
  do most of his lieutenants. With a vampire’s 
  hunter instincts he tracks down his quarry and 
  ambushes him when the target is at his most 
  vulnerable. If a frontal assault won’t work, he can 
  try subtle magics or hit-and-run raiding tactics 
  using his troll and gargoyle soldiers.
  Appearance:  Sargath is a pale-skinned, 6’0” tall 
  Sitherian man who looks like he’s in his early 40s 
  even though he’s several centuries old. His hair 
  is black and worn shoulder length; his lips full 
  and red and his vampire’s fangs prominent most 
  of the time. He typically wears a long burgundy 
  tunic with gold trim, black leather boots, and the 
  golden crown of Dragosani.
  SARGATH’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Amulet Of Comprehension (TA 267)
  Blackblade Sword:  This powerful type of enchanted 
  sword (typically a longsword) has a jet-black blade 
  that seems to eat the light, and a gold hilt and furni-
  ture. When it strikes a victim it causes intense pain in 
  addition to a normal wound. (HKA 2d6, +1 Increased 
  STUN Multiplier, +2 OCV; OAF, STR Min 12)
  Ring Of The Lightning-Pulse:  This ring, made of silver 
  and set with blue stones, emits a blast of lightning all 
  around the user that travels outward from him to strike 
  anyone nearby when he holds his ﬁst above his head 
  and speaks the command word. Typically a Lightning-
  Pulse Ring can be used six times (once for each stone 
  set in it); Sargath has used his twice already, leaving 
  four blasts. (RKA 3d6, Area Of Eﬀect (14” Radius), +1 
  Increased STUN Multiplier, Personal Immunity; OIF, 
  Incantations, No Range, 6 Charges that Never Recover)
  Staff Of Wizardwalking (TA 264; has 10 Charges left)
  Wand Of Air Mastery:  This powerful wand contains 
  several powerful Air Magic enchantments. (Multipower 
  with ﬁve slots:  Energy Blast 6d6, Double Knockback; 
  Energy Blast 3d6, NND (defense is Life Support: Self-
  Contained Breathing), Continuous; RKA 3d6; Telekine-
  sis (30 STR), Aﬀects Whole Object; Suppress Air Magic 
  6d6, one Air Magic power at a time; has 60 Charges 
  which Never Recover)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  13 
  THORG SPLIT-CHIN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   18 STR 
  8 
  13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [4]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   7 COM 
  -1 
  10-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (4 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  9 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   33 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  89
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Thorg’s Axeﬁghting
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Overhead Chop +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +6 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Slash 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  8 
  +2 DCs (already added in)
  1 
  Orcish Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Fast:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  5 
  Orcish Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Observant:  +2 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  chieftain of 
  Bloodtusk Moon Orc tribe
  2 
  Money
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Analyze Armed Combat Style 11-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  5 
  Defense Maneuver II
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 12-
  2 
  AK: Greyward Mountains 11-
  2 
  AK: Western Westerlands 11-
  2 
  KS: Orcs Of The Greywards 11-
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation; 
  Westerlands Skhai is Native)
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 11-
  1 
  PS: Blacksmith 8-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 11-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  1 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH) 8-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  119
  Total Cost:  208
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Feature:  large scar/cleft in lower 
  face/chin (Concealable With Diﬃculty; 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  20 
  Hunted:  Umbr 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  Vestria 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ambitious; Wants 
  To Unite The Greyward Orcs (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Be In 
  Charge; Won’t Tolerate Challenges To His 
  Authority (Common, Strong)
  53 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  208
  Background/History:  Thorg, later to be called Split-
  Chin, was born into a small, struggling tribe of 
  Orcs, the Bloodtusk Moon. Often at odds with 
  larger, more powerful tribes, the Bloodtusk Moon 
  spent a lot of time running and hiding. As he grew 
  older, he came to resent this more and more; it was 
  cowardly, not to mention inconvenient. It was a 
  sign of bad leadership. He could do better.
  After reaching adulthood and passing the 
  Trials of Duty to become a full member of the tribe, 
  Thorg began watching the chieftain, Gorgen, care-
  fully. He bided his time, waiting until he sensed that 
  the rest of the Bloodtusk Moon Orcs were particu-
  larly dissatisﬁed with Gorgen’s rule. Then he struck, 
  challenging for the right to wear the necklace of 
  leadership. Bound by the tribe’s laws, Gorgen could 
  not refuse, so with a roar he charged into battle. His 
  sudden response caught Thorg oﬀ-guard, allowing 
  Gorgen to get in a swift uppercut slash with his 
  sword that sliced Thorg’s lower jaw in two and very 
  nearly split his head open.
  Reacting swiftly despite the pain and blood, 
  Thorg parried Gorgen’s attacks, slashing back 
  THORG 
  SPLIT-CHIN
  THORG SPLIT-CHIN 
  PLOT SEEDS
  After one of his lowland 
  raids goes awry, Thorg 
  ﬁnds himself wounded 
  and nearly alone in 
  Vestria. The heroes 
  come upon him as he 
  and his remaining war-
  riors have taken several 
  peasant families hostage 
  and holed up in an old 
  mine. They have to kill 
  the Orcs and rescue the 
  peasants before the Orcs 
  slaughter them all. And 
  why did Thorg choose 
  this particular mine to 
  hide in; could it conceal 
  some secret?
  Orc legends tell of a 
  powerful enchanted 
  sword blessed by the 
  Orc gods. Any Orc who 
  wields it is invincible, 
  but it was stolen by Men 
  long ago. Thorg believes 
  the legend is true and 
  desperately wants that 
  sword. Disguised by 
  Vorak’s spells, he, Torgar, 
  and several trusted fol-
  lowers begin traveling 
  the land, trying to ﬁnd 
  and unravel the clues 
  that reveal the sword’s 
  location. Meanwhile the 
  PCs are doing the same 
  thing....
  When an ancient evil 
  long buried in the 
  Greywards awakens and 
  breaks free, the PCs ﬁnd 
  themselves allied with 
  their enemy Thorg in an 
  eﬀort to defeat a greater 
  enemy still. What 
  treachery does Thorg 
  have planned for after 
  the evil’s defeat?
  
  14 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  when the opportunity presented itself. He care-
  fully maneuvered the battle so Gorgen had to 
  take his eye off the campfire, then made a brute 
  force attack that forced Gorgen backwards... 
  right into the flames! Yowling in pain, Gorgen let 
  his guard down just enough for Thorg to take his 
  head off with one precise axe-slash. Ignoring his 
  own wounds, Thorg bent down, took the neck-
  lace of leadership from Gorgen’s headless corpse, 
  and became chieftain of his tribe.
  Ever since that battle a dozen years ago, 
  Thorg’s been the unquestioned leader of his tribe. 
  It’s been a period of unprecedented growth and 
  power for the Bloodtusk Moon. Not only has it 
  stopped running from its enemies, under Thorg’s 
  crafty rule it’s defeated many of them, absorbing 
  them into the tribe until it’s the largest and most 
  powerful group of Orcs in the Greyward Moun-
  tains. Bloodtusk Moon warriors have raided into 
  the lowlands, prompting reprisals from the stink-
  ing Men, but squads of Vestrian soldiers stand 
  little chance against well-led 
  groups of Orcs in their moun-
  tain homeland. And Thorg’s 
  ambition doesn’t stop there. 
  He intends to unite all the 
  Greyward Orcs, and perhaps 
  beyond, to destroy their ene-
  mies and take their lands for 
  themselves.
  Personality/Motivation:  Thorg 
  is smart, clever, observant, 
  and ambitious. Not satisﬁed 
  just to rule one tribe, he’s built 
  the Bloodtusk Moon into the 
  most powerful group of Orcs 
  in the region, and that’s just 
  the ﬁrst step in his plan. When 
  he’s done the lands of Vestria, 
  Mhendaria, and Umbr will be 
  free of Men and inhabited by 
  Orcs, and the Dwarven cities 
  of Zargund and Gendersbad 
  will be ruins occupied only by 
  corpses and ghosts. And then 
  Elvenholme will burn....
  Thorg knows exactly 
  what he wants and how he 
  wants it done. He brooks no 
  challenges to his leadership. 
  Anyone who questions him, 
  disobeys him, or doesn’t 
  obey properly is likely to 
  earn a severe beating, if not 
  worse. That said, he’s smart enough to recog-
  nize a good suggestion when he sees it; he won’t 
  punish someone for making an observation that 
  improves one of his plans or teaches him some-
  thing he didn’t already know.
  Quote:  “Take ten of the warband and circle around 
  that ridge. When you see our ﬂag raised, charge 
  the soldiers. We’ll catch them from both sides and 
  smash them like Uldarec’s hammer!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Compared to the brute force tac-
  tics used by most Orc warriors, Thorg is a skilled, 
  crafty ﬁghter. He wields his axe Ghrom with great 
  accuracy and power using maneuvers he’s devel-
  oped himself over the years. He prefers to open 
  with a powerful oﬀense and overwhelm his foe; if 
  that doesn’t work he’s likely to back oﬀ and ﬁght 
  defensively for a Phase or two until he can spot a 
  weakness and take advantage of it. (In game terms, 
  in this situation he relies on his Probe attack and 
  uses his Analyze Armed Combat Style Skill.) He 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Ghrom 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  14 
  See text box
  Broadsword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  12
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chain and plate (DEF 6-7; see text)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Necklace of leadership, ﬂint and steel
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  15 
  prefers ambushes and surprise attacks when pos-
  sible, and has no more qualms about ﬁghting dirty 
  than any other Orc.
  Campaign Use:  Thorg is intended as the focus of 
  a campaign or story arc involving his attempt to 
  unite all the Greyward Orcs (if not all the Orcs of 
  the Westerlands, or even Arduna!) and conquer 
  the nearby lands of Men. The heroes have to stop 
  his initial eﬀorts, then take the ﬁght to him on his 
  home turf if they’re going to defeat him for good.
  To make Thorg tougher, boost his Primary 
  Characteristics that are 18s to 20s and increase 
  several others to the 18-20 range, with corre-
  sponding increases in his Figured Character-
  istics. You could also give him more Combat 
  Skill Levels or Extra DCs for his Martial Arts, or 
  increase his SPD to 5. To weaken him, remove his 
  Extra DCs and one CSL.
  As a Hunter, Thorg is tough, clever, and deter-
  mined. Rather than charging out after his quarry 
  with bloodlust in his eyes, he’ll take the time to plan 
  an attack for best advantage. He prefers ambushes 
  or even assassination when possible. But he’s also 
  not afraid to seize an unexpected opportunity 
  should one present itself, even if that means taking 
  risks he’d otherwise avoid.
  Appearance:  Thorg is a big, burly, green-skinned 
  Orc with the muscular body of a warrior but a 
  crafty look on his face that indicates his high intel-
  ligence (for an Orc). He’s got a disturbingly deep 
  cleft (and accompanying scar) on his chin, a wound 
  from the battle he fought long ago to take control 
  of his tribe. Two tusks jut up from his lower jaw; 
  the top half of the right one was broken oﬀ in battle 
  long ago, while the left one has been delicately 
  etched with scrimshaw-like patterns. He typically 
  wears well-made leather clothes that he keeps 
  unusually clean and well-repaired (again, for an 
  Orc); when going into battle he dons a chainmail 
  suit augmented by plate armor boots, greaves, 
  and gauntlets. His favored weapon is the battleaxe 
  Ghrom, but he also wears a broadsword on his left 
  hip and carries a dagger in his right boot.
  TORGAR THE FIST
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   21 STR 
  12 
  13- 
  Lift 467 kg; 4d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   7 INT 
  -3 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  12 PD (1 rPD)
   10 ED 
  8 
   
  Total:  10 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   40 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  9 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  122
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Weapon STR:  +5 STR; Only For STR  
  Minimum With Weapons (-½) 
  1
  30 
  Really Tough:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 
  0
  1 
  Orcish Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Orcish Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Orcish Senses:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  4 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  chieftain’s 
  champion of Bloodtusk Moon Orc tribe
   
  Talents
  14 
  Fearless
  5 
  Rapid Healing
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation; 
  Westerlands Skhai is Native)
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 10-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 10-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  115
  Total Cost:  237
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Feature:  very tall, very scarred 
  Orc (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Noticed 
  And Recognizable)
  20 
  Enraged:  when falls below 10 BODY in 
  battle (Common), go 11-, recover 11-
  20 
  Hunted:  Umbr 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  Vestria 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loyal To Thorg; 
  Does Whatever He Asks (Common, Strong)
  77 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  237
  THORG SPLIT-CHIN’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Ghrom:  Ghrom is not an enchanted weapon per 
  se. However, it’s very well-made and well-balanced 
  and is slightly larger and heavier than normal, so 
  it’s more impressive and deadlier than a typical bat-
  tleaxe. Etched on each side of its blade is the symbol 
  of the Bloodtusk Moon tribe, the Orcish depiction 
  of the moon with an Orc-like face that has a wicked 
  grin and two tusks that drip blood.
  TORGAR THE FIST 
  PLOT SEEDS
  When he and his band 
  of Orc soldiers are cut 
  oﬀ from Thorg’s army 
  and have to ﬂee for 
  their lives during a low-
  lands raid, Torgar ﬁnds 
  himself in the unaccus-
  tomed and uncomfort-
  able position of being 
  the leader instead of 
  a follower. The heroes 
  have to track him and 
  his men down and 
  destroy them before 
  Thorg either rescues 
  Torgar or ﬁnds  
  the heroes.
  After some subtle 
  manipulation by Vorak, 
  Torgar begins  
  to wonder if Thorg 
  really trusts and likes 
  him. Tensions begin to 
  arise. Observant PCs 
  ﬁghting against Thorg’s 
  plans of conquest and 
  empire may note this 
  and ﬁnd a way to take 
  advantage of it.
  After one or more PCs 
  are captured by the 
  Bloodtusk Moon Orcs, 
  Thorg oﬀers to let them 
  go free... if they can 
  defeat Torgar at con-
  tests of strength and 
  toughness!
  
  16 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  Torgar is like most other Orcs 
  — tough and strong, but not that bright — except 
  for two things. First, he’s really tough and strong. 
  Taller and more muscular even than Orcs several 
  years older than he, he quickly became one Blood-
  tusk Moon Orc the other Orcs didn’t want to make 
  angry. Second, his cousin was Thorg the clever, and 
  the two of them were thick as thieves. When Thorg 
  rose to power through a combination of wits and 
  skill, he made Torgar his champion:  his bodyguard 
  and battle-vanguard.
  Personality/Motivation:  Torgar’s really only good 
  at two things — fighting and intimidating — and 
  he knows it. As such he’s gladly hitched his 
  wagon to his cousin’s star, loyally and unques-
  tioningly serving as his right-hand man, protec-
  tor, and enforcer. (While Thorg isn’t quite so 
  unswervingly loyal to his cousin, it would take a 
  lot to make him abandon or betray Torgar.) As 
  the chieftain’s champion he has prestige, money, 
  women, and plenty of chances to fight... in other 
  words, pretty much everything he wants.
  Quote:  “Back! Or you’ll crawl away from here with 
  broken bones!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Torgar is a brute-force fighter. 
  His preferred tactic is to charge in, overwhelm 
  his foe with a powerful attack, and then move on 
  to the next foe. He prefers to use his greatsword 
  or some other large weapon, but is skilled with 
  many others if the situation calls for them. (Tor-
  gar’s greatsword isn’t enchanted, but like Thorg’s 
  axe it’s larger and heavier than normal, allowing 
  him to hit harder with it.) If he has to stand and 
  fight the same foe for very long, he usually gets 
  frustrated and shifts some of his Combat Skill 
  Levels into damage so he can drop his adversary 
  quicker. If badly wounded he becomes Enraged, 
  putting all CSLs into damage and Pushing his 
  STR to inflict as much damage as possible.
  Campaign Use:  Torgar’s main purpose is to bolster 
  Thorg’s ﬁghting strength beyond what the typical 
  Orc could provide. But if desired the GM can use 
  him as a story element on his own. Perhaps circum-
  stances — such as Thorg being hurt, or betraying 
  him — cause Torgar to turn on the tribe, or to 
  break from the Bloodtusk Moon and form his own 
  tribe with other malcontents (probably including 
  Vorak). In the right circumstances, he might show 
  true leadership potential.
  To make Torgar tougher, give him some Mar-
  tial Arts or special abilities representing his ﬁghting 
  skill and toughness. To weaken him, reduce his 
  HTH Levels to four, and/or his SPD to 3.
  Torgar is a predictable Hunter:  he keeps 
  his eyes open for someone he’s after, and when 
  he sees him runs to attack him. If that means 
  hewing his way through a couple of ranks of 
  enemy soldiers to get there, so be it. He might 
  even develop an Enraged:  when sees or fights the 
  person he’s Hunting Disadvantage.
  Appearance:  Torgar makes his burly leader look 
  small and weak by comparison. A towering giant of 
  an Orc at 6’5” tall, he’s immensely muscled, scarred 
  from his many battles, and looks intimidating 
  even on those rare occasions when he tries not to. 
  When preparing to ﬁght (which is often) he wears a 
  mixture of plate armor and chainmail. His weapon 
  is an enormous greatsword, the many nicks in its 
  blade mute testimony to the heavy use it’s seen.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Greatsword 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  18 
  See text
  Francisca 
  +0 
  +0 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  12 
  Can Be Thrown
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Plate and Chain (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Flint and steel
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  17 
  VORAK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  54
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  2 
  Blessing (FHG 260)
  4 
  Blood Sacriﬁce (FHG 215)
  6 
  Call To The Wilderness Denizens (FHG 39)
  5 
  Calling Upon The Spirits Of The Flames 
  (FHG2 109)
  5 
  Calling Upon The Spirits Of The Stones 
  (FHG2 111)
  2 
  Command Spirits (FHG2 113)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
  3 
  Khelred’s Flammifer (FHG 94)
  5 
  Lightning Strike (FHG 43)
  5 
  Plague Of Serpents (FHG 208)
  2 
  Shamanic Healing (FHG2 123)
  3 
  Speaking To The Sword-Spirit
  2 
  Speaking With The Spirits (FHG2 120)
  9 
  Speak With The Dead (FHG2 119)
  5 
  Spell Of The Sudden Fog (FHG 47)
  1 
  Wilderness Comfort (FHG 53)
  6 
  Witch’s Plague (FHG 209)
   
  Powers
  1 
  Orcish Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Orcish Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Orcish Senses:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  4 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank (religious 
  leader of Bloodtusk Moon tribe)
   
  Talents
  20 
  Animal Friendship
  5 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Spells
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Healing (Paramedics) 12-
  2 
  KS: Herbalism 11-
  2 
  KS: Shamanism And Shamanic Doctrine 11-
  2 
  Language:  Vestrian (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Westerlands Skhai is Native)
  3 
  Oratory
  27 
  Power:  Shamanism 24-
  2 
  SS: Pharmacology/Toxicology 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  168
  Total Cost:  222
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Con-
  cealable; Noticed And Recognizable; 
  Requires Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  Umbr 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  Vestria 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Terriﬁed Of Thorg; 
  Fears And Hates Him (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Wants Power And 
  Respect (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  52 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  222
  Background/History:  Vorak was a runt growing up, 
  and that made him a target for every Orc looking 
  to have a little fun or work oﬀ some aggression or 
  frustration. Unable to compete physically he turned 
  to the realm of the mystic, becoming a student of 
  the tribe’s shaman. By practicing magic and serv-
  ing as one of the tribe’s religious leaders, he earned 
  some respect that he previously never had. His 
  importance to the tribe grew when he secretly poi-
  soned the old shaman and took his place.
  His situation changed when Thorg became 
  chieftain. The big Orc had always been one of his 
  worst tormentors, and now he made it quite clear 
  to Vorak who was calling the shots. Ever since then 
  Vorak’s lived under Thorg’s thumb, forced to do 
  what he wants on pain of a harsh beating or even 
  death. Among other things, Thorg often forces 
  Vorak to utter “prophecies” that support what 
  Thorg wants to do, and has him claim “the spirits 
  are angry and will not help you” when someone 
  Thorg dislikes is sick or injured and needs healing.
  Personality/Motivation:  The dominant emotions in 
  Vorak’s breast are fear of Thorg, hatred of Thorg, 
  and a desire for Thorg’s power and prestige. He 
  would love to be free of the chieftain’s domination, 
  but Thorg’s hold on the tribe is too strong even for 
  Vorak to go against... and he knows just how poorly 
  his relatively frail body would stand up to a pum-
  melling by Thorg, Torgar, or both at once. So he 
  goes along with what the chieftain wants for now. 
  But he’s waiting, watching, and biding his time. The 
  opportunity will come for him to dispose of Thorg 
  (and Torgar, if necessary) and take control of the 
  Bloodtusk Moon himself.
  Quote:  “The Spirit World is disturbed! The spirits 
  are in turmoil because of your actions. You must 
  stop at once, or a great doom will befall you!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Vorak is a shaman with a wide 
  variety of spells involving spirits and the natural 
  world. (For spells from schools other than Shaman-
  ism, substitute “Shamanism” for whatever Required 
  VORAK PLOT SEEDS
  As Thorg begins his plan 
  to unite the Greyward 
  Orcs and strike at the 
  lowlands, Vorak decides 
  the chieftain’s just 
  made himself a tempt-
  ing target for removal. 
  Using animal servants 
  and other mysterious 
  means he begins send-
  ing messages to the 
  heroes, tipping them 
  oﬀ as to Thorg’s activi-
  ties and location. What 
  will the heroes do with 
  this information... and 
  what will they do when 
  they discover who their 
  benefactor is?
  During a ritual Vorak is 
  accidentally thrust into 
  the Spirit World. Now 
  existing in Ambrethel 
  only as a shade, he 
  chances upon the heroes 
  and begins “haunting” 
  them until they take 
  steps to restore him to 
  true physical existence. 
  Once they do, how will 
  he repay them?
  Vorak falls in love with 
  an Orc-woman from 
  a tribe hostile to the 
  Bloodtusk Moon. So 
  that he can properly 
  “woo” her he manipu-
  lates the PCs into 
  attacking that tribe in 
  the hopes of driving its 
  members to seek refuge 
  with Thorg’s people.
  
  18 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Skill the spell normally has.) 
  While few of his spells have 
  direct combat applications, on 
  the whole they make him an 
  extremely valuable member 
  of his tribe — one who might 
  lead it were Thorg not already 
  in command.
  Vorak prefers not to get 
  into ﬁghts at all; those are 
  for ordinary, stupid Orcs. 
  If forced into it he’ll use his 
  Lightning Strike or Khelred’s 
  Flammifer to try to create an 
  opening for an escape, or if 
  he has time cast Jezric’s Spell 
  Of True Seeming to assume a 
  form more capable of ﬁghting 
  (such as a wolf or bear).
  Campaign Use:  Vorak is a 
  disruptive element within the 
  Bloodtusk Moon tribe. He 
  craves power but rightly fears 
  that any direct move against 
  Thorg will result in his death. 
  So he obeys the chieftain 
  because he must, but remains 
  on the lookout for an oppor-
  tunity to turn the tables. Your 
  PCs just might be the chance 
  he’s been waiting for....
  To make Vorak tougher, 
  increase his Characteristics 
  a bit and/or give him more 
  Combat Skill Levels with his spells. In particular, 
  raising his SPD to 4 will make him more competi-
  tive against the average PC. To weaken him, remove 
  his CSLs or even take away a few spells.
  Vorak is a devious Hunter, always full of crafty 
  ways to get back at people who’ve annoyed or hurt 
  him. He only acts directly if he’s certain he has (or 
  can easily get) the upper hand; otherwise he prefers 
  stealthier methods such as curses or poison.
  Appearance:  Vorak is a shifty-eyed Orc of average 
  size and greyish-green skin. He wears a varied mix 
  of leathers and furs accompanied by many fetishes, 
  charms, and medicine pouches made of bone, 
  feathers, mystic stones, and other such things. He 
  wears a dagger on his right hip but prefers to ﬁght 
  with his spells and wits.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Leather and furs (DEF 2)
  Gear:  Fetishes, charms, spell components, and other shamanic and ritual paraphernalia
  VORAK’S ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Feather Of The Wind Spirits:  This charm, made from 
  the feather of an eagle, allows the user to ride the wind 
  spirits and rise through the air. (Flight 6”, 0 END; OAF 
  Fragile, Only To Move Straight Up).
  Ironwood Talisman:  Carved from the branch of an 
  ironwood tree, this talisman makes the wearer’s skin as 
  hard as ironwood for a short period. (Armor (4 PD); 
  OIF, 4 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each).
  Wand Of Lightning:  This wand projects a bolt of 
  lightning, but Vorak’s reluctant to use it because it’s 
  almost out of power. (RKA 3d6, +1 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier; OAF, Limited Range (30”), 18 Charges 
  that Never Recover).
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  19 
  ZAARGORATH KHROM —  
  THE YELLOW KING OF VALICIA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  6
   50 END 
  7
   40 STUN 
  8 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  163
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Valician Magic
  4 
  Clawcloud (see text box)
  4 
  Nalvazar’s Spell Of The Murderous  
  Crows (TA 247)
  10 
  Shondigrath’s Witchﬁre (see text box)
  1 
  Thotain’s Spell Of Welcome Insight (TA 248)
  3 
  Valician Black (TA 248)
  4 
  Valician Yellow (see text box)
  5 
  The Spell Of Xanthic Agony (TA 248)
   
  Chaos Magic
  4 
  Chaos Blast (FHG2 57)
  4 
  Chaos Infusion (FHG2 58)
  2 
  Chaos Sight (FHG2 63)
  8 
  Chaotic Mind (FHG2 59)
  8 
  Chaotic Shape (FHG2 60)
  4 
  Unmaking (FHG2 61)
   
  Sorcery
  3 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen  
  (Strong version) (FHG 182)
  4 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind  
  (FHG 167)
  4 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams  
  (Simbalon’s Third version) (FHG 176)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  19  
  Harthuvian’s Spell Of Marred Recollection 
  (FHG 171)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  6 
  Mindtrap (FHG 173)
  2 
  Sicard’s Spell Of The Varying Visage  
  (FHG 183)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring  
  (FHG 232)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment  
  (FHG 227)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  2 
  Wizard’s Bulwark (FHG 230)
  1 
  Wizard’s Scribe (FHG 244)
  3 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
   
  Powers
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat Plus
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Attack 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  1 
  Use Art with Blades, Axes/Hammers/ 
  Maces/Picks
  4 
  Fast Runner:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Diplomatic Immunity
  15 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  King of Valicia
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  5 
  Resistance (5 points)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  AK: Lake Beralka Region 11-
  3 
  AK: Valicia 13-
  3 
  AK: Toromthiis 13-
  3 
  CK: Valicia City 13-
  2 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11-
  2 
  KS: Ardunan History 11-
  2 
  KS: Chaos Magic 11-
  ZAARGORATH 
  KHROM
  
  20 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  2 
  KS: Sorcery 11-
  2 
  KS: Valician History 11-
  2 
  KS: Valician Magic 11-
  2 
  KS: Wizardry 11-
  1 
  Language:  Northern Drakine (basic conver-
  sation; Valician is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Keldravian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  25 
  Power:  Chaos Magic 24-
  17 
  Power:  Sorcery 20-
  17 
  Power:  Valician Magic 20-
  17 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  5 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  394
  Total Cost:  557
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  5 
  Hunted:  by various other kings and noble-
  men 8- (As Pow, NCI, Watching)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ruthlessly Ambi-
  tious; Wants To Expand His Realm And 
  Power (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Sadistic; Loves To 
  Cause Pain And Terror (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  dark sorcerer and ruthless poli-
  tician, 14- (Extreme)
  417 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  557
  Background/History:  His hair and beard as black 
  as his heart, Vazuloth Khrom watched proudly as 
  his son worked on the training grounds, taking 
  on three skilled warriors and defeating them. The 
  Axe and Mace seemed like little more than toys 
  compared to mighty Korûmthaarl, but his practical 
  warrior’s mind couldn’t deny that in Zaargorath’s 
  hands they were bloody instruments of death. The 
  boy had such skill; he could be a mighty general, a 
  warrior’s warrior, if he’d stop wasting his time with 
  the dusty tomes in the palace library.
  ****
  “Why are you bringing me here, Sire?” Prince 
  Zaargorath asked his father. “The library holds no 
  interest for you, as you’ve said many a time.”
  “True enough,” Vazuloth grunted, follow-
  ing it with a hacking cough. “But my time left on 
  Ambrethel is limited; I don’t need an oracle to see 
  that! And before I go, there is something I must 
  give you.” He walked on through the library, ignor-
  ing the shelves of books to either side until he came 
  to a particular one along the back wall. Muttering 
  an incantation and pushing on one of the decora-
  tive panels, he caused it to swing open like a door, 
  revealing a true door behind.
  Prince Zaargorath gasped — he’d never even 
  suspected the existence of a hidden room! He 
  started to reach for the door, only to have his father 
  jerk him roughly backwards. “Careful, boy — the 
  enchantments on that door will slay you, heir of the 
  blood or no, if you don’t speak the proper incanta-
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Gulthoom 
  +2 
  +2 
  1½d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  10 
  AP
  Uulzar 
  +3 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6+1 
  — 
  15
  Dagger 
  +0 
  RBS 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  The Toromthiis Mail (DEF 9, see Enchanted Items box)
  Gear:  Royal signet ring; whatever else he needs (within reason)
  MORE VALICIAN MAGIC
  Clawcloud:  This spell generates a swirling cloud of 
  mystic energy of many strange colors. Claws form of 
  out the cloud and lash at the victim, inﬂicting wounds 
  even through armor or most forms of magical protec-
  tion. RKA 1d6, Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex Accurate; 
  +½), Continuous (+1), Penetrating (+½) (45 Active 
  Points); OAF Expendable (a talon from an eagle, Dif-
  ﬁcult to obtain; -1¼), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), 
  Gestures (throughout; -½), Incantations (throughout; 
  -½), Requires A Valician Magic Roll (-½). Total cost:  11 
  points (ﬁnal cost to caster:  4 points).
  Shondigrath’s Witchﬁre:  The wizard Shondigrath 
  devised a particularly potent form of mageﬁre. This 
  spell uses it to immolate someone. RKA 2d6, NND 
  (defense is having a spell that provides Power Defense 
  active or having the Protection From Fire spell active; 
  +1) Does BODY (+1), Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex Accu-
  rate; +½), No Range Modiﬁer (+½) (120 Active Points); 
  OAF Expendable (a disk of gold incised with ﬁre runes, 
  Very Diﬃcult to obtain; -1½), Extra Time (Full Phase; 
  -½), Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires A Vali-
  cian Magic Roll (-½). Total cost:  30 points (ﬁnal cost to 
  caster:  10 points).
  Valician Yellow:  This spell mystically imparts the crafti-
  ness and cunning of one of the Yellow Kings of Valicia 
  to a person loyal to the realm. It has no eﬀect on a 
  person not loyal to the realm (though the caster cannot 
  discern this; the spell is not an Enhanced Sense), and 
  does not work unless cast on someone within the 
  bounds of Valicia. Aid INT 3d6, Delayed Recovery Rate 
  (points fade at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1) (60 Active 
  Points); OAF Expendable (a small piece of cloth from 
  clothing worn by a Yellow Prince or Yellow King of 
  Valicia, Very Diﬃcult to obtain; -1½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gestures (-¼), 
  Incantations (-¼), Only Works Within The Bounds Of 
  Valicia (-¼), Only Works On Those Loyal To Valicia 
  (-¼), Requires A Valician Magic Roll (-½). Total cost:  
  12 points (ﬁnal cost to caster:  4 points).
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter One 
  21 
  tion. Quick now, listen carefully while I repeat both 
  the opening-spells  — speak them back to me to 
  indicate you understand.”
  When he’d learned the spells — a simple 
  matter for one as well-versed in magery as he — he 
  spoke the second one again, then opened the door. 
  It led to a small, windowless room, one he could 
  sense was protected by sorcery as well as stone. In 
  it were an elegant desk and chair, and near them a 
  bookstand. On the bookstand was a grimoire even 
  a dullard could recognize as a thing of power.
  Walking forward carefully, cautiously, his 
  senses alert for any danger, Prince Zaargorath 
  approached the book until he could trace the 
  elaborate gold scrollwork easily with his eyes. “Go 
  ahead, open it,” his father said. “It is the Lorebook of 
  Shondigrath, found by your great-great-grandfather 
  I know not where. He bound it to Khrom blood so 
  that it will not harm you.”
  Zaargorath opened the cover, feeling the tingle 
  of the grimoire’s magical power in his ﬁngertips. 
  Slowly he turned the pages, looking at each one 
  but not taking the time to absorb their words. He 
  would have much time, many long years, to digest 
  the Lorebook’s secrets; for now he reveled in the 
  wonder of discovering such a treasure.
  “Seen enough?” his father asked impatiently 
  a few minutes later. Prince Zaargorath smiled and 
  closed the book. As they were leaving, he tripped his 
  father just so. The old man went down at an angle, 
  cracking his head hard on the side of the heavy desk. 
  By the time he’d summoned the priests to Vazuloth’s 
  side, it was too late... and Zaargorath Khrom was 
  king of the ancient realm of Valicia.
  ****
  “Have you anything more to say for yourself?” 
  King Zaargorath asked the man standing before 
  him, a guard to either side. Once he’d been hand-
  some, conﬁdent, strong... but the attentions of the 
  King’s torturers, not to mention the Zaargorath’s 
  own skilled hand, had left him a pitiful wretch.
  “Mercy, Sire! I am innocent. I swear to you I 
  am innocent!”
  “I am told, Baron Nathuric, that you have ambi-
  tions of a musical nature. If you sing no better than 
  that, ’tis no wonder they have gone unfuﬁlled until 
  now... and never shall.” He gestured to the two guards. 
  “Throw him upon the poles.” The two guards grabbed 
  the Baron’s arms and walked him quickly up the 
  courtyard stairs to the battlements of Toromthiis. 
  He strugged feebly but was no match for the burly 
  soldiers. When they reached the top, they looked 
  down upon a small forest of poles, each tipped with 
  a sharp steel spike. Some already bore corpses in 
  varying states of decay; all had a pile of bones at their 
  feet. Selecting one, they threw the Baron onto it. He 
  screamed as he fell, but his cries ended swiftly when 
  the spike bit through his back and out his chest. He 
  slid a few feet down, leaving the pole above him crim-
  son, and then stopped, hanging like some grotesque 
  puppet with its strings cut.
  The King watched for a few moments as the 
  body twitched, then turned around and went back 
  into the palace.
  ****
  “Spring is here, General, with its many possibili-
  ties! What might the season hold for us this year?”
  “That remains uncertain, Your Highness,” 
  General Skroganth said warily, not wanting to 
  anger his sometimes unpredictable liege. “Our 
  army is strong, but less large than we would like. 
  Basidrun remains a tempting target, but we must 
  face the obstacles of swamp and lake. Had our 
  plans borne fruit, we would have ships enough 
  to sail on Chiref and take it before the other 
  Drakine Realms could muster their armies in 
  support, but the burning of so many of our ships 
  by the Vestrian Fire-Eaters last Winterfirst makes 
  that unlikely now. Does Your Highness possesses 
  a spell that could render the swamps dry, that we 
  might march over them?”
  “I do not. We might be able to hire such help, 
  but it would take discreet inquiries.”
  “Very well, Sire. Until we learn what we can 
  learn on that front, I suggest a continuation of our 
  current strategy of harassing Drakine shipping. 
  Our “pirates” have done ﬁne work and caused even 
  greater troubles in Basidrun. The more we weaken 
  it now, the easier pickings it — and Vendrigal and 
  Khorrin — will be when the time comes.”
  “As you say, General. So be it. We will meet 
  again in one week’s time to review our progress.” 
  Skroganth bowed and left the room.
  Zaargorath stared at the map on the wall. So 
  close, but so far! It was long past time that Vali-
  cia came into the power that was her due, but for 
  
  22 ■ Lords Of Evil: Master Villains 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  every plan he made, it seemed two obstacles arose. 
  Sooner or later, though, his planning would yield 
  the opening he sought. First the Drakine Realms, 
  then perhaps Thalera-Saar with its strange magics, 
  like and yet unlike his own. And then, if fortune 
  favored, Keldravia....
  Personality/Motivation:  Ambitious, ruthless, cruel, 
  and hungry for power both mundane and mystical, 
  Zaargorath Khrom isn’t a man to be triﬂed with. 
  Strong-willed and vicious, he’s a bold, conﬁdent 
  man willing to take risks to make gains. He’s not 
  foolish enough to overextend himself, but if he 
  sees a prize worth seizing he’ll make every eﬀort to 
  obtain it. He intends to rule far more than Valicia 
  before he dies — perhaps even to control all the 
  lands surrounding Lake Beralka.
  Of all his treasures, King Zaargorath values 
  the Lorebook of Shondigrath the most. He’s 
  nowhere close to plumbing the depths of the 
  mystic knowledge and spellcraft it contains, and 
  believes it holds the key to far greater arcane 
  power than he already possesses. He also consid-
  ers it a good luck charm — as long as he has it, 
  ultimately he thinks he cannot fail to achieve his 
  goals. If anyone were to steal it, he would stop at 
  nothing to regain it and take revenge.
  Quote:  “Against those who would conspire to harm 
  the throne of Valicia, or to block her ambitions, 
  there can be no mercy.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Zaargorath Khrom is a king skilled 
  as both warrior and wizard. In battle he usually 
  favors his weapons ﬁrst, using Gulthoom, Uulthar, 
  and the Toromthiis Mail (see text box) to slaughter 
  his foes while suﬀering little or no harm himself. 
  (His Rapid Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, and WF: 
  Oﬀ Hand give him a real edge in many combats.) If 
  that’s not enough, or if an enemy wizard challenges 
  him, he falls back on his magic. He usually casts 
  Wizard’s Shield on himself, then invokes Valician 
  Magic (like the Clawcloud or Xanthic Agony) or 
  Chaos Magic to overwhelm his opponent.
  But if possible, King Zaargorath avoids getting 
  into ﬁghts. As a king, he prefers not to sully his hands 
  in battle — he has plenty of soldiers, court wizards, 
  and other servants to handle such matters for him. His 
  son, Arzabold the Black Prince, is already a mighty 
  warrior despite only being in his late teens, and wields 
  the Khrom ancestral greatsword Korfmthaarl with 
  skill and zeal on his father’s behalf.
  Campaign Use:  Zaargorath Khrom is a threat on 
  many levels — one who drives storylines in central 
  Arduna. He can ﬁght the heroes physically, mysti-
  cally, or with his social and political inﬂuence. Unlike 
  Sargath the Vampire Lord, his power isn’t restricted 
  by the fact that he’s an usurper — other realms 
  acknowledge him as the lawful king of Valicia, even 
  if they dislike or fear him. His ambition, desire to 
  rule more than just tiny Valicia, and thirst for greater 
  magical power make him a threat to the Beralkan 
  kingdoms (and perhaps northwest Mhorecia as 
  well). Heroic PCs may ﬁnd themselves having to stop 
  his schemes and plots before they embroil the entire 
  region in warfare and assassination.
  To make King Zaargorath more powerful, give 
  him more magic. Increase his Magic Skill rolls, add 
  more spells, and also give him a Skill and spells for 
  Black Magic (and perhaps Areomancy as well). To 
  weaken him, take away about half his spells (but 
  no Valician Magic) and his Martial Arts; you could 
  also reduce his SPD to 4.
  As a Hunter, King Zaargorath is especially 
  dangerous because his cunning and subtlety match 
  his determination. He uses strange magics to spy 
  on and locate his foes (and perhaps to inﬂict curses 
  on them), then sends skilled assassins to dispatch 
  them or exerts his social inﬂuence to make their 
  lives diﬃcult (to put it mildly). He never confronts 
  his quarry directly unless it’s absolutely necessary; 
  that’s what agents and catspaws are for.
  Appearance:  Zaargorath Khrom, the Yellow King of 
  Valicia, is a tall and imposing-looking man who radi-
  ates conﬁdence and power. He has green eyes and the 
  distinctive blonde hair of the Yellow Kings; his trim, 
  muscular ﬁgure seems to combine the best features 
  of the stereotypical warrior and scholar. He usually 
  wears royal robes and tunics embroidered with the 
  Valician arms (per saltire yellow and black, charged 
  with a grey chain middle chief). In battle he wears the 
  Toromthiis Mail, a suit of chainmail woven so that 
  the rings depict one of the main towers of the Vali-
  cian palace, and wields in his right hand Gulthoom 
  (a short-hafted battle axe) and in his left Uulthar (a 
  short-hafted mace with a “spiked ball” head).
  ZAARGORATH KHROM’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Boots Of Strange Travel:  The wearer of these boots can 
  walk on water and up walls! (Flight 10”; OIF, Only 
  Usable In Contact With A Surface, Inches Of Flight 
  Used Cannot Exceed Wearer’s Inches Of Running)
  Covenbone Ring:  This ring, a Personal Focus of the 
  Valician Yellow Kings, was crafted by Necromancy 
  from the bones of thirteen spellcasters. It makes the 
  wearer an even mightier mage than normal. (+4 with 
  Spells; OIF)
  Gulthoom:  Gulthoom is the ancestral short axe 
  wielded by the kings of Valicia (typically in the right 
  hand). Small enough and balanced to be thrown, it 
  returns to the wielder after being thrown, and if taken 
  away from him immediately returns to his hand. (In 
  game terms, it’s not a Focus.) It strikes with great 
  accuracy and power, cutting through armor with ease. 
  (HKA 1½d6, Armor Piercing, +1 STUN Multiplier, 
  Range Based On STR (can be thrown); STR Min 10; 
  +2 OCV, +2 versus Range Modiﬁer)
  The Toromthiis Mail:  This suit of chainmail, woven so 
  that the rings depict one of the main towers of the Vali-
  cian palace Toromthiis, has been worn by the kings of 
  Valicia for centuries. Far stronger than most chainmail, 
  it weighs no more than ordinary clothes. (DEF 9 chain-
  mail, No Mass)
  Uulzar:  Uulzar is the ancestral mace wielded by the 
  kings of Valicia (typically in the left hand). It’s so 
  short-hafted it requires great strength to use prop-
  erly — but the blows it strikes are heavy and deadly. 
  (HKA 2d6, +2 Increased STUN Multiplier; OAF, STR 
  Min 15; +3 OCV)
  ZAARGORATH 
  KHROM  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Eager to build as 
  many ships as he can 
  as quickly as possible 
  to advance his plans 
  to conquer Basidrun, 
  King Zaargorath seeks 
  magical items that can 
  aid in shipbuilding. He 
  hears of one such, a set 
  of carpenter’s tools that 
  let woodworkers do ten 
  times as much work as 
  normal, and hires the 
  PCs to ﬁnd it and bring 
  it to him. He claims 
  he needs the tools to 
  expand Toromthiis.
  Valicia City hosts a 
  diplomatic and trade 
  conference featuring 
  kings and nobles from 
  the Lake Beralka region 
  and northern Mhore-
  cia. King Zaargorath 
  undoubtedly has plans 
  to make use of this con-
  ference (to spy on his 
  rivals and enemies, at 
  the very least). One of 
  the attendees hires the 
  PCs as his bodyguards 
  and troubleshooters.
  War! Valicia invades 
  Basidrun in full force, 
  and the other Drakine 
  Kingdoms come to 
  the aid of the Syndics. 
  Depending on their 
  inclinations, the PCs 
  may see an opportunity 
  to get involved in the 
  ﬁghting as mercenar-
  ies, to search for and 
  take lost, abandoned, or 
  hidden treasures under 
  the cover of the fog of 
  war, or to topple the evil 
  King Zaargorath once 
  and for all.
  
  chapter two:
  chapter two:
  FIENDISH ORGANIZATIONS
  
  24 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Membership:  Old Jhiselda; Melsara Gildenhand; Lady 
  Velynda Garaithe; ten other witches (see below)
  Background/History:  Once upon a time there was a 
  Velkaran village where a woman lived. The villagers 
  knew her for a potion-brewer, charm-maker, and 
  healer, and while most avoided her some came to 
  her from time to time to buy her services.
  And then one year the crops failed.
  The frightened villagers, looking for some-
  one to blame, turned on Jhiselda the root-woman 
  and drove her away from them. That was a 
  mistake, for the woman they thought was a 
  simple charm-seller was really a powerful witch! 
  She fled to the nearby Baragon Forest, but her 
  revenge left the village a poor, plague-ridden 
  place that has never fully recovered.
  Word spread throughout the land of Jhiselda’s 
  power, and soon other witches came to join her. 
  When she had twelve followers, for a full coven of 
  13, she turned other witches away. Since then the 
  Baragon Coven has kept 13 members at all times, 
  adding newcomers only when current members 
  die, leave, or are expelled. Jhiselda — now known as 
  Old Jhiselda — still leads the coven in its evil deeds, 
  and the common folk for miles around the forest 
  fear it. Many a nobleman has led soldiers into the 
  forest to destroy the coven, but between their spells 
  and their woodcraft the witches have had little 
  trouble avoiding such clumsy thrusts.
  Group Relations:  The coven is a small, simple orga-
  nization led by Old Jhiselda, who tolerates few chal-
  lenges to her authority. All other members are theo-
  retically equal, though greater skill at Witchcraft, Old 
  Jhiselda’s favor, or other attributes elevate a few, such 
  as Melsara Gildenhand and Lady Velynda Garaithe, 
  above the others. Some of the members don’t get 
  along with one another at all, but even rivals share 
  common cause in their devotion to (or fear of) Old 
  Jhiselda and desire to maintain their freedom and 
  power. In the face of a common threat (such as a band 
  of heroes come to exterminate them) they quickly put 
  any diﬀerences aside and ﬁght together.
  Tactics:  Witches are not warriors, and the members of 
  the Baragon Coven know this quite well. If challenged 
  they ﬁght back with their strongest weapon:  Witch-
  craft. Since Witchcraft rarely involves “ﬂashy” combat 
  spells such as the ones Elemental Mages use, the 
  members of the coven usually try to ﬂee from direct 
  confrontation so they can strike at their enemies from 
  surprise. If unable to escape, they usually concen-
  trate what spells they can on a single target at a time, 
  hoping to slay him or drive him away, then move on 
  to the next foe when they succeed.
  Campaign Use:  Although the text describes the 
  Coven as being in Velkara, you can easily relo-
  cate it to any realm that has a large forest or 
  other area where the witches can live and work 
  their evil without being disturbed too often. 
  Lady Garaithe becomes a member of some other 
  court, and the rest of the witches continue their 
  lives pretty much as-is.
  For the other ten members of the Coven, apply 
  the Witch Package Deal on pages 75-76 of Fantasy 
  Hero to an appropriate “Average Individual” char-
  acter sheet from pages 344-46 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised rulebook, then adjust or modify 
  to taste. If you plan to use the Coven extensively, 
  you might also want to make a few notes to help 
  you “personalize” the other members in simple 
  ways. For example, maybe one witch is particularly 
  skilled at Animal Handler and always has a few 
  birds or a squirrel with her. Another is crabby and 
  sarcastic, while a third has come to regret her life 
  of Evil and is searching for safe way to escape the 
  Coven.
  Making the Coven a tougher opponent cannot 
  involve adding members, since it’s limited to 13, so 
  you have to make the existing members more pow-
  THE BARAGON 
  COVEN
  BARAGON COVEN  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Deep in the Baragon Forest stands a ruined old tower, 
  once the domain of a powerful wizard who’s been 
  dead for centuries. The witches of the Coven want to 
  get inside and steal the wizard’s lore and spellbooks, 
  but the descendants of the gargoyles who were once 
  his servants live there still, zealously protecting the 
  place. (And who knows what other dangers may lurk 
  within?) Rather than do the hard work of ﬁghting the 
  gargoyles themselves, the witches decide to trick the 
  PCs into doing it for them, then betray them and loot 
  the tower themselves.
  When certain Velkaran nobles begin to move against the 
  Coven in earnest, it uses its political inﬂuence to spark 
  a minor war with Besruhan as a distraction. Unfortu-
  nately the ﬁghting could easily escalate into a major war 
  (something the Hargeshite Empire wouldn’t mind at 
  all...) — unless, of course, the heroes can ﬁgure out what’s 
  going on and convince both kingdoms of the truth.
  When the Coven’s members accidentally call up a 
  demonic being too powerful for them to control and it 
  begins to rampage across Velkara, they have to ﬁnd a 
  way to help the heroes defeat it before someone realizes 
  where the creature came from. And they have to pro-
  vide this help without making it obvious why they’re 
  being so unusually kindhearted.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  25 
  erful. One of the best ways to do this is to deﬁne 
  their home forest as a Base, then give them Combat 
  Skill Levels, bonuses to spells, and other abilities 
  that only work in the Base. In other words, they’re 
  much stronger when in the forest (which they have 
  “consecrated” to their evil purposes), but not so 
  powerful outside it. To weaken the Coven, assume 
  it’s fallen on hard times and lost members so that it 
  lacks a full complement of 13.
  The witches of the Baragon Coven are the 
  most indirect of Hunters. Someone who angers 
  them may never even see them. They strike from 
  afar with curses, doll magic, and other long-range 
  spells, or even send summoned devils to attack him.
  OLD JHISELDA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   5 STR 
  -5 
  10- 
  Lift 50 kg; 1d6 [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   13 CON 
  12 
  12-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   3 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  61
  Movement: 
  Running:  4”/8”
   
  Swimming:  1”/2”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Black Magic
  6 
  Agony (FHG2 40)
  12 
  The Evil Eye (FHG2 44)
  8 
  Hex (FHG2 45)
  2 
  Pestilence (FHG2 46)
   
  Druidry
  6 
  Call To The Wilderness Denizens (FHG 39)
  5 
  Lightning Strike (FHG 43)
   
  Fire Magic
  3 
  Khelred’s Flammifer (FHG 94)
   
  Thaumaturgy
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
   
  Witchcraft
  6 
  Bewitchment (FHG 203)
  2 
  Blight (FHG 204)
  4 
  Blood Sacriﬁce (FHG 215)
  6 
  Charm Of Ease (FHG 218)
  15 
  Curse Of Palsy (FHG 216)
  5 
  Devil Conjuration (FHG 217)
  21 
  Doll Magic (FHG 205)
  3 
  Flying Broomstick (FHG 210)
  5 
  Love Charm (FHG 206)
  4 
  Love Potion (FHG 211)
  8 
  Man Into Frog (FHG 207)
  5 
  Plague Of Serpents (FHG 208)
  8 
  Sending (FHG 208)
  6 
  Witch’s Herdsman (FHG 219)
  6 
  Witch’s Plague (FHG 209)
   
  Powers
  -4 
  Aged Bones:  Running -2” (4” total)
  -1 
  Aged Bones:  Swimming -1” (1” total)
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader of Bara-
  gon Coven
   
  Skills
  25 +5 with Witchcraft Spells
  3 
  Analyze Magic 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Healing (Paramedics) 13-
  2 
  AK: Velkara 11-
  3 
  AK: Baragon Forest 13-
  3 
  KS: Herbalism 13-
  5 
  KS: Witchcraft 15-
  3 
  KS: Witches 13-
  37 
  Power:  Witchcraft 30-
  3 
  Spell Research (Inventor) 13-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 13-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  242
  Total Cost:  303
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Age:  60+
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  Velkara 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel, Malicious, 
  And Hateful (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Be In Charge 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Common, Strong)
  143 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  303
  Background/History:  Old Jhiselda’s history, such of 
  it as is known, is related above. Taciturn and secre-
  tive, she says little about her life before the creation 
  of the Coven.
  Personality/Motivation:  Old Jhiselda’s personality is 
  the very deﬁnition of spite and malice. She seems 
  to hate everything and everybody except those 
  few people of like temperament she’s surrounded 
  herself with... and even some of them don’t seem to 
  enjoy much of her favor. At the slightest “provoca-
  tion” she’s likely to lash out at someone, or begin 
  OLD JHISELDA’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Cronestaff:  Old Jhiselda’s “gnarled walking stick” is 
  actually a powerful magical staﬀ. Not only can she 
  use it to augment any of her powers, it can control the 
  very stuﬀ of Nature and use it to attack her enemies. 
  (Aid Witchcraft 4d6, any one Witchcraft spell at a 
  time, 4 Charges; Multipower of nature-based attacks 
  [Entangle based on tree roots, RKA lightning bolt 
  called down from the sky, and so on]; Endurance 
  Reserve (200 END, 25 REC) for her spells)
  
  26 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  planning a terrible vengeance. She also insists on 
  being in control of not just the Coven, but any 
  activity she’s involved with; anyone who tries to 
  usurp “her rightful position” at the very least can 
  expect to receive a tongue-lashing... and a plague 
  of boils, or worse, is far more likely. The rest of the 
  Coven has learned to handle her delicately.
  Quote:  “Feebleminded slug! How dare you ques-
  tion me?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Old Jhiselda is a powerful witch, 
  well-versed in the art of Witchcraft. (For spells 
  from schools other than Witchcraft, substitute 
  “Witchcraft” for whatever Required Skill the spell 
  normally has.) She’s no ﬁghter, though. If con-
  fronted with force she prefers to escape, usually on 
  her Flying Broomstick. After 
  all, she has plenty of spells she 
  can use against her enemies 
  from a safe distance. If she has 
  to ﬁght, she relies on quickly-
  cast spells like Khelred’s Flam-
  mifer and Man Into Frog.
  Campaign Use:  As the leader 
  and motivating force behind 
  the Baragon Coven, Old Jhis-
  elda can be as potent a force 
  for Evil in your campaign 
  as you wish. In some games 
  she rises to master villainess 
  status as she and her minions 
  threaten entire kingdoms with 
  their black magic; in others 
  she may just be the ﬁrst major 
  villain a ﬂedgling group of 
  heroes ﬁghts before moving 
  on to truly powerful foes.
  To make Jhiselda more 
  powerful, remove the Age 
  Disadvantage and raise her 
  Characteristics so that she’s 
  physically tougher and more 
  spry. You could also give her 
  a few more combat-oriented 
  spells to help her fend oﬀ the 
  heroes. To weaken her, reduce 
  her Witchcraft roll so she has 
  to take more time to be sure 
  of successfully casting her 
  most powerful spells.
  Jhiselda is a merciless and determined Hunter. 
  She develops grudges quickly and easily, but is 
  patient and malicious enough to take time and 
  eﬀort to plan her revenge for maximum eﬀect. 
  Sometimes she’s content with inﬂicting a curse on 
  her adversary, but on more than one occasion she’s 
  set out to ruin her quarry’s life.
  Appearance:  Jhiselda is an old crone who wears 
  grey hooded robes and walks stooped over with 
  the help of a gnarled short walking stick (actually 
  a powerful enchanted staﬀ, though it looks com-
  pletely ordinary). Except when she tries hard to 
  look like a sweet old grandmother, her hatred for 
  everyone and everything shows through in the evil 
  expression on her face and the malice in her eyes.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components and related magical appurtenances
  OLD JHISELDA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  After an inconclusive 
  confrontation with the 
  Coven, one or more 
  heroes ﬁnd out that Old 
  Jhiselda’s put a curse on 
  them. And it’s no ordi-
  nary curse — they can’t 
  get rid of it just by kill-
  ing her or having it dis-
  pelled. It’s so powerful 
  that they’ll have to go on 
  a quest to obtain a spe-
  ciﬁc item to lift it with. 
  Then they can go after 
  her and make sure she 
  doesn’t put it on them a 
  second time....
  A lady approaches the 
  heroes. She claims to be 
  Old Jhiselda’s daughter, 
  and that her mother 
  has been possessed by 
  some demon... she used 
  to be a sweet-hearted 
  woman, not evil at all. 
  She wants them to ﬁnd 
  out what happened and 
  free her mother from 
  demonic inﬂuence. Is 
  her story true, or is there 
  more going on here than 
  meets the eye?
  During one of their 
  adventures, the heroes 
  ﬁnd an old grimoire 
  of Witchcraft written 
  with a language and 
  symbolism they can’t 
  understand. The only 
  person who can read it 
  is Old Jhiselda... and if 
  they don’t ﬁnd out what 
  secrets it holds, a great 
  evil will fall upon the 
  land. How can they con-
  vince her to help, and 
  what price will she ask 
  for her assistance? And 
  can they be certain she’ll 
  tell them the truth about 
  what the book says?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  27 
  MELSARA GILDENHAND
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  83
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Alchemy
  2 
  Dust Of Illusion (FHG 17)
  4 
  Morphean Dust (FHG 18)
  2 
  Potion Of Fire Breath (FHG 7)
  2 
  Potion Of Healing (FHG 9)
  2 
  Potion Of Invisibility (FHG 10)
  1 
  Potion Of The Owl’s Eyes (FHG 11)
  3 
  Potion Of Tiny Form (FHG 14)
   
  Sorcery
  4 
  Belzorath’s Domination Of The Mind 
  (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Affliction Of The Confused 
  Mind (FHG 170)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  2 
  The Spell Of The Iron Mind (FHG 184)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
   
  Witchcraft
  6 
  Bewitchment (FHG 203)
  3 
  Flying Broomstick (FHG 210)
  5 
  Love Charm (FHG 206)
  4 
  Love Potion (FHG 211)
  6 
  Witch’s Plague (FHG 209)
   
  Powers
  20 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve (100 
  END, 10 REC)
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  member of 
  Baragon Coven
   
  Talents
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Spells
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  AK: Baragon Forest 11-
  2 
  KS: Alchemy 11-
  2 
  KS: Sorcery 11-
  3 
  KS: Witchcraft 13-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  25 
  Power: Alchemy 24-
  25 
  Power: Sorcery 24-
  25 
  Power: Witchcraft 24-
  2 
  PS: Singing 11-
  3 
  Spell Research (Inventor) 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  208
  Total Cost:  291
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  Velkara 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of Men 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  171 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  291
  Background/History:  There was a time when 
  Melsara was just an ordinary peasant woman 
  — far prettier than most, to be sure, but an 
  everyday person just the same. Then came the 
  day her village was attacked. She’s never been 
  sure who the attackers were. They might have 
  been bandits, renegade knights, cruel noblemen’s 
  sons out for a lark, or enemy soldiers spying 
  out the land. The descended on her home with 
  fire and sword, murdering her husband and 
  children, abusing her and the other women they 
  didn’t simply kill, and finally putting the whole 
  place to the torch. When she had the chance 
  Melsara crawled away into a thicket, no longer 
  caring if she lived or died.
  And then something happened. The desire 
  for vengeance awoke as a spark within her, and 
  soon she’d fanned it into a flame. Deciding that 
  all men were murderous and cruel, she chose to 
  study Witchcraft — the “woman’s Art” — as her 
  weapon of revenge. For years she went around 
  the land, learning from whoever would teach her, 
  even studying other Arts that she thought might 
  help her. And whenever she had the chance she 
  struck back against men, using her spells and 
  enchanted items to kill from the shadows.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components and related magical appurtenances
   MELSARA  
  GILDENHAND  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Melsara hears about a 
  powerful magic ring 
  that she simply must add 
  to her collection. Unfor-
  tunately it’s currently 
  owned by a powerful 
  monster who lives at the 
  very end of a danger-
  ous cavern complex 
  with many followers 
  and “pets.” She decides 
  to trick the PCs into 
  recovering her “long-lost 
  heirloom” for her.
  While exploring the 
  Chekuru Jungle in 
  search of special herbs 
  for her potions, Melsara 
  encounters the PCs and 
  helps them with the 
  adventure they’re on. 
  Deciding it would be 
  fun to trick them, she 
  makes overtures about 
  joining the team... all 
  the while intending to 
  betray the heroes at the 
  worst possible moment 
  for them.
  Melsara begins to feel 
  the stirrings of some-
  thing she hasn’t felt in 
  decades:  love. She’s fall-
  ing for a male PC, and it 
  makes her confused and 
  angry. How will she deal 
  with her feelings... and 
  will the hero survive the 
  process?
  
  28 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  One day she went too far, killing a popular 
  young nobleman. With soldiers hot on her heels, 
  she fled into the Baragon Forest where she even-
  tually stumbled onto the Coven. Recognizing her 
  power and the evil fire lurking within her, Old 
  Jhiselda agreed to take her in. Since then she’s 
  become one of the group’s most important and 
  influential members.
  Personality/Motivation:  Melsara has so given herself 
  over to hatred and vengeance as a way of dealing 
  with her grief over her losses that there’s virtually 
  no way to drag her from the path of evil she’s walk-
  ing. Bitter and hateful, particularly toward men, she 
  goes out of her way to hurt other people the way 
  she’s been hurt. The only things that can move her 
  to pity and kindliness are seeing other women, or 
  sometimes animals, suﬀering.
  Quote:  “What do you know of pain? Let me  
  teach you.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Unlike most other members of the 
  Baragon Coven, Melsara practices types of magic 
  other than Witchcraft. Her Alchemy potions and 
  Sorcery spells give her added tactical and practical 
  value that ensure her a place of prominence in the 
  Coven... as long as she doesn’t anger Old Jhiselda.
  But what really makes Melsara a danger  
  in combat is her collection of magic rings, care-
  fully assembled over the years (see “Enchanted 
  Items” text box). With six of them to call on she 
  has an attack or other power suitable for just 
  about any battle or foe.
  Campaign Use:  If the heroes engage in a long 
  conflict against the Baragon Coven, it’s possible 
  they might catch a glimpse of Melsara’s sympa-
  thetic side and decide they can rescue her. But 
  she’s so thoroughly given herself over to evil that 
  returning her to her old safe will be a long, dan-
  gerous struggle.
  To make Melsara a more effective combat-
  ant, increase her Primary Characteristics slightly, 
  and perhaps give her some more Combat Skill 
  Levels, or additional CSLs with her magic rings. 
  To weaken her, remove most of her Alchemy and 
  Sorcery spells.
  Melsara’s unlikely to Hunt anyone regularly. 
  If she sees a PC, particularly a male PC, as an 
  appropriate target she’ll attack him, but if he gets 
  away she probably won’t pursue him. After all, 
  there are plenty of other people she can use her 
  powers on....
  Appearance:  Melsara is a woman in her mid-
  thirties, her once beautiful face and figure now 
  somewhat faded due to a harsh life but still 
  apparent if one looks closely enough. Her hair is 
  brown and usually worn loose (it reaches down 
  just past her shoulders); her eyes are green. She 
  favors simple dresses and gowns in muted colors. 
  On her ten fingers she wears a total of six rings, 
  ranging from extravagently jeweled ones worth 
  a king’s ransom to plain-looking ones made of 
  brass and ordinary crystals.
  MELSARA GILDENHAND’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Melsara wears six enchanted rings:
  Ring Of Elemental Powers:  This ring grants the wearer 
  one power from each of the four Elements:  a Fire Blast; 
  the power to swim at great speed; the power to ﬂy; and 
  the ability to make his skin become as hard as rock. 
  (Multipower with four Fixed slots:  RKA 2d6, Armor 
  Piercing; Swimming +6”; Flight 8”; Armor (6 PD/6 
  ED); all OIF)
  Ring Of Illumination (FHG 123)
  Ring Of Mystic Darts:  This ring can ﬁre up to a dozen 
  Mystic Darts (FHG 225) each day, up to three at a 
  time. (RKA 2d6, One Hex Accurate, Autoﬁre (3 shots), 
  Line Of Sight, 36 Charges; OIF, Each Use Counts As 3 
  Charges No Matter How Many Darts Are Fired)
  Talgar’s Throwing-Ring:  The wearer of this ring can take 
  it oﬀ and throw it at an enemy. Hit or miss, it bounces 
  or ﬂies back to the wearer to be thrown again. (Energy 
  Blast 6d6; OIF, Range Based On STR)
  Wraithform Ring:  This ring allows the wearer to assume 
  a ghostly form so that he can sink into the ground to 
  hide, walk through walls, and the like. (Desolidiﬁcation, 
  0 END; OIF)
  Zadrog’s Knucklebone:  Carved from one of the ﬁnger-
  bones of the powerful necromancer Zadrog, this ring 
  exerts a powerful control over the undead. (Mind Con-
  trol 16d6, 0 END; OIF, Only Versus Undead)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  29 
  LADY VELYNDA GARAITHE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  55
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Black Magic
  14 
  Curse Of Ugliness (FHG2 44)
  3 
  Paths Of The Unseen (FHG2 52)
  2 
  Pestilence (FHG2 46)
  3 
  Puppeteer (FHG2 47)
  6 
  Scrying (FHG2 54)
  4 
  Seduction (Strong version) (FHG2 48)
  7 
  Steal The Will (FHG2 49)
   
  Witchcraft
  6 
  Beautify (FHG 217)
  4 
  Candle Of Beguilement (FHG 212)
  9 
  Candle Of Truth (FHG 214)
  6 
  Charm Of Ease (FHG 218)
  12 
  The Evil Eye (FHG2 44)
  3 
  Flying Broomstick (FHG 210)
  5 
  Love Charm (FHG 206)
  4 
  Love Potion (FHG 211)
  8 
  Man Into Frog (FHG 207)
  3 
  Moon Goddess’s Blessing (FHG 219)
  8 
  Sending (FHG 208)
   
  Powers
  20 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve (100 
  END, 10 REC)
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  member of 
  Baragon Coven
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship Rank:  Lady
  1 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  KS: Velkaran Nobility 11-
  2 
  KS: Witchcraft 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  27 
  Power: Witchcraft 24-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  1 
  TF: Horses
  1 
  WF: Daggers
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  186
  Total Cost:  241
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  Velkara 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy And 
  Jealous; Wants What Others Have (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Coward 
  (Common, Moderate)
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (is a 
  witch) (Occasionally, Major)
  101 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  241
  Background/History:  The House of Garaithe is one 
  of Velkara’s oldest noble families... and these days, 
  one of its poorest. Its once-great fortune long since 
  spent, its members live in genteel poverty, barely 
  able to aﬀord many of the perquisites of high rank.
  Velynda, the pretty daughter of the current 
  Baron Garaithe, has always found this unaccept-
  able. Ever since she was a child she’s looked at the 
  ﬁne things and expensive privileges other nobles 
  have had and lusted after them. Unable to get what 
  she wanted any other way, she turned to the dark 
  arts of Witchcraft. In time her studies brought 
  her into contact with the Baragon Coven, which 
  accepted her as a member even though she doesn’t 
  live in the Forest — having an ally at court was too 
  attractive a proposition to let her get away. Since 
  then she’s become quite a popular ﬁgure in the 
  Velkaran court, using a combination of her natu-
  ral seductiveness and witchy powers to obtain the 
  wealth and prestige she so desperately craves.
  Personality/Motivation:  Velynda Garaithe is like a 
  piece of fruit that looks beautiful on the outside but 
  is eaten through by a worm on the inside — and 
  that worm’s name is Jealousy. Denied the things 
  she “deserved” to have all her life because of her 
  family’s poverty, she’s become determined to get 
  them now that she’s an adult. She doesn’t care what 
  she has to do, but she’s not going to live all her life 
  poor and powerless. A succession of lovers, some of 
  whom “mysteriously died” after making generous 
  gifts to her, has ameliorated the worst of her pov-
  erty, but she won’t be satisﬁed until she’s one of the 
  richest women in the kingdom... if not the world.
  Quote:  “How kind of you, my lord! I would love 
  to hear more about the work you’re doing on your 
  castle... perhaps in private?”
  LADY VELYNDA GARAITHE’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Fiery Opal Charm:  Lady Velynda’s only enchanted 
  item is a brooch-like piece of jewelry made with a 
  large ﬁre opal. When triggered it releases a cloud 
  of ﬂame all around her that both injures and blinds 
  people nearby. (RKA 2d6, One Hex Doubled, Per-
  sonal Immunity; OAF, No Range, 2 Charges plus 
  Sight Group Flash 6d6, One Hex Doubled, Personal 
  Immunity; OAF, Linked, No Range, 2 Charges)
  
  30 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Powers/Tactics:  Lady Velynda ﬁghts with a woman’s 
  wiles. Charm, ﬂattery, and seduction are her chief 
  weapons in most situations, and she can always fall 
  back on Witchcraft if necessary. She almost always 
  uses spells like Beautify to enhance her natural 
  attractiveness, and spells like Love Charm, Love 
  Potion, Puppeteer, and Seduction ensure that she 
  can usually get her way. (For spells from schools 
  other than Witchcraft, substitute “Witchcraft” for 
  whatever Required Skill the spell normally has.) 
  She’s never been confronted with force or violence 
  in her life, and would probably cower in terror or 
  faint if threatened.
  Campaign Use:  Lady Velynda 
  is the Coven’s inside women. 
  Unlike them she’s not an out-
  cast lurking in a dark forest — 
  she walks the halls of power 
  as one of the nobility. She’s 
  in a position to manipulate 
  Velkaran foreign and domes-
  tic policy, and even (if she can 
  marry right) to ascend into 
  the highest levels of Velkaran 
  power. That makes it easy for 
  her to protect the Coven in 
  many ways.
  To make Lady Velynda 
  more powerful, improve her 
  social standing — have her 
  marry a powerful Grand 
  Duke (or maybe even one 
  of the princes), or change 
  her background so House 
  Garaithe is more prestigious 
  to begin with. To weaken her, 
  remove about half her spells, 
  and/or decrease her PRE to 
  15-17.
  Velynda isn’t a Hunter, 
  generally speaking. The 
  only thing that would make 
  her likely to pursue a PC 
  (particularly a female PC) is 
  jealousy, in which case she’d 
  use Witchcraft to strike from 
  the shadows.
  Appearance:  Velynda is a gorgeous young woman 
  of great allure. Her eyes are blue; her blonde hair 
  cascades down to the small of her back when she 
  wears it loose (it’s usually tied up in an elaborately-
  styled coif). As a member of the Velkaran court, she 
  wears beautiful gowns tailored and embroidered 
  especially for her, favoring reds and pinks.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Nambu 94 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  6 
  8
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Makeup
  LADY VELYNDA 
  GARAITHE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Despite her ambitions 
  to marry for power and 
  money, Lady Velynda 
  ﬁnds herself falling for 
  a male PC. How will 
  she reconcile these two 
  desires?
  One of Lady Velynda’s 
  spells goes awry, sum-
  moning a demon-ghost 
  being of some sort 
  who’s now haunting 
  Tor Pashtar (especially 
  the royal palace). Des-
  perate to remove the 
  problem/threat without 
  having it connected to 
  her, she decides to trick 
  the PCs into getting rid 
  of the thing.
  Someone places a pow-
  erful Curse Of Ugliness 
  on Lady Velynda! She 
  has no idea who or 
  why, but is terriﬁed and 
  wants it lifted — she can 
  only counteract it with 
  Beautify for so long. 
  Playing the part of inno-
  cent victim, she turns to 
  the PCs for help.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  31 
  OBAR BLACKTHEW
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  116
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Mace-Bash 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Mace-Strike 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  1 
  Use Art With Polearms/Spears (Axes/Maces/
  Hammers/Picks is default)
  2 
  Fast:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  7 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lieutenant of Kal-Turak
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  8 
  Mounted Warrior (HTH, Ranged)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  4  
  +2 OCV with Vorgarath
  2 
  Animal Handler (Dragons) 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  5 
  KS: Dragonriders Of Ka’Rfk 14-
  2 
  KS: Kal-Turak And His Forces 11-
  5 
  Riding 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  6 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lances, Whips
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  99
  Total Cost:  215
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  forces of Good 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Merciless And 
  Devoted Servant Of Kal-Turak, Given 
  To Slaughter And Destruction (Very 
  Common, Total)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  75 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  215
  Background/History:  Obar’s history is similar to 
  that of the other Dragonriders of Ka’Rûk. There 
  was a time when he was a devoted servant of 
  Goodness and light — a paladin, perhaps, or a 
  crusading priest or doughty warrior. But misfor-
  tune fell upon him and he was captured by the 
  servants of Kal-Turak, Ravager of Men. Recogniz-
  ing in him raw material that could be put to good 
  use, Kal-Turak remolded him, using spells to strip 
  away his memories and personality (and giving 
  them to demons to feed upon). In their place 
  he put the drives he preferred:  utter loyalty to 
  himself; a willingness to serve Evil unto his dying 
  SERVANTS  
  OF GREAT EVIL
  The four characters 
  described in this sec-
  tion aren’t literally 
  part of a group the 
  way the other charac-
  ters in Chapter Two 
  are. They’re grouped 
  together because of their 
  common devotion to the 
  greatest force for Evil in 
  Ambrethel:  Kal-Turak 
  the Ravager. While they 
  might work as a team 
  if necessary, it’s more 
  likely your heroes will 
  encounter them by 
  themselves, surrounded 
  by minions and servants 
  of their own.
  KAL-TURAK’S
  LIEUTENANTS
  OBAR BLACKTHEW’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Vorgarath:  A foul relic of some ancient time, Vorga-
  rath is a spike-headed mace of evil aspect. A “glow” of 
  shadow surrounds it, causing further pain (or other 
  eﬀects) in addition to the mace-bash (HKA 3d6, +1 
  Increased STUN Multiplier plus a Multipower with 
  three Triggered slots:  Energy Blast 8d6, Sight Group 
  Flash 8d6, Drain STUN 4d6; all OAF)
  Dragonfang:  Obar’s spear, said to have been crafted 
  for him by Kal-Turak himself, can change size so 
  that it functions as a lance, spear, or throwing spear. 
  In any form its barbed head, made of black steel, 
  inﬂicts vicious wounds, and if thrown it returns to 
  Obar’s hand. (HKA 3d6, Armor Piercing, Penetrat-
  ing, Range Based On STR (can be thrown); OIF (for 
  throwing purposes, but can be Disarmed as if an 
  Accessible Focus))
  The Blood-Red Armor Of Nothak-Hren:  This suit of 
  plate armor, made of black steel with blood-red high-
  lights and sections, exudes a palpable aura of misery 
  and woe, as if it were forged from the souls of the 
  damned instead of metal. (DEF 10, No Mass plus 
  Mental Defense (10 points total) plus +5 PRE for fear-
  /intimidation-based Presence Attacks; all OIF)
  Dragonskull Shield:  Made so that it cleverly resem-
  bles a draconic skull, this large shield protects Obar 
  well and inﬂicts powerful bashes (+4 DCV; HA 
  +4d6; all OAF)
  
  32 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  breath; a desire to slaughter and destroy. Renamed 
  Obar Blackthew, he has served Kal-Turak ever 
  since as one of his feared Dragonriders.
  Personality/Motivation:  Obar has little, if any, per-
  sonality of his own left. He exists only to follow 
  Kal-Turak and obey his every command, regardless 
  of the danger to himself. He lives for destruction, 
  slaughter, and committing Evil acts.
  Quote:  “Fool! Do you think your petty attacks 
  can harm a Dragonrider of Ka’Rûk? Prepare 
  yourself for death.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Obar is a 
  powerful and skilled war-
  rior, the sort who likes to 
  take the fight straight to 
  his foes rather than attempt 
  clever tactics or stratagems. 
  His enchanted weapons and 
  armor, combined with his 
  strength, make him a foe to 
  be feared.
  As a Dragonrider of 
  Ka’Rfk, Obar has a dragon as a 
  mount. You can use the Greater 
  Dragon from page 66 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary for his 
  mount, but assume its personal-
  ity has been warped to instill 
  loyalty to Obar and Kal-Turak.
  Campaign Use:  Obar pro-
  vides a basic “template” from 
  which you can write up other 
  Dragonriders of Ka’Rûk. He’s 
  mightier than most, and of 
  course they each have their 
  own enchanted weapons and 
  items, but the basic Skills and 
  personality are the same.
  To make Obar a tougher 
  opponent, give him some 
  Extra DCs with his Martial 
  Arts, more Combat Skill 
  Levels, or another point of 
  SPD. To weaken him, remove 
  his Martial Arts.
  Obar only Hunts heroes if ordered to, in which 
  case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Obar is a tall, well-muscled Man 
  with a handsome face... but few people ever see it 
  because he’s usually covered head to toe in black 
  and blood-red plate armor and helm. He wields 
  Vorgarath, a mighty mace that glows with shadow 
  the way a candle glows with light. When riding 
  his dragon he keeps his left hand on the reins; on 
  foot he carries an enchanted shield adorned with a 
  dragon-skull symbol.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Vorgarath 
  +1 
  — 
  3d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  18 
  See text
  Dragonfang 
  +1 
  +1 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  1 
  15 
  See text
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  The Blood-Red Armor Of Nothak-Hren (DEF 10, Mental Defense (10 total))
  Dragonskull Shield (+4 DCV, HA +4d6)
  Gear:  Dragonriding harness
  OBAR BLACKTHEW 
  PLOT SEEDS
  There’s always the pos-
  sibility that somewhere, 
  in some dark hole in one 
  of his strongholds, Kal-
  Turak has kept Obar’s 
  personality and memo-
  ries as a plaything. If so, 
  and the heroes could 
  recover them somehow, 
  and then defeat Obar, 
  and then take him to 
  a powerful sorcerer, 
  maybe his true self 
  could be restored....
  Based on an oracle’s 
  words, the heroes 
  believe that Obar 
  intends to lead a group 
  of Dragonriders in an 
  attack on a small town 
  in northern Mhorecia. 
  Why that town? Is the 
  oracle wrong, or some-
  how being duped? And 
  even if he’s correct, how 
  can the heroes stop 
  Dragonriders?
  A friendly dragon 
  (perhaps Augiros, page 
  100) comes to the PCs. 
  He tells them about the 
  Dragonriders’ enslaved 
  mounts and asks them 
  to use a special amulet 
  to free as many of them 
  as possible, for which 
  they will earn much 
  gratitude from dragon-
  kind. But of course, to 
  use the amulet they have 
  to get very close to the 
  dragons... and a dragon 
  just freed from years of 
  slavery may not be in a 
  very good mood....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  33 
  VARAKES THE LICH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   23 CON 
  32 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   25 INT 
  20 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  30 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (8 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (8 rED)8
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  2
   60 END 
  12
   50 STUN 
  8 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  219
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Black Magic
  6 
  Agony (FHG2 40)
  9 
  Corruption (FHG2 43)
  5 
  Hellﬁre (FHG2 45)
  8 
  Hex (FHG2 45)
  2 
  Pestilence (FHG2 46)
  6 
  Scrying (FHG2 54)
  2 
  Stormcalling (FHG2 49)
  4 
  Vile Summoning (FHG2 56)
   
  Necromancy
  6 
  Create Ghost (FHG 140)
  5 
  Create Mummy (FHG 141)
  3 
  Create Skeleton (FHG 141)
  13 
  Create Specter (FHG 142)
  5 
  Create Vampire (FHG 143)
  4 
  Create Wight (FHG 144)
  8 
  Create Wraith (FHG 144)
  3 
  Create Zombie (FHG 145)
  19 
  Death Touch (FHG 145)
  4 
  Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters (FHG 146)
  2 
  Hargenzarian’s Spell Of Life-Shielding 
  (FHG 157)
  9 
  History Of Blood (FHG 147)
  6 
  Sa’akiv’s Soulripping (FHG 149)
  4 
  Soul Feeding (FHG 165)
  2 
  The Spell Of True Necromancy (FHG 162)
  1 
  Summon Ghoul (FHG 150)
  12 
  Thronek’s Spell Of Withering (FHG 152)
  6 
  Veltharex’s Spell Of Torment (FHG 153)
  3 
  Wall Of Bones (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithform (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithtouch (FHG 154)
   
  Sorcery
  6 
  Algashar’s Glamour Of Fright (FHG 175)
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Aﬄiction Of The Confused Mind 
  (FHG 170)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  4 
  Prismatic Blast (FHG 177)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  11 
  The Spell Of The Untrustworthy Mind 
  (FHG 174)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  8 
  The Second Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 233)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  10 
  Untiring Body:  Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) for STR 
  0
  15 
  Lich’s Body:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Lich’s Body:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  8 
  Lich’s Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (8 PD/8 ED) 
  0
  1 
  Lich’s Body:  +2 PD; Only Protects Against 
  Slashing Or Piercing Attacks (-½) 
  0
  1 
  Lich’s Body:  +2 PD; Only Protects Against 
  Piercing Attacks (-1) 
  0
  6 
  Lich’s Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (10 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Lich’s Body:  Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  50 
  Lich’s Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  6 
  Lich’s Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  6 
  Lich’s Senses:  +4 PER with all Senses;  
  Only To Perceive Images Created By  
  Means Other Than Necromancy (-1) 
  0
  5 
  Witchﬁre Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Witchﬁre Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  20 
  Lifesense:  Detect Life 14- (no Sense  
  Group), Discriminatory, Range 
  0
   
  Perks
  7 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lieutenant of Kal-Turak; 
  Overlord Of Gorgashtar
   
  Talents
  20 
  Spell Of Comprehension:  Universal  
  Translator 14-
   
  Skills
  15 
  +5 with Spells
  3 
  Analyze Magic 14-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  2 
  Cryptography 14-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  Interrogation 15-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 14-
  
  34 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  23 
  Power:  Black Magic 24-
  35 
  Power:  Necromancy 30-
  31 
  Power:  Sorcery 28-
  27 
  Power:  Wizardry 26-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  3 
  Scholar
  4 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 16-
  4 
  2)  KS: Black Magic 16-
  2 
  3)  KS: Demons 14-
  4 
  4)  KS: Legends And Lore 16-
  2 
  5)  KS: The Mystic World 14-
  4 
  6)  KS: Necromancy 16-
  4 
  7)  KS: Sorcery 16-
  4 
  8)  KS: The Undead 16-
  4 
  9)  KS: Wizardry 16-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  668
  Total Cost:  887
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  forces of Good 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Irredeemably Evil 
  And Cruel (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hungry For 
  Power, Especially Magical Power (Common, 
  Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  727 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  887
  Background/History:  Centuries ago, so many 
  years that he can barely remember them all, 
  there was a wizard named Berethar. He started 
  out like so many did, eager for learning and 
  wisdom. But in time, as he learned more of the 
  Arts Arcane, a desire for knowledge slowly but 
  surely transformed into a desire for power. He 
  began delving deeper, seeking more and more 
  powerful spells...
  ...and eventually gave into temptation and 
  started down the path of black magic. The first 
  demon was easy enough to summon, and it 
  taught him much. Soon he was conjuring infer-
  nal beings regularly, learning spells and lore 
  from them. But his fiendish workings and quests 
  for power did not go unnoticed. Heroes serv-
  ing the Blue Gods in vow or deed took it upon 
  themselves to stop him — but all of them met 
  their deaths at his hands, or the hands of his ser-
  vitor creatures.
  Eventually the threat posed by Berethar and 
  his evil power was so great that a group of mighty 
  heroes assembled to do what lesser heroes could 
  not. For the ﬁrst time in his life the wicked wizard 
  was troubled. He had long since sold his soul to 
  an arch-demon for more power, and if he died at 
  the hands of these heroes he’d spend eternity in 
  torment. So he conceived a cunning plan. As the 
  heroes approached his stronghold he cast a mighty 
  spell to preserve his life as unlife beyond the grave. 
  He and his servants fought the heroes long and 
  well, slaying three of them, but in the end it was as 
  Berethar had foreseen — the heroes killed him and 
  destroyed all his foul works.
  Or so they thought. In the next dark of the 
  moon, arcane energies swirled around Berethar’s 
  remains, bringing them back to unlife and infusing 
  them with mystic power. He returned to Ambrethel 
  as a lich. To mark the start of his new life, he chose 
  a new name:  Varakes, meaning “blackened heart” 
  in some long-forgotten tongue.
  As one of the undead, Varakes continued his 
  quest for power and magical lore, becoming ever 
  mightier in the Arts Arcane. Eventually he realized 
  there were certain heights of power he could not 
  scale on his own, or even with the help of demons 
  — he needed someone mightier and more evil still 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Banestaﬀ 
  +2 
  — 
  6d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia
  VARAKES’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Amulet Of Mystic Potency:  This amulet provides 
  energy for magic spells. (Endurance Reserve (150 
  END, 15 REC))
  The Banestaff:  This powerful enchanted staﬀ not 
  only acts as a battery for mystical energy, it can 
  absorb mystical energies directed at the wielder, 
  and has several other powers. (6d6 Normal attack 
  with +2 OCV plus Endurance Reserve (160 END, 
  20 REC) for spells plus Absorption 6d6 (Energy, to 
  wielder’s STUN) from magic only plus Illumination 
  (Sight Group Images to create light, 0 END) plus 
  Multipower of attacks (Energy Blast 8d6 (icebolt), 
  Entangle 4d6 4 DEF (mystic bonds), Drain STR 4d6 
  (weakness spell), RKA 2½d6 (lightning bolt))
  Ring Of Golden Birds:  The wearer of this ring, 
  which is formed to look like a circle of birds, can 
  fly. (Flight 15”)
  Royal Magus Robes:  Made of purple and gold silk, 
  these robes enhance the wearer’s mystic powers. 
  (Armor (2 PD/2 ED); +3 with all types of the 
  Magic Skill)
  Silverﬂame Crown:  This mystic crown looks like it’s 
  made out of ﬂickering, silvery ﬂames. (+3 with Sor-
  cery spells; Aid Magic 4d6, any magic spell one at a 
  time, 1 Charge)
  VARAKES THE LICH 
  PLOT SEEDS
  While traveling the 
  heroes come across an 
  almost-abandoned vil-
  lage. It turns out the 
  village is haunted; most 
  of the former residents 
  have ﬂed due to fear 
  of the ghosts that have 
  been appearing there. 
  Investigating, the heroes 
  learn the village is built 
  over the ruins of an old 
  wizard’s school... one 
  Varakes recently learned 
  about, and whose secrets 
  he wishes to uncover. To 
  amuse himself he’s been 
  driving the villagers 
  away with summoned 
  spirits. The heroes have 
  to ﬁnd the ruins of the 
  school (now under-
  ground), explore them, 
  ﬁnd their treasures... 
  and then ﬁgure out how 
  to use those treasures to 
  get Varakes to leave the 
  village alone.
  Varakes’s centuries-old 
  undead body at long last 
  begins to break down. 
  “Fixing” it involves pow-
  erful spells that require 
  rare and valuable com-
  ponents. Unwilling to 
  risk his unlife to obtain 
  them, Varakes decides 
  to trick the heroes into 
  doing it for him by 
  hiring them through 
  intermediaries.
  One of the heroes has 
  an enchanted item that 
  Varakes desperately 
  wants. He begins a cam-
  paign of destruction 
  against the PCs, starting 
  with attempts to buy or 
  steal the item and esca-
  lating up to powerful 
  attacks.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  35 
  to show him the way. He journeyed into the North 
  seeking that person:  Kal-Turak, Ravager of Men. 
  Amused by the lich’s presumption and impressed 
  with his power, Kal-Turak agreed to accept his ser-
  vice, soon appointing him to rule the city of Gor-
  gashtar. Varakes has served him loyally, knowing 
  that’s the only way to continue to learn from him... 
  but in time, he will know all he needs to know....
  Personality/Motivation:  Cruelty and lust domi-
  nate Varakes’s thoughts:  a desire to cause harm, 
  and a desire for power. When he pauses from his 
  studies and his quests for spells and enchanted 
  items (which could take him nearly anywhere in 
  Ambrethel) he takes pleasure in pitting factions of 
  Orcs and Ogres against one another, torturing pris-
  oners, and using hapless innocents as test subjects 
  for his latest spells. Recently he’s begun an in-depth 
  investigation of the art of Alchemy (particularly the 
  creation of constructs) and may soon start to learn 
  its spells and processes.
  Quote:  “I have transcended the grave. For defying 
  me, you shall soon be in yours.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Varakes is a skilled, powerful 
  spellcaster versed in four schools of magic:  Black 
  Magic; Necromancy; Sorcery; and Wizardry. Nec-
  romancy and Black Magic are his favorites, par-
  ticularly if he has time to prepare his attacks or can 
  strike from a distance. If confronted by a group of 
  heroes he usually casts Wizard’s Shield upon him-
  self and then uses attack spells like Death Touch, 
  Mystic Dart, and History Of Blood to kill his ene-
  mies. For fun he may cast Sorcery spells to turn one 
  enemy against another. If reduced to half BODY or 
  less he usually ﬂees by casting the First Spell Of The 
  Crimson Ring, using his Ring Of Golden Birds, or 
  the like.
  Campaign Use:  Varakes (pronounced vah-RAH-
  kase) makes a good master villain for hero 
  groups not yet ready to face the likes of Kal-
  Turak. As the overlord of Gorgashtar and a pow-
  erful lich, he essentially has a free hand to do as 
  he likes provided he doesn’t disrupt the Ravager’s 
  other plans or weaken his forces. Between that 
  and his unquenchable thirst for new lore and 
  enchanted items the heroes could encounter 
  Varakes nearly anywhere in the world as part of 
  many different schemes.
  To make Varakes more powerful, give him 
  more spells and enchanted items. Alchemy, Ele-
  mental Magic, Enchantment, and Thaumaturgy 
  would all be good “expansion” schools for him. To 
  weaken him, remove his Combat Skill Levels with 
  spells, or even reduce his arsenal of spells.
  Varakes is an incredibly dangerous Hunter. 
  He has the patience and tenacity not only of the 
  undead, but of a wizard who’s lived for centuries. 
  He rarely bothers to confront his quarry directly, 
  preferring instead to work through servants, 
  hirelings, and conjured beings. In some cases he 
  captures his foes instead of killing them so he can 
  “play” with them in his torture-chambers.
  Appearance:  Perhaps the most powerful of Kal-
  Turak’s lieutenants, Varakes was once a mighty 
  wizard who used spells of Necromancy to extend 
  his life into Undeath. He looks like a withered, 
  dried-out, but unrotting corpse with glaring, 
  sunken eyes and no hair on his head or body. He 
  wears sumptuous enchanted robes of gold and 
  purple, and on his head rests a crown made of silver 
  ﬂames. His right hand usually grasps the Banestaﬀ, 
  a straight, smooth, jet-black staﬀ capped and shod 
  in silver. He speaks with a dry, rasping sort of voice 
  that sounds like leaves blowing over ﬂagstones.
  
  36 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  VARL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   70 STR 
  110 
  23- 
  Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [14]
   22 DEX 
  42 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   40 CON 100 
  17-
   34 BODY 76 
  16-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   45 PRE 
  60 
  18- 
  PRE Attack:  9d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   20 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  20 PD (4 rPD)
   20 ED 
  24 
   
  Total:  20 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  8 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   22 REC 
  0
   80 END 
  0
   100 STUN 22 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  480
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Air Magic
  11 
  Blaithelock’s Call To The Wind (FHG 63)
  2 
  Blaithelock’s Sphere Of Air (FHG 70)
  5 
  Calm The Winds (FHG 64)
  9 
  Donver’s Whirlwind (FHG 65)
  5 
  Fogbreaking (FHG 65)
  2 
  Freshen Air (FHG 72)
  2 
  Mage’s Wind (FHG 66)
  2 
  Mistshaping (FHG 73)
  8 
  Stelrane’s Second Spell Of The Slumbrous 
  Vapors (FHG 68)
  11 
  Ulgar’s Spell Of Deadly Deprivation (Strong 
  version) (FHG 69)
  4 
  Wall Of Cloud (FHG 70)
   
  Druidry
  6 
  Call To The Wilderness Denizens (FHG 39)
  2 
  Meldana’s Charm Of The Dragon’s Heart 
  (FHG 60)
  4 
  Selgar’s Unfriendly Terrain (FHG 46)
  5 
  The Spell Of The Sudden Fog (FHG 47)
  10 
  The Spell Of The Thorny Wall (FHG 52)
  2 
  Tracker’s Eye (FHG 61)
  3 
  Word Of Warping (FHG 49)
   
  Powers
  75 
  Control The Weather:  Change Environment  
  8” radius, +/-10 Temperature Levels,  
  Multiple Combat Eﬀects, Varying Combat 
  Eﬀects, Varying Eﬀect (+1), MegaArea  
  (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½),  
  Extra Time (1 Turn to activate; -¾) 
  0
  67 
  Lightning Blast:  RKA 3d6, Indirect  
  (any angle from above; +½) 
  7
  30 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; 
  +½) for up to 60 STR 
  3
  4 
  Toughness:  Damage Resistance ( 
  4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  3 
  Giantish Longevity:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  lifespan of 800 years) 
  0
  18 
  Long Legs:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  2
  6 
  Giantish Senses:  +2 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  7 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lieutenant of Kal-Turak; 
  Warden Of Thalamazzdar
   
  Skills
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 18-
  3 
  KS: Air Magic 13-
  3 
  KS: Druidry 13-
  25 
  Power:  Air Magic 24-
  25 
  Power:  Druidry 24-
  7 
  PS: Predict Weather 17-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/Subtropi-
  cal) 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  433
  Total Cost:  913
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Enraged:  in combat (Common), go 11-, 
  recover 11-
  20 
  Hunted:  forces of Good 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Cause 
  Suﬀering And Misery (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Arrogant, Overconﬁ-
  dent, And Vain (Very Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  728 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  913
  Background/History:  There are times when the 
  gods walk among Men... and Elves... and Orcs. 
  Once many years ago, Asvalak, god of battle, saw 
  a young storm giantess of great beauty. Driven 
  by lust he transformed himself into a storm 
  giant and forced himself upon her, then cast her 
  aside when his desires were satiated. The birth 
  of his son months later was so traumatic it killed 
  VARL’S ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Amulet Of Resistance:  This small amulet, crafted in 
  the shape of a shield, protects Varl from many types 
  of attacks. (Power Defense (5 points) plus Mental 
  Defense (7 points total))
  Ironskin Bracers:  Varl’s enchanted bracers make his 
  skin tougher than even the heaviest armor. (Damage 
  Resistance (+16 PD/+16 ED); OIF)
  VARL PLOT SEEDS
  Varl’s people, the storm 
  giants, contact the PCs. 
  They feel he’s a dis-
  grace and must be cap-
  tured and brought to 
  them for crimes against 
  them (or, if that’s not 
  possible, slain). They 
  offer rich rewards if the 
  heroes can accomplish 
  the task.
  Asvalak visits Varl in a 
  dream and orders him, 
  as his son, to find and 
  kill the heroes. What 
  does Asvalak have 
  against them, and why 
  has he chosen such a 
  blunt instrument for 
  the task?
  A comrade of the 
  heroes’ has been cap-
  tured by Kal-Turak’s 
  forces... and that means 
  he’s almost certainly 
  been imprisoned in 
  Thalamazzdar. To get 
  him out, they’re going 
  to have to go through 
  Varl....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  37 
  her. The boy became a virtual outcast in storm 
  giant society, scorned by the other giants for his 
  evil parentage. They called him Varl, meaning 
  “Accursed” in their tongue. Almost from his first 
  breath he had to struggle to survive.
  Fortunately for him, he was built for sur-
  vival. With the blood of a god flowing in his 
  veins, he grew up stronger and tougher than the 
  other giants, and his prowess with the arcane 
  powers of the storm giants matched his physi-
  cal might. When still just a youth he murdered 
  another giant who enraged him. Rather than face 
  the “unfair” justice of his people he fled, becom-
  ing an outcast in truth. He lived by himself in 
  wild places and underground caverns, preying on 
  the weak and luckless.
  One day Varl attacked someone he took to be 
  a helpless courier, intending to eat the man and 
  steal his valuables. But the “helpless” courier turned 
  out to be a servant of Kal-Turak with powers of 
  his own, and he escaped. Intent on teaching his 
  attacker a lesson, he sent out a force of the Ravag-
  er’s men to capture him and bring him back to the 
  prison of Thalamazzdar. When Kal-Turak heard 
  of this unusual captive, he investigated for himself. 
  Impressed with Varl’s bluster and unwillingness to 
  show fear, he oﬀered to free him from his duress 
  and spare his life... provided he became the warden 
  of the prison and Kal-Turak’s willing and loyal 
  servant. No fool, Varl agreed immediately and has 
  served the Ravager ever since — though perhaps 
  not as loyally as Kal-Turak would prefer.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varl’s physical size is 
  matched by his ego. Proud, vain, and overconﬁ-
  dent almost to the point of folly, he thinks no one 
  is mightier than he and that he can overcome any 
  obstacle. He shows oﬀ at every opportunity, partic-
  ularly enjoying the chance to “pick on” the “weak-
  lings” who serve him or are his captives. Inﬂicting 
  pain, whether it’s emotional or physical, entertains 
  him immensely.
  Quote:  “Pah! You think you can challenge me, little 
  thing? You have not known true might until you 
  have contended with Varl the Great!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Varl knows little of tactics — he 
  charges straight into battle, counting on his natural 
  strength and toughness to see him through. He 
  usually relies on his ﬁsts and Lightning Blast as his 
  main “weapons,” but uses his spells and powers as 
  necessary. For such a brute of a being he can be 
  unusually crafty at times; foes who underestimate 
  him often learn this to their regret.
  Campaign Use:  Varl represents the physical side of 
  Kal-Turak’s forces. If your heroes are in the mood 
  for a knock-down-drag-out ﬁght, rather than a 
  battle of wits and spells, the storm giant may be just 
  the adversary they need. It’s entirely possible that 
  Kal-Turak would give him a mission other than 
  serving as warden, so they could even encounter 
  him outside the Northlands.
  To make Varl tougher, increase his SPD to 5. 
  To weaken him, change his background so he’s not 
  divine-blooded and make him a storm giant runt 
  who’s weaker than usual (about 40 STR and other 
  corresponding reductions) and has to rely on his 
  spells and wits to make up the diﬀerence.
  Varl isn’t much of a Hunter — he lacks the 
  patience. If he encounters someone he has bad 
  memories of, he won’t hesitate to attack, but it’s not 
  like him to actively pursue someone... unless that 
  person made him really angry.
  Appearance:  Varl is a storm giant whose father is 
  Asvalak, god of slaughter. Tall and heavily-muscled 
  even for a giant, he relies on his immense strength 
  and his storm-magics in battle instead of carrying 
  a weapon. His hair is the blue-white of a lightning 
  bolt; his skin stormcloud grey; his teeth and nails 
  black. He wears a black tunic, pants, and boots, with 
  gold bracers around his wrists.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  None
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Implements of torture (possibly including a whip)
  
  38 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ZARLANG THUL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   23 STR 
  16 
  14- 
  Lift 600 kg; 4½d6 [5]
   19 DEX 
  27 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   23 CON 
  32 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   7 COM 
  -1 
  10-
   12 PD 
  11 
   
  Total:  15 PD (4 rPD)
   10 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  13 ED (4 rED)
   5 SPD 
  31 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  6 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  168
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Greatswordﬁghting
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Damage/Effect
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Evade 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  4 
  Fast Slash 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Half-Sword 
   
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm, +10 
  STR to Disarm 
  roll, Requires 
  Both Hands
  3 
  Half-Sword Trip  +2  
  +0  
  Weapon Strike, 
  Target Falls, 
  Requires Both 
  Hands
  5 
  Power Slash 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrust/
   
  Cautious Slash -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  13 
  The Crushing Fists Of Zarlang Thul:  HA 
  +4d6; Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  2
  7 
  Intimidating Mien:  +15 PRE; Only For  
  Fear-/Intimidation-Based Presence  
  Attacks (-1) 
  0
  1 
  Half-Orc’s Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  20 
  Pain Tolerance:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%;  
  STUN Only (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Orcish Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Observant Half-Orc:  +2 to PER Rolls  
  with all Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  7 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lieutenant of Kal-Turak; 
  Overlord Of Vithoomshoraz
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  CK: Vithoomshoraz 12-
  2 
  KS: Inhabitants Of Vithoomshoraz 11-
  2 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary World 11-
  2 
  KS: Orcish Civilization And Culture 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Eastern Skhai is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  161
  Total Cost:  329
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  forces of Good 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Evil And Cruel 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Belligerent And 
  Aggressive (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  toughest man in Vithooms-
  horaz, 14-
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  169 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  329
  Background/History:  There was a time when the 
  dark city of Vithoomshoraz was little more than a 
  war zone. Kal-Turak left his followers there to do 
  as they would, and the result was constant ﬁght-
  ing among tribes of Orcs, bands of Ogres, clans of 
  Trolls, and the other vicious beings who serve him. 
  It was this Darwinian cauldron that bred the man 
  who would become the city’s unquestioned leader.
  Zarlang Thul is a half-Orc. Abandoned to his 
  father’s people (whom he favors) at an early age, he 
  grew up in the rough-and-tumble Orcish world, 
  having to fend for himself at every turn. As a result 
  he grew up strong, fast, cruel, and self-reliant. When 
  he was old enough he left the Skyclaws behind for 
  mercenary work, wielding his blade for whoever 
  would hire him.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  39 
  As his reputation for 
  strength and “eﬃciency” (cru-
  elty) grew, he began to work 
  for the forces of Kal-Turak 
  (though he rarely knew that). 
  Eventually he was brought to 
  Vithoomshoraz and embraced 
  his role as one of the Ravager’s 
  soldiers wholeheartedly. He 
  thrived there, turning his 
  mercenary band into a small 
  army and eventually making it 
  one of the most powerful and 
  feared in the city.
  Taking note of his 
  accomplishments, Kal-Turak 
  himself decided the time 
  had come to impose order 
  on Vithoomshoraz. He made 
  Zarlang Thul its overlord, with 
  one simple command:  bring 
  the city under control. It took 
  him nearly ﬁve years, but Thul 
  did it by slowly but surely kill-
  ing oﬀ his rivals and forcing 
  the “citizens” to obey his word 
  as law. While the city today 
  isn’t exactly a peaceful or 
  safe place, it’s far better than 
  it was... and at the top of the 
  heap sits Zarlang Thul.
  Personality/Motivation:  Thul 
  comes across as a vicious, 
  ruthless, evil, aggressive, 
  belligerent warrior — the typical Orc turned 
  up to “overdrive.” He is all of those things, and 
  more, but to some extent he’s putting on an act. 
  He’s smarter than he pretends to be; he couldn’t 
  control Vithoomshoraz if he didn’t have his wits 
  about him.
  Thul reacts to challenges, insults, and taunts 
  poorly (in game terms, they tend to trigger his 
  Belligerent And Aggressive Psychological Limita-
  tion). If he fails his EGO Roll to keep himself in 
  check, he’s likely to respond by attacking. Usu-
  ally he opens up with a surprise attack involving 
  the nearest heavy or sharp object he can lay his 
  hands on, then draws a weapon and keeps going 
  until his opponent is chastised or dead.
  Quote:  “Choose your words carefully, fool, or you’ll 
  soon have no throat to speak them out of.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Thul’s weapon of choice is the 
  greatsword, and he wields it with skill. He doesn’t 
  just hack and slash away, even when angry; he 
  fights with agility, often moving one hand up to 
  the ricasso so he can better control the move-
  ment of the blade, parry attacks, or use the Club 
  Weapon maneuver.
  In most fights, Thul splits his Combat Skill 
  Levels evenly between OCV and DCV, though he 
  may adjust them to compensate for a CV modi-
  fier from a Martial Maneuver. If he thinks he has 
  an edge on an opponent he may shift them all to 
  OCV in an effort to end the fight quickly.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Marbod 
  +2 
  — 
  3d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  15 
  See text
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Mighty Orcish Scalemail (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Seal of oﬃce
  ZARLANG THUL 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Marbod has been stolen! 
  When he gets word that 
  the PCs have been seen 
  using a sword just like it, 
  Zarlang Thul sets out to 
  get it back... no matter 
  what it takes. But what 
  happens when he ﬁnds 
  out he’s been tricked and 
  the PCs ﬁnd out they’ve 
  been set up?
  A potential rival for 
  power in Vithooms-
  horaz, a three-headed 
  ogre with magical 
  powers, is making Zar-
  lang Thul’s life diﬃcult. 
  He decides to use the 
  heroes to eliminate his 
  rival by forcing the ogre 
  to undertake a mission 
  away from the city, and 
  then leaking informa-
  tion about it to the PCs.
  The magically-disguised 
  PCs sneak into Vi-
  thoomshoraz on a mis-
  sion. While there they 
  get involved in a ﬁghting 
  competition sweeping 
  the city. The winner’s 
  prize? The chance to 
  face Zarlang Thul in 
  single combat....
  
  40 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  Perhaps other than Obar Black-
  thew, Zarlang Thul is the lieutenant of Kal-Turak 
  the PCs are most likely to meet. Although he’s 
  temporarily ruling a city of humanoids, ulti-
  mately Thul is a warrior and mercenary captain, 
  and that’s how the Ravager intends to use him. 
  He could be assigned to lead an army on an 
  attack against some Ardunan kingdom, thus 
  bringing him into direct conflict with the PCs.
  To make Zarlang Thul a tougher opponent, 
  give him some Extra DCs with his Martial Arts, 
  and perhaps a point of DEX or three. To weaken 
  him, reduce his SPD to 4 and his CSLs to four 
  as well.
  Zarlang Thul won’t Hunt heroes unless 
  ordered to do so, in which case he’ll follow orders.
  Appearance:  Zarlang Thul is a mighty half-Orc 
  warrior whose features favor his orcish ances-
  try. His skin is an ugly muddy green shade, and 
  his hair and eyes are black. A scar cuts across 
  his face from his middle right forehead, down 
  across the bridge of his nose, to the left side 
  of his mouth, giving him a perpetual hideous 
  sneer. Strong enough to crush a pewter drink-
  ing mug in one hand the way an ordinary man 
  crumples a piece of paper, he wields Marbod, a 
  greatsword with runes engraved along its length 
  and a purple-blue diamond for a pommelstone. 
  In battle he wears an enchanted suit of scale mail 
  patterned after the orcish style.
  ZARLANG THUL’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Marbod:  Made of dark steel, with runes of malice 
  and woe that glow with a purplish witchﬁre 
  engraved along its length, Marbod is a powerful 
  and intimidating greatsword that only a strong war-
  rior can wield. It’s particularly useful for attacking 
  several foes in a single stroke, leading some men to 
  call it “the Scythe of Skulls.” (HKA 3d6, +1 Increased 
  STUN Multiplier, 0 END; OAF, STR Min 15 plus +2 
  OCV plus +4 OCV with Sweeps)
  Dragonsheart Pommelstone:  When aﬃxed to any 
  sword, a Dragonsheart Pommelstone allows the wielder 
  to cause the blade to become enveloped in dragons-
  ﬂame for a period of twelve seconds. During that time 
  the sword cuts through armor more easily, and thus 
  inﬂicts deeper wounds. (Armor Piercing for any sword 
  built on up to 200 Active Points, Continuous, Trigger 
  [thought command from wielder]; OAF, 4 Continuing 
  Charges lasting 1 Turn each)
  Everfull Mug:  One of Thul’s most treasured posses-
  sions, this mug reﬁlls itself upon command with 
  whatever sort of liquor the owner desires. If poured 
  out of the mug the liquor becomes water (so it can’t 
  be used to ﬁll other peoples’ drinking-cups or to 
  start a ﬁre), but if drunk straight from the mug it’s 
  the real thing. (Major Transform (air in mug to any 
  type of liquor), 0 END; OAF)
  Mighty Orcish Scalemail:  This armor looks like typical 
  Orcish scalemail (albeit very well-made compared to 
  most), but it was fashioned by Kal-Turak’s best smiths 
  to be as strong as chainmail yet as light as clothing. 
  (DEF 7 armor, No Mass)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  41 
  Membership:  Krogg the Axe; Gorbar the Archer; vari-
  ous bandits
  Background/History:  “History? Who need history? 
  Krogg has axe!”
  Like most bandit groups, Krogg and his “fol-
  lowers” don’t really have much history. They’re just 
  a group of Men and other humanoids who prefer 
  (or have been driven to) the outlaw life and have 
  come together for protection and power. The group 
  coalesced around Krogg, a mighty half-Orc warrior, 
  several years ago and has stayed together largely 
  because it’s enjoyed a lot of success — but also 
  because Krogg, for all his crudity, is a good leader.
  Group Relations:  Any group of people has its ten-
  sions, and a group of thieves and killers doubly so... 
  but somehow Krogg controls the situation. With a 
  combination of intimidation, humor, and morale-
  building he keeps the problems to a minimum 
  and the group functioning pretty smoothly. This, 
  as much as anything, is responsible for the group’s 
  success (and thus infamy).
  Tactics:  Like most bandit groups, Krogg’s men don’t 
  want to ﬁght in the open — that’s risky. They want to 
  ambush travelers and caravans and take whatever they 
  can. Their life is a running battle between themselves 
  and merchants’ guards as they try to ﬁnd new places 
  and ways to ambush traders, and the guards try to 
  protect the merchants against that.
  Since Gorbar the Archer joined him, Krogg 
  has been able to expand the group’s tactics. Having 
  an extremely-skilled bowman gives him a way to 
  pick oﬀ targets from a distance and intimidate 
  people into surrendering. Nothing’s as likely to take 
  the ﬁght out of someone as having a clothyard shaft 
  thud into the ground right next to his feet.
  For the typical member of Krogg’s Bandits, 
  use the Bandit character sheet from page 119 of 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. For a few more 
  notable bandits, substitute the Barbarian War-
  rior, City Guard, Horse Nomad, Knight, or Soldier 
  templates from that book and give the character 
  a name and background to explain why he’s now 
  working as a bandit. (See below for a few capsule 
  descriptions you can ﬂesh out into full character 
  sheets if you like.)
  Campaign Use:  Krogg’s Bandits is a more or less 
  typical group of wolf’s-heads with a few interesting 
  personalities thrown into the mix. You can use it as 
  a template for other bandit groups, or move it to just 
  about any part of Ambrethel if your campaign doesn’t 
  take place in and around the Bandit Lands. Krogg and 
  his men work best as foes for weaker PCs, perhaps 
  heroes just starting out on their careers.
  To make Krogg’s Bandits tougher, give it a 
  few more “named” members — distinctive and 
  (relatively) powerful personalities rather than 
  just generic bandits. In campaigns featuring a lot 
  of spellcasting and magic items you may need to 
  supply the group with its own wizard and an arse-
  nal of enchanted weaponry so it remains threaten-
  ing. To weaken the group, make Krogg a poorer 
  leader and the group prone to inﬁghting, factional-
  ism, and ineﬃciency.
  Krogg’s Bandits generally don’t Hunt charac-
  ters — their goal is proﬁt. They don’t want to leave 
  the Bandit Lands (where they have “home ﬁeld 
  advantage”) or get involved in vendettas. They won’t 
  forget someone who’s done them wrong, but they 
  can wait for the right opportunity to get revenge.
  KROGG’S
  BANDITS
  KROGG’S BANDITS  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Krogg’s Bandits kidnap a highborn lady and hold her 
  for ransom. The PCs are hired (or assigned, as appro-
  priate) to get her back, whether that means deliver-
  ing the ransom or staging a daring rescue.
  Krogg and his men attack a caravan and make oﬀ 
  with a couple of wagons’ worth of goods. Unbe-
  knownst to them, one of the crates contains a dan-
  gerous magical device... and by removing it from the 
  caravan and the caravan’s protective spells, they’ve 
  exposed themselves to dangerous levels of “magi-
  cal radiation.” They’ll soon start transforming into 
  hideous (and powerful) monsters if someone doesn’t 
  contain the item properly.
  Someone important has gotten lost in the Bandit 
  Lands... and no one knows the area as well as Krogg 
  and his men. The heroes have to convince Krogg to 
  help them, and fast — before their target has an unfor-
  tunate encounter with some other group of bandits.
  
  42 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  KROGG THE AXE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  100
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  7 
  Brutal Fighter:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  4 
  Swift:  Running +2” (8” total)  
  1
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  Leader of 
  Krogg’s Bandits
  2 
  Reputation:  toughest bandit in the Bandit 
  Lands (in Aarn and the Bandit Lands) 11-, 
  +1/+1d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  8 
  +4 OCV with Battle Axes
  12 
  Targeting Skill Levels:  +4 vs. Hit Location 
  penalties with all attacks
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  4 
  AK: Bandit Lands 13-
  2 
  CK: Aarn 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Martial Arts Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  81
  Total Cost:  181
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Aarnese authorities 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  other bandit chieftains 8- (As 
  Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Won’t Work For 
  Others; Must Be In Charge (Common, Strong)
  46 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  181
  Background/History:  Krogg’s father was a Thor-
  darian sailor, his mother an Aarnese harlot. He 
  grew up on the streets of Aarn, dreaming of 
  the day he could become a sailor like his father. 
  When he was old enough he ran away to sea, but 
  it didn’t suit him — he got seasick easily, and 
  what’s worse he chafed at the rigid shipboard 
  discipline after a lifetime of doing mostly what 
  he pleased. When the ship returned to Aarn he 
  left the mariner’s life behind forever.
  He tried being a thief for a while, but he had 
  the same problem:  he didn’t want to do what 
  anybody told him. Unable to work within a guild, 
  he tried freelancing, but all that got him was a 
  price on his head. He fled the city for the Bandit 
  Lands, eventually falling in with a group of out-
  laws. He fit in with the rough-and-tumble group 
  well at first, but then began causing trouble for 
  the leader with his stubborness and constant 
  questioning of orders. Tempers flared one day 
  and the two began to fight. A few seconds later 
  the former leader was lacking a head and the 
  group had a new name:  Krogg’s Bandits.
  Since then Krogg has developed a reputation 
  as the fiercest, toughest, most dangerous bandit 
  in the Bandit Lands. He and his men are feared 
  by merchants and travelers all around the region, 
  and for a bandit he lives pretty well. He’s just 
  where he wants to be:  on top of the heap and 
  answering to no one.
  Personality/Motivation:  Krogg has a strong “alpha 
  male” sort of personality. In any group he wants 
  to be the one in control; when not in a group, he 
  simply wants to be left alone. If he’s not in charge 
  he’ll cause enough problems that either he gets 
  kicked out or finds a way to challenge for the top 
  position. That, combined with his strong streak 
  of greed, makes him an ideal leader for a gang of 
  bandits... though at times he’s a bit too likely to 
  go after rich targets that are too well-guarded for 
  his men to attack safely.
  Quote:  “I lead here! Do as I say or taste the blade of 
  my axe!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Krogg is a strong, tough ﬁghter 
  whose preferred weapon is a battleaxe made from a 
  cut-down bill hook. He’s had it balanced just so to 
  favor his strengths and style of ﬁghting. With it he 
  can easily take a man’s head oﬀ with a single swing.
  In combat Krogg usually ﬁghts aggressively, 
  taking the battle to the foe directly and keeping 
  most of his Combat Skill Levels in OCV or damage. 
  If he can’t overwhelm a foe quickly this way, he 
  may switch to a more defensive stance to buy time 
  for one of his men to come help, or he may get 
  frustrated, put all his Levels into OCV, and go for a 
  Head shot.
  Campaign Use:  Krogg is fairly typical, as bandit 
  leaders go, though he’s tougher and more distinc-
  tive than most. You can use him as a model for 
  other outlaw chieftains, or distinguish him further 
  by giving him speciﬁc ties to your PC or campaign.
  KROGG PLOT SEEDS
  Krogg has to venture 
  back into Aarn for sup-
  plies and gets spotted by 
  an old adversary... who 
  alerts the thieves’ guilds. 
  Now he’s got half the 
  thieves in Aarn on his 
  tail and they’re watch-
  ing the gates. The PCs 
  encounter him as he 
  runs for his life from a 
  group of them. He looks 
  like an innocent victim 
  ﬂeeing from robbers. 
  What will they do, and 
  how will they extricate 
  themselves from the 
  mess they get into if 
  they help him?
  Krogg and his men 
  ambush the PCs and 
  capture them. Krogg 
  agrees to let them go if 
  they pledge not to attack 
  him and his men again 
  and agree to retrieve 
  a valuable artifact he’s 
  heard about. What will 
  they do? Will they feel 
  honorbound to keep a 
  promise made to a noto-
  rious bandit? Why is 
  Krogg so eager to obtain 
  this particular item?
  Aarn puts a large bounty 
  on Krogg’s head. Time 
  for the PCs to cash in....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  43 
  To make Krogg tougher, 
  give him some Martial Arts 
  with his axe, and perhaps 
  some additional defenses. To 
  weaken him, reduce his STR 
  and CON to 15-17 and his 
  DEX to 18.
  Krogg’s only likely to 
  Hunt someone who either (a) 
  has something he really, really 
  wants, or (b) poses some 
  challenge to his leadership 
  position (either directly by 
  challenging him, or indirectly 
  by making him look bad). 
  Otherwise he’d rather concen-
  trate on keeping things the 
  way they are; he likes his life 
  just ﬁne.
  Appearance:  Krogg is a half-
  Orc, 6’0” tall with a wiry, 
  athletic body that belies his 
  great strength but clearly 
  signals his great agility. His 
  skin is a sort of grey-white 
  shade, his hair and eyes 
  black, his teeth halfway 
  between orcish tusks and 
  human teeth. His favored 
  weapon is an “axe” that’s 
  really a bill hook cut down 
  from polearm to battleaxe 
  size. In battle he usually 
  wears a mix of chainmail 
  and brigandine armors.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Krogg’s Axe 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  14 
  See text
  Throwing Axe 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  2 
  6 
  Carries two
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Brigandine and chain (average DEF 5 overall)
  Gear:  Flint and steel, tent, bedroll, armor and weapon maintenance tools
  
  44 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  GORBAR THE ARCHER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   12 PRE 
  2 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   26 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  60
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  2 
  Archer’s Strength:  +5 STR; Only To Meet 
  STR Minimum For Bows (-1) 
  1
   
  Perks
  1 
  Fringe Benefit:  Membership:  in  
  Krogg’s Bandits 
   
  Talents
  8 
  Combat Archery
  4 
  Rapid Archery
   
  Skills
  10 
  +5 OCV with Bows
  16 
  Range Skill Levels:  +8 vs. the Range Modiﬁer 
  with Bows
  12 
  Targeting Skill Levels:  +6 vs. Hit Location 
  penalties with Bows
  2 
  AK: The Bandit Lands 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  1 
  Sleight Of Hand 8-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  2 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered Ranged) 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  75
  Total Cost:  135
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Thurgandian authorities 8- (Mo 
  Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, 
  Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  other bandits 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Merciful; 
  Doesn’t Want To Be A Bandit (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  15 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  135
  Background/History:  Gorbar was once a peasant 
  lad from a poor family in Verlichten. To help put 
  food on the table he became a poacher, hunting 
  illicitly on nobles’ land for deer, fowl, and other 
  game. The noble who owned the lands he hunted 
  was a harsh, even cruel, man, and getting caught 
  meant certain death... so Gorbar became good at 
  not getting caught.
  One day he came home from hunting to ﬁnd 
  two of the nobleman’s men assaulting his mother 
  and sister. Without even thinking about it he shot 
  each of them, killing them. To keep his family 
  from being implicated he dragged the bodies to 
  the forest; the story spread that he’d shot the two 
  soldiers when they caught him poaching. The noble 
  sent other men to bring him in. He avoided them 
  using his woodland skills, but he knew it was only 
  a matter of time — he couldn’t stay there. Gather-
  ing his meager possessions he ﬂed west and south, 
  eventually winding up in the Bandit Lands.
  No hardened outlaw, he should have been easy 
  pickings for Krogg’s Bandits when they met him — 
  but a well-placed arrow or two convinced them he 
  wasn’t to be triﬂed with. Recognizing a good thing 
  when he saw it, Krogg oﬀered Gorbar a position in 
  the group, and he’s been a part of this strange and 
  often violent band of brothers ever since.
  Personality/Motivation:  Unlike the rest of Krogg’s 
  Bandits, Gorbar doesn’t really want to be an 
  outlaw. He only poached to survive; the thought 
  of crime to gain riches or for amusement sickens 
  him. Whenever possible he tries to be “merci-
  ful” to the group’s victims — shooting to warn 
  or injure instead of kill, for example — but he 
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  45 
  can’t always do that, and he’s wracked with guilt 
  because of it. Even worse, some of the other 
  bandits suspect he’s up to something because he 
  doesn’t act “normal” like them.
  Quote:  “One more step and this arrow ends your 
  life. Choose wisely.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Gorbar is an expert archer, his 
  accuracy and instincts honed by years of hunting 
  and banditry. He’s good enough to keep from kill-
  ing his opponents unless he wants to, and usually 
  goes for leg and shoulder shots unless the situation 
  calls for stronger measures. He rarely puts himself 
  near the front lines, preferring to remain in the 
  back and behind cover as much as possible.
  Campaign Use:  Gorbar is a weak link in Krogg’s 
  Bandits — someone the PCs can identify with, 
  sympathize with, and perhaps even help. In terms 
  of viewpoint he has much more in common with 
  heroes than bandits, and could easily be per-
  suaded to “jump ship” and join the PCs if he has 
  faith in them. Earning his faith at this point will 
  take work, though.
  To make Gorbar tougher, beef up his Char-
  acteristics a bit and give him some HTH Combat 
  abilities so he’s not restricted to archery. To 
  weaken him, halve his number of Range Skill 
  Levels and Targeting Skill Levels, and perhaps 
  reduce his DEX to 15-16.
  Gorbar doesn’t Hunt anyone unless ordered to 
  by Krogg, in which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Gorbar is a handsome man in his 
  early 20s with blonde hair and green eyes; in 
  other circumstances it would be easy to see him 
  as a courtier or knight. While he’s by no means 
  puny, he looks a bit small and “weak” compared 
  to the hard-bitten men he works with... but 
  appearances can be deceiving. A skilled archer, 
  he can draw and fire his heavy bow repeatedly, a 
  task many strong men find difficult. When trou-
  ble threatens, he wears studded leather armor; 
  he also carries a short sword on his right hip (his 
  quiver of arrows is on his left).
  OTHER BANDITS
  Here are brief descriptions of a few other 
  members of Krogg’s Bandits:
  One-Eyed Burek:  An errant dagger-blow took this 
  hard-faced Dwarf’s left eye three years ago, leav-
  ing him with a distinctive scar and an even worse 
  attitude than before. The polar opposite of Gorbar, 
  he doesn’t have a kind word or thought for anyone 
  and will just as soon kill a victim as not. In battle he 
  wields a short sword in his right hand and a hatchet 
  in his left.
  Helver:  This half-Elf bandit is the only competi-
  tion Gorbar has for accuracy, though he prefers to 
  use the crossbow (on the grounds that it’s “more 
  intimidating”). He is, if anything, even greedier 
  than Krogg and always insists on a precise count-
  ing, valuing, and divvying-up of the loot.
  Kelleg the Clever:  A former Aarnese thief just 
  like Krogg, Kelleg did not leave under a cloud 
  and still has many friends in the City of Storms. 
  He’s the bandits’ main contact with fences back 
  in the city who can sell off the goods they steal... 
  and who sometimes tip them off about heavily-
  laden caravans.
  Lorgi:  Lorgi is the best tracker Krogg has, one who 
  can follow a days-old trail over rocky ground with 
  ease. He used to work with another gang of bandits 
  but left it for reasons he won’t discuss.
  GORBAR  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Gorbar receives word 
  that his sister is being 
  forced to marry the 
  evil nobleman! Desper-
  ate to prevent this, he 
  recruits the PCs to help 
  him go back to Verli-
  chten and rescue her 
  from this horrible fate. 
  But what if she wants 
  to marry the man?
  Krogg’s Bandits capture 
  the PCs. They tie them 
  to trees and want to 
  watch as Gorbar uses 
  them for archery prac-
  tice... but Gorbar refuses. 
  Now he’s tied up along-
  side them and things 
  don’t look good. How 
  will they all get away?
  When a female PC who 
  grew up as a Verlich-
  ten peasant is travel-
  ing with her friends 
  through the Bandit 
  Lands, how will she 
  react when she discov-
  ers that her big brother 
  is now a feared bandit?
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Very Hvy Longbow +0 
  +1 
  2d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  18 
  2H, No Horse, Conc
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Leather (DEF 3)
  Gear:  Bowyer’s toolkit, ﬂint and steel, tent, bedroll
  
  46 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Membership:  Arvagh; Kelgar Coalbeard; Valmarrel-
  lien; Yanna Windhand
  Background/History:  The Red Talon Guild — so 
  called from its symbol, adapted from the Arvagh 
  family coat of arms — came together out of the 
  commercial interest of its four primary members. 
  Arvagh and Kelgar Coalbeard, once adventuring 
  companions, hit on the idea of slave-trading as a 
  way to maintain a comfortable income after they 
  gave up the adventurer’s life. Yanna Windhand, a 
  sometime contact from their adventuring days, had 
  the knowledge of slave markets legal and illegal 
  that they needed to make their operation a success, 
  so they brought her in as a third partner.
  Their plan, in brief, was to kidnap people 
  from areas where slavery is generally illegal (such 
  as the Westerlands and northern Mhorecia), 
  transport them to areas where it’s legal (southern 
  Mhorecia, Khoria, Vornakkia, and Thûn) and 
  sell them. By taking their victims far from their 
  homes they could minimize the risk of recovery, 
  thus justifying the added expense and trouble. 
  The Guild’s early efforts succeeded, but not as 
  easily as expected; too many of the victims were 
  too troublesome. The solution to this dilemma 
  was Valmarrellien, an Elven sorcerer more than 
  willing to use his powers to “pacify” captives in 
  exchange for a share of the profits.
  In the years since, the Guild has streamlined 
  its operations, making them as eﬃcient and suc-
  cessful as possible. It has developed a wide network 
  of street gangs, bandit groups, and Orc tribes who 
  kidnap victims and turn them over for a fee. It 
  then transports them to buyers in distant regions, 
  though in some cases it has developed markets 
  with Orcs and Ogres eager for slaves (or food) and 
  civilized enough to trade peaceably for them. Care-
  fully concealing its activities from the authorities as 
  much as possible, it’s become a major moneymak-
  ing operation for its primary “directors” (a total of 
  about a dozen people, including the four primary 
  leaders described here)... and a source of misery 
  and pain for many of the peoples of Arduna.
  Group Relations:  In most cases, the members of the 
  Red Talon Guild get along well. They’ve built a large 
  organization and are getting rich from it, and that 
  tends to keep people happy. Arvagh and Kolgar in 
  particular have a long friendship (at least insofar 
  as people like them can have friends) and trust one 
  another about as much as two criminals can. To the 
  extent that tensions exist in the group, they have 
  to do with leadership and decisionmaking. Arvagh 
  has generally become “ﬁrst among equals,” but both 
  Valmarrellien and Yanna think they would make 
  better leaders (and each of them has his or her sup-
  porters among the lesser members).
  Below the level of main leadership are the sec-
  ondary leaders, each of whom tends to be respon-
  sible for a particular leg of the Guild’s trade route, a 
  speciﬁc market, or the like. They in turn command 
  various hirelings, ﬂunkies, and hangers-on who 
  handle the day-to-day business of the Guild. This 
  include either meeting with “suppliers” or planning 
  kidnapping missions of their own, depending on 
  the situation. The four leaders described here see 
  to the overall functioning of the Guild, make sure 
  proﬁts get distributed fairly (something they’re 
  scrupulous about, to prevent hard feelings), and 
  handle any problems that arise.
  Tactics:  Since the Red Talon Guild isn’t a combat 
  organization, it doesn’t really have “group tactics” as 
  such — some members have never even met each 
  other, and others meet only rarely. To the extent it 
  has an organizational “tactic,” it’s “maintain a low 
  proﬁle.” The leaders know that exposure could ruin 
  everything they’ve worked for, so they try to keep 
  things as secretive as reasonably possible. They 
  prefer to work with persons they have an estab-
  lished reputation with or who come highly recom-
  mended, for example — they don’t just put out the 
  word that they’re looking for captives and pay oﬀ 
  anyone who shows up with a kidnapping victim.
  Resources:  The Guild’s most important asset is 
  its network of contacts and hirelings, but beyond 
  that it’s accumulated many resources over the 
  years. These include:  several manor houses, 
  castles, towers, or other buildings where they can 
  hide slaves as they travel along their trade route; 
  a fleet of about half a dozen ships, two of which 
  have magical enhancements so they sail more 
  quickly than the wind allows; and many wagons 
  and carts suitable for transporting 2-10 people 
  plus one or two drivers.
  Campaign Use:  The Red Talon Guild represents 
  a large-scale, long-term foe for your heroes to 
  tackle. Since it’s a continent-spanning organization, 
  destroying it isn’t just a matter of killing the four 
  people described here — the heroes have to ﬁnd 
  the secondary leaders and destroy or cripple them, 
  and then root out other remnants of the organiza-
  tion from Dar Vendrazhian to Talarshand. Getting 
  rid of the Guild should be the focus of a major 
  story arc, or even an entire campaign, not a single 
  game session.
  To make the Guild more powerful, advance 
  a few of the secondary leaders to “primary leader” 
  status on par with the four described here, and 
  give the Guild its own private mercenary army. It 
  THE RED  
  TALON GUILD
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  47 
  already hires plenty of mercenaries, but if it has 
  enough pull to establish and maintain a standing 
  army somewhere that it can call on it represents an 
  even bigger threat. To weaken it, worsen relations 
  between the leaders so that they work together 
  grudgingly (at best) and will quickly turn on one 
  another when things start to go bad.
  The Guild only Hunts those who cause it 
  persistent problems; otherwise it prefers to focus 
  on making money. It deals with its adversaries 
  as quietly and indirectly as it can, using assas-
  sination, bribes, and similar methods rather than 
  brute force attacks.
  ARVAGH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   12 EGO 
  4 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  4
   34 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  84
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  3”/6”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Swordﬁghting Plus
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Avoid 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge all 
  attacks; Abort
  4 
  Counterstrike +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike, Must 
  Follow Block
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Plunging Strike -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +6 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Slash 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrust 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  8 
  +2 Extra Damage Classes (already added in)
  7 
  Brawler:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  1 
  Strong Swimmer:  Swimming +1” (3” total) 1
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader in the 
  Red Talon Guild
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  12 
  +4 with Swords and Whips
  3 
  Bribery 13-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; Ves-
  trian is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Talarshandi (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Velkaran (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Westerlands Ghoralzod (basic 
  conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  RED TALON GUILD  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Classic Red Talon plot #1:  A friend or relative of 
  one of the PCs disappears. While investigating the 
  matter, the heroes stumble across the Guild and 
  begin ﬁghting it.
  Classic Red Talon plot #2:  The heroes arrive in an 
  isolated village from which several people have 
  recently disappeared. The villagers believe the place 
  has come under a curse; many are preparing to leave. 
  While investigating the matter, the heroes stumble 
  across the Guild and begin ﬁghting it.
  Yanna Windhand sees a handsome male PC on the 
  streets of some city and decides she wants him as 
  a plaything. She arranges to have Guild hirelings 
  kidnap him for her own personal use. Naturally the 
  heroes may have something to say about this....
  ARVAGH  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Arvagh decides he’s 
  unhappy that his family 
  treated him so badly 
  way back when, so he 
  begins a campaign of 
  harassment and murder 
  intended to destroy it 
  and takes its lands for 
  himself (in disguise, 
  of course). The House 
  of Altonshar asks the 
  heroes for help to thwart 
  this mysterious attack.
  Arvagh’s leading a 
  slave caravan when 
  the heroes ambush it 
  in a mountain pass 
  in an attempt to free 
  the slaves. When an 
  untimely rockslide 
  traps all of them in the 
  pass, will they work 
  with the ruthless slaver 
  to win free?
  Someone kills Arvagh... 
  and the clues point to 
  the PCs! The Red Talon 
  Guild begins a cam-
  paign of reprisal, sur-
  prising the heroes (who 
  had nothing to do with 
  it). They have to investi-
  gate and ﬁgure out who 
  the culprit is to keep the 
  organization oﬀ their 
  backs. And is Arvagh 
  really dead...?
  
  48 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 12-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  5 
  Trading 14-
  6 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Staﬀ, Whip
  1 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH) 8-
  3 
  Traveler
  2     
  1)  AK: Mhorecia 12-
  2     
  2)  AK: Vornakkia 12-
  2     
  3)  AK: Westerlands 12-
  2     
  4)  CK: Aarn 12-
  2     
  5)  CK: Marasa 12-
  2     
  6)  CK: Talarshand 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  1610
  Total Cost:  245
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Feature:  red talon mark on some 
  possessions or worn objects (Easily Con-
  cealed; Noticed And Recognizable)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Pitiless 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Disowned By Family 
  (Occasionally, Minor)
  125 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  245
  Background/History:  There’s a black sheep in every 
  large family, and for the Vestrian House of Altonshar 
  that was Arvagh. Loud, crass, and full of appetites his 
  family disapproved of, he was a constant embarrass-
  ment. Even worse, he often got into trouble with the 
  authorities, forcing his father the Baron to come to 
  his rescue. Finally, the family could take no more and 
  formally disowned him, strip-
  ping him of all privileges and 
  wealth he might otherwise have 
  enjoyed. To this day he remains 
  something of an outcast in 
  Vestria, unable to mingle with 
  polite society.
  Arvagh didn’t care — he’d 
  known for years that the life 
  of a nobleman wasn’t for him. 
  Putting his military training 
  to use he became a mercenary, 
  ﬁghting battles wherever some-
  one paid him to. When that 
  paled, he became an adventurer, 
  ruthlessly exploiting whatever 
  opportunity for money or 
  power came his way. It was 
  during this time that he met 
  the Dwarven warrior Kelgar 
  Coalbeard, who’s been his com-
  panion in adventure and proﬁt 
  ever since.
  As age began to take 
  its toll and he tired of the 
  aches and pains of ﬁght-
  ing Orc-lords and dragons, 
  Arvagh thought about what 
  he wanted to do with the rest 
  of his life. He had money, 
  but not enough to live on for 
  years in the style he preferred. 
  Discussing it with Kelgar, 
  the two of them decided that 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Bloodstone Sword +2 
  —  
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  —  
  12 
  See text box
  Lash of Anguish 
  +1 
  —  
  1d6 
  1d6 
  —  
  5 
  See text box
  Heavy Longbow 
  +0 
  +1 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  15
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Silverring Mail (DEF 8)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Writing supplies
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  49 
  slave-trading presented the least risk for the highest 
  proﬁt they could reasonably obtain.
  That brainstorm led Arvagh to where he is 
  today — the leader of an Arduna-wide organiza-
  tion that brings in immense proﬁts every year. Even 
  after everyone else gets a cut, Arvagh makes plenty 
  of gold, and that’s just the way he likes it.
  Personality/Motivation:  Arvagh is the most cold, 
  calculating, pitiless person you could expect to 
  meet. He cares nothing for the suﬀering or diﬃcul-
  ties he may cause; all he thinks about is himself and 
  his organization. He can watch a person undergo 
  brutal torture and feel not the slightest twinge of 
  sympathy. In fact, the thing that’s likely to arouse 
  the strongest emotions in him is someone trying to 
  steal something he owns, or cheat him — either of 
  which send him into a murderous rage. He has dif-
  ﬁculty relating to other people because he feels and 
  displays so little emotion.
  As the Red Talon Guild has grown and pros-
  pered, Arvagh’s become its chief administrator 
  and manager, a change he’s not entirely happy 
  with. He’s also become obsessed with secrecy and 
  security, where once he was a hard-charging war-
  rior who didn’t care what anyone thought of him. 
  While he wants to keep the Guild on a successful 
  path, there are times when he yearns to be back 
  out in the field, swinging his sword with aban-
  don, destroying his foes....
  Quote:  “Let’s move quickly. The sooner we’re done 
  here, the sooner we’re gone with no one the wiser.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Arvagh doesn’t get into many 
  battles anymore, but when he does he ﬁghts with 
  cleverness and skill. He usually keeps his Combat 
  Skill Levels mostly in oﬀense, relying on one or two, 
  plus his shield, plus Maneuver bonuses to protect 
  him from counterattack. If a Maneuver has a DCV 
  penalty he’ll allocate CSLs to compensate for it.
  Campaign Use:  Arvagh is the closest thing the Red 
  Talon Guild has to a “head,” so characters may 
  try to kill him in the hopes of making the “body” 
  wither. That’s not likely to work, since he and his 
  colleagues have done too good a job building the 
  organization, but his death would certainly be a 
  major blow.
  To make Arvagh tougher, beef up his STR, 
  DEX, CON, and BODY to the 18-20 range and/or 
  give him more Extra DCs with Swordﬁghting. To 
  weaken him, reduce his SPD to 3 and his Running 
  to 4” (he was lamed by an old war wound that 
  healed badly) and perhaps get rid of his Extra DCs.
  Arvagh doesn’t Hunt heroes unless they 
  become a real problem for the Guild. In that case 
  he’ll hire the best mercenaries he can get (perhaps 
  even Zelatar’s Blades) and go after them hard.
  Appearance:  Arvagh is a Man originally from the 
  Westerlands, 5’9” tall with a muscular build that 
  time has softened from its former rock-hard state 
  to something a bit less well-defined. As a sign 
  of his current (and growing) wealth he favors 
  well-made tunics and pants in rich colors such as 
  purple and red. These days he mostly uses a whip 
  — he’s quite skilled with one, able to put out eyes 
  and flick items out of peoples’ hands — but if 
  necessary he can draw his Bloodstone Sword and 
  inflict even worse wounds.
  ARVAGH’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Bloodstone Sword:  Easily identiﬁed by the large 
  bloodstones set into its ricasso and pommel, and the 
  smaller ones inset up the center of the blade, this 
  longsword is enchanted to strike harder and more 
  accurately than a typical blade of its type. (HKA 2d6; 
  OAF, STR Min 12 plus +2 OCV)
  Lash Of Anguish:  Originally acquired to keep slaves in 
  line but kept because Arvagh enjoys using it, the Lash 
  Of Anguish is an ordinary whip enchanted to inﬂict 
  even worse pain than normal. (Built like a standard 
  whip, but KA 1d6 with a +1 STUN Multiplier)
  Silverring Mail:  This suit of glittering silver chain-
  mail oﬀers greater protection than ordinary mail. 
  (DEF 8 armor, No Mass)
  
  50 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  KELGAR COALBEARD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   21 STR 
  12 
  13- 
  Lift 467 kg; 4d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   21 CON 
  24 
  13-
   17 BODY 14 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   12 EGO 
  4 
  11- 
  ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   10 PD 
  8 
   
  Total:  10 PD (0 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   42 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  114
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Dwarven Eyes:  Nightvision
  2 
  Dwarven Longevity:  Life Support (Longev-
  ity:  lifespan of up to 400 years)
  -2 
  Dwarven Legs:  Running -1” (5” total)
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader in the 
  Red Talon Guild
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  7 
  Hammermaster:  Deadly Blow:  HKA +1d6 
  with Warhammers
  14 
  Fearless
  5 
  Rapid Healing
  3 
  Dwarven Toughness:  Resistance (3 points)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  6 
  +3 OCV with Axes/Hammers/Maces/Picks
  10 
  Small:  +2 DCV
  1 
  Bribery 8-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  7 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Dwarven Senses:  +3 to Concealment; Only 
  To Detect Hidden/Concealed/Cunning 
  Stonework (-1)
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  2 
  Gambling (Dice Games) 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  2 
  KS: Stonework 11-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Westerlands Ghoralzod is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Talarshandi (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Velkaran (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  PS: Stonecutter 8-
  7 
  Stealth 15-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  3 
  Traveler
  2     
  1)  AK: Mhorecia 12-
  2     
  2)  AK: Vornakkia 12-
  2     
  3)  AK: Westerlands 12-
  2     
  4)  CK: Aarn 12-
  2     
  5)  CK: Arvalis 12-
  2     
  6)  CK: Marasa 12-
  2     
  7)  CK: Talarshand 12-
  2     
  8)  CK: Tor Pashtar 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  149
  Total Cost:  263
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ruthless And 
  Cruel (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (about half Human 
  size) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Cast Out Of Dwarven 
  Society (Occasionally, Minor)
  148 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  263
  Background/History:  Born to a Dwarven family in 
  Zargund, Kelgar was raised to be a stoneworker 
  like his father, his father’s father, and the other men 
  in his family before him. The problem was that 
  unlike most Dwarves, he had no desire to work 
  hard, earn his money fairly, and live an industrious 
  life. He didn’t like working and didn’t want to do 
  what he was told. Instead he began stealing to sup-
  port himself, but he wasn’t good at it and soon got 
  caught. The usual Dwarven punishment for thieves 
  is death, but his ashamed family used its inﬂuence 
  to have him banished from Dwarven society for-
  ever instead. To this day no Dwarf of honor speaks 
  civilly to him, and many refuse to have anything to 
  do with him at all.
  Kelgar didn’t care one bit. He left Zargund 
  behind and made his way in the world as an adven-
  turer and mercenary. During this time he met 
  Arvagh, and the two formed a friendship of sorts 
  based on their similar backgrounds and attitudes. 
  When Arvagh decided to stop adventuring, Kelgar 
  agreed to do the same provided they found some-
  thing equally proﬁtable and reasonably exciting to 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dwarven Thunderhammer 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  13 
  See text box
  Swiftsword 
  +1 
  —  
  1d6+1   
  1d6-1 
  —  
  13 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Heavy Chainmail (DEF 7
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Generally whatever he needs for a particular mission or trip
  KELGAR  
  COALBEARD  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Kelgar decides he can 
  make a little money 
  on the side smuggling 
  other valuables in the 
  Guild’s slave shipments. 
  When one of them, 
  a drug made from 
  certain Talarshandi 
  ﬂowers, begins to cause 
  problems in Aarn, will 
  the PCs’ investigation 
  uncover the true extent 
  of the Guild and its 
  operations? If so, how 
  will Kelgar deal with the 
  problem without letting 
  his partners know what 
  he did?
  When Kelgar’s magniﬁ-
  cent beard gets burned 
  oﬀ in an accident, he’s 
  ashamed to show his 
  face. Without revealing 
  who he is, he hires the 
  PCs to go on a quest 
  to ﬁnd a potion that 
  will cause it to regrow 
  instantly. What will they 
  do when they ﬁnd out 
  who they’re really work-
  ing for?
  One night in a bar in 
  Aarn, the PCs get into a 
  dice game with a surly 
  Dwarf... and win big. 
  The Dwarf doesn’t have 
  enough hard coin to pay 
  the debt, but oﬀers to 
  pay it with something 
  else instead:  a slave. 
  What do the PCs do?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  51 
  take its place. After some thought, they came up 
  with the idea of slave-trading... and the Red Talon 
  Guild was born.
  Since then, Kelgar has settled into the role of 
  “security chief” for the Guild. He’s responsible for 
  hiring muscle, giving orders to the secondary lead-
  ers, and ensuring that important shipments make 
  it through. Using his Crimson Ring (an enchanted 
  item bought for him by the Guild) he travels exten-
  sively across Arduna, often spending the night 
  somewhere thousands of miles from where he 
  began his day.
  Personality/Motivation:  Kelgar’s heart is as black 
  as his beard. He cares only for himself and those 
  few people he considers friends. No one else 
  means so much as a copper piece to him; they’re 
  just people to victimize if he can make money off 
  them, get out of his way if they’re annoying him, 
  or ignore if they’re of no use to him. If someone 
  bothers him or gets in his way and he’s not in a 
  particularly good mood (which is most of the 
  time), he’s likely to simply kill that person if he 
  thinks he can get away with it.
  Quote:  “Pay attention to what I’m telling you, fool! 
  Do you want to bring the City Guard down on us? 
  If you don’t do this right I’ll hack you up into food 
  for the dogs!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Kelgar puts his strength and size to 
  good use in combat, charging directly at the enemy 
  and striking hard from low angles that many war-
  riors have diﬃculty protecting against. When they 
  change tactics to protect against him, he often leaps 
  up and goes for a Head shot with his warhammer.
  Campaign Use:  Since Kelgar’s more of a “ﬁeld leader” 
  than Arvagh, the PCs will probably encounter him 
  before they meet Arvagh and might even think of 
  him as the Guild’s overall leader (some lower-ranking 
  Guild members believe that). Kelgar won’t attempt to 
  correct them, recognizing that misinformation is a 
  weapon as powerful as any sword.
  To make Kelgar more powerful, give him a 
  Martial Arts style with his warhammer. To weaken 
  him, reduce his STR and CON to 18 and/or remove 
  his Deadly Blow Talent.
  Kelgar has all the stubborness and determina-
  tion of his Dwarven ancestors when it comes to 
  Hunting foes. He remembers grudges and setbacks 
  bitterly and seeks revenge avidly. Since he has so 
  many Guild soldiers and contacts throughout the 
  world, he can keep tabs on his enemies and ﬁnd 
  a way to strike at them even when he can’t get 
  involved directly.
  Appearance:  Kelgar is a malicious little Dwarf with 
  jet-black beard and hair and a mountain-sized chip 
  on his shoulder. Short even for a Dwarf, he makes 
  up for his size with his great strength and skill at 
  swordplay. He typically wears chainmail when he 
  expects trouble and light studded leather armor 
  when he’s not, and always has at least one main 
  weapon with him (in addition to the dagger he 
  wears on his right hip). His favorite weapons are 
  the warhammer and the short sword.
  KELGAR’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Dwarven Thunderhammer:  This Dwarf-made enchanted 
  warhammer not only hits harder and more accurately 
  than regular warhammers, on command it can release 
  a clap of thunder to stun nearby enemies. (HKA 2d6, 
  +1 Increased STUN Multiplier; OAF, STR Min 13 plus 
  +1 OCV plus Energy Blast 6d6, NND (defense is Hear-
  ing Group Flash Defense), Area Of Eﬀect (7” Radius), 
  Selective; OAF, No Range, 4 Charges)
  Swiftsword:  This magical shortsword moves with 
  the swiftness of the wind, allowing the wielder to hit 
  more quickly... and sometimes more often. (HKA 
  1d6+1; OAF, STR Min 5 plus +1 OCV plus Lightning 
  Reﬂexes (+6 DEX to act ﬁrst with Swiftsword) plus +4 
  OCV with Rapid Strike)
  Crimson Ring:  This ring appears to be made out of 
  some strange, red metal. It allows the wearer to tele-
  port over vast distances, similar to the Second Spell 
  of the Crimson Ring. (MegaScaled Teleportation with 
  eight Floating Fixed Locations; OIF, 4 Charges)
  
  52 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  VALMARRELLIAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   8 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  8 ED (0 rED) 
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  103
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Sorcery
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind (Strong 
  version) (FHG 167)
  11 
  Belzorath’s Invocation Of Impassable Terrain 
  (FHG 175)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  5 
  Benthara’s Spell Of Bliss And Despair (FHG 168)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Aﬄiction Of The Confused Mind 
  (FHG 170)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  6 
  Mindtrap (FHG 173)
  4 
  Prismatic Blast (FHG 177)
  2 
  Sicard’s Spell Of The Varying Visage (FHG 183)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  3 
  The Spell Of The Diverse Self (FHG 183)
  11 
  The Spell Of The Untrustworthy Mind 
  (FHG 174)
  2 
  Tarvallin’s Images Of Delight (FHG 179)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  8 
  The Second Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 233)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  8 
  Power Of The Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (12 points total) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader in the 
  Red Talon Guild
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  20 
  Prescience:  Danger Sense (self only, out of 
  combat) 13-
  5 
  Magesight
  12 
  Spell Augmentation
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Sorcery Spells
  3 
  Bribery 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  AK: Elvenholme 11-
  2 
  CK: Ildra Borala 11-
  3 
  KS: Sorcery 13-
  2 
  KS: Wizardry 11-
  3 
  Language:  Ilurian (completely ﬂuent; 
  Shalionderentine is Native)
  3 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Language:  Umbrian (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Language:  Vestrian (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Language:  Vorazetherentine (completely 
  fluent)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  27 
  Power:  Sorcery 25-
  21 
  Power:  Wizardry 22-
  2 
  PS: Sorcerer 11-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  2 
  WF: Blades, Staﬀs
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  324
  Total Cost:  427
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  10 
  Hunted:  Elven bounty hunter 8- (As Pow, 
  Capture)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys Playing 
  With Peoples’ Minds (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Paranoid; Trusts 
  Almost No One (Common, Strong)
  307 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  427
  VALMARRELLIAN 
  PLOT SEEDS
  An old Elf sage 
  approaches the PCs with 
  a request. He claims to 
  have learned that an old 
  student of his, Valmar-
  rellien, was possessed 
  by a demon centuries 
  ago. That’s what turned 
  him from an innocent 
  student of magic into 
  a callous manipulator 
  of minds. He wants the 
  heroes to ﬁnd Valmar-
  rellien and free him 
  from his possessor... but 
  how does one remove 
  a demon who’s been in 
  a mage’s mind for hun-
  dreds of years?
  One of the PCs begins 
  acting oddly, and his 
  comrades can’t under-
  stand what’s going on. It 
  turns out Valmarrellien 
  has been controlling the 
  hero for some reason. 
  The other PCs have to 
  ﬁgure this out, ﬁnd him, 
  and put a stop to it... and 
  perhaps ﬁnd out why 
  their friend was chosen 
  as a target.
  Valmarrellien contacts 
  the heroes. He claims 
  that the Red Talon Guild 
  has been controlling 
  him, forcing him to use 
  his powers on its behalf 
  with some foul, secret 
  magic its members 
  command. He wants to 
  break free for good and 
  bring the Guild down, 
  but he needs the heroes’ 
  help to do that. Is he 
  being honest, or has he 
  foreseen a threat they 
  pose to the Guild and 
  convinced his partners 
  to make a preemptive 
  strike against them.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Sorcerer’s Dagger 
  +1 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  53 
  Background/History:  Born centuries ago in the forest 
  of Elvenholme, Valmarrellien spent his early life in 
  many diﬀerent pursuits, never ﬁnding anything that 
  really interested him until he ﬁrst studied magic. 
  Spellcraft soon became his obsession, particularly the 
  Art of Sorcery — the shaping and manipulating of 
  minds. The more he learned of Sorcery, the more he 
  came to think of other peoples’ minds as things he 
  could mold as he saw ﬁt, regardless of those peoples’ 
  own desires and needs. When he ﬁnally gave in to 
  temptation and used his spells to force others to do 
  his bidding, the brought down the wrath of the Elves 
  upon himself and had to ﬂee for his life.
  Eager for greater power and lore, Valmarrellien 
  became an adventurer, using his spells and talents 
  to make a living ﬁghting monsters. More merce-
  nary than hero, he worked for whoever could aﬀord 
  his services and undertook quests based solely on 
  their potential to beneﬁt him personally. One day 
  he was approached by two Men and a Dwarf with 
  an interesting proposition:  they needed a fourth 
  partner who could make their slavetrading opera-
  tion easier, and thus more successful. Intrigued at 
  the thought of the easy money and all the minds he 
  wanted to “play” with, Valmarrellien agreed to their 
  proposal and became the fourth main member of 
  the Red Talon Guild.
  Personality/Motivation:  Valmarrellien has little 
  regard for other Elves (and even less for other 
  races). He thinks of them as weakwilled fools whose 
  minds are his by right to do with as he chooses. 
  He frequently uses Sorcery spells to make his life 
  easier, obtain things he wants without cost or eﬀort, 
  or simply because it’s fun. Because he’s so used to 
  manipulating others this way he’s become concerned 
  that other people might do the same to him, making 
  him overly cautious about interacting with people in 
  situations where he can’t control everything.
  Quote:  “Even one as mighty as yourself has no pro-
  tection against my magics. Beware and forebear, lest 
  I turn your own thoughts against you.”
  Powers/Tactics:  An Elven sorcerer and wizard of 
  some power, Valmarrellien knows a wide assort-
  ment of spells with which to protect himself, strike 
  back at his foes, and accomplish his goals. He pre-
  fers to avoid combat entirely by controlling and 
  manipulating events to suit himself (such as using 
  spells to Mind Control someone before a battle 
  begins, or to calm down an angry warrior). The fact 
  that he’s mildly prescient (i.e., has Danger Sense) 
  often helps him prevent trouble from getting out of 
  hand. If Sorcery alone doesn’t work ,Wizard’s Power 
  often helps him cow his adversaries. If forced to 
  ﬁght, he casts Wizard’s Shield and then Sorcery or 
  Wizardry spells depending on what’s most tacti-
  cally advantageous.
  Campaign Use:  Valmarrellien expands the Red 
  Talon’s Guild arsenal by giving it spells to draw on, 
  but he’s also something of a weak link. If the heroes 
  ﬁnd out about his paranoia, they might be able to 
  manipulate events to make him become suspicious 
  of, and eventually turn on, his business partners. 
  That won’t be easy, but it is possible.
  To make Valmarrellien tougher, expand his 
  spell arsenal by giving him some Elemental Magic 
  or Thaumaturgy powers. To weaken him, remove 
  his Combat Skill Levels and/or reduce his SPD to 3.
  Valmarrellien rarely Hunts anyone; in his 
  experience, it’s not worth the eﬀort and risk. If he 
  became angry enough to Hunt a PC, he’d start by 
  sending Mind Controlled ﬂunkies against him, 
  and perhaps casting spells at him from a distance. 
  If forced into a more direct confrontation, he’d use 
  illusions to throw the character oﬀ-balance, the 
  Mind Control to end the battle decisively.
  Appearance:  Valmarrellien wears pale yellow robes 
  (to match his eyes) and keeps his long brown hair 
  under control with a gold ﬁllet set with a small ruby 
  in the center of his forehead. He wears a dagger on 
  his left hip, and in his right hand usually carries his 
  Wand of Power (a gold wand about a foot long with 
  a tip resembling an eagle’s claw clutching a smooth 
  round gemstone).
  VALMARRELLIAN’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Wand Of Power:  This Wand provides Valmarrellien 
  with several diﬀerent beneﬁcial abilities. (Endurance 
  Reserve (200 END, 20 REC) for spells plus adds 
  Range and Sense for Magesight plus +2 Combat 
  Skill Levels with All Spells plus Multipower of 
  attacks:  Arcane Blast (Energy Blast 8d6), Fire Whirl-
  wind (RKA 1d6, One Hex, Continuous, Penetrating), 
  Blinding Motes (Sight Group Flash 8d6), and Ener-
  vation (Drain STUN 3d6, Ranged))
  Sorcerer’s Dagger:  This dagger not only functions as 
  a weapon (with +1 DC and +1 OCV), it enhances a 
  sorcerer’s powers once per day. (Aid Sorcery 4d6, any 
  one Sorcery spell at once; OAF, 1 Charge)
  Ruby Headband:  This enchanted headband makes 
  the wearer smarter and gives him perfect memory. 
  (+5 INT and Eidetic Memory; OAF)
  
  54 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  YANNA WINDHAND
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  100
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Knifeﬁghting
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Damage/Effect
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  4 
  Foist 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  3 
  Grab 
  +0 
  -1 
  Grab One Limb, 
  +10 to STR for 
  holding on
  4 
  Slashes 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Stabs 
  -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrusts 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  6 
  Contact:  the Fist (a thieves’ guild of Aarn) 
  11- (Organization)
  12 
  Contact:  a thieves’ guild of Tavrosel 13- 
  (Organization)
  6 
  Contact:  a thieves’ guild of Talarshand 11- 
  (Organization)
  6 
  Contact:  the Sliver Guild (see page 65) 11- 
  (Organization)
  6 
  Contact:  a thieves’ guild of Tor Pashtar 11- 
  (Organization)
  6 
  Contact:  a thieves’ guild of Kurum-Sathiri 
  11- (Organization)
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader in the 
  Red Talon Guild
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  16 
  Crippling Blow
  7 
  Master Of The Fighting Dagger:  Deadly Blow 
  (HKA +1d6 with Daggers HTH)
  7 
  Master Of The Throwing Dagger:  Deadly 
  Blow (HKA +1d6 with Daggers Ranged)
  6 
  Lightning Reﬂexes:  +4 DEX to act ﬁrst with 
  All Attacks
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  10 
  +2 with Agility Skills
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Blades) 13-
  2 
  KS: Poisons 11-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Sithian (fluent conversation; 
  Sirrenic is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Talarshandi (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Umbrian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  2 
  PS: Brew Poison 11-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  3 
  Traveler
  2     
  1)  AK: Mhorecia 12-
  2     
  2)  AK: Vornakkia 12-
  2     
  3)  AK: Westerlands 12-
  2     
  4)  CK: Aarn 12-
  2     
  5)  CK: Dyvnar 12-
  2     
  6)  CK: Kurum-Sathiri 12-
  2     
  7)  CK: Marasa 12-
  2     
  8)  CK: Talarshand 12-
  3     
  9)  CK: Tavrosel 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  253
  Total Cost:  353
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  various authorities in various cities 
  8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Casual Killer 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  223 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  353
  Background/History:  Yanna’s father was a mer-
  chant captain, her mother a Kumasian woman. 
  Her mother died when she was very young, so her 
  father took her back to his home city, Tavrosel, to 
  live with her grandparents. While he was on one of 
  his long sea voyages her grandparents died of the 
  fever, leaving her to fend for herself. By the time her 
  father returned home she was so much a part of the 
  streets that he couldn’t even ﬁnd her.
  As she grew older, Yanna learned about steal-
  ing and the arts of trickery, becoming a skilled thief 
  and knife-ﬁghter. She joined one of the local guilds 
  YANNA WINDHAND 
  PLOT SEEDS
  If one of the heroes has 
  an Invisibility ring or 
  item and Yanna hears 
  about it, he instantly 
  becomes a target. She’ll 
  try whatever she has 
  to, even seducing him 
  or pretending to be a 
  “hero” so she can join 
  the group and get close 
  enough to steal it, to 
  make it her own.
  Yanna discovers that 
  one of the merchants 
  who works with the 
  Guild as a smuggler is 
  her father! Not want-
  ing to mix real “family” 
  with her surrogate 
  family, she decides he 
  has to be removed... 
  but for some reason 
  she just can’t bring her-
  self to do it, and she’s 
  not willing to order a 
  Guild hireling to do 
  the job. She has to find 
  a way to trick the PCs 
  into doing it without 
  exposing the Guild.
  The PCs ﬁnd Yanna, 
  unconscious and badly 
  injured, in a back alley 
  in some city. What will 
  they do? How will they 
  feel if they help her and 
  then discover who she 
  is? What if the attack has 
  caused her to develop 
  amnesia... and just who 
  attacked her, and why?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  55 
  for a while, but eventually decided that wasn’t really 
  what she wanted. She became a semi-adventurer, 
  traveling around Arduna and getting involved in 
  various escapades. Along the way she spent time in 
  several other cities and learned their underworlds.
  During this time she met and worked with many 
  adventurers and other “unique” people, including 
  Arvagh and Kelgar Coalbeard. When they decided 
  to get into slavetrading, they realized Yanna would be 
  the perfect partner. She knew about illicit activities, 
  had spent time in lands where slavery was legal and 
  common, and was as ruthless as a serpent. Seeing the 
  potential in their idea, Yanna agreed to become the 
  third member of the Red Talon Guild.
  Currently, Yanna serves as a sort of “front person” 
  for the organization in its meetings with thieves’ guilds 
  and similar groups, and as a backup security chief for 
  Kelgar. She goes wherever she’s needed, though she 
  prefers to remain in Mhorecia or Vornakkia if pos-
  sible. She’s also the Guild’s chief assassin; when they 
  have no other way to deal with a “diﬃcult” individual, 
  Yanna gets the call to eliminate him.
  Personality/Motivation:  Yanna is as greedy, unprin-
  cipled, and ruthless as the other leaders of the 
  Guild — in fact, she’s even more likely than they 
  are to see violence as the solution to problems, and 
  more than once has offhandedly murdered some-
  one whose death hurt the Guild more than helped 
  it. But unlike them, she sees the Guild as more than 
  just a means to the end of proﬁt. To her, it’s a sort of 
  surrogate “family.” She’s never really had a family, so 
  she thinks of the Guild as one (dysfunctional as it 
  may be). She does a lot of behind-the-scenes work 
  to smooth over tensions or get rid of people she 
  thinks aren’t “helpful” members of the group.
  Quote:  “We can discuss this peacefully... or I can let 
  my knives do the talking for me.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Like most rogues, Yanna prefers to 
  ﬁght indirectly, with ambushes, attacks from behind, 
  and deception rather than toe-to-toe combat. She 
  usually wields her shortsword in her right hand and 
  a dagger in her left, but sometimes uses two daggers 
  because of their “bleeding wounds” power. Her weap-
  ons are often poisoned. She’d very much like to get her 
  hands on a ring or other enchanted item that would 
  let her become invisible, and will go to great lengths to 
  obtain one she hears about.
  Campaign Use:  If the heroes interfere with the 
  Guild, even unconsciously, they may receive a visit 
  from Yanna if the Guild thinks they pose a signiﬁ-
  cant threat. She’ll attempt to separate them and pick 
  them oﬀ one by one in a short period of time, such 
  as a single night, to keep them oﬀ-balance and not 
  give them time to plan or react intelligently. If pos-
  sible she’ll prepare in advance by researching their 
  abilities and equipment and obtain anything she 
  can to counteract or nullify them.
  To make Yanna a tougher foe, give her some 
  DCV Levels and perhaps another die of Deadly Blow 
  in each of those Talents. To weaken her, reduce her 
  SPD to 4 and get rid of her Lightning Reﬂexes.
  See above regarding how Yanna would  
  Hunt heroes.
  Appearance:  Yanna’s short black hair, dark eyes, 
  slightly dusky skin (from her Kumasian mother), 
  and attractive ﬁgure give her a dark beauty many 
  men ﬁnd attractive. Unfortunately for them 
  she’s about as soft and friendly as an Indusharan 
  kal’hrasa spider. A skilled thief and assassin, 
  she typically wears black light leather armor, an 
  enchanted black cloak, and carries a short sword 
  and three or four daggers.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min Notes
  Enchanted Shortsword 
  +2 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  9 
  See text box
  Blackhand Dagger 
  +2 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  2 
  6 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  2 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, carries 2
  Armor
  Assassin’s Leathers (DEF 6)
  Cloak Of Agile Defense (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Thieves’ tools and gear, writing kit
  YANNA 
  WINDHAND’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Blackhand Dagger:  
  Yanna carries a twin set 
  of these lethal blades, 
  which cut through 
  armor easily and inﬂict 
  grievous wounds that 
  bleed profusely. (HKA 
  1d6+1, Armor Piercing, 
  Range Based On STR 
  (can be thrown); OAF, 
  STR Min 6 plus HKA 1 
  point, Penetrating, Trig-
  ger (when blade HKA 
  does BODY damage, 
  trigger automatically 
  immediately resets), 
  Continuous (HKA 
  continues for ½d6 of 
  Yanna’s Phases), 0 END; 
  OAF, Activation Roll 
  11- plus +2 OCV)
  Enchanted Shortsword:  
  This blade cuts more 
  deeply and accurately 
  than other shortswords 
  (HKA 1½d6; OAF, STR 
  Min 9 plus +2 OCV)
  Cloak Of Agile Defense:  
  The wearer of this cloak 
  can dodge attacks more 
  easily than normal. (+2 
  DCV; OAF)
  Assassin’s Leathers:  
  This set of leather armor 
  is enchanted to protect 
  as well as chainmail. 
  (DEF 6 armor, No Mass)
  
  56 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Membership:  Prince Rhodas; Duke Borilard; Marquis 
  Pollos; General Traygar; various other lesser nobles 
  and ofﬁcials of Sarreshar
  Background/History:  As related on pages 78 and 
  283 of The Turakian Age, over three years ago King 
  Kirril and Queen Neola of Sarreshar mysteriously 
  disappeared. No one could ﬁnd out what happened 
  to them, and their disappearance and fate remain 
  a mystery. Pursuant to Sarresharan law, the heir 
  apparent, Prince Rhodas, and a group of nobles and 
  oﬃcials formed a regency council to oversee the 
  kingdom until it could be determined what hap-
  pened to the King and Queen.
  Unfortunately, several gaps in Sarresharan 
  law have created an unusual — and possibly 
  untenable — situation. The law does not specify 
  how long the Regency Council can remain in 
  existence, nor what is to be done in the event the 
  King’s death cannot be confirmed. Most people 
  in the kingdom, and some on the Council, have 
  come to believe the King is dead or can never 
  return, and thus that Prince Rhodas should be 
  declared King. But the law does not say who has 
  the power to make such a declaration, so the sit-
  uation remains muddled, allowing some unscru-
  pulous individuals to manipulate events for their 
  own sinister purposes.
  Group Relations:  The Sarresharan Regency isn’t a 
  “group” in the same sense as most others in this 
  chapter. It acts in concert to take care of the day-to-
  day governance of Sarreshar and other serious mat-
  ters, but really its leading members are individuals 
  with their own agendas (described below). They 
  work against each other as much as they do with 
  each other, though they hide their self-serving deal-
  ings as carefully as they can.
  Tactics:  To the extent the Sarresharan Regency 
  has “tactics,” those are to use Sarreshar’s economic, 
  political, military, and social inﬂuence to achieve 
  the group’s goals. This includes calling out the city-
  state’s army if necessary.
  Campaign Use:  The Sarresharan Regency gives you 
  the chance to get the characters mixed up in Sar-
  resharan and Tornathian politics as a change of 
  pace from monster-killing and questing. On this 
  battleﬁeld, they have to use their wits and social 
  skills more than their skills with a blade, which may 
  make it their hardest adventure ever!
  To make the Regency stronger, detail more 
  of its members and their resources, aligning 
  them with one of the four described here to 
  make each faction more powerful. To weaken 
  it, emphasize the infighting and double-dealing 
  so the Regency can accomplish almost nothing, 
  reducing it to near-impotence.
  The Regency doesn’t generally Hunt anyone. 
  If it perceives an individual or group as a threat 
  it will take whatever steps it deems necessary to 
  deal with that threat, but otherwise it focuses on 
  the problems at hand.
  THE SARRESHARAN 
  REGENCY
  SARRESHARAN REGENCY 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The heroes receive a mysterious note. The writer 
  claims to be King Kirril of Sarreshar and provides 
  clues about where he’s being held prisoner! What 
  will the heroes do with this information... and how 
  will the members of the Regency react when they 
  hear about this?
  While passing through Sarreshar, the heroes witness 
  a clandestine ﬁght between the agents of General 
  Traygar and Duke Borilard. Do they get involved, 
  and if so how? How do the two regents react to their 
  “meddling”? And if they don’t meddle, what happens 
  when it’s reported they saw the ﬁght?
  The Regency Council hires the PCs to investigate 
  the King and Queen’s disappearance. How will the 
  heroes deal with the competing agendas among 
  Councillors as one member after another makes his 
  own “special appeals” to win their favor?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  57 
  PRINCE RHODAS OF SARRESHAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   13 COM 
  2 
  12-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  64
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Group 
  0
   
  Perks
  12 
  Lordship:  Crown Prince of Sarreshar
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  11 
  Inspire
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Sarresharan Royal Longsword
  3 
  Acting 12-
  1 
  Bribery 8-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  AK: Tornathia 11-
  2 
  CK: Sarreshar 11-
  5 
  KS: Sarresharan Nobility 14-
  2 
  KS: Tornathian Nobility 11-
  2 
  KS: Westerlands Military History 11-
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Tactics 8-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lance
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  95
  Total Cost:  159
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Feature:  signet ring and other 
  regalia of oﬃce (Easily Concealed; Noticed 
  And Recognizable)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Powerhungry 
  (Common, Strong)
  64 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  159
  Background/History:  The eldest son of Kirril and Neola 
  of Sarreshar, Prince Rhodas has been destined to rule 
  ever since he was born... and he knows it. Trained 
  from an early age in the duties, responsibilities, and 
  privileges of oﬃce, he’s been waiting all his life to sit on 
  the throne. Since his parents’ disappearance he’s done 
  his best to keep the kingdom on an even keel, serving 
  as “ﬁrst among equals” on the Regency Council and 
  trying to balance Sarreshar’s needs with the desire to 
  ﬁnd out what happened to Kirril and Neola.
  Prince Rhodas remains single, allegedly 
  because he doesn’t feel it’s right to court and marry 
  while the fate of the King and Queen remains a 
  mystery. But the truth is he just hasn’t met a woman 
  he feels would make a worthy and proper queen for 
  him; if he found that certain someone, he’d be quick 
  enough to ﬁnd a reason to woo her.
  Personality/Motivation:  When his parents ﬁrst disap-
  peared, Prince Rhodas was genuinely griefstricken 
  and baﬄed. He spent many long days trying to ﬁnd 
  them, or at least ﬁnd out what happened to them. But 
  in time his desire to locate them slowly but surely gave 
  way to his lust for power. He’s wanted to rule Sarreshar 
  ever since he can remember, and he knows that if his 
  parents were still around he’d probably have to wait 
  another two decades (at least) before he becomes 
  king. It’s reached the point where he wishes they’d 
  never come back so much that he’s convinced himself 
  they’re dead and that he should have the throne.
  The shame of it is that Rhodas can, and probably 
  will, make a genuinely good king. He’s been well-
  trained, loves his people (and is popular with them), 
  and is both intelligent and socially adept. But if he 
  gets his throne through deliberate self-deception and 
  taking advantage of someone else’s evil deeds, it will 
  taint his entire kingship, making things far worse for 
  Sarreshar than if he’d simply waited his turn patiently.
  Rhodas believes he enjoys the general support 
  of many other Council members, including Duke 
  Borilard and to some extent General Traygar (neither 
  of whom he really suspects of any untoward dealings). 
  He wishes Marquis Pollos would be less stubborn, 
  accept the reality of the situation, and support Rho-
  das’s elevation to the throne; he’s becoming increas-
  ingly frustrated with the old wizard.
  PRINCE RHODAS 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Prince Rhodas appeals 
  to the heroes for help. 
  Pretending to be 
  anguished and grief-
  stricken, he begs them to 
  ﬁnd out what happened 
  to his parents so he can 
  put the whole matter 
  to rest once and for all. 
  Will the heroes help 
  him... and if so, how will 
  he react if they discover 
  the King and Queen are 
  still alive?
  Prince Rhodas becomes 
  attracted to a female 
  PC and begins courting 
  her. How will she react? 
  What do the Regency 
  Council and the Sar-
  resharan people think 
  about this?
  Prince Rhodas decides 
  he’s interested in 
  learning about the 
  Arts Arcane and asks 
  a wizard PC to teach 
  him. This close associa-
  tion with the Prince is 
  bound to get the char-
  acter mixed up in Sar-
  resharan politics....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Royal Longsword 
  +3 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  12 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Armor of the Lion’s Strength (DEF 8)
  Sarresharan Shield (+5 DCV)
  Gear:  Signet ring and other appurtenances of oﬃce, writing kit
  
  58 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “I speak now for the Regency Council, and 
  thus for all Sarreshar in the lamented absence of 
  our King.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Prince Rhodas prefers diplomacy 
  and administration to warfare, but he’s had appro-
  priate training for a prince and knight and can 
  wield a blade with skill if 
  need be. In battle he tends to 
  rely on his enchanted shield 
  for protection and put his 
  Combat Skill Levels in OCV 
  and/or use aggressive ﬁght-
  ing maneuvers, but if he ﬁnds 
  himself overmatched he’ll go 
  on the defensive and call on 
  his men to help him. He’s no 
  coward, but he’s no fool either.
  Campaign Use:  Prince 
  Rhodas should present an 
  interesting quandry for 
  the PCs, since he’d obvi-
  ously make a good ruler but 
  seems to be in a rush to get 
  his throne. On the Regency 
  Council his is the strongest 
  voice in support of the argu-
  ment that the Council has 
  the legal authority to declare 
  Kirril and Neola dead, and 
  that it should do so. More 
  than a few other members 
  agree with him, and he 
  seems to enjoy the general 
  support of the people... but 
  to more than one person 
  the whole situation looks 
  unseemly at best.
  To make Prince Rhodas 
  a tougher opponent for 
  the PCs, make him a more 
  militaristic leader and skilled fighter. Give him 
  another Combat Skill Level or two, and perhaps 
  the Swordfighting Martial Art. To weaken him, 
  remove his CSLs and most military Skills and 
  transform him into an effete dilettante rather 
  than a knightly prince.
  Prince Rhodas doesn’t Hunt people. If neces-
  sary, he has advisors and servants to handle such 
  matters for him.
  Appearance:  A handsome young man in his early 
  20s, Prince Rhodas has chiselled good looks and 
  curly brown hair that set many a female heart a-
  ﬂutter. He wears ﬁnely-made Sarresharan tunics 
  in the royal colors of purple, green, and gold, the 
  prince’s crown (a simple one of gold with a few 
  amethysts), boots, and appropriate jewelry for the 
  occasion. But the impression he gives of being a 
  dandy is not entirely accurate; if necessary he’s 
  more than willing to don his elaborately-engraved 
  plate armor, pick up his sword, and ﬁght.
  PRINCE RHODAS’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Sarresharan Royal Longsword:  Created centuries ago 
  for the rulers of Sarreshar, this blade swings quick 
  and true and can cut through nearly any armor 
  (HKA 2d6, Armor Piercing; OAF, STR Min 12 plus 
  +3 OCV)
  Armor Of The Lion’s Strength (see FH 281, but make 
  it DEF 8)
  Sarresharan Shield:  This shield, which displays the 
  Sarresharan coat of arms, was specially crafted to 
  protect Sarresharan royalty. (+5 DCV; OAF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  59 
  DUKE BORILARD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   27 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  45
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Can Handle His Wine:  +12 CON; Only  
  For Resisting The Eﬀects Of Alcohol (-2) 0
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  8 
  Lordship:  Duke of Sarreshar
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Skills
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  2 
  Gambling (Card Games) 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  KS: Tornathian Nobility 11-
  3 
  KS: Wine 12-
  3 
  KS: Tornathian Wine Market 12-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Tornathian is Native)
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  2 
  PS: Winemaking 11-
  3 
  PS: Wine Selling 12-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  5 
  Trading 13-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  79
  Total Cost:  124
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Feature:  signet ring and other 
  regalia of oﬃce (Easily Concealed; Noticed 
  And Recognizable)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Is Only 
  Concerned With Money And Commerce 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Good Wine 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with Lady Helida  
  of Celbaria
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (is 
  manipulating the Regency Council and other 
  persons/events for his own purposes) (Occa-
  sionally, Major)
  4 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  124
  Background/History:  Borilard, one of the Dukes 
  of Sarreshar, is the latest in a line of dukes that 
  stretches back centuries. Originally elevated to 
  the nobility in exchange for loaning vast sums of 
  money to the Crown, his family has long since 
  become an accepted part of noble life in the city-
  state. It’s popular with the people because it funds 
  several lavish feasts and festivals during the year.
  Despite being a titled noble, Duke Borilard is 
  really more of a merchant prince than a nobleman 
  like most in the Westerlands. He’s had basic mili-
  tary training, can ride, and so forth, but the founda-
  tion of his family’s power is money, so that’s what 
  he focuses on.
  Personality/Motivation:  Duke Borilard pretends to 
  be a civic-minded noble, but really he’s only inter-
  ested in one thing:  money. His family is a major 
  player in the Tornathian wine trade, and he’s always 
  looking for ways to improve its position and earn 
  more gold damarchs. He’s found that not having a 
  strong king on the throne, and the general state of 
  uncertainty that currently grips Sarreshar, is good 
  for business... so he’s doing everything he can to 
  prolong the situation. He stalls the Regency Coun-
  cil with subtle procedural tactics, suggests courses 
  of action he thinks are wastes of time, and manipu-
  lates things behind the scene with bribery and even 
  violence to keep investigations from proceeding.
  Duke Borilard plays off the Prince’s lust for 
  power, flattering him and building up his ambi-
  
  60 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  tions. He knows General Traygar also does not 
  support the Council wholeheartedly, but remains 
  unaware of the nature and extent of his plans. He 
  considers Pollos a ditherer and a fool, and gener-
  ally ignores him.
  Quote:  “Ahhh, a ﬁne vintage. My compliments on 
  your choice, sir! You have a rare insight.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Duke Borilard knows how to 
  use a sword, but he finds gold and influence 
  to be better weapons than blades. He does his 
  fighting with bribery and backroom deals rather 
  than weapons. If violence is necessary — such as 
  vandalizing a rival’s winery — he can easily hire 
  thugs for that purpose through one of his many 
  servants and helpers.
  Campaign Use:  Duke Borilard is a subversive ele-
  ment within the Regency Council, though admit-
  tedly not nearly as dangerous a one as General 
  Traygar. He just wants to improve his business and 
  make more money. If the heroes could somehow 
  convince him that having the King back would be 
  better for him than the current state of aﬀairs, he’d 
  become Pollos’s strongest ally on the Council. He’s 
  not Evil so much as he is greedy and unprincipled.
  To make Borilard tougher, make him a skilled 
  ﬁghter as well as a skilled wine merchant. Improve 
  his physical Primary Characteristics, make him 
  muscular instead of plump, and give him some 
  Combat Skill Levels with Longsword (and perhaps 
  an enchanted blade or armor). To weaken him, 
  make him even more dissipated, dropping his STR, 
  DEX, and CON further and giving him Psychologi-
  cal Limitations representing less savory “appetites.”
  Duke Borilard rarely Hunts anyone; he’s more 
  concerned with struggles against his business rivals. 
  If someone made him mad enough to seek ven-
  geance, he’d hire thugs, goons, and mercenaries to 
  do his dirty work.
  Appearance:  Duke Borilard is a plump (if not fat) 
  nobleman in his 50s with thinning black hair and 
  dark eyes. Large tunics, usually in blue or green, 
  cover his bulk, and he often has a goblet of wine 
  in his right hand. Despite his constant drinking he 
  rarely seems intoxicated.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Longsword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  12
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Plate and Chain (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Whatever he needs, within reason
  DUKE BORILARD 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Bandits have been hit-
  ting Duke Borilard’s 
  wine shipments hard 
  recently, so he hires the 
  PCs to protect them. In 
  addition to ﬁghting oﬀ 
  the thieves, the heroes 
  have to investigate and 
  ﬁnd out why Borilard’s 
  shipments are being so 
  frequently and success-
  fully targeted.
  Never one to overlook 
  the value of unscrupu-
  lous business tactics, 
  Duke Borilard hires the 
  PCs to steal some vines 
  from a rival vintner. If 
  for some reason they 
  can’t steal the vines, the 
  Duke wants them to 
  destroy them if possible.
  As they investigate the 
  matter of King Kirril’s 
  disappearance, the 
  heroes find themselves 
  thwarted on several 
  occasions by men or 
  events that seem to 
  have some vague con-
  nection to Duke Bori-
  lard. Perhaps they need 
  to investigate the Duke 
  as well....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  61 
  MARQUIS POLLOS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [2]
   12 DEX 
  6 
  11- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  8 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   17 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  44
  Movement: 
  Running:  4”/8”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Fire Magic
  4 
  Enﬂame (FHG 89)
  2 
  Everburning Flame (FHG 99)
  5 
  Fiery Arrow (FHG 89)
  4 
  Fiery Aura (FHG 90)
  5 
  Fiery Orbs (FHG 91)
  6 
  Fireball (FHG 91)
  9 
  Fireshaping (FHG 92)
  7 
  Firestorm (FHG 93)
  3 
  Khelred’s Flammifer (FHG 94)
  3 
  Protection From Fire (FHG 96)
  4 
  Quench Flame (FHG 95)
   
  Ice Magic
  8 
  D’Ansif’s Invocation Of The Ice (FHG 108)
  7 
  Hailstorm (FHG 108)
  3 
  Icy Ground (FHG 109)
  6 
  Jelzuraath’s First Wintry Assault (FHG 109)
  3 
  Protection From Ice (FHG 110)
  4 
  Roddik’s Blizzard (FHG 110)
  4 
  Wall Of Ice (FHG 111)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  -4 
  Aged Legs:  Running -2” (4” total)
   
  Perks
  7 
  Lordship:  Marquis (and Court Wizard) of 
  Sarreshar
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  5 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  3 
  Conversation 12- 
  2 
  Cryptography 13-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  AK: Sarreshar 11-
  2 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11-
  2 
  KS: Fire Magic 11-
  2 
  KS: Ice Magic 11-
  2 
  KS: Wizardry 11-
  1 
  Language:  Besruhani (basic conversation; 
  Tornathian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Ilurian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation)
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  27 
  Power:  Fire Magic 25-
  23 
  Power:  Ice Magic 23-
  25 
  Power:  Wizardry 24-
  3 
  Stealth 11-
  2 
  WF: Daggers, Staﬀs
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  261
  Total Cost:  305
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Age:  60+
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cautious And 
  Analytical (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devoted To The 
  Good Of Sarreshar; Wants What’s Best For 
  The Kingdom (Common, Strong)
  190 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  305
  Background/History:  Pollos is the scion of a 
  minor noble family of Sarreshar, one distantly 
  related to the king but which never enjoyed any 
  particular favor. That changed when Pollos, at 
  that time still a young man, displayed a rare 
  talent for magery. Intrigued by the idea of a 
  court wizard he could more fully trust, the king 
  (Karril’s father) took the boy under his wing, 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Winged Staﬀ 
  +2 
  — 
  4d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  8 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Magerobes (DEF 3)
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia; badge of oﬃce
  MARQUIS POLLOS 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Pollos has never under-
  stood why longevity 
  spells won’t work for 
  him. Fearful of advanc-
  ing age, he asks the PCs 
  to investigate the prob-
  lem and ﬁnd a way to 
  “cure” him... or at least a 
  form of longevity magic 
  that he can use.
  Pollos approaches the 
  PCs in secret and asks 
  them to investigate 
  Duke Borilard and Gen-
  eral Traygar. He suspects 
  both of them are not 
  working in Sarreshar’s 
  best interests, and are 
  possibly colluding 
  together for some sinis-
  ter purpose.
  One of Pollos’s magical 
  “experiments” gets loose 
  and begins haunting 
  Sarreshar. He asks the 
  PCs to clean up the mess 
  quietly, so it doesn’t 
  become public knowl-
  edge and reﬂect badly 
  on him; if they succeed, 
  they’ll earn his favor and 
  a rich reward.
  
  62 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  giving him greater wealth, titles, and prestige and 
  paying for his studies of the Arts Arcane.
  The kind (if self-interested) gesture paid oﬀ 
  well. Pollos became a devoted servant of the Sar-
  resharan royal house, and in time Court Wizard 
  of the kingdom. He’s served in that capacity for 
  decades, but age has at long last begun to take its 
  toll. (For some reason standard longevity spells 
  don’t seem to work for him.) The eﬀects of age 
  have become even worse since the disappearance 
  of King Karril and his taking a position on the 
  Regency Council. Some in the kingdom wonder 
  how long it will be before the burdens of responsi-
  bility become too much for him... but he stubbornly 
  clings to all of his duties, refusing to give up any to 
  apprentices or helpers.
  Personality/Motivation:  Unlike any of the other 
  leading members of the Regency Council, Marquis 
  Pollos genuinely wants what’s best for Sarreshar 
  and her royal house. He believes this means, among 
  other things, vigorously investigating the disap-
  pearance and discovering what happened to King 
  Karril so matters can proceed properly and legally. 
  But he’s also cautious by nature, wanting to care-
  fully study and analyze things before proceeding, 
  creating an internal conﬂict that makes him seem 
  indecisive and sometimes even unpredictable. 
  (Which has led some people to claim he’s losing his 
  wits.) Having to deal with the competing agendas 
  of other members of the Council (most of which 
  he’s deduced on some vague level, though he has 
  no idea how far Traygar’s treachery has gone) only 
  makes matters worse.
  Quote:  “As above, so below. We who lead the land 
  of Sarreshar must proceed with propriety, strength, 
  and intelligence as an example to the people to live 
  their lives similarly.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Pollos is a spellcaster who spe-
  cializes in Fire Magic, Ice Magic, and Wizardry. 
  His mind’s still as sharp as it ever was and his 
  skills strong, but his body is weaker than it 
  used to be, which makes it difficult for him to 
  use some spells frequently. (In game terms, his 
  END is too low for casting too many powerful 
  spells too quickly.) For this reason he’ll rely on 
  his Wand Of Pyromancy in combat more than a 
  younger, more vital wizard would.
  Campaign Use:  Marquis Pollos is likely to be heroic 
  PCs’ staunchest ally on the Council. If he senses 
  their goodness and desire to uncover the truth in 
  the matter of the King’s disappearance, he’ll do 
  whatever he can to help them help him.
  To make Pollos tougher, de-age him — either 
  make him younger or assume he can use longevity 
  spells to extend his youth. Improve his Characteris-
  tics as appropriate and make him more vital, deci-
  sive, and confrontational. To weaken him, enhance 
  the eﬀects of age, making him easily befuddled and 
  prone to falling asleep during Council meetings.
  Pollos would only Hunt someone if so ordered 
  by the King, in which case he’d follow orders.
  Appearance:  Marquis Pollos has a short, black 
  beard and hair to match (he uses minor spells to 
  keep it black instead of letting it naturally turn 
  grey). He wears purple robes with gold embroi-
  dery, with his gold badge of office (a hippogriff 
  inside a circle) pinned on the left breast. He car-
  ries a staff of blonde wood shod with iron and 
  carved on top with two wings.
  MARQUIS POLLOS’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Winged Staff:  This staﬀ allows the wielder to ﬂy, 
  and to attack with greater accuracy. (4d6 Normal 
  Damage attack with +2 OCV plus Flight 15”, 0 END)
  Magerobes:  These enchanted cloth robes protect the 
  wearer as well as leather armor (DEF 3; OIF)
  Wand Of Pyromancy:  A much-coveted item among 
  ﬁre wizards, this wand has several powers and 
  enhances Fire Magic in general. (Aid Fire Magic 4d6, 
  any one Fire Magic spell at once; OAF, 4 Charges 
  plus +3 OCV with Fire Magic spells plus Multip-
  ower of attacks (Firebolt (RKA 2d6, Penetrating), 
  Flare Of Flame (Sight Group Flash 9d6), Torrent 
  Of Flames (RKA 2d6, One Hex), Withering Heat 
  (Energy Blast 4d6, NND (defense is Life Support 
  (Safe Environment: Intense Heat) with 50 Charges)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  63 
  GENERAL TRAYGAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  86
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Tough As Nails:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%;  
  STUN Only (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Military Rank:  General of the armies of 
  Sarreshar
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Analyze Combat Technique 12-
  3 
  Bureaucracy 13-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  1 
  Gambling (Dice Games) 8-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary World 11-
  2 
  KS: Military Forces Of Mhorecia 11-
  2 
  KS: Military Forces Of The Westerlands 11-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  5 
  Tactics 13-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lance
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  96
  Total Cost:  182
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  notable scars (Easily 
  Concealed, Noticed And Recognizable)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Meritocrat; Scorns 
  Those Who Haven’t “Earned Their Place” 
  (Very Common, Strong) 
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Powerhungry 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (plotting 
  to usurp the throne) (Occasionally, Severe)
  52 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  182
  Background/History:  Traygar was born the son of 
  Sarresharan peasants. A big, strong young man, 
  he escaped the poverty of his childhood by join-
  ing ﬁrst the Sarresharan City Guard and later the 
  King’s Army. It soon became apparent that this 
  no-nonsense soldier had real promise... and he 
  proceeded to show it by leading a squad of men to 
  safety after his patrol was ambushed by bandits and 
  his commander slain. For bravery and quick think-
  ing on the battleﬁeld he was promoted to ﬁll that 
  commander’s place.
  In the years and decades that followed, 
  Traygar slowly worked his way up the ladder of 
  command, earning each new position with hard 
  work, cold efficiency, and just enough ability to 
  get along with superior officers and noblemen 
  well. When his guard detachment saved the old 
  king (Kirril’s father) from an assassin’s blade, he 
  caught the attention of the royal family. In time 
  this resulted in his promotion to the position of 
  General (overall commander, short of the King) 
  of the Sarresharan armies. When the King dis-
  appeared, it was only natural that the man who 
  best knew the kingdom’s troops, and who could 
  best evaluate the military implications of the 
  situation, would be asked to take a seat on the 
  Regency Council.
  Personality/Motivation:  Unfortunately, by making 
  General Traygar a member of the Council, the 
  other Councillors have taken a viper into their 
  midst. Traygar has long resented the nature of 
  Sarresharan society — that nobles with nothing 
  to recommend them but birth should hold power 
  and control other mens’ lives, while skilled and 
  worthwhile men such as himself worked hard 
  for a few scraps from their tables. It wasn’t right 
  — those who showed the most ability should run 
  the kingdom — and when King Kirril disappeared 
  his smoldering resentment blossomed into the full 
  ﬂame of rebellion. He’s too bright a tactician not to 
  recognize such an opportunity and seize it.
  In the months and years since then, he’s slowly 
  laid the groundwork that will allow him to seize the 
  crown. He’s recruited many important members of 
  the Sarresharan military (though by no means all of 
  them) to his cause, and has worked hard to improve 
  his proﬁle with the common folk. Whenever pos-
  sible he’s manipulated the work of the Regency 
  Council to aid his plan, hinder the plans of others 
  whom he suspects of pursuing their own agendas 
  (i.e., Duke Borilard), and/or generally keep Sar-
  reshar in a leaderless state of confusion. The time 
  has nearly come for him and his co-conspirators to 
  strike! If all goes well he will usurp the throne with 
  little opposition or bloodshed. He has no desire to 
  hurt any of his countrymen, but the time has come 
  for a serious change.
  To most people, Gen. Traygar comes across 
  as somber and coldheartedly practical. He often is 
  those things, but people who regard him as severe 
  and serious-minded simply haven’t experienced the 
  rich sense of humor he often keeps hidden. Those 
  who take him for a simple ﬁghting man are often 
  surprised by his intelligence and insight.
  GENERAL TRAYGAR 
  PLOT SEEDS
  General Traygar decides 
  it would be better to 
  have a loyal puppet 
  on the throne instead 
  of usurping it directly. 
  With the help of a 
  friendly mage (a sor-
  cerer and thaumaturge) 
  he transforms a hapless 
  dupe into the likeness of 
  King Kirril and mentally 
  controls him to do what 
  he (Traygar) wants. The 
  heroes have to uncover 
  the plot and set Sarre-
  shar to rights.
  General Traygar makes 
  his move... while the 
  PCs happen to be visit-
  ing Sarreshar! It’s civil 
  war in the streets; who 
  will they side with, and 
  what eﬀect will their 
  presence have?
  After the Council hires 
  the PCs to try to ﬁnd 
  out what happened 
  to King Kirril, Gen. 
  Traygar decides they’re 
  too competent and just 
  might succeed. That 
  would be a setback for 
  him, so he has to have 
  the heroes eliminated....
  
  64 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “We will move our men here, and here, cut-
  ting oﬀ the City Guard’s ability to respond coher-
  ently. We want as little killing as possible; just bottle 
  them up and stop them from stopping us.”
  Powers/Tactics:  General Traygar is a well-trained 
  military man with years of ﬁghting experience 
  and a well-honed sense of tactics. He doesn’t ﬁght 
  battles that don’t need ﬁghting, and when he has 
  to ﬁght maneuvers to do so under conditions and 
  terms as favorable to him as possible.
  In personal combat, Traygar usually favors a 
  defensive approach until he’s found a weakness in 
  his opponent that he can exploit (i.e., until he suc-
  ceeds with an Analyze Combat Technique roll). 
  Then he shifts to the oﬀensive, exploiting the weak-
  ness as he goes for the kill.
  Campaign Use:  Traygar is the only true villain on 
  the Regency Council. Some of the other members 
  are self-interested and have their own ulterior 
  motives, but only he wants to betray his oaths of 
  loyalty and usurp the throne. And while he prefers 
  to do it as gently as possible, he has no compunc-
  tion about killing a lot of city guardsmen and loyal 
  soldiers if they try to stop him.
  To make Traygar tougher, boost his physi-
  cal Primary Characteristics slightly and give him 
  the Swordﬁghting Martial Art. To weaken him, 
  reduce his SPD to 3 and remove one Combat Skill 
  Level; you might also get rid of one or two of his 
  enchanted items.
  Traygar generally doesn’t Hunt people; he has 
  enough on his plate right now. In time he’ll get 
  revenge on anyone who deserves it....
  Appearance:  Having survived over 40 winters and 
  about as many battles, Traygar is the very deﬁnition 
  of “grizzled old warrior.” Prematurely grey from 
  his responsibilities and bearing several scars (none 
  extremely disﬁguring), he carries himself with 
  dignity and purpose. He usually wears simple but 
  well-made tunics in earth tones. When called to the 
  ﬁeld of battle he dons his plate armor and shield 
  and straps on his bastard sword.
  GENERAL TRAYGAR’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Cleaving-Sword:  This enchanted bastard sword cuts 
  through both armor and ﬂesh with ease. (HKA 2d6, 
  Armor Piercing; OAF, STR Min 13 plus +1 OCV)
  Bastion Armor:  Forged by dwarven mages, this suit 
  of armor oﬀers better protection than ordinary plate 
  armor, but is lightweight and easy to wear. (DEF 10 
  armor; OIF, No Mass)
  Giant’s Ring:  This magic ring can make the wearer 
  enormously tall and strong for 30 seconds up to 
  twice a day. (+15 STR; OIF, Side Eﬀect (-2 DCV, +2 
  to others’ PER Roll to perceive wearer), 2 Continuing 
  Charges lasting 30 Seconds each)
  Horn Of Summoning:  Once per day a character can 
  blow this horn to summon an angelic warrior who 
  will ﬁght one battle for (or with) him. The warrior 
  disappears when the battle is won or lost, or after 
  being killed. (Summon 400-point angelic warrior, 
  Slavishly Devoted; OAF, Fewer Tasks (just 1), Will 
  Only Fight For Person Who Blew Horn, 1 Charge)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Cleaving- 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13 
  Armor Piercing
  Battle Axe 
  +0 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Enchanted Plate armor (DEF 10)
  Gear:  Weapon and armor maintenance materials
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  65 
  Membership:  Ylragi of the Seven Daggers, Fat Harrik, 
  Tisandra the Cat, Trelgon, and various other thieves 
  and footpads
  Background/History:  The city of Londregos, in the 
  kingdom of Umbr, is the northernmost major port 
  on the Dragonsmoke River. As such it’s a major 
  center of commerce... and where there’s commerce, 
  there are thieves. While some thieves in Londregos 
  work only for themselves, most join one of four 
  guilds:  the Brotherhood Of Foros; the Dark Hand; 
  the Eagleclaw Guild; and the Silver Guild. In recent 
  years, the last of these, the Silver Guild, has become 
  the most prominent and powerful in the city 
  thanks to the leadership of the clever and unscru-
  pulous Ylragi of the Seven Daggers.
  Group Relations:  Though there’s no honor among 
  thieves, and Ylragi has had to fend oﬀ half a dozen 
  assassination attempts or rebellions during his 
  tenure as guild leader, for the most part the Silver 
  Guild functions as an eﬃcient, cohesive group. 
  Nothing tends to bring thieves together more than 
  the chance to make lots of money safely, and under 
  Ylragi’s reign the Silver Guild has prospered. Most 
  members can tolerate one another’s foibles pretty 
  well as long as the proﬁts remain high; Ylragi 
  fosters this attitude by being generous and even-
  handed with shares of loot and other rewards. But 
  if the situation changes for the worse, he may have 
  a hard time holding the Guild together.
  Tactics:  Like any other thieves’ guild, the Silver 
  Guild is a brotherhood of shadow, evasion, decep-
  tion, and subterfuge. It ﬁghts its battles by night, in 
  the alleys and rooftops of Londregos, not out in the 
  open on the city’s streets. If necessary it resorts to 
  bribing city oﬃcials.
  In most cases the Silver Guild prefers to 
  accomplish its aims with trickery and mild vio-
  lence, but if the circumstances call for it the Guild 
  has no qualms about resorting to assassination, 
  kidnapping, and other brutal acts. Usually murder-
  missions are given to Gorb the Strangler, a skeleton 
  of a man whose contortionistic and stealth abilities 
  are matched only by his skill with the garrote. If he 
  can’t get the job done, Ylragi picks whoever’s most 
  suited to the task. In the most crucial situations he 
  goes after the target himself.
  Campaign Use:  The Silver Guild represents a more 
  or less “typical” thieves’ guild that you could use 
  in just about any Fantasy city (perhaps with a few 
  name changes or the like). Within Ambrethel you 
  could easily switch it to Aarn, Tavrosel, Dar Ven-
  drazhian, Eltirian, or any other city your heroes 
  frequent, or simply borrow a thief here and there as 
  needed to round out your own roster of rogues.
  To make the Silver Guild a tougher opponent 
  for your heroes, make it more of an assassins’ guild, 
  full of killers as well as thieves and more than will-
  ing to eliminate opponents at the slightest provoca-
  tion. To weaken it, make Ylragi less powerful and 
  respected within the Guild, creating factions led by 
  popular thieves such as Fat Harrik and Tisandra 
  who want to depose him and take his place. Riven 
  by inﬁghting, the Silver Guild becomes much less 
  eﬀective and threatening to the PCs.
  The Silver Guild only Hunts people within the 
  conﬁnes of Londregos, though it has some reach 
  in Dyvnar,Voitaigne, Dar Vendrazhian, and other 
  nearby cities and areas (i.e., the Limited Geograph-
  ical Area modiﬁer applies). If it sees the target as a 
  serious threat, it strikes to kill; if the target’s more 
  of an annoyance or a weakling, the Guild resorts to 
  stealing from him, playing practical jokes on him, 
  and so forth.
  THE SILVER 
  GUILD
  SILVER GUILD PLOT SEEDS
  Guild War! The Silver Guild, the Dark Hand, and the 
  Brotherhood of Foros all go to war over certain ter-
  ritories and rights within the Londregos underworld. 
  How will the heroes react to the covert ﬁghting and 
  the slowly but steadily building turmoil and tension 
  within the city?
  Ylragi, who seems anxious and desperate, hires the 
  PCs to deliver a sealed package to someone in Tor 
  Vilos, capital of the Sirrenic Empire. He cautions 
  them never to open it under any circumstances. 
  What is it, and why is he so anxious? Who else wants 
  it? What will the recipient do with it?
  After a member of the Silver Guild steals something 
  valuable from one of the PCs and the Guild refuses 
  to give it back, the heroes and the Guild come to 
  blows. Can the PCs successfully ﬁght a large, eﬃ-
  cient organization that knows the city and its people 
  better than they do?
  
  66 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  YLRAGI OF THE SEVEN DAGGERS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   11 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  100
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  15 
  Rogue’s Luck:  Luck 3d6 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader of the 
  Silver Guild
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  16 
  Crippling Blow
  7 
  Master Of The Fighting Dagger:  Deadly Blow 
  (HKA +1d6 with Daggers HTH)
  7 
  Master Of The Throwing Dagger:  Deadly 
  Blow (HKA +1d6 with Daggers Ranged)
  18 
  Evasive
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  9 
  +3 with Daggers and Knives
  10 
  +2 with Agility Skills
  6 
  +2 with Fast Draw, Sleight Of Hand, and Stealth
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  3 
  CK: Londregos 12-
  3 
  KS: The Londregos Underworld 12-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Umbrian is Native)
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  7 
  Streetwise 14-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  199
  Total Cost:  299
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Londregos City Guard 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  other Londregos thieves’ guilds 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Show 
  Oﬀ His Cleverness And Get Something For 
  Nothing By Stealing (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdent 
  About His Thieving Skills (Common, Mod-
  erate)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy (Common, 
  Moderate)
  15 
  Reputation:  one of the best and most dan-
  gerous thieves in Londregos, 11- (Extreme)
  134 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  299
  Background/History:  Ylragi has always been 
  remarkably tight-lipped about his past. From what 
  his colleagues and few friends can gather, he was 
  just another urchin running around in the alleys 
  and streets of Londregos until some thief caught 
  him ﬁlching food from a merchant in the mar-
  ketplace. The thief decided he had cleverness and 
  potential, taught him the basics of the true thief’s 
  trade, and introduced him to the Silver Guild as a 
  prospective member. After that, it was just a matter 
  of letting his natural talents, cleverness, luck, and 
  ruthlessness carry him to the top of the heap.
  Personality/Motivation:  Like most thieves, Ylragi is 
  ultimately in “the game” to make as much money as 
  possible, but for him there’s more to it than that. He 
  loves carefully planning a complex crime and pulling 
  it oﬀ, thus displaying his cleverness and skill for all the 
  world to see. His desire to prove just how good he is 
  at stealing sometimes makes it hard for him to resist 
  challenges or to refrain from stealing something he 
  doesn’t really need just to prove he can do it.
  YLRAGI  
  PLOT SEEDS
  An Westerlands noble-
  man asks the PCs for 
  help. He’s seen drawings 
  of Ylragi on wanted 
  posters and thinks that 
  master thief may be 
  his long-lost son. He 
  wants to hire the PCs to 
  investigate the matter 
  and ﬁnd proof, one way 
  or the other. But how 
  will Ylragi react to the 
  heroes poking around 
  and asking questions 
  about him?
  A member of the Silver 
  Guild makes a serious 
  attempt to get rid of 
  Ylragi and grab power, 
  leading to a guild civil 
  war. Ylragi wants to hire 
  the heroes (or cash in an 
  old favor with them, if 
  appropriate) to support 
  his side and kill his rival.
  Ylragi wakes up one 
  morning to ﬁnd that all 
  seven of his magic dag-
  gers have been stolen! 
  Unwilling to confess to 
  his guild that some thief 
  beat him at his own 
  game, he hires the PCs 
  to solve the mystery and 
  recover his daggers.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Ylragi’s Razors 
  +1 
  +1 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  2 
  6 
  AP, Can Be Thrown
  Dagger Of Invisibility 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  See text box
  Falconblade 
  +1 
  +4 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Finger of Asvalak 
  +2 
  +0 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Returning Dagger 
  +1 
  +1 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Starﬁre Dagger 
  +1 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  See text box
  Armor
  Mailring (DEF 6)
  Gear:  High-quality thieves’ tools (+2 to Lockpicking and Security Systems)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  67 
  Despite the seriousness of his “job” and how 
  dangerous most of the people he deals with can be, 
  Ylragi usually presents a pleasant face to the world. 
  He loves jokes, stories, entertainment, and having 
  a good time, and there’s often a smile on his face. 
  Only those who know him well can recognize when 
  that smile turns icy-cold as his mood shifts from 
  merriment to murderousness.
  Quote:  “Only a thief of consummate skill could 
  bypass those traps, get into that vault, and steal that 
  gem. Fortunately, I am just such a thief.”
  Powers/Tactics: 
  Ylragi tends 
  to ﬁght dif-
  ferently from 
  most rogues. 
  He recognizes 
  the value of 
  the stealthy 
  strike and the 
  blade thrown 
  from the shad-
  ows as much 
  as the next 
  thief, and uses 
  them when 
  he has to. But 
  if possible 
  he prefers to 
  ﬁght in a more 
  open manner, 
  showing oﬀ 
  his skills as 
  he cuts his 
  opponent to 
  pieces. He uses 
  his Acrobatics 
  and Sleight 
  Of Hand to 
  toy with his 
  victim, doing 
  ﬂashy jumps 
  and tumbles, 
  ﬂipping 
  his daggers 
  around or jug-
  gling them, and so on. (See page 116 of The Ulti-
  mate Martial Artist about using Sleight Of Hand 
  to perform feints and foists in HTH Combat, or 
  use the optional Feint Skill from The Ultimate 
  Skill.) Only when he realizes he’s in a tough ﬁght 
  will he settle down and devote his energy to kill-
  ing his adversary as quickly as possible.
  Ylragi’s seven enchanted daggers (see text box) 
  give him plenty of options in combat. He usually 
  wields an Ylragi’s Razor in each hand, but exchanges 
  one for a Finger Of Asvalak or Starﬁre Dagger if 
  appropriate. The Returning Dagger and Falconblade 
  make him a deadly ﬁghter at range as well.
  Campaign Use:  Ylragi is a potentially deadly foe for 
  your PCs, but hopefully a semi-sympathetic one who 
  can become a favorite enemy. Compared to many 
  thieves he’s good-natured and friendly, and his sort of 
  “swashbuckling” approach to combat may entertain 
  the players as much as frustrate them.
  To make Ylragi a deadlier foe, give him a 
  Knifeﬁghting Martial Art and/or another couple 
  points of DEX (or some Lightning Reﬂexes). To 
  weaken him, remove either or both of his Deadly 
  Blow Talents.
  Ylragi is a dangerous Hunter. He’s got an entire 
  thieves’ guild at his command, and he’ll use it. He’ll 
  start by harassing his foe with thievery and pranks, 
  escalating to assassination attempts as necessary 
  and desireable.
  YLRAGI’S ENCHANTED ITEMS
  As his sobriquet indicates, Ylragi carries seven 
  enchanted daggers:
  Ylragi’s Razor:  Ylragi commissioned a wizard to make 
  these daggers (he has two of them) for him. They cut 
  through armor even better than a normal blade. Unless 
  he has some reason to choose another dagger, these 
  are the two he normally ﬁghts with. (HKA 1d6, Armor 
  Piercing; OAF, STR Min 6 plus +1 OCV plus +1 versus 
  Range Modiﬁer)
  Dagger Of Invisibility:  This otherwise ordinary dagger 
  allows the wielder to become invisible for up to twelve 
  seconds four times a day. (HKA 1d6-1; OAF, STR Min 
  6 plus Invisibility, 0 END; OAF, 4 Continuing Charges 
  lasting 1 Turn each)
  Falconblade:  Engraved with a stooping falcon on the 
  blade, this dagger is extraordinarily accurate when 
  thrown. (HKA 1d6; OAF, STR Min 6 plus +1 OCV 
  plus +4 versus Range Modiﬁer)
  The Finger Of Asvalak:  Supposedly created by the 
  priests of the Slaughter-God, from whom Ylragi stole 
  it in an escapade still told about in taverns all over the 
  Westerlands, this dagger inﬂicts deep, vicious wounds. 
  If he’s not using his Ylragi’s Razors, this is the dagger 
  Ylragi’s most likely to have in one of his hands. (HKA 
  2d6; OAF, STR Min 6 plus +2 OCV)
  Returning Dagger:  When thrown, or if taken away from 
  the owner against his will, this dagger automatically 
  returns to his hand. Keeping it away from him for 12 
  seconds temporarily breaks this enchantment, requir-
  ing him to regain it normally. (HKA 1d6; OIF, STR Min 
  6 plus +1 OCV plus +1 versus Range Modiﬁer)
  Starﬁre Dagger:  This dagger can emit a burst of mysti-
  cal ﬁre to injure or blind the target.  (HKA 1d6-1; OAF, 
  STR Min 6 plus Multipower of two attacks, either Trig-
  gered by a successful strike and wielder’s desire [Trigger 
  automatically immediately resets] (RKA 1d6, Penetrat-
  ing, No Range; Sight Group Flash 4d6) plus +1 OCV)
  He also has these other enchanted items:
  Mailring:  This ring protects the wearer as if he were 
  wearing chainmail. (Armor (6 PD/6 ED; OIF, Does Not 
  Add To Worn Armor)
  Amulet Of Escapes:  By grasping this seemingly ordi-
  nary amulet and concentrating, the wearer can Teleport 
  up to 40”... but it only works once per day, so Ylragi 
  (like most other people who own one) tends to save 
  it for getting out of dangerous situations (hence its 
  name). (Teleportation 40”, 0 END; IAF, Extra Time 
  (always takes a Full Phase no matter how far character 
  Teleports), Gestures (must grasp and hold amulet), No 
  Noncombat Movement)
  APPEARANCE:  
  Ylragi is a Man of 
  about 30, 5’7” tall 
  with a thin, athletic 
  build. His hair and 
  short beard are both 
  sandy blonde; his eyes 
  green. His sobriquet 
  comes from the seven 
  enchanted daggers he 
  carries:  one on each 
  hip; one in each boot; 
  one on each forearm; 
  and one on his back 
  where he can reach  
  it by putting his hand 
  behind his head. 
  Depending on the  
  situation he wears 
  either dark clothing 
  or black leather armor 
  (though the armor is 
  just for show, since he 
  relies on his Mailring 
  for protection).
  
  68 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  FAT HARRIK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   27 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  47
  Movement: 
  Running:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  -4 
  Old, Fat, And Slow:  Running -2” (4” total)
   
  Perks
  30 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 27 points’ 
  worth throughout Londregos
  4 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  high-ranking 
  member of the Silver Guild
   
  Skills
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  1 
  Cryptography 8-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  1 
  Forgery (Documents) 8-
  3 
  CK: Londregos 12-
  3 
  KS: The Londregos Underworld 12-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Umbrian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  7 
  Lockpicking 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  PS: Appraise Goods 12-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  7 
  Sleight Of Hand 14-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  7 
  Streetwise 14-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  96
  Total Cost:  143
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Londregos City Guard 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  other Londregos thieves’ guilds 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Needs Money For 
  Retirement (Common, Strong)
  13 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  143
  Background/History:  There was a time when 
  Fat Harrik might have become the leader of the 
  Silver Guild himself. “Back in the storied days 
  of my illustrious and illuminating youth,” as he 
  likes to put it, he was one of the Guild’s best and 
  brightest. Guild thieves still tell the story of how 
  he snuck into the burial-vaults beneath the High 
  Temple to steal the golden raiments and jewelry 
  of the dead priests interred there, avoiding traps, 
  guardian monsters, and devilishly complex locks 
  along the way.
  But age, injuries, and too many long nights 
  at table and tavern in time took their toll. Harrik 
  became stiffer, slower, and much heavier, earning 
  the nickname “Fat” (which he didn’t even bother 
  to deny). When he no longer felt like taking the 
  risk of being an active thief, he left the streets 
  to work for the guild as an appraiser of stolen 
  goods, planner of jobs, and teacher of lockpick-
  ing and pickpocketing.
  Personality/Motivation:  Now in his fifties (quite 
  old for a rogue), Fat Harrik is feeling the weight 
  of age press down upon him. He’s not yet ready 
  to stop working, but he can see that day coming... 
  and he doesn’t have nearly enough money to 
  fund his full retirement in the style to which 
  he’s become accustomed. He’s begun desperately 
  scrambling about for money, earning it however 
  he can and saving as much as possible. He even 
  pickpockets his pickpocketing students, refusing 
  to give back their money “as an object lesson.”
  Quote:  “Ah, you see, my son, it is in this ﬁne and 
  fetching manner that one can approach one’s bliss-
  fully unsuspicious quarry and proceed to purloin 
  his purse with pusillanimous propinquity.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Fat Harrik doesn’t get in fights 
  anymore, though he hasn’t forgotten how to 
  protect himself. If threatened he’ll draw his 
  shortsword and fight defensively, perhaps 
  using Sleight Of Hand to trick his opponents 
  and get in telling blows. (See page 116 of The 
  Ultimate Martial Artist about using Sleight 
  FAT HARRIK  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Fat Harrik gets wind of 
  a tempting target for a 
  big thieving job — one 
  so big it will fund his 
  entire retirement lav-
  ishly. He doesn’t want 
  to get the guild in on it 
  because then he’d have 
  to share most of the 
  loot. So he approaches 
  the PCs about helping 
  him for a share of the 
  take, though of course 
  he’s not entirely honest 
  about how much money 
  is involved....
  After a young hero 
  saves his life in a back-
  alley brawl, Fat Harrik 
  decides to take the PC 
  “under his wing” and 
  teach him some thief 
  skills (without the Guild 
  knowing about it, of 
  course). The hero gets 
  drawn into Harrik’s life, 
  his constant discussion 
  of every ache and pain, 
  his reminiscences about 
  his youth... and eventu-
  ally some sort of trouble 
  with Guild rivals or an 
  enemy guild.
  Fat Harrik contracts 
  a painful illness, and 
  nothing any priest or 
  apothecary can do 
  relieves the pain. When 
  an oracle tells him he 
  needs to take a medicine 
  containing rare herbs 
  and other ingredients 
  from all over the world, 
  he spends his life sav-
  ings to hire the PCs to 
  obtain them for him.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Short Sword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Cuir-Bouilli (DEF 3)
  Gear:  Thieves’ tools
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  69 
  Of Hand to perform feints and foists in HTH 
  Combat, or use the optional Feint Skill from 
  The Ultimate Skill.) If hard-pressed, he’ll do 
  his best to escape, though he’s well aware that 
  he can’t run very fast anymore.
  Campaign Use:  Fat Harrik knows a lot of people 
  around Londregos and elsewhere... possibly 
  including one of the PCs. Thus, he might func-
  tion as the heroes’ “contact” in the Silver Guild, 
  or as a way for them to “speak” to the guild with-
  out having to approach a more active (and dan-
  gerous) member.
  To make Fat Harrik a tougher opponent, 
  change him to a younger man who’s still ﬁt and 
  active (increase his physical Primary Characteris-
  tics slightly) but who walks with a limp (Running 
  -2”) due to an injury that healed badly. To make 
  him weaker, age him further, reducing his Charac-
  teristics (and thus Skill Rolls) appropriately.
  Fat Harrik doesn’t Hunt anyone; he’s got 
  better things to do.
  Appearance:  Fat Harrik is an old rogue in his fif-
  ties. He’s 5’5” tall, very overweight, has unkempt 
  brown hair, and is cleanshaven. He wears simple 
  tunics and pants, often covered with food- or 
  ink-stains. He talks in a grand fashion, with long 
  sentences filled with long words (though he 
  doesn’t always use them properly); he never uses 
  two words when he can get away with using five, 
  and likes alliteration.
  
  70 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  TISANDRA THE CAT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   14 STR 
  4 
  12- 
  Lift 175 kg; 2½d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  7 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  74
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  2 
  Swift Runner:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  member of the 
  Silver Guild
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  16 
  Crippling Blow
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Claw
  9 
  +3 with Climbing, Lockpicking, and Security 
  Systems
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  5 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  1 
  Disguise 8-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  CK: Londregos 12-
  3 
  KS: The Londregos Underworld 12-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Umbrian is Native)
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  105
  Total Cost:  179
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Londregos City Guard 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  other Londregos thieves’ guilds 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Has To Be The 
  Best Burglar, And Will Prove She Is If Neces-
  sary (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates The City 
  Guard (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  one of the best burglars in Lon-
  dregos, 11- (Extreme)
  19 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  179
  Background/History:  Tisandra was born into a life 
  of crime. Her mother was a Londregan thief, her 
  father a Londregan fence, and it was only natural 
  that she’d join the family business when the time 
  came. Her mother began training her at an early 
  age, teaching her the arts of sneaking, breaking, and 
  entering. It quickly became apparent that Tisandra 
  had a real talent for burglary, and with her help the 
  family soon had plenty of money.
  Her world changed when the City Guard, 
  bribed by a rival, arrested her father and threw him 
  in prison. Her mother decided to break him out, 
  refusing to let Tisandra help because it was so dan-
  gerous. It turned out her mother was right — both 
  her parents were shot and killed by Guard archers 
  during the escape attempt.
  Tisandra supported herself with her skills for 
  another year or two, but eventually she was so suc-
  cessful that the thieves’ guilds came a-calling. She 
  had a simple choice:  join one of them or end up 
  dead. She chose the Silver Guild, where several old 
  friends of her parents were members, and has made 
  it her second family.
  Personality/Motivation:  Tisandra’s become known 
  throughout the city as one of the best cat burglars 
  around... and she intends to see to it that everyone 
  knows her as the best as soon as possible. She’s con-
  vinced she’s got the skills and grace and deserves 
  the title, and she willingly tries to prove it to anyone 
  who expresses any doubt. More than once this 
  has gotten her in over her head, but somehow she 
  always ﬁnds a way to make it out of trouble alive.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Claw 
  +2 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  AP, Can Be Thrown
  Short Sword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Blowgun 
  +0 
  +0 
  1 pt 
  1d6-2 
  12 
  2 
  Darts may be poisoned
  Armor
  Heavy Leather (DEF 2)
  Gear:  Good thieves’ tools (+1 to Lockpicking and Security Systems rolls)
  Clothing:  See Appearance (though the use of a disguise may mean changing her usual garb)
   TISANDRA THE CAT 
  PLOT SEEDS
  A mysterious patron 
  hires Tisandra to steal 
  something from a 
  wizard, playing on her 
  vanity to overcome her 
  objections to stealing 
  from a spellcaster. Now 
  she’s gotten the thing, 
  but it’s somehow cursed 
  her and she can’t get rid 
  of it. Her patron (and 
  just who was he?) has 
  vanished, so she turns 
  to the PCs for answers 
  and help.
  Tisandra and another 
  thief compete to see 
  who can steal the most 
  from the PCs over the 
  course of a week.
  An assassin poisons 
  Tisandra with a slow-
  acting venom, telling 
  her she has only 24 
  hours to live unless he 
  gives her the antidote... 
  which he’ll only do if 
  she steals certain things 
  for him. She knows even 
  she can’t possibly steal 
  everything on his list in 
  24 hours, so she turns to 
  the heroes for help.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  71 
  Tisandra’s other problem is that she bitterly 
  hates the City Guard for “murdering” her par-
  ents. She can’t resist playing tricks on guardsmen, 
  making them look like fools, and generally causing 
  them all sorts of misery and annoyance. This isn’t 
  the brightest thing for a thief to do, but she just 
  can’t help herself most of the time.
  Quote:  “Some creatures of the night are more dan-
  gerous than others... wouldn’t you agree, m’Lord?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Tisandra’s abilities are those of 
  a well-trained and highly-experienced cat bur-
  glar. She can scale sheer walls, balance on narrow 
  ledges, tumble and ﬂip agilely, pick locks, and ﬁnd 
  and defeat traps and alarms. She’s perhaps the best 
  climber and burglar in the Silver Guild, and she 
  never lets anyone forget it.
  Tisandra carries a regular short sword on 
  her right hip and an ordinary dagger hidden in 
  her boot, plus two unusual weapons. The first is 
  an enchanted dagger she calls Claw; it’s not only 
  magically sharp but makes her stealthier. Second, 
  she has a blowgun she took off the body of a 
  Talarshandi assassin hired to kill her by one of 
  her burglary victims. She carries it hidden, along 
  with twelve darts; usually four darts have knock-
  out poison, four have deadly poison, and four are 
  chosen specifically for the job at hand.
  While Tisandra prefers missions requiring 
  stealth and nimbleness, she has other skills she can 
  draw on if need be — as well as the simple allure 
  of her natural beauty. She knows how to act a part, 
  and can (given time) change her appearance. She’s 
  learned enough about the nobility of Umbr to fake 
  being one of them for a short period of time, a skill 
  that sometimes lets her blend into a crowd during a 
  ball and make her way unnoticed to something she 
  wants to steal.
  Campaign Use:  Tisandra is a potential Rival for a 
  rogue PC, or a potential romantic interest for any 
  male PC who can tolerate her somewhat “relaxed” 
  sense of morality. It would take a lot to attract her 
  attention — she scorns most men as incompetent 
  weaklings — but it is possible.
  To make Tisandra a tougher opponent, make 
  her a better ﬁghter by giving her a Knifeﬁghting Mar-
  tial Art (or perhaps a die or two of HA to represent 
  street brawling skills). To weaken her, get rid of all her 
  (Combat) Skill Levels and her Crippling Blow.
  Tisandra only “Hunts” people who have some-
  thing she wants to steal, and even then her only goal is 
  to steal it. Except for guardsmen she has no real desire 
  to hurt people... just to take their valuables.
  Appearance: Tisandra is a female, 5’2” and slen-
  der. Her skin is pale because she’s rarely outside 
  or active during sunlit hours, preferring the 
  nighttime for all things; her short hair is red, her 
  eyes green. She usually wears dark clothing with 
  a few pieces of black leather armor. Her main 
  weapon is a dagger she calls Claw, with which 
  she’s quite skilled; she also carries concealed an 
  unusual weapon for a Westerlander — a small 
  blowgun and a dozen darts.
  TISANDRA’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Claw:  Tisandra’s favorite dagger is her favorite for 
  a reason:  not only does it have an extremely sharp 
  edge, it gives her an edge when it comes to hiding 
  and sneaking. (HKA 1d6, Armor Piercing; OAF, STR 
  Min 6 plus +2 OCV plus +2 with Stealth)
  Borgun’s Talisman Of Resilience:  A character carry-
  ing this small talisman, which looks like an elabo-
  rately-carved pebble, withstands some eﬀects of 
  injury much more easily. (+10 CON; OAF, No Fig-
  ured Characteristics)
  
  72 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  TRELGON
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   16 INT 
  6 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  46
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  50 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 47 points’ 
  worth of Contacts throughout Londregos 
  (many limited to a speciﬁc identity)
  2 
  Deep Cover:  Gormahn the beggar
  2 
  Deep Cover:  Rendick the storyteller
  2 
  Deep Cover:  Banstin the trader
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  member  
  of the Silver Guild
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Disguise 12-
  2 
  Gambling (Card Games) 12-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  CK: Londregos 12-
  1 
  KS: Londregos Theater 8-
  3 
  KS: The Londregos Underworld 12-
  2 
  KS: The Noble World 11-
  2 
  KS: Stories And Tales 11-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Umbrian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  1 
  Lockpicking 8-
  3 
  Mimicry 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  2 
  PS: Beggar 11-
  2 
  PS: Storyteller 11-
  1 
  Security Systems 8-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  128
  Total Cost:  174
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Londregos City Guard 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  other Londregos thieves’ guilds 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Curious About 
  Nearly Everything (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret  
  (sometimes sells information to others  
  without Guild permission or approval) 
  (Occasionally, Minor)
  39 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  174
  Background/History:  A thieves’ guild lives as 
  much by what it knows as what it steals, and 
  that’s why it needs people like Trelgon. He’s not 
  the stereotypical thief, the one dressed in black 
  who skulks about in the night breaking into 
  buildings and taking things from them. He’s the 
  new servant who just delivered your meat from 
  the butcher, the strange nobleman someone just 
  introduced you to, the new guardsman on patrol, 
  the seemingly confused beggar who’s actually 
  watching everything that happens on the street 
  with an eagle eye. In short, he’s a master of dis-
  guise and deception, and he uses those skills to 
  collect the information the Silver Guild needs to 
  plan its jobs.
  Trelgon came to the guild by a roundabout 
  way. His parents were traveling traders, perpetu-
  ally on the road in search of the best bargains 
  and markets. When their business began to falter, 
  they feared their family would starve, so they 
  abandoned the children on various doorsteps in 
  the city where they happened to be at the time:  
  Londregos. As luck would have it, the house they 
  left Trelgon at was that of a modestly successful 
  playwrite and actor and his family. They took 
  the boy in, and in time his “father” began to use 
  him to fill childrens’ parts in his plays. Trelgon 
  enjoyed this a great deal, but otherwise had a 
  miserable childhood; his “family” was far too 
  strict for him, with every little infraction of the 
  rules meriting a beating.
  By the time he was 14, Trelgon had had 
  enough. He ran away from home and began 
  living on the streets. Using his skills at acting and 
  disguise he eked out enough to survive on, and 
  through rough experience he picked up some 
  simple thieving skills. In time he met members of 
  the Silver Guild, and they, recognizing his value, 
  persuaded him to join them.
  Personality/Motivation:  Two motivations move 
  Trelgon. First and foremost is curiosity. There are 
  very few things going on in Londregos that don’t 
  interest him on some level, and he wants to know 
  everything about them the he can. While he real-
  izes the information is valuable to the Guild (and 
  to other people he sells it to without the Guild’s 
  knowledge or permission), he wants to learn it as 
  much or more for the sheer joy of being “in the 
  know” as anything. Second, Trelgon is a dyed-in-
  the-wool sneak. Deception and trickery are his 
  stock in trade, and he prefers to keep his identity 
  TRELGON  
  PLOT SEEDS
  One of Trelgon’s broth-
  ers or sisters, an older 
  one who remembers 
  being abandoned by 
  their parents, hires the 
  heroes to track down 
  her siblings. But Trelgon 
  obviously doesn’t want 
  to be found....
  Trelgon wants revenge 
  for all the meaningless 
  beatings he suﬀered 
  as a child and begins 
  blackmailing his foster 
  father. The man, now a 
  prominent artist well-
  liked in Londregos, asks 
  the PCs for help to end 
  the threat to himself and 
  his family.
  Trelgon learns of a 
  threat to Londregos so 
  deadly that he can’t even 
  tell the Guild for fear it 
  will be destroyed just 
  for knowing it. Only the 
  heroes can help him....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  73 
  and as many other things secret as he can. For 
  him, the perfect job is one in which he learns 
  important information from someone who never 
  realizes he was there.
  Quote:  “It took a little digging, but I’ve found out 
  what we need to know.”
  Powers/Tactics:  One of the 
  Silver Guild’s best informa-
  tion-gatherers, Trelgon is a 
  master of disguise and an 
  accomplished con man. He 
  spends most of his time in 
  various alternate identi-
  ties (particularly Gormahn 
  [a lame beggar], Rendick 
  [a street storyteller and 
  entertainer], and Banstin [a 
  trader]) ferreting out what-
  ever it is the Guild needs to 
  know, that he thinks would 
  be worth knowing, or that 
  just piques is ever-active 
  curiosity. He ﬂees from vio-
  lent confrontations if possi-
  ble, but if not certainly knows 
  how to use a dagger.
  Campaign Use:  Trelgon pro-
  vides the Guild with a good 
  way to spy on the PCs if nec-
  essary, and possibly a contact 
  (if indirect) between them 
  and the Guild if necessary. If 
  he learns they need help the 
  Guild can provide, it may only 
  be a matter of minutes before 
  the likes of Gormahn or 
  Banstin sidles up to them with 
  oﬀers to put them in touch... 
  for a slight fee, of course.
  Trelgon really isn’t 
  intended to be a combatant, but if you want to 
  make him into one, give him a Combat Skill Level 
  or two with Daggers and raise his SPD to 4. To 
  weaken him, reduce his PRE to 15-17.
  Trelgon only Hunts people when ordered to, in 
  which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Trelgon’s true appearance remains 
  a secret even to most members of the Guild; 
  they know him best in his common guise as the 
  beggar Gormahn — a lame, wart-covered fellow 
  dressed in rags and walking with the help of a 
  crude wooden crutch. But hidden within those 
  rags are items filched by sleight of hand, a dagger 
  or two for emergencies, and pouches of coin for 
  buying information.
  TRELGON’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Boots Of Swiftness:  Although they look like ordinary, 
  even shabby, footwear, these boots are enchanted to let 
  the wearer run much faster. (Running +6”, 0 END; IIF)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Light Leather (DEF 1)
  Gear:  Disguise kit, thieves’ tools
  
  74 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Membership:  Felras the Wand; Ogarl the Blade; 
  Vinrus the Shadow
  Background/History:  Coincidence is a strange thing. 
  Sometimes it leads to disaster, sometimes to power 
  and wealth.
  Five years ago there was a Mhorecian noble-
  man with some enemies. Lots of enemies. He was a 
  tyrant, a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber, and he had 
  few friends. There came a time when he did some 
  things that caused such anger and turmoil in that 
  part of the world that three people independently 
  decided he had to be removed... permanently. And 
  that meant hiring assassins.
  One of them recruited Felras the Wand, a 
  wizard known to specialize in such matters for a 
  fee. Using his spells he could get close to his victim 
  and then lower the boom — or attack from a dis-
  tance with powerful mystic blasts. The nobleman 
  was surely doomed.
  Another decided that the best assassin would 
  be someone skilled at wielding weapons, so he 
  hired Ogarl the Blade. He knew few warriors were 
  as fearsome or ruthless as that Sunscale Drakine, 
  which meant the nobleman was surely doomed.
  A third enemy chose a more traditional route, 
  hiring the deadly assassin known as Vinrus the 
  Shadow. Able to hide nearly anywhere and kill 
  a victim with a single well-placed dagger thrust, 
  Vinrus had a well-deserved reputation for getting 
  the job done. The nobleman was surely doomed.
  Each of the killers set out to complete his 
  mission... only to discover two other killers were 
  on the job! Usually such coincidences result in a 
  fight between the assassins and the victim having 
  the chance to escape, but not this time. All clever 
  and professional, each of the three recognized 
  they could accomplish more together than sepa-
  rately. They killed the nobleman and each col-
  lected his own fee.
  That job turned out so well they began 
  working together on a semi-permanent basis, 
  advertising their services as “the Three Deaths” 
  — a group that can accomplish any assassination 
  no matter who the victim or what the circum-
  stances. (Each of them takes solo jobs as well 
  from time to time.) They’ve had no shortage of 
  customers, and it looks like that trend will con-
  tinue for many years to come.
  Group Relations:  Ultimately, when it comes down to 
  it, each of the Three Deaths is only concerned about 
  himself and would turn on the other two if he had 
  to... or could somehow really beneﬁt from doing so. 
  But short of that, they’re loyal to one another. They’ve 
  found that they enjoy each other’s company and work 
  together well, to their mutual beneﬁt, and they would 
  prefer to keep that arrangement working smoothly.
  All three members of the group follow “the 
  Assassin’s Code.” That means they faithfully 
  honor all contracts and don’t say anything to 
  anyone about who hired them. But all bets are off 
  if they don’t get paid on time or their employer 
  deceives them.
  Tactics:  The Three Deaths spend a lot of time 
  training together to hone their tactics as a group. 
  Their exact plan depends on the mission, of 
  course — sometimes the easiest way to get things 
  done is to let Felras get close to the victim with a 
  thaumaturgical disguise, or to let Vinrus attempt 
  a sneaky solo assassination. But usually they 
  prefer to work in tandem. Vinrus and Ogarl have 
  to get close to the victim most of the time to 
  use their fighting abilities, so Felras stands back, 
  using ranged spells on the victim and beneficial 
  spells on his friends. If possible Vinrus and Ogarl 
  trap the victim between them so one of them is 
  always attacking him from behind.
  Campaign Use:  The Three Deaths function pri-
  marily as adversaries for the PCs — sometimes 
  direct adversaries (i.e., someone hires them 
  to kill one or more PCs), sometimes indirect 
  (they’re trying to kill someone the heroes want to 
  protect for some reason).
  To make the Three Deaths tougher, change the 
  group to the Four Deaths, or Five Deaths, or how-
  ever many members you need to challenge your 
  PCs. Just make sure that each one has an identiﬁ-
  able “schtick” or “niche” that makes him valuable 
  to the group as a whole. On the other hand, if the 
  group’s already too tough, make it less cohesive — 
  the members don’t care anything for one another, 
  it’s all about the money, and they’ll turn on each 
  other at the drop of a hat.
  The Three Deaths do nothing but Hunt people 
  like the heroes, and they’re very good at it. They 
  start by studying the target, learning whatever they 
  can through spells, contacts, and other sources of 
  information. Then they plan an attack that plays to 
  their strengths and exploits the victim’s weaknesses. 
  They don’t take prisoners and have no mercy; the 
  best the target can hope for is to escape them or kill 
  them, because otherwise they will kill him.
  THE THREE 
  DEATHS
  THE THREE DEATHS 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Classic Three Deaths 
  Plot #1:  One of the 
  many enemies the 
  heroes have made 
  during their adven-
  tures, or one of their 
  Hunteds, decides to 
  eliminate them once 
  and for all. He hires the 
  Three Deaths to do the 
  dirty work. Of course, 
  they attack at the worst 
  possible moment for 
  Our Heroes....
  Classic Three Deaths 
  Plot #2:  Someone 
  who’s been targeted by 
  the Three Deaths, pos-
  sibly a friend or loved 
  one of the heroes’, 
  appeals to the heroes 
  for protection. (Or 
  maybe the heroes just 
  happen to be in the 
  right place at the right 
  time to save him.) Of 
  course, that leaves the 
  question of why some-
  one hired the Three 
  Deaths for this job, and 
  who did the hiring....
  The Three Deaths ﬁnd 
  something on one of 
  their victims... some-
  thing dangerous. Now 
  they’re the ones being 
  hunted, and they can’t 
  even ﬁgure out who’s 
  involved. They appeal to 
  the heroes for protection 
  and help, since obviously 
  whatever’s after them is 
  dangerous to innocent 
  people as well....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  75 
  FELRAS THE WAND
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   15 PRE 
  5 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   10 ED 
  9 
   
  Total:  10 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  99
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Shadow Magic
  4 
  Dark Leeching (FHG 112)
  5 
  Shadowbolt (like Fiery Arrow on FHG 89, 
  but with diﬀerent special eﬀect)
  1 
  Shadow Eyes (FHG 113)
  4 
  Shadow Form (FHG 114)
  6 
  Shadow-Walking (FHG 114)
  4 
  Shadowweaving (FHG 115)
   
  Sorcery
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen  
  (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind  
  (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams  
  (FHG 176)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Thaumaturgy
  9 
  The Bestial Curse Of Phogorath Tamm 
  (FHG 192)
  5 
  Calmir’s First Spell Of The Monstrous 
  Form (FHG 188)
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
  2 
  The Spell Of Titanic Might (FHG 194)
  4 
  Thurlond’s Spell Of Reworking (FHG 191)
  3 
  Wizard’s Whetstone (FHG 196)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
   
  Perks
  5  
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  17 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  15 
  +5 with Spells
  3 
  Bribery 
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  2 
  Cryptography 13-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Umbrian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  25 
  Power:  Shadow Magic 24-
  25 
  Power:  Sorcery 24-
  25 
  Power:  Thaumaturgy 24-
  17 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Spell Research (Inventor) 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  2 
  WF: Blades, Staﬀs
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  2 
  2)  KS: Demons And Devils 13-
  2 
  3)  KS: Shadow Magic 13-
  2 
  4)  KS: Sorcery 13-
  2 
  5)  KS: Thaumaturgy 13-
  2 
  6)  KS: Wizardry 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  293
  Total Cost:  392
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  by various authorities 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  bounty hunter Garl Grevthar 8- (As 
  Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Only Cares About 
  Himself (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devout Worship-
  per Of Mordak (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  feared assassin, 14- (Extreme)
  232 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  392
  FELRAS THE WAND 
  PLOT SEEDS
  During an experiment, 
  something goes wrong 
  and Felras absorbs into 
  himself the essence of a 
  shadow elemental and 
  becomes immensely 
  powerful. He may 
  destroy the city of Aarn 
  either deliberately or 
  accidentally... unless the 
  heroes can stop him.
  A mysterious seer 
  informs the heroes 
  that they must get 
  Felras’s Wand Of Night’s 
  Shadow and take it to 
  a particular place on a 
  particular day... or else 
  great disaster will befall 
  them and the High 
  Church. Is he telling the 
  truth, or is he manipu-
  lating them into stealing 
  the wand for him? If 
  he’s telling the truth, 
  what’s going to happen, 
  and how does the Wand 
  factor in?
  The priests of Ophel, 
  god of light, tell the 
  heroes they want to 
  “cure Felras of his mad-
  ness” by purging him 
  of the Shadow and his 
  obsession with it. All 
  they need is for the 
  PCs to capture him and 
  bring him unharmed to 
  a certain High Church 
  temple....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Staﬀ 
  +1 
  — 
  8d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia
  
  76 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  There’s a saying among mages:  
  seduced by the shadow. It’s how they describe a 
  wizard who gives into temptation and studies the 
  (literally) dark arts of Shadow Magic, which most 
  consider akin to demon magic or Necromancy.
  Felras of Mezendria is an example of being 
  seduced by the shadow. As a promising young 
  man he was taken in by an old Mezendrian 
  wizard as his apprentice. He studied hard, 
  hoping to master the secrets of the Arts Arcane, 
  and made good progress. But something about 
  Shadow Magic — perhaps the fact that his master 
  refused to speak of it at all — called to him. He 
  began getting up in the middle of the night to 
  study the Art of Darkweaving, and in time it 
  began to consume his every thought. His master 
  saw that something was wrong and confronted 
  him. Angry words turned to blows, and without a 
  moment’s regret Felras beat his master to death.
  Stealing his master’s books and valuables, 
  Felras fled into the night. He continued his mys-
  tical studies as much as he could, making even 
  better progress since he didn’t have to hide his 
  obsession with Shadow Magic. This also led him 
  to the worship of the god of darkness, Mordak, 
  whose priests helped guide Felras to other mages 
  who shared his interest and could teach him. In 
  time he became a powerful mage.
  Unlike many other students of wizardry, Felras 
  wanted to do something with his powers, not just 
  study, research, and experiment. Most such wizards 
  become adventurers, but that wasn’t what Felras 
  had in mind. Instead he became an assassin, using 
  his Shadow arts to kill... and in his heart dedicating 
  every kill to the god of darkness.
  Personality/Motivation:  Except perhaps for his 
  two comrades, Felras really only cares about 
  himself. Other people are annoyance, or targets, 
  or fitting subjects for his spells, but they don’t 
  deserve any special consideration. He’s not a 
  full-blown Casual Killer (he has more self-con-
  trol than that), but he’s murdered more than one 
  person simply for frustrating or bothering him.
  Felras is a devoted worshipper of Mordak 
  in his aspect as god of darkness and shadows. He 
  wears an amulet in the shape of the god’s sword 
  under his clothing (even he’s not bold enough to 
  wear it in the open most of the time). He performs 
  a small personal worship ceremony every night 
  that creeps out Ogarl and Vinrus. He sometimes 
  undertakes jobs for Scarlet priests for little or no 
  fee, which annoys his partners even if they don’t 
  have to help.
  Felras likes to think of himself as the real 
  leader of the Three Deaths. Ogarl is mighty and 
  Vinrus is clever, but only he truly has the combi-
  nation of wits and power needed to take point on 
  most of their missions, and the savvy to negotiate 
  with potential employers.
  Quote:  “My victims never see me coming... 
  except with eyes starting to glaze over as death 
  begins to take them.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Felras is a wizard specializing in 
  spells of concealment, misdirection, and decep-
  tion from such arcana as Shadow Magic, Thauma-
  turgy, and Sorcery. He uses Alzamar’s Cloak Of 
  The Unseen, Shadow Form, Shadow-Walking, and 
  Thurlond’s Spell Of Reworking to get close to his 
  victim for a killing blow, Belzorath’s various spells 
  to lure a victim to him, and so forth. He rarely 
  bothers with frontal assaults, but is perfectly will-
  ing to do so as “ﬁre support” for his two teammates 
  if necessary. He can also use spells like Wizard’s 
  Whetstone and the Spell Of Titanic Might to aug-
  ment his partner’s abilities before battle.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  77 
  Campaign Use:  Felras is a change from the usual 
  styles of assassin — the weapon-wielding brute 
  (typiﬁed by Ogarl) and the sneaky stabber of backs 
  (Vinrus). He uses his mystic arts to kill, and does 
  so very well. This may make him a particularly 
  intriguing (or loathed) adversary for your PCs.
  To make Felras more powerful, expand his 
  mystic knowledge, giving him more Wizardry spells 
  and perhaps some Ice Magic as well. To weaken 
  him, remove his Thaumaturgy spells and Skill.
  Felras is a fearsome Hunter. Between spells 
  that allow him to get close to someone unde-
  tected, impersonate a loved one, or control a 
  victim’s mind, there are few people he can’t harm 
  if he puts his mind to it. Like the shadows them-
  selves he lurks, watching and waiting for the best 
  opportunity to attack.
  Appearance:  Felras is a noticeably thin Human 
  male about 30 years old. His brown hair is about 
  shoulder length (though his hairline’s receding) and 
  he has a brown moustache but no beard. He usually 
  wears a blood-red tunic with black pants and boots. 
  He carries a powerful magic weapon, the Wand of 
  Night’s Shadow, which seems to be made of black 
  iron and topped with a deep purple crystal shard of 
  some sort. The crystal often gives oﬀ a faint cloud 
  of mystic energy.
  FELRAS THE WAND’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Sorcerer’s Seal:  This ring, which looks like some sort 
  of mystic signet, enhances the wearer’s willpower. 
  (EGO +5; OIF)
  Staff Of Bold Striking:  Designed for actual combat 
  rather than mystical power, this staﬀ allows the 
  wielder to deal ﬁerce, bone-breaking blows with 
  great accuracy. (HA +6d6; OAF plus +1 OCV)
  The Wand Of Night’s Shadow:  This powerful wand 
  augments the power of a shadow mage and produces 
  several other powerful spells and eﬀects. (+2 to 
  Power: Shadow Magic rolls; +5 INT, Only For Deter-
  mining How Many Spells Wielder Can Have Active 
  At Once plus Multipower of spells (32 Charges for 
  entire reserve): Shadowbolt (RKA 2d6, +2 STUN 
  Multiplier, Uses 2 Charges); Darkening Shadows 
  (Aid 4d6, any one Shadow Magic spell at a time, Uses 
  2 Charges); Fading Of The Light (Drain Light or 
  Holy Magic 2d6, Ranged, any one Light or Holy spell 
  at a time, Uses 4 Charges) plus Deepening The Dark 
  (Aid Darkness 4d6, Trigger (wielder’s mental com-
  mand, immediately automatically resets), Self Only))
  Wizard’s Amulet:  Rather than exhaust his own per-
  sonal energy casting spells, Felras usually relies on 
  this amulet to power his spells. (Endurance Reserve 
  (200 END, 25 REC); OIF)
  Wizard’s Garb:  Felras has enchanted his clothing to 
  provide protection equal to leather armor. (DEF 2 
  clothing; OIF)
  
  78 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  OGARL THE BLADE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   22 STR 
  14 
  13- 
  Lift 533 kg; 4d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   11 PD 
  10 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   10 REC 
  4
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  110
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Drakine Fangs:  HKA 1 point  
  (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Drakine Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Tough Brute:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%;  
  STUN Only (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Drakine Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  2 
  At Home In The Water:  Swimming +2”  
  (4” total) 
  1
  5 
  Drakine Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Drakine Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); 
  Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  40 
  +8 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Gambling (Dice Games) 11-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  AK: Lake Beralka Region 11-
  2 
  KS: Heraldry 11-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Northern Drakine is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Paramedics 11-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  122
  Total Cost:  232
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  by various authorities 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  bounty hunter Garl Grevthar 8- (As 
  Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Fight 
  And Hurt People (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  feared assassin, 14- (Extreme)
  92 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  232
  Background/History:  Ogarl doesn’t talk much 
  about his past (or about anything, really). From 
  the few comments he’s made here and there, 
  they gather that he grew up somewhere in the 
  Drakine Realms, probably Vendrigal. Something 
  happened when he was a young man that forced 
  him to leave home. He won’t say what, but Felras 
  and Vinrus both suspect he killed someone 
  important, either in a duel or in some fit of rage, 
  but it might be nothing more than trouble over a 
  woman. (Or both.) He fled to Aarn, where he put 
  his size and strength to work first on the docks, 
  and then as a guard for various merchants. As he 
  became better known for his abilities as a warrior 
  he got better and better guardsman’s jobs... until 
  one of his employers hit on the idea of paying 
  him to kill someone. He was so good at that line 
  of work that soon it was all he did, and that in 
  time led him to become part of the Three Deaths.
  Personality/Motivation:  Ogarl usually comes 
  across as an unthinking combat machine and a 
  rude, crude thug — and in some ways that’s an 
  accurate assessment. He loves to get in fights and 
  brawls, for example; keeping him calm and drag-
  ging him away from confrontations is an unwel-
  come but necessary task for Felras and Vinrus on 
  many an evening. But he’s not the dullard most 
  people think he is. He may not win any riddle 
  contests with mages, but he’s got a cleverness and 
  craftiness most people underestimate because he 
  keeps them hidden most of the time.
  Ogarl likes to think of himself as the real 
  leader of the Three Deaths. Felras is smart and 
  powerful, and Vinrus is sneaky and clever, but 
  when it comes down to it force and skill of arms 
  is what kills people, and he has more of that than 
  both of them put together.
  Quote:  “Are you prepared for the sight of your own 
  blood, little man?”
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Nightscale Blade 
  +1 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Francisca 
  +0 
  +0 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  10 
  Can Be Thrown
  Tail-Mace 
  +0 
  — 
  ½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  8
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chainmail (DEF 6)
  Elemental Bulwark (DCV +3, various other defenses (see text box)
  Gear:  Armor/weapons cleaning/repair materials, knucklebones
  OGARL THE BLADE 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Famed bounty hunter 
  Garl Grevthar asks the 
  heroes for help. He’s 
  pursued the Three 
  Deaths for a long time, 
  but he particularly 
  wants Ogarl the Blade. 
  A wealthy Vendrigal 
  family whose daughter 
  he disgraced and two 
  sons he murdered has 
  a standing oﬀer of a 
  rich reward for Ogarl’s 
  head, and Garl intends 
  to collect... but the trio 
  has proven too tough for 
  him to tackle alone. He 
  wants the heroes’ help 
  to lure Ogarl away so he 
  can capture or kill him.
  One of Ogarl’s victims, a 
  wizard, transforms him 
  into a pathetic, scrawny 
  human, then with his 
  dying breath makes the 
  curse permanent! Felras 
  can’t reverse the curse; 
  he tells Ogarl only “a 
  wizard of pure heart and 
  unsullied mind” can do 
  so. Ogarl decides to trick 
  the PCs into helping 
  him out... after which 
  he’ll have no compunc-
  tions about killing them 
  for having witnessed his 
  weakness.
  Ogarl receives a visita-
  tion from the Drakine 
  gods, telling him he’s 
  destined both to bring 
  Drakines and Men 
  closer together but to 
  lead the Drakine to 
  new heights of power 
  and sophistication in 
  Ambrethel. He believes 
  this vision and reforms... 
  but his partners don’t 
  particularly care for that. 
  Ogarl appeals to the 
  heroes for protection 
  and help achieving his 
  destiny. Will they believe 
  him? And why would 
  the gods pick such an 
  objectionable servant?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  79 
  Powers/Tactics:  Ogarl is a brute... but an eﬀec-
  tive brute. His main skills are cutting, chopping, 
  smashing, crushing, and otherwise inﬂicting 
  pain, and he’s very, very good at what he does. He 
  uses his Combat Skill Levels as a sort of “Martial 
  Art,” assigning them to OCV, DCV, and damage 
  as appropriate. He usually splits them either half 
  to OCV, half to DCV, or +3 OCV, +3 DCV, +1 
  Damage Class — but when he decides to try an 
  all-out oﬀense or desperate defense, he’s very hard 
  to avoid or hit.
  Ogarl’s most unusual weapon, one he often 
  uses for surprise attacks, is a tail-mace — a Drakine 
  weapon that looks something like the head of a 
  spiked mace that attaches to the end of the ﬁghter’s 
  tail. The ﬁrst time Ogarl uses it on a foe he often 
  gets a Surprise Move bonus.
  Campaign Use:  Ogarl is the “strength and brawn” 
  side of the Three Deaths. Whenever they have a 
  job that requires intimidation, sheer force, or unre-
  strained brutality, he takes the lead. In any confron-
  tation with your PCs, Ogarl will charge into battle 
  to keep the warriors occupied while his comrades 
  pick oﬀ other targets.
  To make Ogarl tougher, increase his DEX 
  to 20 and SPD to 5, and perhaps give him some 
  Targeting Skill Levels so he can more easily make 
  attacks against the Vitals and Head. To weaken 
  him, get rid of his Damage Reduction and half 
  his Combat Skill Levels.
  As a Hunter, Ogarl’s the least sophisticated of 
  the Three Deaths. He simply tries to ﬁnd the victim 
  alone and attacks. If necessary he creates a diver-
  sion to give him a chance to ambush his quarry.
  Appearance:  A powerfully-thewed Sunscale Dra-
  kine warrior, Ogarl is nearly six feet tall and usually 
  wears chainmail. He wears an enchanted broad-
  sword on his left hip, a francisca on his right, and 
  often attaches a spiked ball to the end of his tail so 
  he can make surprise attacks with it. He also carries 
  a round shield.
  OGARL THE BLADE’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Nightscale Blade:  Specially crafted by Drakine 
  wizard-smiths, this broadsword confers on its 
  wielder the luck thought to be possessed by a 
  Nightscale Drakine. (HKA 1½d6; OAF, STR Min 10 
  plus Luck 1d6 plus +1 OCV)
  Elemental Bulwark:  This large, round shield offers 
  greater protection than a typical shield in general, 
  and even greater protection against Elemental 
  magics. (DCV +3 plus Armor (+2 PD/+2 ED) plus 
  Armor (+4 PD/+4 ED); Only Versus Elemental 
  Magic plus Power Defense (10 points), Only Versus 
  Elemental Magic; all OAF)
  Gauntlets Of The Northlands:  These plate armor-like 
  gauntlets contain an Ice Magic enchantment that 
  makes any melee weapon with which the wearer 
  strikes a target also do chilling damage to that 
  target. (Energy Blast 4d6, NND (defense is Life 
  Support [Safe Environment:  Intense Cold]), Con-
  tinuous, Damage Shield that works when striking 
  others in combat; OIF)
  
  80 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  VINRUS THE SHADOW
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   16 STR 
  6 
  12- 
  Lift 233 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   16 INT 
  6 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  7 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   34 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  107
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Blademastery
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Counterstrike +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike, Must 
  Follow Block
  5 
  Jab 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Slash 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrust 
  -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Swift Runner:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  1
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  16 
  Crippling Blow
  18 
  Evasive
  4 
  Rapid Archery
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Blades
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  2 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Vendiyan is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  2 
  PS: Brew Poison 11-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  7 
  Stealth 15-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  6 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand, Garrote
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  149
  Total Cost:  256
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  by various authorities 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Gurisha cult 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Lim-
  ited Geographical Area [Indushara], Cap-
  ture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  bounty hunter Garl Grevthar 8- (As 
  Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Casual Killer 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  feared assassin, 14- (Extreme)
  96 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  256
  Background/History:  Vinrus (a shortened version of 
  his full name) was born in Vendiya to a family of 
  assassins. Worshippers of Gurisha the death-god, 
  they served him by committing ritualistic murders 
  using blade, poison, or garrote. Like his father and 
  his father’s father before him, Vinrus studied the 
  arts of murder, learning from an early age how to 
  end the lives of other men.
  As he grew older, Vinrus took to his work with 
  relish. Only when committing murder did he feel 
  truly alive — powerful and vibrant. The religious 
  aspect of it interested him far less than the actual 
  killings. He ﬁnally decided there were better ways 
  to employ his talents. Knowing he could not remain 
  in Indushara lest the cult kill him for his betrayal, 
  he ﬂed to Arduna and became a professional assas-
  sin in Aarn. In time he went beyond the City of 
  Storms, taking assassination jobs all over the con-
  tinent... and then one day he met Felras and Ogarl, 
  and the Three Deaths was born.
  Personality/Motivation:  Vinrus is a cold, distant 
  person who rarely shows strong emotion and 
  doesn’t relate well to other people beyond his two 
  comrades. He only “perks up” when planning and 
  executing a mission, becoming more and more agi-
  tated (but no less skilled or eﬃcient) as the moment 
  of murder approaches.
  Vinrus likes to think of himself as the real 
  leader of the Three Deaths. He respects Felras’s 
  VINRUS THE 
  SHADOW  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Through a “cover” 
  organization or person, 
  the cult of Gurisha 
  hires or persuades the 
  PCs to capture or kill 
  Vinrus for it. What will 
  they do when they find 
  out who they’re really 
  working for?
  When they go to visit 
  some friends in Velk-
  athy-Tashan, the PCs 
  ﬁnd all of them garroted 
  to death. It certainly 
  looks like the handiwork 
  of Vinrus the Shadow... 
  but is he really to blame?
  Vinrus has to go back to 
  Vendiya for something 
  important. Pretend-
  ing to be a wealthy 
  merchant, he hires the 
  PCs to guard him from 
  his enemies, whom he 
  claims are a fanatical 
  death-cult that has tar-
  geted him because of his 
  good works and support 
  for its enemies.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Swift Scimitar 
  +2 
  — 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  11 
  AP; +2 DEX to act ﬁrst
  Eaglehunter Bow 
  +2 
  +4 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  9 
  200” range, 2H, Conc
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, carries 3
  Garrote 
  +0 
  — 
  3d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  4 
  See UMA 172, 177
  Armor
  Thieves’ Bracers (DEF 7)
  Gear:  High-quality thieves’ tools (+2 to Lockpicking and Security Systems rolls)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  81 
  learning and spellpower and 
  Ogarl’s strength and fighting skill, 
  but ultimately most assassinations 
  are a matter of stealth, deception, 
  and ambush — just the things he 
  specializes in.
  Quote:  “Let me be the one to kill him.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Vinrus is an expe-
  rienced killer, skilled at both the 
  stealthy attack from behind and 
  up-front melee if the situation calls 
  for it. He prefers to take his victims 
  from surprise and get in a killing 
  blow before they can react, but he 
  won’t shirk from battle if that’s the 
  only way to get the job done. He 
  usually fights two-handed, with 
  his enchanted scimitar in his right 
  hand and a dagger in his right. 
  (He’d very much like to find an 
  enchanted dagger, preferably one 
  with enchantments similar to those 
  of his scimitar.) If he has to attack 
  at range, he uses his medium bow. 
  He often poisons his blades and his 
  arrows to give him an extra “edge” 
  in combat.
  Campaign Use:  Vinrus is the 
  member of the Three Deaths most 
  like the typical “assassin” the heroes 
  are used to. As such he’s often the 
  person the group uses to “make 
  contact” with targets and potential 
  employers; that way it may come as a surprise when 
  the other members aren’t also typical assassins.
  To make Vinrus more dangerous, give him 
  some Extra DCs with his Martial Arts, and perhaps 
  buy a weapons element that lets him use it bare-
  handed (along with some other, barehanded-only, 
  Martial Maneuvers). To weaken him, reduce his 
  SPD to 4 and remove his Combat Luck.
  Vinrus is as deadly a Hunter as either of his 
  partners. He prefers a stealthy approach — he stud-
  ies the victim carefully for a while, then strikes. 
  Even better is when he has the chance to slip 
  poison into the victim’s food or drink unseen and 
  get away before anyone even knows he was there.
  Appearance:  A thief and assassin, Vinrus is a short, 
  dark-haired Man with a short black beard and 
  black hair. He usually wears a grey tunic and cloak, 
  often with the hood up to hide most of his features. 
  He wields a scimitar in his right hand and a dagger 
  in his left, and on one ﬁnger of his right hand wears 
  a black ring with no stone.
   VINRUS THE SHADOW’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Swift-Slashing Scimitar:  This magical scimitar strikes 
  with great speed and accuracy, and cuts through 
  armor easily. (HKA 1d6+1, Armor Piercing; OAF, 
  STR Min 11 plus +2 OCV plus Lightning Reﬂexes 
  (+2 DEX to act ﬁrst when attacking with Scimitar))
  Eaglehunter Bow:  This enchanted medium bow ﬁres 
  arrows harder, over greater distances, and more 
  accurately than normal. (RKA 1½d6, range 200”; 
  OAF, STR Min 9, 2H, Concentration plus +2 OCV 
  and +4 versus Range Modiﬁer)
  Ring Of Magestepping:  This ring allows the wearer to 
  Teleport for short distances. It doesn’t have Charges, 
  but requires several seconds between uses. (Telepor-
  tation 12”, 0 END; OIF, No Noncombat Movement, 
  Cannot Be Used In Consecutive Phases)
  Thieves’ Bracers:  These seemingly ordinary leather 
  bracers actually hold a powerful enchantment that 
  protects the wearer as if he were wearing the heavi-
  est chainmail. (Armor (7 PD/7 ED); IIF)
  
  82 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Membership:  Zelatar Coromson, Chuunda, Elgaron, 
  Taal Meroth, Ugehn
  Background/History:  One dark night, in a tavern 
  on the outskirts of Skiros, capital of Tyrandium, a 
  fat innkeeper refused service to a potential patron. 
  “Your scaly kind isn’t welcome here,” he said with a 
  sneer to the big lizard-man. With a hiss of anger the 
  lizard-man reached for the innkeeper, but a dozen 
  patrons, some of them hard-bitten men with well-
  used weapons, rose to the man’s defense.
  But the lizard-man had supporters too, each 
  with reasons of his own for speaking up. “Ho, inn-
  keep — what does it matter to you what he is, if he 
  has coin to pay?” said a handsome, black-bearded 
  warrior. As he stood up and walked over to the 
  lizard-man’s side, a wizard joined him. “As the man 
  says — why cause trouble with one who’d give you 
  good money for food and a bed?” A bald little man 
  in a strange-looking tunic joined them, saying 
  nothing but clearly eager for trouble. One of the 
  few people left seated in the place was a priest, and 
  everyone ﬁgured he’d stay quiet... but then, with a 
  devilish grin, he stood up and cast a spell on the 
  lizard-man that brieﬂy made him glow with bloody 
  red energy.
  The brawl started almost immediately, the 
  ﬁve of them against a tavern-full of men. Ten min-
  utes later only the ﬁve were standing, all of them 
  bloodied but none defeated, and a strange friend-
  ship was born. As they panted, wiped blood out of 
  their eyes, and slapped one another on the back, a 
  man who’d sat out the battle in a dark corner of the 
  tavern approached them. He was wearing a dark 
  hooded cloak, making it diﬃcult to see his face. 
  “My friends,” he said, “you are the heroes I have 
  been looking for. Only truly powerful and skilled 
  adventurers could have won that ﬁght, and those 
  are the type of men I seek. My name is Korvus, and 
  I have a proposition for you.
  “I have in my possession an ancient map, 
  one that purports to show the way to a great 
  treasure. But the way to the treasure is long and 
  difficult, guarded by traps and monsters that I 
  cannot by myself defeat. What say you? Shall we 
  join forces in pursuit of wealth and fame, I with 
  my map and meager skills, you with your wits, 
  weapons, and spells?”
  The lizard-man glanced over at the warrior 
  who’d ﬁrst stood up in his defense... and slowly 
  a wicked grin grew across his face. The warrior 
  caught the grin, mirrored it slightly, and nodded. 
  Without a word the lizard-man reached behind 
  him for his spear, grabbed it, and ran the cloaked 
  man through. Then the ﬁve of them took the dead 
  man’s map and went treasure-hunting.
  Group Relations:  Years of adventuring together 
  based on a chance meeting in a tavern have given 
  Zelatar’s Blades a strong bond of friendship — or 
  at least as strong a one as ﬁve evil and generally 
  greedy men can have. They’ve saved each other’s 
  lives many a time. While it’s entirely possible any of 
  them would betray the others for the right reason, 
  none of them has yet found such a reason.
  Tactics:  In battle the Blades have a staggered-line 
  approach to ﬁghting. Zelatar and Chuunda engage 
  the enemy directly, and Taal Meroth usually joins 
  them, splitting his time between ﬁghting alongside 
  them and using healing-spells to keep them healthy. 
  Elgaron stays away from the main battle and casts 
  spells to hurt the enemy and help his friends; some-
  times Meroth joins him. Ugehn maneuvers around 
  the outskirts of the battle, looking for targets of 
  opportunity for sneak attacks, or using ranged 
  weapons on whoever the warriors are ﬁghting if 
  he can’t ﬁnd any. If anyone attacks Elgaron directly, 
  Ugehn usually moves to intercept or attack that 
  person to keep the wizard safe.
  Campaign Use:  Zelatar’s Blades are intended to 
  function as the “opposite number” to your PCs, a 
  mirror image of your heroes that makes an excel-
  lent adversary. The Blades are an adventuring party 
  like any other... just evil, and cruel, and not heroic 
  at all. (Hopefully this does, in fact, contrast with 
  your PC group!) If they’re not tough enough to do 
  this, add another member or two, perhaps a Dwarf 
  ﬁghting-man of some type or a wizard specializing 
  in Necromancy and demon Conjuration. If your 
  PCs aren’t tough enough for the Blades yet, just 
  arrange to have two or three members of the group 
  be involved with something elsewhere so they’re 
  not available to ﬁght your heroes.
  Zelatar’s Blades don’t usually Hunt someone 
  unless hired to do so. If hired to kill someone, they 
  let Ugehn “take point” and plan and execute the 
  job as much as possible. If their instructions are 
  to intimidate, harass, or scare oﬀ someone, Zelatar 
  and Chuundu do most of the work.
  ZELATAR’S 
  BLADES
  ZELATAR’S BLADES 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Zelatar’s 
  Blades plot:  your 
  heroes are on a quest 
  or adventure in search 
  of some object... and 
  Zelatar’s Blades are after 
  the exact same object! 
  It’s a race to the ﬁnish, 
  with the Blades using 
  every dirty trick in the 
  book to gain advantage.
  A mad wizard kid-
  naps your heroes and 
  Zelatar’s Blades and 
  puts them in a trap- and 
  monster-ﬁlled maze. If 
  they work together to 
  get out alive, they all 
  have a much greater 
  chance of surviving... 
  but if they compete, 
  the losers all die, and 
  anyone on the winning 
  side who isn’t killed in 
  the process will earn a 
  great reward! What will 
  the heroes... and the 
  Blades... do?
  Reports reach the 
  king that Zelatar’s 
  Blades have sacked and 
  burned a village on the 
  kingdom’s frontier. He 
  hires (or commands, as 
  appropriate) the PCs 
  to ﬁnd the Blades and 
  bring them to justice... 
  dead or alive. But when 
  the heroes ﬁnd the 
  anti-heroes, the Blades 
  claim they had nothing 
  to do with it. They oﬀer 
  to prove their inno-
  cence. Will the heroes 
  go along with this or 
  assume the Blades are, 
  as usual, lying?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  83 
  ZELATAR COROMSON
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   18 STR 
  8 
  13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½3d6
   11 COM 
  1 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  32 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   32 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  106
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
   
  Swimming:  3”/6”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  1 
  Dig Trench (FHG2 90)
  1 
  Polish Armor (FHG2 91)
  2 
  Repair Armor (FHG2 91)
   
  Powers
   
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat, Swordﬁghting
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Chop/Slash 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Counterstrike +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike, Must 
  Follow Block
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Half-Sword 
   
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm, +10 
  STR to Disarm 
  roll, Requires 
  Both Hands
  3 
  Half-Sword 
   
  Trip  
  +2  
  +0  
  Weapon Strike, 
  Target Falls, 
  Requires Both 
  Hands
  5 
  Probe/Thrust 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  1 
  Use Art with Axes/Hammers/Maces/Picks
  2 
  Strong Runner:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  1 
  Strong Swimmer:  Swimming +1” (3” total) 1
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  25 
  +5 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  1 
  CK: Aarn 8-
  2 
  KS: Heraldry 11-
  2 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Aarnese is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  9 
  Power:  Warrior’s Magic 15-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Thrown Sword
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  115    
  Total Cost:  221
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  various persons and authorities 
  Zelatar’s Blades have harmed or oﬀended 
  8- (Mo Pow, sometimes NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Baraxus the Great 8- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Warrior Born; 
  Lives For Battle (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  86 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  221
  Background/History:  Battle is in Zelatar Coromson’s 
  blood. His father was a mercenary from Aarn, his 
  mother a camp follower. He was born when his 
  father was on the battleﬁeld, and almost as soon as 
  he could walk Corom was teaching him how to use 
  a blade. As he grew older, he dreamed of the day he 
  could ﬁght by his father’s side...
  ...and then his father suﬀered a bad leg wound 
  when there were no battle-priests nearby and was 
  lamed for life. Unable to ﬁght eﬀectively anymore, 
  he returned to Aarn, taking his family with him. 
  Zelatar was bitterly disappointed; this wasn’t the life 
  he wanted! By the time his father died a few years 
  later, Zelatar’s dislike of his “weakling” father had 
  grown to the point where he rarely came home.
  As soon as he was eligible, Zelatar got a job 
  with the city guard in Aarn, parleying that into a 
  position in a Tornathian nobleman’s household 
  guard in less than two years. That job exposed him 
  to real soldiers who put him in touch with merce-
  nary recruiters. Before long Zelatar was just where 
  he wanted to be:  on the battleﬁeld, ﬁghting for his 
  life... and his money.
  After a few years as a mercenary and a lot of 
  seasoning in the way the world worked, Zelatar 
  decided it was time to put his skills to more lucra-
  tive use. Leaving his mercenary unit behind, he 
  headed to Aarn to try to ﬁnd a group of adventur-
  ers he could join up with. And then he stopped one 
  night in a tavern near Skiros....
  Personality/Motivation:  Zelatar truly only “feels 
  alive” when he’s in the middle of something exciting 
  and dangerous — preferably a battle. Sometimes 
  it’s all his friends can do to keep him from starting 
  a ﬁght, or to get him to withdraw from one even 
  though anyone else can see that retreat is the best 
  option. He puts up with the boring parts of adven-
  turing (the long overland journeys, for example) 
  just to get to the exciting parts:  ﬁghting monsters 
  and taking their money.
  ZELATAR  
  COROMSON  
  PLOT SEEDS
  For years Zelatar has 
  been obsessed with 
  stealing the horde of the 
  demonblooded dragon 
  Baraxus the Great (page 
  107). He’s persuaded the 
  Blades to try for the gold 
  several times, but all it’s 
  gotten them is being 
  Hunted by Baraxus. 
  Zelatar decides it’s time 
  to call in some help 
  — the PCs. Of course 
  Zelatar will make sure 
  they don’t get any loot 
  from the adventure, and 
  if possible don’t even 
  make it back out alive....
  Zelatar wants to go 
  check out an adventure 
  opportunity he’s heard 
  of, but the other Blades 
  think it’s nonsense and 
  want to remain where 
  they are (staying at a 
  comfortable inn after 
  their latest escapade). So 
  he sets out on his own, 
  and on the way he meets 
  the heroes and joins up 
  with them. They’ll soon 
  discover what a viper 
  they’ve taken into their 
  midst.
  Zelatar’s old mercenary 
  company, which fell 
  on hard times after he 
  left, blames him for its 
  troubles. It hires the 
  PCs to capture him and 
  bring him to them for a 
  little “justice.”
  
  84 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “Shards of Dal! Pay attention, Chuunda, and 
  take him from the other side like I told you! That 
  way he can’t ﬁght us both at once.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Zelatar is an experienced, practi-
  cal-minded warrior who doesn’t care about show-
  ing oﬀ or winning with panache — he just wants 
  to see his enemy dead and himself as whole as pos-
  sible. He favors his Fire-Bladed Axe as a weapon, 
  but can also wield a longsword or other weapons 
  just ﬁne; for ranged combat he usually carries a 
  very heavy bow and 20 arrows. He’d love to ﬁnd an 
  enchanted sword or shield to complement his Axe 
  and Everbright Armor.
  Not long ago Zelatar discovered he has a 
  minor talent for magic, and he’s put it to use 
  learning several Warrior’s Magic spells to make 
  his life easier. He’d like to expand his repertoire 
  of spells, and perhaps even get good enough to 
  learn Areomancy (battle-magic), but he needs 
  access to grimoires and teachers... not to men-
  tion more patience for reading and studying than 
  he’s shown before.
  Campaign Use:  As the leader of the Blades, 
  Zelatar is both the tactical and social driving 
  force behind the group. All the others look to 
  him (at least to some extent) for leadership, and 
  he’s happy to oblige because he likes being in 
  charge. A serious challenge to his predominance 
  could cause real rifts in the group.
  To make Zelatar a tougher foe, give him some 
  Extra DCs with his Martial Arts or expand his 
  arsenal of spells. He shouldn’t become too much 
  of a wizard, but giving him some battle-magic or 
  Thaumaturgy spells that make him a better ﬁghter 
  would help him a lot. To weaken him, reduce his 
  SPD to 4 and his DEX to 17.
  Zelatar rarely Hunts people; that’s just not 
  his style. If someone makes him mad enough (or 
  jealous enough) to do that, he’ll study the target 
  just like he would an enemy army and then 
  attack when he feels he’s got enough information 
  and at least some advantage.
  Appearance:  Zelatar Coromson is 6’1” tall, well-
  muscled, with closely-cropped black hair and 
  beard. He looks like just what he is:  an accom-
  plished killer and ﬁghting man. He wears plate and 
  chain armor, carries a shield, and usually wields his 
  enchanted battleaxe.
  ZELATAR COROMSON’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Fire-Bladed Axe:  During battle Zelatar can make his 
  axe burst into ﬂame, causing it to inﬂict even worse 
  injuries than normal for a period of several seconds. 
  (HKA 2d6+1; OAF, STR Min 13 plus HKA +1d6, 
  Lingering (1 Turn); OAF, 6 Charges plus +2 OCV)
  Everbright Armor:  This suit of plate and chain isn’t 
  signiﬁcantly stronger than ordinary armor, but it 
  weighs no more than clothing, doesn’t get dirty, 
  requires no maintenance, and repairs damage to 
  itself at the rate of 1 BODY per Hour. (DEF 8 armor 
  with various minor abilities; OIF, No Mass)
  Commander’s Helm:  This helmet not only makes the 
  wearer more charismatic and handsome, on com-
  mand it can amplify his voice so that he can easily 
  shout commands that soldiers all over the battleﬁeld 
  can hear. (DEF 8 helm plus +10 PRE plus +4 COM 
  plus Hearing Group Images, +12 to PER Rolls, 
  Increased Size (64” radius); Set Eﬀect (only ampliﬁes 
  user’s voice), No Range; all OIF)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Fire-Bladed Axe 
  +2 
  — 
  2d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13 
  HKA +1d6 (see text box)
  Longsword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  12 
  Can Be Thrown
  Very Heavy Bow 
  +0 
  +0 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  13 
  2H, Conc, no horse
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Everbright Armor (DEF 8)
  Large Shield (DCV +3)
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia; whetstone; tinderbox; tent and bedroll; coil of rope (4” long)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  85 
  CHUUNDA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  20 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   5 INT 
  -5 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   7 COM 
  -1 
  10-
   12 PD 
  11 
   
  Total:  12 PD (1 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  2
   40 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  114
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Chuunda Sharp Teeth!:  HKA ½d6  
  (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Chuunda Big Claws!:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Chuunda Not Hurt By You:  Physical  
  and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 
  25%; STUN Only (-½) 
  0
  1 
  Seshurman Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Chuunda Like Swimming:  Swimming +2”  
  (4” total) 
  1
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb (1), Inherent (+¼);  
  Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic Move-
  ment:  no penalties while in water)
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  AK: Vornakkia 11-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Missile Weapons, Common 
  Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  97
  Total Cost:  211
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  various persons and authorities 
  Zelatar’s Blades have harmed or oﬀended 
  8- (Mo Pow, sometimes NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Baraxus the Great 8- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Likes To Hurt 
  People (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Stubborn; 
  Doesn’t Like Being Told What To Do 
  (Common, Moderate)
  81 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  211
  Background/History:  Chuunda is a Seshurma 
  (lizard-man) from the Greenmaw swamp in Vor-
  nakkia. He was so large as a child that everyone 
  could see he’d grow up to be a mighty warrior... 
  but unfortunately he didn’t have the mind to 
  match. He was always a little “slow,” to put it 
  kindly, and stubborn to match. By the time he 
  was old enough to be considered an adult he had 
  a well-deserved reputation for not wanting to do 
  what people told him to, causing trouble, starting 
  fights, and playing malicious pranks. Eventually 
  his people realized that no amount of patience 
  or teaching could change his reckless, vicious 
  nature, so they kicked him out of the tribe and 
  drove him from the Greenmaw forever.
  Chuunda wandered around Vornakkia for 
  several years earning his living as a guard, merce-
  nary soldier, or bandit as circumstances required. 
  When he’d made too many enemies in places like 
  Eltirian, Talarshand, and Devyldra he took a job 
  with a mercenary recruiter hiring soldiers for 
  fighting in lands far to the west. After that hitch 
  was up he drifted for a while, often encountering 
  hostility because people in those lands weren’t 
  accustomed to Seshurma... and getting into trou-
  ble when he responded to their fear and hatred 
  with violence. And then he stopped one night in 
  a tavern near Skiros....
  Personality/Motivation:  Chuunda is a headstrong 
  and reckless person — not always a good trait 
  in someone who’s also lacking in general intel-
  ligence. Zelatar and the other Blades have to 
  handle him with a certain degree of care to con-
  vince him to do what they want without making 
  it seem like they’re ordering him around. When 
  he’s in a bad mood he’s got a hair-trigger temper, 
  and they do their best to avoid tripping it — if 
  necessary by blaming whatever’s upset Chuunda 
  on some hapless nearby person (say, a PC...).
  Quote:  “Chuunda no like man with stick and 
  blasty-ﬁre. Chuunda hurt man now.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Chuunda is immensely strong, 
  and knows how to use his high STR in battle. 
  His Combat Skill Levels represent overpower-
  ing, irresistible brute force as much as they do 
  trained skill. His favorite weapons are his heavy-
  bladed spear and spiked shield, but he’ll use 
  anything, including his bare fists, that strikes his 
  fancy. He can throw his spear at Ranged targets if 
  necessary, but prefers not to because then he has 
  to get it back to fight with; he carries a quiver of 
  10 javelins for use in most such situations.
  Chuunda has little sense of tactics. Typi-
  cally the other Blades just point him at the right 
  target and set him loose. But he’s been in enough 
  battles that he’s not combat-stupid; he doesn’t 
  get Enraged, lose control of himself, overexpose 
  himself (much...), or overlook opportunities to 
  take advantage of an enemy’s weaknesses.
  CHUUNDA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Chuunda, dimly real-
  izing that he’s not as 
  smart as other people, 
  decides to do some-
  thing about it. He asks 
  the heroes to help him 
  on a quest to find a 
  wizard to cast a spell 
  to “make Chuunda like 
  normal people.” Will 
  doing so teach him the 
  error of his ways and 
  thus make the world 
  a better place... or just 
  give the same vicious 
  lizard-man more brain-
  power to think up ways 
  to hurt people?
  Chuunda decides he 
  needs a “burn-spear” to 
  match Zelatar’s “burn-
  axe” and pesters the 
  Blades into going on 
  an adventure to obtain 
  him one. But it just so 
  happens the heroes are 
  looking for the same 
  enchanted spear....
  Chuunda contracts a 
  rare lizard-man disease 
  that’s going to make him 
  weaker and uglier. He 
  doesn’t want to let the 
  Blades know about this, 
  so he “cleverly” decides 
  he can “trick” the heroes 
  into ﬁnding the cure for 
  him. Wackiness ensues.
  
  86 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  When roleplaying Chuunda, be 
  sure to adopt his distinctive speech patterns to set 
  him apart from the other Blades. He always uses 
  his name for himself (never pronouns) and often 
  employs simple, child-like 
  terms for things due to his 
  limited intelligence. (For 
  example, a wizard might be a 
  “blasty-man,” and a priest a 
  “healy-man.”)
  To make Chuunda more 
  powerful, increase his INT 
  to 10, or at least 8, and make 
  him of normal intelligence 
  and crafty disposition. The 
  only thing that prevents him 
  from becoming a really pow-
  erful warrior is his limited 
  intellect, and you can easily 
  change that. To weaken him, 
  reduce his STR to 20 and 
  SPD to 3.
  Chuunda doesn’t Hunt 
  people; he doesn’t have that 
  sort of mentality. He can, 
  however, remember and 
  hold grudges in case he 
  meets an adversary later.
  Appearance:  Chuunda is a 
  powerful Seshurma (lizard-
  man) warrior. He favors the 
  spear, and also uses a spiked 
  round shield with which he 
  can make deadly bashes. On 
  his back he wears a quiver with 
  half a dozen short javelins. 
  Around his neck he wears a 
  necklace of the ears of honored 
  foes, which he has cut oﬀ and carefully preserved with 
  special herbal treatments so they still look a they did 
  when their former owners were alive.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Medium Spear 
  +0 
  +0 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  10 
  Can Be Thrown
  Shield-Spikes 
  +0 
  — 
  ½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Javelins 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  10 
  8
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chainmail (DEF 6)
  Shield (DCV +2; with spikes [see above])
  Gear:  Tent and bedroll, ﬂint and steel
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  87 
  ELGARON
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   11 STR 
  1 
  11- 
  Lift 117 kg; 2d6 [2]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  85
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Fire Magic
  11 
  Blaithelock’s Call To Flame (FHG 87)
  4 
  Enﬂame (FHG 89)
  2 
  Everburning Flame (FHG 99)
  5 
  Fiery Arrow (FHG 89)
  4 
  Fiery Aura (FHG 90)
  5 
  Fiery Orbs (FHG 91)
  6 
  Fireball (FHG 91)
  9 
  Fireshaping (FHG 92)
  7 
  Firestorm (FHG 93)
  5 
  Harthuvian’s Vaultﬂame (FHG 93)
  5 
  Hasari’s First Spell Of The Dragon’s Fire 
  (FHG 94)
  3 
  Khelred’s Flammifer (FHG 94)
  5 
  Mageﬁre (FHG 95)
  3 
  Protection From Fire (FHG 96)
  4 
  Quench Flame (FHG 95)
  10 
  Wall Of Fire (FHG 97)
   
  Wizardry
  5 
  Boadlane’s Lens Of Enlightenment (FHG 220)
  4 
  Carlaysha’s Spell Of Enervation (FHG 224)
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  8 
  The Second Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 233)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  5 
  True Name (FHG 227)
  4 
  Wizard’s Bastion (FHG 229)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  1 
  Wizard’s Scribe (FHG 244)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  33 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve (180 
  END, 15 REC) 
  0
  2 
  Demon Trapped In Human Form:  Damage 
  Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:   
  does not age) 
  0
  5 
  Demon’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Talents
  5 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  18 
  +6 with Spells
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  AK: The Netherworld 11-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  2 
  KS: Creatures Of Fire 11-
  3 
  KS: Demons And Demonkind 13-
  2 
  KS: Dragons 11-
  3 
  KS: Fire Magic 13-
  3 
  KS: Wizardry 13-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  25 
  Power:  Fire Magic 24-
  27 
  Power:  Wizardry 25-
  3 
  Spell Research (Inventor) 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF: Blades, Staﬀs
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  325
  Total Cost:  410
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Con-
  cealable; Noticed And Recognizable; 
  Requires Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  15 
  Hunted:  various persons and authorities 
  Zelatar’s Blades have harmed or oﬀended 
  8- (Mo Pow, sometimes NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Baraxus the Great 8- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Restricted By Pentagrams, 
  if conﬁned within a pentagram cannot leave 
  or aﬀect anyone or anything outside the penta-
  gram (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Evil (Very 
  Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Wants To Return 
  To The Netherworld (Common, Total)
  10 
  Susceptibility:  to holy places and objects, 
  takes 1d6 damage per Turn he is on holy 
  ground, in a holy place, or within 1” of a 
  holy object (Uncommon)
  230 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  410
  Background/History:  Once there lived in the dark 
  depths of the Netherworld a demon. Even among 
  demonkind this perverse imp was evil and nasty, 
  given to all sorts of maliciousness that made him 
  particularly loathed by his fellows. Finally he went 
  one step too far, playing a terrible prank on one of 
  the lieutenants of the Hierarchy of Hell. The Dukes 
  of Hell determined that he must be punished, and 
  so they inﬂicted upon him one of the worst tor-
  ments they could imagine:  they banished him from 
  Hell into human form, there to remain until he 
  proved worthy of return.
  ELGARON  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Elgaron plot:  
  in his eﬀorts to return 
  home, Elgaron imperils 
  something or someone 
  beloved by the PCs 
  — perhaps even all of 
  Ambrethel! They must 
  marshal their forces 
  and ﬁnd a way to stop 
  him despite his greatly-
  increased power.
  Elgaron ﬁnds himself 
  feeling an uncharacteris-
  tic and disgusting emo-
  tion:  love. He’s fallen in 
  love with a female PC, 
  and he can’t stand the... 
  human-ness of it. There’s 
  only one solution:  she 
  has to die.
  When Elgaron’s ﬁre-
  magic powers begin fal-
  tering for some reason, 
  he decides he needs to 
  learn Necromancy to 
  bolster his arcane power. 
  The mage he turns to for 
  teaching requires that he 
  prove his worthiness by 
  accomplishing several 
  evil acts. The heroes 
  have to stop him before 
  he completes the quest 
  and learns the secrets of 
  death-magic. And just 
  what’s aﬀecting his Fire 
  Magic to begin with?
  
  88 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Ever since then, that “Man” — now known to 
  other Men as Elgaron the ﬁre-wizard — has lived in 
  Ambrethel, seeming to be no more or less than any 
  other person of power and skill. But a demon lurks 
  below that human shell, a demon eager for any way 
  to return home....
  Personality/Motivation:  Elgaron is as irredeemably 
  evil as any other infernal being, but life as a Man has 
  taught him something he never possessed as a demon:  
  patience. He desperately wants to return to the Neth-
  erworld and resume his true shape, and he thinks that 
  only by committing an act of Utter Evil can he show 
  the Dukes of Hell that he’s worthy. He can commit 
  all the petty evil he wants, but only a truly evil act, 
  perhaps one that aﬀects the entire world, will win 
  him his way home. And so he keeps his demon’s eyes 
  open, plotting and scheming, waiting for just the right 
  opportunity to fall his way....
  Quote:  “Fires hotter than mine you won’t ﬁnd this 
  side of the Netherworld.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Elgaron’s demonic nature makes him 
  a powerful wizard and ﬁre-mage. Being trapped in 
  Man’s form means he has to cast spells like Men do, 
  with words and gestures and skill, but he’s still quite 
  the powerful spellcaster. His usual tactic in combat 
  is to hang back and cast spells at the enemy from a 
  distance, using Wizard’s Shield to protect himself; if 
  attacked in HTH Combat he casts Fiery Aura and 
  then focuses his spells on his attacker.
  Campaign Use:  Elgaron is a potential story arc or 
  mini-campaign in and of himself. Regardless of what 
  Zelatar’s Blades do, his eﬀorts to regain the favor of 
  Hell and return home could wind up casting him in 
  the role of Master Villain for a time... or at least chief 
  lieutenant and manipulator of some other Master Vil-
  lain, such as Sargath or one of Kal-Turak’s lieutenants.
  To make Elgaron more powerful, give him the 
  ability to Multiform into a demon for short periods 
  of time, or give him Conjuration as an arcana of 
  magic so he can call on his brethren for help some-
  times. To weaken him, reduce his Magic Skill rolls 
  to 20- each and his Primary Characteristics by at 
  least a point or two each.
  Elgaron doesn’t Hunt heroes... unless he 
  thinks they might be useful in his ultimate 
  scheme to return to the Netherworld. Otherwise 
  he has bigger fish to fry.
   ELGARON’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Wizard’s Staff:  This magical weapon has several powers, 
  making it coveted among spellcasters. First, it can trans-
  form into a magic sword, should the wielder wish to 
  enter melee combat. Second, it augments the wizard’s 
  understanding of the Arts Arcane, making him a better 
  mage (and in battle a more accurate one). Third, it can 
  generate a host of mystical eﬀects, including light, a ﬂoat-
  ing eye that transmits what it sees back to the wizard, 
  and a blast of arcane force. (HKA 1½d6, STR Min 8, with 
  +2 OCV plus +2 with all Magic Power Skills and KSs 
  related to magic or spellcasting plus +3 OCV with Spells 
  plus Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing plus Multi-
  power of spells [Arcane Blast:  Energy Blast 10d6; Create 
  Light:  Images 1” radius, +4 to PER Rolls, Mobile, Only 
  To Create Light; Eye Of Farseeing:  Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group), 100” range, Mobile Perception Point, Visible 
  perception point; Mindshard:  Ego Attack 5d6]; all OAF)
  Robes Of Magery:  These robes, in black with silver 
  designs and runes, protect the wearer from harm as 
  if they were armor, and also allow him to teleport for 
  short distances several times a day. (Armor 5 PD/5 
  ED; Teleportation 30”, No Noncombat Movement, 6 
  Charges; all OIF)
  Boots Of The Spider:  The wearer of these boots can walk 
  on walls and ceilings as if they were level ground. (Cling-
  ing (normal STR); OIF)
  Ring Of Perspicacity:  This enchanted ring grants the 
  wearer unusual insight and shrewdness when it comes 
  to threats and perils. (Danger Sense, INT Roll +3, out of 
  combat, general vicinity; OIF)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Wizard’s Staﬀ 
  +1 
  — 
  4d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  10
  Wizard’s Sword 
  +2 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Robes Of Magery (DEF 5)
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia
  APPEARANCE:  
  Elgaron is 5’7” tall Man 
  with an athletic build. 
  He wears black robes 
  with silver designs and 
  runes embroidered 
  along the hem, collar, 
  and cuﬀs. Although he 
  looks like he’s no older 
  than 30, his hair and 
  carefully-trimmed short 
  beard and moustache 
  are pure white. He car-
  ries a Wizard’s Staﬀ; it’s 
  made of black wood 
  with silver ﬁttings.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  89 
  TAAL MEROTH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  86
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  5 
  The Black God’s Bolt (TA 250)
  6 
  The Black God’s Caress (Strong version) 
  (TA 250)
  4 
  The Black God’s Hand (TA 253)
  7 
  Cure Blindness (FHG 245)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249) 
  2 
  Hands Of The Bloody God (TA 251)
  2 
  Hospin’s Healing Touch (TA 249)
  3 
  Nightwalker’s Mantle (TA 253)
  6 
  Radiant Bolt (TA 252)
  3 
  Resurrection (FHG 248)
  6 
  Sacred Fire (FHG 251)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  2 
  Speak In Tongues (FHG 265)
  5 
  Stonelord’s Touch (TA 255)
  7 
  Varidon’s Mantle (TA 253)
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
   
  Talents
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Spells
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  2 
  KS: High Church Religious Doctrine 11-
  2 
  KS: Scarlet Gods Theology 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  23 
  Power:  Faith 23-
  2 
  PS: High Church Priest/Priest Of Mordak 11-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  135
  Total Cost:  221
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  High Church 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  various persons and authorities 
  Zelatar’s Blades have harmed or oﬀended 
  8- (Mo Pow, sometimes NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Baraxus the Great 8- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devotion To The 
  Scarlet Gods (Especially Mordak) And Their 
  Purposes (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  51 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  221
  Background/History:  Abandoned on the doorstep of a 
  Thurgandian temple of the High Church when he was 
  just a baby, Meroth grew up around priests and things 
  religious. He seemed to develop a religious vocation, 
  and neither he nor the priests who raised him ques-
  tioned that he’d become a priest himself one day. But 
  the plain and boring doctrines of the mainstream 
  High Church held little appeal for him as he began his 
  clerical studies. Almost immediately he was drawn to 
  the darker gods — to the study of the Scarlet.
  When his teachers found out what he was 
  secretly reading about, they punished him severely. 
  While he was recovering from the beating by 
  performing hard labor around the temple he 
  came back to his tiny novice’s cell to discover that 
  someone had left him a note. It was in a strange 
  code, and at ﬁrst he couldn’t make heads or tails 
  of it. But he ﬁnally realized the key to reading it 
  involved certain theological aspects of the worship 
  of Mordak, god of shadows. Then deciphering it 
  became a simple matter.
  The note led him to a group of Scarlet Gods 
  priests who worshipped in secret... and who were 
  willing to teach him more of their ways and those 
  of the dark gods. Meroth ran away from the temple 
  without ever looking back. He proved so adept at 
  the study of Scarlet theology that when it was time 
  for him to leave the secret worship-circle and make 
  his own way in the world, his superiors gifted him 
  with a Demonskull Mace enchanted with a minus-
  cule fragment of Mordak’s power.
  At ﬁrst, Taal Meroth was unsure of how best 
  he could serve the Scarlet Gods. He adventured 
  for a while, enjoying it and ﬁnding that it provided 
  many opportunities for service, but it wasn’t quite 
  what he was looking for. And then he stopped one 
  night in a tavern near Skiros....
  Personality/Motivation:  Like many priests, Taal 
  Meroth is something of a fanatic, so strongly 
  devoted to his gods (the Scarlet Gods, particularly 
  Mordak, god of evil) that he can’t see much else. All 
  he wants is to serve the Scarlet Gods by committing 
  evil acts, whether they happen to be petty theft or 
  mass murder. He’s smart enough to realize that he 
  can’t do Evil whenever and wherever he feels like 
  — he can’t serve the Scarlet Gods if the authori-
  ties imprison or kill him, after all — so most of the 
  time he plays the part of a relatively ordinary priest, 
  only allowing his true dark side to come to the fore 
  when appropriate.
  TAAL MEROTH PLOT 
  SEEDS
  The Scarlet Gods visit 
  Taal Meroth in a dream, 
  telling him the PCs 
  are a powerful force 
  for Good and must be 
  destroyed. The rest of 
  the Blades don’t see any 
  proﬁt in this quest, so 
  Taal Meroth goes after 
  the PCs by himself... but 
  with some help from his 
  church and gods....
  Taal Meroth believes 
  that one of the PCs 
  owns an enchanted item 
  that, while it seems like 
  a relatively ordinary 
  magical object, is actu-
  ally a powerful relic 
  of the Scarlet Gods 
  transmuted into a more 
  “common” form to hide 
  it. He’s determined to get 
  it and transform it back 
  so he can wield it.
  Taal Meroth becomes 
  absolutely convinced 
  that a female PC is 
  perfect as the sacriﬁcial 
  victim for a powerful 
  ritual spell he can cast. 
  Now all he has to do is 
  kidnap her and take her 
  to the ritual site....
  
  90 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “The blessings of the Shadow King are upon 
  me... and thus his curse is upon you!”
  Powers/Tactics:  As a priest of the Scarlet Gods, Taal 
  Meroth is both a skilled melee combatant and a 
  powerful spellcaster. He usually prefers to draw his 
  mace and shield and join the warriors on the front 
  lines, sometimes switching to a Black God’s Caress 
  spell in place of his weapon. But at other times he 
  hangs back, using the Black God’s Bolt to attack 
  at range and Varidon’s Mantle to boost Elgaron’s 
  power. In either case he casts The Black God’s Hand 
  to protect himself.
  Campaign Use:  In addition to serving in the 
  typical “support” role common to a priest (i.e., 
  he heals and resurrects his comrades, casts 
  protective or beneficial spells on them, and so 
  forth), Taal Meroth brings a religious element 
  to Zelatar’s Blades. None of the others share his 
  religious convictions (though Elgaron definitely 
  approves of them), but his zeal to serve the Scar-
  let Gods often leads him to suggest adventures or 
  schemes for the Blades to undertake. As long as 
  these suggestions are also potentially profitable, 
  no one objects.
  To make Taal Meroth more powerful, equip 
  him with an enchanted shield or armor so he’s a 
  more powerful ﬁghter, and perhaps boost his STR 
  and/or DEX a little as well. To weaken him, reduce 
  his Faith roll to 20- and tone down some of his 
  enchanted items.
  Taal Meroth doesn’t Hunt people unless the 
  Scarlet Gods (or their high-ranking priests) order 
  him to, or the Blades decide to, in which case he 
  follows orders or the group’s plan.
  Appearance:  A devoted servant of the Scar-
  let Gods, Taal Meroth wears black priestly 
  robes appropriate to his station. He carries 
  an enchanted mace with a head shaped like a 
  demon’s skull; in battle he also has a shield and 
  covers his robes with mail. He has dark brown 
  hair and is cleanshaven.
  TAAL MEROTH’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Demonskull Mace:  Shaped with a head that looks like 
  a demon’s skull and enchanted with the dark ener-
  gies of the Shadow King, this mace strikes with great 
  power. Sometimes it emits a burst of shadow that 
  blinds the target as well. (HKA 2d6+1, +1 Increased 
  STUN Multiplier; OAF, STR Min 10 plus +2 OCV 
  plus Sight Group Flash 4d6, Trigger (upon successful 
  HKA strike, immediately automatically resets); OAF, 
  Activation Roll 11-)
  Symbol Of Office:  Like many priests, Taal Meroth 
  has had the holy symbol he carries enchanted both 
  to protect him, power his spells, and improve his 
  chances of turning the undead. (Armor (1 PD/1 
  ED); OAF plus Endurance Reserve (120 END, 20 
  REC); OAF plus +10 PRE; OAF, Only Works With 
  Turn Undead)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Demonskull Mace +2 
  — 
  2d6+1 
  1d6 
  — 
  10 
  +Flash 4d6; see text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chainmail (DEF 6)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Priestly vestments and equipment, tent, bedroll, two ﬂasks of holy water
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Two 
  91 
  UGEHN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  77
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  2 
  Scorpion-Lord’s Protection:  Life Support 
  (Immunity:  Ambrethelan Zootoxins) 
  0
   
  Talents
  9 
  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
  8 
  Combat Bladethrowing
  16 
  Crippling Blow
  7 
  Deadly Blow:  HKA +1d6 with Daggers HTH
  7 
  Deadly Blow:  HKA +1d6 with Daggers Ranged
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  6 
  +3 OCV with Thrown Daggers/Blades
  5 
  +1 DCV
  8 
  Animal Handler (Venomous Vermin) 15-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  10 
  Defense Maneuver IV
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  2 
  AK: Thûn 11-
  2 
  AK: Vornakkia 11-
  1 
  CK: Eltirian 8-
  2 
  KS: Poisons 11-
  2 
  KS: Venomous Animals 11-
  2 
  Language:  Eltiriani (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Thûnese is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  3 
  PS: Brew Poison 12-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  7 
  Stealth 15-
  5 
  Streetwise 13-
  7 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Garrote, Off Hand, 
  Thrown Swords
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  160
  Total Cost:  237
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Enraged:  if someone kills one of his “pets” 
  (Common), go 11-, recover 14-
  15 
  Hunted:  various persons and authorities 
  Zelatar’s Blades have harmed or oﬀended 
  8- (Mo Pow, sometimes NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Baraxus the Great 8- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Casual Killer 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys Mentally/
  Emotionally Tormenting People (Common, 
  Moderate)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret  
  (is a Thûnese spy) (Occasionally, Minor)
  82 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  237
  Background/History:  Ugehn’s background 
  remains mysterious, even to his friends. What 
  they do know is that he is one of the Scorpion-
  Lords of Tarklesh, those deadly Thûnese assas-
  sins who specialize in using venomous animals 
  to perform their murders-for-hire. He seems to 
  have left Thûn under something of a cloud, pos-
  sibly because of a woman. After that he spent 
  time in Vornakkia, particularly in Eltirian, but 
  left there allegedly because of “too much com-
  petition” for his services. He drifted west and 
  north as work and whim took him... and then he 
  stopped one night in a tavern near Skiros....
  What little his comrades know of Ugehn’s life 
  story is mostly a fabrication. In truth he left Thûn 
  dleiberately as a spy and tool of Th’naah (king) 
  Aghorya. He ﬁrst spent time in Vornakkia because 
  that’s the region the Th’naah most wanted to learn 
  about. After that he spent time in Kumisia and 
  southern Mitharia, then crossed the Kelvarian 
  Ocean and made his way through Mhorecia. And 
  then he stopped one night in a tavern near Skiros....
  Personality/Motivation:  Ugehn is a thoroughly 
  unpleasant person. He has a knack for digging out 
  little bits of information about things people don’t 
  like to talk about and then tormenting them by 
  bringing them up, again and again, rubbing salt 
  in the emotional wounds for the glee of seeing 
  people squirm. And if one of his victims responds 
  with violence, Ugehn usually kills him out of hand; 
  human life means nothing to him.
  Quote:  “Amazing, isn’t it, what such a tiny creature 
  can do to a mighty warrior?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Ugehn is an assassin, and as such 
  avoids open combat for ambushes and stealthy 
  tactics as much as possible. As a Scorpion-Lord, 
  he prefers to do his dirty work with poisons. He 
  usually has at least half a dozen small, deadly 
  insects and reptiles concealed on his person, all 
  small enough for him to throw onto a victim if 
  necessary (and trained for that possibility). At 
  range he throws Thûnese throwing-blades, and 
  in HTH Combat he uses his enchanted Daggers 
  of Slicing (one in each hand, though the second 
  one’s just for parrying most of the time). His 
  weapons are almost always poisoned; the least 
  scratch from them can be deadly.
  UGEHN PLOT SEEDS
  Ugehn’s secret is 
  exposed just as he 
  makes an amazing 
  discovery the Th’naah 
  deﬁnitely needs to learn 
  about. The heroes team 
  up with Zelatar’s Blades 
  to ﬁnd him and stop 
  him from returning 
  home to Thûn... though 
  each of the groups has 
  its own motives for 
  wanting to catch the 
  bald killer.
  While Zelatar’s Blades 
  and the PCs are on a 
  ship in the middle of an 
  ocean voyage, Ugehn 
  comes down with a 
  strong fever that leaves 
  him weak and hallu-
  cinatory. Then several 
  boxes of his “pets” get 
  broken open during 
  a storm. Then pirates 
  attack! The remainder 
  of the journey is a hell 
  of fending oﬀ pirates 
  while avoiding venom-
  ous serpents, spiders, 
  beetles, toads, kittens....
  Ugehn contacts the 
  PCs. He reveals that 
  he’s an agent of Th’naah 
  Aghorya who was 
  sent to ﬁnd and spy 
  on Zelatar’s Blades 
  because the divinations 
  of Thûnese sorcerer-
  priests have revealed 
  that the group is a “focal 
  point” whose actions 
  could change the future 
  and the world for better, 
  or worse. Ugehn wants 
  the PCs to help him 
  ensure the “better”... by 
  killing the Blades now!
  
  92 ■ Fiendish Organizations 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  Ugehn is a weakness in Zelatar’s 
  Blades. His true loyalty doesn’t lie with them, or 
  even with himself (which would be fairly predict-
  able in this group). Instead he’s devoted to serving a 
  king who may very well be hostile to some or all of 
  the rest of Ambrethel, which makes him even more 
  dangerous than he’d normally be... and also makes 
  him useful as a potential plot hook.
  To make Ugehn more powerful, increase his 
  SPD to 5 and/or give him Two-Weapon Fighting 
  (HTH). To weaken him, convert his Daggers of 
  Slicing into ordinary daggers.
  Ugehn Hunts people only if ordered to by the 
  Th’naah or the Blades want to, in which case he fol-
  lows orders or goes along with the group.
  Appearance:  A Scorpion Lord of Tarklesh, this 
  assassin never seems to go anywhere without a ven-
  omous serpent wrapped around his arm, a scorpion 
  riding on his shoulder, or some other disquieting 
  “pet.” Bald as an egg, he wears a typical Thûnese 
  long tunic in dark grey. He carries several small 
  bladed weapons, most of them concealed and all of 
  them poisoned.
  UGEHN’S ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Dagger Of Slicing:  Ugehn carries half a dozen of these 
  enchanted daggers, which cut through armor more 
  easily than ordinary blades and inﬂict more painful 
  wounds (HKA 1d6, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier, 
  Armor Piercing; OAF, STR Min 6 plus +1 OCV)
  Boots Of Water-Walking:  A person wearing these 
  boots can walk on the surface of the water as if it 
  were ordinary ground. (Flight 6”; OIF, Only In Con-
  tact With A Liquid Surface)
  Thieves’ Bracers:  These seemingly ordinary leather 
  bracers actually hold a powerful enchantment that 
  protects the wearer as if he were wearing the heavi-
  est chainmail. (Armor (7 PD/7 ED); IIF)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger Of Slicing +1 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6 
  6 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, carries 6
  Throwing Blades 
  +0 
  +0 
  ½d6 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  5 
  RBS
  Armor
  Thieves’ Bracers (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Various poisons (and materials from which to brew more), food and small cages for various “pets,” ﬂint and 
  steel, tent, bedroll
  
  chapter three:
  chapter three:
  SOLO ADVERSARIES
  
  94 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ARCINGETAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  4
   36 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  87
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  9 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total)  
  1
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader of a 
  Ventati tribe
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  3 
  AK: Ventati Highlands 12-
  3 
  KS: Ventati History And Culture 12-
  3 
  KS: The Ventati Tribes 12-
  1 
  Language:  Central Khorian (basic conversa-
  tion; Ventati is Native)
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 12-
  3 
  Tactic 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  77
  Total Cost:  164
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  DNPCs:  wife, son, and daughter (Normal) 11-
  20 
  Hunted:  Hargeshite Empire of Vashkhor 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Vashkho-
  rans (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of His 
  Family (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Superstitious 
  (Common, Moderate)
  4 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  164
  Background/History:  There was never much 
  question what Arcingetar’s life would be like. 
  The second son of a Ventati chieftain, he was 
  expected to become a warrior, fight the Vashkho-
  rans, and assist his older brother when the time 
  came for him to take over leadership of the tribe. 
  But his brother was a weakling and a fool, a man 
  made of raw copper instead of the tempered steel 
  required to lead a Ventati tribe. Unable to toler-
  ate his incompetence any longer, Arcingetar chal-
  lenged him for leadership of the tribe, slew him, 
  and became chieftain.
  His early days as the tribe’s leader weren’t 
  easy ones. Taking the “throne” by killing one’s 
  brother wasn’t exactly common behavior among 
  his people, and both his tribesmen and other 
  chieftains looked on him with some doubt and 
  suspicion. A few even blamed him for the mild 
  drought that caused problems that year. But it 
  soon became apparent to anyone with a brain 
  between his ears that Arcingetar was a leader 
  born. With him at their head, raiding parties made 
  it past Cahsu Malesh more often than ever before, 
  returning with much loot and the heads of many 
  Vashkhorans to boot. Hunters had more luck, and 
  crops have never been heavier. Today he’s one 
  of the most respected and feared — and by the 
  Hargeshite Empire, wanted — Ventati chieftains.
  Personality/Motivation:  Like most Ventati, Arcinge-
  tar has a ﬁerce, burning hatred of the Vashkhorans 
  who’ve oppressed and harried his people for so 
  long. For him it goes even deeper; his desire for 
  revenge has been a part of him for so long he no 
  longer even thinks of it in those terms. He simply 
  believes he should kill as many Vashkhorans (espe-
  cially important or powerful ones) as he can, even 
  if that means interfering with a raid or putting him-
  self in danger. Also like his fellow barbarians, he 
  tends to be quite superstitious, often making simple 
  warding-signs against ill luck whenever he sees 
  or encounters something he considers an omen. 
  A clever group of PCs might play on his primitive 
  beliefs to manipulate him.
  Arcingetar is married with two children, 
  a son and a daughter, both in their early teens. 
  He’s extremely protective of them, moreso than is 
  healthy really, and will wreak horriﬁc vengeance 
  on anyone who harms them. In the long term he’s 
  weakening his tribe by not properly training his 
  son to take over the chieftainship in turn, but none 
  of his warriors dares to discuss this with him.
  ARCINGETAR 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Arcingetar’s children are 
  kidnapped by the Vash- 
  khorans! At ﬁrst he 
  thinks the heroes are 
  part of the plot and 
  comes after them, but 
  they both soon realize 
  the truth and set out 
  to rescue his son and 
  daughter.
  After the heroes save 
  Arcingetar’s life when a 
  raid goes horribly awry, 
  he feels he owes them a 
  debt of honor. He oﬀers 
  to lead them to an old 
  Vashkhoran ruin, one 
  known only to the Ven-
  tati, where they may ﬁnd 
  fabulous treasures long-
  lost to Man....
  Arcingetar’s tribal 
  shaman has a vision:  
  only with the help of 
  several people (the PCs, 
  described by the shaman 
  in vague but unmistake-
  able terms) can he drive 
  the Vashkhorans from 
  the Highlands and keep 
  his people safe forever. 
  Now he must leave his 
  homeland and journey 
  through Arduna to ﬁnd 
  them... then convince 
  them to join him.
  ARCINGETAR’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Lucky Axe:  A few years ago Arcingetar killed a Vash-
  khoran oﬃcer and took his weapon, a well-made axe. 
  It soon became apparent that the axe had a minor 
  accuracy enchantment. Since obtaining it, Arcingetar 
  has been more successful than ever, leading his tribe 
  to believe it’s a lucky charm. Their belief has actually 
  imbued it with the power to grant him greater luck. 
  (Axe with +1 OCV plus Luck 2d6; all OAF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  95 
  Quote:  “Now let’s skewer these Vashkies like the 
  pigs they are.”
  Powers/Tactics:  The Ventati have lived a “guer-
  rilla warfare” existence for years as they fought the 
  Vashkhorans to maintain their independence, and 
  Arcingetar follows that style of ﬁghting whole-
  heartedly. He attacks from ambush and surprise, 
  rarely allowing his men to stand for a pitched 
  battle, lest they be overwhelmed by better-equipped 
  Vashkhoran soldiers. Although he’s a proud man, 
  he realizes that retreat is just one more tactic in his 
  bag of tricks, so he has no qualms about “living to 
  ﬁght another day” if need be.
  Campaign Use:  Arcingetar 
  provides a way for you to 
  draw your heroes into Vash-
  khoran internal ﬁghting and 
  politics if you want. After 
  proving themselves, they 
  could join him and his men 
  on raids, perhaps even provid-
  ing the ﬁrepower to attack 
  some really powerful targets. 
  They might even connect him 
  with other renegade elements 
  in Vashkhoran society to 
  spark a broad rebellion. Alter-
  nately, you can simply use this 
  character sheet as the model 
  for a powerful barbarian 
  chieftain, change his name, 
  and use him in any other loca-
  tion in Ambrethel.
  To make Arcingetar more 
  powerful, give him some 
  Martial Arts with his weap-
  ons. To weaken him, halve 
  his Combat Skill Levels and 
  reduce his DEX to 16-17.
  Arcingetar’s not likely to 
  Hunt heroes unless they hurt 
  his family or are Vashkhoran. 
  Like most Ventati he’s deeply 
  suspicious of outsiders, but he 
  has too many foes already to 
  bother with chasing after the 
  PCs unless given good reason 
  to. If he has such reason, he’ll use his standard 
  tactics — pursuit and ambush, retreat and surprise 
  counterattack — to lay them low.
  Appearance:  Tall and powerfully-muscled, Arcingetar 
  has blonde hair. He wears leather armor with bits of 
  chainmail here and there and carries a round wooden 
  shield, a battle axe taken from a Vashkhoran oﬃcer, 
  and a short spear. On his right hip he wears a barisi, 
  the “Ventati dagger” that’s similar to a kindjal. Most of 
  his arms and parts of his chest and face are covered 
  with tattoos, most depicting totem animals of some 
  sort but a few that are geometric designs.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Lucky Axe 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13 
  Luck 2d6
  Barisi 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  7 
  Can Be Thrown
  Short Spear 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  8 
  Can Be Thrown, Set
  Medium Bow 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  9
  Armor
  Leather and chain (DEF 4)
  Gear:  Flint and steel, trail rations
  
  96 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ARENDELL — BARON OF VERLICHTEN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   16 STR 
  6 
  12- 
  Lift 233 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   31 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  91
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Attack 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  4 
  Resist 
  +0 
  +0 
  +15 STR to 
  resist Shove; 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Shove 
  +0 
  +0 
  +15 STR to 
  Shove
   
  Perks
  4 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  Baron of Verlichten
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Longswords
  4 
  +2 OCV with Shield Bash
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  AK: Verlichten 12-
  2 
  AK: Thurgandia 11-
  2 
  KS: Military History Of The Westerlands 11-
  2 
  KS: Nobles Of Thurgandia 11-
  1 
  Language:  Aarnese (basic conversation; 
  Ilurian is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lances
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  114
  Total Cost:  205
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Thurgandian rulers 11- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ardent Verlich-
  tenan Patriot; Wants To Free His Homeland 
  (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Nobless Oblige 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Be In 
  Charge; Tolerates Challenges To Or Ques-
  tioning Of His Leadership Poorly (Uncom-
  mon, Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (conspira-
  torial dealings with evil wizards and other 
  such persons) (Occasionally, Severe)
  65 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  205
  Background/History:  Arendell, scion of House 
  Arbreit, is heir to a 1,500 year-old feud. When his 
  ancestors were defeated by Thurgandia in 3511 
  SE, the old hatreds and rivalries didn’t die... they 
  merely went underground, suppressed for a time. 
  Periodically they’ve sparked fires of rebellion, 
  but no attempt to break free from Thurgandia 
  has ever succeeded.
  Arendell has been raised since birth to carry 
  on the Verlichtenan traditions of nobility, honor, 
  duty, hard work... and hatred of Thurgandia. To 
  him falls the centuries-old duty to continue the 
  struggle to re-acquire independence and the title 
  of Prince, rather than Baron. As soon as he was old 
  enough, his father had him riding, practicing with 
  weapons, and participating in ﬁeld maneuvers and 
  diplomatic negotiations. Observant, insightful, and 
  intelligent, Arendell learned his lessons well, ful-
  ﬁlling every promise made by his precocity. Since 
  his father’s death a dozen years ago he’s occupied 
  the seat in Verlichtenheim, watching Thurgandia 
  closely, marshalling his resources, and waiting for 
  an opportunity to strike.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Sword of the Sun and Moon 
  +2 
  —  
  2d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  —  
  10 
  AP, see text box
  Battleaxe 
  +0 
  +0 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Plate armor (DEF 8)
  Shield (+5 DCV)
  Gear:  Verlichten signet ring; whatever else he needs, within reason
  ARENDELL  
  PLOT SEEDS
  One of the wizards 
  Arendell is conspir-
  ing with accidentally 
  lets loose a demon. 
  The heroes respond to 
  the call for help (and 
  accompanying oﬀer of a 
  rich reward). But if they 
  ﬁnd out more than the 
  Baron wants them to 
  know, can they avoid his 
  vengeance long enough 
  to inform Thurgandia of 
  his secret dealings?
  Arendell hires the PCs 
  to spy on Thurgandia 
  and map out the royal 
  castle of Bellinberg. 
  During their mission 
  they have to avoid 
  counterspies, gather 
  as much information 
  as they can, and then 
  report back... all without 
  getting killed.
  With his forces at their 
  strongest, and Thur-
  gandia weakened by 
  Orc-raids from the 
  mountains, Arendell 
  attacks! It’s war in Iluria, 
  with the PCs somehow 
  caught in the middle....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  97 
  But he’s gone even further than any baron 
  before him has dared to do. Burning with desire 
  to free his people from the Thurgandian yoke and 
  call himself Prince, he has begun traﬃcking with 
  evil men — dark wizards, sorcerers, necromancers, 
  Scarlet priests, and anyone else he thinks can help 
  him. In his heart he knows it’s wrong, but he also 
  knows that sometimes a man must do a small evil 
  to attain a much greater good.
  Personality/Motivation:  Arendell’s patriotism (and 
  ambition) have led him down a dangerous path. He 
  thinks he can deal with the likes of Hrakorth the 
  Scarlet (TA 298) and Kovakian of Chaos (TA 194) 
  on his own terms and for his own purposes... but 
  Evil, once aroused, rarely follows orders. He’s sold 
  out his honor for help that may not actually be all 
  that helpful, and which in fact may see him dead or 
  ensnared in the wiles of Kal-Turak.
  Aside from that, Baron Arendell is a model 
  ruler in many respects (though the Thurgandi-
  ans would argue otherwise, describing him as an 
  impertinent, overweening troublemaker). He cares 
  deeply for his people and often goes out of his way 
  to help those in need even when doing so makes 
  him unpopular with the lesser nobility. He rules 
  ﬁrmly but with a just hand, extending no favoritism 
  to anyone but usually harshly punishing anyone 
  who disobeys or questions him.
  Quote:  “All good things in time, Derret. The 
  accursed Thurgandians have defeated us ﬁve times. 
  There will not be a sixth, because I will not move 
  against them until victory is certain.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Baron Arendell has been trained 
  in the standard ﬁghting techniques and weapons 
  of the knight, with additional training in the bow, 
  crossbow, and similar weapons. He’s a gifted tacti-
  cian whose photographic memory serves him well 
  when preparing for and conducting a war... or 
  when engaged in diplomatic negotiations.
  In personal combat, Arendell usually fights 
  aggressively, closing with the most prominent 
  enemy and engaging him. Most opponents fear 
  his powerful enchanted sword so much that 
  they overlook his other weapon:  his shield. He’s 
  practiced long and hard with his shield bash and 
  Shove maneuvers, and often relies upon them 
  as Surprise Move attacks when his foe expects a 
  sword-blow.
  Campaign Use:  Arendell should present an intrigu-
  ing picture to the PCs... especially as they get to know 
  him. On the one hand he’s a model ruler in many 
  ways; on the other, he’s deﬁnitely a thorn in the side of 
  Thurgandia, the legitimate ruler of Verlichten. His ill-
  considered dabblings in Evil conspiracy only muddy 
  the waters further; can the heroes pull him back from 
  the abyss he’s about to plunge into?
  To make Arendell more powerful, give him 
  some Extra DCs with his Weapons Combat, or per-
  haps increase his SPD to 5. To weaken him, get rid 
  of his Combat Skill Levels with HTH Combat, leav-
  ing only the more specialized CSLs.
  Arendell doesn’t Hunt heroes; he has more 
  important matters of state to occupy him. Only if 
  he thought the PCs were somehow important in 
  his struggle against Thurgandia would he concern 
  himself with them.
  Appearance:  Arendell, the Baron of Verlichten, is a 
  man of 32. Tall and handsome, he has sandy blonde 
  hair and a matching beard; his eyes are hazel and 
  often gaze penetratingly at whomever he’s talking 
  to or observing. He wears ﬁne clothes appropriate 
  to his station on most occasions; on the battleﬁeld 
  he dons plate armor engraved with scenes from the 
  history of Verlichten and carries a shield embla-
  zoned with his symbol (a black hippogriﬀ rampant) 
  and an enchanted longsword.
  ARENDELL’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  The Sword Of The Sun And Moon:  So named for the 
  elaborately-engraved sun and moon on its blade, 
  and the pommel that shows a matching sun and 
  moon on opposite sides, this blade possesses several 
  powers in addition to great cutting strength and 
  accuracy. (HKA 2d6+1, Armor Piercing, STR Min 
  10 plus +2 OCV plus Nightvision plus Multipower 
  [Sight Group Flash 6d6, No Range, 6 Charges; Sim-
  pliﬁed Healing 3d6, 6 Charges; Teleportation 15”, 6 
  Charges]; all OAF)
  Hippogriff Shield:  Specially crafted for the House 
  of Arbreit, this shield provides even greater pro-
  tection, and greater shield-bashing power, than 
  an ordinary shield does. (DCV +5; OAF plus HA 
  +4d6; OAF, STR Min 10)
  
  98 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ARKOSH BLOODTOOTH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  8 PD (2 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   32 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  73
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Fangs:  HKA 1 point 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6; Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Intimidating:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-/
  Intimidation-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 0
  2 
  Drakine Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  2 
  At Home In The Water:  Swimming +2”  
  (4” total) 
  1
  5 
  Drakine Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  leader of a 
  pirate crew
  31 
  Vehicle:  pirate ship (see text)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Combat Sailing 12-
  5 
  AK: Lake Beralka 14-
  2 
  AK: Lake Beralka Region 11-
  2 
  KS: Pirates Of Lake Beralka 11-
  1 
  Language:  Aarnese (basic conversation; 
  Northern Drakine is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade Talk (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Navigation (Marine) 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  6 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Ballista, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  111
  Total Cost:  184
  75+ Disadvantages
  25 
  Hunted:  various Beralkan authorities 11- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy And 
  Rapacious (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Intimi-
  date And Scare People (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  most feared of the Beralkan 
  pirates, 14- (Extreme)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other Beralkan 
  pirates
  29 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  184
  Background/History:  Any large body of water 
  that supports much commerce but over which 
  no single authority exerts control attracts pirates. 
  One such body of water is the inland sea Lake 
  Beralka, and of the many pirates that plague its 
  waters none are so feared as the Drakine free-
  booter Arkosh Bloodtooth.
  Like many another pirate, Arkosh started 
  his career on land. A Basidrunese Drakine, he 
  fled home for the city of Chiref to avoid the 
  vengeance-minded brothers of a girl he’d sought, 
  failed to get, and then beaten in a fit of jealous 
  rage. In Chiref he fell in with a waterfront gang... 
  a gang that quickly betrayed him to some pirates 
  it worked with, selling him to them as a bilge-
  slave to pay off debts.
  Arkosh spent three miserable years as a 
  ship’s slave until the day when the ship entered 
  battle with a Keldravian vessel... and began 
  to lose. When a ballista crew was killed by a 
  wizard’s fireball, Arkosh sensed opportunity. He 
  leaped to the ballista, got it to work somehow, 
  and fired it, killing the wizard. He kept on firing 
  the weapon as best he could until the Keldravi-
  ans tried to board his ship, then grabbed a cut-
  lass and helped fight them off. When the smoke 
  cleared, the pirates had won the day and much 
  booty besides — mostly thanks to his efforts.
  ARKOSH  
  BLOODTOOTH  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Arkosh plot 
  #1:  Arkosh attacks and 
  captures a ship carry-
  ing something valuable 
  to the PCs (perhaps 
  an object, perhaps a 
  person). They have to 
  take to the trackless 
  waters of Lake Beralka, 
  ﬁnd him, and get it back.
  The classic Arkosh plot 
  #2:  Arkosh attacks the 
  PCs’ ship, defeats it and 
  them, and takes them 
  captive. How the heroes 
  face a life of slavery... 
  but perhaps if they can 
  impress Arkosh some-
  how, he’ll let them join 
  his crew instead!
  The PCs hear rumors 
  of a fabulous treasure 
  beneath the waters of 
  Lake Beralka — but the 
  clues on the map they 
  have don’t make any 
  sense to them. They 
  have to enlist the aid of 
  Arkosh, who knows the 
  lake intimately... but can 
  they trust him?
  ARKOSH BLOODTOOTH’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Cutlass Of Far Leaping:  By pointing this weapon at 
  a nearby location and speaking a command word, 
  the wielder can leap to that location with great 
  grace, almost as if he were floating through the 
  air. (HKA 1½d6; OAF, STR Min 10 plus +1 OCV 
  plus Teleportation 15”; OIF, Gestures, Incantations, 
  Must Pass Through Intervening Space)
  Bracers Of Parrying:  These golden bracers protect 
  the wearer by moving his arms so that weapons 
  swung at him hit the bracers and are parried as if 
  he were carrying a large shield. (+3 DCV; OIF)
  Ring Of Watery Comfort:  The wearer of this ring can 
  breathe and move in water as if it were air. (Life 
  Support:  Expanded Breathing (breathe under-
  water) plus Environmental Movement:  Aquatic 
  Movement; both OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  99 
  To repay Arkosh, the captain freed him and 
  made him a member of the crew. That turned out 
  to be a mistake he soon regretted. Arkosh had to 
  kill a few crewmembers, and beat several others to 
  a bloody pulp in ﬁstﬁghts, before they accepted him 
  and stopped calling him “Bilgeboy.” But after that he 
  became one of the most popular sailors on board 
  due to his cleverness and ruthlessness... and shortly 
  thereafter he murdered the captain and took the 
  ship and crew as his own.
  Since then, Arkosh has sailed the waters of 
  Lake Beralka as a pirate under his own flag, a 
  blood-red field with a black drakine skull. The 
  very sight of his ship on the horizon strikes fear 
  into the heart of merchants and naval officers 
  alike... and the thought of that fear makes Arkosh 
  smile wickedly.
  Personality/Motivation:  Though he doesn’t say 
  “Arrr!,” Arkosh Bloodtooth is pretty much a stereo-
  typical pirate in terms of outlook and motivation. 
  He wants wealth in whatever form he can get it 
  — coins, ships, captives to sell as slaves to the Red 
  Talon Guild — and he’ll do whatever he has to, up 
  to and including butchering shipsful of people, to 
  get it. He particularly enjoys intimidating other 
  people, especially Men, with his size and appear-
  ance; he likes the thought of being feared.
  Quote:  “Pull up alongside! All of you, ready to 
  board, and kill anyone who stands against us!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Arkosh is an aggressive, con-
  frontational warrior who likes to charge into the 
  heart of a battle, using his scaly skin, enchanted 
  bracers, and skill to protect himself while hack-
  ing down his enemies. But he’s not a berserking 
  fool; he fights with cleverness. For example, he 
  often uses the Teleportation power of his Cut-
  lass of Far Leaping (see text box) to maneuver 
  around the battlefield and surprise enemies. 
  Another favorite tactic is to knock foes over-
  board and fight them in the water, since his Ring 
  of Watery Comfort (see text box) gives him a 
  definite advantage in that environment. Then he 
  can use the Cutlass to “leap” back onto his ship.
  For Arkosh’s ship, use the Carrack from page 
  110 of The HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook, but 
  substitute Light Ballistae from page 214 of Fantasy 
  Hero for the cannons.
  Campaign Use:  Arkosh gives you the chance to inject 
  some maritime adventure into your campaign. Instead 
  of delving in dungeons, exploring dark forests, or 
  negotiating with kings, your heroes can take to the 
  high seas (well, the high lake anyway) to confront 
  the feared Bloodtooth and his men. You may need to 
  detail the crew a bit more, and make some of its mem-
  bers wizards, to compete with the heroes.
  To make Arkosh himself a tougher foe, give 
  him a Swordﬁghting Martial Art and increase his 
  DEX to 20 and SPD to 5. To weaken him, remove 
  his Combat Skill Levels and one or two of his 
  enchanted items.
  As a Hunter, Arkosh pursues his victims like 
  a hound chases a deer:  he goes after his quarry 
  directly, without any subterfuge or maneuvering. 
  If that doesn’t work he’ll become cleverer, resort-
  ing to less intimidating but hopefully more effec-
  tive strategems.
  Appearance:  Arkosh looks like a typical Drakine 
  in many respects, though he’s taller than most and 
  has a look of craftiness and cruelty on his face 
  most of the time. He usually goes barechested and 
  barefooted, wearing just leather pants and a leather 
  belt from which a cutlass hangs on his left hip; his 
  wrists are adorned with golden bracers that look 
  more like the vambraces from a suit of plate armor 
  than true bracers.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Cutlass 
  +1 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Leather clothing (DEF 1, Activation Roll 11-)
  Gear:  Compass
  
  100 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  AUGIROS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  50 
  17- 
  Lift 6.4 tons; 8d6 [8]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   28 CON 
  52 
  15-
   25 BODY 40 
  14-
   30 INT 
  30 
  15- 
  PER Roll 15-
   24 EGO 
  36 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   40 PRE 
  50 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   15 COM 
  3 
  12-
   25 PD 
  34* 
   
  Total:  25 PD (20 rPD)
   25 ED 
  36* 
   
  Total:  25 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   16 REC 
  8
   56 END 
  0
   60 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  401
  *:  Does Not Protect Hit Location 18 (-0)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  12 
  Assume Human Form (Strong version) 
  (FHG2 64)
  7 
  Hide Hoard (FHG2 65)
  5 
  Sleep (like Torment, with diﬀerent special 
  eﬀect and Required Skill Roll) (FHG 174)
   
  Powers
  150 
  Dragon Powers:  Multipower, 150-point 
  reserve
  7u 
  1)  Fire Breath:  RKA 4d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (36” Line; +1), Armor Piercing (+½); No 
  Range (-½), Increased Endurance Cost  
  (x2 END; -½) 
  30
  6u 
  2)  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 18d6;  
  Eye Contact Required (-½) 
  9
  82 
  Draconic Weapons:  Multipower,  
  82-point reserve
  6m 
  1)  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½); Increased  
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½) 
  8
  5m 
  2)  Talons:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with  
  STR), Armor Piercing (+½); Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½) 
  8
  3m 
  3)  Tail Bash:  HA +6d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½), Increased Endurance Cost  
  (x2 END; -½) 
  6
  20 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED); Does Not Protect Hit  
  Location 18 (-0) 
  0
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, 50%, Resistant 
  0
  20 
  Protection From Fire:  Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, +25% (75% total);  
  Only Works Against Fire (-½) 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  12 
  Strong Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (17 points total) 
  0
  15 
  Magical Beast:  Power Defense (15 points) 0
  40 
  Wings:  Multipower, 40-point reserve
  2u 
  1)  Flying:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½), 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½) 8
  1u 
  2)  Wing Buﬀet:  HA +4d6; Hand-To- 
  Hand Attack (-½), Increased Endurance  
  Cost (x2 END; -½) 
  4
  6 
  Dragon’s Legs:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  19 
  Hoardsense:  Detect Hoard 17-,  
  Discriminatory, Analyze, Sense 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (both Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
  6 
  Dragon’s Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  15 
  Hoard:  Money: Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
  20 
  Knows Most Languages:  Universal  
  Translator 15-
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  6 
  +3 OCV with Fire Breath
  3 
  Concealment 15-
  2 
  Cryptography 15-; Translation Only (-½)
  6 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games, Board 
  Games) 15-
  4 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (idiomatic;  
  Draconic is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 17-
  13 
  Power:  Dragon Magic 20-
  2 
  PS: Appraisal 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 15-
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1)  KS: Ambrethelan History 15-
  2 
  2)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 15-
  2 
  3)  KS: Art History 15-
  2 
  4)  KS: Books 15-
  3 
  5)  KS: Dragon Lore 16-
  2 
  6)  KS: Dwarven History And Culture 15-
  2 
  7)  KS: Gems And Crystals 15-
  2 
  8)  KS: Ivory Statuettes, Figurines,  
  And Carvings 15-
  2 
  9)  KS: Wine 15-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  685
  Total Cost:  1,086
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (up to 32m 
  tall; -8 DCV, +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Common, Strong)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  101 
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Collector’s Mania 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Loves 
  Gold And Treasure (Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Reputation:  terrifyingly powerful evil creature, 
  14- (Extreme)
  921 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,086
  Background/History:  “Hmmm, 
  my story, you say? No saga for 
  the ages, I fear, I fear.
  “Hatchling like any 
  other, yes, yes. More curious 
  than most p’raps, eager to 
  learn about everything, but 
  really just an ordinary drag-
  onling. Mother drove me 
  from the cave early to have 
  some peace from my inces-
  sant questions.
  “Decided to see the 
  world, the world, learn more 
  than what she’d taught me 
  (which was a lot, I must 
  admit). Found a village of 
  you fascinating two-legged 
  folk. Tried to speak to villag-
  ers, but they ran away and 
  then shot arrows at me. One 
  of them hurt a bit, made me 
  angry. Burned down most 
  of the village. Afterward was 
  exploring, and in the village 
  wizard’s stone house found 
  some books. Books! Fascinat-
  ing things! Had never seen 
  any but the ones Mother had. 
  Took them and left.
  “Wanted more books, 
  but not to burn down vil-
  lages to get them. Taught 
  myself how to assume Man’s form so I could 
  mingle with you two-legged things in disguise, in 
  disguise. Served me well ever since. Without that, 
  how could I get the books I want? Or play cards, 
  or talk to kings, or collect art? So many amazing 
  things to see and have, and even as old as I am I 
  haven’t seen or owned them all.”
  Personality/Motivation:  Augiros is, by draconic 
  standards, a strange duck. Unlike most dragons 
  he’s not particularly solitary; he’s social, even gre-
  garious at times, and enjoys spending time with 
  other beings (particularly intelligent, interesting 
  ones who can engage him in conversation on a 
  roughly equal level). Even more oddly, he finds 
  Men, Dwarves, and other “two-legs” intriguing 
  and likes to spend time among them in human-
  oid form. At times he has meddled in humanoid 
  societies “behind the scenes” for his own pur-
  poses or amusement.
  Augiros is as greedy as any other dragon, but his 
  greed often takes a more focused form:  he’s a col-
  lector, rather than an acquirer of anything valuable. 
  (Though he certainly doesn’t pass up opportunities to 
  add to his general hoard.) Some of the things he likes 
  to collect include books, ivory carvings and ﬁgurines, 
  bottles of wine, games and game pieces/tokens (such 
  as dice or decks of cards), unusual crystals and gem-
  stones, and relics from Dwarven history. He could add 
  to this list at any time, so PCs had best beware they 
  don’t have anything that attracts his attention and sets 
  him oﬀ on a new collecting craze.
  AUGIROS’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Due to his collector’s mania and long lifetime, 
  Augiros could easily have just about any enchanted 
  item you need him to have (particularly when he’s 
  in humanoid form and can most easily make use of 
  them). The only one he keeps with him at nearly all 
  times is:
  Necklace Of Elemental Protection:  This necklace, a 
  finely-crafted gold chain with one ruby, one sap-
  phire, one emerald, and one diamond set into it, 
  offers protection against various forms of elemental 
  attack. (Armor (10 PD/10 ED), Hardened; OAF, 
  Only Versus Limited Types Of Attacks (fire/heat, 
  ice/frost, and lightning; -¼)
  
  102 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  As he’s aged, Augiros has become somewhat 
  absent-minded. He’s still incredibly intelligent 
  and learned, but he sometimes has a bit of trouble 
  remembering day-to-day details or exactly who he’s 
  talking to (if that person’s not an old friend). This 
  may cause problems for PCs who meet him if he 
  suddenly decides he doesn’t know who they are and 
  that they’re a threat.
  Quote:  “Ahhh, superb! A tome of ancient Iluria, if 
  I’m not mistaken — see the scribe’s mark here, on 
  the ﬁrst page, the ﬁrst page? Wherever did you ﬁnd 
  this... and what will it cost me?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Augiros possesses the standard 
  natural weapons of the dragon — fangs, claws, 
  ﬁery breath — but at his age sometimes has trouble 
  using them. He tires out more easily than most 
  dragons, and compared to a younger wyrm is 
  something of a weakling. He’s still more than a 
  match for most humanoid heroes, however.
  Augiros lives in a large cave furnished for 
  comfort and decorated with all sorts of gifts, loot, 
  and trophies obtained over a liftime — handwoven 
  rugs from Mitharia, beautifully-wrought golden 
  candlesticks in the shapes of beasts and monsters, 
  shelves of rare tomes, and so forth. Because he 
  often assumes humanoid form and has humanoid 
  visitors, he has furniture appropriate for humanoids 
  in many parts of his cave. He displays many of his 
  more valuable acquisitions so visitors can admire 
  them, but hides the rest of his hoard with concealed 
  doors and the Hide Hoard spell.
  Campaign Use:  Augiros can fulﬁll many roles in 
  your campaign. First, he can simply be an intrigu-
  ing personality, a dragon the heroes can interact 
  with (and seek information from) as a quasi-friend 
  rather than a deadly enemy. If necessary you can 
  emphasize his senility, making him slightly crazy 
  and unpredictable. Second, you can play up his 
  role as a draconic conspirator, making him the 
  sinister moving force behind all sorts of events in 
  humanoid society. He might even be an agent for 
  a larger group of dragons that seeks to manipulate 
  Men, Dwarves, Elves, and other two-legs for its own 
  inscrutable purposes.
  To make Augiros tougher, make him 
  younger and more fit. Raise his physical Char-
  acteristics back up to draconic standards and 
  remove the Increased Endurance Cost from 
  many of his abilities. You could also give him 
  more spells, making him a dragon-wizard of 
  some power. To weaken him, emphasize his age 
  (and perhaps senility) by reducing his Character-
  istics still further and making him more unpre-
  dictable and prone to paranoia.
  Augiros doesn’t Hunt heroes unless they have 
  something he wants — either an object they stole 
  from him, or an item he wants for one of his col-
  lections. In the former case he pursues them with 
  draconic fury; in the latter he approaches them in 
  humanoid form to negotiate a purchase (resorting 
  to “ﬁrmer” measures only if they refuse to deal with 
  him reasonably).
  Appearance:  Augiros is an elderly dragon, well past 
  his prime. His once-blue scales have now dulled to 
  a sort of bluish-grey.
  AUGIROS PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Augiros plot #1:  The heroes ﬁnd an 
  object Augiros wants... no, needs... for one of his col-
  lections. They might not even know it’s valuable, but 
  he’s got to have it. He ﬁrst meets them in humanoid 
  form to make a reasonable oﬀer for it. If they turn 
  him down, he’ll keep pestering them, raising his oﬀer 
  as necessary but not allowing himself to be taken 
  advantage of. If they still won’t cooperate, he’ll take 
  stronger measures....
  The classic Augiros plot #2:  Augiros hears about an 
  object he simply must have for his collection. He 
  hires the PCs to get it for him.
  While in humanoid form, Augiros gets hit in the 
  head and develops amnesia. The heroes ﬁnd him 
  stumbling down the road, sick and unaware of who 
  or where he is. As they nurse him back to health and 
  try to help him, strange things begin to occur. They 
  have to solve the mystery before the old dragon’s 
  enemies come for him... and them.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  103 
  AVELARD GLIMTONGUE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  76
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  2 
  Fast:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Intellect Skills
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Bribery 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  4 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 12-
  3 
  KS: History 12-
  3 
  KS: Legends And Lore 12-
  3 
  KS: Stories And Tales 12-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  1 
  Lockpicking 8-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  1 
  Security Systems 8-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  1 
  TF: Horses
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  3 
  Jack Of All Trades
  2 
  1) PS: Bard 13-
  2 
  2) PS: Juggle 13-
  2 
  3) PS: Perform Magic Tricks 13-
  2 
  4) PS: Play Flute 13-
  2 
  5) PS: Play Harp 13-
  2 
  6) PS: Play Lute 13-
  2 
  7) PS: Play Lyre 13-
  2 
  8) PS: Play Mandolin 13-
  1 
  9) PS: Musical Instrument Maker 11-
  2 
  10) PS: Play Recorder 13-
  3 
  11) PS: Singing 13-
  3 
  Linguist
  1 
  1)  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Vestrian is Native)
  1 
  2)  Language:  Besruhani (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  3)  Language:  Ilurian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  4)  Language:  Keldravian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  5)  Language:  Trade-Tongue  
  (fluent conversation)
  1 
  6)  Language:  Umbrian (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Traveler
  1 
  1)  AK: Lake Beralka Region 11-
  1 
  2)  AK: Southern Mhorecia 11-
  2 
  3)  AK: The Westerlands 12-
  1 
  4)  CK: Aarn 11-
  1 
  5)  CK: Antyratori 11-
  1 
  6)  CK: Cyradon 11-
  1 
  7)  CK: Dar Enroqe 11-
  1 
  8)  CK: Dyvnar 11-
  1 
  9)  CK: Odellia 11-
  1 
  10)  CK: Tor Pashtar 11-
  1 
  11)  CK: Voitaigne 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  122
  Total Cost:  198
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  various authorities and persons 
  he’s oﬀended, stolen from, or the like 11- (As 
  Pow, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Looks Out For 
  Number One (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Showoﬀ; Loves 
  Proving His Intellectual And Artistic Superi-
  ority (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other bards
  73 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  198
  Background/History:  Clever and quick-tongued 
  even as a child, Avelard was apprenticed to a 
  local bard and instrument-maker. The man 
  taught him how to read, play (and make) various 
  musical instruments, tell stories, juggle, perform 
  feats of legerdemain, and sing. Avelard took to 
  his studies with enthusiasm, since his learning 
  and skills made him feel superior to the other 
  boys in town.
  But while he could teach the boy music, the 
  old instrument-maker couldn’t teach him how to 
  get along well with others. Avelard really only cared 
  about himself. Finally he got tired of his master’s 
  AVELARD  
  GLIMTONGUE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Avelard plot:  
  Avelard wants some-
  thing the heroes have 
  and steals it. They ﬁgure 
  out who did it and the 
  chase is on. Unfortu-
  nately Avelard runs 
  into a situation that put 
  the PCs (and perhaps 
  himself) in danger. Now 
  the heroes have to ﬁght 
  their way out (and/or 
  their way to wherever 
  Avelard’s hiding).
  Avelard becomes 
  attracted to a female 
  PC and begins making 
  romantic overtures 
  toward her. Constantly. 
  In many different ways. 
  Wherever she is. It’s 
  becoming a real prob-
  lem, but can she deal 
  with him short of kill-
  ing him?
  Avelard hires the PCs to 
  help him ﬁnd a long-lost 
  magical harp. Of course 
  he intends to abandon 
  them to die after he gets 
  it, but no need to tell 
  them that in advance....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Rapier 
  +1 
  — 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Musical instruments (see text), spare strings and other parts for maintaining instruments, various sets of clothing, 
  tinderbox, writing materials, mule, horse
  
  104 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  lectures on caring about other people. One night he 
  stole several instruments and all the money the old 
  man had and ﬂed.
  Thus began his life as a wandering bard. 
  Since then he’s traveled from place to place 
  throughout the Westerlands and southern Mho-
  recia, mostly sticking to the cities and larger 
  towns, selling his services to whoever will buy 
  them. Sometimes he performs for nobles and 
  kings, but more often he sings for his supper in 
  some tavern or inn. And whenever he sees the 
  opportunity to enrich himself with a little pick-
  pocketing, burglary, theft, or even actions more 
  dangerous and devious, he takes it.
  Personality/Motivation:  Although he pretends 
  to be charming and personable, Avelard is 
  totally self-absorbed. He doesn’t care about 
  other people at all, only what they can do or 
  provide for him. If someone has something he 
  wants, he finds a way to take it, no matter how 
  much losing it hurts that person. If he sees that 
  someone’s left something 
  valuable unguarded, he 
  takes it without a qualm. 
  If he thinks he can gain by 
  getting close to someone 
  (even if just to learn some-
  thing valuable he can sell), 
  he’ll do it.
  Quote:  “Such beauty as yours, 
  m’lady, cries out to be ser-
  enaded with song and poetry.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Avelard 
  knows how to ﬁght — he car-
  ries a rapier and three daggers 
  (two concealed) when he’s on 
  the road or expecting trouble 
  — but prefers not to. He’d 
  rather use his wits to keep 
  himself safe from his enemies 
  by tricking or confusing 
  them. Unfortunately he’s got a 
  penchant for making people 
  look stupid, cuckolding men 
  with pretty wives, and gener-
  ally annoying people, so he’s 
  often having to ﬁnd a way to 
  avoid trouble.
  Campaign Use:  Avelard can 
  serve many roles in your 
  campaign. He could be a rival 
  of a PC bard, or an recurring 
  foil (comic or otherwise) for 
  the PC group to encounter. 
  If he dislikes them, he’ll take every opportunity to 
  insult, belittle, or harass them, including compos-
  ing insulting songs about their personalities and 
  deeds. He might try to enlist them as patsies in 
  one of his schemes, see them as targets for thiev-
  ery, or decide he can make his name chronicling 
  their exploits.
  To make Avelard a tougher foe, make him a 
  more able combatant — raise his physical Charac-
  teristics slightly, give him some Combat Skill Levels 
  or a Swordﬁghting Martial Art, and so on. In some 
  campaigns giving him bardic magic (song-spells 
  such as those in The Fantasy Hero Grimoire II, for 
  example) would be appropriate. To weaken him, 
  reduce his PRE to 15-17 and remove his Skill Level 
  with Intellect Skills.
  Avelard doesn’t Hunt heroes; that’s too much 
  trouble. He might set his cap for a pretty female PC, 
  though....
  Appearance:  Avelard is handsome, and charm-
  ing when he wants to be. He has brown hair and 
  a matching moustache (but no beard). He dresses 
  as well as he can aﬀord, preferring the colors of 
  green and gold, though circumstances often force 
  him to make do with less elegant garb. He usually 
  carries his prized harp (a beautiful instrument 
  made of black wood with ivory inlays and silver 
  strings), a recorder, and a mandolin. He typically 
  has a sheathed dagger on his right hip; if he expects 
  trouble he wears a rapier on his left hip.
  AVELARD’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Ring Of Safe Landings:  The wearer of this ring 
  needn’t fear long falls or jumping from rooftops, 
  since its enchantment allows him to land quickly 
  and safely. (Leaping +60”; OIF, Only To Prevent 
  Damage From Falls)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  105 
  B’BATREEG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  58
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  1 
  Amphibious:  Life Support (Extended  
  Breathing:  1 END per Turn) 
  0
  -2 
  Weak Runner:  Running -1” (5” total)
  3 
  Strong Leaper:  Leaping +2” (5” forward,  
  3” upward) 
  1
  2 
  Webbed Hands And Feet:  Swimming +2”  
  (4” total) 
  1
  5 
  Ran-Tari Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  war-leader of  
  large ran-tari tribe
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  3 
  AK: Cormouth Swamp 12-
  2 
  KS: Ran-Tari Lore 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 11-
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  2 
  TF: Rafts; Small Rowed Boats
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Blowguns
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  57
  Total Cost:  115
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Dependence:  must immerse self in water 
  at least once per day or take 1d6 damage 
  (Very Common)
  20 
  Hunted:  Mhendarian Palatinate 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devoted Follower Of 
  Bhatrak Who Wants To Slay Humans And Make 
  The Ran-Tari Supreme (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  115
  Background/History:  For many long centuries 
  the ran-tari of the Cormouth Swamp in the 
  Mhendarian Palatinate have been content to keep 
  to themselves — as long as the pink-skins didn’t 
  bother them, they’d stay in the marshes. But all 
  that changed recently when an unusual pair of 
  ran-tari, B’batreeg and his brother Ufsha, became 
  leaders of the tribe by killing the tribe’s old war-
  leader and shaman.
  As war-leader, B’batreeg is nominally “chief-
  tain” of the tribe, but he rules together with, and in 
  some ways at the suﬀerance of, the shaman Ufsha. 
  Both of them lust for power, glory, and wealth... 
  things they know they can’t get by staying in the 
  swamps. Through clever deceit and manipulation, 
  Ufsha has convinced his people to worship a darker 
  version of their god Bhatrak, one who names the 
  ran-tari superior and all other beings as threats to 
  their existence. Between his urgings and B’batreeg’s 
  powerful personality, the tribe has come to believe 
  in them wholeheartedly and follow them wherever 
  they care to lead. And that means going outside the 
  swamps, to raid the dwellings of Men and bring 
  their goods and women back to the swamps to 
  enrich the frog-men....
  Personality/Motivation:  In other times, B’batreeg 
  might have become a proud, noble leader of a 
  peaceful people. But the evil of Kal-Turak has 
  seeped out to infest the world, and in the Cor-
  mouth Swamp it latched onto B’batreeg’s and 
  Ufsha’s ambition. It’s warped them, inﬂuencing 
  their desires and beliefs to the extent that they 
  manipulate the ran-tari religion to get what they 
  want. B’batreeg believes wholeheartedly that his 
  people are superior to all others, that they have 
  a destiny to conquer and rule, and that he is the 
  instrument of that destiny.
  Quote:  “Forward, warriors of the swamps! Drive the 
  pink-skins from our lands!”
  Powers/Tactics:  B’batreeg uses the typical weap-
  ons of his people — the spear and dagger — in 
  intelligent, tactically clever ways. Whenever pos-
  sible, he uses his superior leaping power and his 
  ability to fight well in the water to his advantage. 
  For example, he might leap up into a tree to 
  avoid an attack or launch an ambush, or charge 
  a “pink-skin” in an effort to barrel him over and 
  knock him into the waters of the Cormouth.
  B’BATREEG  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic B’batreeg 
  plot:  at the head of a 
  hopping army, B’batreeg 
  launches an invasion of 
  the Mhendarian Palati-
  nate! The heroes have 
  to help stop the war and 
  defeat the ran-tari.
  B’batreeg ﬁnds a power-
  ful artifact in a wizard’s 
  long-lost tower in the 
  swamp. Alerted to the 
  problem by an oracle, 
  the heroes have to sneak 
  into the swamp and get 
  the artifact away from 
  him so he can’t use it to 
  help his people overrun 
  Mhendaria.
  For the climax of an 
  important religious 
  ceremony, the ran-tari 
  need a human sacriﬁce. 
  When they kidnap a 
  woman who’s the heroes’ 
  friend, the PCs have to 
  chase them down, defeat 
  B’batreeg and his army, 
  and get her back!
  B’BATREEG’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Unrusting Spear:  This enchanted spear is more accu-
  rate than normal and causes more pain than normal 
  when it strikes, but for a ran-tari perhaps its most 
  important quality is that it won’t rust. (HKA 1d6+1, 
  +1 Increased STUN Multiplier, Range Based On 
  STR; OAF, STR Min 8)
  Amulet Of Bhatrak:  Depicting the ran-tari frog-god 
  as envisioned by B’batreeg and his tribe, this fetish-
  necklace protects the wearer from harm and grants 
  him luck. (Armor (4 PD/4 ED), Power Defense (5 
  points) plus Luck 2d6; all OAF) 
  
  106 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  B’batreeg 
  primarily serves as the focus 
  of a story arc involving a 
  ran-tari invasion of the 
  Mhendarian Palatinate. If he 
  escapes the resulting devas-
  tation (his people are almost 
  certain to lose, given their 
  size, numbers, and inability 
  to remain out of water long) 
  he will flee to safety so he 
  can try again later.
  To make B’batreeg more 
  powerful, increase his size, 
  STR, and other physical Char-
  acteristics, and give him more 
  Combat Skill Levels with 
  HTH Combat. To weaken 
  him, make him lame from an 
  accident or injury so he runs 
  even more slowly and can 
  only leap about half as far.
  B’batreeg doesn’t Hunt 
  heroes; he simply wants to 
  destroy all Men (and other 
  humanoids) who “threaten” 
  his tribe.
  Appearance:  Tall for his race 
  — nearly ﬁve whole feet! — 
  B’batreeg wears leather armor 
  studded with small bone 
  plates and wields a metal-
  headed enchanted spear. He 
  also carries a round wooden 
  shield. Around his neck he wears a fetish-necklace 
  prepared by his tribe’s shaman; the centerpiece of 
  the necklace is a small golden frog.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Unrusting Spear 
  +1 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6 
  1 
  8 
  Can Be Thrown
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Bone-Studded Leather (DEF 2)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Flint and steel
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  107 
  BARAXUS THE GREAT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  70 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5]
   25 DEX 
  60 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   35 CON 
  80 
  16-
   30 BODY 60 
  15-
   25 INT 
  20 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   24 EGO 
  36 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   50 PRE 
  70 
  19- 
  PRE Attack:  10d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   28 PD 
  36* 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   28 ED 
  41* 
   
  Total:  28 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   20 REC 
  12
   70 END 
  0
   75 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  517
  *:  Does Not Protect Hit Location 18 (-0)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Flight:  22”/44”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  150 
  Dragon Powers:  Multipower,  
  150-point reserve
  10u 
  1)  Fire Breath:  RKA 4d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (36” Line; +1), Armor Piercing (+½);  
  No Range (-½) 
  15
  9u 
  2)  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 18d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Eye  
  Contact Required (-½) 
  0
  82 
  Draconic Weapons:  Multipower,  
  82-point reserve
  9m 
  1)  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  7m 
  2)  Talons:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with  
  STR), Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  4m 
  3)  Tail Bash:  HA +6d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  3
  54 
  Demonﬁre Aura:  HKA 1½d6, Continuous 
  (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Penetrating  
  (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  No STR Bonus (-½) 
  3
  20 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED); Does Not Protect Hit  
  Location 18 (-0) 
  0
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, 50%, Resistant 
  0
  20 
  Protection From Fire:  Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, +25% (75% total);  
  Only Versus Limited Type Of Attack  
  (ﬁre/heat; -½) 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  12 
  Inferno-Draconic Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (17 points total) 
  0
  15 
  Inferno-Magical Beast:  Power Defense  
  (15 points) 
  0
  44 
  Wings:  Multipower, 44-point reserve
  3u 
  1)  Flying:  Flight 22”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  1u 
  2)  Wing Buﬀet:  HA +4d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  2
  6 
  Dragon’s Legs:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  19 
  Hoardsense:  Detect Hoard 16-,  
  Discriminatory, Analyze, Sense 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (both Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
  6 
  Dragon’s Senses:  +2 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  15 
  Hoard:  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  6 
  +3 OCV with Fire Breath
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 19-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  3 
  KS: Demons 14-
  5 
  KS: Dragon Lore 16-
  3 
  KS: Ambrethelan History 14-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Draconic is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Ilurian (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Shalionderentine  
  (fluent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Sirrenic (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Valician (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Westerlands Ghoralzod  
  (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Westerlands Skhai  
  (fluent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 19-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  6 
  Survival (Mountains, Temperate/Subtropical, 
  Underground) 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  700
  Total Cost:  1,217
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  hellfire-glowing eyes, 
  nostrils, and mouth (Concealable With 
  Difficulty; Noticed And Recognizable)
  5 
  Hunted:  various dragonslayers 8- (Less 
  Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (up to 32m 
  tall; -8 DCV, +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Evil And 
  Cruel (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Loves 
  Gold And Treasure (Common, Strong)
  BARAXUS  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Baraxus plot 
  #1:  the heroes get word 
  that Baraxus is about to 
  attack the city, town, or 
  castle they’re currently 
  visiting. What prepara-
  tions will they make in 
  the limited time avail-
  able to them... and how 
  will they stand against 
  so mighty a foe?
  One of the heroes has a 
  prophetic dream about 
  how a nearby village 
  harbors a great and 
  powerful evil that must 
  be laid low at once to 
  save the world! Unbe-
  knownst to him, the 
  dream was sent to him 
  by Baraxus using Telep-
  athy, and in fact the 
  only evil in the village 
  at all are a few people 
  the dragon has Mind 
  Controlled to make the 
  whole illusion seem real.
  After the heroes ﬁght 
  the mighty Baraxus and 
  slay him, they discover 
  they now have his even 
  more powerful, revenge-
  minded father to con-
  tend with....
  
  108 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  20 
  Reputation:  terrifyingly powerful evil crea-
  ture, 14- (Extreme)
  10 
  Susceptibility:  to holy places and objects, 
  takes 1d6 damage per Turn he’s on holy 
  ground, in a holy place, or within 1” of a holy 
  object (Uncommon)
  1,012 Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,217
  Background/History:  Even among the fearsome annals 
  of dragonkind, the story of Baraxus the Great stands 
  out. His mother was an ordinary dragon, but his 
  father was a greater demon in draconic form. He was 
  but a hatchling when, in a petty rage, he killed his 
  mother, proving how powerful and deadly he would 
  be. As he grew into his full might he often acted rashly, 
  pitting himself against adventurers who got the better 
  of him through cleverness... but never so much so that 
  he was unable to ﬂee to ﬁght another day. In time he 
  learned, tempering his youthful brashness with a guile 
  to match that of his enemies, but his overconﬁdent 
  streak has never left him.
  In his youth, Baraxus mostly terrorized the 
  region around the Valician Hills. But then through 
  some circumstance or wile nobody knows about he 
  acquired the fabled Orb of Elvathcrion (see sidebar). 
  He’s used it to journey all over the world, lairing in 
  many places rather than one and striking wherever 
  he sees ﬁt. As the former residents of Golankus Castle 
  (burned and destroyed by Baraxus in 4968 SE), the 
  town of Shogar (burned, destroyed, and all residents 
  eaten in 4981 SE), the merchant ﬂeet of Thordarian 
  trader Ornak Goldbraid (burned, sunk, and then 
  pillaged in 4985 SE), and the dark elven city of Zeli-
  uneshcarthelglin in the Sunless Realms (destroyed 
  and looted in 4996 SE) can attest, when Baraxus 
  decides he dislikes something or wants something, 
  there’s very little that can stand in his way.
  Personality/Motivation:  Like most dragons, Baraxus is 
  greedy, unprincipled, onverconﬁdent, self-absorbed, 
  and vain. Even worse, thanks to his demonic heri-
  tage he’s as evil as any resident of the Netherworlds; 
  he enjoys inﬂicting pain and misery, then watching 
  from afar using the Orb to see how his actions have 
  caused anguish, woe, and suﬀering. In fact, he enjoys 
  using the Orb in general to spy on Men and the other 
  two-legged races. For fun he sometimes manipulates 
  people, guilds, and kingdoms by revealing secrets he 
  learns with the Orb to other persons who can make 
  the most destructive use of them.
  Quote:  “Ahhh, little man-things... what entertain-
  ments you will provide me!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Baraxus is enough of an overconﬁ-
  dent showoﬀ that he likes to charge right into battle, 
  laying about himself with dragon’s breath, wing buf-
  fets, tail lashes, and biting and clawing in an eﬀort to 
  destroy his foes. He usually picks the most dangerous-
  looking one (typically a mighty warrior), pins him to 
  the ground with a Grab, then bites and claws him to 
  death (plus burning him with his Demonﬁre Aura). 
  After that he lashes out with a blast of ﬁre-breath at 
  the next most dangerous person, often favoring mages 
  or others who char easily and may have strange, 
  unpredictable powers.
  But that being said, Baraxus isn’t an unthink-
  ing fool. He’s canny and devious, and often sets up 
  his lairs (of which he has about a dozen around 
  the world, each holding a portion of his hoard) to 
  make a ﬁght harder on his opponents. For example, 
  many of them have one large entrance for him 
  that he keeps blocked with an enormous boulder, 
  and a very narrow entrance down which intruders 
  must walk single-ﬁle... right into a blast of dragon’s 
  breath! One has a set of magical torches that can 
  ﬁll the air with smoke that blinds everyone but him 
  (Darkness, Personal Immunity); another is in a vol-
  cano where he can unleash small gouts of lava on 
  foes by moving strategically-placed rocks.
  Campaign Use:  For many Fantasy Hero campaigns, 
  the ultimate foe the heroes can face is a dragon 
  — and Baraxus isn’t just any dragon, he’s a demon-
  blooded dragon with infernal powers in addition 
  to those of ordinary wyrms. On the other hand, he 
  also has some weaknesses they don’t (such as his 
  Susceptibility to holy objects and places).
  To make Baraxus tougher, give him one or more 
  Magic Skills and a selection of appropriate spells. For 
  example, perhaps he has the power to conjure demon-
  soldiers to aid him, or can immolate a target with 
  hellﬁre. To weaken him, assume his demonic heritage 
  makes him magically powerful but physically weak; 
  reduce his Characteristics and natural weaponry but 
  give him a few more minor demonic powers.
  Baraxus rarely takes enough interest in 
  someone to Hunt him... though he can always be 
  tempted by something that would make a ﬁne addi-
  tion to his hoard. In that case he usually spies on 
  his target using the Orb, waits for an opportune 
  moment, then teleports in and attacks.
  APPEARANCE:  
  Of all the dragons that 
  have ever threatened 
  the world, Baraxus 
  is one of the largest, 
  fiercest, and deadliest. 
  The blood of demons 
  as well as dragonkind 
  runs in his veins, 
  giving his appearance 
  an “infernal” tinge that 
  sets him apart from 
  any other dragon. 
  His eyes, nostrils, and 
  mouth glow with a 
  fiendish hellfire, and 
  malice and evil ooze 
  from his every scale.
  BARAXUS’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  The Orb Of Elvathcrion:  
  Said to have been cre-
  ated by an Elven wizard 
  in the dawn of time, the 
  Orb of Elvathcrion pos-
  sesses many wondrous 
  powers. First, it allows 
  the user to view and 
  hear distant locations, 
  from as close as a few 
  feet away to thousands 
  of miles away. Second, 
  it gives him the ability 
  to teleport over simi-
  lar distances. Third, it 
  allows him to read the 
  minds of nearby beings. 
  Fourth, the Orb alerts 
  its owner to nearby 
  perils. Fifth, on com-
  mand the Orb follows 
  its owner, hovering near 
  his head and teleport-
  ing with him as he 
  teleports. (Multipower 
  of Clairsentience (Sight 
  and Hearing Groups) 
  covering any distance up 
  to 8,000 miles plus Mul-
  tipower of Teleportation 
  covering any distance up 
  to 8,000 miles plus 10 
  Floating Fixed Locations 
  for Teleportation plus 
  Telepathy 15d6 plus 
  Danger Sense (out of 
  combat, general vicinity, 
  sense) 14-; all OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  109 
  BRODOK GOLDBEAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   12 STR 
  2 
  11- 
  Lift 133 kg; 2d6 [2]
   10 DEX 
  0 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  3
   27 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  51
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Dwarven Eyes:  Nightvision
  2 
  Dwarven Longevity:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  lifespan of up to 400 years)
  -2 
  Running -1” (5” total)
   
  Perks
  20 
  Followers:  four dwarven bodyguards (each 
  built on 50 Base Points + up to 50 points in 
  Disadvantages)
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  3 
  Dwarven Toughness:  Resistance
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucracy 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  KS: Commercial Law 11-
  2 
  KS: Dwarven History And Culture 11-
  3 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (completely ﬂuent; 
  Westerlands Ghoralzod is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  PS: Appraisal 12-
  7 
  Trading 14-
  2 
  TF: Equines, Carts & Carriages
  1 
  WF: Daggers
  3 
  Traveler
  2 
  1) AK: Drakine Lands 12-
  2 
  2) AK: Dwarven Realms Of Arduna 12-
  2 
  3) AK: Kheldravia 12-
  2 
  4) AK: Mezendria 12-
  2 
  5) AK: Mhendarian Palatinate 12-
  2 
  6) AK: Mircasëa 12-
  2 
  7) AK: Northern Mhorecia 12-
  2 
  8) AK: Southern Mhorecia 12-
  2 
  9) AK: Szarvasia 12-
  2 
  10) AK: Thurgandia 12-
  2 
  11) AK: Tornathia 12-
  2 
  12) AK: Umbr 12-
  2 
  13) AK: Vestria 12-
  2 
  14) CK: Aarn 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  121
  Total Cost:  172
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  injured/scarred left 
  hand and lower arm (Easily Concealed; 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  impaired left hand, -1 to 
  DEX Rolls involving physical manipulation 
  with that hand (Infrequently, Slightly Impair-
  ing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Will 
  Do Almost Anything To Get A Good Deal 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Psychological Limitation:  Coward (Uncom-
  mon, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other merchants
  62 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  172
  Background/History:  Brodok, a Dwarf of Algar-
  haime, was expected to grow up and become a 
  blacksmith, like every other male Dwarf in his 
  family had for generations. But he didn’t like the 
  work at all; the heat in the forge was uncomfortable, 
  and the ringing of hammer on anvil made his head 
  hurt. The day a mis-struck blow glanced oﬀ an iron 
  bar he was holding and smashed his left hand and 
  forearm was almost a relief; now he’d never be able 
  to do ﬁne smithing work.
  Disgusted at this turn of events, Brodok’s 
  father sent his “shiftless” and now “useless” son to 
  his uncle, a merchant, as a sort of apprentice. In 
  that environment Brodok throve. He discovered he 
  had a real head for numbers and a talent for negoti-
  ating that made him an excellent trader. Before long 
  his uncle, who’d never cared much for the road, had 
  semi-retired, leaving Brodok to run the business. In 
  time Brodok inherited all his uncle’s dealings, and 
  since then has used his natural skill and drive to 
  expand upon them greatly. He’s one of the wealthi-
  est non-noble Dwarves in the world, though few 
  among Dwarf-kind know it since he rarely mingles 
  with his own folk, prefering the out-of-doors and 
  the city to dark, dank underground halls.
  Personality/Motivation:  Brodok takes the typical 
  Dwarven greed to a whole new level. He lives for 
  earning money, particularly when he can get it 
  by out-negotiating, out-maneuvering, or simply 
  BRODOK GOLDBEAR 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Brodok 
  Goldbear plot:  Brodok 
  has to lead a caravan 
  through some dangerous 
  territory, so he hires the 
  PCs as guards. Naturally 
  he’ll word the deal just 
  so and attempt to cheat 
  them out of their pay....
  Brodok buys a mysteri-
  ous box from a man 
  in Aarn for a pittance, 
  largely out of curiosity. 
  Then he discovers he 
  can’t open it — and he 
  feels almost as if he’s 
  transforming into some-
  thing. He begs the PCs 
  to help him. He’ll make 
  it worth their time and 
  trouble....
  Every town Brodok and 
  his caravan have passed 
  through recently has 
  begun to suﬀer from a 
  strange series of maul-
  ings and mutilations 
  after the merchant 
  leaves. The heroes have 
  to track him down and 
  ﬁnd out what’s going on.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Small scales, magnifying glass, whatever else he needs (within reason) for a particular deal or trip
  
  110 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  outsmarting a rival or fellow merchant. Anyone 
  can make money if he tries hard, but it takes a 
  really good trader — like him — to get the best of 
  another trader. While he won’t do anything illegal 
  or highly distasteful (like slavetrading) to make 
  money, he stops just short of that. His “negotiating 
  tactics” sometimes fall into the realm of chicanery 
  and legal pettifoggery.
  Quote:  “I cannot accept that offer. These fine 
  silks are worth 10 gold pieces the bolt, and not a 
  copper less!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Brodok is something of a coward, 
  a fact that shames him not at all — “Fighting is for 
  fools and hirelings,” as he puts it in private. He has 
  four loyal, well-paid bodyguards, distant cousins 
  of his who’ve gotten wealthy working for and with 
  him and wouldn’t dream of turning on him or let-
  ting anyone hurt him. They do his ﬁghting for him.
  Brodok’s preferred arena of combat is social, 
  not physical. He’s at his best when negotiating a 
  deal, subtly pumping someone for useful infor-
  mation, or debating with 
  someone as he tries to per-
  suade them that he’s right. 
  He admires the qualities he 
  believes he has — discipline, 
  drive, a will to work hard, 
  intelligence, insight — and 
  responds best to people he 
  thinks also possess them. 
  Most people he considers 
  lazy dullards and dismisses 
  out of hand. He’s notorious 
  for paying little or nothing to 
  people whose work doesn’t 
  measure up to his standards, 
  but lavishly rewarding those 
  who impress him.
  Campaign Use:  If your cam-
  paign doesn’t take place in the 
  Westerlands and Mhorecia, 
  you can easily “transplant” 
  Brodok to other regions of 
  Ambrethel simply by chang-
  ing his AKs and CKs. In some 
  cases you may want to change 
  his race as well; Dwarves 
  aren’t common in some parts.
  You shouldn’t try to 
  make Brodok tougher physi-
  cally; he’s not intended as a 
  combatant. To make him a 
  trickier opponent for the PCs, 
  strengthen his social abilities. 
  For example, if he has lots and 
  lots of Contacts among the nobility and judiciary, 
  getting even with him for sharp dealings becomes 
  even harder. To weaken him, remove his Skill Level 
  with Interaction Skills and reduce his Trading to a 
  straight PRE-Based Roll.
  Brodok doesn’t Hunt people. At most he hires 
  someone to do the Hunting for him, and even 
  then only when someone’s cheated him of a lot of 
  money. For a greedy person he sometimes treats 
  minor losses as if they’re nothing — sort of an “it’s 
  just business” attitude.
  Appearance:  Somewhat corpulent from heavy 
  eating despite his often hard life on the road, 
  Brodok Goldbear has a complexion made ﬂorid 
  from all the ale he drinks, and a brown beard 
  beginning to show streaks of grey. One the road he 
  wears well-made but comfortable travel clothes; in 
  town he dresses in a ﬁnely-made tunic, trousers, 
  and boots appropriate to someone with his money. 
  He usually carries a dagger but no other weapons.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  111 
  BRONAK SCARHAMMER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   22 CON 
  28 
  13-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (0 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   44 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  106
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Dwarven War Art
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Avoidance 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge All 
  Attacks, Abort
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Chop/Smash 
  -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Ogre-Slaying 
   
  Stroke 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon
  4 
  Side Smash 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  2 
  Use Art with Clubs, Blades
  20 
  Tough As The Mountains:  Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; 
  STUN Only (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Dwarven Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  2 
  Dwarven Longevity:  Life Support (Longev-
  ity:  lifespan of up to 400 years) 
  0
  -2 
  Running -1” (5” total)
   
  Talents
  10 
  Divine Favor (Asvalak)
  3 
  Dwarven Toughness:  Resistance (3 points)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 12-
  2 
  Gambling (Dice Games) 11-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  2 
  AK: Azarthond 11-
  2 
  AK: Trollscarp Mountains 11-
  5 
  KS: Goblins, Ogres, Orcs, And Trolls 14-
  1 
  Language:  Mitharian Skhai (basic conversa-
  tion; Mitharian Ghoralzod is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Mitharian Uzdek  
  (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Mitharian Vugrash  
  (basic conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue  
  (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  8 
  Survival (Mountains, Underground) 13-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  131
  Total Cost:  237
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  forehead scar (Easily 
  Concealed; Noticed And Recognizable)
  20 
  Hunted:  Azarthond 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  15 
  Hunted:  Trollscarp humanoids 8- (Mo 
  Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Maliciously Self-
  Serving (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Goblins, 
  Ogres, Orcs, And Trolls (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other warriors 
  (especially dwarven warriors)
  82 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  237
  Background/History:  Most of the Dwarves of 
  Azarthond aren’t like Dwarves in other parts 
  of Ambrethel. They live aboveground, in cities 
  resembling those of Men (but scaled to their size), 
  and rule a kingdom similar to the ones Men rule. 
  Dwarves who prefer the mountain or under-
  ground life are often thought of as a little strange.
  Bronak, known as Scarhammer for his dis-
  tinctive facial scar and preferred weapon, is one 
  such Dwarf. As a youngster he was an outcast 
  and troublemaker, unable or unwilling to fit in 
  with ordered Dwarven society, and as soon as 
  he was able he left it behind to take to the wilds. 
  Living by himself in the mountains he put his 
  warrior’s training to work fighting Orcs, Goblins, 
  Ogres, and Trolls. Sometimes he’d come down 
  out of the mountains to sell loot taken from the 
  bodies of his foes, to seek mercenary work, or 
  simply to see other parts of the world. But he 
  treads carefully when he does, for the lords of 
  Azarthond have put a price on his head because 
  of the trouble he causes, the people he’s killed in 
  fights and duels, and the crimes he’s committed.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  War Hammer of  
  Mighty Blows 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Hand Axe 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  4 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Dwarven chainmail (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Tinderbox, tent and bedroll, pony
  BRONAK  
  SCARHAMMER 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Bronak plot:  
  the heroes need to ﬁnd 
  someone or something 
  in the Trollscarps. No 
  one knows the moun-
  tains as well as Bronak, 
  so they hire or persuade 
  him to come along. How 
  long can they tolerate 
  dealing with the mali-
  cious, sarcastic Dwarf... 
  and what if he decides 
  to betray them?
  While the PCs are 
  camped somewhere in 
  Azarthond one night, 
  Bronak stumbles into 
  their camp, delirious 
  and badly injured. When 
  they nurse him back to 
  health, he tells them he’s 
  learned of a pending 
  Orc invasion of the low-
  lands and that he barely 
  escaped the greenskins 
  with his life. What will 
  the PCs do in response 
  to this news?
  Bronak wants to hire 
  the PCs to help him. 
  He claims he’s found a 
  valuable treasure in a 
  cavern complex in the 
  mountains but can’t get 
  to it himself. Assuming 
  he’s telling the truth, can 
  the heroes trust him not 
  to turn on them and try 
  to keep all the treasure 
  for himself?
  
  112 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Personality/Motivation:  
  Bronak is an outcast and ren-
  egade in Dwarven society, a 
  loner in a people who tend to 
  be gregarious (at least among 
  themselves) and a source 
  of chaos and trouble in an 
  orderly (some would even 
  say regimented) culture. He’s 
  maliciously self-centered, 
  caring nothing for other 
  people and delighting in the 
  havoc he can cause. He’s prone 
  to playing vicious practical 
  jokes, cynicism and cruel sar-
  casm, bullying, intimidation, 
  getting into ﬁghts, and when 
  the opportunity arises theft 
  and even murder.
  Quote:  “The way you wield 
  that sword, you won’t last 
  five minutes in these caves. 
  Pay attention to me and do 
  what I tell you, or I’ll cut 
  your ears off myself and toss 
  them to the Orcs to save 
  them the trouble!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Years of living 
  on his own in the wilderness 
  and ﬁghting the humanoids 
  of the Trollscarps (who call 
  him Shogar Hrek, or “the Hammer of Death”) has 
  made Bronak tough, skilled, clever, and self-reli-
  ant. There’s no denying that he’s a good warrior, 
  but he’s got more going for him than that. Years 
  ago his troublemaking ways attracted the attention 
  of the god Tharkano (i.e., Asvalak), who granted 
  the Dwarf his favor. As long as Bronak continues 
  to get into ﬁghts, kill things, and spread chaos, he 
  has Luck 3d6 working for him thanks to the god’s 
  blessing.
  Campaign Use:  The heroes could encounter Bronak 
  in many ways and places. Most often they’ll seek his 
  help for a quest in the Trollscarps, but he could serve 
  with (or against) them as a mercenary, be encountered 
  delving some dungeon they want to explore, or even 
  get hired by their enemies to ﬁght them.
  To make Bronak more powerful increase his 
  DEX to 18 or 20 and give him some Extra DCs 
  with his Martial Arts. To weaken him, remove half 
  his Combat Skill Levels and change his enchanted 
  hammer so it does HKA 1½d6.
  Bronak doesn’t usually Hunt anyone unless hired 
  to do so, but he’s a tenacious Hunter when his anger’s 
  aroused. He’ll follow his target all over the land, attack-
  ing whenever he has a good opportunity.
  Appearance:  Bronak has red hair and a full red 
  beard and moustache; warriors’ braids hang down 
  either side of his head and a noticeable scar cuts 
  across the left half of his forehead. When danger 
  arises he dons well-made dwarven chainmail and 
  wields an enchanted warhammer and a round 
  metal shield.
  BRONAK SCARHAMMER’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  War Hammer Of Mighty Blows:  This magic war hammer 
  not only inﬂicts deadlier injuries than a normal 
  hammer, it’s far more accurate. Its head glows with an 
  eerie blue-white light that makes it hard to use Stealth 
  unless the hammer’s head is covered up. (HKA 2d6, +1 
  Increased STUN Multiplier; OAF, STR Min 10, Side 
  Eﬀect (-2 to visual Stealth rolls while hammer’s head 
  can be seen) plus +1 OCV)
  Silverspike Shield:  This round shield looks ordinary 
  most of the time, but on command can sprout several 
  spikes (a large central one surrounded by two rings 
  of smaller ones). This makes shield bashes performed 
  with the shield deadly. (+3 DCV plus a Multipower for 
  shield bases [one slot HA +5d6, one HKA 1½d6 with 
  No STR Bonus])
  Ring Of Snow Striding:  A person wearing this ring can 
  walk on even the softest snow and not only not fall 
  through, but not leave tracks. (Flight 10”; OIF, Only On 
  Snow, Wearer May Only Use Inches Of Flight Up To 
  His Combat Movement With Running)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  113 
  DAIMIANIA — PRINCESS OF TYRANDIUM
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   12 DEX 
  6 
  11- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12- 
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   2 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  8 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   19 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  30
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Perks 
  END
  12 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  Crown Princess of 
  Tyrandium
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  AK: Tyrandium 11-
  2 
  CK: Skiros 11-
  2 
  KS: Tyrandine Nobility 11-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  2 
  PS: Embroidery 11-
  1 
  PS: Play Harp 8-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Stealth 11-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  59
  Total Cost:  89
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Selﬁsh And Ambi-
  tious (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Prone To Envy 
  (Common, Strong)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  105
  Background/History:  Few people are born into 
  such privilege as Daimiania of Tyrandium 
  enjoys. The eldest daughter of the queen of a 
  kingdom where the throne passes to the female 
  child, she’s known she would one day rule the 
  Tyrandine people almost from the time she was 
  able to speak. She’s been raised in the lap of 
  Tyrandine luxury, carefully schooled in the ways 
  of rulership by her mother and advisors while 
  enjoying all that being a princess has to offer.
  Personality/Motivation:  And it’s completely warped 
  her personality. She’s taken to heart everyone’s les-
  sons about her powers and privileges while more 
  or less ignoring their lectures about the attendant 
  responsibilities. She wants power and she wants it 
  now, damn the consequences, and once she gets it 
  no one will tell her what to do ever again. Her self-
  ishness and covetousness extend to other aspects 
  of life as well. If she sees something she likes — a 
  noblewoman’s beautiful gown, a strapping young 
  guardsman, a beautiful riding horse, an elaborately-
  made brooch — she has to have it, or something as 
  good or better, as soon as possible.
  Daimiania acts the part of an innocent young 
  princess as much as possible, not only to keep her 
  mother in the dark about her real activities and 
  intentions but to preserve her prospects of a favor-
  able marriage. (Not that she’s looking forward to 
  being married at all.) But the truth is she’s far from 
  innocent; she’s slept with more than one nobleman 
  or general to win his favor and interest, and enjoys 
  many other vices in her private time. She often pep-
  pers her conversation with double entendres.
  Quote:  “Your sword is... quite long and powerful, Sir 
  Drudaryon. Are you skilled in its use?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Daimiania is no warrior; she’s a 
  schemer. For the past couple of years she’s been 
  working behind the scenes to weaken her mother 
  and strengthen her own position as heir by 
  manipulating people and events as best she can. 
  Her weapons are cleverness, her strong memory 
  for details and events, feminine wiles, and money. 
  Her goal is to remove her mother (and if neces-
  sary father and siblings) from the picture and 
  take the throne as soon as she can without excit-
  ing suspicion.
  Campaign Use:  Daimiania is a walking plot 
  device. Getting near her means getting wrapped 
  up in her efforts to obtain the throne, which 
  could lead to all sorts of adventures.
  DAIMIANIA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Daimiania 
  plot:  The heroes visit 
  Tyrandium and one 
  of them happens to 
  develop an attraction to 
  Daimiania. Recogniz-
  ing a good thing when 
  she sees it, she encour-
  ages this, possibly even 
  beginning a secret aﬀair 
  with the PC, all the 
  while trying to convince 
  him and his friends that 
  the Queen is an evil at 
  the heart of Tyrandium 
  and must be removed.
  Daimiania hears of an 
  enchanted necklace 
  that can make her 
  more beautiful and 
  persuasive. She has to 
  have it, and hires the 
  heroes to get it for her. 
  Of course, her enemies 
  in Tyrandium will now 
  assume the PCs are her 
  allies and take steps to 
  thwart them....
  Daimiania launches 
  her bid for the throne 
  by having her mother 
  assassinated... and 
  framing the PCs for 
  the job! Now hunted 
  throughout Skiros, the 
  heroes either have to 
  escape or find a way to 
  prove their innocence.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Whatever she needs, within reason
  
  114 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  You shouldn’t make 
  Daimiania more powerful 
  physically; she’s not intended 
  as a combatant. Instead, 
  strengthen (or weaken) 
  her socially by adding (or 
  removing) Skill Levels with 
  Interaction Skills, or perhaps 
  the Skills themselves.
  Daimiania won’t Hunt 
  the PCs per se. However, 
  if she thinks they can be 
  of some use to her in her 
  quest to get to the throne 
  as quickly as possible (by, 
  say, killing Queen Desta-
  sia...), she’ll try to “put them 
  to work.” Otherwise she’ll 
  ignore them unless she con-
  siders them a threat.
  Appearance:  Princess 
  Daimiania of Tyrandium is 
  a beautiful young woman 
  in her late teens with long 
  brown hair, brown eyes, 
  and an attractive, well-
  proportioned figure. She 
  wears elegant gowns and 
  dresses appropriate to her 
  station and wealth... and of 
  course her silver crown is 
  the perfect accessory for any 
  ensemble. She usually wears 
  three to four pieces of jew-
  elry such as rings, brooches, 
  or necklaces.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  115 
  ALARCH DENBROSE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  76
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  5 
  The Black God’s Bolt (TA 250)
  6 
  The Black God’s Caress (Strong version) 
  (TA 250)
  5 
  The Black God’s Grasp (TA 250)
  4 
  The Black God’s Hand (TA 253)
  7 
  Cure Blindness (FHG 245)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  5 
  Dark Leeching (Strong version) (FHG 112)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249) 
  2 
  Hands Of The Bloody God (TA 251)
  2 
  Hospin’s Healing Touch (TA 249)
  3 
  Nightwalker’s Mantle (TA 253)
  6 
  Radiant Bolt (TA 252)
  3 
  Resurrection (FHG 248)
  6 
  Sacred Fire (FHG 251)
  8 
  Shadowbolt (Strong version) (like Fiery Arrow 
  on FHG 89, but with diﬀerent special eﬀect)
  1 
  Shadow Eyes (FHG 113)
  4 
  Shadow Form (FHG 114)
  6 
  Shadow-Walking (FHG 114)
  5 
  Shadowweaving (Strong version) (FHG 115)
  5 
  Shadow’s Terror (Strong version) (FHG 116)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  2 
  Speak In Tongues (FHG 265)
  7 
  Varidon’s Mantle (TA 253)
   
  Powers
  2 
  Observant:  +1 to Sight Group PER Rolls 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank:  Alarch of 
  the High Church
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
   
  Talents
  3 
  Simulate Death
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Spells
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  2 
  Cryptography 12-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  3 
  KS: Scarlet Gods Theology 12-
  3 
  Language:  Khemish (completely ﬂuent; Nel-
  dacarian is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  23 
  Power:  Faith 23-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  186
  Total Cost:  262
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Kingdom of Vestria 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  Kingdom of Tyrandium 8- (Mo 
  Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Golden Basilisks 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devotion To The 
  Scarlet Gods (Especially Mordak) And Their 
  Purposes (Very Common, Total)
  107 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  262
  Background/History:  What turns a man toward 
  Evil — and not just any Evil, but the purest Evil 
  possible, the worship of Mordak god of dark-
  ness? In the case of Denbrose the priest, it started 
  with a curse.
  Denbrose’s parents were simple peasant 
  folk of Neldacar... simple, but greedy. One day a 
  weary traveler passed by their simple house and 
  asked if he might stay the night there before con-
  tinuing his journey. They agreed, but rather than 
  obey the laws of hospitality and help him as best 
  they could out of compassion, they demanded 
  payment. Enraged, the traveler — actually a pow-
  erful wizard — placed a curse on them, declaring 
  that their firstborn would be burden as much as 
  boon, a plague on their house until the end of 
  their days.
  And so it came to pass. Denbrose’s delivery 
  was so diﬃcult his mother nearly died, and things 
  barely improved as he grew up. He constantly got 
  into trouble, broke things, played wicked pranks, 
  stole, and generally made his parents and siblings 
  absolutely miserable. As he got older his behav-
  ior became even worse, and he treated everyone 
  around him with contempt and loathing. Finally, 
  heeding some call he couldn’t even explain, he ran 
  away from home into the wilderness.
  About the time his hunger was beginning 
  to get the better of his hatred and pride and he 
  thought of returning home, he came across a clear-
  ing. In the clearing was a group of men dressed in 
  black robes. Several of them carried staﬀs, and they 
  all exuded an aura of dark power. “Welcome, Den-
  brose,” said one. “We sensed your black heart and 
  came for you.”
  Thus began Denbrose’s initiation into the 
  Shadow-Priests of Khem, a cult devoted to wor-
  ship of the Black God Mordak. It wasn’t easy at 
  first, learning everything from reading to temple 
  practices, but being a priest spoke to Denbrose 
  ALARCH DENBROSE 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The PCs stop at a seem-
  ingly idyllic hamlet 
  only to discover that 
  something’s not right. It 
  turns out an evil priest 
  (Denbrose) has revived 
  a long-dormant place of 
  great darkness nearby, 
  one so old the villagers 
  didn’t even know about 
  it, and cast the whole 
  region under a pall of 
  shadow as he attempts 
  to obtain great power. 
  If the heroes don’t stop 
  him, Evil will win a great 
  victory!
  A PC priest notices 
  that one of his supe-
  riors in the church 
  hierarchy is acting... 
  oddly. Investigating, he 
  eventually discovers 
  the priest has turned 
  to Evil and is subvert-
  ing the church! In fact 
  what’s happened is 
  Denbrose has taken 
  control of his mind and 
  is manipulating him 
  to cause harm to the 
  church, but the heroes 
  will have to be clever 
  and tough to figure 
  that out.
  The heroes awaken one 
  morning to ﬁnd out that 
  the sun hasn’t risen! 
  Somehow, someone has 
  cast a mighty spell to 
  swath the kingdom in 
  shadow. They must ﬁnd 
  out who (Denbrose), 
  determine how he did it, 
  and stop him.
  
  116 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  in a way nothing ever had before. He received 
  his black robes in near-record time and became 
  one of the Shadow-Priests’ foremost agents, often 
  clashing with the cult’s enemies, including the 
  hated paladin order of the Golden Basilisks.
  Personality/Motivation:  Denbrose is a typical high 
  priest of the Scarlet Gods:  Evil to the core. He 
  actively works to start and promote schemes that 
  would horrify most people, and laughs at cruelties 
  barely imaginable by others. As a devoted follower 
  of the god of darkness, he serves Evil in whatever 
  ways he can.
  Quote:  “The darkness that ﬁlls me will consume you!”
  Powers/Tactics:  As an Alarch (roughly speaking, 
  “High Priest”) of the Shadow-Priests of Khem, 
  Denbrose commands both the unholy powers 
  of typical clerics of Mordak with the power of 
  Shadow Magic. Thus, in addition to calling on 
  the Scarlet Gods for the ability to heal wounds 
  and injuries, protect himself, and the like, he 
  can project bolts of shadow that cause harm and 
  death. In battle he tends to fight aggressively, 
  using his Shadow-spells and the Black God’s 
  Bolt/Caress/Grasp to harm his enemies and his 
  Black Opal Amulet and the Black God’s Hand to 
  keep himself safe from harm.
  Campaign Use:  Alarch Denbrose can confront 
  the PCs in all sorts of plots. Often he works 
  subtly, committing Evil acts behind the scenes 
  as he prepares for some grand stroke, but if he 
  senses weakness in an enemy he may muster the 
  forces of darkness for an attack. He could be the 
  arch-villain waiting for them in the last room of 
  some underground dungeon, the power behind 
  the throne in a tottering kingdom, or the secret 
  force causing the upsurge in bandit and Orc 
  attacks in a region.
  To make Denbrose more powerful, improve 
  his Primary Characteristics a little and give him 
  more Combat Skill Levels with his spells. You could 
  also upgrade some spells to the Strong or Easy 
  versions. To weaken him, remove a third or more 
  of his spells, leaving primarily the Black God and 
  Shadow ones.
  As a Hunter, Denbrose is clever and cruel. 
  Using the resources of the cult and the Scarlet 
  God priesthood in general he finds out whatever 
  he can about the heroes and then tries to turn 
  their world upside down, attacking them when 
  they least expect it and making friends seem like 
  foes (and vice-versa — an easy thing for a man 
  with a Mesmeric Ring to do). When he’s got them 
  as off-balance as possible, he lowers the boom.
  Appearance:  Alarch Denbrose is now approach-
  ing age 40. He’s got a nondescript, cleanshaven 
  face, brown hair, and brown eyes. He wears black 
  robes and carries a black staff whose head is sur-
  rounded by whirling wisps of shadow.
  ALARCH DENBROSE’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Staff Of Shadows:  This powerful staﬀ, crafted for 
  the Shadow-Priests by enchanters loyal to the Scar-
  let Gods, enhances the power of Shadow Magic. 
  (Endurance Reserve for spells (200 END, 20 REC) 
  plus Drain Light Magic 6d6, any one Light Magic 
  spell at a time, Ranged plus Aid Shadow Magic 
  6d6, any one Shadow Magic spell at a time, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per Minute) 
  plus +2 to Faith rolls for casting Shadow Magic 
  spells plus HA +4d6)
  Black Opal Amulet:  This darkly-glittering amulet pro-
  tects the wearer from many types of harm. (Damage 
  Resistance (4 PD/4 ED), Mental Defense (6 points + 
  EGO/5), and Power Defense (10 points); all OIF)
  Key Of Khem:  This item, which actually looks like a 
  small shard of grey-black stone engraved with the 
  runes used by the people of Khem in ancient days, is 
  used by the Shadow-Priests both as a protective tal-
  isman and as the “key” to open certain doors, chests, 
  and books in their sanctums. Each Key is bound to 
  a particular owner; others cannot use it except with 
  the aid of powerful magics. (Luck 2d6; OAF, Only 
  When Serving Mordak’s Purposes)
  Mesmeric Ring (see TA 262)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  117 
  THE DRAGON TWINS, 
  SKARM AND SKORAX
  Background/History:  It’s rare for a dragon to be 
  born, as many people in Ambrethel know and are 
  grateful for. It’s even rarer for dragon twins to be 
  born. In fact, for nearly a thousand years the only 
  ones known to exist in all the world have been the 
  green-and-gold-scaled Skarm and Skorax.
  The first the world knew of the Dragon 
  Twins was nearly 700 years ago, when they began 
  laying waste to villages and towns in the north-
  ern Westerlands and northern Mhorecia to build 
  their hoards. Their resemblance, and the fact 
  that they sometimes worked together (for at that 
  point they did not truly hate each other), gave 
  the fact of their common ancestry away. Most 
  sages believe they were spawned somewhere in 
  the Valician Hills, but they’ve never said who 
  their parents were.
  In time the two dragons’ diﬀerences grew 
  from aggravation, to dislike, and ﬁnally to hatred. 
  Skorax took his hoard and moved far away, to the 
  Thraysha Mountains of Mitharia, where some of 
  the native Drakine now consider him a godling of 
  sorts. In 4634 SE his brother attacked the Sirrenic 
  city of Eliakar, taking its wealth for his own and 
  creating the Desolation of Skarm, where he lives to 
  this day despite many adventurers’ attempts to slay 
  him. They no longer have anything to do with one 
  another, and at times have even hatched plots to 
  have each other killed.
  Personality/Motivation:  Personality-wise the only 
  thing the Dragon Twins have in common is their 
  utter hatred for each other. Skarm is a terrifying 
  force of destruction, a powerful bully who enjoys 
  causing fear, panic, devastation, and death. He sees 
  no reason why he should use talk, wits, or magic 
  when he can get what he wants with sheer dra-
  conic strength. Skorax prefers to achieve his goals 
  through craftiness, wit, treachery, malice, and magic 
  rather than brute force. Each of them has nothing 
  but contempt for the other’s attitudes and practices.
  Quote (Skarm):  “Consider carefully, my little morsel... 
  would you prefer to be baked, or eaten raw?”
  Quote (Skorax):  “If you think you pose a threat to 
  me, you’re more foolish than you look, manling.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Each of the Dragon Twins fights 
  in his own way. Skarm is an aggressive combat-
  ant who flies right into the thick of the battle, 
  using his fiery breath and natural weapons in 
  multiple-power attacks (or Sweeps) against a 
  single (or multiple) targets. He usually prefers 
  to tackle warriors first, but if possible he’ll catch 
  one or more persons, including relatively fragile 
  spellcasters, in his fire breath or tail sweep to 
  eliminate several targets at once.
  Skorax, on the other hand, sees little point in 
  fighting when he can trick or befuddle his oppo-
  nents... or at least no point until he’s weakened 
  his foes as much as possible. His lair has many 
  nooks, crannies, and side passages so he can 
  avoid or double back on his enemies to ambush 
  them. He also uses plenty of Wizard’s Trap spells 
  to delay, distract, and injure his foes. If worse 
  comes to worst he’ll change into human form 
  and pretend to be a helpless captive of the evil 
  dragon in need of rescue.
  Campaign Use:  You can use either of the Dragon 
  Twins as a typical mature, powerful draconic foe 
  for your PCs — the sort of dragon that can take 
  them all on at once and give them the fight of 
  their lives. But for added fun, draw the heroes 
  into the conflict between the two brothers. For 
  example, maybe one (through proxies) hires the 
  PCs to kill the other.
  To make the Dragon Twins more dangerous, 
  just keep increasing their abilities until they’re a 
  suﬃcient threat — Skarm’s claws, fangs, and breath 
  do more damage, while Skorax learns more spells. 
  Weakening them means doing the opposite, down-
  grading attacks and removing spells. You could also 
  reduce each of their SPDs to 4.
  Neither Skarm nor Skorax actively Hunt 
  heroes ordinarily, but would pursue one who stole 
  something from their respective hoards.
  Appearance:  The Dragon Twins, Skarm and 
  Skorax, looked identical as young dragonlings, 
  and the fact of their twinship remains apparent 
  to anyone who’s seen both of them despite how 
  they’ve changed over the years. Compared to 
  his younger brother, Skarm looks harsh, pow-
  erful, and cruel... an appearance whose reality 
  is born out by his many vicious and evil acts. 
  He’s scarred in several places from battles with 
  heroes, and has several broken arrow- and spear-
  shafts sticking out of his body. Skorax looks 
  much less dangerous (he lacks the scars and 
  battle-trophies) and more refined, but in fact he’s 
  every bit as deadly.
  DRAGON TWINS PLOT SEEDS
  Skorax decides it’s time for the Desolation to 
  heal... and for him to get his paws on his brother’s 
  hoard. Changing into human form and posing as 
  an adventurer, he recruits the PCs to help him kill 
  Skarm, using as his “bait” a supposedly ancient 
  document describing some of his brother’s tactics 
  and weaknesses. Once Skarm is dead, he’ll trans-
  form to his true shape, kill the PCs, and take all the 
  loot for himself.
  Ziandwyrth, god of chaos, decides it would be 
  “intriguing” to see what happens if the Dragon 
  Twins work as a team again. Visiting each of them 
  in disguise in a dream, he convinces them there’s a 
  looming threat to both of them that they can only 
  deal with together. He then starts manipulating the 
  PCs with clues and prophecies to get them to attack 
  the draconic brothers. Can the heroes ﬁgure out 
  what’s going on in time to prevent the reunion... and 
  the resulting destruction?
  Skarm thinks it’s time to expand his territory and 
  sets his sights on either Tor Athtar or the Dwarven 
  realm of Delgalakh. Knowing even he can’t take on 
  such targets unaided, he decides to trick the PCs into 
  somehow “softening up” his ﬁnal choice.
  Note: See page 93 for 
  illustrations.
  
  118 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SKARM
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   55 STR 
  80 
  20- 
  Lift 50 tons; 11d6 [11]
   24 DEX 
  54 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   35 CON 
  80 
  16-
   30 BODY 60 
  15-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   50 PRE 
  70 
  19- 
  PRE Attack:  10d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   30 PD 
  38* 
   
  Total:  30 PD (24 rPD)
   30 ED 
  45* 
   
  Total:  30 ED (24 rED)
   5 SPD 
  26 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   24 REC 
  24
   70 END 
  0
   80 STUN 
  8 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  517
  *:  Does Not Protect Hit Location 18 (-0)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  22”/44”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  150 
  Dragon Powers:  Multipower,  
  150-point reserve
  10u 
  1)  Fire Breath I:  RKA 4d6, Area Of  
  Eﬀect (36” Line; +1), Armor Piercing  
  (+½); No Range (-½) 
  15
  10u 
  2)  Fire Breath II:  RKA 4d6, Area Of  
  Eﬀect (19” Cone; +1), Armor Piercing  
  (+½); No Range (-½) 
  15
  9u 
  3)  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 18d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Eye  
  Contact Required (-½) 
  0
  82 
  Draconic Weapons:  Multipower,  
  82-point reserve
  9m 
  1)  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  7m 
  2)  Talons:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  4m 
  3)  Tail Bash:  HA +6d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  3
  5u 
  4)  Tail Sweep:   HA +8d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (4” Cone; +1); Hand-To-Hand Attack  
  (-½) 
  8
  24 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (24 PD/24 ED); Does Not Protect Hit  
  Location 18 (-0) 
  0
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, 50%, Resistant 
  0
  20 
  Protection From Fire:  Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, +25% (75% total);  
  Only Works Against Fire (-½) 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  12 
  Strong Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (17 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Magical Beast:  Power Defense (10 points) 0
  44 
  Wings:  Multipower, 44-point reserve
  3u 
  1)  Flying:  Flight 22”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  1u 
  2)  Wing Buﬀet:  HA +4d6; Hand-To- 
  Hand Attack (-½) 
  2
  6 
  Dragon’s Legs:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  19 
  Hoardsense:  Detect Hoard 15-,  
  Discriminatory, Analyze, Sense 
  0
  10 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception and  
  Ultraviolet Perception (both Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
  6 
  Dragon’s Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  15 
  Hoard:  Money: Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  48 
  +6 with All Combat
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  5 
  AK: Desolation Of Skarm 15-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  5 
  KS: Dragon Lore 15-
  3 
  KS: History 13-
  2 
  Language:  Sirrenic (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Draconic is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 19-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  653
  Total Cost:  1,160
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (up to 32m 
  tall; -8 DCV, +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Loves 
  Gold And Treasure (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates His Brother 
  Skorax (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  terrifyingly powerful evil crea-
  ture, 14- (Extreme)
  980 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,160
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  119 
  SKORAX
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  70 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5]
   25 DEX 
  60 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   33 CON 
  72 
  16-
   30 BODY 60 
  15-
   25 INT 
  20 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   24 EGO 
  36 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   40 PRE 
  50 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   28 PD 
  36* 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   28 ED 
  41* 
   
  Total:  28 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   20 REC 
  12
   66 END 
  0
   72 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  485
  *:  Does Not Protect Hit Location 18 (-0)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Dragon Magic
  11 
  Assume Human Form (FHG2 64)
  7 
  Hide Hoard (FHG2 65)
  4 
  Wings Of The Wind (FHG2 67)
   
  Wizardry
  5 
  Boadlane’s Lens Of Enlightenment (FHG 220)
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  Lustyn’s Spell Of Trickery (FHG 222)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  5 
  True Name (FHG 227)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  4 
  Wizard’s Trap (FHG 228)
   
  Powers
  150 
  Dragon Powers:  Multipower, 150-point reserve
  10u 
  1)  Fire Breath:  RKA 4d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (36” Line; +1), Armor Piercing (+½);  
  No Range (-½) 
  15
  9u 
  2)  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 18d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Eye  
  Contact Required (-½) 
  0
  82 
  Draconic Weapons:  Multipower,  
  82-point reserve
  9m 
  1)  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  7m 
  2)  Talons:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  4
  4m 
  3)  Tail Bash:  HA +6d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  3
  20 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED); Does Not Protect Hit  
  Location 18 (-0) 
  0
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, 50%, Resistant 
  0
  20 
  Protection From Fire:  Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, +25% (75% total);  
  Only Works Against Fire (-½) 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  12 
  Strong Mind:  Mental Defense (17 points) 0
  15 
  Magical Beast:  Power Defense (15 points) 0
  40 
  Wings:  Multipower, 40-point reserve
  3u 
  1)  Flying:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  1u 
  2)  Wing Buﬀet:  HA +4d6; Hand-To- 
  Hand Attack (-½) 
  2
  6 
  Dragon’s Legs:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  19 
  Hoardsense:  Detect Hoard 16-,  
  Discriminatory, Analyze, Sense 
  0
  10 
  Dragon’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception and  
  Ultraviolet Perception (both Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
  6 
  Dragon’s Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  10 
  Hoard:  Money: Wealthy
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  4 
  Gambling (Dice Games, Sports Betting) 14-
  2 
  AK: Thraysha Mountains 11-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  5 
  KS: Dragon Lore 16-
  3 
  KS: History 14-
  2 
  Language:  Orumbaran (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Draconic is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Thraysharan (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 17-
  15 
  Power:  Dragon Magic 20-
  15 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  737
  Total Cost:  1,222
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (up to 32m 
  tall; -8 DCV, +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Loves 
  Gold And Treasure (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates His Brother 
  Skarm (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  terrifyingly powerful evil crea-
  ture, 14- (Extreme)
  1,032 Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,222
  
  120 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  DRUATHEK THE MALEFICENT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   23 INT 
  16 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   8 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  8 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0 
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  105
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Conjuration
  5 
  Banishment (FHG 27)
  6 
  Conjuror’s Chains (FHG 28)
  13 
  The Call To The Elemental Realms (FHG 25)
  11 
  The Greater Wardings (FHG 30)
  7 
  To My Hand (FHG 31)
  9 
  Vashtori’s Invocation Of The Demon Horde 
  (FHG 26)
  8 
  Vashtori’s Third Spell Of Beast-Calling 
  (FHG 23)
  11 
  Vashtori’s Third Spell Of Monster Sum-
  moning (FHG 24)
   
  Earth Magic
  4 
  Dereketh’s Catapult (Quick version) (FHG 74)
  3 
  Earthenroad (FHG 81)
  5 
  Hands Of Stone (FHG 75)
  16 
  Meldana’s Spell Of The Shaking Earth 
  (FHG 76)
  10 
  Stone Into Mud (FHG 77)
  3 
  Stoneshaping (FHG 82)
  1 
  Stonyskin (FHG 79)
  6 
  Wall Of Stone (FHG 81)
   
  Ice Magic
  7 
  Hailstorm (FHG 108)
  3 
  Icy Ground (FHG 109)
  6 
  Jelzuraath’s First Wintry Assault (FHG 109)
  3 
  Protection From Ice (FHG 110)
  4 
  Roddik’s Blizzard (FHG 110)
   
  Necromancy
  6 
  Create Ghost (FHG 140)
  5 
  Create Mummy (FHG 141)
  3 
  Create Skeleton (FHG 141)
  13 
  Create Specter (FHG 142)
  5 
  Create Vampire (FHG 143)
  4 
  Create Wight (FHG 144)
  8 
  Create Wraith (FHG 144)
  3 
  Create Zombie (FHG 145)
  19 
  Death Touch (FHG 145)
  6 
  Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters (Strong, Easy 
  version) (FHG 146)
  12 
  Druathek’s Osseous Malady (Strong, Easy 
  version) (FHG 147)
  8 
  Druathek’s Vampiric Touch (FHG 153)
  2 
  Hargenzarian’s Spell Of Life-Shielding 
  (FHG 157)
  6 
  Sa’akiv’s Soulripping (FHG 149)
  4 
  Soul Feeding (FHG 165)
  2 
  The Spell Of True Necromancy (FHG 162)
  1 
  Summon Ghoul (FHG 150)
  12 
  Thronek’s Spell Of Withering (FHG 152)
  6 
  Veltharex’s Spell Of Torment (FHG 153)
  3 
  Wall Of Bones (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithform (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithtouch (FHG 154)
   
  Sorcery
  5 
  Algashar’s Dominion Of The Mind (FHG 167)
  6 
  Algashar’s Glamour Of Fright (FHG 175)
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  11 
  Belzorath’s Invocation Of Impassable Terrain 
  (FHG 175)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Aﬄiction Of The Confused Mind 
  (FHG 170)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  6 
  Mindtrap (FHG 173)
  4 
  Prismatic Blast (FHG 177)
  6 
  Simbalon’s Sixth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  11 
  The Spell Of The Untrustworthy Mind 
  (FHG 174)
  2 
  Tarvallin’s Images Of Delight (FHG 179)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  5 
  Valazemurian’s Spell Of Lasting Torment 
  (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Water Magic
  5 
  Control The Waters (FHG 101)
  3 
  Fist Of The Waters (FHG 102)
  5 
  Meldana’s Harnessed Waves (FHG 103)
  1 
  Oldrusân’s Spell Of Aquatic Comfort  
  (FHG 104)
  1 
  Water-Walking (FHG 105)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  DRUATHEK  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The PCs obtain evi-
  dence of a corruption 
  at the very heart of the 
  Golden Basilisks, one 
  of Ambrethel’s most 
  revered orders of pala-
  dins! They must seek 
  this evil out and destroy 
  it before it ruins such 
  a valuable organiza-
  tion. Too bad all their 
  evidence has been con-
  cocted by Druathek to 
  trick them....
  As Druathek’s plot to 
  summon and bind 
  Krim nears comple-
  tion, demonic activity 
  becomes more common 
  throughout Ambrethel. 
  After several unusual 
  encounters with demons 
  and demon-conjurors, 
  the heroes slowly start 
  to put together the 
  pieces of the puzzle and 
  converge on Aarn for a 
  dramatic ﬁnal confron-
  tation, with the fate of 
  the world in the balance.
  Druathek and Alarch 
  Denbrose hatch a plot 
  most foul:  to raise the 
  sunken island of Khem 
  from the ocean ﬂoor 
  and plunder its vaults 
  for magical riches! The 
  PCs realize that this may 
  unleash all sorts of evils 
  long buried there, but 
  of course the two spell-
  casters don’t care about 
  that. And what was that 
  about magical riches?
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Demon-Headed Rod 
  +0 
  —  
  4d6 N 
  —  
  —  
  10 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Enchanted robes (DEF 4)
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia; whatever he needs, within reason
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  121 
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  8 
  The Second Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 233)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  50 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve (250 
  END, 25 REC) 
  0
  2 
  Wizard’s Longevity:  Life Support (Long-
  evity:  age at one-fourth normal rate) 
  0
   
  Perks
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  20 
  Spell Of Comprehension:   Universal  
  Translator 14-
   
  Skills
  18 
  +6 with Spells
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  2 
  Cryptography 14-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  15 
  Power:  Conjuration 20-
  23 
  Power:  Earth Magic 24-
  19 
  Power:  Ice Magic 22-
  23 
  Power:  Necromancy 24-
  19 
  Power:  Sorcery 22-
  17 
  Power:  Water Magic 21-
  17 
  Power:  Wizardry 21-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  2 
  WF: Blades, Staﬀs
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  2 
  2)  KS: Conjuration 14-
  2 
  3)  KS: Demons 14-
  2 
  4)  KS: Elemental Beings 14-
  2 
  5)  KS: History 14-
  2 
  6)  KS: Legends And Lore 14-
  2 
  7)  KS: Necromancy 14-
  2 
  8)  KS: Sorcery 14-
  2 
  9)  KS: Wizardry 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  729
  Total Cost:  834
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  20 
  Hunted:  forces of Good 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Golden Basilisks 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  Delana of Tyrandium 8- (As Pow, 
  Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Seeks Power 
  (Especially Magical) (Common, Strong)
  694 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  834
  Background/History:  There was a time when 
  Druathek the Maleﬁcent, enemy of the Light, was 
  just Druathane of Shar — a nobleman’s son, the 
  third of four, with no illusions about his chances of 
  succeeding to the family title and lands. Instead he 
  threw himself into his studies, at ﬁrst thinking he 
  might become a priest but later deciding the arcane 
  held more of interest to him. In particular he found 
  himself fascinated by the arcana of Necromancy, 
  which was outlawed in Shar due to the peoples’ 
  compact with the Ghouls (see TA 107). Secretly he 
  delved deeper, becoming more and more intrigued 
  and knowledgeable... and then his illicit studies 
  were discovered.
  Druathane tried to ﬂee, but the authorities 
  quickly captured him, put him on trial, and sen-
  tenced him to die. Enraged at their unjust treat-
  ment of him, he decided to have his revenge and 
  regain his freedom all at once. He’d learned far 
  more of Necromancy than his captors suspected, 
  and just when they thought him broken and 
  resigned to his fate he made his move. Using his 
  spells he killed his two jailers, animated them as 
  zombies, and made them free him. He went into 
  hiding among the peaks of the Ayn Alach, pausing 
  only to recover his notes and workbooks and steal 
  as many books as he could from mages serving the 
  Council of Shadows.
  Once he felt himself safe, he continued study-
  ing. When he thought he possessed enough arcane 
  power for the task, he came down from the moun-
  tains and methodically slew every member of his 
  family, anyone associated with his capture and 
  imprisonment, and every member of each of their 
  families. He signed his handiwork in blood with his 
  new name:  Druathek.
  Since then he has written that name across 
  the world in dark and destructive letters as a thor-
  ough and devoted servant of Evil. Among his many 
  schemes, most foiled by only the barest of mar-
  gins by heroes who often paid the ultimate price, 
  include:  trying to raise all the dead in Eltirian’s 
  graveyards and catacombs to slaughter the living 
  and create a city of necromancy; a plot to subvert 
  the throne of Tyrandium (which earned him the 
  lifelong enmity of the warrior Delana); an attempt 
  to trick the dragon Baraxus into attacking the city 
  of Odellia; several eﬀorts to weaken or destroy the 
  Golden Basilisk paladins; and various schemes to 
  obtain wealth, enchanted items, or mystic power 
  (more than a few of which succeeded).
  For the past several years Druathek’s 
  remained quietly in hiding, despite the efforts of 
  his enemies to find him. Unfortunately they’ve 
  fallen for several false clues he planted to mislead 
  them into thinking he’s in southern Mhorecia. In 
  fact he’s adopted a mundane disguise as “Ambro-
  zos” to gain membership in the Mage’s Guild of 
  
  122 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Aarn so he can study 
  in their library. Con-
  cealed in plain sight 
  among the teeming 
  thousands of the City 
  of Storms he remains 
  secure as he studies 
  the magics needed to 
  implement his most 
  ambitious plan ever:  
  to summon and bind 
  the demon-god Krim, 
  and turn all his foul 
  power to Druathek’s 
  own use....
  Personality/Motivation:  
  The desire for power, 
  wealth, and the destruc-
  tion of his enemies 
  consumes Druathek. 
  There was a time when 
  he sought power simply 
  to protect himself from 
  people and forces he 
  thought were deter-
  mined to cause him 
  harm, but that desire 
  long since gave way to 
  purely evil and selﬁsh 
  motivations.
  Quote:  “Only fools test themselves against my 
  power. Prepare for death, fool.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Thanks to his long studies and years 
  of pursuing power, Druathek has one of the largest 
  spell arsenals in Ambrethel. For attacking he typically 
  relies on his Elemental Magic and Wizardry oﬀensive 
  spells, but if suﬃciently angered readily turns to Nec-
  romancy to bring his foes’ lives to quick and painful 
  ends. He uses Wizard’s Shield as his main defense, 
  but can quickly erect Walls of Bone, Earth, or Ice if 
  necessary. He often uses those spells to slow down his 
  enemies when he has to ﬂee, usually making sure to 
  have plenty of corridors, hallways, or tunnels he can 
  block oﬀ before escaping.
  Unless he dispenses with them for some 
  reason (such as maintaining his Ambrozos dis-
  guise), Druathek usually has a bodyguard of at 
  least four skeletons, zombies, mummies, or other 
  undead protecting him, as well as one or more 
  undead servants. If possible he’ll have even more 
  ready to bedevil his foes, as well as conjured 
  monsters and elementals.
  Campaign Use:  Druathek is a second-tier master 
  villain for use against groups that aren’t ready 
  to tackle Kal-Turak just yet. His personal power 
  and resources aren’t nearly as extensive as the 
  Ravager’s, but they’re more than sufficient to let 
  him take on many PC teams singlehandedly (or 
  at least only with help from his own servants and 
  creations). If necessary you can strengthen or 
  weaken him to fit this role. The former usually 
  involves boosting his Primary Characteristics 
  and Magic rolls a little, and perhaps giving him 
  Triggered versions of some spells so he can cast 
  them instantly (at least in certain circumstances). 
  Weakening him means scaling him back to just 
  Necromancy, Sorcery, and a handful of spells 
  from his other arcana.
  Druathek is a dangerous Hunter due to his 
  resources and capacity for revenge. He lacks 
  the sort of long-range attack spells available to 
  witches and black magicians, so he usually starts 
  a vendetta by summoning demons and monsters 
  he can send to attack his target. He may also try 
  to use Sorcery to invade their dreams and attack 
  them while they sleep. Inevitably he intends to 
  confront the target personally (assuming the 
  target survives the initial attacks), but he won’t 
  do so until he’s sure he has the upper hand.
  Appearance:  Druathek the Maleﬁcent is a darkly 
  handsome man with black hair and a well-mani-
  cured black moustache and short beard. His eyes 
  are green and ﬁlled with malice. He wears sumptu-
  ous enchanted robes, usually burgundy or gold, and 
  carries a powerful enchanted staﬀ. The staﬀ is made 
  of grey wood and topped with an elaborate black 
  metal headpiece in the shape of a demon’s skull and 
  two large demon-wings. On the middle ﬁnger of his 
  right hand he wears a gold ring with a blue stone 
  in which tiny motes of light seem to shift and swirl; 
  around his neck is a pectoral-like necklace made 
  of large gold plates set with green gems and graven 
  with arcane runes.
  DRUATHEK’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  The Demon-Headed Rod:  This mighty tool of evil is 
  said to have been created by the legendary necro-
  mancer Thronek himself. Lost after his defeat and 
  death, it has surfaced periodically over the centu-
  ries in the hands of some powerful wizard or other. 
  How Druathek obtained it remains unknown. (HA 
  +6d6; STR Min 10 plus +2 with all Spells plus +4 
  Overall; Only Works Against Demons And Undead 
  plus +20 PRE; Only For Fear-/Intimidation-Based 
  Presence Attacks plus Multipower of attacks with 
  12 Charges for entire reserve (Demonfire Bolt 
  [RKA 4d6], Sleep [Ego Attack 4d6, 0 END], Shad-
  owfire [Drain BODY 4d6, Ranged], Grand Decep-
  tion [Mental Illusions 12d6]); all OAF)
  Imperial Magus Robes:  Able to change color (and 
  to some extent style) to suit the wearer, these silk 
  robes both protect him and enhance his mystic 
  powers. (Armor (4 PD/4 ED); +4 with all types of 
  the Magic Skill)
  Runed Necklace:  This necklace enhances the 
  wearer’s mental strength and protects him against 
  various attacks. (+5 EGO plus Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (8 points); Only Versus Magical Flashes 
  plus Mental Defense (5 points + EGO/5) plus 
  Power Defense (10 points))
  Ring Of Farseeing:  A person who wears and gazes 
  into this ring can see distant scenes depicted in its 
  blue stone. (Like the Crystal Ball Of Farseeing on 
  FH 287, but OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  123 
  GAZTIGAR THE MAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [2]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   12 CON 
  4 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   12 EGO 
  4 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   24 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  33
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Alchemy
  2 
  Create Homonculus (FHG 20)
  2 
  Dust Of Illusion (FHG 17)
  4 
  Dust Of Imprisonment (FHG 18)
  3 
  Incendiary Oil (FHG 9)
  4 
  Morphean Dust (FHG 18)
  1 
  Ointment Of Armor Enhancement (FHG 16)
  3 
  Potion Of Cloud Form (FHG 6)
  1 
  Potion Of Elemental Resilience (FHG 12)
  2 
  Potion Of Fire Breath (FHG 7)
  3 
  Potion Of Giant’s Strength (FHG 8)
  2 
  Potion Of Healing (FHG 9)
  2 
  Potion Of Invisibility (FHG 10)
  1 
  Potion Of The Owl’s Eyes (FHG 11)
  2 
  Potion Of Swiftness (FHG 13)
  3 
  Potion Of Transmutation (FHG 14)
  1 
  Potion Of Underwater Comfort (FHG 15)
  1 
  Stonyskin Salve (FHG 16)
   
  Conjuration
  5 
  Banishment (FHG 27)
  6 
  Conjuror’s Chains (FHG 28)
  8 
  The Call To The Elemental Realms (Longer 
  version, takes 1 Hour to cast) (FHG 25)
  4 
  The Lesser Wardings (FHG 29)
  3 
  Tharagoth’s Porter (FHG 30)
  3 
  Tharagoth’s Spell Of The Conjuror’s Ease 
  (FHG 30)
  7 
  To My Hand (FHG 31)
  3 
  Vashtori’s First Spell Of Beast-Calling 
  (FHG 21)
  8 
  Vashtori’s Second Spell Of Monster Sum-
  moning (FHG 24)
   
  Thaumaturgy
  9 
  The Bestial Curse Of Phogorath Tamm 
  (FHG 192)
  5 
  Calmir’s First Spell Of The Monstrous Form 
  (FHG 188)
  2 
  Hawk’s Eyes And Hound’s Nose (FHG 193)
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
  2 
  Thaumaturgic Sculpting (FHG 195)
  4 
  Thurlond’s Spell Of Reworking (FHG 191)
   
  Perks
  37 
  Follower:  Borog the ﬂesh golem (built on 
  75 Base Points, 55 Disadvantage Points, and 
  109 Experience Points; see The HERO System 
  Bestiary, page 78)
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory (see text)
   
  Skills
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 12-
  5 
  KS: Alchemy 14-
  2 
  KS: Animals 11-
  2 
  KS: Conjuration 11-
  2 
  KS: Fantastic Beasts 11-
  2 
  KS: Thaumaturgy 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  29 
  Power:  Alchemy 25-
  23 
  Power:  Conjuration 22-
  23 
  Power:  Thaumaturgy 22-
  2 
  PS: Brew Poison 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  254
  Total Cost:  287
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Mad Experi-
  menter (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Absent-Minded 
  (see text) (Common, Moderate)
  10 
  Reputation:  insane alchemist and monster-
  creator, 11-
  172 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  287
  Background/History:  Gaztigar can tell you the 
  characteristics of dozens of diﬀerent types of 
  animals, recite numerous Alchemy recipes and 
  formulae from memory, and cast spells as well 
  as many a wizard... but he can’t tell you where he 
  came from or how he learned any of these things. 
  Nearly thirty years ago he came to Arutha and 
  bought a tower near Aumrudel, then settled down 
  into a life of experimenting without much con-
  cern for the rest of the world. He no longer even 
  seems to care to learn about his background. He 
  sells potions and spells to those willing to make 
  the trip to his home, and ignores everyone else. 
  He has a well-deserved reputation as something 
  GAZTIGAR THE MAD 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Gaztigar plot 
  #1:  Gaztigar’s the only 
  alchemist anywhere 
  nearby who can make a 
  potion (or other item) 
  the PCs desperately 
  need. But as payment 
  he’ll only accept a cer-
  tain monster (or parts of 
  one) that he wants the 
  PCs to obtain for him.
  The classic Gaztigar plot 
  #2:  One of Gazitagar’ 
  newly-created monsters 
  gets loose! The heroes 
  have to capture or kill it 
  before it kills everyone 
  nearby. And what if the 
  monster’s intelligent and 
  claims that Gaztigar has 
  been imprisoning and 
  torturing it?
  While the heroes are 
  in Kurum-Sathiri, they 
  clash with Gaztigar’s 
  old rival and get a few 
  glimmers into what may 
  have happened. Will 
  they continue digging 
  to try to resolve the 
  mystery and help this 
  person they never met, 
  or go on about their 
  business?
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Alchemy gear, various raw materials for potions, spell components and paraphernalia
  
  124 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  of a danger, since periodically one of his monster-
  hybrid experiments gets loose and causes prob-
  lems before it’s killed or captured.
  The truth is that Gaztigar has suﬀered from 
  a sort of amnesia for decades. Once a powerful 
  wizard in Kurum-Sathiri, he lost a struggle with 
  a rival and had most of his memories concealed 
  by Sorcery. (Similar spells compelled him to leave 
  Vornakkia for Arutha.) His mind has fought unsuc-
  cessfuly to free itself from these bonds ever since, 
  causing him to seem mad at times. But there’s little 
  hope he’ll ever recover from the spell’s eﬀects.
  Personality/Motivation:  Gaztigar’s personality has 
  been warped by the Sorcery spell that suppressed 
  his memories. While he retains his razor-sharp 
  mind when it comes to remembering most impor-
  tant things, like what day it is or how to cast a spell, 
  he’s frequently absent-minded about petty details 
  like where he left his mortar and pestle or what 
  he had for dinner yesterday. If necessary, he has to 
  make INT Rolls at -2 to remember such things.
  He’s also become rather obsessed with his 
  work. He focuses on creating things, from homon-
  culi to bizarre “hybrid” monsters, and he doesn’t 
  much seem to care how dangerous or troublesome 
  they might be — he’s just creating for the sheer joy 
  of it. His experiments could easily get out of hand 
  and threaten the entire region.
  Quote:  “Is it not beautiful? Body of a lion, claws of a 
  bear, head of a bull!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Gaztigar isn’t much of a fighter... 
  but some of his “pets” are. Chief among these is 
  Borog, a flesh golem made from whatever parts 
  he happens to have lying around (such as, say, a 
  Man’s body, Elf’s arms, and Orc’s head), but he 
  could easily have any other monsters you need 
  him to on hand to protect him. He can also Con-
  jure more if necessary. In emergencies, he has all 
  sorts of potions and dusts squirrelled away all 
  over his lab, so there’s almost always something 
  useful within reach — and since he’s got Eidetic 
  Memory for important details, none of them are 
  labeled in any way. He knows exactly what each 
  of them is, but the PCs won’t have a clue unless 
  they actually dare to try one.
  Campaign Use:  Besides being a source of potions 
  and other useful supplies for the PCs, Gaztigar can 
  spark all kinds of adventures, such as dealing with 
  experiments gone awry or solving the mystery of 
  his background.
  To make Gaztigar tougher, increase his Pri-
  mary Characteristics a little, get rid of his Absent-
  Minded Psychological Limitation, and give him 
  more Conjuration and Thaumaturgy spells. He 
  could easily have entire armies of monsters at his 
  beck and call if you need him to. To weaken him, 
  make him even more feeble-minded, so much so 
  that he has to succeed with an INT Roll just to cast 
  any spell.
  Gaztigar doesn’t Hunt heroes. He sometimes 
  pursues a particular monster or beast for “spare 
  parts,” but that’s all.
  Appearance:  An elderly alchemist-mage, Gaztigar 
  has unruly grey hair and beard, and is partly bald 
  on the front of his head. He usually putters around 
  his junk-ﬁlled laboratory (which he rarely leaves) 
  in a simple grey-green robe and a stained leather 
  smock, creating potions, hybrid beasts, and other 
  strange things.
  GAZTIGAR’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Besides Borog, who’s sort of like an enchanted item, 
  Gaztigar usually carries the following magical objects:
  Greater Amulet Of Safety:  This plain-looking amulet 
  provides a small amount of protection against 
  many types of attacks. (Force Field (3 PD/3 ED/3 
  Mental Defense/3 Power Defense), 0 END; IAF)
  Steelhand Ring (see TA 262)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  125 
  HADETHINALIREL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  80  
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  8”/16”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Necromancy
  5 
  Create Mummy (FHG 141)
  3 
  Create Skeleton (FHG 141)
  4 
  Create Wight (FHG 144)
  3 
  Create Zombie (FHG 145)
  2  
  Detect Life (FHG 162)
  4 
  Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters (FHG 146)
  9 
  History Of Blood (FHG 147)
  2 
  Osseous Armor (FHG 159)
  1 
  Perfect Embalming (FHG 163)
  6 
  Sa’akiv’s Soulripping (FHG 149)
  1  
  Sorrelin’s Slumber Of The Tomb (FHG 159)
  4 
  Soul Feeding (FHG 165)
  4 
  The Spell Of Necromantic Healing (FHG 166)
  2 
  The Spell Of True Necromancy (FHG 162)
  1 
  Summon Ghoul (FHG 150)
  6 
  Veltharex’s Spell Of Torment (FHG 153)
  3 
  Wall Of Bones (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithtouch (FHG 154)
   
  Wizardry
  5 
  Boadlane’s Lens Of Enlightenment (FHG 220)
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  1  
  Wizard’s Scribe (FHG 244)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
   
  Powers
  30 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (150 END, 15 REC) 
  0
  2 
  Creepy:  +5 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1) 
  0
  2 
  Elven Eyes:  +1 to Sight Group PER Rolls 
  0
  5 
  Elven Eyes:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  4 
  Elven Longevity:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  lifespan of up to 1,600 years)
  4 
  Elven Legs:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  6 
  Contact:  Scarlet Priests of Vabanak 11- 
  (Organization)
  6 
  Contact:  Black Guild 11- (Organization)
   
  Talents
  3 
  Elven Sleep:  Lightsleep 
  0
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Spells
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Forensic Medicine (Embalming) 13-
  2 
  AK: Elvenholme 11-
  3 
  KS: Necromancy 13-
  2 
  KS: Wizardry 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Shalionderentine is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Umbrian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  23 
  Power: Necromancy 23-
  17 
  Power: Wizardry 20-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  224
  Total Cost:  304
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  15 
  Hunted:  Knights Of The Azure Banner 8- 
  (Mo Pow, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Driven To Learn 
  More About Necromancy And Increase His 
  Own Power (Common, Total)
  5 
  Reputation:  dangerous Elven necromancer, 8-
  184 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  304
  Background/History:  Most Elves give no thought to 
  death until the very end of their long lifespans, but not 
  so Hadethinalirel. From the moment he understood 
  the concept of “death” he was fascinated by it. He 
  watched ﬂowers for days to see them wither and die, 
  and sometimes caught and killed small animals to see 
  what happened to them as he slowly ended their lives.
  As he became more and more intrigued by the 
  concept and power of Death he slowly but surely 
  turned to the study of Necromancy. His actions just 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Robes Of The Blood-Red Twilight (DEF 2)
  Gear:  Spell components and paraphernalia
  HADETHINALIREL 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Hadethinalirel learns 
  how to make other, 
  even more powerful 
  “necromantic masks” 
  from other beings’ 
  skulls. He decides that 
  one of the PCs’ skulls 
  would be perfect for his 
  first creation....
  Determined to have 
  revenge on a society that 
  scorned and spurned 
  him, Hadethinalirel 
  decides to destroy 
  Elvenholme, kill as 
  many Elves as possible, 
  and raise them to his 
  service as skeletons and 
  zombies. The best way 
  to ravage Elvenholme is 
  with ﬁre. The best way 
  to start a ﬁre that size is 
  a dragon. The best way 
  to anger a dragon is try 
  to kill it. And the best 
  pawns he has for drag-
  onslaying are the PCs....
  Hadethinalirel hears 
  rumors that the remains 
  of an ancient school 
  of Necromancy have 
  been uncovered in the 
  Snowthorn Mountains. 
  Unable to ﬁnd this place 
  and brave its dangers 
  himself, he recruits the 
  PCs to help him. But of 
  course he doesn’t tell 
  them what he intends 
  to do with some of the 
  treasures he hopes to 
  ﬁnd there....
  
  126 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  as surely disturbed the other Elves, who considered 
  him strange... and eventually, dangerous. In time he 
  tired of their scorn and left Elvenholme, journey-
  ing in the lands of Men and Dwarves to learn from 
  their necromancers. It’s said he even studied with 
  the Scarlet priests devoted to Vabanak and the mys-
  terious Black Guild.
  Since completing his formal studies, Hade-
  thinalirel has become an adventurer, seeking 
  lost lore and greater power among underground 
  empires, long-lost crypts, and anywhere else money 
  and magic are to be found for taking by the bold. 
  Many people have learned not to trust him, for his 
  obsessive interest in Necromancy is not a healthy 
  thing for those around him....
  Personality/Motivation:  Hadethinalirel is similar to 
  a child who plucks the wings oﬀ a ﬂy to learn what 
  happens... with one important diﬀerence. The child 
  doesn’t necessarily know he’s hurting the ﬂy. Hade-
  thinalirel knows he hurts and kills people in his 
  eﬀorts to learn more about Necromancy and increase 
  his own power, but he doesn’t care. All that matters 
  to him, ultimately, is him. He could set in motion a 
  scheme that would kill hundreds of people, but all he’d 
  concern himself with would be learning from it.
  Quote:  “See the tinge of purple on the ﬂesh? No 
  more than two days dead — perfect for a zombie.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Hadethinalirel is a skilled necro-
  mancer with many spells at his command; he also 
  knows some Wizardry. Through hard work and 
  careful planning he’s obtained several powerful 
  magic items as well. In battle he ﬁrst casts Osse-
  ous Armor on himself for protection, then uses his 
  Necrobolt Rod and spells like History Of Blood to 
  destroy his enemies. He particularly enjoys making 
  Presence Attacks to frighten people, and has con-
  sidered delving into Sorcery to learn fear-spells. If 
  hard-pressed he uses the Wraithform (Desolidiﬁca-
  tion) power of his Robes, possibly together with the 
  First Spell Of The Crimson Ring, to escape.
  Campaign Use:  For low-powered campaigns, Hade-
  thinalirel can serve as a sort of master villain. He’s 
  not yet powerful enough to face a whole group of 
  PCs singlehandedly, but he’s driven and resourceful 
  enough to launch all sorts of evil schemes.
  To make Hadethinalirel more powerful, give 
  him more Necromancy spells, and upgrade any 
  “create undead” spells so he can Summon many 
  undead at a time and thus have an army of helpers. 
  To weaken him, reduce his Magic rolls so he’s much 
  less eﬀective as a combat spellcaster.
  Hadethinalirel rarely Hunts anyone; he has 
  more important matters on his mind. He might 
  do so if a hero repeatedly thwarted his schemes or 
  had a necromantic enchanted item he desperately 
  wanted. In that case he prefers to send his undead 
  minions to attack (and keep himself safe).
  Appearance:  Hadethinalirel has the height, slender-
  ness, and ﬁne-boned features common to Elves... 
  but he covers those features with an enchanted 
  mask made from an ogre’s skull and tied around 
  his head with strings made of dragon’s sinew. He 
  also wears the Robes of the Blood-Red Twilight, 
  which are black with wide blood-red hems and 
  cuﬀs and gold runes stitched in the red. He carries 
  a Necrobolt Rod, a potent necromantic weapon; it’s 
  a 2.5-foot long rod of gold topped by a small skull 
  made of black crystal.
  HADETHINALIREL’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Ogreskull Mask:  Hadethinalirel’s pride and joy is this 
  mask, which is made from an ogre’s skull and dragon 
  sinew. He found it in a crumbling, ancient tomb after 
  defeating its guardians singlehandedly. It grants him 
  several useful powers, including augmenting his Nec-
  romancy spells. (Aid Necromancy 4d6, any one Necro-
  mancy spell at a time; 4 Charges plus Mental Defense 
  (10 points + (EGO/5)) plus +5 PRE; Only For Fear-
  Based Presence Attacks plus +5 CON)
  Necrobolt Rod:  This powerful necromantic wand can 
  ﬁre various “necrobolts” of death-energy and helps the 
  wielder control the undead. (Multipower of attacks with 
  30 Charges for entire reserve:  Necrobolt I (Energy Blast 
  8d6), Necrobolt II (Energy Blast 4d6, NND [defense is 
  LS: Longevity]), Necrobolt II (RKA 2½d6), Necrobolt IV 
  (Drain BODY 2d6, Ranged) plus Mind Control +4d6; 
  Only With Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters; all OAF)
  Robes Of The Blood-Red Twilight:  These sumptuous, 
  darkly beautiful robes both protect the wearer and 
  grant him certain necromantic powers. (Armor (2 
  PD/2 ED) plus Desolidiﬁcation; Costs END, x3 END, 
  4 Charges plus Nightvision plus +4 OCV with History 
  Of Blood plus +2 with Necromancy Spells; all OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  127 
  LADY HELIDA OF CELBARIA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [2]
   10 DEX 
  0 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   15 COM 
  3 
  12-
   2 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   2 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases:  6, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   19 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  10
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Perks 
  END
  40 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 37 points’ 
  worth in Celbaria and the rest of Tornathia
  7 
  Contact:  Queen Eldoris of Celbaria 11- 
  (extremely useful Skills/resources, access to 
  major institutions, Contact has signiﬁcant 
  Contacts of her own)
  26 
  Follower:  trained hunting falcon (built on 
  75 Base Points, 40 Disadvantage Points, and 
  56 Experience Points; see The HERO System 
  Bestiary, page 137)
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  5 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  KS: Celbarian Nobility 11-
  2 
  KS: Tornathian Nobility 11-
  3 
  KS: Wine 12-
  3 
  KS: Tornathian Wine Market 12-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Tornathian is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  1 
  PS: Brew Poison 8-
  2 
  PS: Falconry 11-
  2 
  PS: Winemaking 11-
  3 
  PS: Wine Selling 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  1 
  Sleight Of Hand 8-
  1 
  Streetwise 8-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  140
  Total Cost:  150
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Celbaria 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watch-
  ing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ruthlessly Greedy 
  For Money And Power (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Haughty And 
  Arrogant (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with Duke Borilard of 
  Sarreshar
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (had kid-
  napped and is holding prisoner the King and 
  Queen of Sarreshar) (Occasionally, Major)
  20 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150
  Background/History:  Born into one of the wealth-
  iest and most powerful of the Celbarian noble 
  families, Lady Helida has never known anything 
  but wealth and privilege. As a young girl she was 
  given anything she wanted, until she soon came 
  to expect it... and in fact expects it to this day, 
  even if she has to work for it a bit harder. Against 
  her wishes she was forced to marry a rich Cel-
  barian nobleman’s son. She endured this (to 
  her) unpleasant state of affairs for several years 
  until her husband’s father died and her husband 
  received his titles and wealth. A few months later 
  he chanced to die of a mysterious illness, and 
  those lands, money, and feudal rights passed to 
  her. By most accounts this made her the richest 
  noble in Celbaria, and one of the richest in all 
  the Tornathian League.
  Since becoming a widow, Lady Helida has 
  begun taking an active hand in the maintenance 
  and operation of her lands and businesses (par-
  ticularly wine-selling). She’s also become quite 
  active in court politics, and has befriended the 
  Queen herself through their common interest in 
  falconry. She’s had suitors aplenty, but now that 
  her parents are dead and cannot force her into 
  marriage, she has yet to find anyone who inter-
  ests her in the slightest as a potential husband...
  Personality/Motivation:  ...and that’s because 
  the only things Lady Helida can truly love are 
  money, power, and herself. Her thoughts are 
  devoted to increasing her wealth and privilege, 
  not the idle pursuits of most ladies of leisure, 
  and she’s willing to do just about anything to get 
  either or both. She’s currently involved in two 
  schemes she hopes will bring her more riches 
  and power. The first, and most dangerous, is the 
  kidnapping of King Kirril and Queen Neola of 
  Sarreshar in an attempt to harm the Sarresharan 
  wine market while boosting the Celbarian. This 
  has not worked nearly as well as planned (in fact 
  it’s barely worked at all), and what’s worse is she 
  LADY HELIDA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Lady Helida decides she 
  needs a husband, just 
  for appearances’ sake. 
  That handsome PC, the 
  one who travels so much 
  and is prone to a heroic 
  death at some point, he’d 
  be perfect....
  Lady Helida receives 
  the horrifying news that 
  her royal captives have 
  escaped! Her guardsmen 
  have no idea how they 
  did it, but they’re gone 
  without a trace. But 
  they don’t reappear in 
  Sarreshar... or anywhere 
  else for that matter. 
  She’s sick with worry 
  over the matter and 
  has to learn what hap-
  pened (and, if possible, 
  recapture or kill Kirril 
  and Neola). And she has 
  to do all that without 
  being implicated in the 
  kidnapping. Time to 
  manipulate some hap-
  less group of heroic 
  fools into doing the job.
  Lady Helida falls sick 
  with a mysterious 
  malady no priest can 
  cure. An oracle tells her 
  that the answer and cure 
  lie in a distant land, past 
  many perils. She hires 
  the PCs to obtain it for 
  her... and then hires 
  assassins to eliminate 
  them afterward, since 
  she suspects (rightly so) 
  that the disease is some 
  sort of curse brought on 
  by her misdeeds.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Poison ring (see text); whatever else she needs, within reason
  
  128 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  can’t bring herself to kill them despite the danger 
  they pose. She’s kept them captives in the base-
  ment of one of her country estates, guarded by 
  men whose loyalty is unquestionable.
  Second, she’s maneuvering to seize the throne 
  of Celbaria if possible. She’s aware of Queen Eldo-
  ris’s fatal illness (see TA 283) and thinks she may be 
  able to manipulate the situation to put herself on 
  the throne. She’s popular enough and has enough 
  money that she could persuade the rest of the 
  nobility to cede her the crown... if the three royal 
  children, two girls and a boy, are out of the picture. 
  She’s pretty sure she can play on Princess Tiphain’s 
  insecurities and fears to get her to abdicate if neces-
  sary, but the other two are made of sterner stuﬀ and 
  are thus a stumbling block. She’s already hatching 
  plans to get rid of them.
  Quote:  “Get that goblet away from me. I could care 
  less what it tastes like as long as it’s good enough to 
  sell for a high price.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Lady Helida 
  is no warrior (though many 
  well-trained soldiers serve 
  her) — her weapons are her 
  wits, social connections, and 
  money. For times when they 
  won’t suﬃce, she wears a ring 
  with a hidden compartment 
  containing a small amount of 
  powerful poison she can slip 
  into someone’s drink or food. 
  Designed to mimic a fast-
  acting fatal disease, the poison 
  is a good way to dispose of 
  unpleasant people, since 
  priests using Cure Illness 
  spells can’t aﬀect it.
  Campaign Use:  Like the Sar-
  resharan Regency in Chapter 
  Two, Lady Helida gives you a 
  way to draw the PCs into Tor-
  nathian politics if you want 
  to. However, you could easily 
  transplant her just about 
  anywhere for use as a “femme 
  fatale” noblewoman villain.
  To make Lady Helida 
  a tougher foe, make her an 
  enchantress and sorceress 
  of minor power and equip 
  her with a few utilitarian 
  enchanted items. To weaken 
  her, reduce her Money to 
  Wealthy, remove her Skill 
  Level with Interaction Skills, and halve the number 
  of points she has in Contacts.
  As a Hunter, Lady Helida only works in 
  a Limited Geographical Area; she has no real 
  reach beyond Tornathia (except what her money 
  can buy) and less interest most of the time. She 
  prefers to employ hirelings to do her dirty work, 
  whether that means cornering a PC in an alley to 
  administer a sound thrashing or the most sophis-
  ticated assassination.
  Appearance:  Now in her mid-30s, Helida retains 
  much of the beauty that made her the object of so 
  many suitors’ aﬀections in her younger days. Her 
  blonde hair reaches just past her shoulders but is 
  usually elaborately styled rather than allowed to 
  hang free; her eyes are a piercing, icy green. She 
  typically wears beautifully-tailored gowns that 
  show oﬀ her ﬁgure to perfection, accenting them 
  with tasteful jewelry, but is never without her favor-
  ite ring, one made of three intertwined bloodsilver 
  bands topped with a beautiful purplish stone of 
  unknown origin.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  129 
  HLUGOK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [2]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  5
   30 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  92
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Ulg-Hroi Shamanism
  2 
  Banish Disease Spirit (FHG2 120)
  5 
  Calling Upon The Spirits Of The Plains 
  (Fields) (FHG2 109)
  5 
  Calling Upon The Spirits Of The Stones 
  (FHG2 111)
  2 
  Command Spirits (FHG2 113)
  7 
  Greater Spirit Ward (FHG2 117)
  1 
  Journey To The Spirit Realm (FHG2 117)
  2 
  Perceive Spirits (FHG2 119)
  2 
  Shamanic Healing (FHG2 123)
  3 
  Speaking To The Sword-Spirit (FHG2 115)
  8 
  Spirit Horde (FHG2 114)
  12 
  Summon Spirit Animal (Easy version) 
  (FHG2 113)
  10 
  Ulg-Hroi Devil Invocation (TA 186)
  7 
  Ulg-Hroi Devil Possession (TA 186)
   
  Powers
  3 
  Observant:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank:  Ulg-hroi 
  tribal shaman
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  5 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Spells
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  AK: Western Gorthundan Steppes 11-
  2 
  KS: Ulg-hroi History And Lore 11-
  3 
  KS: Ulg-hroi Theology 12-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  29 
  Power:  Ulg-hroi Shamanism 25-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Northern Temperate) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  153
  Total Cost:  245
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  10 
  Hunted:  Sorgahl Greymane 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  10 
  Hunted:  Torthok 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ruthlessly Ambi-
  tious (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation: Hates The Gort-
  hunda And Other Non-Ulg-hroi (Common, 
  Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other leading 
  Ulg-hroi shamans
  110 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  245
  Background/History:  Among the Ulg-hroi, some 
  tribes have a custom that on his 13th birthday a 
  boy must take a knife and a spear and go out into 
  the wilderness alone for a halfmoon. Those who 
  survive become men and full members of the tribe; 
  those who do not are not mourned.
  Fate had a diﬀerent path in store for Hlugok, 
  a skinny young boy whom few thought would 
  survive the trial of manhood. His ﬁrst night along 
  he crouched in a ditch near a ﬁtful ﬁre, nervously 
  clutching his spear, spooked by every noise even 
  though he’d lived on the steppe all his life. He gave 
  a cry of terror as an enormous elk, black-furred 
  and proud, walked toward his pitiful camp. Steeling 
  himself he made ready to try to kill the beast when 
  he realized something wasn’t right. Elks didn’t have 
  black fur — it was a spirit-elk, a manifestation of 
  the Lord Of Devils himself! Now truly terriﬁed and 
  certain he was about to die, he fell to the ground 
  and covered his head with his hands.
  But nothing happened. He felt a warmth ﬂow 
  over him, as if the elk had breathed upon him. 
  Suddenly he realized he had nothing to fear at all! 
  The Black Elk was a friendly spirit, one that would 
  help him, not one he should fear. He stood up and 
  looked the Elk in the eye... and then it solemnly 
  turned around and left.
  The rest of Hlugok’s trial passed easily; he 
  now seemed to have a conﬁdence and competence 
  he’d never possessed before. To his astonishment 
  he discovered he could sometimes see, and even 
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Oozing Dagger 
  +1 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown; poisoned
  Armor
  Soft Leather (DEF 1)
  Gear:  Rations, ﬂint and steel, horse, spell components and paraphernalia, fetishes
  HLUGOK  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The renegade Ulg-hroi 
  wizard Torthok contacts 
  the PCs sometime when 
  they’re in the North. 
  Despite his obvious dis-
  taste for them (and no 
  doubt theirs for him), he 
  wants their help to stop 
  Hlugok from achieving 
  his ambitions. He cares 
  nothing about what an 
  Ulg-hroi horde might do 
  to the rest of the world, 
  he just doesn’t want his 
  old nemesis to succeed 
  in realizing his dreams.
  The Lord Of Devils 
  visits Hlugok in a 
  dream. He tells the 
  shaman to travel south 
  in disguise and find a 
  group of strange people 
  (the PCs) whom he will 
  “help” with a quest... 
  all the while plotting 
  and achieving their 
  deaths! The god doesn’t 
  say why it must be 
  Hlugok who does this, 
  or why these people are 
  so dangerous, but the 
  loyal shaman obeys....
  To reward him for his 
  faithful service, Mordak 
  grants Hlugok great 
  power but commands 
  him to use it against the 
  Gorthunda. Harder-
  pressed by the Ulg-hroi 
  than ever before, the 
  Gorthunda turn to the 
  PCs for help.
  
  130 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  primitively communicate with, spirits (or “devils” 
  as the Ulg-hroi call them, considering them part 
  and parcel of the world of true demons). With their 
  help, ﬁnding food and protecting himself from the 
  elements was a simple matter.
  When he returned to his tribe, the old shaman 
  could see from the look in his eyes, the way he car-
  ried himself, and the fact that his once-brown hair 
  was now dark black what had happened. He told 
  the rest of the tribe that the devils had claimed 
  Hlugok and immediately set out to train him in 
  the shaman’s arts. Though the old man died a year 
  later, he’d brought Hlugok’s natural gifts to the fore. 
  The young man assumed the role of tribal shaman 
  despite some grumbling on the part of older tribes-
  men and enemies of his family.
  The grumblers soon had cause to regret their 
  jibes and questions. Hlugok proved to be a great 
  and powerful shaman, and within a few years 
  was as much leading the tribe as the chieftain. 
  He even succeeded in driving away the shaman 
  Torthok, who served a nearby tribe, by prov-
  ing he was a fraud — a mere wizard, not a true 
  shaman. (For which Torthok has hated him ever 
  since and schemed against him.) Today he’s one of 
  the mightiest and most respected of the Ulg-hroi 
  shamen, one whom many devils acknowledge as 
  their master.
  Personality/Motivation:  As Hlugok’s power and 
  prestige have grown, so has his ambition. He sees 
  himself as destined to lead the Ulg-hroi not just as 
  shaman but as war-chief. He wants to unite mul-
  tiple tribes under his rule and strike against their 
  enemies personally... even if that means having to 
  “eliminate” chieftains and other shamen by what-
  ever means necessary.
  Like most Ulg-hroi, Hlugok has a strong 
  streak of xenophobia. He hates and fears anyone 
  who’s not of his people, particularly the hated 
  Gorthunda (one of whom, the Wolflord Sorgahl 
  Greymane, he’s clashed with many times). For 
  this reason he’s likely to react harshly to the 
  PCs... unless he sees them as pawns he can use 
  to strike at a worse enemy. The one exception 
  to this attitude seems to be Kal-Turak himself. 
  Hlugok regards the Ravager as the greatest of 
  the Lord Of Devils’ servants in Ambrethel, and 
  would willing serve him should he ask it.
  Quote:  “Ha! Outlanders! Slay them, my warriors, 
  and you will earn the devils’ favor!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Hulgok is a powerful shaman, but 
  shamanic magic usually doesn’t have direct combat 
  applications the way Elemental Magic, Sorcery, and 
  Wizardry do. Instead he serves in more of a sup-
  port roll, using his Devil Possession, Speaking To 
  The Sword-Spirit, and Shamanic Healing spells to 
  bolster the Ulg-hroi warriors with him. If he has to 
  ﬁght himself, he uses his Oozing Dagger (though 
  this may prove too deadly for your heroes; if so, 
  scale back the power of the poison, or make it a 
  knockout poison). Despite his bold words and lead-
  ership role, he’s actually something of a coward and 
  will ﬂee from most dangers if he can do so without 
  any of his tribesmen seeing it.
  Campaign Use:  Hlugok can be the motivating 
  factor behind a story arc involving the Ulg-hroi. 
  First his schemes to seize power stir up the North, 
  then after he succeeds the heroes have to face a 
  semi-united (and thus more powerful) Ulg-hroi 
  threat. If your campaign doesn’t involve that part 
  of the world, you can easily change Hlugok so 
  he belongs to some other barbarian people. Just 
  remove his Ulg-hroi spells, substitute a few others 
  from the Shamanism section of the FHG2, and 
  adapt his backgroud to suit.
  To make Hlugok more powerful, give him 
  some additional Conjuration, Rune Magic, Wiz-
  ardry, or Divine Magic spells as part of his “Ulg-
  hroi Shamanism” suite. You could also give him 
  some innate powers deriving from his ability to call 
  on certain “favorite” devils at will. To weaken him, 
  reduce his Ulg-hroi Shamanism roll and get rid of 
  some or all of his Combat Skill Levels.
  Hlugok rarely Hunts anyone, but when he 
  does, he uses the spirits to keep track of his quarry 
  and help him determine the best time and place for 
  an ambush. He has no interest in ﬁghting fair.
  Appearance:  Hlugok has black hair and wears a 
  shirt, pants, and boots of sturdy leather; on his 
  shoulders he wears a sort of hooded short cape 
  made of wolf’s fur. Around his neck he wears a 
  small leather “medicine pouch” on a thong, and 
  he has several other fetishes made of bone, stones, 
  feathers, and the like on his person (many of which 
  have a slightly “demonic” look to them). He carries 
  a staﬀ made of gnarled wood (so gnarled it’s obvi-
  ously not usable for serious walking) carved on top 
  with a devil’s-head.
  HLUGOK’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Medicine Pouch:  The 
  special fetish grants 
  Hlugok luck. (Luck 3d6; 
  OAF)
  Spirit-Commanding 
  Fetish:  Another of 
  Hlugok’s fetishes helps 
  him impress and cow 
  spirits. (+15 PRE; Only 
  Works With Command 
  Spirits Spell)
  Oozing Dagger:  This 
  enchanted dagger con-
  stantly oozes ug’hal, 
  a virulent Ulg-hroi 
  poison. The wielder of 
  the dagger can con-
  trol whether the blade 
  emits the poison, and 
  is himself immune to 
  its eﬀects. (HKA 1d6 
  plus +1 OCV plus can 
  have poison equivalent 
  to Jekkara’s Wine on 
  FH 175 with Personal 
  Immunity)
  Gnarlwood Staff:  Carved 
  with an Ulg-hroi devil’s 
  head on top, this staﬀ 
  augments Hlugok’s 
  powers. (+60 END; Only 
  Usable For Ulg-hroi 
  Shaman Spells plus +2 
  with Ulg-hroi Shaman-
  ism rolls plus +2 with 
  Spells)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  131 
  KASHAI JAHHAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  86
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  1 
  Desert Adaptation:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  need only eat and  
  drink once per day)
  1 
  Eagle Eyes:  +1 to PER Rolls with  
  Normal Sight 
  0
  2 
  Eagle Eyes:  +4 versus Range Modiﬁer  
  with Normal Sight 
  0
  -2 
  Can’t Swim:  Swimming -2” (0” total)
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  kashai  
  (chieftain) of a large Dahganir tribe
   
  Talents
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  4 
  Mounted Warrior (HTH)
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  2 
  Gambling (Ta’gul) 12-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  3 
  AK: Hargeshite Devastation 12-
  2 
  KS: Dahganir History And Lore 11-
  2 
  KS: Desert Flora And Fauna 11-
  1 
  Language:  Southern Khorian (basic conver-
  sation; Dahganir is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  2 
  PS: Play Rebez 11-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Deserts) 12-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  95
  Total Cost:  181
  75+ Disadvantages
  25 
  DNPCs:  three wives and many children 11- 
  (some Normal, mostly Incompetent)
  20 
  Hunted:  Hargeshite Empire of Vashkhor 8- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  5 
  Hunted:  Tasheela 14- (Less Pow, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of His 
  Tribe (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Dahganir Honor 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Scorned By Other Vashk-
  horans (-1 on Interaction Skill rolls) (Occa-
  sionally, Minor)
  21 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  181
  Background/History:  Jahhar never expected to 
  become kashai (chieftain) of the Sufeina, one 
  of the largest and most important tribes of the 
  Dahganir, the nomads who live in the Hargeshite 
  Devasation of Vashkhor. The fourth son of 
  the previous kashai, he planned to spend his 
  life serving his elder brother when he became 
  chieftain, playing the rebez (a Dahganir musical 
  instrument), and gambling at ta’gul (a Dahganir 
  dice game). But fate works in strange ways. One 
  day while on a raid against some Vashkhoran sol-
  diers who’d strayed too far into the Devastation 
  Jahhar’s father and three older brothers were all 
  slain — only he and a few other members of the 
  tribe survived to tell the tale.
  Some members of the tribe, including 
  Tasheela (one of his father’s wives, not his 
  mother, a woman who’d always disliked him), 
  questioned this “fortunate” (for him) outcome, 
  leading to some dark mutterings within the tribe. 
  But most Sufeini realized that unusual things 
  can happen in battle and saw no problem with 
  his ascension... provided he showed he could 
  rule well. The first few months and years were 
  challenging, but he met those challenges with an 
  intelligence and resolve that surprised even him. 
  Today, after over a decade on the job, he’s become 
  a seasoned leader and warrior, one of the most 
  popular... and deadly... in all the Devastation.
  Personality/Motivation:  Kashai Jahhar is the 
  epitome of ka’saf, or “Dahganir honor.” He con-
  ducts himself with humility and grace among his 
  people, and extends the hospitality of his tents 
  to any who formally request it, even his worst 
  enemies. He does not lie to his people, though he 
  may shade the truth or simply refuse to speak. 
  And when he fights with other Dahganir, he does 
  so according to a strict code governing when 
  attacks can be made, and against whom.
  All that being said, it must be noted that ka’saf 
  does not generally apply to outsiders, though a 
  Dahganir may choose to extend it to one and an 
  outsider who learns the desert tribes’ customs 
  can request it in ways no honorable Dahganir can 
  refuse. Vashkhoran soldiers or other strangers who 
  enter the desert unaccompanied by a Dahganir 
  are fair game for anything, from practical jokes to 
  malicious pranks, robbery, or even murder. But the 
  kashai is no fool. If he recognizes that strangers 
  KASHAI JAHHAR 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Kashai 
  Jahhar plot:  the heroes 
  have to got into the 
  Hargeshite Devastation 
  for something (perhaps 
  to ﬁnd a long-lost magi-
  cal item in a ruin). On 
  the way they encounter 
  the kashai, befriend him, 
  and earn his friendship 
  by helping him with 
  some problem he cannot 
  solve. Perhaps he’ll even 
  try to marry one of his 
  daughters to one of 
  them....
  A strange, powerful 
  monster comes raven-
  ing out of the ruins and 
  begins laying waste the 
  Dahganir tribes. Based 
  on past association or 
  through some contacts 
  of his own, Jahhar 
  appeals to the PCs for 
  help dealing with this 
  menace... and to ﬁnd out 
  how and why it got free.
  After the Vashkhorans 
  capture, imprison, and 
  plan to execute their old 
  friend Kashai Jahhar, the 
  heroes have to rush to 
  his rescue. It shouldn’t 
  be too hard; the only 
  thing standing in their 
  way is the entire impe-
  rial army....
  
  132 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  might pose a danger to his people, he steers clear 
  of them; if he thinks they have something to oﬀer 
  him, he listens to what they have to say.
  Quote:  “This is my judgment:  Rashar has been 
  wronged. Gabir shall give him four goats as compen-
  sation. Let this matter be concluded and the two men 
  drink shaqab tea with me in peace and harmony.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Kashai Jahhar is as skilled a war-
  rior as he is a leader and diplomat. He prefers to 
  ﬁght from camelback, using his left hand to control 
  the animal and wielding his Fiery Scimitar in his 
  right. When on foot he has his Eversharp Dagger 
  in his left hand so he can use his Two-Weapon 
  Fighting and WF: Oﬀ Hand Skills. He’s not one for 
  pitched battles, preferring (like most Dahganir) 
  swift raids, ambushes, and assaults using small 
  groups of ﬁghting men.
  Campaign Use:  For a change of pace from the usual 
  dungeon-delving and castle-sieging sort of adven-
  ture, send your heroes into the Devastation where 
  they can encounter Jahhar and his Dahganir tribes-
  men, explore the ruins of Demmeth and Adairay, 
  and get a taste of a sort of “Fantasy Arabian Nights” 
  setting (albeit one with no Fantasy Baghdad and an 
  unusual overlay of magic).
  To make Jahhar more powerful, give him a 
  Dahganir Swordﬁghting Martial Art for use with 
  his scimitar and dagger, and perhaps more Combat 
  Skill Levels or SPD 5. To weaken him, remove his 
  CSLs and reduce his DEX to 17.
  As a Hunter, Kashai Jahhar has Limited Geo-
  graphical Area — though he sometimes sets foot 
  outside the Devastation (a dangerous thing to do, 
  since he’s wanted by the Vashkhorans), he’d never 
  pursue a foe so far. In typical Dahganir fashion he 
  attacks with raids and ambushes, preferring not to 
  engage his target directly for any length of time.
  Appearance:  Tall, muscular, dusky-skinned, black 
  bearded and moustached, and with two sharp 
  eyes over an eagle nose, Kashai Jahhar presents an 
  intimidating appearance. He typically wears beige 
  desert robes and headcloth, with an elaborately-
  woven, colorful cord to tie the headcloth and a cord 
  belt to match it. His weapons of choice are a Fiery 
  Scimitar (a curve-bladed sword with ﬂames licking 
  along the edge) and an Eversharp Dagger.
  KASHAI JAHHAR’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Fiery Scimitar:  This wickedly sharp curved sword 
  has mystic ﬂames licking along the edge. (HKA 2d6, 
  AP, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier; OAF, Str Min 10 
  plus +1 OCV)
  Eversharp Dagger:  This dagger is so sharp that it can 
  cut through nearly anything. (HKA 1d6, AP(x2), Pen-
  etrating; OAF, STR Min 6)
  Camel Saddle Of Swiftness:  A camel outﬁtted with this 
  elaborately-carved and inlaid saddle can attain short 
  bursts of speed during which it moves much faster than 
  normal. (Aid Running 6d6; OIF, Self Only (i.e., only 
  works on camel wearing it), 4 Charges)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Fiery Scimitar 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6 
  — 
  10 
  AP
  Eversharp Dagger +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, APx2, Penet
  Short Bow 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  12 
  8
  Barbed Javelin 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  8 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Soft Leather (DEF 1)
  Gear:  Waterskin, camel, tent and bedroll
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  133 
  SENATOR GARETZON JHEGANI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   10 DEX 
  0 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   11 CON 
  2 
  11-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   2 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases:  6, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   22 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  20
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  -4 
  Old, Plump, And Slow:  Running -2” (4” total)
   
  Perks
  50 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 47 points’ 
  worth of Contacts throughout Besruhan
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  Besruhani Senator
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  CK: Arvalis 11-
  5 
  KS: Besruhani Politics 14-
  2 
  KS: Besruhani Songs 11-
  3 
  KS: Besruhani Upper Class 12-
  1 
  Language:  Literate
  3 
  Mimicry 12-
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  2 
  PS: Singing 11-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  111
  Total Cost:  131
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  various political rivals 11- (As Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  5 
  Hunted:  Velkara 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation: Wants Inﬂuence And 
  Behind-The-Scenes Power (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Besruhani Imperi-
  alist (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with certain other 
  Besruhani senators and the like
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (vari-
  ous mistresses and scandals he keeps under 
  wraps) (Occasionally, Minor)
  1 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  131
  Background/History:  For generations the Jhegani 
  family has controlled a resource-rich region 
  north of the city of Evasli, and has sent one of 
  its members to the Imperial Senate. Garetzon’s 
  father was a senator, and he wondered sometimes 
  which of his three sons would succeed him. 
  One, Garetzon’s older brother, felt a calling to 
  the priesthood and became a taal. His younger 
  brother preferred managing the family’s busi-
  nesses, lands, and money. Fortunately Garetzon 
  was fascinated by politics and eagerly took up 
  the title of Senator upon his father’s retirement.
  In the three decades since then, Garetzon Jhe-
  gani has become one of the best-known and most 
  popular Besruhani senators. A strident Besruhani 
  patriot, he’s a leader of the Imperialist faction that 
  argues Besruhan should expand through conquest. 
  This has made him plenty of friends and plenty 
  of enemies, but in the rough-and-tumble world 
  of Besruhani politics he’s one of the best brawlers 
  around and doesn’t shy away from a ﬁght.
  Personality/Motivation:  Two things motivate Sena-
  tor Jhegani:  love of country and love of self. For the 
  former, he wants to see Besruhan become an even 
  greater, wealthier, and more important power than 
  it is — an empire that could rival Vashkhor and 
  dominate trade on the Sea of Mhorec. He thinks 
  the only way to do this is through conquest, and 
  he constantly urges his fellows to support military 
  action against anyone he views as Besruhan’s enemy 
  (particularly Velkara). For the latter he wants as 
  much behind-the-scenes inﬂuence and power as he 
  can get. He wants to be “the big man,” the person 
  people come to when they have problems no one 
  else can solve, the Senator who can get anything 
  done simply by sending a few messages to people 
  who owe him favors. He’s already well-connected in 
  Besruhani society, but he’s always looking for ways 
  to improve his position.
  Quote:  “We must not hesitate! Besruhan’s destiny 
  lies before us, only waiting for us to grasp it and 
  charge forward to victory!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Garetzon Jhegani doesn’t know a 
  thing about ﬁghting; he hasn’t even been trained to 
  use a sword. He carries a dagger, but mostly for cut-
  ting meat when he eats and similar chores. When 
  he ﬁghts, he does so with his money and inﬂuence, 
  both of which are considerable. If the heroes cause 
  problems for him, he’ll make their lives sheer hell 
  whenever they’re in Besruhan.
  Senator Jhegani has an uncanny knack for imi-
  tating other peoples’ voices. He only uses this talent 
  to make fun of his rivals at parties and during 
  backroom negotiations, but it might come in handy 
  during a crisis. He’s also got an excellent singing 
  voice.
  Campaign Use:  Jhegani’s agitation for Besruhani 
  expansion could easily lead to wars that would 
  draw the PCs in as mercenaries, heroes ﬁghting 
  against unjust aggression, war proﬁteers, or the 
  like. If the heroes are popular or powerful enough, 
  Jhegani might even appeal to them to support his 
  cause verbally or militarily.
  SENATOR  
  GARETZON JHEGANI 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Senator Jhegani needs 
  a “spark” to touch oﬀ 
  the war he wants. He 
  hires the PCs to pose 
  as Velkaran nationals 
  who attack a Besruhani 
  village. Alternately, the 
  heroic PCs might get 
  wind of his plot to start 
  a war and try to stop it.
  Senator Jhegani seeks a 
  fabled enchanted item, 
  the Banner of Resolve, 
  which can make even 
  a lowly man a skilled 
  leader (and a practiced 
  orator such as himself a 
  man other men would 
  unhesitatingly oﬀer their 
  lives for). He’s oﬀering 
  a fortune for it, but is it 
  worth it to the PCs to 
  put such a dangerous 
  object in his hands?
  Senator Jhegani has a 
  change of heart and 
  defects to a faction 
  opposed to Besruhani 
  expansion. He hires 
  the PCs to protect him 
  from the assassins hired 
  by his former allies to 
  “remove” him.
  
  134 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  To make Jhegani more 
  powerful, increase his wealth 
  and inﬂuence — or, if the 
  heroes won’t respect anyone 
  who can’t give them a cred-
  ible physical ﬁght, make him 
  a military veteran who still 
  knows how to wield a sword 
  well. To weaken him, reduce 
  his Money to 5 points and his 
  Contacts to 25 points.
  As a Hunter Sena-
  tor Jhegani has Limited 
  Geographical Area, since 
  he’s only powerful within 
  Besruhan. But in that area 
  he could be one of the worst 
  Hunters the PCs could have 
  due to his influential posi-
  tion and network of friends.
  Appearance:  Jhegani is a 
  plump, large-bellied man 
  in his fifties. His black hair 
  is thinning and starting 
  to grow grey; his face is 
  cleanshaven. He wears well-
  made Besruhani robes in the 
  finest of colors.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Whatever he needs, within reason
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  135 
  MAGHERO LUCOLI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  7 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  71
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Temirese Dueling
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Damage/Effect
  5 
  Charging Lunge +2 
  -2 
  Weapon +6 
  DC; Half Move 
  Required
  3 
  Cut  
  +2  
  +1  
  Weapon
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm, 35 STR 
  to Disarm roll
  5 
  Lunge 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +6 DC
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Riposte 
  +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +4 DC, 
  Must Follow 
  Block
  5 
  Slash 
  -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +6 DC
  5 
  Takeaway 
  +0 
  +0 
  Grab Weapon, 
  35 STR to Take 
  Weapon Away
  5 
  Thrust 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon
  3 
  Trip  
  +2  
  -1  
  STR +3d6 Strike, 
  target falls 
  4 
  Void 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  8 
  +2 DCs (already added in)
   
  Perks
  4 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  Temirese nobleman
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
  4 
  Reputation:  best duelist in Temirec 11-, 
  +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Temirese Fencing
  7 
  Analyze Swordﬁghting Style 14-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Blades) 13-
  2 
  Gambling (Card Games) 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  1 
  AK: Vornakkia 8-
  1 
  CK: Eltirian 8-
  2 
  CK: Khomaria 11-
  1 
  CK: Kurum-Sathiri 8-
  2 
  KS: Goings-On About Temirec 11-
  5 
  KS: Temirese Dueling And Other Forms Of 
  Swordﬁghting 14-
  2 
  KS: Temirese Nobility 11-
  2 
  KS: Wine 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  1 
  Navigation (Marine) 8-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  1 
  PS: Sailor 8-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Streetwise 8-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  3 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  163
  Total Cost:  234
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  DNPC:  lady-love of the week 8- (Incompetent)
  5 
  Hunted:  angry husband or suitor of the 
  week 8- (varies, Hurt/Embarrass)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Has To Prove He’s 
  Still As Good As Ever (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ladies’ Man 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Temirese Honor 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  best duelist (and skirtchaser) in 
  Temirec, 11-
  84 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  234
  Background/History:  There was a time when 
  Maghero Lucoli was the most dashing young 
  rake in all of Temirec. Like many other young 
  men from noble or merchant prince families, he’d 
  MAGHERO LUCOLI 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Maghero 
  Lucoli plot #1:  A PC 
  visiting Temirec acci-
  dentally gives Lucoli 
  oﬀense and ﬁnds him-
  self challenged to a duel. 
  Win or lose, Lucoli is 
  impressed by the hero’s 
  spirit and noble nature. 
  The two become fast 
  friends and one soon 
  helps the other with a 
  major problem.
  The classic Maghero 
  Lucoli plot #2:  Lucoli 
  ﬁnds himself in real 
  trouble with the hus-
  band of his latest 
  romantic conquest and 
  appeals to his friends, 
  the PCs, to help him out 
  of the jam.
  The classic Maghero 
  Lucoli plot #3:  Lucoli’s 
  challenged by an insuf-
  ferably arrogant young 
  spitﬁre of a duelist who’s 
  almost certainly better 
  than he. The heroes have 
  to ﬁnd a way to “rig” the 
  duel so that their friend 
  Lucoli isn’t killed (and 
  if possible wins)... but 
  without anyone realizing 
  what happened.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Rapier 
  +2 
  — 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Main Gauche 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  See text box
     Blade 
  +1 
  — 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  7 
     Hilt 
  +1 
  — 
  2d6N 
  — 
  — 
  7
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Whatever he needs, within reason
  
  136 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  put in just enough time in the family business 
  — trading with Vornakkia, in his case — to learn 
  the rudiments of sailing a ship on a merchant 
  voyage. But as soon as he’d satisfied his father he 
  gave up that life for one of indolence, pleasure, 
  and dueling. He spent his money on the latest 
  fashions, seduced more women than he could 
  count, drank the best wines, and got into (and 
  won) numerous duels.
  But time and the burdens of age change all 
  things. Now in his 40s, Lucoli ﬁnds himself in a 
  diﬀerent position. Though still a fast, skilled duelist, 
  he’s well aware that his speed has faded over time, 
  just like his looks. Having spent so much of his 
  personal fortune on fripperies, he now supplements 
  what’s left of it with income from gambling and 
  teaching dueling. And he knows that not too long 
  from now, someone will come along looking to 
  prove that he’s a better duelist than the great Lucoli, 
  and succeed....
  Personality/Motivation:  Maghero Lucoli is a man 
  driven to prove that he’s just as good on the ﬁeld 
  of honor as he ever was. He knows he’s not, but he 
  also knows that his reputation as the best duelist in 
  Temirec inevitably attracts challengers... and he’s 
  got to be up to the challenge. He practices obses-
  sively, hoping to maintain an edge in skill suﬃcient 
  to make up for his loss of speed. Compared to most 
  ﬁghters he remains blindingly swift with the blade 
  — but he knows just how much he’s slowed down, 
  and it gnaws at him.
  The other interest that occupies most of 
  Lucoli’s time is women. He never met a pretty girl 
  he didn’t like, and he’s got a knack for persuading 
  them to like him too... even if they’re married. (He 
  himself has successfully avoided such entangle-
  ments, much to his family’s chagrin.) He has a ten-
  dency to fall in love at the drop of a hat, and to fall 
  out of love just as quickly.
  Lucoli follows the precepts of Temirese honor 
  (see TA 98) both in word and spirit. Despite his 
  skill, he doesn’t make a practice of insulting people 
  just because he knows he can out-duel them; he’s an 
  honorable man who thinks of his role in Temirese 
  society as one of duty and respect as well as privi-
  lege, and conducts himself accordingly. But like 
  many Temirese he can be prickly about his perqui-
  sites, and quick to challenge anyone who oﬀends 
  him... such as, say, a PC who doesn’t understand the 
  way people do things in Temirec.
  Quote:  “My dear, you are a true rose of Temirec.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Maghero Lucoli is one of the most 
  skilled swordsmen in Temirec — the most skilled, 
  in fact, if the stories people tell are accurate. (Most 
  of them, at least, are.) In a duel he uses his Analyze 
  Swordﬁghting Style to gauge his opponent’s level 
  of skill and responds accordingly:  an aggressive 
  oﬀense to end the ﬁght quickly when facing obvi-
  ously inferior opponents; a more neutral or defen-
  sive approach against duelists who might give him 
  some trouble. He usually avoids his Disarm, regard-
  ing it as rather ignoble, but sometimes uses it to 
  end a ﬁght without having to kill his adversary.
  Campaign Use:  Lucoli is that classic fantasy arche-
  type, the Duelist — the man who lives by the sword 
  and for the sword, and for whom his honor is as 
  important as his blade. Depending on how the PCs 
  approach him, he could become a valuable ally and 
  friend, or a skilled and determined adversary.
  Lucoli is interested in swordﬁghting in general 
  and always takes the opportunity to observe skilled 
  swordsmen in action. He might even trade a skilled 
  PC tutoring in Temirese Dueling for instruction in 
  the PC’s own type of swordplay.
  To make Lucoli a tougher foe, make him a 
  younger man once more:  increase his DEX to 20 
  and SPD to 5, and give him Lightning Reﬂexes (+2 
  DEX to act ﬁrst with Temirese Dueling). To weaken 
  him, reduce all of his physical Primary Character-
  istics by at least a point or two, and/or remove the 
  Extra DCs from his Martial Arts.
  Lucoli doesn’t Hunt people; that’s not his style. 
  However, he’s sure to avenge any insult as quickly 
  and forcefully as possible.
  Appearance:  Maghero Lucoli always dresses at the 
  height of Temirese fashion:  a tan silk shirt; a long, 
  elaborately-embroided, dark-colored doublet that falls 
  to just above the knee; soft leather pants; black leather 
  boots; and when appropriate a cloak (his favorite is 
  blue with gold trim). He carries a rapier and a main-
  gauche, both exquisitely made and balanced. His 
  hair is black, curly, and worn slightly long; he has a 
  well-trimmed black moustache and short black beard. 
  Most people consider him devilishly handsome.
   MAGHERO  
  LUCOLI’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Well-Made Rapier:  
  Lucoli’s rapier isn’t 
  enchanted, but it was 
  made by the best sword-
  smith in Temirec with 
  all the skill and care he 
  could muster. (HKA 
  1d6+1, Accurate (addi-
  tional +1 OCV), Noble 
  Appearance (+5 PRE for 
  appropriate Presence 
  Attacks while weapon 
  is drawn), Swift-Strik-
  ing (+1 DEX to act ﬁrst 
  while wielding rapier))
  Well-Made Main Gauche:  
  The same swordsmith 
  made the main gauche 
  to match the rapier. 
  (HKA 1d6/2d6 N, with 
  same improvements)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  137 
  ROBAT MEHRDAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   11 COM 
  1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  96
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  7 
  Cure Blindness (FHG 245)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249) 
  2 
  Hands Of The Bloody God (TA 251)
  2 
  Hornbrek’s Mantle (TA 254)
  2 
  Hospin’s Healing Touch (TA 249)
  5 
  From Ishander’s Forge (TA 251)
  3 
  Nightwalker’s Mantle (TA 253)
  6 
  Radiant Bolt (TA 252)
  3 
  Resurrection (FHG 248)
  6 
  Sacred Fire (FHG 251)
  1 
  Sanctify Weapon (FHG 251)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  1 
  Skyfather’s Judgment (TA 255)
  2 
  Speak In Tongues (FHG 265)
  4 
  Spear Of The Skyfather (TA 252)
  5 
  Stonelord’s Touch (TA 255)
  4 
  Varidon’s Javelin (TA 253)
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank (Robat of the 
  Hargeshite church)
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  6 
  +2 with Spells
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  2 
  AK: Khoria 11-
  2 
  AK: The Westerlands 11-
  1 
  CK: Aarn 8-
  5 
  KS: Hargeshite Religious Doctrine 14-
  2 
  KS: High Church Theology 11-
  1 
  Language:  Aarnese (basic conversation; Cen-
  tral Khorian is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Umbrian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Vestrian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  29 
  Power:  Faith 26-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  2 
  PS: Hargeshite Priest 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Trading 8-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  170
  Total Cost:  266
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Hargeshite Church 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  10 
  Hunted:  High Church 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devotion To 
  The Gods And Their Purposes, Via The 
  Hargeshite Faith (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  126 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  266
  Background/History:  Born to a dockworker and 
  his wife in the Vashkhoran city of Avonnu, Mehr-
  dad seemed touched by the divine from his earli-
  est days. He walked and talked long before other 
  children his age, and he seemed to radiate a calm 
  and tranquility even few adults have. By ﬁve he’d 
  already begun speaking to people about the gods in 
  a way that made it obvious he possessed a profound 
  understanding of them and their ways. To no one’s 
  surprise, the priesthood accepted him as an acolyte 
  at a far earlier age than normal.
  Mehrdad lived up to his early promise, excel-
  ing in his studies and learning the ways of the 
  Hargeshite priesthood as if some lataro were 
  reincarnated in him. He had a bit more of a sense 
  of humor than some of the older priests thought 
  was good for him, but even those who resented 
  his cleverness couldn’t argue with his discipline, 
  learning, and skill. When he completed his studies 
  his superiors awarded him the honor of a post at 
  the great temple of Ebistan Derende. He worked 
  there diligently for several years, and while he was 
  happy enough with his work, he felt a calling for 
  something more. He wanted to be out in the world, 
  ROBAT MEHRDAD 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Mehrdad 
  plot:  the robat and 
  the PCs team up on 
  an adventure. Along 
  the way he frequently 
  preaches his doctrine 
  and gets in theological 
  debates with characters 
  of other persuasions. 
  When he saves a PC’s 
  life he pushes his case 
  strongly, arguing that 
  only the power of the 
  Hargeshite Church 
  allowed him to save the 
  hero, so the gods must 
  intend for the hero to 
  convert....
  A king or nobleman 
  seeks the PCs’ help. He 
  believes the Vashkho-
  rans have sent spies into 
  his land. He doesn’t 
  know why, but whatever 
  the reason it can’t be 
  good. He asks the heroes 
  to investigate. And what 
  do you know, that Vash-
  khoran traveling priest 
  they’ve met a time or 
  two is in the area and 
  acting strangely....
  Torbalor himself speak 
  to Robat Mehrdad! The 
  god tells his faithful 
  priest that he must seek 
  out and join a certain 
  group of adventurers, 
  whose mission is vital 
  to the safety of the gods 
  and the world even 
  though the adventurers 
  don’t have any inkling of 
  that yet. Mehrdad must 
  assist them... whether 
  they want his help or 
  not....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Mace Of Power 
  +2 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6+1 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Augmented Chainmail (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Trail rations, waterskin, horse
  
  138 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  smiting evil and converting unbelievers to the 
  Hargeshite faith. When he felt the time was right he 
  petitioned his superiors for permission to become 
  alcana-robat — literally “traveling priest,” but more 
  accurately described as a “crusading priest” or 
  “adventuring priest.”
  The Hargeshite Church usually looks askance 
  at such requests, and this one was no diﬀerent. 
  But Robat Mehrdad’s record of accomplishments 
  was impressive and his piety unquestionable, and 
  some in the Church hierarchy thought he’d make 
  an excellent emissary among the unbelievers. They 
  even had a Ring of the Twin Birds, a sign of great 
  favor, made for him to help him during his travels.
  Since then Robat Mehrdad has wandered 
  the world preaching the Hargeshite doctrine and 
  crusading against evil. He spends most of his time 
  in the Westerlands, where he’s worked with many 
  adventurers and gotten in many debates. He loves 
  his way of life and plans to keep living it as long as 
  the Church will let him.
  Personality/Motivation:  In many respects Robat 
  Mehrdad is just like the PCs. He’s clever, noble-
  minded, compassionate, and above all heroic. He 
  doesn’t hesitate to throw himself in the way of 
  danger if by doing so he can save innocents or 
  have a chance to destroy evil. The main diﬀerence 
  is that he believes in a distinctly diﬀerent reli-
  gious faith and must answer to that faith’s Church. 
  He often gets in debates with other adventurers 
  (especially taals of the High Church) about reli-
  gious matters (a form of “combat” he 
  relishes) and is sometimes suspected 
  of being a Vashkhoran spy. Sometimes 
  those suspicions are even right... much 
  to his disgust. If he weren’t so loyal and 
  pious he would probably start to ques-
  tion the nature of his Church and its 
  overall agenda.
  Quote:  “Beware, my son. Your danger-
  ous ways are leading you down a dark 
  road. Turn aside and come to the True 
  Faith, and light will ﬁll your life.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Mehrdad is a skilled 
  ﬁghting priest with years of adventuring 
  experience under his belt. He prefers to 
  accomplish his work with persuasive 
  words and clever actions, but some-
  times there’s nothing to be done but 
  pick up his mace and shield and smite 
  Evil as mightily as he can. If possible 
  he casts From Ishander’s Forge (and 
  if appropriate, Sanctify Weapon) on 
  his Mace Of Power before combat. He 
  usually ﬁghts defensively, keeping his 
  Combat Skill Levels in DCV and rely-
  ing on his Mace’s magical accuracy and 
  power to win the day, but if angered he 
  may go on the oﬀensive.
  Campaign Use:  Robat Mehrdad should 
  present the players with something of a 
  dilemma. On the one hand he’s basically 
  one of them — an adventurer, a man 
  devoted to destroying Evil (and perhaps 
  proﬁting from Evil’s loot) and righting wrongs. 
  But on the other, in most Turakian Age campaigns 
  he serves a diﬀerent faith and diﬀerent Church, 
  and thus in eﬀect a diﬀerent kingdom as well (due 
  to the way the Hargeshite faith and Vashkhoran 
  government intertwine). Even when they work 
  together he may have a far diﬀerent background 
  agenda than they do... and of course he won’t give 
  up his eﬀorts to convert them.
  To make Mehrdad a tougher opponent, 
  increase his STR, DEX, and CON to 18 and give 
  him enough additional Combat Skill Levels to 
  make him competitive in the campaign. To weaken 
  him, reduce his Faith roll to 20- to 22- (and maybe 
  his SPD to 3).
  Robat Mehrdad doesn’t Hunt anyone unless 
  ordered to, in which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Underneath his chainmail armor 
  Robat Mehrdad wears a modified form of the 
  Hargeshite religious vestments (a dull yellow 
  double-breasted robe tied with two sashes, one 
  whose ends dangle to the right, one to the left). 
  He wields an enchanted mace with a flanged 
  head and carries a shield that displays the Twin 
  Birds symbol of the Hargeshite doctrine. He’s 
  a young man, only in his late 20s, with short 
  brown hair, a brown moustache, and dark eyes. 
  His face often has a sort of lighthearted “joie de 
  vivre” kind of look that one rarely associates with 
  Hargeshite priests.
  ROBAT MEHRDAD’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Mace Of Power:  This 
  magical mace deals such 
  mighty blows that that it 
  can hurt even the most 
  heavily-armored oppo-
  nent. (HKA 2d6, +2 
  Increased STUN Multi-
  plier; OAF, STR Min 10 
  plus +2 OCV)
  Augemented Chainmail:  
  This enchanted armor 
  is slightly stronger than 
  normal chainmail, but 
  has the advantages of 
  weighing no more than 
  cloth and being self-
  repairing. (Armor (7 
  PD/7 ED); OIF, No Mass 
  plus Healing BODY 3d6; 
  OIF, Only Works On This 
  Suit Of Armor)
  Ring Of The Twin Birds:  
  Given by the Hargeshite 
  Church to its most 
  devoted and favored 
  servants, a Ring of the 
  Twin Birds enhances 
  spellcasting power and 
  accuracy. Each Ring is 
  specially made for its 
  wearer and won’t work 
  for anyone else. (+2 to 
  Faith rolls and +2 with 
  Spells; all OIF)
  Portable Cottage:  This 
  item looks like a tiny 
  pottery sculpture of 
  a cozy cottage. When 
  activated it expands into 
  a real cottage equipped 
  with enough food and 
  drink to make one 
  hearty meal for up to 
  eight people, enough 
  ﬁrewood to keep a 
  cheery ﬁre blazing on 
  the hearth for twelve 
  hours, and enough 
  comfy beds to sleep 
  eight people. The user 
  can control the tem-
  perature inside to make 
  it cooler or warmer as 
  needed (Change Envi-
  ronment [+/-2 Tem-
  perature Levels] plus 
  appropriate forms of 
  Life Support plus Force 
  Wall (4 PD/4 ED) for 
  the exterior walls; all 
  OAF, 1 Charge)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  139 
  NALGAR FOURBLADES
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   16 PRE 
  6 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   36 END 
  0
   50 STUN 13 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  109
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Swordﬁghting
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Counterstrike +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike, Must 
  Follow Block
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Plunging Strike -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Slash 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrust 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  2 
  Fast Runner:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  1 
  Acrobatics 8-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  4 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 11-
  2 
  KS: Heraldry 11-
  2 
  KS: Military History 11-
  2 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary World 11-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Ilurian is Native)
  3 
  Paramedics 11-
  1 
  PS: Blacksmith 8-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  1 
  Tracking 8-
  1 
  Trading 8-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  5 
  Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile 
  Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  1 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH) 8-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  103
  Total Cost:  212
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  facial scar (Easily Con-
  cealed; Noticed And Recognizable)
  20 
  Enraged:  in combat (Common), go 11-, 
  recover 11-
  20 
  Hunted:  various former employers he’s 
  betrayed 8- (Mo Pow, often NCI, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Temperamental 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  62 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  212
  Background/History:  Nalgar was a Thurgandian 
  foundling raised by a blacksmith who had just 
  enough kindness to take in an orphan baby, and 
  no more. As soon as Nalgar was old enough to 
  work, he treated the boy mercilessly, expect-
  ing him to help in the smithy and beating him 
  harshly for the least mistake or any attempt to 
  get out of work.
  By the time he was 14 Nalgar, already big 
  and muscular for his age, could take no more. The 
  next time the smith tried to beat him he smashed 
  the man in the side of the head with his ﬁst and 
  then stuck him in the stomach with a half-ﬁnished 
  dagger he snatched up from a nearby table. Certain 
  he’d killed the man and not wanting to be hung 
  because of it, he ﬂed the village forever.
  Slowly but surely he made his way to Aarn 
  just like so many other people looking to start 
  their lives over do. His size and strength attracted 
  the attention of a mercenary recruiter who 
  arranged for him to get some basic weapons and 
  fighting training and then shipped him out to 
  the battlefield. He survived that battle... and the 
  next... and the next. Along the way he began to 
  become a pretty skilled warrior, and his natural 
  flair for tactics came to the fore. He’s worked as 
  a mercenary (and sometimes adventurer) ever 
  since, fighting all over the world for whoever can 
  pay for his bloody services.
  NALGAR  
  FOURBLADES  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Nalgar ﬁnds a crum-
  bling old map that sup-
  posedly shows the way 
  to a fabulous treasure. 
  The only problem is it’s 
  too deadly a journey for 
  him to make himself 
  (and he’s sure the trea-
  sure will be guarded by 
  who knows what deadly 
  things). He recruits the 
  PCs to help him retrieve 
  it, intending to betray 
  them and keep it all for 
  himself.
  Nalgar and a warrior 
  PC develop a Rivalry. 
  Suddenly half the time 
  the PC’s involved with 
  something important 
  Nalgar shows up unan-
  nounced to challenge 
  him to a ﬁght or make 
  the situation more dif-
  ﬁcult.
  Nalgar stumbles into 
  the PCs’ camp, badly 
  wounded. He begs 
  for medical attention 
  (or even better, heal-
  ing spells!). After he’s 
  recovered a little, he 
  tells them he was car-
  rying secret military 
  documents for the king, 
  but was ambushed and 
  robbed by bandits from 
  whom he barely escaped 
  with his life. He begs the 
  PCs to help him get the 
  documents back, lest 
  the entire kingdom be 
  imperilled. He seems 
  very sincere, but could it 
  all be an act?
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Sword Of 
    Elemental Fury 
  +2 
  — 
  1½d6 
  var 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Runesword 
  +0 
  — 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10 
  See text box
  Ghostslayer Sword +1 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10 
  Aﬀects Desolidiﬁed
  Sword Of 
    Vitality Leeching +1 
  — 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10 
  Plus Suppress STR (see text box)
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Studded Leather and Chainmail (overall DEF 4)
  Gear:  Weapons and armor maintenance and repair kit and tools, tend and bedroll, tinderbox, horse
  
  140 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Personality/Motivation:  Nalgar is a self-centered 
  person with a short fuse. If he feels he’s been 
  insulted, or if something frustrates him, it’s easy for 
  him to lose control of himself and deal with what-
  ever’s bothering him with force — usually a strong 
  punch right in the face, but sometimes even more 
  violent actions. In actual combat he often goes into 
  a semi-berserk mode where he cares about nothing 
  but killing whoever he’s ﬁghting.
  As a mercenary, Nalgar’s honor leaves some-
  thing to be desired. He lives up to the term “mer-
  cenary” — the only person he really cares about is 
  himself. If the other side makes him a better oﬀer, 
  or if he sees a way to proﬁt by abandoning his cur-
  rent employer, he’ll readily jump ship. He’s got a 
  nasty reputation in some corners of the Military/
  Mercenary World, but his ﬁghting skills and magi-
  cal weapons allow him to keep getting jobs.
  Quote:  “I only need one of these blades to take care 
  of scum like you.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Nalgar is a skilled swordsman who 
  carries four powerful magical blades (see text box). 
  He usually prefers to ﬁght with one sword in each 
  hand (a trick he can pull oﬀ thanks to his great 
  strength and a lot of practice). He chooses which 
  two based on the opposition, but usually favors the 
  Elemental Fury sword in one hand and the Vitality 
  Leeching sword in the other. He’s a little scared of 
  the Runeblade — he swears sometimes it talks to 
  him (usually, but not always, in his sleep) — so he 
  won’t use it unless he really needs its power.
  Nalgar usually ﬁghts aggressively, taking the 
  oﬀensive and trying to wear his opponent down 
  right away with sheer power. Thanks to his temper 
  (and tendency to become Enraged) he often sticks 
  to this tactic long after a more level-headed warrior 
  would see the futility of it and try something else 
  against a particular foe.
  Campaign Use:  Nalgar’s the sort of character that 
  PC heroes encounter all the time:  a mercenary 
  soldier, and sometimes fellow adventurer, who’s 
  looking for adventure himself. Depending on their 
  outlook and gullibility, he could become a some-
  time friend, a deadly enemy, a short-term patron, 
  or the like; the one thing he’ll never be is a staunch 
  ally, because he only cares about himself.
  To make Nalgar tougher, give him some Extra 
  DCs with Swordﬁghting or raise his SPD to 5. If 
  he’s already too tough, get rid of his Martial Arts 
  and reduce his DEX to 17.
  Nalgar doesn’t usually Hunt anyone unless he’s 
  getting paid to, but sometimes a character makes 
  him angry enough to spend a long time chasing 
  that person down. He prefers a straightforward 
  approach:  ﬁnd the target and then attack with his 
  two deadliest blades.
  Appearance:  Nalgar is an imposing-looking Man, 
  6’4” tall and heavily muscled. His deep-set eyes are 
  black, as is his unruly hair. He’s usually cleanshaven 
  and has a prominent scar down the left side of his 
  face. He wears studded leather armor with some 
  pieces of chainmail. As his sobriquet indicates, he 
  carries four longswords:  one on each hip, and two 
  on his back. Each carries a unique enchantment.
  NALGAR’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  During his career Nalgar’s been lucky enough to 
  find four powerful magic swords. He carries all of 
  them at once (hence his nickname) and usually 
  wields one in each hand.
  Sword Of Elemental Fury:  This enchanted longsword has 
  four manifestations, each based on one of the four Ele-
  ments:  a sharp steel blade (Earth); a blade of lightning 
  (Air); a blade of Fire; and a blade of ice (Water). (Multip-
  ower with four slots:  Earth (HKA 1½d6, AP), Air (HKA 
  1½d6, Penetrating), Fire (HKA 2d6+1), and Water (HKA 
  1½d6, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier), all 0 END; all 
  OAF, STR Min 10 plus +2 OCV with Multipower)
  Runeblade (TA 266)
  Ghostslayer Sword:  This enchanted blade can even cut 
  intangible beings like ghosts and wraiths. (HKA 1½d6, 
  Aﬀects Desolidiﬁed; OAF, STR Min 10 plus +1 OCV)
  Sword Of Vitality Leeching:  When drawn, this sword 
  weakens everyone around the wielder, but not the 
  wielder himself... except that he has to use his own 
  energy (i.e., END) to maintain the eﬀect. When he stops 
  using it, the victims’ strength immediately returns. (HKA 
  1½d6; OAF, STR Min 10 plus Suppress STR 1½d6, One 
  Hex, Personal Immunity; OAF, No Range plus +1 OCV)
  Gauntlets Of Might:  These chainmail gloves double the 
  wearer’s lifting strength. (STR +5, 0 END; OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  141 
  NANUMAR HALFELVEN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  x/DCV:  x
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  72
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Fire Magic
  5 
  Fiery Arrow (FHG 89)
  3 
  Fireball (Weak version) (FHG 91)
  9 
  Fireshaping (FHG 92)
  3 
  Khelred’s Flammifer (FHG 94)
  3 
  Protection From Fire (FHG 96)
  4 
  Quench Flame (FHG 95)
   
  Sorcery
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Thaumaturgy
  3 
  Ashira’s Feasting-Spell (FHG 197)
  5 
  Calmir’s First Spell Of The Monstrous Form 
  (FHG 188)
  2 
  Hawk’s Eyes And Hound’s Nose (FHG 193)
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
  3 
  Shape Of Stone (FHG 190)
  2 
  The Spell Of Titanic Might (FHG 194)
  4 
  Thurlond’s Spell Of Reworking (FHG 191)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  2 
  Mystic Bolt (Weak version) (FHG 224)
  2 
  Ropeworking (Stilled version) (FHG 242)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Yldevar’s Claxon (FHG 244)
   
  Powers
  22 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (120 END, 10 REC) 
  0
  2 
  Swift:  Running +1” (2” total) 
  1
  2 
  Elven Eyes:  +1 to PER Rolls with  
  Sight Group 
  0
  1 
  Half-Elven Longevity:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  lifespan of up to 200 years) 
  0
   
  Perks
  50 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected 47 points’ worth 
  of Contacts throughout Ambrethel
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +1 Overall
  9 
  +3 with Spells
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 13-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Paramedics (Healing) 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  21 
  Power:  Fire Magic 22-
  17 
  Power:  Sorcery 20-
  19 
  Power:  Thaumaturgy 21-
  17 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  2 
  PS: Play Harp 11-
  2 
  PS: Singing 11-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  3 
  Linguist
  1 
  1) Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; Shalion-
  derentine is Native)
  1 
  2) Besruhani (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  3) Eltiriani (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  4)  Gorthundan (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  5) Ilurian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  6) Karellian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  7) Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  8) Umbrian (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  9) Westerlands Skhai (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  10) Westerlands Uzdek (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  KS: Scholar
  2 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  2 
  2)  KS: Fire Magic 13-
  2 
  3)  KS: History 13-
  2 
  4)  KS: Legends And Lore 13-
  1 
  5)  KS: Necromancy 11-
  2 
  6)  KS: Sorcery 13-
  2 
  7)  KS: Thaumaturgy 13-
  2 
  8)  KS: Wizardry 13-
  NANUMAR  
  HALFELVEN  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Nanumar 
  plot:  he’s learned of a 
  wondrous magical item, 
  grimoire, or bauble 
  that he simply must 
  have. Unfortunately he 
  can’t get at it himself 
  — he needs the help 
  of a group of adven-
  turers (the PCs). He 
  approaches them with 
  a description of the 
  vast treasure to be had, 
  sweet-talking them and 
  “embroidering upon” the 
  truth enough to make 
  them take the job. But 
  of course they’ll all soon 
  learn there’s more to it 
  and they’ve gotten in 
  over their heads....
  Nanumar goes missing. 
  No one’s heard from 
  him in over a year. He’s 
  often out of touch with a 
  given friend for months 
  or years at a time, but 
  none of his friends know 
  his current whereabouts. 
  All they know is that he 
  was thinking of another 
  exploratory expedition 
  into the Sunless Realms. 
  Several powerful and 
  inﬂuential people appeal 
  to the PCs to ﬁnd and 
  rescue their friend 
  Nanumar.
  If the PCs are of a 
  more mercenary or evil 
  bent, one of Nanumar’s 
  enemies hires them to 
  capture or kill the half-
  Elven wizard for him. 
  Of course, ﬁnding and 
  subduing so versatile 
  a mage may prove dif-
  ﬁcult....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Eversharp Dagger +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, APx2, Penet
  Armor
  Shielding-Ring (DEF 6)
  Gear:  Rations, tent and bedroll, harp in waterproof leather case, horse
  
  142 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  3 
  Traveler
  1 
  1)  AK: Elvenholme 11-
  1 
  2)  AK: Mhorecia 11-
  1 
  3)  AK: The Westerlands 11-
  1 
  4)  AK: Northern Mitharia 11-
  1 
  5)  AK: Vornakkia 11-
  1 
  6)  CK: Aarn 11-
  1 
  7)  CK: Eltirian 11-
  1 
  8)  CK: Tavrosel 11-
  1 
  9)  CK: Tor Vilos 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  358
  Total Cost:  430
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Wizard (Not Conceal-
  able; Noticed And Recognizable; Requires 
  Unusual Sense [Detect Magic])
  15 
  Hunted:  Narrg 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited 
  Geographical Area, Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Arkosh Bloodtooth 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Limited Geographical Area, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Thrillseeker 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fascinated By 
  Magic And Arcane Lore (Common, Strong)
  290 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  430
  Background/History:  The son of a Human father 
  (an adventuring warrior) and an Elven woman (a 
  nobleman’s daughter), Nanumar grew up in Elven-
  holme among his mother’s people, but he never 
  really felt at home there. He always thought true 
  Elves looked askance at him for his Human features 
  and limited capabilities. Determined to prove them 
  wrong, he threw himself into the study of magic, 
  a subject that fascinated him. He quickly proved 
  adept at magery, if not disciplined. He couldn’t keep 
  himself focused on any one subject for long peri-
  ods of time, preferring to jump around from one 
  topic to another as the mood took him, much to his 
  teachers’ chagrin.
  As soon as he felt he’d learned enough, Nanu-
  mar left home and set out to see the wide world, 
  intending to support himself as an adventuring 
  wizard. That turned out to be the perfect choice, 
  since the lifestyle of a traveling mage satisﬁed 
  both his wanderlust and continuing interest in 
  the Arts Arcane. He’s been an adventuring wizard 
  for decades now, traveling throughout much of 
  Ambrethel and becoming something of a legend 
  among his fellow adventurers. Among his many 
  exploits are stealing a jewelled golden goblet from 
  Narrg of Vorash (see page 144), helping the Karel-
  lians stave oﬀ a series of Orc and Goblin attacks, 
  battling pirates on Lake 
  Beralka, brokering a truce 
  between a warring thieves’ 
  guild and assassins’ guild in 
  Eltirian, locating and destroy-
  ing a lich (and his tomb) in 
  the western Snowthorns, 
  and exploring and mapping 
  large sections of the Sunless 
  Realms. Tavern tales claim he 
  regularly sings and plays his 
  harp for the dragon Augiros, 
  that he can breathe under-
  water and often consorts 
  with merfolk, that he’s on 
  good terms with the mysteri-
  ous Sa’akiv and sometimes 
  brings news of the world to 
  the feared necromancer, and 
  that he once lived among 
  the Gorthunda and learned 
  their ways. Whether any of 
  this is true no one can say for 
  sure except Nanumar, and he 
  responds to all inquiries with 
  nothing but a sly grin and a 
  clever quip.
  Personality/Motivation:  Nanu-
  mar is a sort of larger-than-
  life personality, the type of 
  person who seems at ease in 
  almost any social situation 
  and whom other people want 
  to be around. He loves to 
  entertain people with tales of 
  his adventures, which are many because he seems 
  to love living “on the edge.” He’d much rather be 
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  143 
  out risking his life in search of some treasure or 
  to accomplish some quest than relaxing in the 
  forests of Elvenholme or reclining on a silk couch 
  in some admiring noblewoman’s palace. The fact 
  that he has a severe case of wanderlust and doesn’t 
  like to stay in the same place for more than a few 
  months (at most) only reinforces his love of the 
  adventuring life...
  ...as does his utter fascination with things arcane. 
  If he hears about an amazing enchanted item in some 
  long-lost crypt, he has to try to ﬁnd it and claim it for 
  himself. If he learns that a particular wizard has devel-
  oped a new spell, he may just travel to that wizard’s 
  home and beseech him to teach it. Sometimes he 
  needs help on these missions, and he’s not always too 
  choosy about how he gets it.
  Quote:  “The time I fought the White Trolls of Zalgar-
  Tundu, you mean? Well, while exploring deep within 
  the Sunless Realms I heard strange rumors of an 
  underground city of powerful, evil trolls....”
  Powers/Tactics:  Nanumar tends to lack the raw power 
  of a more focused or deeply-studied mage, but he 
  makes up for it with cleverness, ﬂexibility, and an arse-
  nal of enchanted items that he’s found or had made. 
  He prefers to solve problems and deal with dilemmas 
  through wit and skill rather than brute power when 
  possible, often relying on Thaumaturgy and Sorcery 
  (to change his shape and thus get him into areas he 
  couldn’t otherwise reach, and to fool the minds of his 
  foes) where other mages would choose brute force. He 
  can also fall back on Skills like Sleight Of Hand when 
  spells might not do the trick.
  Campaign Use:  Nanumar isn’t a villainous sort per 
  se, but he oﬀers all sorts of possibilities for your 
  campaign. First, he could be a Contact for one or 
  more PCs, a friend they can ask for help (and who, 
  more often, will ask them for aid, thus roping them 
  into an adventure neat as you please). Second, you 
  can make some (or all) of the rumors about him 
  true; just add the necessary Contacts or Skills to 
  suit. Third, he could be a Rival for a PC wizard, or 
  perhaps a distant (and sometimes embarrassing) 
  relative of an Elven PC.
  Nanumar’s intended to be a relatively ﬂexible 
  but not overly powerful wizard. If necessary, reduce 
  the power of some of his spells (or add/remove 
  spells entirely) so that he’s not quite as good as the 
  experienced wizards in your PC group, but outdoes 
  them in terms of breadth of spell selection. If he’s 
  not tough enough, add spells and convert some of 
  his Weak version spells to standard version.
  Nanumar doesn’t Hunt heroes; that doesn’t 
  interest him at all. But if he heard a PC had an 
  intriguing enchanted item or remarkable spell, 
  he might try to track him down to study or learn 
  about it.
  Appearance:  As his name indicates, Nanumar 
  is half-Elven, with a handsome combination 
  of rugged Human and ﬁne Elven features. He’s 
  cleanshaven, with sparkling blue eyes and sandy 
  blonde hair he keeps short, stylishly cut, and held 
  in place with a silver headband that has a sapphire 
  in the center of his forehead. He wears a blue-grey 
  longsleeved tunic, matching pants, handsome 
  black boots, and a royal blue cloak. Gold brac-
  ers circle his wrists, he has rings on three ﬁngers, 
  and there’s an amulet on a chain around his neck. 
  He wears a dagger with a small ruby for a pom-
  melstone on his left hip and carries a straight 
  ironwood staﬀ shod in bronze and topped with a 
  circle of slender, angular silver bars.
  NANUMAR HALFELVEN’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Silver-Crowned Staff:  This beautifully-crafted 
  staff has several wizardly powers of general utility. 
  (Sleep-Spell (Energy Blast 6d6, NND [defense is LS: 
  Diminished Sleeping], 12 Charges); Crimson Flare 
  (Teleportation 40”, x16 Noncombat, 4 Charges), 
  Arcane Shield (Force Field (12 PD/12 ED), 2 Con-
  tinuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each), Arcane Storm 
  (RKA 3d6, One Hex Doubled, Personal Immunity; 
  No Range, 2 Charges); all OAF)
  Wand Of Mystic Might:  This wand projects a powerful 
  bolt of arcane energy. However, it has a limited supply 
  of that energy to draw on, so Nanumar’s careful to use 
  it only when necessary. (RKA 2½d6, 32” Line; OAF, 28 
  Charges which Never Recover)
  Eversharp Dagger:  This dagger is so sharp that it can 
  cut through nearly anything. (HKA 1d6, AP(x2), Pen-
  etrating; OAF, STR Min 6)
  Nanumar’s Boots:  Created speciﬁcally for Nanumar, 
  these stylish black boots allow him to run swiftly, move 
  silently, and even walk upon the air for short periods 
  of time. (Running +3” plus Invisible to Hearing Group 
  for up to Running 12” plus Flight 12”; Restricted To 
  Character’s Inches Of Running, 4 Continuing Charges 
  lasting 1 Turn each; all OIF)
  Shielding-Ring:  This ring surrounds the wearer 
  with an invisible and usually intangible field that 
  protects him as well as a suit of chainmail. (Armor 
  (6 PD/6 ED); OIF)
  Ring Of Wand Identiﬁcation (TA 262)
  Spellvault Ring:  Once per day Nanumar can cast one 
  of his spells “into” this ring. The ring stores that spell 
  and can instantly release it at any time on Nanumar’s 
  mental command. Depending on what he expects to 
  encounter, he usually uses it to store the First Spell 
  Of The Crimson Ring, Fiery Arrow, or Belzorath’s 
  Dominion Of The Mind. (Variable Power Pool for 
  spells, Trigger; OIF, 1 Charge)
  Bracers Of Passage:  The wearer of these bracers can 
  walk through walls and barriers eﬀortlessly, and even 
  protect himself from danger at the cost of being 
  unable to attack or aﬀect anyone or anything during 
  that time. (Desolidiﬁcation, 0 END; OIF)
  Lesser Amulet Of Safety:  This plain-looking amulet 
  provides a small amount of protection against mystic 
  attacks. (Force Field (3 Mental Defense/3 Power 
  Defense), 0 END; IAF)
  Arcana Cloak:  Specially designed to be worn by wiz-
  ards, this cloak enhances arcane skill and power. (+2 
  with all Magic Skill rolls and +2 with Spells; OAF)
  Headband Of Wisdom:  This sapphire-adorned silver 
  headband makes the wearer wiser and more intel-
  ligent. (INT +5 and EGO +5; OAF)
  
  144 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  NARRG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  40 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [7]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   26 CON 
  44 
  14-
   23 BODY 32 
  14-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   25 PRE 
  20 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   13 PD 
  11 
   
  Total:  13 PD (2 rPD)
   10 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  10 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   52 END 
  0
   54 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  185
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Large Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  2 
  Ogreish Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Ogreish Legs:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  1
  5 
  Ogreish Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Ogreish Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship (chieftain of  
  Orzegdar tribe)
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  AK: Vorash 11-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  4 
  Survival (Mountains, Underground) 11- 
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  6 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Mis-
  sile Weapons, Thrown Battle Axe, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  97
  Total Cost:  282
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Enraged:  in combat (Common), go 11-, 
  recover 11-
  15 
  Enraged:  if challenged, insulted, or mocked 
  (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 14-
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Powerhungry; Wants 
  To Rule All Of Vorash (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other ogres who 
  covet his position
  137 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  282
  Background/History:  In the Orzegdar tribe, one 
  of the largest and most powerful in the land of 
  Vorash, the chieftain wears a helmet made from 
  a dragon’s skull. Whoever wants to be chieftain 
  must take it from his dead body after defeating 
  him in combat.
  Five years ago a large young Ogre named 
  Narrg challenged the then-chieftain, Borrak, 
  for the helmet using the time-honored Ogre-
  ish method of roaring a battle-cry and charging 
  without any warning. Narrg chose a time when 
  he thought Borrak was at his most vulnerable 
  — half-drunk at a feast — but was surprised 
  when Borrak fought back hard. Dispatching the 
  chieftain’s drunk guards wasn’t much trouble, but 
  Borrak himself used anything he could lay his 
  hands on (chairs, candles, other peoples’ weapons, 
  drinking mugs...) to ﬁght with. Narrg ﬁnally dazed 
  him with a blow to the head and then, just to 
  prove his own strength, jumped on top of Borrak 
  and strangled him to death with his bare hands.
  Narrg’s first challenger came at him as 
  he was reaching for the dragonskull helm. 
  A canny half-Orc half-Ogre named Urgon 
  snatched up a fallen guard’s spear and stabbed 
  at Narrg in an attempt to win the throne him-
  self. Narrg suffered a wound, but not enough 
  of one to put him out of the fight. Leaping to 
  the wall, he snatched two axes from a weapons 
  display and proceeded to chop Urgon into 
  several small pieces. Without further ado he 
  picked up Orzeg’s Dragonskull and put it on 
  his head. And he still wears it today, having 
  survived over a dozen challenges through a 
  combination of brawn, wits, and skill.
  Personality/Motivation:  For an Ogre, Narrg is 
  smart, clever, and crafty — perhaps even moreso 
  than many heroes, particularly those who under-
  estimate him as a “dumb brute.” He has an actual 
  long-term vision and plan, as opposed to most 
  of his fellows and subjects who don’t think about 
  anything much further away than their next 
  meal or fight. He wants to subjugate the other 
  tribes and rule all Vorash as its unquestioned 
  King. And when he’s achieved that goal, the other 
  nearby kingdoms will be easy pickings with an 
  Orc and Ogre army at his back....
  Narrg also has a lot more self-control than 
  most Ogres, but his patience isn’t limitless. If 
  directly challenged, never mind insulted or belit-
  tled, he often ﬂies into a rage and pummels his 
  antagonizer to unconsciousness or death. He some-
  times loses control of himself in combat, too, but 
  there it’s not always easy to tell the diﬀerence.
  Quote:  “You will do it because I am chieftain and 
  I tell you to! Do not make me show you why I am 
  chieftain, Yelg — I would rather not see your bones 
  bleaching in the sun.”
  NARRG PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Narrg plot:  
  having successfully 
  taken over the other 
  tribes in Vorash, Narrg 
  begins a campaign 
  of conquest against 
  nearby kingdoms like 
  Teretheim and southern 
  Karellia. The heroes 
  must stop him before his 
  forces kill more inno-
  cent people.
  While in or near Vorash, 
  the PCs are captured 
  by Orzegdarans. Rather 
  than just kill and eat 
  them, Narrg decides he 
  can make use of them. 
  He agrees to let them go 
  if they swear a solemn 
  oath to kill a rival chief-
  tain whose people he 
  wants to absorb into his 
  own tribe.
  During a battle in the 
  mountains, the heroes, 
  Narrg, and a couple 
  of Narrg’s soldiers are 
  trapped in a cave-in. The 
  only way they’ll get out 
  is to work together... but 
  can they put aside their 
  diﬀerences and do that?
  NARRG’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Orzeg’s Dragonskull:  Through the notable deeds 
  associated with it and its long place of honor 
  with the Orzegdar tribe, this helmet, made from 
  the skull of a dragon slain by Orzeg, has become 
  imbued with mystical power. (+10 PRE; OAF, Only 
  For Presence Attacks Against Ogres, Orcs, Goblins, 
  Trolls, And Their Kin)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  145 
  Powers/Tactics:  Narrg is so 
  big and strong that he wields 
  a battleaxe in each hand 
  the way a Man would wield 
  hatchets. (He usually carries 
  a third axe strapped on his 
  back so he can throw one axe 
  [a skill he’s practiced] and 
  then draw the other one so he 
  can keep using Two-Weapon 
  Fighting.) Relying on his 
  strength and toughness he 
  usually goes for an aggressive 
  oﬀense, putting most of his 
  Combat Skill Levels in OCV 
  and attacking the biggest, bad-
  dest opponent all-out. He’s 
  got a strong streak of over-
  conﬁdence, especially when 
  it comes to ﬁghting, that may 
  one day prove his undoing.
  Campaign Use:  Although 
  the text closely puts Narrg 
  squarely in Vorash where 
  he belongs, you can use him 
  as a template for just about 
  any Ogre chieftain or similar 
  humanoid foe. The important 
  point is that he’s set apart 
  from his brethren not just by 
  being larger and stronger, but 
  by being smarter and having 
  long-range goals.
  If Narrg’s not tough 
  enough for your campaign, give him some Damage 
  Reduction so he can more easily ﬁght a single 
  group of PCs by himself. You could also give him 
  some Martial Arts with his axes. If he’s too weak, 
  scale him back to have Characteristics more like 
  a standard Ogre (see Fantasy Hero, page 299, or 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders, page 75) and 
  remove his two-weapon ﬁghting abilities.
  Narrg is patient for an Ogre, but not really 
  patient enough to Hunt a hero. At worst he will 
  seek a character as long as that character’s in 
  Vorash (Limited Geographical Area) but even that 
  may be pushing it as long as he’s just one chieftain 
  among many.
  Appearance:  Narrg is slightly over eight feel tall 
  with ochre-colored skin, black hair, a heavily-
  muscled body, and a thick, squat, prognathous 
  head featuring large, heavy browridges and pointed 
  ears — in other words, he’s like a typical Ogre, 
  only moreso. He wears the ceremonial helmet of 
  his tribe, made from the skull of a dragon slain by 
  Orzeg himself, and ﬁghts with a double-bladed bat-
  tleaxe in each hand. In battle he wears heavy chain-
  mail augmented by pieces of plate armor.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Battle Axe 
  +0 
  +0 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  13 
  Carries three, can throw them
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chain and Plate (DEF 7)
  Gear:  Narrg does not carry gear! Other ogres carry gear for him!
  
  146 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  NEDANA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  97
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Conjuration
  5 
  Banishment (FHG 27)
  6 
  Conjuror’s Chains (FHG 28)
  4 
  The Lesser Wardings (FHG 29)
  8 
  Vashtori’s Infernal Invocation (FHG 26)
  5 
  Vashtori’s Second Spell Of Beast-Calling 
  (FHG 22)
  8 
  Vashtori’s Second Spell Of Monster Sum-
  moning (FHG 24)
   
  Sorcery
  6 
  Algashar’s Dominion Of The Mind (Strong 
  version) (FHG 167)
  6 
  Algashar’s Glamour Of Fright (FHG 175)
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  11 
  Belzorath’s Invocation Of Impassable Terrain 
  (FHG 175)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  6 
  Darthuva’s Aﬄiction Of The Confused Mind 
  (FHG 170)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  8 
  Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear (FHG 170)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  6 
  Mindtrap (FHG 173)
  4 
  Prismatic Blast (FHG 177)
  6 
  Simbalon’s Sixth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  11 
  The Spell Of The Untrustworthy Mind 
  (FHG 174)
  2 
  Tarvallin’s Images Of Delight (FHG 179)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  5 
  Valazemurian’s Spell Of Lasting Torment 
  (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Wizardry
  5 
  Boadlane’s Lens Of Enlightenment (FHG 220)
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Bolt (FHG 224)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  6 
  Mystic Wall (FHG 229)
  8 
  The Second Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 233)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  2 
  Wizard’s Shield (FHG 231)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  45 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve (200 
  END, 25 REC) 
  0
  5 
  Wizard’s Immortality:  Life Support:   
  Longevity (Immortal) 
  0
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship (one of the Seven 
  Sorcerers of Vfran
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  17 
  Magesight
   
  Skills
  10 
  +1 Overall
  18 
  +6 with Spells
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Analyze Magic 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 13-
  2 
  AK: Vfran 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  17 
  Power:  Conjuration 20-
  25 
  Power:  Sorcery 24-
  21 
  Power:  Wizardry 22-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  2 
  2) KS: Conjuration 13-
  1 
  3) KS: Demons 11-
  2 
  4) KS: The Other Seven Sorcerers 13-
  2 
  5) KS: Sorcery 13-
  2 
  6) KS: Wizardry 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  416
  Total Cost:  513
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Enraged:  when something angers or frus-
  trates her (Common), go 11-, recover 14-
  20 
  Enraged:  if insulted or mocked (Uncom-
  mon), go 14-, recover 11-
  15 
  Hunted:  the other Seven Sorcerers 14- (As 
  Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ruthless And 
  Evil; Considers Other People Her Playthings 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Powerhungry 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with the other Seven 
  Sorcerers
  353 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  513
  NEDANA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Nedana thinks that one 
  of the Seven, her rival 
  the sorcerer Zhashoon, 
  is weak and ripe for 
  removal. Not wanting 
  the other Seven to know 
  she had anything to do 
  with it, she decides to 
  manipulate/trick the 
  PCs into getting rid of 
  him. Since she’s call-
  ing the tune she can 
  be ready to swoop in, 
  ﬁnish them oﬀ, and take 
  Zhashoon’s treasures 
  after he’s dead.
  Nedana learns that an 
  obscure, eccentric sor-
  cerer named Torethal 
  recently died. Eager to 
  obtain his grimoires 
  and workbooks she 
  decides to use her spells 
  to disguise herself as an 
  adventuring wizardess. 
  She plans to convince 
  the PCs to accompany 
  her to Torethal’s extra-
  planar sanctum with 
  tales of his riches and 
  wondrous items. She 
  wants it all for herself, 
  but as long as she can 
  get away with his books 
  she’ll be happy enough.
  Nedana contacts the 
  PCs. She claims that 
  she’s been under a 
  demon’s control for 
  decades — the demon 
  who supposedly “taught” 
  her magic actually pos-
  sessed her and used his 
  body for his own. She 
  ﬁnally ejected him and 
  is back in control. After 
  this horrible experience 
  she’s had a change of 
  heart and wants to do 
  Good... starting with 
  removing the other 
  Seven Sorcerers from 
  Vfran. Can the PCs trust 
  her enough to help her 
  with this mission, which 
  could bring peace and 
  prosperity to thousands 
  of people?
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  147 
  Background/History:  Most 
  mages tell stories of long 
  hours spent in the library 
  and workroom as they 
  studied spells, honed their 
  craft, and gradually came 
  to master the Arts Arcane. 
  Not so Nedana, who chose 
  an easier path to power.
  Nedana is the 
  daughter of a Vfranese 
  nobleman who dabbled 
  in wizardry. He was 
  no mighty mage, but 
  between his skills and his 
  money he could accom-
  plish some amazing 
  things. One of his most 
  prized possessions was 
  a Demon Glass, a crys-
  tal ball in which some 
  conjurer had long ago 
  imprisoned an incubus. 
  The incubus had to teach 
  and advise the Glass’s 
  owner on pain of being 
  tortured by the striking 
  of the ball with a crystal 
  rod, which would cause 
  agonizing reverberations 
  within the mystic prison.
  As a girl Nedana was 
  fascinated by her father’s 
  wizardry, but not by the 
  drudgery associated with 
  it. Having successfully 
  avoided work all her life 
  as a pampered favorite 
  daughter, she thought 
  there had to be a way to 
  learn magic without a lot 
  of work. When she learned about the Demon Glass, 
  she thought maybe she’d found it. The incubus, 
  for his part, thought he had ﬁnally found some-
  one naive and foolish enough to free him from 
  his duress... but he grievously underestimated the 
  depths of her own duplicity and evil.
  The two began a delicate dance in which she 
  tried to get the incubus to teach her magic, and the 
  incubus tried to convince her it had to be “tem-
  porarily released from this crystal palace” to oﬀer 
  instruction. The incubus tricked her into believing 
  it would teach her a few simple spells of Sorcery in 
  exchange for freedom — only to discover that she 
  had tricked him! After he agreed to tutor her (thus 
  giving her a way to force him to teach her anything) 
  she revealed that she knew about the crystal rod. 
  With a peal of delighted 
  laughter she drew the 
  rod out from where she’d 
  hidden it in her sleeve 
  and struck the crystal ball, 
  causing the incubus to 
  scream in agony.
  Her instruction in 
  the Secret Sciences began 
  in earnest the next day. 
  The incubus revealed to 
  her the hidden lore she 
  wished to know, primar-
  ily that of Sorcery so 
  she could control and 
  manipulate other people. 
  When her father discov-
  ered what she was doing, 
  she killed him, then used 
  her own mother and 
  siblings as sacrifices to 
  summon demons who 
  could teach her things 
  the incubus could not.
  As she continued 
  to explore the world of 
  magic, Nedana slowly 
  but surely came into 
  contact with other wiz-
  ards of like mind. Eager 
  for power, a group of 
  them — Nedana plus six 
  others — began meeting 
  to exchange information 
  and make plans. In time 
  they realized they had 
  enough arcane might to 
  obtain political power and 
  riches. Nedana suggested 
  her homeland, Vfran, as 
  a target — the king was 
  weak due to quarrelling among the nobility. In 4926 
  SE, with an army of conjured and enchanted ser-
  vants at their backs, the Seven attacked Vfran with-
  out warning, capturing the capital city of Vhoth-
  Tarin and putting King Lorgon and his extended 
  family to the sword. After routing the army and 
  burning the city to the ground they divided the 
  land among themselves, each taking a seventh 
  portion as his exclusive domain. They’ve ruled the 
  land since then, putting down occasional rebel-
  lions, solidifying their power, and continuing their 
  studies. Now Nedana wants them to continue their 
  conquests by attacking Sorinsarsoun (and eventu-
  ally Shar). Some of the Seven support her, others 
  are neutral or opposed, but she knows she’ll sway 
  them... eventually. She always gets what she wants.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Archmagus Robes (DEF 6, Hardened)
  Gear:  Whatever she wants, within reason; she has countless slaves to make things for her and serve her every whim
  
  148 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Personality/Motivation:  Nedana is well-known for 
  her fearsome temper. She has almost no tolerance 
  for frustration or annoyance, and none at all for 
  insults or behavior that she thinks demeans her. (If 
  she’s in a bad mood, “behavior that demeans her” 
  means “anything other than slavish obedience and 
  fawning praise.”) She can restrain herself when 
  dealing with the other Seven or people of power 
  equivalent to her own, but anyone she views as a 
  lesser or inferior had best tread warily around her.
  Nedana’s temper is equalled by her hunger 
  for power and willingness to do anything to 
  get it. With a few exceptions (such as the other 
  Seven), she views people as puppets she can 
  manipulate at will with her Sorcery for her own 
  purposes (or even just pure amusement). She 
  wants to extend that to kingdoms and empires as 
  the ruler of a realm so large she can maneuver 
  politically with the likes of Vashkhor and Besru-
  han. She realizes that this will eventually require 
  her to turn on the other Seven Sorcerers, but 
  she has no qualms about that. She knows they’re 
  probably planning to do something similar to 
  her... but she intends to strike first.
  Quote:  “You think your mind is your own, fool? 
  It is mine, mine to play with and mold as I wish, 
  until you beg me to let you serve me in any way 
  I choose.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Nedana is a sorceress of the first 
  water, able to read and control minds, create 
  utterly believable illusions, and afflict her ene-
  mies with fear and confusion. Her favorite spell 
  is Algashar’s Dominion Of The Mind (she uses 
  a “Strong” Mind Control 12d6 version she calls 
  Nedana’s Dominion Of The Mind), but she also 
  enjoys Fekura’s Bonds Of Fear, Prismatic Blast, 
  and using her Singing Silver Wand.
  Despite her power, Nedana rarely stands and 
  ﬁghts. She prefers to have her slaves and Mind 
  Controlled monsters do her ﬁghting for her while 
  she watches and gloats, or perhaps snipes from 
  the sidelines. If confronted she ﬁghts back, but 
  if she feels she’s lost control of the situation or 
  is in danger of serious injury or death she’ll use 
  her Cloak Of Swift Travel, illusion spells, and/or 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen to escape.
  Campaign Use:  Nedana provides an excellent 
  model for the classic “evil sorcerer who manipulates 
  people rather than ﬁghting directly.” If you don’t 
  want to use her to draw the heroes into the situ-
  ation in Vûran you can change the details of her 
  history and character sheet and put her nearly any-
  where in Ambrethel. She might even function more 
  eﬀectively if no one knew where she was or exactly 
  what she was doing.
  To make Nedana more powerful, add an 
  arcana or two to her arsenal — perhaps Divination, 
  some type of Elemental Magic, Witchcraft, or Black 
  Magic. To weaken her, remove her Conjuration so 
  she has no summoned servants, just Mind Con-
  trolled ones.
  Nedana generally doesn’t Hunt people until 
  they anger or offend her. Even then she only 
  pursues them within Vfran most of the time 
  (Limited Geographic Area), but might use her 
  influence to occasionally cause minor problems 
  for them elsewhere.
  Appearance:  The only woman among the Seven 
  Sorcerers of Vfran, Nedana looks like a 30-ish 
  female despite being several hundred years old. 
  Her beautiful face and ﬁgure, set oﬀ by long blonde 
  hair and blue eyes, belie the evil and cruelty that 
  lurk within. She wears enchanted robes of purple or 
  burgundy cut to show oﬀ her charms, plus a gold-
  colored cloak.
  NEDANA’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Singing Silver Wand:  This wand emits an eerie music 
  and ﬁres bolts of silvery ﬂame. Nedana believes it 
  sometimes whispers wisdom to her and treasures it 
  above all her other possessions except her Demon 
  Glass. (RKA 4d6, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier; 
  OAF, 30 Charges)
  Archmagus Robes:  Able to change color (and to 
  some extent style) to suit the wearer, these silk robes 
  both protect him and enhance his mystic powers. 
  (Armor (6 PD/6 ED), Hardened; +4 with all types of 
  the Magic Skill)
  Thousand-Facet Ring:  This ring allows the wearer 
  to assume the appearance of nearly any humanoid 
  being. He can even mimic others’ features exactly. 
  (Shape Shift to Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups, 
  Imitation, Instant Change, 0 END; IIF)
  Cloak Of Swift Travel:  This cloak lets the wearer Tele-
  port up to about 200 feet away several times a day. 
  (Teleportation 30”, Position Shift, No Relative Veloc-
  ity, Safe Blind Teleport; OAF, 6 Charges)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  149 
  PALANIETH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  57
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  4 
  D’ansif’s Spell Of Far Sight (FHG 34)
  1 
  Detect Scrying (FHG 35)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249) 
  3 
  Healing-Spell (FHG 247)
  4 
  Holy Light (FHG 249)
  3 
  Premonition (FHG 32)
  6 
  Sacred Fire (FHG 251)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  2 
  Shield Of The Soul (FHG 255)
  2 
  Speak In Tongues (FHG 265)
  5 
  Stillness Of The Soul (FHG 252)
  1 
  Wisdom Of Tjjalis (TA 258)
   
  Powers
  20 
  Priestess’s Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (100 END, 10 REC) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Blessed By Tjjalis:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Perks
  30 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 27 points’ 
  worth of Contacts throughout Eltirian
  15 
  Follower:  Eclipse the black cat (built on 75 
  Base Points)
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
   
  Talents
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  KS: Eltiriani Theology 11-
  4 
  KS: Tjjalis Theology 13-
  2 
  KS: Vornakkian History 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lipreading 12-
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  17 
  Power:  Faith 20-
  2 
  PS: Priestess Of Tjjalis 11-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  1 
  Sleight Of Hand 8-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  193
  Total Cost:  250
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Hunted:  various other priests and ambitious 
  people (As Pow, sometimes NCI, Watching)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devotion To 
  The Goddess And Her Purposes (Very 
  Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ambitious 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Curiosity 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other priestesses
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  100 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  250
  Background/History:  Tjjalis, goddess of the night-
  time spaces, has decreed that only girl-children 
  born of her priestesses may become priestesses 
  themselves. If a daughter is conceived in some 
  ordinary place, she becomes a priestess only if she 
  shows particular promise. But if she’s conceived in a 
  location deemed sacred to Tjjalis, she must become 
  a priestess, and in fact those girls almost always 
  show a special aptitude for the job. (Boy-children 
  are given to other temples to become priests.)
  So it was with Palanieth, conceived on the 
  site of many rituals to the goddess and blessed 
  with a desire to serve. Her mother began teach-
  ing her the litany as soon as she could talk, and 
  by her early teens she was participating in ritu-
  als and assisting higher-ranking priestesses. But 
  though she served faithfully in all things, inside 
  she chafed at taking orders. She should be in 
  charge, giving orders to other people. And now 
  that she’s a full-grown woman with the powers 
  of a priestess she intends to find a way to do just 
  that. No long years of temple toil for her to earn 
  favor and rank — she intends to take whatever 
  shortcuts she can find.
  Personality/Motivation:  Palanieth is sly, conspira-
  torial-minded, and clever. Driven by ambition 
  (both to rise in the ranks of the priesthood and 
  to become more inﬂuential in Eltirian generally) 
  and a strong sense of curiosity she pays careful 
  attention to everything around her... and snoops 
  whenever she has the opportunity, often using 
  spells to help her. For example if she observes or 
  learns about the PCs and thinks she might be able 
  to manipulate them for her own purposes she’ll 
  cast divination-spells to dig up information about 
  them and track them, then use her Concealment 
  and Stealth Skills to go through their things if she 
  has the chance. Her feminine charms, network of 
  Contacts throughout Eltirian, and access to church 
  resources are other tools she uses as needed.
  PALANIETH  
  PLOT SEEDS
  A priest of Aberac 
  recently insulted Palani-
  eth at a party, so it’s time 
  for revenge. She decides 
  to frame him for trai-
  torous actions against 
  the Eltiriani throne 
  and plants evidence 
  that he’s in league with 
  Talarshand. Then she 
  arranges for the PCs to 
  “ﬁnd” the “evidence” so 
  they’ll go after the priest. 
  But when he protests his 
  innocence and seems to 
  have proof to back up at 
  least some of his claims, 
  what will the heroes do?
  Palanieth desperately 
  wants an invitation to 
  an exclusive ball being 
  thrown by Lady Salyeth. 
  She believes the heroes, 
  recently-arrived adven-
  turers causing a stir 
  in the city, will receive 
  invitations, so she tries 
  to make friends with 
  them in hopes of getting 
  asked to attend the ball 
  with them. But of course 
  this makes her enemies 
  think the PCs are work-
  ing with her, so they 
  either (a) try to court 
  them away from her, 
  or (b) try to have them 
  killed. And if Palanieth 
  goes to the ball with 
  them and is discovered 
  doing something illicit, 
  will Lady Salyeth blame 
  the PCs for her actions?
  Her superiors assign 
  Palanieth to keep an eye 
  on the PCs, whom they 
  regard as potentially 
  dangerous. She thinks 
  it’s a waste of time but 
  has to comply. She 
  decides the easiest way 
  to get out of the job is 
  to drive the PCs out of 
  Eltirian as quickly as 
  possible....
  
  150 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “That is most... intriguing. As are you, good 
  sir. Perhaps we could continue this conversation... 
  in private?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Palanieth is no fighter (though 
  she has spells she can call on if forced into 
  combat). She’s a sneak, a blackmailer, and a 
  manipulator who uses her skills and spells to 
  find ways to advance herself. She particularly 
  enjoys casting D’ansif’s Spell Of Far Sight to spy 
  on people from afar (she can read lips to figure 
  out what the people she watches are saying). (As 
  the goddess of, among other things, divination, 
  Tjjalis grants her priestesses spells from the Divi-
  nation arcana, but they’re cast with a Faith roll 
  rather than a Divination roll.) Her pet cat Eclipse 
  is also good for spying and other minor tasks.
  Palanieth’s perspective on any situation is 
  “what’s in it for me?”. If she thinks she can manipu-
  late events or people to gain something, she’ll try 
  to do so. If not, she tries to get away at the earliest 
  opportunity, since she sees no point in wasting time 
  or eﬀort without gain.
  Campaign Use:  Palanieth gives you the chance to 
  get the heroes involved in all sorts of behind-the-
  scenes goings-on in the City of Seven Gates. First, 
  she’s tied into the religious politics of the city, pri-
  marily within the priestesshood of Tjjalis but also 
  to the extent that the priests of the diﬀerent gods 
  compete with each other for prestige, favor, and 
  worshippers. Second, she pays attention to and par-
  ticipates in city politics as much as possible, since 
  secular inﬂuence is as important to her as reli-
  gious/mystical power. Sometimes this participation 
  is direct (like attending a nobleman’s party), but 
  just as often its conspiratorial or under the table. 
  She could easily see the PCs (or a speciﬁc PC) as 
  the key to humbling a rival, gaining access to some 
  useful resource or inner sanctum, meeting impor-
  tant people, making money, or twisting events in 
  her own favor, then set out to manipulate them to 
  get what she wants.
  To make Palanieth tougher, give her more 
  social power. Increase her rank in the priestess-
  hood, give her a coterie of lovers throughout the 
  city who help her, and have a lot of people owe her 
  Favors. If you want to weaken her, remove her Con-
  tacts and reduce some of her Interaction Skills to 
  Familiarities.
  Palanieth doesn’t Hunt heroes in the tradi-
  tional sense. However, if she thinks one of them 
  has something she wants, or she believes a PC is 
  a threat she needs to eliminate, she’ll keep careful 
  tabs on them whenever they’re in Eltirian (Watch-
  ing, Limited Geographical Area).
  Appearance:  A priestess of Tjjalis, the Eltiriani 
  night-goddess, Palanieth wears the typical garb 
  of her church:  a purple robe (in a style designed 
  to show off her attractive figure) with a gorget 
  of black velvet embroidered with a slim-rayed, 
  seven-pointed star. Long dark hair frames her 
  beautiful face; her eyes are green. On one finger 
  of her right hand she wears a silver ring set with 
  a ghostly white stone.
  PALANIETH’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Ghoststone Ring:  This ring lets the wearer walk 
  through walls and barriers eﬀortlessly, though his 
  intangible state oﬀers no protection from attacks. 
  (Desolidiﬁcation, 0 END; OIF, Does Not Protect 
  Against Damage)
  Wand Of Talons (TA 264; has 36 Charges remaining)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  None
  Gear:  Various clerical vestments and supplies, holy writings
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  151 
  RED-EDGE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   12 EGO 
  4 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   34 END 
  0
   35 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  113
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Blademastery
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Counterstrike +2 
  +2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike, Must 
  Follow Block
  5 
  Jab 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Slash 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Thrust 
  -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +6 DC 
  Strike
  8 
  +2 DCs (already added in)
   
  Martial Arts:  Bladethrowing
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Rng 
  Notes
  4 
  Basic Shot 
  +0 
  +0 +2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC
  3 
  Defensive Shot -1 
  +2 +0 
  Weapon 
  5 
  Moving Shot 
  -1 
  +0 +0 
  Weapon; 
  FMove
  4 
  Quick Shot 
  +1 
  +0 +0 
  Weapon +2 
  DC
  24 
  Unore:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  appropriate Life Support [Immunity]; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Trigger (touching  
  victim’s bare skin with intent to poison  
  him; +¼); IAF Fragile (poison dissolves if 
  exposed to water; -¾), 10 Charges (-¼) 
  [10]
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  9 
  Reputation:  deadliest of the Silver  
  Branch assassins (throughout  
  Ambrethel) 14-, +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  10 
  Silver Branch Accuracy:  Deadly Blow (+1d6 
  KA with all Ranged weapons)
  7 
  Silver Branch Accuracy:  Deadly Blow (+1d6 
  KA with all Blades in HTH Combat)
  16 
  Crippling Blow
  18 
  Evasive
  3 
  Lightning Reﬂexes:  +2 to act ﬁrst with  
  All Actions
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  10 
  +1 Overall
  5 
  +1 with Agility Skills
  5 
  +1 with Intellect Skills
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Disguise 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  2 
  AK: Vornakkia 11-
  2 
  CK: Eltirian 11-
  2 
  CK: Talarshand 11-
  3 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 12-
  2 
  Language:  Aarnese (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Talarshandi is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Devyldran (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Eltiriani (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Sithian (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  3 
  Mimicry 12-
  3 
  PS: Brew Poison 12-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  5 
  Stealth 14-
  5 
  Streetwise 13-
  4 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical, Tropical) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  8 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Garrote, Oﬀ Hand, Silver 
  Branch Dagger, Thrown Sword
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  291
  Total Cost:  404
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Distinctive Features:  Unore (Easily Con-
  cealed; Noticed And Recognizable; Not Dis-
  tinctive In Talarshand)
  20 
  Hunted:  Eltirian 8- (Mo Pow, NCI,  
  Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Casual Killer 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  highly-feared assassin, 14- 
  (Extreme)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  249 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  404
  RED-EDGE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Red-Edge 
  plot:  someone hires 
  Red-Edge to kill the 
  PCs (or someone they 
  care about), and they 
  have to stop him. Just 
  as importantly, they 
  have to find out who 
  hired him and stop that 
  person from being a 
  threat to them as well.
  A friend of the heroes’ 
  claims to have received 
  information about Red-
  Edge’s true identity from 
  a mysterious contact 
  of his own. If the PCs 
  can be convinced this 
  information is worth 
  pursuing, what will they 
  do? The rewards oﬀered 
  for Red-Edge’s head are 
  considerable... but so is 
  the risk of hunting him.
  Bodies begin turning up 
  all over Aarn with Silver 
  Branch daggers sticking 
  in them. There seems 
  to be no connection 
  between them, but only 
  Red-Edge could pull oﬀ 
  so many assassinations 
  so quickly, cleanly, and 
  perfectly. The heroes are 
  asked to ﬁnd him and 
  stop him. If they do ﬁnd 
  him, what if he denies 
  any involvement and 
  claims he’s pursuing the 
  renegade Silver Branch 
  assassin responsible?
  
  152 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  The history of the feared 
  assassin known only as Red-Edge is as mysterious 
  as his appearance. Some say he’s the divine-blooded 
  son of a god, though the stories diﬀer as to whether 
  his parent is Ingrais, Elefthérion, S’taa’sha, or some 
  lesser deity. Others claim he is the entire Silver 
  Branch Guild — that it’s not really a guild at all, just 
  one man with a gift for disguise and death. Some 
  people believe he’s a demon who takes the form of 
  a man to kill people and harvest their souls. What-
  ever the truth may be, one thing is for certain:  in 
  the ranks of assassins, Red-Edge is at the top.
  Personality/Motivation:  Like most skilled assas-
  sins, Red-Edge has no regard for human life. He 
  thinks of people as targets or objects, not other 
  persons he can relate to, talk to, or care for. The 
  only thing he cares about are himself, his reputa-
  tion, and the money he earns. It’s this utter cold-
  bloodedness that has led to the stories claiming 
  he’s a demon or the like; no Man, the tellers say, 
  could be so unfeeling all the time.
  Quote:  None; he rarely talks
  Powers/Tactics:  Red-Edge is perhaps the deadli-
  est foe your PCs are likely to face aside from the 
  likes of Kal-Turak himself. Between his Martial 
  Arts, Deadly Blow, poisons, and high DEX and 
  SPD it’s possible he can kill two or three of them 
  before they even know what hit them. Thus, to use 
  him properly you need to make sure he’s eﬀective 
  enough to justify his reputation but attacks in a 
  situation where they can drive him oﬀ so the entire 
  party doesn’t die.
  In most situations Red-Edge ﬁghts with his 
  Sword Of Deep Wounds in his right hand and 
  Hatchet Of Remembrance in his left, sometimes 
  pausing to throw the Hatchet when necessary. If 
  he has the chance to attack from surprise, he usu-
  ally opens with a thrown Silver Branch dagger. 
  His weapons are almost always poisoned, though 
  whether with fast-acting or slow-acting poisons, or 
  deadly or knockout poisons, depends on the target 
  and the mission.
  Campaign Use:  Red-Edge represents one of the 
  ultimate threats in Ambrethel — the sort of person 
  who’s called in for a job when his employer abso-
  lutely, positively wants to ensure that someone dies. 
  That makes him a perfect “motivational factor” 
  when you need to convince the PCs of the seri-
  ousness of a situation or give them a major chal-
  lenge. If Red-Edge isn’t up to the task of taking on 
  the whole PC team by himself (at least for a few 
  Phases), upgrade him with more Combat Luck, 
  Extra DCs, Lightning Reﬂexes, or whatever else he 
  needs until he is. If he’s already too tough, get rid of 
  his Martial Arts and/or Deadly Blow Talents, and 
  perhaps reduce his SPD to 4.
  Red-Edge only Hunts people when paid to 
  do so... in which case the target had better put his 
  aﬀairs in order quickly.
  Appearance:  Few people, if any, know what Red-
  Edge truly looks like — to most the feared Silver 
  Branch assassin is nothing but a whispered rumor 
  or the subject of fearful stories. Those who claim to 
  have seen him in the ﬂesh say he’s of average height, 
  with dark hair and eyes. As a master of disguise he 
  could look like nearly anyone and wear almost any 
  clothing, but on most missions he favors tight-ﬁt-
  ting dark red clothing and black leather armor. He 
  carries several weapons, including a short sword, 
  a few ordinary daggers, an equal number of Silver 
  Branch throwing blades, and a hatchet.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min Notes
  Sword Of Deep Wounds 
  +2 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  10 
  AP, Penetrating x2
  Cimro 
  +0 
  — 
  3d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  4 
  See UMA 172, 177
  Silver Branch Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  8 
  Can Be Thrown, poisoned
  Hatchet Of Remembrance 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  4 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown, see text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Silver Branch Chainmail (DEF 4)
  Gear:  Various poisons (and often the ingredients for making more), ﬂint and steel
  RED-EDGE’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Sword Of Deep Wounds:  
  This mystically-
  sharpened sword can 
  pierce even the heavi-
  est armor to inflict 
  a wound... and since 
  it’s usually poisoned, 
  that spells the target’s 
  doom. (HKA 1d6+1, 
  Armor Piercing, Pen-
  etrating x2; OAF, STR 
  Min 10 plus +2 OCV)
  Hatchet Of Remem-
  brance:  This enchanted 
  axe is no diﬀerent than 
  a normal axe in most 
  respects, but always 
  returns to the hand 
  when thrown. (Make the 
  weapon an OIF instead 
  of OAF.)
  Mask Of Free Breathing:  
  This leather mask allows 
  the wearer to breathe in 
  any environment. (Life 
  Support:  Self-Con-
  tained Breathing; OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  153 
  R’TANTH THE RAT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   11 STR 
  1 
  11- 
  Lift 117 kg; 2d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  62
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Sharp Senses:  +1 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Preternatural Night Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  -2 
  An Old Leg Injury:  Running -1” (5” total)
  10 
  Roguish Luck:  Luck 2d6 
  0
   
  Perks
  20 
  Base:  The Rat’s Nest, a tavern in Aarn
  40 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 37 points’ 
  worth in Aarn
  23 
  Followers:  16 rats built on a total of 15 
  points each
   
  Talents
  7 
  Beast Speech; Rats And Mice Only (-1)
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  3 
  +1 with Bribery, Shadowing, and Streetwise
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  6 
  Animal Handler (Rats) 14-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  1 
  Contortionist 8-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Blades) 12-
  1 
  Forgery (Documents) 8-
  4 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 12-
  2 
  AK: Aarnese Sewers 11-
  5 
  CK: Aarn 14-
  2 
  KS: Aarnese Thieves’ Guilds 11-
  2 
  KS: The Aarnese Underworld 11-
  3 
  KS: The Thieves’ World 12-
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversa-
  tion; Aarnese is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  2 
  PS: Fence 11-
  2 
  PS: Tavernkeeper 11-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  5 
  Streetwise 13-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  199
  Total Cost:  261
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  City Guard 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching)
  10 
  Hunted:  Captain Velltar 8- (Mo Pow, Make 
  Life Diﬃcult)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Looks Out For 
  Himself (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys Showing 
  Oﬀ His Cleverness (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with Garton of the 
  Red Hand Tavern
  136 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  261
  Background/History:  Growing up an orphan on the 
  streets of Aarn meant R’tanth was almost certain 
  to become one of two things:  a thief, or dead. He 
  chose the former, and being nimble-ﬁngered, clever, 
  and daring he prospered at it. He had something 
  else working in his favor, too:  a strange ability to 
  get along with rats. He used to catch them and eat 
  them when he was living on the streets, but one day 
  a rat he was about to bash to death with a stick of 
  wood turned around and looked at him strangely. 
  They just stared at one another for a minute or 
  two, and ﬁnally the rat ran over to R’tanth, up his 
  leg, and onto his shoulder. From that day forward 
  he was never without a rat or two (and sometimes 
  a whole swarm) as companions, and they often 
  helped him with his thievery.
  R’tanth paid his dues as a workaday thief for 
  the guild known simply as “the Fist” and made 
  many friends there (most of whom called him “Rat” 
  because of his appearance and pets). But eventually 
  the appeal of working his way up the guild ladder 
  paled. He became an adventuring thief, working 
  with several adventuring groups over the course of 
  nearly a decade. He left each one under something 
  of a cloud as his greed inevitably got the better of 
  him and he tried to steal something belonging to a 
  R’TANTH THE RAT 
  PLOT SEEDS
  R’tanth asks the PCs 
  for help:  something is 
  killing all the rats! Not 
  just his rats, but a lot 
  of the rats in the city. 
  Most people would 
  think that’s a good 
  thing, but he believes 
  whatever it is poses a 
  danger to the City of 
  Storms. Will the PCs 
  help? If so, what sort 
  of thank-you will the 
  rats of Aarn arrange for 
  them when it’s all over?
  Someone attacks 
  and severely injures 
  R’tanth! Whether 
  due to his injuries or 
  some Sorcery, he can’t 
  remember anything 
  about the assault. The 
  thieves’ guilds in the 
  city want to avenge 
  their friend and arbi-
  trator, but they’re 
  locked in an under-
  world war right now 
  so they “ask” the PCs 
  to handle the matter 
  (though a reward will 
  be forthcoming despite 
  the nature of the 
  “request”).
  A bauble R’tanth ﬁlched 
  from one of his old 
  adventuring compan-
  ions turns out to be a 
  powerful Evil artifact. 
  It takes him over and 
  makes him commit hor-
  riﬁc deeds in the morn-
  ings after the tavern 
  closes. The heroes have 
  to investigate the string 
  of bizarre and bloody 
  crimes, track down 
  R’tanth, ﬁgure out what’s 
  causing his behavior, 
  and “cure” him. They 
  also need to ﬁnd out 
  why the item started to 
  do this now....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger Of Accuracy 
  +2 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  3 
  6 
  See text box
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  8 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Mallet 
  +0 
  — 
  2d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  5
  Armor
  Thieves’ Bracers (DEF 4)
  Gear:  Cleaning rag, whetstone
  
  154 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  comrade or the party; more than once he ﬂed for 
  his life from a group of former friends.
  He would have continued his adventuring 
  career but for a disastrous attempt by his then-
  current party, the Fiery Brethren, to ambush a 
  group of treasure-laden ogres in the Valician 
  Hills. It turned out they were the ones being 
  set up for an ambush as the ogres’ tribesmen 
  rushed from hiding to attack them after they 
  sprung their “trap.” The party won the battle, 
  but at a severe price:  the priest and mage were 
  dead, the warrior and ranger were badly injured, 
  and R’tanth himself had a badly-broken leg and 
  two broken ribs. All their healing potions were 
  smashed, so the three survivors fell back on field 
  medicine. R’tanth’s leg and ribs didn’t heal quite 
  right, leaving him with a slight limp and twinges 
  of pain when he breathes deeply.
  After that unpleasant incident, R’tanth 
  decided it was time to “retire.” He gave up the 
  adventuring life and returned to Aarn. Age and 
  injuries scared him off becoming a full-time 
  thief again, so he used his savings to buy an 
  old tavern in the Thieves’ District. Renaming 
  it the Rat’s Nest, he settled down to a life as a 
  tavernkeeper. He claims to be “done with thiev-
  ing forever,” but the Aarnese underworld knows 
  better (and the City Guard suspects as much). He 
  doesn’t pull many jobs himself anymore, but he 
  works as a fence, a clearinghouse for talent (he 
  matches jobs he hears about 
  with thieves suitable for 
  them), and an underworld 
  arbitrator. He’s on good (or 
  at least neutral) terms with 
  all the thieves’ guilds in the 
  city despite the ongoing 
  thieves’ war.
  Personality/Motivation:  
  R’tanth’s motto is “I look 
  out for me because no one 
  else will.” If an opportunity 
  for profit or advancement 
  comes along, he’ll take it 
  even if it means causing 
  problems for someone else 
  (provided that “someone 
  else” is weaker than he). If 
  he can gain by stealing from, 
  tricking, or hurting someone 
  else, he almost certainly will. 
  He’s got one of the most 
  finely-honed senses of self-
  interest and self-preserva-
  tion in a business known for 
  wary people.
  R’tanth thinks of him-
  self as an exceedingly clever 
  fellow, and he wants other 
  people to agree with him. He 
  takes every opportunity to 
  show off his cleverness and 
  wit with a steady stream of 
  quips, jibes, mildly sarcas-
  tic comments, and barbed 
  observations.
  Quote:  “Welcome to the Rat’s Nest! Copper a 
  beer and you clean up your own blood.”
  Powers/Tactics:  R’tanth may not be as fast or 
  tough as he once was, but he’s still got more than 
  enough skill to protect himself in rough situa-
  tions and keep barfights at the Rat’s Nest (which 
  are an almost nightly occurrence) from becom-
  ing too rowdy. (He usually stands back and 
  watches, weapons at the ready in case he needs 
  to stop someone from getting too violent; he’s 
  rarely had to do more than put a dagger in some 
  tough’s arm to maintain control.) He favors the 
  R’TANTH THE RAT’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Daggers Of Accuracy:  R’tanth carries three of these 
  daggers, and hopes to have more made soon. They’re 
  more or less the same as ordinary blades except 
  for the fact that they’re signiﬁcantly more accurate 
  either in HTH Combat or when thrown. (HKA 1d6; 
  OAF, STR Min 6 plus +2 OCV)
  Thieves’ Bracers:  These seemingly ordinary leather 
  bracers actually hold a powerful enchantment that 
  protects the wearer as if he were wearing brigandine 
  (Armor (4 PD/4 ED); IIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  155 
  dagger, keeping nearly a dozen (three of them 
  enchanted) on his person at most times (though 
  only one or two can normally be seen). He’s also 
  got a wooden mallet he uses for chores around 
  the bar and can rap unruly patrons on the head 
  with it a time or two to quiet them down.
  The Rat’s Nest is a more or less ordinary 
  tavern for the Thieves’ District, where the drinks 
  and women are cheap, dark deals are struck at 
  the tables in the guttering candlelight, and fights 
  with fists or knives break out frequently. How-
  ever, it’s got a few more concealed passages, com-
  partments, and entrances to the sewers and other 
  escape routes than most such places, some of 
  which R’tanth even tells trusted customers about. 
  It’s no messier or cleaner than other taverns, but 
  it seems to have more than its fair share of rats. 
  Oddly they don’t seem to cause much trouble 
  (other than frightening patrons occasionally), 
  and R’tanth usually has one riding on his shoul-
  der. Sometimes he sends a few of them scam-
  pering over to the Red Hand Tavern to cause 
  problems for his main competitor, the irrascible 
  tavernkeeper Garton.
  Campaign Use:  R’tanth can be many things to 
  your PCs:  a Contact or friend; an arbitrator of 
  disputes with a thieves’ guild; or even an enemy 
  if they get on his bad side, try to steal from him, 
  or maliciously hurt his rats. (He understands 
  that many people don’t like rats and may kill one 
  out of disgust sometimes, but he won’t tolerate 
  people deliberately hunting his “friends” down 
  for sport.)
  To make R’tanth tougher, eliminate his 
  limp (i.e., restore him to Running 6”), increase 
  his DEX to 20, and give him more rat Follow-
  ers. To weaken him, play up the effects of his 
  injuries, reducing his physical Characteristics 
  and capabilities still further so he needs a 
  sturdy bouncer to keep things at the Rat’s Nest 
  from getting out of hand on Try Your Neigh-
  bor’s Beer Night.
  R’tanth only Hunts people if he feels they’ve 
  done him wrong, and then only within the con-
  fines of Aarn (Limited Geographical Area). His 
  response depends on the severity of the offense, 
  ranging from humiliating them in public to 
  trying to kill them.
  Appearance:  R’tanth is a short, slender man (5’3” 
  tall) with a dark complexion, black hair, and dark 
  eyes; some say his face has a rat-like appear-
  ance. He favors dark grey clothing, including a 
  beret-like hat and a cloak when necessary. He 
  usually has at least one rat riding on his shoulder 
  — whether a pet, companion, or familiar no one 
  can say for sure — and others nearby. He carries 
  numerous daggers, a few obvious but many more 
  hidden on his person.
  
  156 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SA’AKIV — THE RED NECROMANCER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   25 PRE 
  20 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  102
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Necromancy
  8 
  Create Ghost (Many More version) (FHG 140)
  6 
  Create Mummy (Many More version) 
  (FHG 141)
  4 
  Create Skeleton (Many More version) 
  (FHG 141)
  13 
  Create Specter (FHG 142)
  5 
  Create Vampire (FHG 143)
  5 
  Create Wight (More version) (FHG 144)
  9 
  Create Wraith (More version) (FHG 144)
  4 
  Create Zombie (Many More version)  
  (FHG 145)
  25 
  Death Touch (Strong version) (FHG 145)
  2 
  Detect Life (FHG 162)
  5 
  Druathek’s Necromantic Fetters (Strong) 
  (FHG 146)
  11 
  Druathek’s Osseous Malady (Strong version) 
  (FHG 147)
  8 
  Druathek’s Vampiric Touch (FHG 153)
  7 
  Fekura’s Spell Of The Undead Form (FHG 156)
  27 
  The Greater Name Of Death (FHG 146)
  2 
  Hargenzarian’s Spell Of Life-Shielding 
  (FHG 157)
  1 
  Opening The Grey Portal (FHG 161)
  7 
  Osseous Armor (Strong version) (FHG 159)
  1 
  Perfect Embalming (FHG 163)
  10 
  Sa’akiv’s History Of Blood (FHG 147-48
  8 
  Sa’akiv’s Premonition Of The Grave (Strong 
  version) (FHG 148)
  9 
  Sa’akiv’s Soulripping (Strong version) 
  (FHG 149)
  7 
  Sorellin’s Spell Of Greater Mummy Creation 
  (FHG 141)
  10 
  Sa’akiv’s Spell Of Undead Summoning 
  (FHG 151)
  1 
  Sorellin’s Slumber Of The Tomb (FHG 159)
  5 
  Soul Feeding (Strong version) (FHG 165)
  4 
  The Spell Of Necromantic Healing (FHG 166)
  2 
  The Spell Of True Necromancy (Strong ver-
  sion) (FHG 162)
  7 
  Tharagoth’s Spell Of Skeletal Recruitment 
  (FHG 142)
  7 
  Tharagoth’s Spell Of The Unliving Brigades 
  (FHG 145)
  5 
  Thronek’s Aura Of Necromantic Power 
  (Strong version) (FHG 151)
  21 
  Thronek’s Spell Of Withering (Strong  
  version) (FHG 152)
  8 
  Ulgar’s Hammer Of The Undead (Strong  
  version) (FHG 152)
  8 
  Vampiric Touch (Strong version) (FHG 153)
  8 
  Veltharex’s Spell Of Torment (Strong  
  version) (FHG 153)
  3 
  Wall Of Bones (FHG 160)
  3 
  Wraithform (FHG 160)
  4 
  Wraithtouch (Strong version) (FHG 154)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  22 
  The Spell Of Locking And Opening  
  (FHG 243)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
   
  Powers
  60 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (300 END, 30 REC) 
  0
  16 
  Death’s Eye:  Detect Person’s History  
  With Death 16- (Sight Group), Discrimina-
  tory, Analyze 
  0
  2 
  Necromancer’s Longevity:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  age at one-fourth normal rate) 0
   
  Perks
  200 
  Base:  the Tower Of Bone and the  
  Whispering Waste
  110 
  Followers:  up to 250 undead (mostly skel-
  etons, zombies, and mummies) built on up to 
  350 Character Points plus Disadvantages
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  10 
  Divine Favor (Vabanak; see text)
  17 
  Magesight
  20 
  Spell Of Comprehension:   Universal  
  Translator 13-
   
  Skills
  18 
  +6 with Spells
  2 
  Cryptography 13-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Forensic Medicine (Embalming) 13-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  3 
  KS: Famous Necromancers And Necroman-
  tic Items 13-
  2 
  KS: History 11-
  3 
  KS: Legends And Lore 13-
  8 
  KS: Necromancy 18-
  2 
  KS: Wizardry 11-
  47 
  Power:  Necromancy 35-
  17 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  2 
  WF: Blades, Staﬀs
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  882
  Total Cost:  984
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  157 
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Kal-Turak the Ravager 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  5 
  Hunted:  by many of the powerful of 
  Ambrethel 8- (As Pow, NCI, Watching)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Scorn For The 
  Living; Fascination With The Undead And 
  Necromancy (Common, Total)
  15  
  Reputation:  deadly necromancer, 11- 
  (Extreme)
  859 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  984
  Background/History:  One of the mightiest and most 
  feared spellcasters in Ambrethel, Sa’akiv is a nec-
  romancer of great lore, wisdom, and power. While 
  whispers and hints of his existence — ripples in 
  the undercurrent of the Mystic World, if you will 
  — existed prior to his ﬁrst recorded appearance, he 
  only made himself formally known to the world in 
  4833 SE. Without prior announcement or warning 
  he entered the Whispering Waste, used powerful 
  spells to raise the Tower of Bone — a citadel made 
  entirely from the woven bones of the dead — and 
  claim it and the entire Waste as his domain.
  In the early years following Sa’akiv’s appear-
  ance, several people — other necromancers, a few 
  adventurers, a group of Drakine soldiers from 
  Vendrigal — challenged his claim. Most were never 
  heard from again, though what might have been 
  the bloody remains of some were soon hung from 
  the series of columns lining the steps leading to the 
  Tower. At times the lesson was an even starker one. 
  Several weeks after the Drakine entered the Waste, 
  a group of men clad head to toe in all-concealing 
  scarlet robes entered Yvaria pulling a wagon cov-
  ered by a large piece of canvas. When they reached 
  the steps of the palace, followed closely by a crowd 
  that wanted see what was going on, they stopped 
  and pulled away the canvas. In the wagon were 
  the heads of every single Drakine soldier, each 
  one bearing an expression of horror so great that 
  anyone who saw them had nightmares for weeks 
  after. With one swift move the “men” threw back 
  the hoods of their robes to reveal naught but grin-
  ning skulls — they were skeletons! Drawing scimi-
  tars they attacked the ﬂeeing crowd, slaughtering 
  dozens before the city guard and a few nearby 
  adventurers destroyed them. Never again did any 
  ruler send a force of men-at-arms against the Red 
  Necromancer.
  In the nearly 200 years since, Sa’akiv has 
  mostly kept to himself, despite persistent fears that 
  he’s planning to conquer the Westerlands with 
  armies of undead or that he’s Kal-Turak’s chief 
  lieutenant. Those who intrude upon his privacy do 
  so at their peril, since he tends to regard them as 
  fodder for experiments rather than beings of any 
  signiﬁcance to him. Those who enter the Whisper-
  ing Waste and live do so only at his suﬀerance, for 
  its wraiths and apparitions are his to command.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, Sa’akiv 
  find the living to be a nuisance — beings not 
  worth considering except as sources of spell sup-
  plies and as future zombies and skeletons. (In 
  fact, he often refers to them simply as “the mate-
  rial components.”) Given this attitude, it means 
  little or nothing to him to kill someone; he 
  simply doesn’t care. He won’t go out of his way to 
  be cruel or murderous (he’s neither, despite his 
  reputation), but few among the living appeal to 
  him enough to not dispatch them if he has any 
  reason to.
  The undead, on the other hand, utterly fas-
  cinate him. While he won’t give a living person 
  with “important” news any attention at all most 
  of the time, he can spend hours conversing with 
  skeletons, ghouls, liches, spectres, vampires, and 
  their ilk. Most intelligent undead treat him as 
  warily as the living do, but they at least know if 
  they treat him courteously he’ll return the favor.
  Quote:  “Do you think you know death, you who 
  have dealt so much of it? You know nothing. 
  I understand it far better than you, and if you 
  trouble me further I will share that understand-
  ing with you.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Except perhaps for Kal-Turak, 
  Sa’akiv is probably the most powerful living necro-
  mancer in Ambrethel; his power exceeds even that 
  of most liches and other undead necromancers. 
  Many of the spells in the common grimoire of 
  Necromancy bear his name, or improved versions 
  of them do. (Sometimes, for no explicable reason, 
  he shares some of his lore with visitors who brave 
  his Tower, thus spreading knowledge of his accom-
  plishments.) He rarely has to ﬁght, since he has 
  literally hundreds of undead servitors surrounding 
  him at any time to do his bidding and can easily 
  create or summon more. But if forced into battle 
  he casts Osseous Armor on himself and then uses 
  Sa’akiv’s Soulripping and other powerful spells to 
  kill his opponents as quickly as possible, strength-
  ening himself from their deaths with Soul Feeding.
  The Red Necromancer possesses the unusual 
  power to know a person’s “history with death” at 
  a glance. Just from looking at a person he can tell 
  how many people that person has killed (and, 
  roughly speaking, how), how many times he’s 
  nearly died, how many loved ones he’s lost, and 
  so forth. He often uses this knowledge to upset or 
  unbalance people who bother him in the hopes of 
  driving them away without having to escalate to 
  actual force.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Tomblord’s Robes (DEF 6)
  Gear:  Whatever he needs (within reason), usually carried for him by a skeleton or zombie servant
  SA’AKIV  
  PLOT SEEDS
  For many years Sa’akiv 
  has sought the fabled 
  Bloodstained Scrolls 
  of Thronek... and now 
  one of his familiars has 
  brought him an impor-
  tant clue as to their 
  possible whereabouts! 
  Unfortunately he’s in the 
  middle of some experi-
  ments he cannot aban-
  don. So he “requests” 
  that the PCs obtain the 
  Scrolls for him, promis-
  ing to reward them well 
  for their service.
  A Drakine noble wants 
  to mount a military 
  expedition against the 
  Tower Of Bone, but 
  he’s mindful of what 
  happened the last time 
  someone tried that. He 
  asks the PCs, and any 
  friends they want to 
  bring along, to accom-
  pany his army, ﬁght the 
  Red Necromancer, and 
  partake of a share of the 
  undoubtedly consider-
  able booty.
  A gigantic undead 
  colossus has been seen 
  striding slowly toward 
  Aarn! It’s so big an 
  entire army wouldn’t 
  be enough to stop it. 
  Surely Sa’akiv must 
  be involved, so King 
  Angandirron requests 
  that the PCs visit him 
  as soon as possible 
  to find out what he’s 
  doing and beg him to 
  stop the attack.
  
  158 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Sa’akiv enjoys the divine favor of Vabanak, 
  the god of necromancy, but it’s a fitful relation-
  ship at best. He seems to have little more concern 
  for the Corpse-Lord than for the living, tolerat-
  ing his requests, demands, and suggestions with 
  an indifferent shrug; sometimes he does what 
  the god orders, sometimes not. For his part 
  Vabanak seems to regard Sa’akiv as a petulant 
  but loved child to be alternately helped, ignored, 
  and cursed. But he’s never deprived Sa’akiv of 
  his powers or spells even when he’s gotten angry 
  enough to deny him the benefits of the Divine 
  Favor Talent; that would be a waste of rare talent.
  Sa’akiv owns the Tower Of Bone and the 
  Whispering Waste, which he’s bought as a Base. 
  He can sense when people enter the Waste, and 
  to a limited extent he controls the Whispering 
  Waste and can summon its shades and denizens 
  to hinder anyone moving through the area or 
  causing him trouble. He does this mostly in the 
  hope of scaring off potential visitors. People who 
  ignore his warnings often get killed by a well-
  cast spell the second they enter his Tower; he has 
  no patience for fools.
  Campaign Use:  Sa’akiv can serve many roles 
  in your campaign. The PCs might see him as 
  a present or future enemy, but to view him in 
  such simple terms is a mistake. While he has 
  killed many people, for the most part he leaves 
  the world alone if left alone. At times he even 
  helps people, such as by teaching them spells or 
  providing useful bits of lore from his vast library. 
  Some people think that he might even be per-
  suaded to take up the cause against Kal-Turak if 
  the Ravager becomes too great a threat; Sa’akiv 
  has no more desire to serve another than most 
  men of power do.
  Sa’akiv should be powerful enough, in 
  terms of resources and magic, to give your 
  heroes pause. If he’s not, improve him until he 
  is — for example, give him more Combat Skill 
  Levels with his spells, reduce the Casting Time 
  on many of his spells so he can more easily use 
  them in combat, and/or increase his SPD. If he’s 
  too powerful already the easiest way to deal 
  with the situation is not to put him and the PCs 
  into a position of direct confrontation; use him 
  as a colorful NPC, sometimes patron, or indi-
  rect adversary.
  Sa’akiv does not Hunt the living; he couldn’t 
  begin to raise that much interest in them.
  Appearance:  Sa’akiv is 6’0” tall, weighs 160 
  pounds, is cleanshaven, and has short brown 
  hair. He usually wears enchanted robes of a dull 
  yellow color tied with a blood-red cord, black 
  boots, and blood-red bracers around his wrists. 
  He carries a High Necromancer’s Staff, a straight 
  shaft of black wood shod in silver and capped 
  with a copper skull. Hanging from the top of the 
  staff by a short iron chain is a four-sided lantern 
  that glows with a ghostly light.
  SA’AKIV’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  High Necromancer’s Staff:  One of the most potent 
  items known to Necromancy, this staﬀ augments 
  a necromancer’s power in many ways. (Aid Nec-
  romancy 8d6, any one Necromancy spell at a time, 
  Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 
  per Minute) plus +3 with Necromancy rolls plus +2 
  with Necromancy spells)
  Ghost Lantern:  This ghostly-glowing lamp can con-
  jure any one non-corporeal undead per day to faith-
  fully serve the owner. (Summon one non-corporeal 
  undead built on up to 900 points, any Noncorporeal 
  Undead, Devoted; OAF, 1 Charge)
  Horn Of The Damned:  When someone blows this 
  horn, made from the metal of swordblades that have 
  slain at least one person and etched with scenes of 
  Death’s Legions at full gallop, it reduces all those 
  who hear it to a state of gibbering madness and 
  fear. (Drain EGO and PRE 6d6, two Characteristics 
  simultaneously, Delayed Return Rate (points return 
  at the rate of 5 per Hour), Area Of Eﬀect (voice 
  range; +1), Personal Immunity; OAF, Extra Time 
  (Full Phase), Incantations (must blow horn))
  Poltergeist Amulet:  This amulet grants the wearer 
  some of the powers of a poltergeist. (Multipower 
  with Clairsentience (Sight Group) as one slot and 
  Telekinesis (10 STR) as the other)
  Tomblord’s Robes:  Woven from the burial shrouds of 
  ﬁve kings, these dull yellow robes protect the wearer 
  from many types of attacks. (Armor (6 PD/6 ED) 
  plus Power Defense (10 points); all OIF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  159 
  SATEEN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  74
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  6 
  Cat’s Swiftness:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  2 
  Cat’s Pounce:  Leaping +2” (5” forward,  
  3” upward) 
  1
  5 
  Cat’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  2 
  Cat’s Nose:  +1 to Smell/Taste PER Rolls 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb (1), Inherent (+¼);  
  Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  15 
  Roguish Luck:  Luck 3d6 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship (leader of a large 
  gang of righteous bandits)
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  4 
  Mounted Warrior (Ranged)
  4 
  Rapid Archery
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  12 
  +4 with Bows
  8 
  +4 versus Hit Location penalties with Bows
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  2 
  AK: Aramuni Jungle 11-
  2 
  AK: Orumbar 11-
  2 
  Language:  Orumbaran (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Rarshas is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Pharonian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Velorian (basic conversation)
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  4 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical, Tropical) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  135
  Total Cost:  209
  75+ Disadvantages
  25 
  Hunted:  Orumbar 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, Cap-
  ture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Wants Freedom And 
  Equality For All Orumbrans (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Drakine 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  bandit and thief, 11- (Extreme)
  59 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  209
  Background/History:  Anyone who knew Sateen as 
  a young woman never would have imagined she’d 
  grow up to become the most feared and hated 
  bandit in the Orumbaran Empire. For Pakasa her 
  family lived a comfortable life — her father had a 
  job as a tax collector, and while that didn’t exactly 
  make him popular it guaranteed his family had 
  more than enough to live on.
  That is, it did until he became so upset at 
  having to take money from poor Pakasa that he 
  spoke out against the government. Orumbaran oﬃ-
  cials decided to make an example of him and sent 
  a squad of soldiers to bring him and his family in 
  for execution. Her father drew a dagger and tried to 
  hold them oﬀ, screaming at his wife and children to 
  run. The others were paralyzed with fear, but Sateen 
  shook oﬀ her fright and escaped into the nearby 
  wilderness.Despite an extensive manhunt and her 
  lack of woodcraft, she somehow remained free and 
  alive.
  That wouldn’t have lasted long, but she had the 
  good fortune to stumble across a gang of bandits. 
  At ﬁrst they looked at her as a tasty victim, but after 
  she disembowelled one with her claws they gave 
  her more respect. Soon she was a part of the band; 
  not long after that she was one of its leaders thanks 
  to her cleverness and luck.
  The bandit’s life left her dissatisfied. She 
  didn’t want to spend the rest of her life robbing 
  people; she wanted to strike back against the 
  Drakine who’d slaughtered her family. But the 
  outlaw’s existence was exciting and fun. One day 
  she realized she could have both — she just had 
   SATEEN  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Sateen learns that her 
  entire family was not 
  killed by the Drakine 
  — one of her sisters 
  lived! Unfortunately 
  she’s a slave in the 
  well-guarded home of 
  a Drakine nobleman. 
  Not wanting to risk her 
  entire band of outlaws 
  on a personal mission, 
  she asks her friends the 
  PCs to help her.
  A Drakine patrol gets 
  lucky, comes upon 
  Sateen and some of her 
  men after they’ve been 
  hurt in an ambush, and 
  catches them! She’s sure 
  to be tortured to death 
  soon unless the rest of 
  her bandits can mount a 
  successful rescue opera-
  tion. Since they don’t 
  really have the power 
  or smarts for that, they 
  get in touch with her 
  friends, the PCs.
  Sateen decides to appeal 
  for help from other 
  nations and asks the PCs 
  to escort her to Arduna. 
  Naturally the Drakine 
  want to stop this “diplo-
  matic” mission....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Short Sword 
  +0 
  — 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  10
  Bow of Swift Shooting 
  +0 
  +2 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  20 
  10 
  No Concentration
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Soft Leather (DEF 1)
  Gear:  Flint and steel, tent and bedroll, maps of various parts of Orumbar, horse
  
  160 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  to rob only from Drakine. She didn’t even have to 
  keep all the money, she could give some of it to 
  needy Pakasa and Men.
  Not all the other bandits particularly liked 
  this idea. Over a couple of months she had to 
  eliminate several rivals who weren’t willing to go 
  along with her plan. But what she lost in them 
  she quickly made up as word of her deeds spread. 
  Other disaffected Orumbarans abandoned their 
  oppressed lives to join her, swelling the size 
  of her outlaw band and making her the most 
  wanted person in the entire Empire. The Drakine 
  would dearly love to get their hands on her, but 
  thanks to her skills and the support she enjoys 
  among the people they haven’t caught her yet.
  Personality/Motivation:  Two things motivate 
  Sateen. The first is a desire for justice and free-
  dom for all Orumbarans. A society where one 
  race — the Drakine — oppresses and rules the 
  others (Men and Pakasa) is unfair and unjust, 
  and she wants to bring it down. Right now the 
  only way she can do that is to steal from and 
  harass the Drakine and give the money to Men 
  and Pakasa who need it (after covering her own 
  expenses, of course...). But she hopes in time to 
  turn her large group of bandits into a rebel army.
  Second, she bitterly hates the Drakine for what 
  they’ve done to her family and people. Sometimes 
  it’s hard for her to resist giving in to her hatred and 
  killing her robbery victims, but she tries not to do 
  that because she knows a reputation for murder-
  ousness will only make her job more diﬃcult. If 
  she ever achieved a position of power she might 
  become as much an oppressor of Drakine as the 
  Drakine have been of other races.
  Quote:  “Drop your coinpurses, dragonspawn, or 
  my men and I will put arrows right through your 
  filthy hearts.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Sateen is a bandit and fights 
  like a bandit, using ambush and raiding tactics 
  rather than fighting pitched battles. She’s a highly 
  skilled archer, able to fire accurately even from 
  horseback, so she tries to keep her distance from 
  the foe and pepper him with clothyard shafts. If 
  forced into melee she usually fights defensively, 
  trying to hold off her foe until one of her bigger, 
  stronger followers can help her.
  Sateen and her bandits roam all over Orumbar, 
  but prefer the southern parts, where there are more 
  communities of Pakasa and Men they can hide 
  among if necessary. When hardest pressed they 
  retreat to the Aramuni Jungle, where they know the 
  terrain so much better than the Drakine that they 
  can hold oﬀ just about any force.
  Campaign Use:  Sateen could be the focus of an 
  entire story arc in your campaign as the heroes 
  team up with her to help her win the freedom of 
  the Men and Pakasa in Orumbar... or, if they’re of 
  more mercenary bent, ﬁght against her while in the 
  pay of the Empire. One way or another it should 
  make for an impressive climactic battle scene!
  To make Sateen tougher, give her Martial Arts 
  (Swordﬁghting for HTH Combat, and perhaps 
  an archery art for Ranged). You could also add 
  Combat Skill Levels, expand her Targeting Skill 
  Levels to cover All Attacks, or increase her SPD to 
  5. To make her weaker, reduce her SPD to 3 and 
  halve her number of CSLs.
  Sateen doesn’t Hunt heroes. She’s already got 
  enough “Hunting” to do ﬁghting the Orumbarans.
  Appearance:  Satteen is an attractive female Pakasa 
  of average height and weight for her race. She 
  usually wears simple clothing, favoring greens 
  and earthtones, and carries a shortsword and an 
  enchanted bow.
  SATEEN’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Bow Of Swift Shooting:  This bow can be drawn and 
  ﬁred more quickly than an ordinary bow, giving 
  the shooter much more freedom of movement and 
  ability to dodge counterattacks. (RKA 1½d6 like a 
  standard Heavy Bow, but without the Concentration 
  Limitation plus +2 versus Range)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  161 
  COUNT ATROSE SIGLOF
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   14 STR 
  4 
  12- 
  Lift 175 kg; 2½d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   11 COM 
  1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0 
   28 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  59
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Attack 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
   
  Perks
  35 
  Contacts:  Well-Connected and 32 points’ 
  worth of Contacts throughout Vestria
  6 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship:  Count of Vestria
  8 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  4 
  Mounted Warrior (HTH)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Cryptography 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  2 
  Gambling (Sports Betting) 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  5 
  AK: Malavern 14-
  2 
  AK: Vestria 11-
  2 
  KS: Vestrian Nobility 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Oratory 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  5 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  1 
  Tracking 8-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lance
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  135
  Total Cost:  194
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Vestria 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Traitorous; 
  Schemes To Increase His Own Power At The 
  Expense Of Vestria (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Proud, Arro-
  gant, And Touchy About His Perquisites 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other nobles for 
  various favors and privileges
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (schemes 
  to increase his own power; see text) (Occa-
  sionally, Severe)
  64 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  194
  Background/History:  The County of Malavern is 
  a demesne in central Vestria located between the 
  Silverrock River and the forest. Large and usually 
  wealthy, historically it’s been as much associated 
  with Colgrave as with Vestria proper. Since the 
  conquest of Colgrave by Vestria centuries ago, 
  the counts of House Siglof have been thoroughly 
  loyal to the Vestrian throne... or so they would 
  have you believe.
  In truth several of the Siglof counts have 
  schemed to try to increase their own wealth and 
  power, none moreso than the current one, Count 
  Atrose Siglof. A farsighted man, Atrose sees ten-
  sions rising in the world. He knows that aﬀects Ves-
  tria, and he wonders how he can best turn the situ-
  ation to his own advantage. He yearns to increase 
  his own holdings and power and thinks the best 
  way to do that is (a) weaken his neighbors by cast-
  ing them into disfavor with the crown, and (b) 
  fomenting unrest between Colgrave and Vestria. If 
  he can spark a Colgravian rebellion, he can choose 
  sides based on his ability to manipulate people and 
  events and come out of the situation with more 
  lands and prestige than ever before.
  Personality/Motivation:  Atrose Siglof is a man con-
  sumed by his desire for wealth and power. Ideally 
  he’d like to see himself as king of a new kingdom 
  comprised of the lands north of the Silverrock, but 
  he knows that will take years of careful work and 
  not a little bit of luck. (He may have to settle for 
  laying the groundwork for his eldest son, or one of 
  his other sons, to see his plans through to comple-
  tion.) For now he keeps his ear to the ground and 
  tries to control events to increase tensions between 
  Vestria and Colgrave. He has his loyal men waylay 
  oﬃcial messengers, attack a village in one area 
  while dressed like soldiers or bandits from the 
  other, and so on. He plans carefully to make sure 
  that his involvement remains strictly secret. King 
  Almund suspects that he’s up to no good, and so do 
  several neighboring nobles, but as yet they have no 
  proof of any traitorous dealings.
  Quote:  “Strike swiftly and hard, being sure to hack 
  down the Vestrian ﬂag during the attack. That 
  should convince the dogs in Odellia that the Col-
  gravians are behind this.”
  COUNT ATROSE 
  SIGLOF PLOT SEEDS
  When Count Siglof 
  hears that the PCs 
  are passing through 
  the area he decides to 
  take advantage of the 
  opportunity to cause a 
  little mayhem. Crudely 
  disguised as the 
  heroes, he and his men 
  (including his “court” 
  wizard) attack, sack, 
  and loot a small Ves-
  trian garrison on the 
  river that’s been keep-
  ing too close an eye on 
  him for his comfort. 
  Now the heroes find 
  themselves pursued by 
  all of Vestria and have 
  to find a way to clear 
  their names.
  One of Count Siglof’s 
  younger sons, Rengald, 
  becomes romantically 
  involved with a female 
  PC. (If you have no 
  female PCs, substitute 
  his tomboyish daughter 
  Arginia instead.) At 
  about the same time he 
  decides he’s had enough 
  of his father’s schemes 
  and prefers to remain 
  loyal to the Vestrian 
  crown. He asks the 
  PCs to help him stop 
  his father and keep the 
  realm whole.
  Count Siglof drums 
  up a legal dispute with 
  his neighbor Viscount 
  Turling in an eﬀort to 
  obtain some of Turling’s 
  most valuable lands. 
  King Almund asks the 
  PCs to investigate the 
  claims and report back 
  regarding the matter. 
  Of course, Siglof will 
  attempt to inﬂuence 
  them however he can....
  
  162 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Powers/Tactics:  Count Siglof trained as a 
  knight in his youth, and while he’s no longer 
  as strong or tough as he was at his peak, he’s 
  still a skilled, seasoned warrior. He prefers to 
  ﬁght from horseback to take advantage of the 
  height and maneuverability that aﬀords. He 
  usually has at least four Siglof men-at-arms 
  with him at any time, and more if he expects 
  (or plans to cause) trouble.
  Campaign Use:  You can use Count Siglof as 
  a template for that classic Fantasy villain, the 
  Scheming Nobleman. By changing his name 
  and location you can work him into all sorts 
  of scenarios. He may even help the PCs or act 
  as their patron if he thinks doing so will ulti-
  mately help him achieve his goals.
  To make Siglof a tougher foe, transform 
  him into a younger, stronger ﬁghter. Increase 
  his physical Primary Characteristics by a few 
  points, add some Extra DCs to his Martial 
  Arts, and/or give him more Combat Skill 
  Levels. To weaken him, assume he’s older and 
  his plans are designed to help his sons rather 
  than himself; reduce his physical Primary 
  Characteristics to closer to 10s and remove 
  his Combat Skill Levels.
  Count Siglof is unlikely to Hunt the 
  heroes unless doing so somehow factors into 
  his plans. However, he might try to use them 
  as catspaws in one of his conspiracies if he 
  needs a patsy.
  Appearance:  Count Siglof is a Vestrian noble-
  man in his late 40s. Although his once-mus-
  cular body has gone a little soft from easy 
  living, he still knows how to wield a sword with 
  deadly eﬃciency. His black hair, beard, and mous-
  tache are beginning to show faint streaks of grey. 
  He usually wears expensive knee-length tunics, 
  pants, and leather boots, adding a cloak in cold or 
  inclement weather. He usually wears a dagger but 
  carries no other weapons on a daily basis.
  COUNT ATROSE SIGLOF’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Ring Of Invisibility:  See FH 283. No one knows Siglof 
  has this ring; he keeps it secret, only using it when 
  absolutely necessary.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Battleaxe 
  +0 
  +0 
  2d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13
  Lance 
  +0 
  +0 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  13 
  2” reach
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Plate and chain (DEF 7)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Whatever he needs, within reason
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  163 
  SILVERTINE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 0 kg; 0d6 HTH 
   0 DEX 
  -30 
  9- 
  OCV:  0/DCV:  0
   30 CON 
  60 
  15-
   30 BODY 60 
  15-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 1x-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  30 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11- 
  See text
   10 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  10 PD (10 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (10 rED)
   0 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases:  None
   0 REC 
  0
   0 END 
  -30
   50 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  132
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  180 
  Mystically Sharp Blade:  RKA 3d6,  
  Armor Piercing (+½), +2 Increased  
  STUN Multiplier (+½), Continuous  
  (+1), Damage Shield (can damage  
  persons struck in HTH combat; +¾), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼); Limited  
  Use (may not aﬀect all persons who  
  touch/Grab Silvertine, depending on  
  where and how they grab it; -¼) 
  0
  12 
  Feeding Oﬀ The Wielder:  Drain BODY  
  1d6 (standard eﬀect: 1 BODY), Delayed 
  Return Rate (BODY lost heals back  
  normally; +2), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Can Only Aﬀect Person  
  Who Suﬀers Other BODY Damage  
  While Wielding Blade (-2) 
  0
  37 
  The Look Of Virtue:  Images to Sight Group  
  and Detect Evil, -8 to PER Rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½);  
  Set Eﬀect (covers self only to make self look 
  like a “Good” sword; -1) 
  0
  49 
  When All Else Fails...:  Mind Control  
  14d6, Telepathic (+¼), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range  
  (-½), Can Only Aﬀect Person Wearing/
  Wielding/Holding It (-1) 
  0
  5 
  Hardened Blade:  Hardened (+¼) for  
  10 PD/10 ED 
  0
  12 
  Hardened Blade:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED),  Hardened (+¼) 
  0
  16 
  Hardened Blade:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  15 
  Hardened Blade:  Power Defense (15 points) 0
  10 
  Mindspeech:  Mind Link with wielder 
  0
  -12 
  Can’t Move:  Running -6” (0” total)
  -2 
  Can’t Move:  Swimming -2” (0” total)
   
  Skills
  25 
  Improves Wielder’s Accuracy:  +4 OCV with 
  Silvertine, Usable By Other (+¼); Usable 
  Only By Other, Not By Silvertine Itself (-0)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  347
  Total Cost:  479
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Favored Of Kilbern 14- (Mo Pow, 
  Destroy)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  No Manipulatory Limbs 
  (All The Time, Greatly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Evil (Very 
  Common, Total)
  344 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  479
  Background/History:  No one knows where the sen-
  tient, Evil enchanted blade Silvertine comes from. 
  Some say it was forged by a demon, perhaps Krim 
  himself, as a plaything to unleash on the mortal 
  world. Others credit it to Mordak or Vabanak, or 
  even to Ziandwyrth in one of his cosmic practi-
  cal jokes. A few rumors claim it was crafted by a 
  Dwarven wizard-smith who intended it for a pala-
  din but who transformed it into an Evil weapon 
  when he used it to murder his wife in a ﬁt of jeal-
  ous rage. Only Silvertine knows the truth, and it 
  refuses to say anything.
  Personality/Motivation:  Silvertine is utterly Evil. It 
  exists to cause misery, havoc, and despair. It par-
  ticularly enjoys luring a wielder in with promises 
  of power, then taking him over and making him 
  do horrible deeds before finally forcing him to 
  “commit suicide.” Sometimes it nurses a promis-
  ing victim along literally for years, slowly cor-
  rupting him so that he willingly goes along with 
  the sword’s plans.
  Quote:  “Greetings, bold warrior! Are you strong 
  enough and pure enough of heart to wield the 
  mighty Silvertine?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Silvertine is built primarily as a 
  Damage Shield that other persons wield — it has 
  no STR or manipulatory limbs with which to wield 
  itself. The Damage Shield is a powerful Killing 
  Attack, and that’s what lures in so many innocents 
  who’ve heard tales of the blade’s power. The blade’s 
  other powers are mostly designed to aﬀect wielders 
  or potential wielders. It has an Images that makes it 
  look (and seem to Detect Evil powers) like a beauti-
  ful and noble blade (consider it to have COM 16), it 
  can telepathically speak to its wielder, and if neces-
  sary it can mentally take control of its wielder. It’s 
  also very diﬃcult to damage.
  Silvertine insidiously feeds oﬀ its wielder. 
  Whenever the wielder suﬀers BODY damage in 
  combat, Silvertine’s Drain BODY increases the 
  damage by 1 point. To keep the math from tipping 
  oﬀ a PC that something’s wrong, you should add 
  this “+1 BODY” to the attacker’s BODY damage 
  when determining the amount of STUN taken via 
  the STUN Multiplier.
  In combat, most of the time you shouldn’t bother 
  to calculate damage to Silvertine — only if the PCs 
  realize it’s Evil and deliberately try to destroy it should 
  its defenses, STUN, and BODY matter. Stunning or 
  Knocking Out Silvertine mean temporarily “dazing” 
  it and preventing it from using any of its powers... but 
  by that point the odds are the heroes know everything 
  about it and won’t give it a chance to use any of its 
  powers even if it’s “conscious.”
  
  164 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  Plots revolving around Silvertine 
  typically fall into one of four categories:  one of 
  the heroes obtains and wields Silvertine and has 
  to deal with the consequences; a friend of the PCs’ 
  obtains Silvertine and they have to stop him (and 
  it) without seriously hurting him; an enemy of the 
  PCs’ obtains Silvertine, becoming a more powerful 
  foe than ever; and the PCs have to ﬁnd Silvertine or 
  prevent someone else from ﬁnding it.
  To make Silvertine more powerful, remove the 
  Limitation from its Mind Control so it can aﬀect 
  anyone nearby, not just someone wielding/wear-
  ing/holding it. To make it weaker, reduce the RKA 
  to 2d6 and the Images to -6 to PER Rolls.
  Silvertine doesn’t Hunt characters; it lies in 
  wait for its prey. But if the heroes try to destroy 
  it and fail, it may control a later wielder into 
  attacking them.
  Appearance:  Silvertine looks like a beautiful long-
  sword. Its blade is polished to a mirror ﬁnish, with 
  a tiny row of runes etched down the center of each 
  side. Its guard is made of gold, its hilt is wrapped 
  in scarlet cloth and gold wire, and the pommel is a 
  golden disk shaped to look like a sun. But if some-
  one dispels the magical illusion it wraps itself in, 
  its true appearance is revealed:  a blade that looks 
  like it’s made of heavily-tarnished silver, its guard 
  of dark, pitted star-iron, its iron hilt wrapped in 
  blood-red leather. When it speaks (usually just to 
  its wielder telepathically, but it can utter words) its 
  voice has an eerie, metallic sort of tone.
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  165 
  SORGAHL GREYMANE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED)
   5 SPD 
  32 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  4
   34 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  9 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  110
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  6 
  Wolf-Speed:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  5 
  Wolf’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Wolf’s Senses:  +2 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups but Sight Group 
  0
   
  Perks
  35 
  Wolf-Lord’s Pack:  Followers (16 wolves  
  built on 75 Base Points each)
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  2 
  +1 OCV with Short Bow
  10 
  +1 Overall
  8 
  The Wolf-Bond:  Animal Handler  
  (Canines) 15-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  2 
  AK: Gorthundan Steppes 11-
  2 
  KS: The Ulg-Hroi 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Land) 12-
  3 
  Paramedics (Healing) 12-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 14-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12-
  2 
  Systems Operation (Gorthunda Signalling 
  Methods) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  133
  Total Cost:  243
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Gorthundan Wolf-Lord 
  (Easily Concealed; Noticed And Recogniz-
  able)
  10 
  Hunted:  Hlugok 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of 
  His People; Hates The Enemies Of The 
  Gorthunda, Especially Ulg-Hroi And Orcs 
  (Common, Strong)
  138 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  243
  Background/History:  One evening when Sor-
  gahl was just a boy of twelve winters, an old 
  man walked into his clan’s camp — an unusual 
  enough thing, since most Gorthunda rode every-
  where. He supported himself with a staff, but he 
  was clearly no weakling, for he wore a yahgahn 
  on his hip... and behind him trailed a pack of 
  wolves. From that and his grey eyes everyone 
  knew him for a Wolf-Lord and gave him respect 
  and a wide berth.
  The old man looked around, clearly search-
  ing for something. Finally his eyes lit on Sorgahl. 
  He stared at him intently for many minutes as if 
  his eyes were boring into the boy’s soul. Finally he 
  stabbed out a ﬁnger to point at him and said, “You! 
  It is Wolf-Lord you will be. Come!” Then he turned 
  and started walking away.
  Sorgahl looked around, confused. He saw his 
  parents, the look on their faces both frightened and 
  proud. His mother hurried to bring him a bundle 
  of clothing and food, then his father roughly told 
  him to go with the old man. Obedient if puzzled, 
  Sorgahl trotted after him, and they walked oﬀ into 
  the night.
  Thus began Sorgahl’s apprenticeship in the 
  ways of the Wolf-Lord. It was not long after the 
  old man began teaching him that his hair and 
  eyes turned grey, just like the old man’s. Soon he 
  could talk, in a simple way, with the old man’s 
  wolves. But it took several years before he had 
  the maturity and confidence to call the first of 
  his own pack to him.
  From that day to this, Sorgahl has served 
  his people as a Wolf-Lord, one of those mys-
  terious warriors who fight like demons, com-
  mand packs of wolves, and some say can take 
  wolf-form themselves. He’s roamed the length 
  and breadth of the steppe protecting his people 
  from their enemies, particularly the hated Ulg-
  hroi. He’s spit many of those devil-worshipping 
  brutes on his sword, but the one he most wants 
  to slay, his hated adversary Hlugok, continues to 
  escape him.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Luckrazor 
  +1 
  —  
  1½d6  
  1d6-1 
  —  
  10 
  Luck 3d6
  Short Bow 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  30 
  8
  Hand Axe 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6 
  1d6-1 
  4 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Heavy Leather (DEF 2)
  Gear:  Tent and bedroll, ﬂint and steel, rations, horse, whetstone
  SORGAHL  
  GREYMANE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  While crossing the 
  Steppes the PCs ﬁnd 
  Sorgahl lying half-dead, 
  his pack slaughtered 
  around him. They nurse 
  him back to health but 
  not consciousness; it 
  soon becomes apparent 
  he’s under some sort of 
  curse and can’t awaken 
  until his attackers are 
  slain. The heroes have to 
  ﬁgure out who did this 
  to him, ﬁnd those per-
  sons, and destroy them.
  A tribe of Orcs travel-
  ing south from Turakia 
  encounters and mas-
  sacres a Gorthunda clan, 
  then continues into 
  the Snowthorns (and 
  perhaps beyond). Sor-
  gahl has never left the 
  Steppes before, but he 
  must avenge this butch-
  ery. He seeks the PCs’ 
  help to guide him in 
  these strange new lands 
  and to kill the Orcs.
  A mysterious plague 
  seems to be striking 
  down wolves all over the 
  Steppes. Sorgahl seeks 
  the PCs’ help to ﬁnd out 
  the cause and put a stop 
  to it.
  
  166 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Personality/Motivation:  Even moreso than most 
  Wolf-Lords, Sorgahl is dedicated to protecting the 
  Gorthunda and slaying their enemies. He has a 
  bitter hatred of the Ulg-hroi and Orcs in particular, 
  and tends to be suspicious of everyone he encoun-
  ters on the steppes who isn’t Gorthunda or known 
  to him. If someone looks particularly dangerous 
  to him — such as most Half-Orcs — he may just 
  shoot ﬁrst and ask questions later.
  Quote:  “The lands of the Gorthunda are under my 
  protection. Tread warily here or my wolves will 
  soon feast upon your carcass.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Lightning-fast and highly skilled, 
  Sorgahl would be a fearsome warrior in his own 
  respect... and he has a pack of eight wolves to help 
  him. Instead of a yahgahn he wields a straight-
  bladed longsword that he took from the body 
  of an adventurer he slew. He considers it a lucky 
  charm as well as a ﬁne weapon. He usually takes 
  the oﬀensive, having his wolves harass and injure 
  his target while he moves in for the kill, but he’s 
  smart enough not to ﬁght an obviously superior 
  force directly. Against them he uses his stealth and 
  knowledge of the terrain, picking oﬀ stragglers and 
  arranging ambushes and traps.
  Unlike most Gorthunda, Sorgahl prefers to 
  ﬁght on foot rather than in the saddle. He’s a com-
  petent horseman, but wolves don’t ride horses and 
  his wolf’s-nature makes him a little reluctant to ride 
  them in battle.
  When scouting for a Gorthunda tribe or clan 
  (a duty he often undertakes, especially in the east-
  ern steppes near Ulg-hroi territory), Sorgahl uses 
  a time-tested system of bending or twisting twigs 
  and plant-stems in speciﬁc ways to indicate which 
  direction he’s going, how many of the enemy he’s 
  seen, and similar basic information. This is bought 
  as a specialized form of Systems Operation, Gort-
  hunda Signalling Methods; it can be read by anyone 
  who has that Skill and succeeds with a Skill Roll.
  Campaign Use:  Depending on the heroes’ mission and 
  attitude, Sorgahl could be friend or foe. He opposes 
  any who intend to harm the Gorthunda, or who 
  might bring danger down upon them, and he does not 
  react well to condescension or mockery. Characters 
  had best treat him politely... but if they do, and if they 
  help his people, they’ll have made a friend for life.
  To make Sorgahl a tougher opponent, increase 
  his physical Characteristics slightly and give him a 
  Swordﬁghting Martial Art. To weaken him, reduce his 
  SPD to 4 and the size of his pack to eight wolves.
  As a Hunter, Sorgahl is as tenacious and tire-
  less as his wolves. He stalks his quarry patiently, 
  waiting for a moment of relaxation or weakness 
  when an arrow followed by a wolfpack charge can 
  lay his target low.
  Appearance:  Like most Gorthundans Sorgahl is 
  sallow-skinned, but compared to his fellows he’s 
  tall (5’7”) and thin, and his skin is paler than usual. 
  His hair and eyes are wolf-grey; he keeps his wolf-
  grey hair long and tied back in a ponytail. He wears 
  leather clothes, carries a longsword and short bow, 
  and is usually accompanied everywhere he goes by 
  two or three wolves (if not more).
  SORGAHL GREYMANE’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Luckrazor:  This sword is imbued with enchantments 
  of accuracy and good fortune. (HKA 1½d6; OAF, 
  STR Min 10 plus +1 OCV plus Luck 3d6)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  167 
  STELBARAN CURVECLAW
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [2]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   35 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  87
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  3 
  Animal Eyes (FHG 56)
  1 
  Barkskin (FHG 51)
  3 
  Beast’s Weapons (FHG 38)
  6 
  Call To The Wilderness Denizens (FHG 39)
  6 
  Cordarion’s Spell Of Weatherworking 
  (FHG 59)
  1 
  Corwm’s Spell Of The Stinging Swarm 
  (FHG 40)
  1 
  Cullain’s Spell Of The Quiet Pathway (FHG 51)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249)
  2 
  Eurinda’s Healing Herbal (TA 249)
  4 
  The Four-Fold Blessing (TA 256)
  7 
  Gailmaiden’s Twisting Wind (TA 251)
  2 
  Hospin’s Healing Touch (TA 249)
  1 
  The Huntsman’s Footfall (TA 254)
  3 
  Jezric’s Spell Of True Seeming (FHG 190)
  5 
  Lightning Strike (FHG 43)
  6 
  Oakenform (FHG 61)
  3 
  Selgar’s Spell Of The Leafy Shackles (FHG 45)
  4 
  Selgar’s Unfriendly Terrain (FHG 46)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  3 
  The Spell Of Easy Passage (FHG 55)
  10 
  The Spell Of The Thorny Wall (FHG 52)
  5 
  Stonelord’s Touch (TA 255)
  2 
  Trendel’s Spell Of Arboreal Awakening 
  (FHG 49)
   
  Powers
  2 
  Swift:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Perks
  35 
  Followers:  16 animals built on up to 75 Base 
  Points each
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  the Druids
   
  Talents
  20 
  Animal Friendship
  15 
  Beast Speech
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Spells
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  5 
  AK: Westerlands Forests 14-
  5 
  KS: Flora And Fauna Of The Westerlands 
  (INT +2)
  2 
  KS: Herbalism And Healing-Lore 11-
  2 
  Mimicry 12-; Animal Sounds Only (-½)
  29 
  Power:  Faith 25-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) (INT Roll)
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  1 
  TF: Equines
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  222
  Total Cost:  309
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  High Church 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Misanthrope 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of Ani-
  mals And Trees (Common, Strong)
  194 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  309
  Background/History:  Among the priests of the 
  High Church is an order known as the Druids, 
  whose members particularly venerate Almandré 
  and the other gods of nature. Most of the Druids 
  are more or less ordinary priests with a particu-
  lar love for natural environments. But others 
  are... different.
  Stelbaran, known as “Curveclaw” for the odd 
  shape of the claws his Beast’s Weapons spell creates, 
  belongs to the latter group. He came to the priest-
  hood as a young man who’d been orphaned when 
  his village was destroyed and most of its people 
  slaughtered by out-of-work mercenaries. He was 
  moody and solitary, given more to spending time in 
  the temple’s gardens and in the nearby woods and 
  ﬁelds than with people. It surprised no one when 
  he chose to join the Druids. Soon the High Church 
  virtually lost contact with him as he went to live in 
  the Forest Jevrain.
  Adventurers traveling in the Forest, and in 
  time other Westerlands forests, reported meeting 
  him periodically after that, and their reports dis-
  turbed Church leaders. Stelbaran, it seemed, had 
  gone wild, identifying more with his environment 
  and the animals he lived with than with other men. 
  When encountered he was gruﬀ and unobliging, 
  sometimes even hostile; occasionally he even used 
  his spells to hinder Men traveling in “his” forest. 
  The years since have only worsened his personal-
  ity, and some priests fear it’s only a matter of time 
  before he descends into dark and forbidden Dru-
  idic practices.
  Personality/Motivation:  Stelbaran is an extreme mis-
  anthrope — he dislikes people intensely and wants 
  nothing to do with them. His devotion and aﬀec-
  tion are given over to trees and animals; people he 
  regards as a nuisance and a bother. He usually tries 
  to avoid other people altogether, but if he can’t, or 
  if he witnesses them causing harm to his beloved 
  animals and trees, he’ll react violently.
  Quote:  “Get out. This place does not want you here.”
  STELBARAN  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Stelbaran 
  plot #1:  the heroes 
  need to ﬁnd something 
  deep in a Westerlands 
  forest. Only Stelbaran 
  can guide them there 
  as quickly as they 
  need... but can they 
  convince him to help? 
  (Alternately, the heroes 
  enter the forest with a 
  goal Stelbaran would 
  approve of, such as slay-
  ing a vicious dragon 
  that’s taken up residence 
  there, and have to ﬁnd 
  him and get his help 
  with the task.)
  The classic Stelbaran 
  plot #2:  the heroes have 
  to venture into a Wester-
  lands forest and in doing 
  so somehow oﬀend Stel-
  baran. Now they have 
  to deal with an angry 
  Druid causing trouble 
  for them in addition 
  to whatever enemy or 
  quest drew them to the 
  forest in the ﬁrst place.
  Deep in the heart of the 
  forest Stelbaran discov-
  ers an ancient ruin, 
  some wizard’s tower 
  probably, that’s “leaking” 
  magical energy in ways 
  that poison and warp 
  the forest and animals 
  around it. He needs help 
  to destroy this menace 
  and cleanse the wood-
  lands, so one day a bird 
  bearing a message ﬁnds 
  the PCs....
  
  168 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Powers/Tactics:  Stelbaran is 
  a powerful Druid whose mix 
  of spells includes both tradi-
  tional priestly magics and ones 
  involving the natural world. In 
  most cases he prefers to use his 
  spells to (a) observe potential 
  troublemakers and (b) avoid 
  other people. Spells like Ani-
  mal’s Eyes are perfect for recon-
  naissance, and when it comes 
  to hiding or escaping from 
  people Cullain’s Spell Of The 
  Quiet Pathway, The Huntsman’s 
  Footfall, Jezric’s Spell Of True 
  Seeming, and Oakenform make 
  things easy. He also often casts 
  Selgar’s Unfriendly Terrain to 
  hinder his pursuers, or just to 
  make life diﬃcult for “intrud-
  ers” in “his” forests.
  If cornered or forced to 
  ﬁght, Stelbaran casts Barkskin 
  upon himself and then Beast’s 
  Weapons. He’ll call down a 
  Lightning Strike if he has time, 
  or use Trendel’s Spell Of Arbo-
  real Awakening to Summon 
  a treeman to help his animal 
  companions ﬁght at his side.
  Campaign Use:  Depending on 
  how they approach him, Stel-
  baran can be a reluctant ally, 
  a nuisance, or a determined 
  enemy. If they enter his domain politely and respect 
  all its “residents,” they may be able to convince him 
  to help them. But if they’re wantonly destructive or 
  seem to be pursuing him with hostile intent, he’ll 
  call the wrath of the whole forest down on them.
  To make Stelbaran tougher, give him more 
  Combat Skill Levels with his spells, and perhaps 
  a few more magic items with combat applica-
  tions. To weaken him, remove his current CSLs 
  and reduce his SPD to 3. Reducing his Faith roll 
  might also help.
  Stelbaran doesn’t Hunt heroes per se. He may 
  make their lives a living hell while they’re in his 
  forest, but he won’t leave the forest just to track 
  them down.
  Appearance:  Stelbaran’s brown hair and beard are 
  long and unkempt, his clothes rough things he 
  made himself out of furs and skins. Despite this he 
  carries himself with an unmistakeable dignity and 
  power. He wears a dagger on his left hip and carries 
  a seemingly plain wooden staﬀ that looks like he 
  made it himself from a sapling or tree branch.
  STELBARAN’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Oakenheart Staff:  Carved from the heartwood of an 
  ancient oak laid low by lightning, this staﬀ possesses 
  several druidic powers. (Multipower:  Thunderbolt 
  (RKA 2d6, +2 Increased STUN Multiplier), Moon-
  glow (Images to Sight Group, +2 to PER Rolls; Only 
  To Create Soft Light), Thorn Spray (RKA 1d6, 8” 
  Cone, No Range), Windwalking (Flight 6”) plus HA 
  +4d6, STR Min 10 plus +1 OCV plus +2 with Dru-
  idry Spells; all OAF)
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Oakenheart Staﬀ 
  +1 
  — 
  4d6 N 
  — 
  — 
  10
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Soft Leather (DEF 1)
  Gear:  Flint and steel
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  169 
  K’NGRA VEL-HRAG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  82
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
   
  Thûnese Sorcery
  10 
  Cheghahm’s First Spell Of The Fatal Fright 
  (TA 246)
  2 
  Cure Illness (FHG 246)
  2 
  Divine Hindrance (FHG 249) 
  3 
  Healing-Spell (FHG 247)
  6 
  Invisible Fires Of The Imprisoned Ones 
  (TA 247)
  6 
  Sacred Fire (FHG 251)
  1 
  Shield Of Faith  (FHG 254)
  2 
  Speak In Tongues (FHG 265)
  5 
  The Thûnese Dagger (TA 247)
  6 
  The Yiinashc Chain (TA 247)
   
  Sorcery
  2 
  Alzamar’s Cloak Of The Unseen (FHG 182)
  5 
  Belzorath’s Dominion Of The Mind (FHG 167)
  2 
  Belzorath’s Spell Of Waking Dreams (FHG 176)
  1 
  Detect Illusion (FHG 184)
  1 
  Detect Invisibility (FHG 185)
  5 
  Mindreading (FHG 172)
  4 
  Mindseeking (FHG 186)
  5 
  Simbalon’s Fifth Spell Of Illusion (FHG 178)
  11 
  The Spell Of The Untrustworthy Mind 
  (FHG 174)
  5 
  Torment Of The Mind (FHG 174)
  1 
  Wizard’s Hand (FHG 180)
   
  Theurgy
  3 
  Dornac’s Glory (TA 233)
  12 
  Pentacles Of Heremos (TA 233)
  10 
  Pentacles Of Nevara (TA 234)
  12 
  Pentacles Of Tharasis (TA 234)
  11 
  Pentacles Of Turanus (TA 235)
  10 
  Pentacles Of Zesura (TA 235)
  4 
  Power Of The Hammer (TA 236)
   
  Wizardry
  1 
  Detect Magic (FHG 221)
  4 
  The First Spell Of The Crimson Ring 
  (FHG 232)
  2 
  Levitation (FHG 233)
  5 
  Mystic Dart (FHG 225)
  1 
  Serten’s Spell Of The Quiet Moment (FHG 227)
  4 
  Stelrane’s Spell Of Dispersion (FHG 223)
  1 
  Wizard’s Eye (FHG 235)
  2 
  Wizard’s Power (FHG 228)
  5 
  Wizard’s Steed (FHG 234)
   
  Powers
  20 
  Arcane Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (100 END, 10 REC) 
  0
  7 
  Remembering Past Lives:  Variable P 
  ower Pool (Skill Pool), 6 base + 3 control 
  cost; Only For KSs And PSs (-1),  
  Concentration (throughout the changing  
  of powers; -1), Extra Time (takes a  
  minimum of 5 Minutes to change Pool; -1) 0
  4 
  Disturbing Aura:  +10 PRE; Only For  
  Fear-/Intimidation-Based Presence  
  Attacks Against Non-Thûnese (-1½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Religious Rank:   
  K’ngra of Thûn
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
   
  Talents
  12 
  Turn Undead
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Spells
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  1 
  Disguise 8-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  3 
  AK: Thûn 12-
  1 
  AK: Mhorecia 8-
  2 
  AK: Westerlands 11-
  1 
  CK: Aarn 8-
  2 
  KS: History 11-
  4 
  KS: Thûnese Religious Doctrine 13-
  2 
  KS: High Church Religious Doctrine 11-
  1 
  Language:  Aarnese (basic conversation;  
  Thûnese is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Trade-Tongue (ﬂuent conversation)
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  25 
  Power:  Faith 23-
  23 
  Power:  Sorcery 22-
  23 
  Power:  Theurgy 22-
  19 
  Power:  Wizardry 20-
  2 
  PS: Thûnese Priest 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  358
  Total Cost:  440
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  the Thûnese church 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devotion To The 
  God And His Purposes (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (secret agent 
  for Thûn in Arduna) (Occasionally, Major)
  300 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  440
  K’NGRA VEL-HRAG 
  PLOT SEEDS
  Vel-hrag has seen some-
  thing in the Vestrian 
  crown jewels and royal 
  treasures that he thinks 
  is a Thûnese relic. He 
  desperately wants to 
  obtain it. Depending on 
  what the PCs are like he 
  either hires them to steal 
  it for him, or they have 
  to uncover and stop his 
  plot to steal it.
  Based on his research, 
  K’ngra Vel-hrag believes 
  a dragon of great power 
  might be able to break 
  the bonds holding one 
  of his gods. He hires 
  the PCs to help him 
  “kill” Baraxus, planning 
  instead to betray them 
  and try to negotiate 
  with the dragon for his 
  services.
  Tensions have been 
  rising between Aarn and 
  Tornathia, and a war 
  (mostly naval) may be 
  looming on the horizon. 
  The main cause:  behind 
  the scenes machinations 
  by K’ngra Vel-hrag, who 
  wants to weaken two of 
  Arduna’s naval powers 
  and thus protect Thûn. 
  The heroes have to 
  ﬁgure out what’s going 
  on and expose it... which 
  may lead to a war of a 
  diﬀerent sort.
  
  170 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  Even as 
  a child, Vel-hrag disturbed 
  other people. He walked 
  and talked at an unusually 
  early age, and sometimes 
  the things he said weren’t 
  the sort of things children 
  say — they were adult words 
  and phrases, or observations 
  with insight like no child 
  should possess. Few people, 
  even his parents, wanted to 
  have much to do with him.
  Few people, that is, but the 
  sorcerer-priests of the temple. 
  When they heard about Vel-
  hrag they sought him out at 
  once. They knew that powerful 
  priests were sometimes reincar-
  nated as children, and that these 
  children could subconsciously 
  access former memories and 
  behavior patterns. They also 
  usually became powerful sor-
  cerer-priests in their own right. 
  After investigating the matter 
  the sorcerer-priests believed 
  that was what had happened 
  with Vel-hrag, so they took him 
  away from his parents to be 
  raised in the temple.
  At age 16, Vel-hrag 
  underwent the trials to see if 
  he could enter the priesthood, 
  and passed them easily. His studies began imme-
  diately, and they came so easily to him that his 
  instructors had no doubt he was the reimbodiment 
  of a priest now dead. They even taught him how to 
  harness that gift so he could call on his past lives 
  for wisdom and information.
  When his training and early priesthood were 
  completed, K’ngra Vel-hrag received a visit from cer-
  tain higher-ranking priests. These priests believed two 
  things:  ﬁrst, that lore long-lost to Thûn but perhaps 
  still to be found in the Northern Lands might hold the 
  key to freeing their gods, and (b) that the powers of 
  the Northern Lands were hostile to Thûn and wished 
  to destroy her. Therefore they needed someone to 
  venture into the North and seek the information they 
  needed. Would he take on this task?
  Vel-hrag did so gladly, eager for a mission that 
  would let him see the world and serve the gods at 
  the same time. After a few more months of training 
  he set sail for Aarn on the vessel of a trader who 
  periodically visited Thûn. He’s been in the Wester-
  lands and Mhorecia ever since, seeking the hidden 
  lore he needs to free his gods and protect his land.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Thûnese Vestments (DEF 4)
  Gear:  Writing materials, holy symbols and writings, spell components and paraphernalia
  K’NGRA VEL-HRAG’S 
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Thûnese Vestments:  Given to certain favored 
  Thûnese priests by temple leaders, these mystic vest-
  ments are woven by specially-trained temple tailors. 
  They protect the wearer and bring him good fortune. 
  (Armor (4 PD/4 ED) plus Luck 2d6; both OIF)
  Talisman Of Thra’gﬂ:  Created by the sorcerer-priest 
  Thra’gfl, these strangely-shaped bits of blue-white 
  stone allow the user to step outside normal space, 
  rendering him temporarily intangible and invisible. 
  (Desolidiﬁcation plus Invisibility to Sight Group; 
  both IAF)
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  171 
  Personality/Motivation:  K’ngra Vel-hrag is a classic 
  example of the dedicated Fantasy priest who serves 
  dangerous gods. He can hide his fanaticism well 
  — he has to, to pass as an ordinary scholar in the 
  Northern Lands — but in truth he would gladly 
  sacriﬁce his life to serve his gods and their temple. 
  Since he considers the Northern Lands a threat to 
  Thûn in general, his service could include plots to 
  weaken or harm them.
  Quote:  “I am a wizard and scholar of ancient lore. 
  Would it be possible for me to spend several days 
  conducting research in your ﬁne library?”
  Powers/Tactics:  K’ngra Vel-hrag’s mission in the 
  Westerlands depends on deception and subter-
  fuge, so he prefers to avoid fights, confrontations, 
  and other situations that might expose him. He 
  can explain away his accent by claiming he’s from 
  Vornakkia, but some of his spells are unmistake-
  ably Thûnese. Nevertheless, if forced to fight he 
  will, opening with Belzorath’s Dominion Of The 
  Mind, Sacred Fire, or a Mystic Dart depending 
  on the situation (he’ll also cast Shield Of Faith on 
  himself if appropriate). In most fights, though, 
  his goal is to disable his opponents and then 
  escape as quickly as possible.
  As the reincarnation of a dead Thûnese priest 
  (who was himself the reincarnation of a former 
  priest, and so on), K’ngra Vel-hrag possesses the 
  unusual ability to call on his past selves for infor-
  mation. By meditating for 1 Minute per generation 
  removed from him (minimum of 5 Minutes) he 
  can use a KS or PS from one of his past lives. Typi-
  cally these are fairly obscure subjects pertaining to 
  Thûnese history and religion, but some may have 
  more general application. Few of his “predecessors” 
  have any military or combat experience, though 
  some were gifted schemers, conspirators, and 
  manipulators.
  Campaign Use:  You can use K’ngra Vel-hrag in 
  several ways. First, he can simple be a model 
  for other sorcerer-priest NPCs your heroes 
  encounter. He’s more powerful and more trav-
  eled than most, but he makes a good basic tem-
  plate. Second, you can use him more or less as 
  designed as a “spy” for Thûn — the mover and 
  shaker behind various plots the PCs investi-
  gate and thwart, but not a foe they grapple with 
  directly very often. Third, you can make him an 
  up-front adversary sent by Thûn specifically to 
  destroy them (perhaps due to some prophecy 
  that claims they’ll endanger the dark island if 
  allowed to live).
  For the third use you probably need to make 
  Vel-hrag a little tougher by giving him more 
  Combat Skill Levels and some additional enchanted 
  items. If he’s already too tough, remove the CSLs he 
  has, get rid of some or all of his Sorcery spells, and 
  reduce his SPD to 3.
  K’ngra Vel-hrag only Hunts heroes if ordered 
  to by his superiors, in which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  This sorcerer-priest of Thûn wears 
  vestments typical to his office:  long robes of rich 
  material colored to denote rank, with two panels 
  embroidered with arcane runes and holy symbols 
  that run down each side of his body. He covers 
  his head with a featureless skullcap and keeps his 
  face cleanshaven. Like most sorcerer-priests he 
  has a look of cruelty and decadence about him.
  
  172 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  CAPTAIN VELLTAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  16 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  54
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Attack 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +2 
  DC Strike +v/5, 
  FMove
  4 
  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike
  4 
  Resist 
  +0 
  +0 
  +15 STR to 
  resist Shove; 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Shove 
  +0 
  +0 
  +15 STR to 
  Shove
  2 
  Use Art With Axes/Maces/Hammers/Picks  
  and Polearms/Spears (Blades is default)
  2 
  Sharp-Eyed:  +2 to PER Rolls with  
  Normal Sight 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Contact:  Zelatar Coromson 11-
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Law Enforcement Rank:  
  Captain of the City Guard of Aarn
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  3 
  Tight-Lipped (-3 to Conversation attempts 
  against him)
  3 
  Immovable (-3 to Persuasion attempts 
  against him)
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 12-
  4 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 11-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  Interrogation 12-
  5 
  CK: Aarn 14-
  4 
  KS: Aarnese Law 13-
  4 
  KS: Aarnese Underworld 13-
  2 
  KS: Who’s Who In Aarn 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Trading 12-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  109
  Total Cost:  163
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Hunted:  unfriendly Aarnese oﬃcials 8- (As 
  Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Out For 
  All He Can Get (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cautious; Strong 
  Sense Of Self-Preservation (Common, 
  Moderate)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (thor-
  oughly corrupt) (Occasionally, Minor)
  53 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  163
  Background/History:  Like many big, strong boys, 
  Velltar Kevrelson dreamed of becoming a soldier. 
  And his dream came true, but not quite like he 
  expected — since his home city of Aarn didn’t 
  have a true standing army, he became a merce-
  nary instead. He fought on many battlefields for 
  a few years, but then his commander discovered 
  he was stealing from the company’s paychest. 
  Velltar had to flee for his life, most of his ill-
  gotten gains left behind.
  His name now a black mark in the merce-
  nary community, Velltar returned home and took 
  the only decent job he could get:  city guard. To 
  him it was a major step down in terms of money, 
  CAPTAIN VELLTAR 
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Velltar plot:  
  somehow the PCs get 
  on Captain Velltar’s bad 
  side. Now they’ve either 
  got to put up with him 
  or ﬁnd a way to get 
  back in his good graces. 
  Surely there’s something 
  he needs or wants that 
  they have or can get....
  Some of Velltar’s old 
  mercenary “friends” 
  come to Aarn looking 
  for revenge. Depend-
  ing on his relationship 
  with them, Velltar may 
  turn to the PCs for help 
  with this problem, or the 
  mercenaries may seek 
  them out for assistance.
  While pursuing some 
  criminals in the sewers, 
  Captain Velltar stumbles 
  on some old, half-ruined 
  chambers that must date 
  from the earliest days of 
  the city. Suspecting (cor-
  rectly) that they con-
  tain both treasure and 
  danger, he recruits the 
  heroes as “partners” to 
  help him explore them. 
  He has guard in reserve 
  waiting to arrest them 
  when they’re done so 
  he can keep all the loot 
  himself....
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Longsword 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  1d6-1 
  — 
  12
  Spear 
  +0 
  +0 
  1½d6 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  10 
  Can Be Thrown
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Chainmail (DEF 6)
  Shield (+2 DCV)
  Gear:  Writing materials, captain’s signet ring
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  173 
  freedom, and prestige, and he often took his 
  frustrations out on the people he dealt with. 
  To this day, years later, there are people in 
  Aarn who remember and bitterly resent his 
  heavy-handed ways during those times.
  Despite his questionable conduct, he 
  survived, thrived, and in time rose up the 
  ranks. The more powerful and influential he 
  became, the more chances he had for what 
  many Aarnese cynically call “improvement” 
  — bribery. By the time he reached captain, 
  the next-to-highest rank in the City Guard, 
  two years ago, he’d built up a nice nest egg 
  from illicit earnings, and it’s only gotten 
  bigger since then. He has no intention of 
  letting that growth stop.
  Personality/Motivation:  Captain Velltar is 
  something of a puzzle to many people in 
  the Aarnese underworld. It’s an open secret 
  among some of them that he’s totally cor-
  rupt — he’s greedy and self-serving, intent on 
  milking his job for every copper farthing he 
  can get. But if there’s no chance of obtaining 
  something he wants he usually does his job 
  with strict, impartial eﬃciency. It’s as if he has 
  a professional pride in enforcing the law in 
  Aarn... as long as there’s no money in doing 
  otherwise.
  Also tempering Velltar’s greed is his natu-
  ral sense of caution. Many a time he’s backed 
  away from a deal when he thought it didn’t 
  “feel right” or that someone was trying to set 
  him up. While he appears calm and in control 
  on the outside at all times, there’s often a war 
  going on inside him as his circumspect nature and 
  desire for wealth struggle for dominance.
  Quote:  “Break it up! Guard Garoghson, Guard 
  Elledson, take that man into custody. We’ll see if a 
  few days in a cell can take the ﬁght out of him.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Velltar is a clever and cautious 
  ﬁghter who prefers not to start confrontations 
  unless he has a clear advantage in terms of num-
  bers, positioning, or both. He sends his men in 
  to start the battle, then weighs in himself when it 
  seems prudent to do so. He wields his spear as long 
  as he can keep an adversary at length; once his foe 
  closes to inside spear range, he drops the spear and 
  draws his sword.
  Campaign Use:  If your PCs behave themselves in 
  Aarn, Captain Velltar could become an interest-
  ing Contact and sometimes ally for them. If they 
  cause trouble (and what group of PCs doesnt?), 
  he’s more likely to be a persistent thorn in their 
  sides. He may not necessarily match them in 
  fighting skill, but he has hundreds of men at his 
  command and the full weight of Aarnese law on 
  his side, which should give the characters pause 
  before clashing with him. If not, he’s got prison 
  cells with their names on them.
  To make Velltar tougher, raise his physical 
  Primary Characteristics by 3-5 points each and give 
  him more Combat Skill Levels and/or Enhanced 
  Perception. To weaken him, reduce his SPD to 3 
  and perhaps get rid of his Martial Arts.
  Velltar only Hunts people within Aarn itself 
  (Limited Geographical Area for most campaigns). 
  There he uses his authority and contacts to pursue 
  and harass the PCs at every turn until they give 
  him what he wants or leave the city.
  Appearance:  Velltar is a slightly overweight man in 
  his mid-40s. Despite his weight and age, he’s six feet 
  tall and still pretty muscular, giving him a rather 
  intimidating appearance. He wears chainmail cov-
  ered by a tabard displaying the city’s arms (halved, 
  right a sheaf of golden wheat on green, left a scroll 
  and coin on brown), and carries a longsword on 
  his right hip, a shield on his back, and a spear in his 
  right hand.
  
  174 ■ Solo Adversaries 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  XELDRUTHAK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  20 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5]
   22 DEX 
  42 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   25 CON 
  40 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  30 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  11 
   
  Total:  12 PD (2 rPD)
   12 ED 
  11 
   
  Total:  12 ED (2 rED)
   5 SPD 
  28 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  0 
   50 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  237
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Spells 
  END
  4 
  Mordak’s Mantle:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 2” radius, Personal Immunity  
  (+¼); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), 
  Requires A Faith Roll (-½) 
  2
  4 
  Touch Of Corruption:  Drain BODY  
  2d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1); Costs  
  Endurance (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase;  
  -½), Increased Endurance Cost  
  (x2 END; -½), Requires A Faith Roll  
  (-½), 8 Charges (-½) 
  8
  3 
  Unhallowing (like Sanctiﬁcation, TA 191,  
  but renders ground unholy)
   
  Powers
  2 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Heritage:   
  Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Heritage:  Life  
  Support (Longevity:  lifespan of 1,600 years) 0
  5 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Eyes:  Infrared 
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Eyes:   
  Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  3 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Ears:   
  Ultrasonic Perception (Hearing Group) 
  0
  18 
  Corrupted Divine-Blooded Senses:   
  +6 versus Range Modiﬁer for Sight and 
  Hearing Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  34 
  Follower:  Demon Steed (see The HERO 
  System Bestiary, page 63)
   
  Talents
  20 
  Gift Of Tongues:  Universal Translator 13-
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 14-
  2 
  KS: High Church Theology 11-
  2 
  KS: Scarlet Gods Theology 11-
  1 
  Language:  Literacy
  17 
  Power:  Faith 20-
  5 
  Rapid Attack (HTH)
  10 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH)
  7 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lance, Whip, Oﬀ Hand
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  182
  Total Cost:  419
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Enraged:  in combat (Common), go 11-, 
  recover 11-
  15 
  Hunted:  Favored Of Kilbern 8-  
  (Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  Ophelite Brotherhood 8-  
  (Mo Pow, Kill)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  In Constant Pain  
  (-1 to CON and DEX Rolls) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Evil  
  (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Reputation:  fallen divine-blooded servant of 
  Evil, 14- (Extreme)
  15 
  Susceptibility:  to holy places and objects, 
  takes 2d6 damage per Turn he’s on holy 
  ground, in a holy place, or within 1” of a holy 
  object (Uncommon)
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Holy attacks 
  (Common)
  209 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  419
  Background/History:  There was a time, centuries 
  ago, when Xeldrun Arthakanos was counted among 
  the bravest and boldest of the warriors of the Light. 
  A paladin’s paladin, he served the causes of Good, 
  Justice, and Truth unstintingly, for the blood of 
  Kilbern ran in his veins. When he needed to rest 
  from his war against evil, he returned to his loving 
  wife and children in Tornath.
  But even the best of Men can fall from grace, 
  and so it was with Xeldrun. One day while he was oﬀ 
  adventuring, some of his enemies found his home 
  and butchered his family, using them in indescribable 
  ways and ﬁnally sacriﬁcing them to Mordak. When 
  Xeldrun returned home and saw what had happened, 
  grief and anger broke his heart and drove him mad. 
  If the Blue Gods would allow something like this to 
  happen, he wanted no part of them. Shaking his ﬁst at 
  the sky he cursed his father and the other Blue Gods 
  and swore allegiance to Mordak instead.
  Crippling pain hit him like a blow and 
  smashed him to his knees as his divine blood 
  began to burn within him at his treachery and 
  faithlessness. But he fought against the pain, and 
  soon his will triumphed; he thrust it aside as 
  best he could, stood up, and strode out of what 
  had once been his home to take up the cause of 
  Evil. No longer would he be Xeldrun Arthakanos, 
  servant of the Blue; now he was Xeldruthak, the 
  Hammer of Darkness, the Sword of the Black 
  God. Since then Xeldruthak has served Mordak 
  and his kin the way he once served Kilbern.
  Personality/Motivation:  Xeldruthak embodies Evil 
  in a way only a Fantasy villain can. His very being 
  has been given over to Evil, even to the extent of 
  suﬀering constant pain because his semi-divine 
  blood reacts badly with his Evil form. There’s no 
  cruelty so horrifying he won’t commit it, no act of 
  XELDRUTHAK  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Xeldruthak decides 
  to destroy Aarn with 
  a massive tidal wave. 
  Recruiting several evil 
  water mages to help him 
  by promising them loot 
  from the drowned city, 
  he begins to put his plan 
  in motion. It’s up to the 
  PCs to discover what 
  he’s doing and stop him 
  before tens of thousands 
  of people die.
  Xeldruthak begins a 
  campaign of destroying 
  High Church temples 
  and putting all the 
  priests to the sword. He 
  seems to be working his 
  way toward a particu-
  larly ancient and holy 
  monastery whose resi-
  dents appeal to the PCs 
  for protection.
  King Almund of Ves-
  tria puts an enormous 
  bounty on Xeldruthak’s 
  head. Now the PCs have 
  to ﬁgure out a way to 
  earn that money by 
  ﬁnding Xeldruthak. 
  Perhaps the easiest way 
  to do that is stay near 
  the King, for when Xel-
  druthak hears about the 
  reward he’ll no doubt 
  seek revenge....
  
  Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers ■ Chapter Three 
  175 
  Evil so repugnant he won’t perform it, and utterly 
  no mercy, kindness, or sympathy lurking anywhere 
  within him. He revels in Evil deeds the way an ordi-
  nary person does in a child’s innocent laughter.
  Quote:  “Maggots! Stand aside and humble your-
  selves before me or I will cut you down like wheat.”
  Powers/Tactics:  One of the most feared beings in 
  Ambrethel, Xeldruthak possesses immense physi-
  cal and mystical power. He usually wades right into 
  the thick of battle, picking the most dangerous foe 
  and concentrating on him until that foe is dead, 
  then moving on to another enemy. He often casts 
  Mordak’s Mantle to make it harder for his enemies 
  to ﬁght him (since they can’t perceive him, or in 
  fact see anything when he’s close to them). His 
  weapons are Malice and Despair, a matched pair of 
  enchanted longswords that cause intense pain in 
  the victim — the same sort of pain Xeldruthak feels 
  from his divine blood burning within him.
  Because of the way he turned his back on 
  the Blue Gods, Xeldruthak suffers pain from holy 
  places and objects just like a demon (though to 
  a lesser degree). Heroes who have the ability to 
  sanctify ground or the like may be able to use 
  that against him.
  Campaign Use:  Xeldruthak should be a power-
  ful foe for your PCs, one who can spearhead 
  entire plots they have to stop and who can take 
  them all on with a serious chance of winning. 
  If he doesn’t seem tough enough to fulfill that 
  role, improve him until he is — increase his STR 
  and defenses, give him more enchanted items, 
  perhaps even increase his SPD to 6. If it’s too 
  likely he’ll slaughter your PCs, scale him back by 
  reducing his over-20 Characteristics to 18-20 and 
  removing some Combat Skill Levels.
  Xeldruthak rarely Hunts a particular person 
  or group; he schemes on a larger stage, where 
  the heroes are likely to be just one of many foes 
  he has to contend with. But if they clash repeat-
  edly he may decide that it would be easier to just 
  eliminate them right away.
  Appearance:  6’6” tall and built like a brick wall, Xel-
  druthak wears the Searing Bulwark, a suit of plate 
  armor that looks like it’s made out of molten metal. 
  Scorning a shield, he wields the twin black-bladed 
  longswords Malice and Despair. On those rare 
  occasions when he’s seen not wearing his armor, 
  he’s darkly handsome, with short black hair, a short 
  black beard, and black eyes.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV 
  RMod 
  Dam 
  STUN 
  Shots 
  STR Min 
  Notes
  Despair 
  +2 
  — 
  2½d6 
  1d6+1 
  — 
  10 
  AP, Penetrating
  Malice 
  +2 
  — 
  2½d6 
  1d6+1 
  — 
  10 
  AP, Penetrating
  Dagger 
  +0 
  +0 
  1d6-1 
  1d6-1 
  1 
  6 
  Can Be Thrown
  Armor
  Searing Bulwark (DEF 10 plus HKA 2d6 Damage Shield)
  Gear:  Rations
  XELDRUTHAK’S  
  ENCHANTED ITEMS
  Malice and Despair:  A twin set of longswords forged 
  in the body of an imprisoned ﬁre demon, quenched 
  in water distilled from the corpses of water elemen-
  tals, and enchanted with darkling magics of death, 
  ruin, and pain, these black blades inﬂict searing 
  agony with even the tiniest scratch. (HKA 2½d6, 
  Armor Piercing, Penetrating, +2 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier; OAF plus Drain STUN 2d6, Trigger 
  (when HKA does BODY); OAF plus +10 PRE; OAF, 
  Only For Fear-/Intimidation-Based Presence Attacks 
  plus +2 OCV)
  The Searing Bulwark:  This suit of plate armor looks 
  like it’s made out of molten metal rather than pol-
  ished steel, but provides even more protection. 
  What’s worse, it burns anyone or anything that 
  touches it. (Armor (10 PD/10 ED, Hardened x3); 
  OIF plus HKA 2d6, Continuous, Damage Shield, 0 
  END; OIF, No STR Bonus)
  The Dark God’s Signet:  This ring, carved from a 
  single piece of jet, is a sign of Mordak’s particular 
  favor. (+10 PRE; Only To Resist Presence Attacks 
  plus Power Defense (12 points); all OIF)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System - Nobles, Knights, and Necromancers-dojhero508-OEF.pdf