The Lords of
False Presage, Part 3
Deep within the jungles of Xen’Drik
lays a ruined temple that was not built by the giants. The architecture
resembles that of the giants, but upon entering the temple’s semicircular
arch, any informed visitor would realize that it was not built for the
massive humanoids. Deep in the bleak darkness, underground, beneath the ruin,
Araknos awaits. He is a Lord of False Presage, a king of spiders, and a
powerful vampire. One of the oldest vampires in Eberron, Araknos saw the rise
and fall of the Xen’drik giant civilization.
Ages ago, the dragons of Eberron rediscovered the
Prophecy and started the war that ended the Age of Fiends. During this war, a
group of giant spiders became sentient and started to grow in might. Even
before achieving their current level of power, the spiders proved potent
allies and worthy opponents. Unlike his kin, Araknos did not initially side
with the dragons. He saw more in common with many of the fiends, and offered
his services as an assassin and spy for the demon armies. Before long, his
espionage left him impressed with the ways of the wyrms.
Araknos was willing to betray either side in order to preserve his own life,
but could not decide which group was most likely to survive the conflict.
A rakshasa rajah, Nur’Galthazar
the Blood Lord, discovered the spider’s bewilderment. The demon recognized
the spider as an important ally, a force the demon army could not afford to
lose. Confronting Araknos directly, the rajah offered him the chance to
participate in a dark ritual that promised to grant the spider a new kind of
power. Instead, the Blood Lord cursed the spider with vampirism, then sent him into the ranks of the dragons to satisfy his
bloodlust.
Furious at his betrayal, Araknos was determined to
fight the primal cravings of vampirism. He sought help from his fellow
spiders, and they formulated a bloodlike solution capable of holding his
appetite at bay. The satiated Araknos spent the final centuries of the age
fighting against the demons, even working alongside the dragons he had been
sent to kill. Eventually, though, the war ended and the dragons recognized
the spider lords as enemies. Araknos’ fellow spider lords could not obtain
the blood solution, and he was forced to hunt in order to survive.
Araknos travelled to Xen’Drik
to feed on the giants and explore his growing power. Once again time took its
turn, and the centuries strolled by. Araknos survived two planar incursions
and observed the rise of the common races with disinterest. His life did not
change until one century ago, when a brash young silver dragon named Immirah found the fragments of the Prophecy regarding the
spiders’ supposed doom. Curious, Immirah
investigated the stories and grew angry when he discovered that the ancient wyrms had hidden this information from the younger
dragons. As a member of the Chamber he believed fervently in the importance
of the Prophecy, and was sickened by the thought of a force actively trying
to disrupt it.
Eventually, Immirah followed the hints of the
Prophecy to Araknos’ lair in Xen’Drik. The dragon
was too arrogant to think that a giant spider could pose any threat to him,
and Araknos quickly took advantage of this ignorance. Fascinated to see a
dragon after so many years, though, Araknos did not kill Immirah.
Instead, he kept him prisoner. Through coercion and torture, Araknos learned
much about the dragons’ lives on Argonnesen. In the
process, he made another discovery. Apparently, the potions brewed by his
brethren during the Age of Fiends had always contained dragon blood. A single
bite of blood from the silver dragon was enough to satisfy Araknos’ hunger
for months.
Immirah is still a captive in the depths of Araknos’ lair, chained to the
ancient temple walls in human form. Tormented by his act of recklessness, Immirah curses his stupidity and waits for a chance to
exact his vengeance. Araknos still guards his prisoner, sharing any new
information with the other Lords of False Presage. As he bides his time and
deepens his knowledge of Argonnessen, Araknos
dreams of the day when he will drink the blood of entire dragon armies.
Araknos the Vampire Lord
Vampire Lord Spider Lord Ranger 3 / Fighter 2
Huge Undead
Hit Dice: 16d12+16 plus 3d8+3 plus 2d10+2 (149 hp)
Initiative: +12 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 34 (-2 size, +8 Dex,
+18 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 26
Base
Attack/Grapple: +21/+44
Attack: Bite +34 melee (3d6+15/19-20/x2 plus poison and energy drain)
Full
Attack: Bite +34 melee (3d6+15/19-20/x2 plus poison and
energy drain) and slam +29 melee (2d6+22 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special
Attacks: Poison, web, minions, hypnosis, spell-like
abilities, blood drain, children of the night, dominate, create spawn, energy
drain
Special
Qualities: Darkvision 60ft.,
damage reduction 10/-, low-light vision, tremorsense,
nondetection, spell resistance 17, alternate form,
fast healing 8, gaseous form, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10,
spider climb, turn resistance +8, control weather, wild empathy, favoured
enemy (Outsiders (native))
Saves: Fort +25, Ref +30, Will +23
Abilities: Str 41, Dex 26,
Con -, Int 27, Wis 26, Cha 29
Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +37, Hide +30, Intimidate +17, Jump +22,
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge
(Geography) +15, Listen +40, Move Silently +38, Search +23, Sense Motive +39,
Spot +40
Feats: Alertness (B), Cleave, Combat Expertise (B), Combat Reflexes, Dodge
(B), Endurance (B), Great Fortitude, Precise Shot, Improved Critical (Bite),
Improved Initiative (B) Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Iron Will (B),
Leadership (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Mobility, Power Attack, Spring
Attack, Track (B), Rapid Shot (B), Whirlwind Attack (B)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge
Rating: 23
Treasure: Quadruple standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Araknos speaks the language of the Spider Lords as
well as Giant, Infernal and Draconic
Combat
When threatened, Araknos almost always begins combat by immobilising foes
with his web attacks. Using the time he has before his opponents break free,
he will use his abilities to call allies to him and then moves in to feed on
his helpless, overrun prey.
Hypnosis (Su): A combination of the Araknos’
unusual language and subtle hypnotic patterns in their eyes allows him to
seize the mind of weaker beings. This hypnosis is a full round action that
provokes an attack of opportunity, and can affect all creatures within 30ft
with up to half the HD of Araknos. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 23
Will save or be affected as if by a charm
monster spell. In addition, affected creatures with less than 6 HD are
subject to a daze effect. The save
DC is Charisma-based.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary
damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Minions
(Ex): Tiny spiders are attracted to the lair of Araknos,
and using his hypnotic language he can call these spiders to swarm against
his foes. Three times per day as a standard action, Araknos can call 2d6
spider swarms to fight for him. The swarms gather in areas chosen by Araknos
on his next turn, but cannot be more than 60ft from him. The spider swarms
fight to the death unless otherwise instructed by Araknos.
Web
(Ex): Spider Lords often wait in their webs or in trees,
then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing
beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one
creature of the same size. Spider Lords can throw a web eight times per day.
This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet,
with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one
size category larger than the Spider Lord. An entangled creature can escape
with a successful Escape Artist check DC 21 or burst it with a Strength check
DC 25. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and
the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
Spider Lords often create sheets of sticky webbing
from 5 to 50 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying
creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures
must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble
into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to
escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has
something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14
hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.
A Spider Lord can move across its own web at its
climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Nondetection (Sp): Araknos is subject to a permanent nondetection effect as the spell, except that no checks
are allowed to bypass the effect.
Spell-like
abilities: At will – message; 3/day – invisibility,
darkness; 1/day – prying eyes, sending. Caster level 16th.
The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Blood
Drain (Ex): Araknos can suck blood from a living victim
with his fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, he
drains blood, dealing 1d4+2 points of Constitution drain each round the pin
is maintained. On each such successful attack, Araknos gains 5 temporary hit
points.
Children
of the Night (Su): Araknos can command the lesser
creatures of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms,
1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. These
creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and Araknos until released. Furthermore, the
vampire lord can sense through the senses of any such commanded creatures,
and communicate empathically with them, to a range of 10 miles.
Dominate
(Su): Araknos can crush an opponent’s will just by
looking onto his or her eyes or speaking foul words. The vampire must use a
standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. If Araknos
is using its voice, the target must be able to hear the vampire lord's voice
when it speaks at a normal volume level.
Anyone Araknos targets must succeed on a Will save
or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate
person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet.
Create
Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by
Araknos’ energy drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial.
If Araknos instead drains the victim’s Constitution
to 0 or lower, the victim also returns as a vampire. In either case, the new
vampire is under the command the Spider Lord and remains enslaved until its
master’s destruction. At any given Araknos may have enslaved spawn totalling
no more than 42 individuals; any spawn he creates that would exceed this
limit are created as free-willed vampires. A vampire that is enslaved may
create and enslave spawn of its own, so Araknos can control a number of
lesser vampires in this fashion. Araknos may voluntarily free an enslaved
spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire cannot be
enslaved again.
Energy
Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by Araknos’ slam
attack or bite attack gain three negative levels. For each negative level
bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. Araknos can use its
energy drain ability once per round.
Alternate
Form (Su): Araknos can assume the form of any animal,
as the druid ability wild shape
used by a 12th-level druid. Araknos can use this power at will as a
move-equivalent action. The vampire lord can change from one animal shape to
another without having to revert to its spider form.
Fast
Healing (Ex): Araknos heals 8 points of damage each round
so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat,
it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach
its coffin home within 24 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to
one hundred and eight miles in 24 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to a
vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a
vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer
helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.
Gaseous
Form (Su): As a standard action, Araknos can assume
gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain
gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.
Spider
Climb (Ex): Araknos can climb sheer surfaces as though
with a spider climb spell.
Control
Weather (Sp): Araknos can cast either control weather as a 12th-level
sorcerer at will.
Telekinesis
(Su): Araknos can use telekinesis
(caster level 12th) at will.
Telepathy
(Su): Araknos lord can communicate telepathically with
any living creature within 100 feet that has a language, and with any vampire
under its direct control to a range of 1 mile.
Favored Enemy (Ex): Araknos gains a +2 bonus on
Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these
skills against native outsiders. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon
damage rolls against such creatures.
To be continued.
|
