TheJollyRotten
2011-07-31, 07:35 PM
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gilgamesh (also known as Bilgames in the earliest text) was the fifth king of Uruk (Early Dynastic II, first dynasty of Uruk), ruling 126 years, according to the Sumerian king list. He was said to be contemporary with some of the earliest archaeologically-known figures, placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of Nippur. Gilgamesh is the central character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the greatest surviving work of early Mesopotamian literature. In the epic his father was Lugalbanda and his mother was Ninsun (whom some call Rimat Ninsun), a goddess. In Mesopotamian mythology, Gilgamesh is credited with having been a demigod of superhuman strength who built a great city wall to defend his people from external threats and travelled to meet Utnapishtim, the sage who had survived the Great Deluge.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is credited with the building of the legendary walls of Uruk. An alternative version has Gilgamesh telling Urshanabi, the ferryman, that the city's walls were built by the Seven Sages. In historical times, Sargon of Akkad claimed to have destroyed these walls to prove his military power..
Fragments of an epic text found in Me-Turan (modern Tell Haddad) relate that at the end of his life Gilgamesh was buried under the river bed. The people of Uruk diverted the flow of the Euphrates passing Uruk for the purpose of burying the dead king within the river bed.
It is generally accepted that Gilgamesh was a historical figure, since inscriptions have been found which confirm the historical existence of other figures associated with him: such as the kings Enmebaragesi and Aga of Kish. If Gilgamesh was a historical king, he probably reigned in about the 26th century BC. Some of the earliest Sumerian texts spell his name as Bilgames. Initial difficulties in reading cuneiform resulted in Gilgamesh making his re-entrance into world culture in 1891 as "Izdubar".
In most texts, Gilgamesh is written with the determinative for divine beings (DINGIR) - but there is no evidence for a contemporary cult, and the Sumerian Gilgamesh myths suggest that deification was a later development (unlike the case of the Akkadian god kings). Over the centuries there was a gradual accretion of stories about him, some probably derived from the real lives of other historical figures, in particular Gudea, the Second Dynasty ruler of Lagash (2144–2124 BC).
Epic of Gilgamesh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Epic of Gilgamesh is epic poetry from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much later. The most complete version existing today is preserved on 12 clay tablets from the library collection of 7th-century BC Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. It was originally titled He who Saw the Deep (Sha naqba i-muru) or Surpassing All Other Kings (Shu-tur eli sharri-).
The story revolves around a relationship between Gilgamesh (probably a real ruler in the late Early Dynastic II period ca. 27th century BC) and his close companion, Enkidu. Enkidu is a wild man created by the gods as Gilgamesh's equal to distract him from oppressing the citizens of Uruk. Together they undertake dangerous quests that incur the displeasure of the gods. Firstly, they journey to the Cedar Mountain to defeat Humbaba, its monstrous guardian. Later they kill the Bull of Heaven that the goddess Ishtar has sent to punish Gilgamesh for spurning her advances.
The latter part of the epic focuses on Gilgamesh's distressed reaction to Enkidu's death, which takes the form of a quest for immortality. Gilgamesh attempts to learn the secret of eternal life by undertaking a long and perilous journey to meet the immortal flood hero, Utnapishtim. Ultimately the poignant words addressed to Gilgamesh in the midst of his quest foreshadow the end result: "The life that you are seeking you will never find. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping." Gilgamesh, however, was celebrated by posterity for his building achievements, and for bringing back long-lost cultic knowledge to Uruk as a result of his meeting with Utnapishtim. The story is widely read in translation, and the protagonist, Gilgamesh, has become an icon of popular culture.
Content of the standard version tablets
Tablet one
The story starts with the introduction of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk. Gilgamesh, two-thirds god and one-third man, oppresses the city's citizens who cry out to the gods for help. For the young women of Uruk this oppression takes the form of a droit de seigneur — or "lord's right" — to newly married brides on their wedding night. For the young men it is conjectured that Gilgamesh exhausted them through games, tests of strength, or perhaps forced labour on building projects. The gods respond to the citizens' plea for intervention by creating an equal to Gilgamesh who will distract him from these objectionable activities. They create a primitive man, Enkidu, who is covered in hair and lives in the wild with the animals. He is spotted by a trapper, as he has been uprooting traps and thus ruining the trapper's livelihood. The trapper tells Gilgamesh of the man and seduces him with a skilled harlot. His seduction by Shamhat, a temple prostitute, is the first step in his civilization, and she proposes to take him back to Uruk after making love. Gilgamesh, meanwhile, has been having dreams that relate to the imminent arrival of a new companion.
Tablet two
Shamhat brings Enkidu to the shepherds' camp where he is introduced to a human diet and becomes the camp's night watchman. Learning from a passing stranger about Gilgamesh's treatment of new brides, Enkidu is incensed and travels to Uruk to intervene at a wedding. When Gilgamesh attempts to visit the wedding chamber, Enkidu blocks his way and they fight. After a fierce battle, Enkidu acknowledges Gilgamesh's superior strength and they become friends. Gilgamesh proposes that they journey together to the Cedar Forest to slay the monstrous demi-god Humbaba, in order to gain fame and renown. Despite warnings from both Enkidu and the council of elders, Gilgamesh will not be deterred.
Tablet three
The elders give Gilgamesh advice for his journey. Gilgamesh visits his mother, the goddess Ninsun, who seeks the support and protection of the sun-god Shamash for the two adventurers. Ninsun adopts Enkidu as her son, Gilgamesh leaves instructions for governing Uruk in his absence, and they embark on their quest.
Tablet four
Gilgamesh and Enkidu journey to the Cedar Forest. Every few days they make camp on a hill or mountain to perform a dream ritual. Gilgamesh has five terrifying dreams that involve falling mountains, thunderstorms, wild bulls, and a thunderbird that breathes fire. Despite similarities between the dream figures and earlier descriptions of Humbaba, Enkidu interprets all of the dreams as good omens, denying that any of the frightening images represent the forest guardian. As they approach the cedar mountain, they hear Humbaba bellowing and have to encourage each other not to be afraid.
Tablet five
The heroes enter the cedar forest and their fears return. Humbaba, the ogre-guardian of the Cedar Forest, insults and threatens them. He accuses Enkidu of betrayal, then vows to disembowel Gilgamesh and feed his flesh to the birds. Gilgamesh is afraid, but with some encouraging words from Enkidu the battle commences. The mountains quake with the tumult and the sky turns black. The god Shamash sends his 13 winds to bind Humbaba and he is captured. The monster pleads for his life, and Gilgamesh pities him. Enkidu, however, is enraged and asks Gilgamesh to kill the beast. Humbaba curses them both and Gilgamesh dispatches him with a blow to the neck. The two heroes cut down many cedars, including a gigantic tree that Enkidu plans to fashion into a door for the temple of Enlil. They build a raft and return home along the Euphrates with the giant tree and the head of Humbaba.
Tablet six
Gilgamesh rejects the advances of the goddess Ishtar because of her mistreatment of previous lovers like Dumuzi. Ishtar asks her father Anu to send Gugalanna the "Bull of Heaven" to avenge her. When Anu rejects her complaints, Ishtar threatens to raise the dead who will "outnumber the living" and "devour them". Anu becomes frightened and gives in. The bull of heaven (apparently the constellation Taurus) is led to Uruk by Ishtar, and causes widespread devastation. It dries up the reed beds and marshes, then dramatically lowers the level of the Euphrates river. It opens up huge pits in the ground that swallow 300 men. Enkidu and Gilgamesh attack and slay the beast without any divine assistance and offer up its heart to Shamash. When Ishtar cries out in agony, Enkidu hurls one of the bull's hindquarters at her. The city of Uruk celebrates, but Enkidu has an ominous dream.
Tablet seven
In Enkidu's dream, the gods decide that one of the heroes must die for slaying the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba. Despite the protestations of Shamash, Enkidu is marked for death. Enkidu considers the great door he fashioned for Enlil's temple, and curses it. He also curses Shamhat and the trapper for removing him from the wild. Then Shamash speaks from heaven, reminding Enkidu of how Shamhat fed and clothed him, and introduced him to Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh will bestow great honors upon him at his funeral, and will later wander the wild consumed with grief. Enkidu regrets his curses and blesses Shamhat, temporarily calmed. In a second dream, however, he sees himself being taken captive to the Netherworld by a terrifying Angel of Death. The underworld is a "house of dust" and darkness whose inhabitants eat clay and are clothed in bird feathers, supervised by terrifying beings. For twelve days, Enkidu's condition worsens. Finally, after a last lament that he could not meet a heroic death in battle, he dies.
Tablet eight
Gilgamesh delivers a long lamentation for Enkidu, in which he calls upon forests, mountains, fields, rivers, wild animals, and all of Uruk to mourn for his friend. Recalling their adventures together, Gilgamesh tears at his hair and clothes in grief. He commissions a funerary statue and provides valuable grave gifts from his treasury to ensure a favourable reception for Enkidu in the realm of the dead. A great banquet is held where the treasures are ceremonially offered to the gods of the Netherworld. There is a possible reference to the damming of a river before the text breaks off, which might suggest a riverbed burial as in the corresponding Sumerian poem, The Death of Gilgamesh.
Tablet nine
Tablet nine opens with Gilgamesh grieving for Enkidu and roaming the wild clothed in animal skins. Fearful of his own death, his object is to find the legendary Utnapishtim ("the Faraway"), and learn the secret of eternal life. Among the few survivors of the Great Flood, Utnapishtim and his wife are the only humans to have been granted immortality by the gods. Early in his travels, Gilgamesh crosses a mountain pass at night and encounters a pride of lions. He prays for protection to the moon god Sin before sleeping. Then, waking from an encouraging dream, he slays the lions and takes their skins for clothing. Eventually, after a long and perilous journey, Gilgamesh comes to the twin peaks of Mt Mashu at the ends of the earth. The entrance, which no man has ever crossed, is guarded by two terrible scorpion-men. After questioning him and recognising his semi-divine nature, they allow Gilgamesh to pass and travel through the mountains along the Road of the Sun. He follows it for twelve "double hours" in complete darkness. Managing to complete the trip before the sun catches up to him, Gilgamesh arrives in a garden paradise full of jewel-laden trees.
Tablet ten
Gilgamesh meets the alewife Siduri, who first believes Gilgamesh is a murderer from his dishevelled appearance, and tells her the purpose of his journey. Siduri attempts to dissuade him from his quest but sends him to Urshanabi, the ferryman, to help him cross the sea to Utnapishtim. Urshanabi is in the company of stone-giants. Gilgamesh considers them hostile and kills them. When he tells Urshanabi his story and asks for help, he is told that he just killed the only creatures able to cross the Waters of Death. The Waters of Death, analogous to the River Styx of Greek mythology, are deadly to the touch, so Urshanabi asks him to cut 300 trees and fashion them into punting poles. Finally, they reach the island of Utnapishtim. Utnapishtim sees that there is someone else in the boat and asks Gilgamesh who he is. Gilgamesh tells him his story and asks for help, but Utnapishtim reprimands him because fighting the common fate of humans is futile and diminishes life's joys.
Tablet eleven
The earliest Sumerian Gilgamesh stories date from as early as the Third Dynasty of Ur (2100 BC-2000 BC). The earliest Akkadian versions are dated to ca. 2000-1500 BC. The five extant Sumerian Gilgamesh stories do not include a separate account of his journey to Utnapishtim (Ziusudra in Sumerian), but they do refer to it. In a list of Gilgamesh's accomplishments, found in the story of his death, we read of his journey to meet Ziusudra and the cultic knowledge that he brought back to the people of Uruk. There is also a short description of the flood in the same context, as the gods debate whether to grant Gilgamesh eternal life like they did for Ziusudra. The "standard" Akkadian version, of course, included a complete flood story and was edited by Sin-liqe-unninni sometime between 1300 BC and 1000 BC. This longer flood story is, itself, based on the one contained in the Epic of Atrahasis (circa 1800 BC). (see Gilgamesh flood myth for references).
Gilgamesh argues that Utnapishtim is not different from him and asks him his story, and why he has a different fate. Utnapishtim tells him about the great flood. His story is a summary of the story of Atrahasis but skips the previous plagues sent by the gods. He reluctantly offers Gilgamesh a chance for immortality, but questions why the gods would give the same honor as himself, the flood hero, to Gilgamesh and challenges Gilgamesh to stay awake for six days and seven nights first. However, just when Utnapishtim finishes his words Gilgamesh falls asleep. Utnapishtim ridicules the sleeping Gilgamesh in the presence of his wife and tells her to bake a loaf of bread for every day he is asleep so that Gilgamesh cannot deny his failure. When Gilgamesh, after seven days, discovers his failure, Utnapishtim reprimands him and sends him back to Uruk with Urshanabi.
The moment that they leave, Utnapishtim's wife asks her husband to have mercy on Gilgamesh for his long journey. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a boxthorn-like plant at the very bottom of the ocean that will make him young again. Gilgamesh obtains the plant by binding stones to his feet so he can walk the bottom of the sea. He does not trust the plant and plans to test it on an old man's back when he returns to Uruk. Unfortunately he places the plant on the shore of a lake while he bathes, and it is stolen by a serpent. Gilgamesh weeps at the futility of his efforts, having now lost all chance of immortality. He then returns to Uruk, where the sight of its massive walls prompts him to praise this enduring work to Urshanabi.
Tablet twelve
This tablet is to a large extent an Akkadian translation of an earlier Sumerian poem, Gilgamesh and the Netherworld (also known as "Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld" and variants), although it has been suggested that it is based on an unknown version of that story. The contents of this last tablet are inconsistent with previous ones: Enkidu is still alive, despite having been killed off earlier in the epic. Because of this, its lack of integration with the other tablets, and the fact that it is almost a copy of an earlier version, it has been referred to as an 'inorganic appendage' to the epic. Alternatively, it has been suggested that "its purpose, though crudely handled, is to explain to Gil-gamesh (and the reader) the various fates of the dead in the Afterlife" as "an awkward attempt to bring closure", a connection between the Gilgamesh in the epic and the Gilgamesh as King of the Netherworld in Mesopotamian religion, or even "a dramatic capstone whereby the twelve-tablet epic ends on one and the same theme, that of "seeing" (= understanding, discovery, etc.), with which it began."
Gilgamesh complains to Enkidu that various objects he possessed (the tablet is unclear exactly what — different translations include a drum and a ball) fell into the underworld. Enkidu offers to bring them back. Delighted, Gilgamesh tells Enkidu what he must and must not do in the underworld in order to come back. Enkidu does everything he was told not to do. The underworld keeps him. Gilgamesh prays to the gods to give him his friend back. Enlil and Suen don’t bother to reply but Ea and Shamash decide to help. Shamash cracks a hole in the earth and Enkidu's ghost jumps out of it. The tablet ends with Gilgamesh questioning Enkidu about what he has seen in the underworld.
Roleplaying Notes
Used with permissiom from Farmboymdp
As seen in Farmboymdp thread at Wizards forum
Gilgamesh, the Warrior King
Male Strong 10/ Enforcer 3/ Dreadnaught 8/ Soldier 2; CR 23; Medium-size human; HD 10d8+30 plus 3d12+9 plus 8d12+24 plus 2d10+6; hp 189; Mas 20; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 21, touch 21, flat footed 19 (+9 class, +2 Dex); BAB +20; Grap +32; Atk +31 melee (1d8+11 nonlethal, unarmed), or +27 melee (1d8+11, unarmed), or +30 melee (1d6+15/17-20, scimitar), or +22 ranged; Full Atk +31/+26/+21/+16 melee (1d8+11 nonlethal, unarmed), or +27/+22/+17/+12 melee (1d8+11, unarmed), or +30/+25/+20/+15 melee (1d6+15/17-20, scimitar); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; AL Uruk, Enkidu; SV Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +8; AP 16; Rep +8; Str 26, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10.
Occupation: Adventurer (Bluff, Intimidate).
Skills: Bluff +8, Climb +14, Concentration +12, Craft (structural) +10, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +25, Jump +12, Knowledge (civics) +4, Knowledge (tactics) +5, Listen +5, Sense Motive +8, Spot +6, Survival +5, Swim +11.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Brawl, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Brawl, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Grapple, Improved Knockout Punch, Knockout Punch, Power Attack, Renown, Self-Improvement (Strength x3), Simple Weapons Proficiency, Strong Plus, Tough Plus, Weapon Focus (unarmed).
Talents:
Strong – Melee smash, improved melee smash, advanced melee smash, extreme effort, improved extreme effort, advanced extreme effort, improved melee critical (scimitar).
Tough – Remain conscious, fire resistance.
Enforcer – Sucker punch, lose it 1/day.
Dreadnaught – Fearless, stability, unhindered, ability surge 3/day, steamroller, master defender (+4), knockdown, heavy artillery.
Soldier – Weapon focus (scimitar), weapon specialization (scimitar).
Equipment: Mastercraft +1 scimitar, clothing.
Another Version
used with permissiom from Paolo
As seen in Paolo's thread at Dicefreaks
Gilgamesh
Cleric 7/Fighter 25/Ranger 10/Reaping mauler 5/Rogue 1
DvR0 (hero-deity)
Medium humanoid
Hit Dice
30 d10 + 17 d8 +1d6 + 480 (777 hp)
Initiative
+14 (+8,+6 dex)
Speed
30 ft
AC
33 (+7 armour, +5 bracers, +6 dex, +5 natural), touch 21, flat-footed 27
Base Attack/Grapple
+33/66
Attack
+ 49 touch, or + 55 greatclub (1d10 + 25 x2), or + 56 battleaxe (1d6 + 22 + 3d6 fire, x 3 + 9d6 fire); or + 45 shortbow (1d6 +4 x3) ranged, or spell +49 melee touch, or +41 ranged touch
Full Attack
+ 55/50/45/40 greatclub two-handed (1d10 + 32, 19-20 x2), or +56/51/46/39 battleaxe (1d6 +22 + 3d6 fire, x3 + 9d6 fire), or +53/48/43/38 (1d10 + 25 x2) (primary hand, greatclub) and +53/48 (1d6 +22 + 3d6 fire, x3 + 9d6 fire) (off-hand, battleaxe), or grapple (four grapple checks/round, 1d3 +14 + 6 every winning check, plus 1d8/round, plus 1d12 if opponent pinned), or +45/40/35/30 shortbow (1d6 + 4 x3) , or spell +49 melee touch, or +41 ranged touch
Space/Reach
5 ft. x 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks
Devastating grapple, Favored enemy, Sneak attack +1d6, Sleeper lock, Turn undead,
Special Qualities
Counter grapple, Divine bloodline, Evasion, Iron skin, Swift tracker, Trapfinding, Wild empathy, Woodland stride
Saves
Fort +43, Ref +28, Will +27.
Abilities
Str 39, Dex 23, Con 31, Int 13, Wis 19, Cha 30
Skills
Climb +24, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +20, Escape artist +21, Heal +9, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (religion) +11, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (the planes) + 6, Handle Animal+20, Intimidate +24, Jump +22, Ride +11, Swim +22, Hide +16, Listen +14, Move Silently +16, Search +11, Spot +14, Survival +14, Tumble +11, Use Rope +16,
Feats
Cleave, Clever wrestling, Combat expertise, Combat reflexes, Deflect arrows, earth’s embrace, Endurance, Improved bull rush, Improved critical (greatclub), Improved grapple, Improved initiative, Improved two weapon fighting, Improved unarmed strike, Leadership, Mobility, Power attack, Track, two weapon fighting, weapon focus (battleaxe), weapon focus (grapple), weapon focus (greatclub), weapon specialisation (greatclub), weapon specialisation (battleaxe), weapon specialisation (grapple)
Epic Feats
Epic fortitude, epic leadership, Epic prowess x2, Epic weapon specialisation (grapple), Epic weapon specialisation (Greatclub), Energy resistance (fire), Infinite deflection, Legendary wrestler, Penetrate damage reduction (adamantine), Penetrate damage reduction (cold iron), Spectral strike, Superior initiative
Climate/Terrain
Uruk, or any terrain
Organization
Solitary, or with Enkidu, or with servants
Challenge Rating
49
Treasure
standard in his palace at Uruk, and see possessions below.
Alignment
neutral (evil tendencies, shifted to good tendencies)
Notes
Due to his great strength and height (fully seven feet) Gilgamesh uses his greatclub one handed without any penalty, and he considers the battleaxe light when fighting two-handed.
Counter grapple :When grappling or pinned, Gilgamesh can attempt either a grapple check or an escape artist check opposed by his opponent's grapple check to free himself. If he fails the check he has chosen, he can immediately attempt the other check as a free action.
Devastating grapple : if Gigamesh pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for three consecutive rounds, the opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 19) at the end of the third round or die. A creature with no discernible anatomy is immune to the effect of this ability.
Divine bloodline :+1 hp per HD (es, 6,5 instead of 5,5 on a d10), immune to polymorphing, petrification or any form-altering attack, energy drain, ability drain and ability damage; +15 vs disease, poison, paralysis, death effects, disintegration; +10 vs binding, soul bind, temporal stasis, trap the soul; Spell resistance 35
Evasion : If Gilgamesh makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage.
Favored enemy : (evil outsider, aberration, abomination) Gilgamesh has a +6 bonus on bluff, listen, sense motive, spot and survival, and a +6 bonus on damage rolls, against evil outsiders. Those bonuses are at +4 versus aberrations and at +2 versus abominations.
Iron skin : Gilgamesh has an unnatural resilient skin, providing him +5 natural bonus on AC, damage reduction 5/- and energy resistance (all) 5
Sleeper lock: If Gigamesh pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for one full rounds, the opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 19) at the end of the round or fall unconscious for 1d3 rounds. A creature with no discernible anatomy is immune to the effect of this ability.
Swift tracker : Gilgamesh can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Trapfinding : Gilgamesh can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.
Turn undead : Gilgamesh turns or destroy undeads 13/day as a 7-level cleric, with a +2 bonus on turning check and 1d6 bonus on turning damage rolls.
Wild empathy: Gilgamesh can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person: he rolls 1d20 and adds +20 to determine the wild empathy check result. Gilgamesh and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. Gilgamesh can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Woodland stride : Gilgamesh may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
cleric spells/day (0-4) 6/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1. Caster level 7°. Save DC: 14 + spell level.
Bonus domains Glory (granted power: +2 bonus on turning check and 1d6 bonus on turning damage rolls), Strength (once per day, duration one round, +7 enhancement bonus to Strength. Activating the power is a free action)
Ranger spells/day (1-2) 2/2. Caster level 5. Save DC: 14 + spell level
Possession:
+5 greatclub (1d10, x2) of smiting (any critical hit dealt to a construct completely destroys it, any critical to an outsider deals x4 damage instead of x2), and mighty disruption (destroy undead if fails a fortitude save dc21)
+6 battleaxe of fiery blast
+4 shortbow
+5 leather armour (+2, max dex +6) of acid warding (absorbs the first 50 acid damage/round), with spikes on the surface, causing 1d8/round damage to opponents grappled or pinned by the wearer. The damage is considered to be epic for DR bypassing
+5 bracers of armour
TheJollyRotten
2011-07-31, 07:37 PM
Originally Posted by
Shade of the En World forums.
On this Thread
Imhotep, Unique Mummy
Publicity photo used in the movie poster for "The Mummy's Ghost"
A wrinkled old man stands before you. He looks almost too old to be alive. He introduces himself as Ares-Day and tells you that he has just found the entrance to a tomb, likely filled with treasure. He shows you the way and you feel compulsed to go with him.
Suddenly t his creature looks like a withered and dessicated corpse, with features hidden beneath centuries-old funeral wrappings. It leaps to its feet with surprising agility, and unhinges its jaw to an impossible length.
Imhotep was once a high priest of Osiris in the North Kingdom in Egypt. He fell in love with the pharoah's mistress, Anck-su-namun, and was caught making love to her. Anck-su-namun then killed the pharoah, before killing herself. Desperate to revive her, Imhotep read from the forbidden Book of the Dead.
Unfortunately, he was interrupted and captured, and Anck-su-namun fell dead once more. For his blasphemy, Imhotep was horribly cursed to live forever and sentenced to guard that which he had stolen for all eternity, the Scroll of Thoth.. He was then trapped in a sarcophogas and cast into a pit of detritus where he lay for centuries until a group of archeologists accidentally freed him.
Imhotep stands 6 1/2 feet tall and weigh about 180 pounds.
Imhotep speaks Common and any languages he has stolen with his thief of flesh ability. He also speaks any ancient dialects of the desert region in which he is found.
Imhotep
Medium Undead
Hit Dice 20d12+100 (230 hp)
Initiative +6
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class 35 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, +5 deflection, +8 bracers of armor +8), touch 17, flat-footed 33
Base Attack/Grapple +10/+22
Attack Slam +18 melee (1d8+12/19-20)
Full Attack 2 slams +18 melee (1d8+12/19-20)
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks Despair, mummy rot, rebuke undead 8/day (+7, 2d6+25, 20th), spell-like abilities, summon mummies, swarm breath, thief of flesh, Fear Aura, Domination
Special Qualities Aversion to cats, damage reduction 10/-, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 10, resistance to fire 20, spell resistance 30, +4 turn resistance, undead traits, unholy grace, unholy toughness, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +22
Abilities Str 26, Dex 15, Con -, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 20
Skills Bluff +28, Concentration +23, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +28 (+30 acting), Intimidate +16, Knowledge (arcana) +25, Knowledge (history) +25, Knowledge (religion) +25, Listen +28, Move Silently +25, Sense Motive +28
Feats Improved Critical (slam), Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Unarmed Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack
Environment Warm deserts
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 22
Treasure Standard plus possessions noted below
Alignment Always neutral evil
Advancement By character class
Level Adjustment -
Combat
Imhotep generally opens a battle by either summoning reinforcements (with his swarm breath or summon mummies abilities) or using his spell-like abilities. He then attempts to steal the most desirable body parts from his opponents. If things turn against him, he uses his swarm form to escape.
Despair (Su): At the mere sight of Imhotep, the viewer must succeed on a DC 25 Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by Imhotep's despair ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Fear Aura (Su): Imhotep is shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at him must succeed at a Will save or be affected as though by fear at caster level equal to his own.
Domination (Su): Imhotep can crush an opponent's will just by looking into their eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that Imhotep must take a standard action, and those merely looking at him are not affected. Anyone he targets must succeed a Will save or instantly fall under his influence as though Dominate Person had been cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. This ability has a range of 30 feet.
Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude DC 25, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Unlike normal diseases, mummy rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below.
Mummy rot is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with mummy rot must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.
To eliminate mummy rot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the mummy rot can be magically cured as any normal disease.
An afflicted creature who dies of mummy rot shrivels away into sand and dust that blow away into nothing at the first wind.
Rebuke undead (Su): Imhotep can rebuke or command undead as a 20th-level cleric.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will--gust of wind (DC 17), knock;
3/day--control water (DC 21), control winds (DC 20), wall of sand (see Player's Guide to Faerun);
1/day--animate objects, control weather.
Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Swarm Breath (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, Imhotep can unhinge his jaws and spew forth dangerous swarms of insects. He can use this breath weapon to create six swarms of flies (all of which must be created so that each swarm is adjacent to at least one other swarm, and at least one square must be adjacent to Imhotep). He may create these swarms so that they share the area of other creatures. The insects attack any creatures occupying the squares, and can pursue creatures that flee. If Imhotep so chooses, he may instead create a single swarm of scarab beetles with his breath weapon. Imhotep can create as many fly swarms as he wishes in a day, but may only create one scarab beetle swarm per day. Swarms created by his breath persist for 1 hour before dying.
Fly Swarm: hp 9; Treat as a spider swarm, with the following exceptions: Spd 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 40 ft. (perfect); no poison or tremorsense; Skills Listen +4, Spot +4.
Scarab Beetle Swarm: hp 127; Fiend Folio page 171.
Thief of Flesh (Su): Imhotep can steal the flesh or other body parts from a grappled creature and incororate it into his own form. The victim must succeed on a 25 Fortitude save or lose the body part of Imhotep's choice. The save DC is Charisma-based. The effects on the victim depend and the benefits imparted on Imhotep depend upon the parts stolen, as follows.
Eyes: The victim is permanently blinded, its eyeballs removed from its sockets. Imhotep gains the visual abilities (darkvision, low-light vision) of the victim, if better than his own.
Tongue: The victim is permanently muted, its tongue removed from its mouth. The victim cannot use verbal communication, spells or abilities requiring verbal components, or any other ability requiring speech. Imhotep gains the languages of the victim.
Skin: Imhotep steals portions of the victim's skin, absorbing it directly into himself, dealing 1d4 points of Charisma damage. Imhotep gains a +2 bonus on Disguise checks per 3 points of Charisma damage dealt, up to a maximum of +10 (which gives him a complete set of skin).
With the exception of skin, Imhotep cannot steal the same body part if he already possesses it. When first encountered, Imhotep usually lacks the above parts.
Summon Mummies (Sp): Once per day, Imhotep can automatically summon 3d4 pygmy mummies, 1d4 mummies, or 1d2 mummy lords. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.
Aversion to Cats (Ex): According to the ancients, cats are the guardians at the gates of the underworld. Imhotep must stay at least 30 feet from any cat or other feline creature, alive or dead; if already within 30 feet, he moves away. If Imhotep is unable to move away, or is attacked by cats or other feline creatures, he is overcome with revulsion. This revulsion reduces Imhotep's Dexterity score by 4 points until the he is no longer within 30 feet of a cat or other feline creature. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as the spell (caster level 20th).
Swarm Form (Su): Imhotep is able to turn into a swarm of flies, beetles, or sand. See the swarm-shifter template in Libris Mortis for more details.
Unholy Grace (Su): Imhotep adds his Charisma modifier as a bonus on all his saving throws and as a deflection bonus to his Armor Class. (The statistics block already reflects these bonuses).
Unholy Toughness (Ex): Imhotep gains a bonus to his hit points equal to his Charisma modifier x his Hit Dice.
Possessions: Bracers of armor +8, major ring of energy resistance (fire).
Scroll or Thoth (SU): Imhotep is bound to the Scroll of Thoth. This is both a blessing and a curse to him. The scroll is kept in the Box of Amon-Ra, and Imhotep is inactive until the box is disturbed and the scroll taken. If this happens, Imhotep's soul is brought back to his mummified body and he animates 5 minutes later. After he rises, he makes his way to the scroll and must kill the opener(s) of the box. After he successfully kills all defilers of the box, he is free and may carry out his own will. Imhotep cannot be killed as long as the scroll remains, even if brought to 0 hp. The only way to kill him is to destroy the scroll. Since Imhotep always carries the scroll on him, this can be difficult. The scroll allows Imhotep to create living mummies 3/day. In order to create a living mummy, Imhotep must kill a living victim and mutter incantations from the scroll, taking 10 minutes to complete.
Familiar: Imhotep has a cat familiar, its name is unknown.
Using Imhotep in a Real-World Egyptian Setting
The version of Imhotep presented above is designed to fit in with a standard D&D campaign and keep him on par with other creatures of his CR. If you are playing in a setting more like real-world Egypt (such as in D20 Modern), make the following changes:
-Imhotep speaks Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Hebrew, Ancient Greek, Hittite, Nubian, and Assyrian.
-Eliminate the bracers of armor from his possessions, reducing his Armor Class to 27.
-Imhotep does not gain the victim's languages when using his thief of flesh ability to steal its tongue.
-You may want to apply the aversion to cats special quality to other undead in such a campaign.
Living Mummy (template):
Living mummies are similar to normal mummies, but lacking in some of their special attacks.
Creating a Living Mummy:
Living mummy is a template that can be added only to medium-sized humanoids. A living mummy has all the base creature's characteristics except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead
Hit Dice: All the creature's Hit Dice become d12s.
Speed: Unchanged
AC: +6 natural armor bonus or the base creature's natural armor bonus, whichever is higher.
Attacks: a mummified creature gains a slam attack if it did not already have one.
Damage: The base damage for the living mummy's Slam attack is 1d8. Use this or the base creature's damage, whichever is higher.
Special Attacks: a living mummy gains Fear Aura (described above) in addition to any it possesses.
Special Qualities: a living mummy gains Undead Traits, Damage Reduction 5/+1 and Resistant to Blows.
Abilities: +3 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Wis, +4 Cha, since it is undead, a living mummy has no Constitution score.
Climate/Terrain: Any Desert
Challenge Rating: Base Creature +2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Level Adjustment: +3
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