kinem
2014-08-02, 07:43 PM
Baernaloth, Darkest
Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Yugoloth)
Hit Dice: 24d8+216 (324 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 35 (+4 Dex, +8 natural, +13 insight), touch 27, flat-footed 31; AC 55 with Epic Mage Armor
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+27
Attack: Claw +27 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +27 melee (1d8+3) and bite +24 melee (2d8+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, cursing touch, darkest fluency (swift Dark Speech), divine spark, epic spells, heal wounds, magnify wounds
Special Qualities: AC bonus, damage reduction 15/epic and good, darkvision 60', immune to mind-affecting abilities, immune to daze or stun, immune to poison and acid, immune to energy drain, primal form, rejuvenation, resistance to cold 10, fire 10, and electricity 10, spell resistance 37, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +18, Will +23
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 28, Int 22, Wis 28, Cha 28
Skills: Bluff +36, Concentration +36, Intimidate +38, Hide +31, Knowledge (arcana) +43, Knowledge (history, the planes, religion) +33, Listen +36, Move Silently +31, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +43, Spot +36, Use Magic Device +36
Feats: Combat Casting, Dark Speech (ElE), Dark Whispers (ElE), Filthy Outburst (ElE), Improved Initiative, Multiattack [B], Power Attack, Spell Penetration [B], Quicken Spell-like Ability (insanity, 3/day)
Epic Feats: Epic Skill Focus (+10; Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft), Epic Spellcasting [B]
Environment: Gray Waste of Hades
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 22
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
Long, gangly limbs covered by purulent gray flesh; an over-sized, horned head with an odd mouth comprising nothing but teeth and tongue; distant, glazed yellow eyes dripping fluid - all these things are a baernaloth, yet it is more. The essence of the creature is callous detatchment; an unending, insatiable need for misery and affliction; a monster that methodically hurts and hinders other creatures.
Baernaloths sometimes have nightmares or even night hags as companions. They like to lair in twisted, forbidding towers in areas desolate even by the standards of the Gray Waste.
They rarely associate with other yugoloths, and are always found on the Gray Waste, never on Gehenna, where so many of the others have migrated. It is said that the baernoloths were the first yugoloths, and created the other races. Certainly, they are afforded a great deal of respect from other yugoloths (on the rare occasions when they meet) – far more than their physical or magical power would seemingly warrant.
All baernaloths are quite ancient. Although the arcanaloths are the scholars and record-keepers of the yugoloth ranks, baernaloths are said to be in the possession of mysterious and varied (and dangerous) secrets. They certainly seem to know more about fiends of all types, and lower-planar creatures in general, than any other singular source. On the other hand, most baernaloths have forgotten much of the ancient knowledge they once knew. It is said that the baernaloths used to be much more powerful in ancient days, perhaps as powerful as gods, but sacrificed that power for reasons best left unknown. It is also generally believed that a few baernaloths remain extremely powerful as they were in ancient times, but are now well hidden; these are seldom spoken of, but when they are, they are referred to as the Darkest Baernaloths.
Physically, the Darkest Baernaloths don't look any different from other baernaloths; it is rarely possible to know if a given baernaloth is one of the Darkest or not without fighting it. Nor does the term 'Darkest' refer to evil as such. They are called the Darkest because in planar cant, dark indicates that which is secret and mysterious. That certainly describes these creatures; only they know the truth of why the other baernaloths sacrificed most of their power while they did not, and of much else besides. As dangerous as they themselves are, the secrets they hold are potentially even more dangerous, and merely to inquire into such matters is likely to draw the attention of an ultroloth bent on destroying the offenders.
More than anything else, though, most baernaloths see their place in the scheme of things as bringers of misery and pain. They specialize in torture, not as a means of interrogation, but as agony for agony’s sake. Emotionlessly, coldly, they bring anguish upon others. Oftentimes they find means other than simple physical pain to accomplish this end. Baernaloths seem to relish foiling well-laid plans, spreading vicious lies, and revealing sinister secrets in order to cause dismay. All the while, these creatures of evil stare at their victims with a chillingly disturbing detachment. Baernaloths take no apparent pleasure in their work, yet certainly show no regret.
It is unusual, but not unknown, to see a baernaloth commanding a brigade of mixed fiends in a Blood War skirmish. Likewise, at least one baernaloth serves as advisor and confidant to the most prominent ultroloth masters. These non-hermitlike baernaloths are considered insane by others of their kind, but are the ones most often encounted by other creatures. These aberrant baernaloths are able to suppress their destructive urges well enough to work with and cooperate with others.
Baernaloths speak Abyssal, Draconic, and Infernal.
Combat:
In hand-to-hand combat, the baernaloth rakes with its savage claws and rears at its foes with its huge mouth. A baernoloth's natural attacks are considered epic and evil for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Baernaloths almost never use weapons or equipment of any kind, even magical items. They are not proficient with any weapons or armor.
Baernaloths do not summon other yugoloths. If seriously threatened, a baernaloth will teleport away.
Magnify wounds (Su): At will as a swift action, the creature can cause wounds to tear open painfully. This causes 6d6+24 damage to any foes of the baernaloth's choosing that have ever taken damage of any sort at any time in the past. There is no saving throw against this ability, but the targets must be within sight
Heal wounds (Su): Conversely, a baernaloth can instantly heal any or all damage that it inflicted with its claws and bite or its magnify wounds ability. This can be done at will as a free action with no range limit. It uses this ability to keep captives – and even foes in battle – alive so that the fiend can continue to inflict pain. Obviously, the baernaloth is intelligent enough to keep from using this ability in a way which puts itself in jeopardy (by healing its opponents too much, for example).
AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the baernaloth adds its Wisdom bonus +4 to its AC as an insight bonus. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the it is flat-footed. It loses this bonus when immobilized or helpless, when it wears any armor, when it carries a shield, or when it carries a medium or heavy load. This bonus does not stack with the monk ability, but its racial HD stack with monk levels to determine the total bonus as per monk levels.
Primal Form (Ex): Attempts by other creatures to assume the form of a baernaloth (such as via a shapechange spell) fail. A baernaloth is immune to polymorphing and shapechanging, even if it is willing. A darkest baernoloth is also immune to any transmutation of the body, such as petrification or disintegrate spells.
Divine Spark (Ex): A baernaloth's supernatural (but not spell-like) abilities function even in an antimagic field or dead magic zone. Also, it can be called with a gate spell, but not controlled.
Epic Spells: It can attempt to cast up to 2 epic spells per day; spellcraft +43, can take 10 on the check.
Typical Epic spells known: animus blast (spellcraft DC 50), crown of vermin (spellcraft DC 56), epic mage armor (spellcraft DC 46; +20 AC), rain of fire (spellcraft DC 50).
Spell-like abilities:
At will - antimagic field, blasphemy, charm monster (Will neg DC 23), contagion, deeper darkness, desecrate, displacement, discern lies, fear (Will partial DC 23), fly, greater command (Will neg DC 24), greater dispel magic, imprisonment (+27 touch, Will neg DC 28), insanity (Will neg DC 26), major image, mind blank (self only), persistent image, power word (any), suggestion (Will neg DC 23), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), true seeing, true strike, unholy aura.
3/day - miracle (it must pay any XP cost and/or provide the material component, if any), moment of prescience (max one casting active at a time).
Caster level 24 (as HD); saves are Charisma-based. Caster level increases to 25 (as HD+1) when using Dark Speech Power, which it typically does.
Cursing touch (Su): As a standard action, a Darkest baernaloth can bestow a greater curse on a victim by touch (+27 touch, Will neg DC 31 (Cha-based)). The curse typically takes one of the following forms: One ability score reduced to 1, a -6 penalty to 2 ability scores, a -8 penalty on most d20 rolls (attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks), or a 75% chance every round to take no action. The curse cannot be dispelled or removed with break enchantment or limited wish. A miracle or wish spell can remove a greater curse, as can remove curse cast by a spellcaster of at least 17th level.
Rejuvenation (Su): If a baernaloth is slain, it will re-appear 2d10 days later somewhere on the plane of Hades. However, a baernaloth with class levels permanently loses one level each time it rejuvenates. It can be ressurected in the same way as any other outsider before that happens.
Darkest Fluency (Ex): Baernaloths may be the originators of Dark Speech, and are certainly among the most proficient in its use. A Darkest baernaloth does not take ability damage when using Dark Speech or related feats (Filthy Outburst, Vile Whispers), is immune to all negative effects from such feats used by others, and can use Dark Speech or Dark Whispers as a swift action if it chooses to.
If used as a swift action, target creatures can attempt Will saves (DC 31, Cha based); if done as a standard action, there is no saving throw.
In addition to the normal uses of Dark Speech, as a free action it can use the Power component of Dark Speech to increase by 1 the caster level of a spell-like ability it casts.
It can use Filthy Outburst to insult living creatures within 60'. (Will neg DC 31, Cha-based, or no save); affected creatures are deafened for 24 rounds (as HD). Affected creatures take a -4 profane penalty on saves against evil spells or spell-like abilities and against any of the baernaloth's abilities.
Dark Whispers cause disturbing visions in the minds of living creatures within 30' who hear them. (Will neg DC 31, Cha-based, or no save). If it has fewer Hit Dice than the baernaloth, a target is staggered for 1d10 rounds; if it has at least as many Hit Dice, it is confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting supernatural effect.
Advancement: Increase SR by 1 for each class level.
Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Yugoloth)
Hit Dice: 24d8+216 (324 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 35 (+4 Dex, +8 natural, +13 insight), touch 27, flat-footed 31; AC 55 with Epic Mage Armor
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+27
Attack: Claw +27 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +27 melee (1d8+3) and bite +24 melee (2d8+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, cursing touch, darkest fluency (swift Dark Speech), divine spark, epic spells, heal wounds, magnify wounds
Special Qualities: AC bonus, damage reduction 15/epic and good, darkvision 60', immune to mind-affecting abilities, immune to daze or stun, immune to poison and acid, immune to energy drain, primal form, rejuvenation, resistance to cold 10, fire 10, and electricity 10, spell resistance 37, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +18, Will +23
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 28, Int 22, Wis 28, Cha 28
Skills: Bluff +36, Concentration +36, Intimidate +38, Hide +31, Knowledge (arcana) +43, Knowledge (history, the planes, religion) +33, Listen +36, Move Silently +31, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +43, Spot +36, Use Magic Device +36
Feats: Combat Casting, Dark Speech (ElE), Dark Whispers (ElE), Filthy Outburst (ElE), Improved Initiative, Multiattack [B], Power Attack, Spell Penetration [B], Quicken Spell-like Ability (insanity, 3/day)
Epic Feats: Epic Skill Focus (+10; Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft), Epic Spellcasting [B]
Environment: Gray Waste of Hades
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 22
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
Long, gangly limbs covered by purulent gray flesh; an over-sized, horned head with an odd mouth comprising nothing but teeth and tongue; distant, glazed yellow eyes dripping fluid - all these things are a baernaloth, yet it is more. The essence of the creature is callous detatchment; an unending, insatiable need for misery and affliction; a monster that methodically hurts and hinders other creatures.
Baernaloths sometimes have nightmares or even night hags as companions. They like to lair in twisted, forbidding towers in areas desolate even by the standards of the Gray Waste.
They rarely associate with other yugoloths, and are always found on the Gray Waste, never on Gehenna, where so many of the others have migrated. It is said that the baernoloths were the first yugoloths, and created the other races. Certainly, they are afforded a great deal of respect from other yugoloths (on the rare occasions when they meet) – far more than their physical or magical power would seemingly warrant.
All baernaloths are quite ancient. Although the arcanaloths are the scholars and record-keepers of the yugoloth ranks, baernaloths are said to be in the possession of mysterious and varied (and dangerous) secrets. They certainly seem to know more about fiends of all types, and lower-planar creatures in general, than any other singular source. On the other hand, most baernaloths have forgotten much of the ancient knowledge they once knew. It is said that the baernaloths used to be much more powerful in ancient days, perhaps as powerful as gods, but sacrificed that power for reasons best left unknown. It is also generally believed that a few baernaloths remain extremely powerful as they were in ancient times, but are now well hidden; these are seldom spoken of, but when they are, they are referred to as the Darkest Baernaloths.
Physically, the Darkest Baernaloths don't look any different from other baernaloths; it is rarely possible to know if a given baernaloth is one of the Darkest or not without fighting it. Nor does the term 'Darkest' refer to evil as such. They are called the Darkest because in planar cant, dark indicates that which is secret and mysterious. That certainly describes these creatures; only they know the truth of why the other baernaloths sacrificed most of their power while they did not, and of much else besides. As dangerous as they themselves are, the secrets they hold are potentially even more dangerous, and merely to inquire into such matters is likely to draw the attention of an ultroloth bent on destroying the offenders.
More than anything else, though, most baernaloths see their place in the scheme of things as bringers of misery and pain. They specialize in torture, not as a means of interrogation, but as agony for agony’s sake. Emotionlessly, coldly, they bring anguish upon others. Oftentimes they find means other than simple physical pain to accomplish this end. Baernaloths seem to relish foiling well-laid plans, spreading vicious lies, and revealing sinister secrets in order to cause dismay. All the while, these creatures of evil stare at their victims with a chillingly disturbing detachment. Baernaloths take no apparent pleasure in their work, yet certainly show no regret.
It is unusual, but not unknown, to see a baernaloth commanding a brigade of mixed fiends in a Blood War skirmish. Likewise, at least one baernaloth serves as advisor and confidant to the most prominent ultroloth masters. These non-hermitlike baernaloths are considered insane by others of their kind, but are the ones most often encounted by other creatures. These aberrant baernaloths are able to suppress their destructive urges well enough to work with and cooperate with others.
Baernaloths speak Abyssal, Draconic, and Infernal.
Combat:
In hand-to-hand combat, the baernaloth rakes with its savage claws and rears at its foes with its huge mouth. A baernoloth's natural attacks are considered epic and evil for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Baernaloths almost never use weapons or equipment of any kind, even magical items. They are not proficient with any weapons or armor.
Baernaloths do not summon other yugoloths. If seriously threatened, a baernaloth will teleport away.
Magnify wounds (Su): At will as a swift action, the creature can cause wounds to tear open painfully. This causes 6d6+24 damage to any foes of the baernaloth's choosing that have ever taken damage of any sort at any time in the past. There is no saving throw against this ability, but the targets must be within sight
Heal wounds (Su): Conversely, a baernaloth can instantly heal any or all damage that it inflicted with its claws and bite or its magnify wounds ability. This can be done at will as a free action with no range limit. It uses this ability to keep captives – and even foes in battle – alive so that the fiend can continue to inflict pain. Obviously, the baernaloth is intelligent enough to keep from using this ability in a way which puts itself in jeopardy (by healing its opponents too much, for example).
AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the baernaloth adds its Wisdom bonus +4 to its AC as an insight bonus. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the it is flat-footed. It loses this bonus when immobilized or helpless, when it wears any armor, when it carries a shield, or when it carries a medium or heavy load. This bonus does not stack with the monk ability, but its racial HD stack with monk levels to determine the total bonus as per monk levels.
Primal Form (Ex): Attempts by other creatures to assume the form of a baernaloth (such as via a shapechange spell) fail. A baernaloth is immune to polymorphing and shapechanging, even if it is willing. A darkest baernoloth is also immune to any transmutation of the body, such as petrification or disintegrate spells.
Divine Spark (Ex): A baernaloth's supernatural (but not spell-like) abilities function even in an antimagic field or dead magic zone. Also, it can be called with a gate spell, but not controlled.
Epic Spells: It can attempt to cast up to 2 epic spells per day; spellcraft +43, can take 10 on the check.
Typical Epic spells known: animus blast (spellcraft DC 50), crown of vermin (spellcraft DC 56), epic mage armor (spellcraft DC 46; +20 AC), rain of fire (spellcraft DC 50).
Spell-like abilities:
At will - antimagic field, blasphemy, charm monster (Will neg DC 23), contagion, deeper darkness, desecrate, displacement, discern lies, fear (Will partial DC 23), fly, greater command (Will neg DC 24), greater dispel magic, imprisonment (+27 touch, Will neg DC 28), insanity (Will neg DC 26), major image, mind blank (self only), persistent image, power word (any), suggestion (Will neg DC 23), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), true seeing, true strike, unholy aura.
3/day - miracle (it must pay any XP cost and/or provide the material component, if any), moment of prescience (max one casting active at a time).
Caster level 24 (as HD); saves are Charisma-based. Caster level increases to 25 (as HD+1) when using Dark Speech Power, which it typically does.
Cursing touch (Su): As a standard action, a Darkest baernaloth can bestow a greater curse on a victim by touch (+27 touch, Will neg DC 31 (Cha-based)). The curse typically takes one of the following forms: One ability score reduced to 1, a -6 penalty to 2 ability scores, a -8 penalty on most d20 rolls (attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks), or a 75% chance every round to take no action. The curse cannot be dispelled or removed with break enchantment or limited wish. A miracle or wish spell can remove a greater curse, as can remove curse cast by a spellcaster of at least 17th level.
Rejuvenation (Su): If a baernaloth is slain, it will re-appear 2d10 days later somewhere on the plane of Hades. However, a baernaloth with class levels permanently loses one level each time it rejuvenates. It can be ressurected in the same way as any other outsider before that happens.
Darkest Fluency (Ex): Baernaloths may be the originators of Dark Speech, and are certainly among the most proficient in its use. A Darkest baernaloth does not take ability damage when using Dark Speech or related feats (Filthy Outburst, Vile Whispers), is immune to all negative effects from such feats used by others, and can use Dark Speech or Dark Whispers as a swift action if it chooses to.
If used as a swift action, target creatures can attempt Will saves (DC 31, Cha based); if done as a standard action, there is no saving throw.
In addition to the normal uses of Dark Speech, as a free action it can use the Power component of Dark Speech to increase by 1 the caster level of a spell-like ability it casts.
It can use Filthy Outburst to insult living creatures within 60'. (Will neg DC 31, Cha-based, or no save); affected creatures are deafened for 24 rounds (as HD). Affected creatures take a -4 profane penalty on saves against evil spells or spell-like abilities and against any of the baernaloth's abilities.
Dark Whispers cause disturbing visions in the minds of living creatures within 30' who hear them. (Will neg DC 31, Cha-based, or no save). If it has fewer Hit Dice than the baernaloth, a target is staggered for 1d10 rounds; if it has at least as many Hit Dice, it is confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting supernatural effect.
Advancement: Increase SR by 1 for each class level.