[Creature] Du Súndavar Freohr!

[The Vorpal Tribble]

With the coming out of the Eragon movie trailor, thought I might make a go at something from the books.

(Btw, I've not used Tome of Magic before, so if the utterances aren't done right be sure to let me know)

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Alagaësian Shade

Medium Outsider (augmented humanoid, native)
Hit Dice: 12d8+72 (126 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (+7 dex, +2 leather armor, +4 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+23
Attack: Cursed blade +24 melee (1d8+9/19-20x2)
Full Attack: Cursed blade +24/+19/+14 melee (1d8+9/19-20x2) or 2 slams (1d6+8 )
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cursed blade, piercing mind, utterances
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 120 ft., fleeing spirits, heart's blow, low-light vision, spell resistance 24
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +13
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 24, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 17
Skills: Bluff +18, Diplomacy +11, Hide +22, Intimidate +18, Jump +23, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Move Silently +22, Ride +14, Search +18, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +18, Truespeak +18
Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will(B), Quick Draw, Power Attack
Environment: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

A shade appears much as its human host did before possession, though its hair gains the hue of fresh blood and the eyes glow red. As well, all the teeth extend and lengthen eerily. The host loses all excess body-weight, gaining a lean, athletic form. Though thin it possesses strength in excess of several strong men.

Shades were once sorcerers that command many types of spirits to achieve their biddings, some of which were wicked and evil. But sometimes, during summoning, the spirits that are called upon are stronger than the caller. When this happens, the mage relinquishes their control and the evil spirit takes command. Once the spirit has control of the person, it never leaves.

Shades speak Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Elven, and Infernal.

Combat
Shades are fond of setting ambushes for their victims, springing upon them unawares. They then have a tendency to toy with their victims, allowing them to realize their weakness and allowing hopelessness to set in before delivering the killing blow.

Cursed Blade: The shade's sword is a +1 longsword. On a critical hit the shade may channel a Curse as the spell upon his opponent.

Fleeing Spirits (Su): A shade that would otherwise be destroyed instead disipates and returns to the Spirit World to regenerate. It returns to a specially arranged locale in 2d4 days. Spells or abilities that drive out possessing spirits automatically kill the host if the spirits are forced to flee.

Heart's Blow (Ex): Those whom deal a verified critical hit with a piercing weapon may roll a second verification. If successful the shade is impaled through its heart and is permanently destroyed, releasing the possessing spirits which eat away at the body, leaving nothing behind. If the second verification fails treat the blow as a normal critical.

Piercing Mind (Su): Whenever a shade deals damage to a foe with a melee weapon the victim must succeed on a DC 19 will save or have his mind read as the Mind Probe power. On a successful mind reading a shade gains a +4 insight bonus to AC for 1 round against the attack of an opponent he mentally invaded the previous round. The shade also gains a +2 insight bonus on attack and damage rolls against this opponent for 1 round. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Utterances: A shade may speak utterances as a 12th level Truespeaker. The save DC's are Charisma-based.

Typical utterances known:

Lexicon of the Evolving Mind:
1st - Inertia Surge, Minor Word of Nurturing
2nd - Lesser Word of Nurturing, Strike of Might, Temporal Twist
3rd - Energy Negation, Greater Speed of the Zephyr, Moderate Word of Nurturing, Vision Sharpened
4th - Breath of Cleansing, Morale Boost, Spell Rebirth

Lexicon of the Crafted Tool:
1st - Keen Weapon
2nd - Analyze Item
3rd - Rebuild Item

Lexicon of the Perfected Map:
1st - Shockwave
2nd - Energy Vortex

[LordOfNarf]

pretty cool, I like the flavor, though I think that shade would be alot cooler as a template, so you could apply it to any humanoid. It is a good concept and well made though. As a truespeaker though, if it dosen't have a broach or the silver tounge, its sunk, get the best one it can afford. As far as I can tell, the utterances are right. BTW, can you direct me to said trailer?

[edit] i also always saw the shade as strong and smart, like unbelivably strong, so maybe 30 odd strength. I would say Undead, but its never really defined so its creative licence on your part. Also, i would think it smarter, and more Charismatic, since sorcery in Eragon is Cha based, just like in DnD. Since you are convincing spirits. (I'm Almost competely sure Paolini plays DnD, but thats a rant for another time....)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

pretty cool, I like the flavor, though I think that shade would be alot cooler as a template, so you could apply it to any humanoid. It is a good concept and well made though.

Yeah, thought it might might a good template, though then again as far as I can tell all shades were once humans.

BTW, can you direct me to said trailer?

Apparently it came along early! I'm downloading it as I type this.

Click here

i also always saw the shade as strong and smart, like unbelivably strong, so maybe 30 odd strength.

I thought maybe that to, but Eragon did manage to block some of its blows... really, the thing didn't come across as superhuman as they made out ;)

Might increase it though.

I would say Undead, but its never really defined so its creative licence on your part.

As far as I could tell it was just possessed body, mind and soul with evil spirits, and Eragon did manage to weasel into its mind, so in D&D terms that makes it non-undead... also, I didn't want to turn this into a vampire ;)

Also, i would think it smarter, and more Charismatic, since sorcery in Eragon is Cha based, just like in DnD. Since you are convincing spirits.

Maybe, maybe, but then again, it never really did anything that seemed to point to alot of smarts. The charisma though could probably do with a boost.

(I'm Almost competely sure Paolini plays DnD, but thats a rant for another time....)

Ooooh yeah, I know what you mean. I got the same impression myself.

[Bookman]

*applauds* that's great VT ;D

If I was playing D&D and DM'ing I'd SO use this ;)

Course it's just cause I like the flavor.....I can't PEACH the stats but idea wise.......it's cool :P

I doubt Paolini played actually........I can probably find out. ;)

*knows people who know people*

[LordOfNarf]

Yeah, thought it might might a good template, though then again as far as I can tell all shades were once humans.

Yeah, But an elf/rider.shade could be a truly fearsome thing to behold....

As far as I could tell it was just possessed body, mind and soul with evil spirits, and Eragon did manage to weasel into its mind, so in D&D terms that makes it non-undead... also, I didn't want to turn this into a vampire

Fromt he way durza died, I assumed it was kinda just balast (the body) and it was to "weigh" the spirits on the plane of reality, since its kinda one of those not-quite alive, not quite dead creatures, since its a living (I think) body, possesed by a non-living non-dead spirit. As I said before, Creative licence.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Yeah, But an elf/rider.shade could be a truly fearsome thing to behold....

Well, as far as I know the shade doesn't gain the abilities of their former life... though the info given on them is rather vague.

possesed by a non-living non-dead spirit. As I said before, Creative licence.

A ghost can possess a body, but the creature itself is not undead, and this is practically the same thing.

[Tussy the Druid]

oooo Vorpal. Think you could make a playable character Shade sheet? Would be fun as hell.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

oooo Vorpal. Think you could make a playable character Shade sheet? Would be fun as hell.

A what exactly?

[Fireball.Man.Guy.]

Okay. The CR is 12, the LA is +4?!??! I'm no munchkin, but that seems a little low.

[The Demented One]

Okay. The CR is 12, the LA is +4?!??! I'm no munchkin, but that seems a little low.

Total ECL's 16. Remember, have to add in the HD.

[Fireball.Man.Guy.]

Oh.