Halloween Eclipse Part II – Lord Goth

Anek Borez, A.K.A “Lord Goth”

Eighth Level (ex-)Human Knight of Hades (ECL 12)

   Over the years, Lord Borez had defeated many demons, undead, and other horrors. He had aided in the defense of the realm in disputes with the neighboring realms. He had risen to be one of the most respected knight-protectors of the kingdom, even if he had become… more than a bit rigid and authoritarian as he aged. That was hardly unusual. Humans do that, and the elders provide a useful stabilizing influence in their lands and cultures.

   Over the years he had married, and had a family. He had been blessed with strong and healthy children – valiant sons and charming daughters, most of them as noble and firm of purpose as he himself.

   Most of them.

   One young daughter in particular was much more inclined to chaos, even if she was good. When her father forbade her to continue seeing a young nobleman from one of the neighboring (and far more chaotic) states she saw nothing wrong with eloping with the young man and skipping over the border.

   Borez was outraged at the disobedience, at the violation of his values, and at the prospect of a marriage-alliance with a nation and a house which he had fought in the past and which he continued to despise. What was the use of defending the realm if young villains were to be allowed to steal away his children?

   He took his most loyal men and best mounts and gave chase, even if that meant defying attempts by the royal guard to stop him and punching past the neighboring states border guards – only to find the young man violating his daughter when he located their campsite.

   When the blind rage was past, both the young noble and his daughter (who had attempted to stop her fathers murderous attack) were dead by his sword – and Borez refused to believe that it was unjustified, or even that he could have been wrong. If he had been wrong… then he was a murderer and a kinslayer, and that simply could not be true.

   By the time the ensuing war was over, thousands were dead, including most of his sons – and Borez had become a bloody-handed war criminal, savagely “avenging his daughter’s death” upon people who had nothing to do with it.

   When they finally dragged him to the scaffold, he swore bloody vengeance for that “injustice” upon everyone who had “betrayed him”. If the light too was going to betray him by failing to give him the “justice” that he demanded, then he would turn to the darkness.

   He descended into the darkness – first of death, and then of the lower planes – like a falling star, burning crimson with rage and innocent blood.

   His new lords were pleased indeed. Few fell so far – or so terribly. They bestowed equally terrible gifts upon him, and returned him to the mortal world to wreak his vengeance over and over again.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

   Long decades later, Borez surveyed his new body… Evidently the cultists had sacrificed a young man to provide it. Well, it was always fun having a youthful physical body again!

   And he had his mission. Spirits of darkness were being unleashed upon the world to possess corpses and raise them as undead, to spread chaos and misery, and to trouble the realm. They needed direction and organization. This sorry little cult needed to be built into a tool of terror worthy of the lower planes. The descendants of his old enemies needed to be hunted down and either corrupted or enslaved and sent screaming into the darkness.

   He would have his revenge!

   Currently Borez can usually be found “in disguise” as a startlingly handsome, languid, young man dressed in fine black clothing, sporting fancifully-jeweled “unholy symbols”, surrounded by youthful acolytes, and acting like the worst poseur in history. Of course, this is a superficial guise – but it still makes it easy for him to recruit bored young nobles and rebellious adolescents for his witch-coven in the service of the dark powers. As a side-benefit, it allows him to enjoy drinking, eating good meals, and disporting himself with his young recruits – all the pleasures which he foolishly denied himself before his fall.

   If it comes to a fight, he will spend two Power and use the Nightforge ability to create a full suit of adamant full plate armor – and possibly a weapon if his greatsword is too unwieldy for the available space – on the spot. Fortunately, Theurgy is not affected by armor, since it’s purely verbal.

   Borez is actually significantly lower level than I would normally have made a Knight of Hades; I would have preferred about level twelve as a base – but there was a request in for one of this level. The version below is, however, pretty heavily optimized; if they player characters aren’t, an encounter with Borez is likely to be pretty dangerous or lethal. Gods help them if he manages to lay an ambush and has his various minions ready.

   Anek Borez

   Human Racial Abilities:

• Bonus Feat: Used to upgrade Fast Learner to plus two skill points per level (3 CP) and to allow him to buy one daily use of Channeling (3 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills for +2 SP/Level.

   Knight Of Hades Template (from yesterday).

   Rithian Blademaster Package Deal (0 CP):

   The Rithian Blademasters are one of the oldest and most respected warrior-orders of the western realm. While they have several rival schools, the purity of the Rithian techniques is unquestioned and the honor of their school has been fiercely maintained across the centuries. More than a few great champions have come from their halls. They will NOT be pleased to hear that an undead horror is using, and abusing, their techniques, and will certainly sponsor efforts to eliminate such a dishonor.

• Block/Melee (4 CP) with Multiple (4 CP) and Riposte (4 CP), all Corrupted/only usable while using a sword.

   A Rithian-trained fighter can attempt (by spending an Attack of Opportunity and making a DC 20 Reflex Save) to block up to sixty points of damage from a successful melee attack up to twice per round – and if they do successfully block an attack (and have another Attack of Opportunity available to use), they get an immediate counterstrike at their full BAB. Given Borez’s horrific Reflex save, he can generally pretty well count on deflecting two melee attacks – and getting two extra attacks of his own – every round that he’s in melee as long as his opponents can hit him at all.

   Available Character Points: 216 (level eight base) +10 (Disadvantages; ) +16 (Duties: originally to his native realm, now service to his dark lords) +16 (Fast Learner, Specialized in BAB) +18 (L1, L3, and L6 Bonus Feats) = 276 CP.

   Basic Attributes:

	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
Rolled	17	16	—	18	16	17
Level	+1	—	—	—	—	+1
Template	—	—	—	—	—	+4
Magic	+2	+2	—	—	—	+2
Total	20	18	—	18	16	24

   Well, those were some REALLY good rolls there. While I’m being generous, and rolling 5d6k3 for major villains – on the theory that they have to have some advantage to have managed to rise to that status – random chance has done very well by Borez here.

   Basic Abilities (148 CP):

• Hit Points: 12 (L1d12, 8 CP) + 36 (L2-8 d8, 32 CP) +4 (1d4 Bonus HD, 8 CP) +63 (9 x Cha Mod) = 115.
  • Borez always relied more on his ability to block attacks than on raw hit points, but as a Knight of Hades he isn’t doing too badly on the hit point front either. The bonus hit die does add a few hit points, but – rather more importantly – gets his effective level up to nine for his witchcraft, for his inherent spells (the minimum needed to use his fifth level effects), and for using his Channeling abilities.
• BAB +8 (48 CP)
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: Not applicable.
  • Reflex: +8 (Purchased, 24 CP) +4 (Dex) +7 (Cha) +1 (Resistance) = +20
  • Will: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP) +3 (Wis) +7 (Cha) +1 Resistance = +13
    • When “Berserk” add another +2 to Saves.
• Proficient with Light and Medium Armor with the Smooth modifier, Specialized/only to eliminate the Armor Check Penalty (13 CP), Proficient with All Simple and Martial Weapons (9 CP).

   Combat Information:

• Initiative: +6
• Move: 90′
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +4 (Dex) +8 (Armor) +4 (Shield) +3 (Natural) +1 (Martial Art) = 30
• Usual Weapons:
  • Greatsword: +25/+25/+20 (+8 BAB +5 Str +7 Cha +4 Martial Art +1 Magic), for 4d6+19+1 Con Damage (2d6 Base +2d6 Negative Energy [+5 Str +7 Cha]x1.5 +1 Magic), Crit 19-20/x2.
  • Longsword: +25/+25/+20 (+8 BAB +5 Str +7 Cha +4 Martial Art +1 Magic), for 1d8+2d6+13+1 Con Damage (1d8 Base +2d6 Negative Energy +5 Str +7 Cha), Crit 19-20/x2. Usually adamant, since he simply creates these as needed.
  • Unarmed Attack: +24/+24/+19 (+8 BAB +5 Str +7 Cha +4 Martial Art), for 1d4+2d6+12+1 Con Damage (1d4 Base +2d6 Negative Energy +5 Str +7 Cha), Crit 20/x2.
  • Composite Longbow: +12/+12/+7 (+8 BAB +4 Dex), for 1d6+12 (1d8 Base +5 Str +7 Cha), Crit 20/x3.
    • Martial Arts: Automatically trips opponents on critical hits, +5′ Reach, may make up to six melee attacks as touch attacks in any one week.
    • When “Berserk” add +6 to hit, one iterative attack at -10, and +2 damage (+3 with Greatsword).

   Other Abilities:

   Advanced Blademaster Training (24 CP):

• Block/Missile (4 CP), Corrupted/only usable while using a sword.
• Immunity/the distinction between weapons and himself (Common, Minor, Major, Specialized in Swords, 3 CP). For true blademasters, their weapons are truly extensions of themselves; attempts to sunder or disarm them are simply treated as normal attacks against hem, and any touch-based powers and “unarmed” combat enhancements or martial arts which they may possess operate through their blades.
• Reflex Training/Combat Reflexes Variant (6 CP). He gets five attacks of opportunity per round.
• Improved Initiative +2 (3 CP).
• Immunity/Penalties for wearing armor (Very Common, Minor, Trivial, Specialized in eliminating Dexterity Bonus Caps – raising them by +2) (2 CP). With this ability, and the Chitin Mail effect below, Borez essentially suffers no penalties for wearing full plate armor.
• Fast Learner, Specialized in BAB for Double Effect (+2 CP/Level) (6 CP).

   The Lesser Mastery (10 CP):

   Powerful enchanted objects are rare and expensive, while few men possess the potential to wield the greater magics – but a great many people can learn a few techniques for channeling ambient magical energy into enhancing their abilities.

• Innate Enchantment: 11,000 GP effective value, Specialized/all effects are represented by exotic sigils on the skin, his innate magics block the effects of spells and powers that would normally supersede the bonuses they grant, and adding or upgrading enchantments requires strange and exotic ingredients (6 CP). All of his innate enchantments are Spell Level One, Caster Level One, Unlimited-Use Use-Activated, and Personal-Only where relevant. The effects include:
  • Chitin Mail: L1 Transmutation. For one minute per level of the caster whatever armor the user is wearing is treated as being one armor category lighter. The maximum dexterity bonus increases by two, the armor check penalty is reduced by two, arcane spell failure goes down by 15% (to a minimum of 5%), and the speed penalty is eliminated (1400 GP).
  • Enhanced Attributes/+2 Each to Str, Dex, and Cha (4200 GP).
  • Light Foot: L1 Transmutation. The user becomes extremely light on his or her feet, gaining a +30 circumstance bonus on his or her ground movement speed, a +10 circumstance bonus on jump checks, and DR 10 versus Falling Damage [only], for 1d6+2 rounds. The user is, however, considered one size category smaller in a Bull Rush, Grapple, Trip, or Overrun situation (1400 GP).
  • Personal Haste: Provides +30′ Movement and +1 attack at the user’s full BAB when making a full attack (2000 GP).
  • Shield: Provides a +4 Shield Bonus to AC and protects against Magic Missiles (2000 GP).
• Immunity to Dispelling, Antimagic, and Countermagic (Common/Minor/Great. Specialized in protecting innate enchantments only, Corrupted/only covers powers in this package (4 CP)
• A great many campaigns will limit characters to 11,000 GP worth of Innate Enchantments – enough to grant characters some interesting and useful powers, and to make them considerably more likely to survive at lower levels, but not enough to make any really major changes at high levels. This batch of abilities would normally cost 880 XP to activate – but we don’t really need to worry about that in an NPC.

   Blessings of the Darkness (24 CP).

   Long decades of service and honor as a mortal had earned Borez several blessings – some modest portion of the powers of a true Paladin. Of course – as often happens when a mortal finds such a path too difficult to follow and turns to darkness – the powers of the lower planes were more than happy to replace those lost blessings.

• Improved Augmented Bonus: May add his (Cha Mod) to his Reflex Saving Throws, Specialized/only works as long as he continues to enjoy the favor of the dark powers (6 CP).
• Improved Augmented Bonus: May add his (Cha Mod) to his Will Saving Throws, Specialized/only works as long as he continues to enjoy the favor of the dark powers (6 CP).
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses (12 CP).

   The Lure of the Night (Net 12 CP):

   This isn’t a tremendous amount of power – although the ability to simply create his weapons and armor on the spot is pretty handy – but it is a good deal more than most villagers ever get, it’s fairly versatile, and it can be used without destroying his disguise. It’s also something that he can offer to teach new recruits. Besides, the small illusions – and the ability to deceive divination effects – both come in very handy in masking his true nature.

• Witchcraft III (18 CP). Total Power 30, Save DC 20.
• Pacts: Spirit, Souls, Gateway, and Hunted (-24 CP).
• Basic Abilities: The Adamant Will, Elfshot, Glamour, The Hand of Shadows, The Inner Eye, Shadowweave, and Witchsight.
• Advanced Witchcraft: +3d6 Power (6 CP), The Path of Darkness/Nightforge (one power to create 20 pounds of “adamant” for one hour, 6 CP) and The Dark Flame (one power for +6 Charisma for ten minutes, 6 CP).

   Minor Abilities (25 CP):

   OK, here we have some little stuff that really isn’t part of any of the other packages.

• Unholy Inspiration: +(Cha Mod) daily uses of Channeling (3 CP).
• Hardening Exercises: This buys off the Corruption on his natural damage reduction versus physical damage, taking it from 10/magic to 10/- (4 CP).
• Might of the Inferno: Berserker, +4 BAB and +4 Cha for ten rounds (1 + Level/3, currently four) times per day. Note that, as a cold-hearted Undead, Borez is immune to the mental-focusing effects of invoking this power.
• Enhanced Strike/Crushing. Once per minute he may apply all the damage from a full attack sequence as a single attack (6 CP).
• Adept: May buy the Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills for half cost (6 CP).

   The Hellfire Forge (8 CP):

   Borez has learned to channel his unholy power into a selection of vicious relics – forging them in the infernal flame of his own corrupted spirit.

• Double Enthusiast, Specialized in Relics for double effect (4 CP worth of Relics) (6 CP).
• Create Relic, Specialized and Corrupted/only points from Enthusiast, maximum of 2 CP Relics (2 CP).

   His usual selection includes:

   Torc of the Deceiver (2 CP Relic):

   This elegant silver neckpiece is inlaid with gold and studded with small gems, outlining the form of a serpent biting it’s own tail, and wearing a similar serpent-collar of it’s own.

• Shapeshift, with Shape of Death, Specialized and Corrupted/only allows shifting into a normal human and is essentially cosmetic. The user seems quite normal and can eat, drink, and enjoy the other pleasures of life – but his or her actual game statistics are unchanged. Unfortunately, any major use of dark powers (such as his Infernal Command abilities) will burn away the quasi-illusory shell like tissue paper (4 CP).
• Advanced Shape of Death/the user may become Incorporeal. Corrupted/this state can only be sustained for a few minutes at a time (4 CP).
• Cloaking/detection effects show the user as a normal human, Specialized/only works while the user is Shapeshifted into human form (3 CP).
• +2 Bonus Uses of Shapeshifting (3 CP).
• With a total cost of 14 CP, the Torc of the Deceiver is a 2 CP Relic.

   Obsidian Athame (1 CP Relic):

   This razor-sharp obsidian blade glitters with crimson sparks deep within when called upon, although the blade becomes cloudier as fewer “charges” remain in it. It’s powers are both Specialized and Corrupted/their “charges” can only be recovered (a maximum of once per day) by the using the blade to in the ritual sacrifice of a sapient being to the dark powers.

• +(2 x Cha Mod) uses of Luck (4 CP).
• +2d6 (10) Mana with the Spell Enhancement option (4 CP). Note that a sacrifice will only restore two points of this reserve – but Anek can call upon it to unleash a few really impressive spells if he must.
• With a total cost of 8 CP, the Dark Athame is a 1 CP Relic.

   The Shard of Dust (1 CP Relic):

   This fragment of fossil bone embedded in a limestone matrix links the user to the centuries of death which lie hidden in the earth and stone of the world.

• Channeling/Conversion to a Level Five Effect (9 CP). The spell is Dust of Ages – a version of Animate Dead that requires neither gems nor bodies. Unfortunately, the lack of a solid structure means that the creatures called forth are unstable, and will return to the dust from which they were summoned after 1d4+1 hours.
• With a total cost of 9 CP, the Shard of Dust is – just barely – a 1 CP Relic. Borez usually uses it when he wants some disposable muscle.

   Skill Points: 25 (CP Spent) +44 (Int) +22 (Racial) = 91 SP.

• Str (+5) Climb, Jump +40 (1 SP +24 Speed +10 Light Foot), Swim.
• Dex (+4) Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride, Sleight of Hand +5 (1 SP), Tumble, and Use Rope.
• Int (+4) Appraise, Craft (Armorsmith +10 (6 SP), Weaponsmith +5 (1 SP)), Decipher Script, Forgery, Knowledge (Arcana, Architecture and Engineering +5 (1 SP), Dungeoneering, Geography +5 (1 SP), History +5 (1 SP), Local +5 (1 SP), Nature, Nobility and Royalty +5 (1 SP), Religion +5 (1 SP), The Planes +5 (1 SP)), Search, Speak Language +9 (5 SP), and Spellcraft +10 (6 SP).
• Wis (+3) Heal, Listen +13 (10 SP), Profession, Sense Motive +14 (11 SP), Spot +14 (11 SP), and Survival.
• Chr (+7) Bluff* +18 (5 SP), Concentration* +18 (5 SP), Diplomacy* +18 (5 SP), Disguise +18 (1 SP +10 Hat), Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate* +18 (5 SP), Nightmare Storm Martial Art +17 (10 SP), Perform/Stringed Instruments +8 (1 SP), Use Magic Device.

Skills marked with an “*” are half-price due to Adept.

   Nightmare Storm Martial Art (Cha)

   This martial art focuses on channeling negative energy into the user’s hands and weapons, allowing him or her to cleave through armor to hit more accurately, absorb the energy of incoming blows with his or her bare skin, sense the life energy of foes, cause them to crumple when struck, and to disrupt their bodies with a mere touch. It is, however, a terrible strain on the metabolism of a living creature…

• Requires: Ability to channel negative energy and Imbuement (Unarmed Combat)
• Basic Abilities: Attack 4, Defenses 3, Strike, Synergy/Channeling Checks.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Blind-Fight, Mighty Blow, Reach, and Weapon Kata (Pick).
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength x2, Paralyze, and Touch Strike.
• Known Techniques (9): Attack 4, Defenses 1, Mighty Blow, Reach, Inner Strength, and Touch Strike.

   Notable Equipment:

• “Dark Ambassador”: A +1 Folding (a trivial “Hideaway” variant, it fits into a dagger’s sheathe) Greatsword (4350 GP). He usually has this up his sleeve so that he can appear unarmed.
  • Lesser Crystal of Return: Allows him to draw Dark Ambassador as free action or to call it to him from up to thirty feet away as a move action (1000 GP).
• Two very expensive Unholy Symbols; one securely fastened around his neck, the other mounted on a bracer on his left wrist (5000 GP).
• A Composite Longbow for a +12 Str Mod (1300 GP).
• A Handy Haversack (2000 GP).
• Dust of Tracelessness (250 GP).
• A Potion of Invisibility (300 GP).

Head	Hat of Disguise: Disguise Self at will (1800 GP).
Eyes
Throat	Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker: May take a half-move that does not provoke attacks of opportunity as a swift action three times per day (Upgraded, 3/day instead of 1/day, 1500 GP).
Torso	Vest of Resistance +1 (1000 GP).
Body
Waist	Belt of Endurance: 3 Charges/Day, spend 1/2/3 as a swift action to gain 12/18/24 temporary hit points. These last for up to ten minutes, but don’t stack with other temporary hit points (2300 GP).
Shoulders
Forearms
Hands
Ring	Ring of Retaliation. The evil version of a Ring of Vengeance; 3/day, when a critical hit is scored on the wearer, the attacker will be blasted with 5d6 profane damage, no save. No action is required (4500 GP).
Ring	Ring of Mystic Fire. +1 Caster Level with Fire-Based Spells, 3 Charges/Day, spend 1/2/3 charges as part of a spellcasting action to add +2/3/4 d6 of damage to a fire-based spell (7500 GP).
Feet	Boots of Stomping. 3/Day as a standard action topple creatures and objects in a 15′ cone, Reflex DC 15 to avoid falling if on the ground (600 GP)

   And figure about 600 GP worth of normal gear – A dagger or two, arrows, a blanket (mostly for keeping up appearances), pens, ink, and paper, a coil of silk rope, a light pack, a few alchemical items, tools, a musical instrument, a couple of courtier’s outfits (with the relevant jewelry), and so on.

   Oh no! That’s 34,000 GP! Almost as much gear as an ECL 13 non-player character or an ECL 9 player character could be expected to have! Nearly 6000 GP over his base 28,000 GP allowance! How could that happen?

   Personally, I figure that he raided a few merchants, pillaged a small town, or mugged a few low-level adventurers. He’s very powerful, he’s evil, he can easily defeat a small horde of low-level types, and he can teleport and walk through walls. Money just isn’t really a problem for villains; unlike monsters that hide in secret lairs and distant dungeons, townsfolk are really easy to find.

   His tactics are generally straightforward:

• In the face of minor opposition, he will rely on his passive or mundane talents – exploiting his spell resistance, high armor class, and ability to block attacks while he casually lashes out with a physical weapon. If he takes damage – unlikely in any conflict with lesser foes – he’ll let his Grant of Aid take care of it. He may even let lesser foes escape, or fall back, to maintain his pretense of being nothing more than a poseur.
• If he’s facing a powerful group of foes, or major magical opponents, he’ll generally lash out with magic first. He can, if necessary, unleash two quickened spells per round on his action and one quickened spell as a reflex action – and even if he saves the reflexive spell for a defensive effect or counterspell, one or two good blasting spells (usually boosted by his Ring of Mystic Fire) can go a long ways towards cutting down on his opponents. Unfortunately, with an effective caster level of only nine at the moment, his higher-level spells aren’t yet as effective as they might be.
• If he has a few moments to prepare, using the Shard of Dust (one of his usual Relics) to call up a few powerful skeletons is usually a good idea – and he does have a total of 30 ECL or CR worth of followers of up to CR or ECL 8. Personally, I’d give him a
  • A Nightmare (CR 5) to serve as a steed.
  • An Imp (CR 2) to serve as a contact with his dark masters.
  • A Barghest (CR 5) to devour victims that he wants to make sure do not turn up again.
  • And some Undead – perhaps a trio of Advanced Megaraptor Skeletons (CR 6 each) that somehow turned out to be stable after being summoned or some more-or-less random creatures drawn from the surrounding area.
    • Of those, however, only the Imp and perhaps the Nightmare and Barghest are likely to be immediately available; the Skeletons aren’t much for blending in and will have to be stashed somewhere.
• Borez prefers not to leave anyone alive who knows his real identity, and – unless there’s a good reason not to – he fights to kill. He WILL spend one of his attacks making sure that a fallen opponent is really dead, pursue fleeing opponents, and go after weaker targets first. Having to block a bothersome Attack of Opportunity is a small price to pay for moving past a warrior to take down a weak target. He isn’t sporting, and he doesn’t fight fair. The only reason he isn’t dripping with poison is that he would rather spend his money on more useful things.
• He knows perfectly well that – thanks to his high armor class, blocks, and damage reduction – he can withstand one heck of a lot of physical punishment. Ergo, he’ll focus on eliminating any spellcasting or energy-wielding enemies first.
• Regardless of the nature of his opponents, if he takes too much damage, he’ll try to escape – either by exploiting his movement charms and high movement rate or via Dimension Door or Teleport. He’ll normally save at least one spell slot of the appropriate level for that. He’s not the greatest genius in d20 history, but he’s no fool.

   OK: Borez is both figuratively and literally something of a monster. Hopefully any party that encounters him will be at least somewhat aware of what they’re up against, will have taken the appropriate precautions, will have characters with spell absorption and powerful defensive talents of their own, and will be good and ready for the fight. Otherwise he could quite possibly pull off a total party kill.

   Of course, this is a Halloween character. Go ahead, have a total party kill, and then let them all wake up with some of the creepy talents from last years Halloween article series. Here we have Part I, Part II, and Part III.