Page 223 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

report encountering monsters such as mind flayers, they search diadem +2, turn undead 4/day (+1, 2d6+2, 1st), wild empathy +2

out rumored outposts and lairs, and they investigate any signs (–2 magical beasts); AL LG; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +7; Str
of aberration predation—abductions, mysterious murders, 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.
important people behaving oddly, people reporting missing Skills and Feats: Balance +0, Climb +2, Jump +2, Knowledge
memories or frightening encounters with malevolent strang- (dungeoneering) +3, Ride +6, Search +3, Sense Motive +4,
ers. Should a topaz guardian encounter an aberration incursion, Spot +8, Survival +2; Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical

he sends word to the nearest temple of Heironeous to spread (warhammer), Iron Will, Quick Recovery†, Track , Weapon
B
the alarm to all nearby chapters of the Topaz Order. Focus (warhammer).
While the topaz guardians are expected to act independently, † New feat described on page 181.
Language: Common.
they share many common bonds. The order trains its chosen
CHAPTER 9 THE ABERRATION HUNTER champions in specialized combat techniques effective against Favored Enemy (Ex): Halvar gains a +2 bonus on his Bluff,
Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using
aberrations, and equips them with their signature device, the
these skills against aberrations. He gains the same bonus on
topaz diadem. Within the chapter house (or most temples of

weapon damage rolls.
Heironeous, for that matter), a topaz guardian can find lodging,
fellowship, and support for his lonely crusade.
Smite Aberrations (Su):Two times per day, Halvar can attempt
to smite aberrations with one normal melee attack. He adds
Sample Member +1 to his attack roll and deals an extra 8 points of damage.
Halvar Marth grew up on the border marches of the Gnarley Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, Halvar can attempt to smite
Forest. As a simple woodsman and hunter, he might have evil with one normal melee attack. He adds +1 to his attack
stayed in his wilderness home for his entire life—but one roll and deals an extra 4 points of damage.
awful night a neogi raid descended upon his homestead. The Aura of Courage (Su): Immunity to fear, and each ally within
neogi and their umber hulk slaves carried off several of his 10 feet of Halvar gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws

kinfolk, and Halvar was nearly killed fighting the creatures. against fear effects.
A couple of days after the raid, a knight of Heironeous named Detect Evil (Sp): Detect evil at will as the spell.
Ferrsta Breith appeared in the ruined settlement and organized Divine Health (Ex): Immunity to disease.
a pursuit of the neogi. Halvar joined in, and under Ferrsta’s Hard to Hold (Ex): Halvar can escape from deadly situations
leadership, they succeeded in slaying two of the monsters and such as the tentacles of a mind flayer or the pseudopods of

rescuing several of the neogi’s captives. an aboleth. He gains a +4 on grapple checks to avoid being
Ferrsta recognized Halvar’s great potential, and when she grappled or to escape from a grapple.
left the tiny settlement, she took him along. She brought Topaz Diadem:Halvar’s topaz diadem confers a +2 sacred bonus
him to a temple of Heironeous, where Halvar took up the to AC and a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against attacks
vows of a paladin-in-training. Halvar dedicated his life to the made by or effects created by evil creatures. The diadem blocks
war against the neogi and other aberrations, and eventually attempts to possess Halvar or to exercise mental control over
earned an invitation to follow in Ferrsta’s footsteps and join him.
the Topaz Order. Possessions: +2 full plate armor, +1 large steel shield, +1 warham-
Halvar is a warm and good-humored man who makes light of mer, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) with 25
his grave duties. He views despair as a dangerous vulnerability, arrows, gauntlets of ogre power, topaz diadem.
and works hard to keep hope in his heart even in desperate situ-
ations, as Ferrsta Breith taught him long ago. Halvar believes
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in the ability of ordinary people to meet great challenges, and
he has already inspired several other young warriors to take ABOUT THE AUTHORS
up the diadem of the topaz guardian. RICHARD BAKER is a senior designer for Wizards of the Coast.
His most recent roleplaying game design credits include
Complete Arcane and Monster Manual v.3.5. Richard is also
Halvar Marth: Male human ranger 1/paladin 4/topaz guard- the New York Times best-selling author of the novel Condemna-
ian 4; CR 9; Medium humanoid; HD 5d8+10 plus 4d10+8; hp tion. Richard lives in Washington State with his wife and two

64; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 24, touch 11, flat-footed 23; Base Atk daughters.
+9; Grp +13; Atk +15 melee (1d8+5/19–20/×3, +1 warhammer) JAMES JACOBS is the managing editor for Dungeon Maga-
zine. His most recent previous design credit for Wizards of the
or +12 ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite longbow); Coast came for his work on Frostburn: Mastering the Perils of
Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d8+5/19–20/×3, +1 warhammer) or Ice and Snow.
+12/+7 ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite longbow); SA A gaming industry veteran, STEVE WINTER currently pro-
smite aberration 2/day, smite evil 1/day; SQ aura of courage, duces web content for Wizards of the Coast. His previous
aura of good, hard to hold +4, detect evil, divine grace, divine design credits include Monster Manual II.
health, favored enemy aberrations +2, lay on hands 4/day, topaz pqqqqqqqqqrs

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