Page 54 - Serpent Kingdoms

HIDDEN FOLK

chieftain at the hands of adventurers, the tribe was in shambles. his belongings and Vassk in tow. Assassins sent by the Eselemaa
K’rr’zaalt, who had been taught the dogma of Shekinester by caught up with Sasyk and Vassk near Hlondeth. They managed
the old chieftain, decided to assume control of the tribe when no to kill Sasyk before Vassk chased them off. Now, Vassk wanders
other leaders emerged. the land in search of a new master—preferably another yuan-ti,
Several months after he appointed himself chieftain, the although he may be drawn to serve a non-yuan-ti with strong
tribe encountered a group of spirit nagas on their way to a leadership qualities.
meeting known as the Great Conclave. They invited K’rr’zaalt Vassk: Male ophidian barbarian 10; CR 12; Medium
to attend, and he accepted. At the end of the conclave, he was monstrous humanoid (reptilian); HD 3d8+6 plus 10d12+20;
deemed worthy to lead his tribe. hp 123; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 50 ft.; AC 22,
K’rr’zaalt now regularly attends the Great Conclave and is touch 14, fl at-footed 18; Base Atk +13; Grp +17; Atk +18 melee
the only pterafolk there. Many of the spirit nagas are not happy (2d6+7/17–20, +1 greatsword) or +17 melee (1d4+4, bite) or +18
with this arrangement, and some have been plotting to assume ranged (1d8+5/×3 plus 1d6 cold, masterwork composite longbow
control of the Kron’ikl tribe. K’rr’zaalt is aware of these plots, with +1 frost arrow); Full Atk +18/+13 melee (2d6+7/17–20,
but he does not know that some of his own people are conspiring +1 greatsword) and +12 melee (1d4+4, bite) or +18/+13 ranged
to overthrow him. (1d8+5/×3 plus 1d6 cold, masterwork composite longbow with
K’rr’zaalt: Male pterafolk cleric 8 of Shekinester; CR 11; +1 frost arrow); SA rage 3/day, serpentine curse; SQ DR 2/—,
Large monstrous humanoid (reptilian, shapechanger); HD darkvision 60 ft., fast movement, improved uncanny dodge, trap
4d8+20 plus 8d8+40; hp 114; Init +4; Spd 30 ft., climb 20 ft.; sense +3, uncanny dodge; AL CN; SV Fort +10, Ref +10, Will
fl y 30 ft. (average) with wings/50 ft. (good) as pteranadon; AC +7; Str 18, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
22, touch 10, fl at-footed 22; Base Atk +10; Grp +20; Atk +15 Skills and Feats: Climb +14*, Hide +5 (+15 in forests or
melee (1d6+6, claw) or +17 melee (1d8+8, +2 heavy mace) or underground), Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Spot +4, Swim +13;
+9 ranged (1d10/19–20, heavy crossbow); Full Atk +15 melee Alertness, Dodge, Improved Critical (greatsword), Power Attack.
(1d6+6, 2 claws) and +13 melee (1d8+3, bite) or +17/+12 melee *Vassk has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks (already fac-
(1d8+8, +2 heavy mace) or +9 ranged (1d10/19–20, heavy cross- tored into his statistics) and can always choose to take 10 on
bow); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA rebuke undead 3/day; SQ Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
alternate form, darkvision 60 ft.; AL CE; SV Fort +12, Ref +6, Rage (Ex): Three times per day, Vassk can enter a state of
Will +14; Str 23, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 8, Wis 19, Cha 10. fi erce rage that lasts for 7 rounds. The following changes are in
Skills and Feats: Climb +14, Concentration +7, Diplomacy effect as long as he rages: hp 149; AC 20, touch 12, fl at-footed
+2, Hide –2, Jump +9, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +8, Spell- 16; Grp +19; Atk +20 melee (2d6+10/17–20, +1 greatsword);
craft +1, Spot +8; Alertness, Chameleon Hide, Flyby Attack, Full Atk +20/+15 melee (2d6+10/17–20, +1 greatsword) and
Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack. +14 melee (1d4+6, bite); SV Fort +12, Will +9; Str 22, Con 22;
Alternate Form (Sp): At will, a pterafolk can change its arms Climb +16*, Swim +15. At the end of his rage, Vassk is fatigued
into leathery wings or assume the form of a pteranodon as a full- for the duration of the encounter.
round action. It can remain in either form for as long as desired. Serpentine Curse (Su): Any humanoid hit by Vassk’s bite
Returning to its normal form requires another full-round action. attack must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or contract a
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/5+1/4+1/4+1/3+1; save DC 14 + curse that will turn the victim into an ophidian. Starting 1d4+1
spell level): 0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, days after infection, the victim slowly becomes more snakelike:
light, purify food and drink, read magic; 1st—cause fear, com- Its skin grows scaly, its legs begin to shrink and fuse together,
mand, doom, hide from undead, protection from law*, shield of and its tongue becomes forked. After two weeks, the victim is
faith; 2nd—bull’s strength, darkness, desecrate, shatter*, silence; fully transformed into an ophidian, with no memory of its
3rd—contagion, dispel magic, invisibility purge, magic circle previous existence. To stop the transformation, the victim must
against law*, wind wall; 4th—chaos hammer*, cure critical receive a remove disease or remove curse spell before the process
wounds, death ward, poison. is complete, although these spells do not undo any transforma-
*Domain spell. Deity: Shekinester. Domains: Chaos (cast tion that has already begun. A heal, regenerate, limited wish,
chaos spells at +1 caster level), Scalykind (rebuke/command wish, or miracle spell is required to reverse the transformation.
lizards and snakes 3/day). Once the transformation is complete, nothing short of a wish
Possessions: +2 heavy mace, heavy crossbow, 25 bolts, cloak or miracle can return the victim to its previous state.
of resistance +1, bracers of armor +5, 2 scrolls of cure moderate Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Cannot be fl anked and can
wounds, holy symbol, 6 torches, 388 gp. only be sneak attacked by a character who has at least fourteen
levels of rogue.
VASSK Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Vassk retains his Dexterity bonus to
Like most ophidians, Vassk lives to serve. Until recently, he AC even when fl at-footed or targeted by an unseen foe (he still
served Sasyk Vatoros, a pureblood yuan-ti wizard working for loses his Dexterity bonus if paralyzed or otherwise immobile).
House Eselemas in Lushpool. However, Sasyk was caught trad- Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 greatsword, masterwork compos-
ing magical secrets to House Se’Sehen and fl ed Lushpool with ite longbow (+4 Str bonus), 20 +1 frost arrows and 10 arrows.

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