Myrddraal (3.5e Creature)

Myrddraal

By Tristan Berndt

Myrddraal

CR

	Lawful Evil Medium Outsider
Init/Senses	+8/Listen , Spot
AC	21 (+4 Dex, +5 Armor, +2 Dodge), touch 16, flat-footed 15
hp	171 hp (18d8+90 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+13/+15/+15
Speed	35 ft. (7 squares)
Melee	+1 Bastard Sword +25 melee (1d10+11 18-20 x2) or
Melee	+1 Bastard Sword +25/+20/+15/+10 melee (1d10+11 18-20 x2)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+18/+22
Special Actions	Fear Gaze, Thakan'dar Blade
Abilities	Str 18, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 17
SQ	Slow to Die, Shadow Jump, Evasion, Improved Evasion, Life Link
Feats	Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Improved Critical, Improved Inititave
Skills	Ride 25, Hide 25, Move Silently 25, Intimidate 24, Bluff 24, Sense Motive 23, Spellcraft 23, Escape Artist 25, Gather Information 24, Listen 23, Spot 23
Advancement	—
Fear Gaze (Su)	"The look of the Eyeless is fear" A Myrddraal will open combat with attempting to make eye contact with all opponants, allowing his trollocs to chase down any frightened opponants while he moves to deal with any shaken or unphased opponants. Players caught in the gaze must make a (DC:22) Will saving throw or become Shaken for 5d6 rounds, if they fail the save by 10 or more, they become frightened instead.
Thraken'Dar Blade	The myrddraal wields his black blade, striking at any foe, only a scratch is needed to disable most foes. The blade deals damage as normal, applying taint to the opponant. Taint: Target must succeed in a fortitude save (DC:15) or be effected. Each successive save raises the DC by 1. Once the taint is applied the target has 1D6 hours per constitution modifier before death. Each landed attack after the application reduces the time by 1 hour. This may be cured by any magical healing (potions included) that heals a total hit points equal to 10 + 2/hour spent while afflicted.
Slow to Die	A Myrddraal does not truly die after it is felled. It may act for 1D12+4 rounds after falling, if beheaded it is treated as blind, it cannot stand or navigate, or move more than five feet in any direction each round.
Shadow Jump (Su)	A Myrddraal has the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A Myrddraal can jump up to 20 feet each day in this way; this can be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each.
Evasion	If a Myrddraal is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw
Improved Evasion	This ability works like eva- sion, except that while a naztharune rakshasa still takes no damage on a successful Reflex save against spells such as a fireball or a breath weapon, it now takes only half damage on a failed save.
Life Link	A Myrddraal may choose to link with up to twenty trollocs, imposing his will over them. This allows the Myrddraal to command the trollocs to act as it wishes, at will a Myrddraal may use Intimidate to re-establish control over fleeing trollocs.

Myrddraal (pronounced: MUHRD-draal) are Shadowspawn, muscular and serpent-quick, with lank black hair and waxy white skin. They have no eyes, but can "see" with perfect clarity. Their appearance never varies; they are always male in appearance, with identical features and builds described as being like that of a tall man. Myrddraal wear black armor with overlapping scales, and black cloaks which do not stir in the wind. They are able to move between, or disappear into, shadows, and mirrors only reflect a misty image of them. Their blood is acidic and will etch steel if not cleaned off. Myrddraal wield black-bladed swords made at Thakan'dar, on the slopes of Shayol Ghul. Mryddraal blades are dipped in the black river that runs through Thakan'dar, which gives their edges a lethal corrupting effect; even a slight scratch from a Myrddraal blade is usually fatal unless a healer is present to Heal the injury. The Forging requires human blood to quench the blade. Another major weapon in a Myrddraal's arsenal is fear. Myrddraal have the innate ability to instill stark terror in anyone they gaze upon.

Strategies and Tactics

A Myrddraal alone will attempt to sneak upon and gather information for their intended target. They will flee if they are discovered and will not hesitate to kill those it's gaze immobilizes along the way, Myrddraal prefer to fight with a fist (army) of Trollocs whenever possible. Myrddraal slink through a battlefield as easily as a snake through tall grass, using it's gaze to pick off the weakest enemies or to shake the strongest threats. It will hesitate to risk itself if bonded to a fist of trollocs. Myrddraal are incredibly difficult to kill due to their viperish speed and immense strength. Even after dealing a killing blow to a Myrddraal it will not die immediately. While they are in their death throes, they are still extremely dangerous, as their headless/damaged body will continue to thrash blindly, often still holding their sword or rending with their fingernails. A Myrddraal only finishes dying at the setting of the sun. Any trollocs linked to the Myrddraall, however, die the instant it is dealt a fatal blow.

Sample Encounters

Solitary

Ecology

Environment: The Blight, Any decrepit, dangerous place

Typical Physical Characteristics:

Alignment:

Lore

A creature born of the Dark One. Born from the human and animal stocks in Trollocs mixing so that the human stock is more prominent.

Typical Treasure

Equipment: Armor: Mithril Breastplate, Thraken'dar bastard sword, Cloak (always limp, wind doesn't touch it)

Advanced Creatures

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