Rune Reaver

Large Monstrous Humanoid

Hit Dice: 17d8+170 (246 hp),dying/dead –11/–30 Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 feet AC: 23 (–1 size,+2 Dexterity,+12 natural),touch 11, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+29 Attack: Huge glaive +26 melee (2d6+12) Full Attack: Huge glaive +26/+21/+16/+11 melee (2d6+12) Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet,15 feet with glaive (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet,15 feet with glaive) Special Attacks: Steal runes Special Qualities: Immune to runes,SR 22,sense runes Saves: Fort +15,Ref+12,Will +12 Abilities: Str 27,Dex 15,Con 30,Int 14,Wis 16,Cha 17 Skills: Knowledge (runes) +22,Listen +18,Sneak* +16,

Spot +18,Wilderness Survival +20 Feats: Cleave,Fast Healer,Light Sleeper,Power Attack,

Stomp,Track,Weapon Focus (glaive)

Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: None Advancement: 18–25 HD (Large);26–34 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

For as long as men have learned and inscribed runes, there have been rune reavers.These creatures track and hunt those who use runes (runethanes) and those who bear them (runechildren and rune animals),seeking their destruction. Created by some strange universal law ofbalance,the rune reavers live for their appointed task ofdestroying those associated with runes.Legend says that,ifthey succeed in wiping out all knowledge ofmagical runes,all rune reavers—as a race—can ascend to some higher state ofbeing.Working toward this eternal reward consumes them.

To this end,they can sense runes from a great distance, they are immune to the effects generated by runes,and they can even absorb runes they encounter as well as gain strength and stamina from them.Rune reavers are very good at what they do.

The rune lords (see Chapter Two of The Diamond Throne), in retaliation for all ofthe murdered runethanes and runechildren,have placed a large bounty (about 5,000 gp) on the head ofany rune reaver.But in truth,the greatest enemies ofthe rune reavers are the shuyarns (see page 88). These two types ofcreature fight to the death ifthey encounter one another,and shuyarn specifically watch over favored runethanes or runechildren to prevent rune reavers from carrying out their grisly mission.

Despite their single-minded nature,rune reavers are living creatures.They eat,breathe,and sleep.They mate and produce young,although telling a male from a female is a task only another rune reaver can manage.Because they must always be on the hunt,rune reavers do not settle down.They only meet others oftheir kind by happenstance,and then socialize only for a short time.Young rune reavers mature very quickly (four to five years).Once they reach adulthood, they are likely to live at least another 90 to 100 years, although successful reavers live even longer ifthey have absorbed the power ofa great many runes (see below).

Rune reavers are careful,contemplative,and serious,rarely prone to unbridled fury or foolhardy behavior.They act with calculation and without mercy,never contemplating morals or ethics beyond the good ofwiping out all those associated with runes.Neither logic,well-worded speeches,nor impassioned pleas can sway them from their goal.

A rune reaver is vaguely humanoid in appearance and stands 9 feet tall.Its flesh is smooth and black,covered in glowing red, yellow,and blue runes.While on the hunt,particularly when it nears its quarry,it wears a sinister,unnerving grin.

These hulking brutes usually wield a long pole arm and wear only breeches.

Rune reavers speak Common.They are always Unbound.

Combat

When encountering creatures with no magical runes ofany kind,a rune reaver ignores them at worst and is mildly,cautiously friendly at best.(For now,rune reavers ignore those simply having some ranks in Knowledge [runes],mostly because it is so hard to determine.Eventually,however,they will have to find a way to hunt down such creatures as well.) Ifthe rune reaver encounters those who have or use runes, however,it attacks immediately and ruthlessly.It fights to the death.

The way that rune reavers really like to carry out their mission,however,involves a little more forethought than simply wandering about hoping to run into runethanes or runechildren.They use their magical abilities to sense the presence ofrunes,then cautiously track those involved.When a rune reaver has located its quarry,it sets up an ambush to slay its prey quickly and efficiently.

Those without runes who accompany rune-bearers are guilty by association.Although a rune reaver won’t go out of its way to track and kill such creatures,it won’t hesitate to cut them down ifthey stand in the way ofits mission. *Skills (Ex): Rune reavers gain a +5 racial bonus to Sneak checks.

Steal Runes (Su): Should a rune reaver touch a rune created by a runethane or rune lord,the creature absorbs it. Even ifit is a touch-trigger rune,it does not trigger the rune.An absorbed rune is gone.Further,the rune reaver

gains a cumulative +10 bonus hit points (they last until used) and a +2 bonus to Strength (lasts for one hour). A stolen rune also adds about a month or so to the natural life span ofa rune reaver,so successful hunters sometimes live years longer than their fellows.

Ifa rune reaver touches the fleshrune of a runechild or rune animal,the effect is far more dramatic (or traumatic).The victim must make a Will saving throw (DC 21) or lose all abilities gained from the rune,which is gone forever.The rune reaver,in this case, gains +10 permanent bonus hit points and a permanent +2 bonus to Strength.A runechild drained in this way can become a runechild again,with the sacrifice ofyet another level,as if becoming a runechild for the first time.

Should a rune reaver touch a rune manifest (see pages 76 to 85),the manifest must make a Will saving throw (DC 21) or be disintegrated.

Immune to Runes (Su): No rune created by a runethane or rune lord can affect a rune reaver (treat as ifit has spell resistance the rune cannot overcome).No power granted to a runechild or rune animal by its rune can affect the reaver, and neither can the rune-based special abilities ofa shuyarn.

Sense Runes (Su): As a free action,a rune reaver can sense the direction and distance ofthe nearest magical rune within 100 feet.Ifit uses a full-round action,the rune reaver extends this range to one mile and can determine whether it senses an inscribed rune created by a runethane,a runic magic item,or a fleshrune on a runechild or rune animal, plus sense the rank ofpower (or Hit Dice,whichever is appropriate).Ifthe rune reaver concentrates for a full minute,the range extends to 10 miles,and it gets the additional information as well.After a full hour,it can sense runes up to 100 miles away,plus the additional information.

Rune Reaver Encounter (EL 13)

Tarnel the Cold is a 10th-level sibeccai runethane.Three days ago,he was making his way down the lonely path from his home to the nearby town when he saw a dark,hulking figure waiting for him in ambush.He knew it was a rune reaver, having just read about them in a letter from a rune lord acquaintance.Tarnel ran on to town.The reaver followed, but Tarnel was able to outdistance him.

Although he is not a terribly likable sort,the townsfolk have pledged to help protect Tarnel in his time ofneed.This is where the PCs show up.It doesn’t take much to realize that a creature that makes a fairly powerful runethane run for his life is going to cut a bloody swath through the commoners trying to protect him.Player characters with any kind ofheart should want to help,whether it be to fight off the creature or try to spirit Tarnel away before the rune reaver can get to him.The relentless reaver isn’t going to give up easily,however,and the PCs may have a vicious fight on their hands eventually,no matter what they do.