Shuyarn

Medium Outsider

Hit Dice: 18d8+144 (225 hp),dying/dead –9/–27 Initiative: +8 Speed: 40 feet,fly 80 feet (perfect) AC: 41 (+8 Dexterity,+10 natural,+8 armor,+5 deflection), touch 23,flat-footed 33 Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+25 Attack: +5 flaming runic dire greatsword +31 melee (2d6+19+1d6 fire) Full Attack: +5 flaming runic dire greatsword +31/+26/+21/+16 melee (2d6+19+1d6 fire) and 2 wing buffets +25 melee (1d6+3 plus sleep) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities,aura ofconfusion, runes,sleep Special Qualities: DR 15/unholy (or 15/+3),SR 38,rune armor,immunities,darkvision 60 feet,fast healing 5 Saves: Fort +24,Ref+24,Will +24 Abilities: Str 25,Dex 26,Con 27,Int 28,Wis 27,Cha 29 Skills: Alchemy +30,Concentration +29,Diplomacy +30,

Intimidate +25,Knowledge (ceremony) +24,Knowledge (cosmology) +30,Knowledge (engineering) +25,

Knowledge (geography) +25,Knowledge (magic) +30,

Knowledge (nature) +25,Knowledge (religion) +24,

Knowledge (runes) +30,Knowledge (science) +25,Listen +29, Search +25,Sense Motive +29,Sneak +29,Spot +29,

Tumble +29 Feats: Blessed Mage,Cleave,Craft Constant Item,Craft

Magic Arms and Armor,Power Attack,Power ofthe

Name,Weapon Focus (greatsword),Weapon

Specialization (greatsword)

Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 20 Treasure: Triple standard Advancement: 19–36 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: +6

Shuyarns are so rare that some people believe only one of them exists.Certainly,no one’s ever seen more than one at a time.More often than not,people call shuyarns “rune angels,” and it’s easy to see why.These angelic outsiders embody the essence that allows runes themselves to function.They represent the ordered aspect ofthe universe that translates precise symbols into exacting effects.

As such,shuyarns only rarely come into the world,and when they do,their business normally involves runes—and thus,usually a runethane,runechild,or rune animal. Occasionally a shuyarn acts as a “guardian angel” for such an individual.Other times,they come to counter the machinations ofa rune reaver (see page 86).Shuyarns,for obvious reasons,hate rune reavers and attack them on sight (and usually vice versa).On other occasions,shuyarn motives are more mysterious.Sometimes they act to preserve a bit of runic lore or to grant a new gift ofknowledge to an individual deemed worthy (such as a new rune for a runethane).

Shuyarns are inherently kind and good-natured.They are not traditional angels,however (or,in fact,related to them in anything but appearance).They do not concern themselves with righting wrongs,fighting evil,or performing good deeds the way an actual angel might.Rune angels despise stupidity and ignorance and have no respect for creatures unable to learn,use logic,and wield (or at least understand) magic.Thus,shuyarns sometimes come across as cold or arrogant,depending on who interacts with them.

Most shuyarns appear to be female,although they are actually genderless creatures ofmagical essence that live on another plane.That same essence ties them to this world as long as runic power remains a force ofimportance and might.

Standing 8 feet tall,these regal,golden-skinned humanoids bear wings made ofentwined,floating runes and sigils.They have long,fiery hair,wear glistening breastplates, and wield scintillating,ornate swords in both hands.

Shuyarns can speak all languages,thanks to their at-will tongues ability (without that,they speak only Celestial).

Combat

Shuyarns are far more likely to be seen teaching or instructing than fighting.Ifthey do fight,shuyarns like to enter combat prepared for their foe—they hate being caught unawares. Most ofthe time,ifsurprised,a rune angel will teleport away, ready some appropriate runes,activate appropriate spell-like abilities,then return.Despite their skill with their magical swords,a favored tactic involves keeping to the air and relying on psychic blast and sorcerous blast to harm their enemies.

Although they can be kindly and benevolent,once a shuyarn’s relationship with another creature reaches the point ofviolence, they rarely show mercy.Their attacks are swift and deadly.

Runes (Sp): A shuyarn can create any rune except the ultimate rune as ifit were an 18th-level runethane with a rune capacity of36.A typical shuyarn normally has these runes currently inscribed:password-protected,invested rune ofblasting on weapon (+20d6 points offire damage with weapon on first strike,DC 28 Reflex save for half), rune of enrichment on weapon (add +1 luck bonus to attack and damage listed above), elemental rune(fire) on armor (fire resistance 10), rune ofcheating death on self.This leaves the shuyarn with a rune capacity of23.

Rune Armor (Su): The shuyarn is protected by armor woven from runes ofenergy that serves as a +3 breastplate with no armor check penalty,spell failure chance,or movement modifications.Further,shuyarns are surrounded by floating runes that deflect attacks and provide a +5 deflection bonus to Armor Class and a +5 resistance bonus to saving throws.Both these effects are intrinsic to the shuyarn and cannot be used by another.

Aura ofConfusion (Su): Whenever shuyarns wish it,the runic symbols that hover around their bodies twirl and spin, creating a magical aura ofconfusion that extends up to 30 feet around them.Every round that a creature other than the shuyarn is within the aura,the creature must make a Will saving throw (DC 28) or become stunned for 1 round.A stunned creature drops everything held,can’t take actions,suffers a –2 penalty to Armor Class,and loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (ifany).The saving throw is Charisma based.

Sleep (Su): Anyone struck by the gentle blow ofa shuyarn’s wing must make a Will saving throw (DC 28) or fall into a deep,unwakable slumber for 1d6+1 rounds.After that, the creature sleeps for another 1d6 minutes in a normal slumber from which it can be awakened by a loud noise or shaking.The saving throw is Charisma based.

Immunities (Ex): Shuyarns are immune to compulsions, curses,and fire.They have cold,electricity,and sonic resistance 20.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A shuyarn can cast the following spells as an 18th-level magister:at will—bypass ward, charm, detect magic, lesser learn secret, sorcerous blast, suggestion, tongues;3/day—chains ofvengeance, greater battle healing, psychic blast, see invisibility, teleport;1/day—duplicate, greater telekinesis, mass devastation, perfect health, portal to another plane, revivification, scrying, telekinetic shield, vitrification. The save DC against these spells is DC 19 + spell level.

Fast Healing (Ex): A shuyarn with this ability rapidly heals damage,allowing it to quickly recover from even the most grievous wounds.It gains fast healing 5.

Shuyarn Encounter (EL 20)

The player characters are asked,as a favor—perhaps to pay offan old favor they themselves owe—to escort the aged human runethane Edik Ranoth to a special gathering ofthe greatest runethanes and rune lords (see Chapter Two of The Diamond Throne) in a nearby city.Incredibly old and feeble, Edik requires the help ofothers even to move.Despite the aid ofgreat magic that has prolonged her life,Edik,at 188 years old,has almost reached her limit.Still,the job should certainly be no great strain on the PCs.Edik is well liked and has no real enemies.The characters,in this sense,are more honor guard than bodyguards.

What no one except a few powerful runethanes realizes is that the meeting is to be in a secret chamber where a shuyarn appears every 100 years to teach a new rune to the worthy.And what even they do not know is that the shuyarn has ruled that Edik is not worthy.(Her mind is going quickly— she is senile and almost always in a state ofdementia.The other runethanes invited her only out ofrespect.)

On the way to the meeting,then,the shuyarn appears and forbids Edik from proceeding.Edik,ofcourse,doesn’t understand what’s going on.The player characters must deal with the shuyarn,who has no intention ofexplaining itself to Edik’s “servants.” The PCs have a few options:convince the shuyarn to elucidate,agree,then come up with something to tell Edik and her family as to why she can’t go;convince the shuyarn to explain and then attempt to persuade it to let Edik come anyway;or attempt to use force.The third option,ofcourse,has dire consequences,for ifthe PCs succeed,the reason for the meeting itselfis gone.