Squamous Lir

Medium Humanoid

Hit Dice: 6d8 (27 hp),dying/dead –1/–11 Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 feet AC: 17 (+2 Dexterity,+5 natural),touch 12,flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4 Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4) or spikestick +6 melee (1d8) Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4) or spikestick +6 melee (1d8) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities,earth template Special Qualities: Low-light vision Saves: Fort +2,Ref+7,Will +5 Abilities: Str 10,Dex 14,Con 11,Int 15,Wis 12,Cha 19 Skills: Concentration +9,Knowledge (history) +7,

Knowledge (magic) +7,Listen +8,Sneak +9,Spellcraft +7 Feats: Blood as Power,Iron Will,Sense the Unseen,Weapon

Finesse

Environment: Warm or temperate plains Organization: Solitary,pair,or band (3–6) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: Standard Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +1

Squamous lir (singular and plural) vie with the slassans (see Chapter Four of The Diamond Throne) for the distinction ofbeing the “ultimate legacy” ofthe dramojh.Unlike the slassans,however,these dramojh creations reject the path set out for them by their cruel masters.Long ago,the squamous lir learned that not all dragons were selfish and vile.They have since sought a better path.For this reason,they are sometimes called the “redeemed,” or even the “redeemed dramojh”—although the latter is wholly inaccurate.

Some say it was the squamous lir that taught humans the rituals for transforming into mojh.This might be true. Squamous lir call mojh “vajel darr,” which in Draconic means “little brothers.” In any event,it is easy to see the resemblance.Squamous lir very much resemble mojh,but are even more inherently magical.Some oftheir inherent magical abilities are tied loosely to the earth,and the creatures have a close connection with stone and earth.

Today,squamous lir have little contact with humans, mojh,or other humanoids.Most spend their long life spans seeking out dragons—specifically,nonmalevolent dragons. Many squamous lir have traveled to the Unknown West on this quest,but others seek their distant forebears in a far less straightforward manner.They search dramojh ruins,examine and interrogate creatures created by the dramojh,and study records ofdramojh activities.These squamous lir researchers believe that within the activities and creations of the dramojh lie some vital secret ofthe dragons who created them.They call this secret,whatever it is,the Legacy ofthe Dragons,and they believe it ties in with the land,the runechildren,and more.

Unlike mojh,these humanoid creatures have genders and bear children through sexual reproduction.(The genderless nature ofthe mojh has more to do with their transformation than the necessities oftheir physiology.) They are long lived, with life spans ofup to 500 years.Children,however,are rare,for few squamous lir take the time from their quest for the Legacy ofthe Dragons to bear and care for young.

Squamous lir look a little like mojh—scaly-skinned, reptilian humanoids—except that their flesh is a reddishbrown color,and their heads are crested.The crest ranges from a golden yellow to a deep,blood-red.

Squamous lir use spikesticks in combat,although they call the weapon a jiras and claim to have developed it on their own.

They speak Common,Draconic,and Terran.A squamous lir is never Unbound,unless it is some aberrant outcast.

Combat

Though most carry weapons to protect themselves (and all have a vicious bite),squamous lir prefer to use their spelllike abilities in a fight.While not particularly bloodthirsty, they recognize that sometimes conflict is necessary and would never shrink from defending themselves ifthreatened.Their magical abilities often have earth-and-stone visual effects.For example,when they cast magic armor, the armor takes a stony appearance.When they levitate, the spell tears away a small piece ofthe ground at their feet or summons a small rock,which they float atop.These are just visual effects—the spell-like abilities work just like the spells ofthe same name.

All squamous lir are proficient with spikesticks.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A squamous lir can cast the following spells as a 5th-level mage blade:3/day—earth burst, read mind, stone blast, stone shield†;1/day—dispel magic, levitate, magic armor, magic weapon, sorcerous guise. The save DC against these spells is DC 14 + spell level.

Earth Template (Su): All squamous lir can give their spells and even their spell-like abilities the earth spell template.

Squamous Lir Society

Squamous lir live and work in very small groups and often in just pairs.Most focus on their quest for the Legacy ofthe Dragons and do not travel or communicate with others (even oftheir own kind) except as part ofthat quest.They recognize,however,that combat training and learning new spells can be vital to that quest,so many ofthem gain levels in character classes.While they have no government or hierarchy,squamous lir respect those oftheir kind with such training more than those without.(Likewise,they respect

Part One: Monsters of the DiamondThrone 99 members ofother races with great skill or knowledge as well,particularly if it can be used in some way to help further their quest.)

Squamous lir quietly revere a mysterious stone elemental deity called the Earth Mother,whom they believe is connected to the ancient dragons.They have no temples or shrines;their worship ofher is very personal and private.

Squamous Lir Characters

Squamous lir characters most often become mage blades with a slightly variant outlook,as they treat their jiras (spikesticks) as their athames.Some squamous lir become magisters or greenbonds,the latter being the rarer case.

New Spell

Stone Shield

Abjuration (Earth)

Level: 1 (Exotic) Casting Time: Standard action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 round/level

You can cast this spell only on the ground,with a source ofnatural or worked stone nearby.When cast,the nearby rock floats in front ofyou and protects you from harm,like a shield that thinks on its own.You gain a +4 shield bonus to Armor Class.Ifthe stone shield is destroyed,the spell immediately calls forth another,until its duration runs out.

Special: Ifused with the earth spell template,the shield bonus is +1 greater.

Diminished Effect: The stone provides a +1 shield bonus to Armor Class.

Heightened Effect: Two stone shields appear,granting a total +6 shield bonus to Armor Class.

Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant N/A

Squamous Lir Encounter (EL 5)

Two squamous lir,Terrikolar and Destirichan,believe the player characters have some special knowledge about an obscure bit ofdramojh lore.It may seem insignificant to the PCs,or they may not even realize they possess it. It may even be a secret important to another quest ofthe characters.(The squamous lir also might be mistaken.)

In any event,Terrikolar and Destirichan do not know enough about the PCs to know ifthey can be trusted,so they are wary ofapproaching them directly.At first,then,the two attempt to trick the player characters into thinking they are humans (or another race) using sorcerous guise, and then, while the disguised squamous lir ask them general questions about their adventures and the dramojh,they use read mind to try to get what they are after.Ifthe PCs discover what they are doing,the two attempt to flee.

Should this scheme fail to get them the results they want,they leave, planning to return.Upon their return,their next course ofaction is to search through the characters’ belongings while they sleep,while they are at a bathhouse,or at some other opportune time.If,after all this,the squamous lir still have not gotten what they wanted,they may attack and threaten the PCs,capturing them for interrogation ifthey seem unwilling to help. Ifin the first two encounters,the PCs seemed benevolent or at least not overly unfriendly,the squamous lir simply approach and ask for help.