Urgan’s Minion

Medium Monstrous Humanoid

Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp),dying/dead –2/–13 Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 feet AC: 17 (+4 natural,+3 hide armor),touch 10,flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Attack: Greatclub +7 melee (1d10+3) Full Attack: Greatclub +7 melee (1d10+3) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet,environmental adaptability,SR 16 Saves: Fort +4,Ref+3,Will +5 Abilities: Str 14,Dex 11,Con 13,Int 11,Wis 10,Cha 10 Skills: Jump +5,Spot +3 Feats: Bonded Item (greatclub),Iron Will,Weapon Focus (greatclub)

Environment: Any Organization: Solitary,pair,war party (2–16 plus one 4thlevel war leader),or colony (10–100 plus four 4th-level lieutenants and one 8th-level chieftain) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: Standard Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +2

These monsters were crafted by a powerful spellcaster named Urgan to serve as his personal army.Urgan subsequently died at the hands ofa rival magister,leaving his creations to fend for themselves in the world.They established several small colonies and,driven by a warped view ofthe world imposed on them by their creator,began attacking travelers who entered their territory.

Urgan’s minions resemble a cross between a fish,a lizard, and a human.They have scaled,green skin,a large,bony frill that runs from the crown ofthe head to the base ofthe neck, and long,pointed ears.Their teeth resemble a human’s, except for their long,sharp incisors.

Urgan designed his minions to be both capable in combat and resistant to his opponents’ magical abilities.He had grand plans for his creations,and in many ways they are a masterpiece ofthe arcane arts.In actuality,Urgan was deluded and paranoid.Many ofthe enemies he sought to defend himselfagainst were merely phantoms in his mind,convenient scapegoats on whom he could blame the setbacks in his research.To Urgan,his enemies always lurked in the shadows,ready to ruin his plans.

This attitude was passed down to his minions.Utilizing a version ofthe lore that the giants used to elevate the sibeccai,Urgan sought to create a race offaithful creatures that would defend him to the death and never turn against him. His minions view Urgan as a god.They regard his writings,a collection ofcrazed rantings peppered with profound insights into magical theory known as Urgan’s Codices,as their holy book.They painstakingly follow these precepts, and their priests use them to make many important decisions.Needless to say,this attitude leads colonies ofUrgan’s minions to take aggressive,violent action against anyone perceived as a threat.

Combat

In battle,Urgan’s minions prefer to use ambushes and other stealthy maneuvers to defeat their enemies.As befits a race founded on paranoia and fear,they constantly worry that their enemies possess some hidden advantage over them. They believe that quick,unexpected strikes are the best method to keep a foe offbalance.The minions always fear that an enemy will track them back to their lair and destroy the entire colony.To assuage this worry,they rarely flee from combat.Ifthey are forced to retreat,they use circuitous routes to get home or even spend a few days away from their lairs before returning.

Environmental Adaptability (Ex): Urgan’s minions can survive in a wide range ofenvironments,from subterranean caves to beneath the ocean’s waves.They have immunity to drowning and all gas attacks.They gain a +4 racial bonus to saves against poison.They need to eat and drink only onequarter the usual amount for a creature oftheir size.

Spell Resistance (Su): An Urgan’s minion has spell resistance equal to 13 + its Hit Dice.

Urgan’s Minions Society

Urgan’s minions base their society and actions solely on the principles set forth in Urgan’s Codices, which makes them violent,unpredictable,and prone to aggressive actions against nearby settlements.They blame others for the simplest predicament,from a month ofpoor hunting to an accident that ruins part oftheir lair.They see all outsiders as potential thieves and murderers.Though they rarely make unprovoked attacks,they shadow anyone who comes close to their settlements.After a few hours ofwatching an intruder, they can usually concoct some reason to justify an ambush against her.

The priests ofUrgan run the minions’ society,ruling with an iron fist based on their interpretation ofthe Codices. These creatures have an ingrained sense oftrust toward each other and to Urgan,a trait that allows them to function as a society without devolving into absolute paranoia and mistrust.The priests make most decisions as a group,with each

Part One: Monsters of the DiamondThrone 109 ofthem casting a vote and the majority carrying any decision.The priests are usually the eldest minions.Those who show skill in battle or intelligence are taught to read by the current priests and then given access to the Codices. Each colony’s book is regarded as a holy object, and it plays an important role in many ofthe minions’ rituals.

Minions prefer to settle in easily defended areas such as caves and hidden grottos.They share living space,tools,and food much like a military organization.Private space is an unheard-ofluxury;even important business is conducted by the priests in full view ofthe rest ofthe colony.While the minions usually lack the resources to erect forges, their suits ofhide armor and their greatclubs are well-crafted items rather than the crude tools ofrabble.

Other races see the minions as a sad result ofwhat can happen when magic is used irresponsibly.The giants feel they have a responsibility to at least attempt to reform these creatures,since their work with the sibeccai was Urgan’s inspiration.Sadly,the minions’ paranoia is far too deeply embedded in their natures for it to be easily purged.Many sibeccai loathe these creatures;their mere existence makes sibeccai uncomfortable,because they are reminded oftheir own animal origins.Calling a sibeccai “Urgan’s pet” or a similar epithet is a sure way to spark a fight.

Urgan's Minion Characters

Owing to their savage culture and warlike attitude,many ofUrgan's minions train with weapons and armor.Warmains are relatively rare among them unless they can steal or loot heavy weapons and armor, as the minions lack the tools and technology to produce them.Most are champions oftheir race.The few spellcasters among them,particularly their priests,are greenbonds and mage blades.

Urgan’s Minions Encounter (EL 4)

The giant magister Ur-Nalgron believes he has finally broken the conditioning that makes Urgan’s minions violent and paranoid.He captured a few creatures from a nearby tribe and succeeded in reforming them.He has brought his subjects into town and hopes that,by slowly exposing them to normal civilization,he can integrate them into society.

At the same time,the rest ofthe minions’ tribe is convinced that Nalgron has twisted and corrupted their brethren.Urgan’s writings tell ofhow he defeated a rival by setting the commoners against him.The minions decide to copy that ploy and create evidence that Nalgron’s subjects are not truly converted.They slip into town and attack people or otherwise cause trouble,escaping through channels in the sewers and leaving behind hatred and fear toward Nalgron and his work.

Many ofthe townsfolk assume that the magister’s “friends” are behind the attack.The minions ofthe tribe fear that ifNalgron succeeds,he will return to their camp and “destroy” all ofthem with his foul plans.Their paranoia makes them unable to see Nalgron’s noble intentions.They can only conceive that he wishes to dominate and enslave them.