Abalan the Wayward Spy

JUSTIN JACOBSON

It is rarer than a dragon’s scale that War Marshal Rasham, leader ofthe chorrim,hand picks a child from one ofthe training camps to serve in the Black Bolts,an elite branch ofthe chorrim reconnaissance machine.But Abalan was no ordinary child.Less brawny but more agile than his kin,Abalan’s greatest gift was his cunning and guile.Perhaps it was this cleverness that Rasham saw in the boy.It did not hurt that Abalan was the offspring oftwo respected officers.In just three years, the boy rose through the ranks ofthe Black Bolts to command their primary squad.Time and again,he proved his worth, finding and exploiting the weaknesses ofthe chorrim’s enemies.Yet,at the heart ofit all,Abalan could not ignore the tinge ofdoubt that lingered in his psyche.

The chorrim (see Chapter Four:Creatures in The Diamond Throne) are not “dirty” fighters;they abhor the chaos that such tactics yield.Regimentation,precision,and militaristic order are prized.It is curious how,with but a subtle shift,a tenet can be turned on its head.For Abalan,the indoctrination ofthese ideals became distorted.What,in most chorrim, is a mere appreciation for exactitude became in him a sense of honor and fair play.To the chorrim way ofthinking,such concepts impede victory,so it was only a matter oftime before this crisis ofcharacter became a matter ofmilitary security.

It was a week before Landsmilk in the Common Year 1748. Abalan received orders to scout a string ofvillages on the eastern shore between the towns ofKhorl and Ravadan.His squad carried out this duty with the completeness and skill that had come to be expected ofthem.He reported to his superior’s quarters and relayed the tactical information:The time for an attack was ripe.The men ofthese towns had made a trip for supplies,and the other townsfolk were distracted with plans for the upcoming festivities.Captain Hagatta commended Abalan,informing him that he would recommend a full assault on the very eve ofthe harvest festival.Something in Abalan snapped,and he barked a protest.

Taken aback by the sudden impudence ofthe prodigy, Hagatta swung the back ofhis mailed fist at Abalan’s cheek. Abalan dodged the blow easily and threw a counter-punch to the officer’s midsection.With that single blow,his life changed forever.Hagatta called for his personal guards,and Abalan beat a hasty escape.He ran first to the towns to warn them ofthe coming assault.Then he headed into the wilderness to lose himself.

War Marshal Rasham would not suffer such effrontery.He sent the most skilled chorrim assassins to hunt down the traitor.But he had trained Abalan too well—the very skill that had sent him up the ranks now kept him hidden from his trackers.Abalan underwent a disavowal ceremony,forever severing his ties with his race.For a time,he lived a life ofseclusion,reflection,and study.But the chorrim’s attacks upon the people ofthe realm did not stop,and he could no longer sit idle.He turned his vast skill to the task ofthwarting his own people,swearing an oath to protect the wild lands ofthe Far South from their unyielding tide.

Combat

A natural spy,Abalan prefers not to enter into direct melee combat when possible.When he must,however,his martial upbringing and natural sense ofhonor come to the fore—he won’t attack a foe unawares.Although like most chorrim he is a natural swordsman,he never uses a weapon,but he remains skilled at fighting those who wield swords.

Using Abalan

Abalan stands a hair under 8 feet tall and weighs a relatively slight 310 lbs.Preferring to work under cover ofdarkness,he has spent much less time beneath the southern sun than most folk,and the tinge ofhis skin is greener than that of most chorrim.He rarely speaks,and when he does it is in a whisper ofa voice.He dresses in drab,nondescript garb, including a black cloak and tunic,preferring to keep his identity a secret.Abalan does not partake offortified drink or other indulgences.He finds pleasure in the recovery and reading ofancient books,bird-watching,and the crafting of Suherlennish courtesy masks.

In fulfilling his oath,he has taken a few mercenary jobs and often offers his protection for free.Much ofthe time,he simply gathers intelligence on chorrim activity and passes the information to others for a response.On several occasions he has worked in defense ofthe lands with a local chapter ofthe Order ofthe Axe—the largest and most powerful knighthood in the realm.

Abalan,male chorrim Wrm2/Osn9: CR 14;Large giant;HD 4d8+12 + 2d12+9 + 9d10+27;121 hp;Dying/Dead –4/–16;

Init +4;Speed 50 feet;AC 24 (–1 size,+4 Dex,+4 natural, +5 insight,+2 deflection),AC 25 against foes with swords, touch 20,flat-footed 20;BAB +11/+6/+1;Grapple +19;

Attack +15 melee (1d12+6,unarmed);Full Attack +15/+10/+5 melee (1d12+6,unarmed) or +13/+13/+8/+3 (1d12+6,flurry ofblows);Space/Reach 10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet);SA Unarmed strike, flurry ofblows,throw object,objects as weapons,shattering strike;SQ Darkvision 60 feet,natural tactician,welltrained,eschew food,evasion,minor adaptation,refuse fatigue,refuse fear,eschew water,refuse wounds;Hero

Points 2;SV Fort +14,Ref+11,Will +11;Str 18,Dex 18,

Con 16,Int 13,Wis 17,Cha 9

Languages: Common,Giant

Skills and Feats: Balance +6,Climb +7,Concentration +5,

Craft (mask-making) +3,Escape Artist +6,Handle Animal +1, Intuit Direction +4,Jump +6,Knowledge (history) +3,

Listen +11,Ride +12,Sneak +14 Spot +14,Tumble +12,

Wilderness Survival +7;Combat Reflexes,Exotic Weapon

Proficiency (heavy),Night Owl,Skill Application (Sneak

and Spot),Stomp,Sturdy,Trample,Weapon Specialization (unarmed). Throw Object (Ex): Abalan can use any object he can lift above his head as a ranged (thrown) weapon he is proficient with.

The object must weigh at least 1 lb.to use it as a ranged weapon.He uses his normal attack bonus and unarmed damage,and the weapon has a range increment of10 feet. Objects as Weapons (Ex): Abalan can use any object he can lift over his head as a weapon he is proficient with.The object must weigh at least 1 lb.to use it as a weapon.He uses his normal attack bonus and unarmed damage. Shattering Strike (Ex): Abalan ignores 4 points ofdamage reduction or object hardness with each blow. Natural Tactician (Ex): Abalan gains a +1 circumstance bonus to all attack rolls for an entire encounter against any foes that were surprised at the beginning ofthe encounter. Well-Trained (Ex): All attempts to intimidate Abalan suffer a +6 circumstance modifier to the check’s Difficulty Class. Eschew Food and Water (Ex): Abalan does not need food or water. Evasion (Ex): Ifexposed to any effect that normally allows a creature to attempt a Reflex saving throw for halfdamage,

Abalan takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

His quick reflexes allow him to take cover and avoid damage before an attack strikes him. Minor Adaptation (Ex): Abalan can ignore ongoing damaging environmental effects ofup to 1 point ofdamage per round. Refuse Fatigue (Ex): As long as he gets a good night’s rest (eight hours),Abalan never feels the effects offatigue.He could run at his top speed all day and not tire. Refuse Fear (Ex): Abalan is immune to fear and fear effects.

Refuse Wounds (Ex): Abalan can cure up to 18 hit points each day,spreading this healing out among several uses. Unarmed Strike: When fighting unarmed,Abalan does not provoke attacks ofopportunity from armed opponents he attacks.Using unarmed strikes,he doesn’t have the option ofmaking an off-hand attack,as he uses his whole body in every attack (see “flurry of blows,” below).Iffighting with a onehanded weapon,Abalan can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack but suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting. Usually,his unarmed strikes deal normal damage rather than subdual damage.However,he can choose to deal subdual damage without penalty. Flurry ofBlows: Abalan may make one extra attack in a round at his highest base attack,but this attack and each other attack made that round suffer a –2 penalty apiece.This penalty applies for 1 round,so it affects attacks ofopportunity he might make before his next action.He must use the full attack action to strike with a flurry ofblows.Do not reduce his damage bonus on the additional attack. Possessions: Boots oftracelessness, dazzlesphere detonation, oil of gird the warrior, potion ofgreater battle healing (2), potion of invisibility, ring ofprotection +2, spellbane bracers†, detailed maps ofthe Far South and journal ofchorrim activity in the vicinity,5,620 gp

New Magic Item

Spellbane Bracers†: Once per day,these black leather bracers permit the wearer to dispel magic (the targeted dispel effect),on any target successfully struck by an unarmed attack.The wearer must declare use ofthis item after it is determined whether the attack roll has succeeded,but before determining damage.

Faint abjuration;Caster Level 5th;Craft Constant Item, dispel magic; Price 5,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.