Marvalontal

In her own language,Marvalontal is an iladan, or “one that works magic with a blade.” Her athame is a frosted glass longsword named Yanial, which means “splintered speed.” Yanial’s glass is a rare material that originates on the alabast home world (see Chapter Four:Creatures of The Diamond Throne).It is as strong and light as adamantite.

Marvalontal may be her people’s most skilled iladan. Soon,in fact,she plans to challenge the current alabast king to a duel.Ifshe wins,she will become her people’s new ruler in their pyramid city ofKellest Minos in Thartholan. The road to success for Marvalontal has been a slow and quiet one,at least recently.

When she was young,Marvalontal was wild and unruly by her people’s standards.She loved to fight and argue, frequently disobeying both her parents and the more general authorities.It appeared that,while skilled and intelligent,the alabast girl would spend most ofher life in prison.

Her attitude changed when she met a woman named Kediril who saw great potential in her.She convinced the young Marvalontal to leave Kellest Minos with her and travel into the alien world around them.As they traveled, Kediril taught her to harness her talents and quick wits and focus them.She instructed her in the ways ofpatience and careful consideration.And she taught Marvalontal to fear and distrust the world in which they were trapped, but not to hate it the way other alabasts do.All these teachings helped make Marvalontal into the woman she is today.

Marvalontal spent a few years avenging the murder of her teacher at the hands ofa warband ofchorrim,methodically tracking down each ofthe creatures.Now that this task is done,she has returned finally to Kellest Minos, quickly earning an impressive reputation among her people.

Combat

Supremely skilled at both melee combat and spellcasting, Marvalontal rarely backs down from a fight.Instead,she leaps into a fray with determination and confidence.Using Speed Burst and Rapid Strike,she can run into battle and make four attacks on the second round (using the first round to activate her shimmering shield).She normally casts a diminished greater ability boost (which adds +8 to her Dexterity),then a diminished lesser ability boost (which adds +2 to her Charisma),and finally a diminished greater ability boost again (which adds +8 to her Strength),as well as spirit ofprowess and heightened spell resistance before entering a battle ifpossible.Ifit seems she needs it,she casts gaze of terror once she’s in a fight.

She often attempts to disarm foes wielding powerful magical weapons,risking the attack ofopportunity (ifthe foe can make one) to pick up the dropped weapon herself.

Using Marvalontal

Until she succeeds in supplanting the alabast king,Marvalontal is likely to act as an emissary ofher people,sent out to deal with others when absolutely necessary.The rather xenophobic alabasts know they do not need worry for her while she is gone (although alabast worry is very low-key by human standards),for she knows the ways ofthe outside world better than most.

Marvalontal,female alabast Mbl17: CR 17;

Medium humanoid;HD 17d8;hp 71;Init +4;

Speed 30 feet;AC 26 (+4 Dex,+8armor, +4 natural),touch 14,flat-footed 22,AC 27 in melee,AC 28 against foes with swords;Armor Check –1;

BAB +12/+7/+2,Grapple +13;Attack +23 melee (1d8+5,critical 19–20/×2, +4 longsword);Full Attack +23/+18/+13 melee (1d8+5,critical 19–20/×2, +3 longsword);SA Slice through wardings;SQ Low-light vision,shimmering shield,familiarity with magic,spell parry;Hero Points 0;SV Fort +7,Ref+11,

Will +6;Str 12,Dex 19,Con 10,Int 16,Wis 9,Cha 18

Languages: Alabast,Common

Skills and Feats: Concentration +20,Craft (glass) +13,Jump +11,

Knowledge (magic) +13,Listen +6,Search +17,Spellcraft +13,

Spot +1,Tumble +18;Bonded Item (athame),Defensive

Stance,Expertise,Improved Disarm,Modify Combat Style,

Natural Swordsman,Rapid Strike,Speed Burst,Weapon

Finesse,Weapon Focus (longsword)

Shimmering Shield (Sp): Once per day,this aura provides

Marvalontal with a +8 deflection bonus to AC for 17 rounds.

Slice Through Wardings (Su): Marvalontal can,17 times a day, ignore magic-based protections on a foe with a single attack.

Familiarity With Magic (Su): Marvalontal enjoys a +2 bonus to saves against spells,spell-like abilities,and supernatural abilities.Further,she gains a +2 competence bonus to

Armor Class against spells requiring attack rolls.

Spell Parry (Su): An attack roll (opposed by caster power check) allows Marvalontal to resist a spell directed at her.

Possessions: Yanial (+4 glass longsword in her hands), +4 leather coat, amulet ofnatural armor +4, major cloak ofdisplacement, scrolls of greater battle healing and greater ability boost, 98 gp

Spell Slots: 5/5/5/5/3/2/1

Spells Readied:7/7/7/6/4/3/1: 0—bash, canny effort, detect magic, ghost sound, lesser glowglobe, lesser repair, scent bane; 1st—acrobatics, animate weapon, compelling command, mind stab, precise vision, resistance, touch ofpain; 2nd—blinding light, icebolt, lesser ability boost, lesser battle healing, levitate, see invisibility, subtle steps; 3rd—greater compelling question, greater repair, hand ofbattle, lesser summon minor elemental, protection from elements, spirit ofprowess; 4th—gaze ofterror, strength to strike, telepathy, wall ofice; 5th—greater battle healing, open door, spell resistance; 6th—greater ability boost