Dark Warden

Combat

A typical cyclops has no knowledge oftactics.It charges into battle bashing things with its club.Prey beyond charging range usually finds itselfthe recipient ofa thrown rock attack.

Rock Throwing: Cyclopses have a +2 racial bonus to attacks made with a thrown rock.These rocks weigh 60 to 80 lbs.and have a range increment of120 feet.They can be thrown up to five range increments.

Rock Thrust: Rather than treating them as a ranged attack, rocks hurled straight by a cyclops in this manner fly with such force that you should treat them as an area attack—a line 100 feet long and 5 feet wide.Anyone in this area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 18) or suffer the thrown rock damage (2d8 + 17).Success results in no damage.

Hard to Control (Ex): Cyclopses gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against enchantment spells.Further,when attempting to use Diplomacy or Intimidate on a cyclops,the check’s Difficulty Class carries a +4 circumstance modifier.

Cyclops Characters

Rarely,a cyclops gains the wherewithal to learn additional skills and abilities.These creatures usually become warriors, or even more rarely,warmains.

Cyclops Encounter (EL 10)

While making their way across a hilly terrain,the PCs come upon a homestead near the road,in ruins.The small house is smashed in from the roofdown,fences are broken, and no one is in sight.No people,no livestock—just the occasional bloodstain and some very large tracks leading into the wilderness.The devastation appears recent.Characters wishing to investigate or avenge this attack can follow the trail easily back to a cave where a cyclops had holed up.Those who press on continue to find more signs ofdestruction and death until they run afoul ofthe hungry beast itself.

Dark Warden

Large Giant

Hit Dice: 12d8+84 (138 hp),dying/dead:–8/–24 Initiative: +1 (Dexterity) Speed: 40 feet AC: 20 (–1 size,+1 Dexterity,+10 natural),touch 10, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+19 Attack: Large +1 longsword +18 melee (2d6+11) Full Attack: Large +1 longsword +18/+13 melee (2d6+11) Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/10 feet Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Low-light vision,shadow meld, tremorsense (100 feet),warden sense Saves: Fort +15,Ref+5,Will +9 Abilities: Str 26,Dex 13,Con 24,Int 17,Wis 21,Cha 18 Skills: Climb +14,Listen +11 Feats: Cleave,Infuse Weapon,Power Attack,Stomp,Weapon

Focus (longsword),Weapon Specialization (longsword)

Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: None (other than sword) Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +4

Chapter Four:Creatures 79 Their name is deceiving—the “dark warden” sounds like it might be a figure representing the Dark itself.They are not,but nonetheless one should never consider them lightly.They may not be inherently malevolent,but these dangerous beings are not to be trifled with.

Dark wardens are giants who,through ceremonies and other mysterious processes (including a profound act ofwill) give up their normal lives and transform themselves into a different type ofcreature.Most such giants commit this fundamentally shocking act because their need to protect the land becomes so great that they believe they require more power to do so.

In any event,they lose whatever skills,feats,and levels they had previously to become dark wardens.Now utterly alone,stripped ofthe trappings ofcivilized life,they wander the wilderness.Or rather,they patrol the wilderness.Dark wardens exist for one purpose:to watch over the land.They take this duty so seriously that they pose a real threat to civilization.They oppose the encroachment of cities,the carving out ofmines,the chopping away offorestland.They hate the use ofmagic that might threaten the natural way ofthings—anything from destructive spells like sorcerous blast to the summoning ofunnatural creatures.

Dark wardens scour the land ofbeings ofdramojh creation (they hate mojh as well) and destroy any oftheir devices,constructs,or buildings.They also hate dragons,chorrim,rhodin,hags,undead,and other creatures who have no regard for the land.Most people think ofthem as a virtual force ofnature—no matter who you are,you can never know ifa dark warden will be an ally or a foe.

In appearance,dark wardens look like wild giants with shadowy bodies.Only very rarely will one ever see a dark warden,and even then people never get a good,close look at them.All dark wardens carry silver magical longswords (sized for them) as a sort ofbadge.These weapons bear symbols ofthe moon.

Dark wardens operate mostly at dusk and at night,and always alone. Most people believe there to be only a few dozen ofthem in the world.They speak Giant and Common.

Combat

Dark wardens fight defensively—when attacked,they retreat to a defensible spot ifpossible.Most oftheir spell-like abilities are utility spells,so ifgiven the chance, they cast spirit ofprowess and move in to attack with the longsword.Dark wardens only fight to the death ifdefending a site or creature they consider vital. Otherwise,they use their shadow meld power to retreat from a losing battle.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—aid plants, cloak ofdarkness, detect creature, detect disease, detect poison, hygiene, scent bane;3/day—lessercompelling question, greatercreation, detect magic, invisibility, greater repair, greater transfer wounds; 1/day—dispel magic, lesser beastskin, spirit ofprowess, telepathy. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level greenbond (save DC 15 + spell level).

Shadow Meld (Su): Dark wardens can transform their bodies into shadowy forms at will as a move-equivalent action (it is also a move-equivalent action to transform back).In this incorporeal form they can take only move or moveequivalent actions but gain a +20 circumstance bonus to Sneak checks.

Warden Sense (Su): Dark wardens have an uncanny awareness ofthemselves and ofeverything around them.They cannot be surprised,caught flatfooted,or flanked and become instantly aware oftraps,dangerous in-place spell effects,and runes within 25 feet.

Dark Warden Characters

Dark wardens lose all levels and character abilities they possessed as giants. However,once in dark warden form,they can gain character class levels. Most such individuals are greenbonds,although they also may choose totem warrior and unfettered levels as well.