Harrid

Dream Hunter Encounter (EL 8)

The PCs are after an akashic kidnapped by the mercenaries of a powerful warlord who wants some information that only the akashic knows.Little do they realize that the warlord’s rival—a powerful champion ofdarkness—wants this akashic as well. She doesn’t know where the akashic is or how to find him,but she knows the characters are looking for him.So she sends a pack offour trained dream hunters to find the party.

The PCs begin to have disturbing dreams ofbeing chased while they themselves chase the kidnappers,hoping to intercept them before they reach the warlord’s castle.Ifthey do recover the akashic,the dream hunters and their 5th-level unfettered handler move in to take him away from his rescuers.

Harrid

Medium Monstrous Humanoid

Hit Dice: 4d8+8 + 1d8+2 (32 hp),dying/dead –3/–15 Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) Speed: 30 feet AC: 14 (+2 Dexterity,+2 natural),touch 12,flat-footed 12; or 16 (+2 Dexterity,+2 natural,+2 long shield),touch 12, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d4+3),or scimitar athame +8 melee (1d6+4),or mighty composite longbow (+3) +6 ranged (1d8+3) Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+3),bite +2 melee (1d6+1); or scimitar athame +8 melee (1d6+4);or mighty composite longbow (+3) +6 ranged (1d8+3) Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet Special Attacks: Poisoned weapons,spell-like abilities, magic drain,athame Special Qualities: SR 15 Saves:Fort +3,Ref+6,Will +3 Abilities: Str 16,Dex 14,Con 15,Int 16,Wis 9,Cha 17 Skills: Alchemy +10,Knowledge (ceremony) +5,Knowledge (history) +5,Knowledge (magic) +5,Knowledge (runes) +5,

Sneak +9,Spellcraft +9,Spot +6 Feats:Corrupt Mage,The Voice,Modify Spell

Environment: Warm land Organization: Solitary,band (5–8),clutch (8–18 plus one leader of2nd to 5th level),or clan (20–200 plus 10 3rd-level mage blades,five 5th-level runethanes,and one magister leader of5th to 9th level) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Double standard Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +3

Harrids are degenerate avian creatures who literally thrive on magic.They long ago gave up food and drink,in fact,and now subsist entirely on magic.These crafty and ingenious spellcasters love to use poisoned weapons (and poison ofall kinds). Many ofthe worst poisons in the world are harrid concoctions.

Harrids are humanoids that stand about 5 to 6 feet tall. Their bodies are hairless,although some sprout thin tufts of coarse feathery down.Twisted,skeletal arms hang low and end in surprisingly nimble four-fingered claws.The small head atop a thin,almost spindly neck,sports a curved beak and two large,sunken eyes.They have been likened to sickly, deformed vultures. Their thin,warped bodies betray their strength and agility.

These creatures hail from the continent to the southwest,across the Sonish Sea.Fair sailors,they use long galleys crewed by humanoid slaves at the oars.They come to the magic-rich shores ofthe Lands of the Diamond Throne seeking enchantments and magic items to steal and magical locations to drain (like power cysts;see page 24).They have already drained their own land ofsuch sites,and they want more.

Though contemptuous and selfish,harrids are not cruel for cruelty’s sake.However,they are not beyond torturing captives to gain something they need.They have no pity,no empathy for others.Harrids even seem contemptuous of each other and frequently squabble among themselves.

Harrids speak their own grating language,but about half also speak Common and Giant.

The statistics here are for a 1st-level mage blade harrid.

Tharis Root

Found in isolated mountain vales and windblown hilltops, the root of the blue-flowered tharis plant can aid those on the run from dream hunters. When boiled and made into a broth, the brew allows those who drink it to go without dreams the next time they sleep. This effect lasts about 24 hours. There is a danger, however. Every consecutive day after the first day of using tharis root, a character must make a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the number of dreamless days). Failure means the character suffers 1d6 points of Wisdom damage. Tharis root costs about 10 gp per dose if bought rather than found. A few recorded instances mention that the brew was used as a slow, insanity-inducing poison to unwitting victims who thought they were drinking merely a bitter tea.

Combat

Poisoned Weapons (Ex): Harrids always poison their weapons with toxins oftheir own making.These poisons have a Difficulty Class of16,withinitial damage of1d3 points oftemporary Constitution,and secondary damage of1d4 points oftemporary Constitution.Some harrids have even worse poisons.

Harrids sometimes wear envenomed tips on their claws, making even their natural weapons toxic.

Magic Drain (Su): With a touch attack,a harrid can drain and consume magic.Should the harrid touch a creature with a spell effect cast upon it,it dispels the effect (the highestlevel effect,ifmultiple spells are operative).Ifthe creature is a spellcaster but has no spells active upon it,the harrid drains its highest-level spell slot still available,as ifthe slot were