The Topaz Order

about joining the society and receiving its special training. Since being accepted into its ranks, his previous experience and newfound devotion to eliminating evil psionics-using creatures (especially mind fl ayers) everywhere have brought him success. In fact, Albaric recently promoted Korrath to the rank of adjutant of the society’s ward house in a major city.

Korrath: Male human fi ghter 4/psion (egoist) 1/sanctifi ed mind 4; CR 9; Medium humanoid; HD 4d10+8 plus 1d4+2 plus 4d8+8; hp 65; Init –1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 21, touch 9, fl at-footed 21; Base Atk +8; Grp +12; Atk +14 melee (1d8+7/19–20, +1 cold iron longsword) or +12 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +14/+9 melee (1d8+7/19–20, +1 cold iron longsword) or +12 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); SA cleansing strike, disrupting blow 1/day; SQ hard to hold, partition mind; AL LG; SV Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +8; Str 18, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10.

Skills and Feats: Climb +2, Concentration +14 (+18 manifesting defensively), Intimidate +2, Jump +2, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (psionics)* +4, Ride +3, Sense Motive +5, Spot +11; Aligned Attack (good)*, CleaveB, Combat Manifestation*, Iron Will, Power AttackB, Psionic Weapon*B, Stand Still*, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword)B . *Skill or feat described in Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Languages: Common, Undercommon, Goblin.

Cleansing Strike (Su): Korrath can expend his psionic focus to smite a psionics-using creature with one melee attack (including melee touch attacks). He gains a +1 bonus on his attack roll and deals an extra 4d6 points of damage. If he smites a creature that is not a psionics-user, the cleansing strike has no effect, but the ability is still used up for the day.

Disrupting Blow (Su): Once per day, Korrath can attempt a disrupting blow against a psionics-using creature. If he hits, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or lose access to its psionic abilities for 1d4 rounds.

Hard to Hold (Ex): Korrath gains a +4 bonus on all grapple checks when attempting to resist or escape from a grapple.

Partition Mind (Su): As an immediate action, Korrath can choose to partition his mind in response to a mind-affecting spell or ability. While his mind is partitioned, Korrath is slowed instead of suffering the normal effect of the attack. He can keep his mind partitioned for 4 rounds per day. Psion Powers Known (21 power points, manifester level 4th): 1st—defensive precognition, detect psionics, empty mind, energy ray, thicken skin; 2nd—animal affi nity, psionic levitate. Possessions: +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 cold iron longsword, dagger, light crossbow with 20 bolts, gauntlets of ogre power, 3 potions of cure light wounds, potion of cat’s grace.

THE TOPA Z ORDER

A militant order of crusading clerics, fi ghters, paladins, and monks in the service of Heironeous, the Holy Order of the Supernal Topaz Defenders stands as a dedicated shield protecting humankind from the depredations of aberrant master races and other monstrosities. The topaz guardians are warriors who pit their virtue and determination against the mind-poisoning horrors of aberrant monsters, trusting that holy steel and divine blessing can overcome alien magic and crawling death. Vigilance is the watchword of the Topaz Order. Members of the order are free to pursue their own individual duties and interests, but wherever they go, they keep a sharp eye out for evidence of aberrant incursions. They speak with adventurers who

Illus. by M. Phillippi

A paladin undergoes the ceremony to gain membership in the Topaz Order

report encountering monsters such as mind fl ayers, they search out rumored outposts and lairs, and they investigate any signs of aberration predation—abductions, mysterious murders, important people behaving oddly, people reporting missing memories or frightening encounters with malevolent strangers. Should a topaz guardian encounter an aberration incursion, he sends word to the nearest temple of Heironeous to spread the alarm to all nearby chapters of the Topaz Order. While the topaz guardians are expected to act independently, they share many common bonds. The order trains its chosen champions in specialized combat techniques effective against aberrations, and equips them with their signature device, the topaz diadem. Within the chapter house (or most temples of Heironeous, for that matter), a topaz guardian can fi nd lodging, fellowship, and support for his lonely crusade.

Sample Member

Halvar Marth grew up on the border marches of the Gnarley

Forest. As a simple woodsman and hunter, he might have stayed in his wilderness home for his entire life—but one awful night a neogi raid descended upon his homestead. The neogi and their umber hulk slaves carried off several of his kinfolk, and Halvar was nearly killed fi ghting the creatures.

A couple of days after the raid, a knight of Heironeous named

Ferrsta Breith appeared in the ruined settlement and organized a pursuit of the neogi. Halvar joined in, and under Ferrsta’s leadership, they succeeded in slaying two of the monsters and rescuing several of the neogi’s captives. Ferrsta recognized Halvar’s great potential, and when she left the tiny settlement, she took him along. She brought him to a temple of Heironeous, where Halvar took up the vows of a paladin-in-training. Halvar dedicated his life to the war against the neogi and other aberrations, and eventually earned an invitation to follow in Ferrsta’s footsteps and join the Topaz Order. Halvar is a warm and good-humored man who makes light of his grave duties. He views despair as a dangerous vulnerability, and works hard to keep hope in his heart even in desperate situations, as Ferrsta Breith taught him long ago. Halvar believes in the ability of ordinary people to meet great challenges, and he has already inspired several other young warriors to take up the diadem of the topaz guardian.

Halvar Marth: Male human ranger 1/paladin 4/topaz guardian 4; CR 9; Medium humanoid; HD 5d8+10 plus 4d10+8; hp 64; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 24, touch 11, fl at-footed 23; Base Atk +9; Grp +13; Atk +15 melee (1d8+5/19–20/×3, +1 warhammer) or +12 ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite longbow); Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d8+5/19–20/×3, +1 warhammer) or +12/+7 ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite longbow); SA smite aberration 2/day, smite evil 1/day; SQ aura of courage, aura of good, hard to hold +4, detect evil, divine grace, divine health, favored enemy aberrations +2, lay on hands 4/day, topaz diadem +2, turn undead 4/day (+1, 2d6+2, 1st), wild empathy +2 (–2 magical beasts); AL LG; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +7; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.

Skills and Feats: Balance +0, Climb +2, Jump +2, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +3, Ride +6, Search +3, Sense Motive +4, Spot +8, Survival +2; Combat Refl exes, Improved Critical (warhammer), Iron Will, Quick Recovery†, TrackB, Weapon Focus (warhammer). † New feat described on page 181.

Language: Common. Favored Enemy (Ex): Halvar gains a +2 bonus on his Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against aberrations. He gains the same bonus on weapon damage rolls.

Smite Aberrations (Su): Two times per day, Halvar can attempt to smite aberrations with one normal melee attack. He adds +1 to his attack roll and deals an extra 8 points of damage.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, Halvar can attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. He adds +1 to his attack roll and deals an extra 4 points of damage.

Aura of Courage (Su): Immunity to fear, and each ally within 10 feet of Halvar gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.

Detect Evil (Sp): Detect evil at will as the spell.

Divine Health (Ex): Immunity to disease.

Hard to Hold (Ex): Halvar can escape from deadly situations such as the tentacles of a mind fl ayer or the pseudopods of an aboleth. He gains a +4 on grapple checks to avoid being grappled or to escape from a grapple.

Topaz Diadem: Halvar’s topaz diadem confers a +2 sacred bonus to AC and a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against attacks made by or effects created by evil creatures. The diadem blocks attempts to possess Halvar or to exercise mental control over him.

Possessions: +2 full plate armor, +1 large steel shield, +1 warhammer, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) with 25 arrows, gauntlets of ogre power, topaz diadem.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

RICHARD BAKER is a senior designer for Wizards of the Coast.

His most recent roleplaying game design credits include

Complete Arcane and Monster Manual v.3.5. Richard is also the New York Times best-selling author of the novel Condemnation. Richard lives in Washington State with his wife and two daughters. JAMES JACOBS is the managing editor for Dungeon Magazine. His most recent previous design credit for Wizards of the

Coast came for his work on Frostburn: Mastering the Perils of

Ice and Snow. A gaming industry veteran, STEVE WINTER currently produces web content for Wizards of the Coast. His previous design credits include Monster Manual II. pqqqqqqqqqrs