Location: The Mishtoran in Nor

essentia from his bracers to his cerulean sandals, thereby increasing his speed to 35 feet. He rarely allocates essentia to his crystal helm, since its bonus to AC doesn’t stack with that provided by his ring of protection.

Vellok Dane CR 13

Male skarn soulborn 5/spinemeld warrior 8 LE Medium humanoid (incarnum, reptilian) Init +2; Senses Listen +0, Spot +0 Languages Common AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 23 hp 115 (13 HD) Immune exhaustion Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +8 (+10 against charm and compulsion) Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); water walk Melee +4 arm spines +22/+17/+12 (1d8+11/19–20) or Melee +4 arm spines +20/+15/+10 (1d8+11/19–20) and +4 arm spines +20 (1d8+9/19–20) Base Atk +13; Grp +17 Atk Options smite opposition 2/day, spine rend (2d6+6) Combat Gear 2 potions of cure serious wounds Essentia Pool 7; Capacity 3 (4 for spines); Chakra Binds 1; Soulmelds 3

Soulmelds and Essentia Investment

Arm spines 4 (+4 attack and damage)

Bluesteel bracers 3 (+2 bonus on initiative checks for self and allies within 30 ft.; +3 bonus on weapon damage rolls; bound to arms chakra, CL 8th) Cerulean sandals (water walk, CL 2nd)

Crystal helm (+2 resistance bonus against charm/ compulsion, CL 8th) Abilities Str 18, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12 SQ chakra bind (arms); strong evil aura Feats Cobalt CriticalB, Improved Critical (spines),

Improved Natural Attack (spines), Iron Will, Two-

Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon

Focus (spines) Skills Bluff +5, Climb +1, Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +10, Ride +4 Possessions combat gear plus +3 glamered full plate, ring of protection +2, amulet of health +2, cloak of resistance +3, signet ring of the Spinemeld

Warrior Hierarchy, keys to the administrative offices of the Nor Mishtoran Amphitheatre, lapis identification rune for Spinemeld Warrior Hierarchy, 56 gp, 2 pp Hook “I must now ask you to defend yourself.”

The Mishtoran amphitheater in Nor has hosted the elaborately staged combats of the spinemeld warriors for the past two centuries. The cyclopean, horseshoe-shaped arena boasts eighteen thousand brass-fi tted wooden seats for spectators. Even from outside the stadium, passers-by can easily tell when a ceremony is in progress—the crowd inside roars, and the massive torches placed around the upper perimeter emit purple smoke. Of all the ceremonies recognized by the Hierarchy of Spinemeld Warriors, the Ceremony of Flaws is the holiest. Held once per year at the autumnal equinox, this combat ritual marks the failure of the mishtai to achieve perfection of form, and another year of failure in that same enterprise for the skarns. Simultaneously, however, the ceremony refreshes and reinforces the spinemeld warriors’ dedication to their millennia-old quest. On average, one spinemeld warrior per year dies in the Ceremony of Flaws. Some of these fallen warriors are restored to life through raise dead spells, but many consider it an honor to die in the Mishtoran. Another notable ceremony is the Ritual of Sundering, which marks the split of the rilkan and skarn races and features a ritual in which rilkans are burned in effi gy. The Green Spine Tournament welcomes new spinemeld warriors into the Hierarchy of Spinemeld Warriors, and the Ceremony of Renewal allows old and frail skarn to choose an honorable death in ritualized combat over an ignominious descent into decrepitude. Finally, the Ceremony of Proof invites all sorts of fi ghters to test their mettle against the best of the spinemeld warriors. PC spinemeld warriors are required to compete in the Green Spine Tournament upon attaining 1st level in the prestige class, and characters of other combat-oriented classes might be invited to compete in the Ceremony of Proof. The Mishtoran amphitheater features extensive training rooms, sparring facilities, and purifying salt baths located