To be done:

• Description of Nightlife.

Copyright © 2003 by Eden Celeste All rights reserved.

Yol is frightening. She is a devoted Cleric of Hel, the goddess of Death, Poison and Disease. Her very presence scares those weaker than herself and makes everybody else uneasy. She completely lacks Veracity's attractiveness and allure. Unlike Veracity, she takes no real pleasure in causing pain. In fact, Yol is probably incapable of feeling joy, and it shows on her face. Her scowl, is not one of anger, but a grim one, showing her resignation to death. When she smiles at all, it is a just fleeting smirk, as if she just confirmed that things are as bad as she believes they are. She is 5' even, 88 lbs (normal drow size) with white hair and red eyes. She wears a dark cloak.

Yol CR 17
Female drow Cleric 3/Domain Wizard (Necromancy) 3/True Necromancer 11
CE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +9; Senses Listen +11, Spot +15
Languages: Drow, Undercommon, Elvish, Common, Abyssal, comprehend languages
Height 5 ft. 0 in., weight 88 lb., age 141, XP 196,494 (6,494).

Drow traits: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma (included in listed statistics); Spell-like abilities 1/day—dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire as a sorceress of her character level; darkvision up to 120 feet; Entitled to a Search check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door as though actively looking for it; Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds drow for 1 round. While operating in bright light, suffer -1 circumstance penalty to attacks, checks, and saves. (removed by Daylight Adaptation Feat); Spell resistance of 11 + character level; Immune to magic sleep spells and effects; +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities; additional +2 racial bonus on saves against Enchantment spells and effects; +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already figured into the statistics given above); Preferred class: Wizard (male) or Cleric (female); Level adjustment +2.

Familiar Benefits: As long as her familiar Nightlife is within reach, Yol has the benefits of the Alertness feat (already figured into the statistics above), and the following additional benefits.

Empathic Link (Su): Yol can communicate telepathically with Nightlife at a distance of up to 1 mile. She has the same connection to a person, item or a place that Nightlife does, for the purpose of scrying or teleportation.

Share Spells: Yol may have any spell she casts on herself also affect Nightlife if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. She may also cast a spell with a range of Personal on her familiar.

Touch: Nightlife can deliver touch spells for Yol.

Hel's Boon: Yol is immune to all poisons and diseases.

Major Desecration (Su): Yol exudes an aura of negative energy that extends to a radius of 100 feet. This aura is identical to the effects of a desecrate spell except that it affects only allied undead.

Necromantic Prowess +3 (Ex): Whenever Yol rebukes undead, casts a necromantic spell, or uses a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, her effective caster level increases by her Necromantic Prowess value.

Spell-like Abilities: 2/day: create undead (CL 19); 1/day: create greater undead (CL 19), dancing lights (CL 16), darkness (CL 16), faerie fire (CL 16), horrid wilting (CL 19, DC 28)..

Nightlife: Female black cat familiar;

Skills and Feats:

Improved Evasion (Ex): If Nightlife is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, he takes no damage on a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

This minor artifact appears to be a length of wood with the mummified remains of a barghest's paw affixed to one end. This rod can be used in combat as a +4 returning trident. Once per round, the wielder can affect a creature struck in melee with charm monster as a free action. When this power is activated, the paw animates and seems to caress the target tenderly.
Bersteck's Hand also allows the use of the following spells, once per day each: crushing despair (DC 15), dimension door, misdirection, and project image. The wielder of Bersteck's Hand gains the benefit of pass without trace, and can polymorph into a dire wolf at will.
Strong Conjuration, Enchantment, and Illusion; CL 20th; Weight 6 lb.

Death Spear

A +1 long spear which is bathed in an aura of negative energy that deals an additional 1d6 points of negative energy on a successful attack. Additionally, the spear can be used to deliver an enervation (lesser death spear) or energy drain (greater death spear) spell on a successful hit. The spear has 10 charges when it is created and each use of the spell effect uses one charge. When drained of its charges, the spear retains its aura of negative energy and its enhancement bonus.

Caster Level: 7th (lesser death spear) or 17th (greater death spear)
Market price: 13,905 (lesser death spear) or 38,905 (greater death spear).

+1 long spear: 2,305 gp
+1 flaming long spear: 8,305 gp -> equivalent to chargeless death spear.
10 charges of enervation: 13,905 - 8,305 = 5,600 = 560 gp/charge
10 charges of energy drain: 38,905 - 8,305 = 30,600 = 3,060 gp/charge

The Nathlum (Pages from the Mages) Unconverted from the 2e sourcebook. History and Description A nondescript volume of brown, curling parchment leaves sewn to a gray canvas cover, The Nathlum is powerful and wholly evil. Its protective magic cannot be dispelled (at least, not by the dispel magic spell), and these protections cause all creatures of good alignment and instinct to suffer blinding, burning pain in the eyes and head. (Elminster offers a confusing description of the symptoms which need not be detailed here but can be interpreted thus: Anyone of good alignment suffers 1-4 points of damage per round that the book is in his or her hands.) Its origin and the reason for its name are unknown; its first definite identification is in the catalog of Tymor Threeshields, an inventory of the booty he brought back from the Orcfastings war. Hints of it can be traced through the scanty written records of the orcs under the leadership of Wund. Orfidel writes almost 400 years ago of his meeting with the evil mage Lethchauntos the Black, who went to dwell among the orcs, and describes what could well be The Nathlum in Lethchauntos's possession. From Tymor's hall, the volume went to Neverwinter as part of the dowry of Tymor's daughter Nulauznee (Elminster suspects that Tymor wished to be rid of it). Nothing more is heard of it until The Nathlum passes unexpectedly into the hands of Phrandjas of Port Llast (a northern town), a thaumaturge whose careful and exacting studies enabled him to subsequently rise quickly in the ranks of the Art. Phrandjas takes characteristic pains over his notes regarding The Nathlum; we learn that it appeared to be complete when he received it, and held sixteen recipes for poisons, four glyphs of warding set down nowhere else, and the formula of the spell maze. Phrandjas, despite the pain caused him by perusing the book (because he was good), copied certain of the recipes for later sale to the alchemists of the town, and all of the glyphs, and Elminster has passed on some of this information. Poisons The poison recipes have not been made known by Elminster; in his words, "They are largely simple to make, and recipes will undoubtedly fall into the wrong hands, given your sometimes too efficient communications." For adventurers, however, he has provided the means of identifying the substances. Lhurdas (also known as "the yellow death" and"Beltyn's Last Drink") is a wine-based poison. It has a sharp, dry white-grape wine taste, and will readily mix with white wine. It reacts with the digestive acids in the stomach (and is effectual in human, orcish, and elven body chemistries) to eat away internal organ tissues. Ingestion produces rapid (within two rounds) nausea, convulsions, and terrific internal cramps and burning pain, doing 1-6 points of damage in its first effective round, 2-12 in the second, and 1-4 in the third. Thereafter it will do no more damage, regardless of dose, and further exposure to lhurdas will cause discomfort and inhibit healing, but cause no greater damage to the body for a period of 3-24 days. It is ineffective if applied externally. (Save for half damage.) Varrakas is a black, thick syrup. To avoid detection, single drops are usually added to gravy or dark sauces, but the effects increase with the dose ingested. Varrakas has a slightly oily taste, but no strong flavor. Every drop of varrakas does 1-4 points of damage when it enters the bloodstream (it passes the digestive system masquerading as a nutrient), and does not act for a period of 19-24 turns after ingestion. Varrakas is harmless if applied externally, and is effective in all mammals. (Save for half damage.) Prespra (also known as "Mother's Bane") is an odorless, colorless liquid that mixes readily with all drinkable liquids except milk and dairy products, from which it separates. Effective only in humans and only when ingested, it causes sudden dizzy spells and visual distortion, beginning 1-3 rounds after contact and lasting for 1-12 rounds. During this time the victim moves unsteadily and fights at -2 to hit, -2 penalty on AC if having only normal (distorted) vision, or -1 to hit and -2 on AC if endowed with infravision or heightened visual senses. At the same time the victim endures 1-2 points of damage per round as surface blood vessels burst all over the body (giving a blotched, reddened appearance to the skin). Each round a successful saving throw will avoid such damage, but if the victim suffers an injury through combat or misadventure during the round, no saving throw is allowed (the cause and shock of the injury aggravates the sudden fluctuations in blood flow and pressure prespra causes; it works by alternately and erratically constricting and expanding blood vessels throughout the victim's body). Belpren is a luminescent blue, acidic substance that does 1-12 points of dam age instantly upon contact with skin or internal tissues. (No save.) Further applications of belpren to affected areas do not cause any further harm but the damage given above is for a roughly hand-sized area of body exp sure; for each additional such area of skin affected, an additional 1-12 points of damage will be suffered. However no additional damage from ingestion is possible; immediate and involuntary vomiting will be induced by any further belpren applied to affected internal areas. Belpren does not corrode metal nor does it harm cloth or cured leather It dries and becomes ineffective in just over one round when exposed to air and so cannot be used on weapons. Belpren can be neutralized by the application of lamp oil. It is effective on creatures. Orvas is a translucent liquid with a green cast and a bittersweet taste. It does 1-6 points of damage upon entering the bloodstream (immediately if insinuation, which must be through scrape or wound, or in 19-24 turns if by ingestion), and 1-4 points of damage each round for the following two rounds. A successful saving throw means that orvas is ineffective against the target creature. Orvas is an antidote to varrakas (see above) if introduced into the bloodstream before varrakas has run its course. Orvas works in all mammals. Huld (also called "Leap" or "Deathdance") is an odorless oil that is effective on non-humanoid creatures (it is not effective on demihumans and humans) and works only by insinuation. Its effects are the same regardless of dosage, and appear 1-4 rounds after the application. (Save for no damage.) Huld causes severe muscle spasms involving nausea and the loss of motor control, balance, and speech, lasting for 1-6 rounds. During this time a victim is helpless but by no means an easy target for physical attack, since he or she is usually thrashing and moving about rapidly and wildly. Mental processes are entirely unaffected (psionic or other communication can be initiated or continue, and in some cases can be used by the victim, as well as others, to control the poison's effects). A particular individual will be 95% resistant to huld for a period of 11-20 days after an exposure to it, and thus repeated dosages in a single encounter will almost always not be effective. Huld is generally thought to affect all individuals, but some apparent immunities are reported and conjectured. Jeteye is a glossy (i.e., reflective) black liquid that affects all mammals upon ingestion. (Ineffective if insinuative contact only; save for half damage.) It causes the pupils of the eyes to go black (although this does not affect vision) and causes 1-8 points of neural damage immediately. No pain is felt by the victim, however, for jeteye kills all pain and tactile sensation for a period of 9-16 rounds (the "black eyes" sign is of the same duration as this anesthetic effect). Jeteye is sometimes voluntarily used before torture or immediately after battle injuries (preventing a system shock survival roll). It has a bitter, black walnut-like taste and is hard to conceal in food or drink. Ulcrun is a milky-white, viscous liquid that is effective on all warm-blooded creatures, by insinuation only. (No saving throw.) Two rounds after contact, it causes 1-4 points of muscular damage, weakening and softening tendons, ligaments, bones, and cartilage. On the following round it causes 1-12 points of damage, and 1-4 points on the round thereafter, whereupon its effects pass. Until healing processes (natural or magical) counter its effects, the creature affected will have lost 1-4 points of Strength and one point of Dexterity. Dwarfbane is a rare, gummy oil that is poisonous only to dwarves. Insinuative, it is commonly smeared on weapons. It does not dry out, but prolonged exposure to air lessens its potency; it is effective only for 26-31 days. Upon contact, dwarfbane does 1-8 points of damage with a pain "like blazing skewers," and a further 1-6 points on each of the following three rounds. (A successful saving throw reduces all damage by half.) The Glyphs of The Nathlum The glyphs of warding found in The Nathlum reflect its evil nature. All may be used only by those of evil alignments, and will harm only those of good alignments. Anyone of good alignment may pass a glyph's location unharmed by speaking its name or by destroying the glyph. The passage of neutral or evil characters will not trigger any of these glyphs. They are as follows: Zuth can be cast only by a cleric of 6th or higher level. It is cast upon a door or the frame of an opening. Anyone of good alignment passing through or under the portal will suffer 2-12 points of electrical damage. The electricity arcs from side to side of the frame at many points. Yammas can be cast only by a cleric of 8th or higher level. When activated, from 11-18 screaming, chittering mouths appear all about the glyph, and shoot forth on long (up to 20 feet long) snakelike necks to bite at the creature activating the glyph. The victim must save against each manifestation or be struck by it, suffering 1-4 points of damage. The fangs dig in, much as a lamprey attacks, and the mouths drain 1 hit point of blood each per round thereafter until they or the victim are destroyed. Each neck/mouth is AC 13 and can be severed by inflicting 7 points of damage on it (as long as at least the seventh point is caused by an edged weapon), or by the victim pulling free of its grasp. Any character with a Strength of 16 or more is allowed to attempt saving throws against three of the mouths each round; if a particular save is successful, the mouth's grip breaks, it does not drain blood on that round, and it shrinks back into the wall or hangs lifeless. This glyph does not vanish after one activation; it retracts its surviving mouths and waits for the next victim, until all the mouths have been destroyed. Hlack can be cast only by a cleric of 9th or higher level. This functions as a magical barrier preventing those of good alignment from passing. This barrier of force will stand until the actual area on which the glyph was cast is destroyed, thus breaking the glyph, or until a knock, erase, or similar spell is employed. Anyone of good alignment attempting to pass the glyph strikes an invisible wall and suffers 1-6 points of electrical damage. Further contact with the barrier causes 1-6 points of electrical damage per round (no save). Curtal can be cast only by a cleric of 10th or higher level. Attempts to pass this glyph cause arms of fire to burst from its three pointed ends and strike the creature or creatures attempting to pass. Each arm inflicts 4-16 points of damage. Each arm of fire strikes a different target if there are three or more targets available; otherwise two will strike the nearest target and one another, or all three will strike at a solitary target. (Save for half damage.) Activation of this glyph always alerts a guardian, sometimes summoning a demon or devil to the spot instantly, but more often warning spellcasters or beast-keepers to ready their charges. The glyph remains until erased, striking out with its arms of flame every time it is activated. Dispel magic causes one of the arms of fire to shrink back and not strike for that activation. In each round that creatures stand before the glyph but do not speak its name (ie. not having passed it, but within 15 feet), curtal activates, so slow-moving creatures could be struck several times.