The Death Sworn
Some Demon
Lords, Arch Devils and Evil gods have truly fanatic followers. Those few men and women
pledge their souls to eternal servitude and slavery for a resurrection and
certain other powers granted by their masters after they are killed in their
service. These dammed creatures are called Death Sworn. They are some of the
most valued mortal minions of their evil masters. Even after they and their
helpers are beaten and killed they rise again. Full of life and power but even
stronger than before their first death. Even though their souls are now in the
hands of their dark lords, they can strike out in revenge against those who
defeated the Death Sworn. Many noble Heroes, exhausted after
a grim battle fell to the power of a newly risen Death Sworn, unable to use the
weapons, spells and prayers that killed him the first time.
“The
Death Sworn” is an
acquired template that can be added to any creature that knowingly sells it
soul to an evil entity (Demon Lord, Arch Devil, or evil Deity) in exchange for
certain powers.
Size and
Type: Size and Type
are unchanged, but the creature gains the evil subtype if the base creature did
not already have it
Armor Class: A
Death Sworn gains a +2 profane bonus on Armor Class.
Special
Attacks: A Death Sworn
retains all the base creature’s special attacks.
Special
Qualities: A Death
Sworn retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those
described here
Death
Pact (Su): A
Death Sworn has sold his soul to an evil entity in return for abilities granted
by this template. This pact is thought to be irreversible. Most of the
abilities will only be granted after the death of the Death Sworn in direct
exchange for his soul (see Life through Death and Power through death
abilities). The evil entity will wait until the Death Sworn dies a second time
and re unites with his soul. Then it will use the Death Sworn for its own ends.
No Demon
Lord or Arch Devil or evil God will voluntary relinquish such a soul bound, to
him in servitude for eternity. If there are ways to redeem such a soul reverse
a Death Pact, not even the wise know of them and the powers granting the Death
Pact will certainly not speak of them.
Resurrection
Resistance (Su): The
Death Sworn can not be raised or resurrected by any means if he dies a second
time. The entity which granted the template has a firm hold on his soul (see
Death Pact) and will not relinquish it.
Life
through Death (Su): If the Death Sworn is killed by unnatural causes (most likely through
PC intervention), he will immediately subjected to a
True resurrection Spell, cast by the entity granting the template. But instead
of healed by the warm and life giving power of positive energy the Death Sworn
will be infused with negative energy will experiencing unbearable pain and
numbing coldness. Furthermore, if the Death Sworn has the ability to cast
spells or to use spell like abilities, he regains all memorised spells, spell
slots and per day/week uses of the abilities as he had them after the last time
he regained spells, spell slots or spell like abilities.
Power
through Death (Su): The Death Sworn is granted certain abilities according to the cause of
which he died. The cause of death is always the source of damage which put the
Hit Points of the Death Sworn to –10 or more.
Death by a Weapon (including magic weapons): The Death Sworn gains DR +5/50 to the Weapon
type which struck the Death blow (i.e. slashing, piercing, bludgeoning). If the
weapon has more than one type (e.g. Morningstar) he gains DR against both types.
Furthermore he gains an additional +8 profane bonus to AC (which stacks with
the +2 gained before to an overall +10 bonus AC). This is a supernatural effect
that cannot be dispelled but it is suppressed in an anti-magic field.
Death by Fire (mundane, magic or dragon
breath): The fire that killed the Death Sworn
is still burning. But it is contained within the body and he controls its
power. Flames seem to burn under his red tinted skin. He gains immunity to
Fire. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can call up the flames to his fingertips and
launch a cone of fire with a range of 60 feet that deals 1d6 points of fire
damage per hit dice of the Death Sworn. A Reflex Saving throw
with a DC of the Death Sworn’s Hit dice +5 halves the
damage.
Death by Acid (mundane, magic or dragon
breath): The Acid that burned and killed the
Death Sworn before is now absorbed in every pore of his body. His skin glows
with a sickly green light from within and the stench of sulphur and chlorine
emanates from him. The Death Sworn gains immunity to Acid. Up to 3/day the
Death Sworn can release the acid from his body to create a billowing mass of
misty vapors similar to that produced by a solid fog
spell with a 20 radius around himself.
In addition to slowing creatures down and obscuring sight, the vapors are highly acidic. Each round on the Death Sworn’s turn, the fog deals 2d6 points of acid damage to
each creature and object within it (excluding the Death Sworn and his gear).
The acidic mist disperses after a 1 round/ Hit dice of the Death Sworn.
Death by Electricity (mundane, magic or dragon
breath): The
electricity that killed the Death Sworn is not diminished. Electric discharges
crackle over his skin and bathe the him in an eerie
light. The air is filled with the stench of ozone. The Death Sworn gains
immunity to electricity. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can
focus the electricity in his body and release it. Lightning arcs from
him in all directions in a single plane out to 100 feet at a height of 5 feet
dealing 1d6 points of electricity damage per hit dice of the Death Sworn to all
within the area (excluding the Death Sworn and his gear). A Reflex Saving throw with a DC of the Death Sworn’s
Hit dice +5 halves the damage.
Death by Cold (mundane, magic or dragon
breath): The
coldness that killed the Death Sworn has sunk deep into his body. His skin is
covered with rime and he emanates a numbing coldness. The Death Sworn gains
immunity to Cold. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can focus the cold within his
body into a small, 1 inch wide sphere. He can direct this sphere to any space
within a range of 400 foot. There it explodes in a burst of intense cold and
ice shards dealing 1d6 damage per hit dice of the Death Sworn.
Half of the damage is cold damage, half is piercing damage. A Reflex Saving throw with a DC of the Death Sworn’s
Hit dice +5 halves the damage. If the sphere impacts upon a material body or
solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, it detonates at that
point. (An early impact results in an early detonation.) If the Death Sworn
attempts to send the sphere through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow
slit, he must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the sphere
strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely. The exploding
sphere freezes and damages objects in the area. If the damage caused to
an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the detonation may
continue beyond the barrier if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the
barrier.
Death by Sound(mundane,
magic or dragon breath): The sound that killed the Death Sworn is still resonating through his
body creating ripples on his skin like pebbles thrown in still water. A sound,
now low and humming an then high and keening permeates
the air around the Death Sworn. He gains immunity to Sound
based attacks. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can build up a crescendo of sound in
his body and release it as a powerful wave from his fingertips out to 120 feet.
The wave is 10 feet wide and has an amplitude of 5
feet. It deals 1d6 sound damage per hit dice of the Death Sworn to all
creatures and objects in its path. If the damage caused to an interposing
barrier shatters or breaks through it, the wave may continue beyond the barrier
if the range permits it; otherwise, it stops at the barrier. A Reflex Saving throw with a DC of the Death Sworn’s
Hit dice +5 halves the damage.
Death by Arcane Magic (other than the energies
described above): The arcane magic that killed the Death Sworn is now cursing like blood
through his body. His skin seems to scintillate in all the colours of the
rainbow. He gains a spell resistance of 15 + Death Sworn’s
hit dice or 25, whichever is higher. This spell resistance works only against
arcane magic. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can cast greater dispel magic with a
caster level equal to his hit dice or 10, whichever is higher.
Death by Divine Magic (other than the energies described
above: The
divine power that killed the Death Sworn was taken by his patron and changed
into something dark and given back to him. Now his body glows with unholy
energy. Crimson glowing runes, prayers of unspeakable depravation crawl like
living spiders just under his skin. A feeling of hopelessness permeates the
air. He gains a spell resistance of 15 + Death Sworn’s
hit dice or 25, whichever is higher. This spell resistance works only against
divine magic. Up to 3/day the Death Sworn can call upon the
dark powers in his body and release them. Negative energy spreads out in
all directions up to 30 feet radius with the Death Sworn as its centre, dealing
2d8 points of damage +1 point per hit dice of the Death Sworn to all creatures
chosen by the Death Sworn. The negative cures undead in its area rather than
damaging them. A Will Saving throw with a DC of the
Death Sworn’s Hit dice +5 halves the damage.
Abilities: Change the base creature as
follows: Str +4, Con +6, Cha
+4 (these are gained after the Death Pact is made, before the Death of the
Death Sworn)
Environment: Any
Organisation: Solitary
Alignment: any evil
Challenge
Rating: Same as
base creature + 4
Level
Adjustment: Same a
base creature + 8
How to
apply this template:
The Death
Sworn is a rather unique template because most of the abilities gained through
it, can only be applied after the base creature has been killed. Some of the
Special Attacks and Special Qualities are dependent on the cause of the death.
Therefore this template tries to keep the modifications that have be applied
“on the fly” to the base creature simple. All numbers can be easily calculated.
Though it might be best to write the down beforehand.