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• Feb 8, 2023

  Let's Read Threats to the Nentir Vale: Penanggalan

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the others.

  No illustration this time. The book has one, but it’s quite gross.

  The Penanggalan is a monster from Southeast Asian folklore (the name used here is Malay). It was first statted up for D&D in the Fiend Folio, and this is its 4e debut. This entry does make some effort to tie its lore to the Nentir Vale, but I still think it fits into the “generic monster” category.

  The Lore

  Legend has it that the first penanggalan was a young baroness in Harkenwold, who was very smart but “plain of face and scant of suitors”. She found a cache of old diabolism texts from Bael Turath one day, and decided to use them to improve her situation. She conjured a devil using the Turathi rituals, and made a deal where the devil would make her forever young and beautiful in exchange for eternal servitude.

  The lady did become beautiful, but it was the sort of beauty that comes from a devil’s bargain: so beautiful she was that armies clashed for her hand, and that her father eventually decided to lock her up in a tower for protection. Alone in her tower, the baroness prayed to the gods and begged for forgiveness, swearing to do penance before them.

  The devil that made the deal with her did not like this one bit, and before she could start atoning for her sins, he whispered the secret of her beauty in the ear of Harkenwold’s high priest. The priest was one of those “zero tolerance” types, so he had the lady hanged as a diabolist. Her body remained in the gallows until midnight, and then her head and entrails separated from it and went hunting.

  All penanggalans have a similar origin: women who make dark pacts for immortal beauty and try to renege, but who die before completing their penance and freeing their souls. The creatures share some superficial similarities to vampires, in that they’re undead monsters who feed on the living. Some embrace their new nature, some keep trying to complete their atonement to perhaps find a cure, but all of them are afflicted by a powerful hunger for the purity that once rain in their veins. Even a penitent penanggalan can only resist this hunger for about three days before going berserk, so atonement is really hard for them.

  The book doesn’t go into details on how they feed, but from what I see in Wikipedia the original legend does say they drink blood. You could interpret the book’s information to say they eat flesh instead. In either case their attacks are quite fatal because even the traditional blood drinker version spreads a wasting disease to its victims.

  As long as a penanggalan’s original body is in good condition, she can squeeze back into it and disguise herself as a mortal woman. The creatures often look for jobs as midwives or nursemaids, making victims of young kids and their mothers. Others prefer seduction as a means to get potential victims alone with them in a private spot. The original legend also has this really neat (and gross) detail that the creature bathes its dangling entrails in vinegar to shrink them up and fit them through the body’s neck, but that’s not necessary in the D&D version.

  If a penanggalan’s body is destroyed, the creature is forever stuck as a floating head, and usually becomes a lot more desperate and obvious in its attacks.

  The Numbers

  Penanggalans are Natural Humanoids with the Undead tag. Individuals with bodies are Medium while in mortal form. The floating head with trailing guts is Small.

  As undead they’re immune to disease and poison, resist necrotic damage, and are vulnerable to radiant damage. They have darkvision and a ground speed of 6, as well as a flight speed of 8 in head form.

  Penanggalan

  The basic model is a Level 10 Elite Lurker with 162 HP. It has the Shapechanger tag and can switch between woman and head forms.

  In woman form, the penanggalan can defend herself with a dagger, but she’s likely in disguise and will try to use her soothing voice to literally lull her victims into a false sense of security. This is an encounter spell that attacks the Will of everyone in a Close Burst 1, and while it does no damage it slows on a hit (save ends). After the first failed save, this worsens to unconsciousness!

  I would say that Soothing Voice can be disguised as a song or conversation, since it’s supposed to be subtle. Targets might not notice something is wrong at first.

  Once the jig is up, the penanggalan undergoes her Horrific Transformation, which is so gross it works as a Close Burst 2 attack vs. Will, dealing heavy psychic damage and dazing for a turn on a hit. This of course transforms the monster into its head form. The body is considered a corpse for game purposes, and the penanggalan can return to it with a standard action if it’s on the same space and the body is not completely destroyed.

  In head form, the monster attacks with Bites that do physical damage and ongoing poison damage (save ends). It can also use its Grasping Entrails (recharge 4+) to attack up to two creatures at Reach 2. On a hit, this deals poison and necrotic damage and grabs the victim (escape DC 22). Targets grant combat advantage until they escape, and are exposed to Blistering Corruption (see below).

  The penanggalan can use its Maleable Form as a standard action to gain phasing for a turn and shift up to its speed. If it starts its next turn hidden from all enemies, Graping Entrails recharges, and the monster can use both it and Bite in the same action when it next attacks.

  Penanggalan Bodiless Head

  A penanggalan who had its body destroyed a while ago and had to adapt to survive. It’s a Level 9 Skirmisher with 94 HP.

  This monster attacks with bites that do physical damage, and also slow (save ends) if the target is granting combat advantage. It can also use its flailing entrails to deal poison damage and slide 1 square on a hit.

  The penanggalan can perform a malleable rush with its move action, gaining phasing for a turn and shifting its speed. This recharges after it’s first bloodied. When it dies, it explodes, and the resulting Death Burst attacks a Close Burst 1, deals poison damage, and exposes victims to Blistering Corruption.

  Penanggalan Head Swarm

  Exactly what it sounds like, a pack of floating, starving penanggalan heads. It’s a Medium Swarm of Small creatures, and a Level 8 Soldier with 87 HP.

  Its Swarm Attack aura (1) slows enemies caught inside. Its basic attack is a Swarm of Entrails that targets a Close Burst 2, deals light poison damage (or more if the target is slowed), and slides the target 1 square to a space adjacent to the monster.

  Blistering Corruption

  Turns out this version of the penanggalan also spreads a wasting disease. Blistering Corruption is like supernaturally-boosted measles or chickenpox, causing sores, blisters and boils to erupt all over the victim’s body. You get exposed to it through contact with penanggalan entrails, and must succeed on a save to avoid contracting it as usual.

  This level 10 disease is resisted with Endurance, and has a Maintain DC of 13 and an Improve DC of 18. Its effects are cumulative. At Stage 1, it inflicts a -2 penalty to Fortitude. At Stage 2 it also halves your maximum HP (making you permanently bloodied) and healing surge value. At Stage 3, you gain an aura 2 that cannot be deactivated, and eats a healing surge from any creature that gets caught inside.

  As with other diseases, you stop making recovery rolls once you hit stage 3. Blistering Corruption doesn’t kill you, but it makes you weak and unbearable to be around. Only Remove Affliction or equivalent powers can save you from this fate once you hit Stage 3.

  Final Impressions

  D&D’s penanggalan is surprisingly similar to the traditional story I saw on Wikipedia. The story has somewhat more varied origins for the creature, though the “woman who practiced evil magic and was cursed by it” is also there.

• Feb 7, 2023

  Warforged Variants for Dungeon Fantasy

  

  Way back in the olden days of 2017, I published a post presenting the Warforged of D&D and Eberron fame as a racial template for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG. I’m still particularly proud of that post, and have used it in actual play, but I also think I can expand upon it a bit now. So here’s a couple variant warforged templates.

  In this 2018 post where I explained how I came up with the stats for the peoples of Tamriel, I mentioned that I’m no longer a fan of including attribute adjustments and mental or cultural disadvantages in GURPS racial templates. The original 2017 Warforged template still includes both, even though it’s a bit more restrained with them. So our first variant is an updated template that removes those adjustments. It ends up being cheaper! Our second variant adds a lens on top of that.

  Warforged (20 points)

  All of the story-related descriptions remain the same as in the original post.

  Advantages: Composite Plating 1 {5}; Doesn’t Breathe {20}; Doesn’t Eat or Drink {10}; Unsleeping Watcher {10}.

  Disadvantages: Dependency (Mana, Constantly) {-25}.

  As mentioned in the original post, Composite Plating is simply DR 1 without the Though Skin limitation, and Unsleeping Watcher is Less Sleep 4 with a +25% enhancement that allows the character to remain conscious during their sleep period. Check out the link for more flavorful and detailed descriptions.

  Lens: Dreaming Doll (-2 points)

  

  This lens represent living constructs that do require actual sleep, though they still require less of it than us fleshbags. This replaces Unsleeping Watcher {10} with standard Less Sleep 4 {8}. The character is not aware of their surroundings when sleeping, but they are capable of dreaming.

  This is an interesting lens if you want a character who resembles the Doll from Bloodborne more than a standard Eberron warforged.

  Warforged Gifts

  These optional traits are available to any warforged. They are individual rather than racial traits.

  The optional traits from the original article remain options here, and are still good to represent the social awkwardness of recently activated individuals.

  Warforged with access to the proper tools could spend 5 points/level to increase their innate DR up to 3. The same tools might allow them to change their outward appearance and presentation in ways that let them acquire levels in the Appearance advantage.

  Characters wanting more protection might buy the Accessory (Armor Hardpoints) perk for 1 point. This lets them use custom armor that weights 25% less than the normal humanoid version, but can’t be used by others or removed on the fly. Attaching or removing this custom armor can only be done in town. It costs the same as the normal equivalent. Warforged with the perk can still choose to wear normal armor, but can’t wear normal and attached armor together on the same location.

• Feb 6, 2023

  Let's Read Threats to the Nentir Vale: Mooncalf

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the others.

  This was the first time I saw these monsters, but it looks like they first appeared in Heart of Nightfang Spire, one of the modules in the official Third Edition adventure path.

  The Lore

  Mooncalves are creatures native to the Far Realm with innate dimensional travel powers. They look like giant bat-winged eyeless squids. Their life cycle is a mystery, but it seems to include regular trips to the middle world, where they spend a few weeks nesting at the top of a mountain or hill, hunting by night and resting by day. The Nentir Vale has a lot of mountains and hills, so they often end up there.

  These creatures travel in groups of 2-5 individuals known as “grasps”, and arrive at the middle world roughly every 8 years. They’re not picky about their food and will hunt whatever is available. They do like the flesh of humanoids and their cattle, so if “what’s available” is a village that place will be in serious trouble while the incursion lasts, and might end up getting abandoned or decimated.

  Nerathi sages knew how to predict mooncalf incursions with great accuracy, but the knowledge has been lost. All that’s left are the stories of past incursions. Of how Hammerfast was once tormented by a single individual of prodigious size and appetite, or how a hunter was accidentally saved from being eaten by a manticore when a mooncalf appeared and ate the beast instead.

  The most popular mooncalf vacation spot, however, is Thunderspire. The things just love the permanent storm at its top, and descend from it to hunt in the surrounding region.

  These creatures are intelligent but alien. They can communicate via telepathy but only those who know Deep Speech can even begin to understand their thought patterns. What they can understand ends up being mostly about killing and eating. They will definitely talk to each other and set up clever ambushes for prey, however, using psychic powers to lure their victims into the reach of their tentacles, or to conjure small localized storms.

  The Numbers

  Mooncalves are Large Aberrant Magical Beasts, with Resistance to Lightning and Thunder 10. They also have Darkvision, so I guess they’re not eyeless after all. Their ground speed is 6 and their flight speed is 8.

  Their signature trait is Tentacle Snare, which lets them pull all grabbed creatures with them when moving.

  Mooncalf

  The base model, who makes up those grasps of 2-5. It’s a Level 10 Controller with 112 HP.

  The mooncalf’s basic attack is a Reach 4 tentacle rake, and it can use Tentacle Grab to do a little less damage and grab the victim. The monster can have up to 2 grabbed victims, and can release a victim as a free action. The escape DC is 18, and grabbed victims take 5 ongoing damage while the grab lasts.

  These tentacle attacks can’t target victims who are already grabbed. Instead, the mooncalf can use Vile Bite on them, which deal physical damage and prevent the target from spending healing surges for a turn.

  The mooncalf’s psychic powers are both minor actions. Lure is a ranged attack that targets Will and pulls the target up to 5 squares on a hit. Stormwrack is an encounter power that creates a fireball-sized zone which deals 10 lightning and thunder damage to anyone caught inside. It lasts a turn but can be sustained with further minor actions.

  Mooncalf Harvester

  Rarely, a mooncalf will present a peculiar mutation that gives it teleportation powers instead of weather control. Harvesters are Level 10 Skirmishers with 107 HP.

  Their physical abilities are all identical to the base model, but instead of Lure and Stormwrack they have Teleport, an encounter power that lets them teleport 10 squares and take all grabbed victims with them.

  Mooncalf Sire

  A mooncalf that managed to grow to a prodigious size and spawn progeny. It will usually be found in the company of that progeny, a group of three or so standard mooncalves.

  Sires are Huge in size, and are Level 12 Elite Controllers with 262 HP. They have the same physical attacks as a standard specimen: Tentacle Rake, Tentacle Grab, and Vile Bite. The main different is that they are Reach 6 instead of 4, and are generally more effective due to the beast’s higher level. The sire can use Double Attack to perform any combination of two of these attacks with one standard action.

  Sires also have Lure, and their weather control abilities take the form of two different encounter powers. Call Lightning is an attack that targets enemies in a Close Blast 5, does lightning damage and slows for a turn. Fury of the Storm is an interrupt that triggers when the sire is bloodied, and causes it to project an aura (1) that deals 10 lightning and thunder damage to enemies caught inside. This lasts for the rest of the encounter.

  Mooncalf Rogue

  Sometimes, a mooncalf is separated from its kin. These loners might team up with other creatures capable of understanding them, such other aberrant monsters or mortal spellcasters with strong connections to the Far Realm. These use standard stat blocks. A rogue is something else.

  Mooncalf rogues are outcasts among their kind and are adamant in their desire to remain alone. They attack even other mooncalves who trespass upon their territories. The isolation, or perhaps something they do to themselves, causes them to grow far beyond the size of a standard mooncalf, and to develop powers not seen among those more gregarious individuals.

  These creatures are also Huge in size, and are Level 15 Solo Soldiers with 620 HP. They have two additional traits: Psychic Veil makes them invisible to creatures more than 6 squares away from it, and Superior Brain ends any dazing or stunning effects on them at the start of their turn.

  Their Tentacle Rake is upgraded to a Tentacle Slam that also knocks prone on a hit. The other two attacks are the same, with bigger damage and Reach 6 instead of 4. Multiattack lets the rogue perform three melee attacks against different targets with the same action.

  They can call up a Windwrack aura as a minor action (recharge 5+). This lasts a turn, prevents any creatures inside from shifting, and knocks them prone if they end their turns inside. If an enemy escapes the rogue’s grab, it can react with a Tentacle Flurry that lets it attack every enemy in a Close Burst 1.

  If you can see this thing at all, it can reach you with its tentacles. I guess they would typically try to grab a couple of PCs and fly away to eat in peace, but it’s also excellent at playing a more traditional soldier role and protecting squishy artillery from PCs.

  Final Impressions

  Delightfully weird and horrific, and an excellent out-of-context problem to throw at the PCs when they’re busy dealing with something else. They go somewhere to face a more mundane threat, and suddenly discover it’s mooncalf season.

  Rogues work very well as the Thing From Beyond that a Far Realm cult might be trying to summon. They’re threats on par with an adult dragon or a titan, but are completely impervious to negotiation.

• Feb 3, 2023

  Let's Read Threats to the Nentir Vale: Mages of Saruun

  

  Another faction pulled from the Thunderspire Labyrinth module.

  The Lore

  Thunderspire Mountain is a famous landmark in the Vale, a lone mountain whose peak is shrouded by a permanent storm. In the Vale’s distant past, a minotaur civilization build an underground city beneath it, and named that city Saruun Khel. They thrived there until the worship of Torog began spreading among its inhabitants.

  This angered their official patron, the demon lord Baphomet, who cast a curse over the whole city that made his worshipers enter a homicidal berserker rage. Saruun Khel fell in short order as its inhabitants tore each other apart.

  About twenty years ago, the ruins of the city were discovered by three mages who were interested in finding a reliable route to the Underdark. They found it there and moved in, establishing their headquarters inside a building known as the Tower of Saruun.

  The mages were as interested in trade and diplomacy with the Underdark as they were in its mystical secrets, so they turned Saruun Khel’s city square into a trading post known as the Seven-Pillared Hall. The hall is open to trade delegations and enclaves from both the surface and the Underdark, and is one of the few places in the world where civilizations from both of these realms have regular peaceful contact.

  That doesn’t mean the place isn’t dangerous, however. Big stuff like theft and murder is forbidden, and the mages enforce that very vigorously, but there are few other hard-and-fast rules. The mages take turns playing the role of Ordinator Arcanis, a mage with a black cloak and a golden mask that teleports in to solve any disputes or rule breaches that happen here. They use powerful divination and scrying magic to quickly get to the truth of the matter, and usually blast the offending party into atoms, or sic one of Saruun Khel’s ancient minotaur-shaped bronze constructs on them.

  The three original founders eventually brought in colleagues and apprentices to join their order. Then they disappeared into the Tower of Saruun and were never seen again. The cycle has repeated itself a few times since then, so the current crop of Mages is a few generations removed from those founders. No one knows what happened to those disappeared mages, and the mages themselves ain’t telling. Some claim there have only ever been three mages who keep disguising themselves as new people, others talk about a mage civil war that happened in the Tower, and some who have journeyed from the deep Underdark whisper of surface mortals who have gone down there and learned the forbidden secrets of the primordials and the deep gods.

  The Numbers

  The Mages of Saruun contained in this entry are at an early to mid Paragon power level, significantly stronger than the ones from Thunderspire Labyrinth. If I remember correctly, the ones you see in the adventure are all low-ranking members who are the only ones available while the more senior mages are out. These would be those senior mages.

  Saruun Apprentice

  Apprentices are fairly weak, so I’m guessing they only fight in self defense and are not directly involved with keeping the peace in the Seven-Pillared Hall. They’re Level 8 Minion Controllers.

  Apprentices know how to use a dagger, and they can cast an at-will Ice Patch spell that knocks the target prone on a hit. The spell only does damage on a critical hit, in which case it also immobilizes the target for a turn.

  Saruun Bat

  The aggressive bats that make this cave system their home are often used as familiars by the Mages. These Tiny Natural Beasts are Level 10 Minion Skirmishers with a ground speed of 2 and a flight speed of 6 (hover).

  Saruun Bats can See the Unseen, which act as an aura (1) that prevents enemies inside from benefiting from any concealment. They lack a basic attack, but can make at-will Shrieking Dives that let them fly their speed and make an attack at any point along the movement. On a hit, this deals thunder damage and inflicts a -2 to-hit penalty for a turn.

  If an enemy damages an ally of the bat that’s in the same space or adjacent, the bat can use its Shielding Familiar encounter power as an interrupt. It makes the ally take only half damage, and drops the bat to 0 HP.

  Mage of Saruun

  This is a fully trained Mage of Saruun, likely one of those who currently run things in the Seven-Pillared Hall. They’re a Level 12 Controller with 116 HP. Their basic attack is a quarterstaff blow that deals physical damage on a hit and slides 1 square as an effect. They can cast Empowered Magic Missiles as basic ranged attacks, which hit automatically, deal a flat 10 force damage, and push 2 squares. They can also cast Noxious Shroud spells, which attack a Close Blast 3, deal poison damage, and create a damaging zone that lasts for a turn.

  Their encounter spell is Cloying Flames, basically a fireball that also immobilizes and deals ongoing fire damage. This deals half damage on a miss and recharges when the mage is first bloodied.

  The staff and magic missile attack are a little weak for the mage’s level, which is compensated by the fact that they always either hit or do something interesting. Still, you want to pair them with things that do more damage, such as those described by our next entry.

  Bronze Warder

  The famous construct guards of the Seven-Pillared Hall, originally build by the extinct minotaur civilization and refurbished by the Mages of Saruun. At least one of those accompanies every mage when they make a public appearance, and they’re often employed as enforcers by the Ordinator Arcanis. They look like big bronze minotaurs.

  Warders are Large Natural Animates and Level 10 Elite Soldiers with 168 HP. They have a ground speed of 5 and their Ponderous gait means they can’t shift, but their Inexorable Movement allows them to enter the spaces of Medium or Small enemies.

  Warders fight with Greataxes that damage and mark for a turn on a hit, and they can make Double Attacks. They can also Rampage, which lets them move 3 squares and knock down any enemy whose space they move through. At the end of the movement they make an axe attack that’s about 50% stronger.

  Warders are linked to rune-covered control amulets, and consider the bearer of the amulet to be their master. When they’re within 2 squares of that master, they can use an interrupt to take half the damage of any attack directed at the master (who still takes the other half).

  Saruun Underdark Adept

  A mage who focuses more on those forbidden Underdark secrets than on traditional arcane magic. This is dangerous and a bit unhealthy. Adepts are Level 10 Artillery with 79 HP.

  Their basic attack is a Reach 2 Shadow Whip that deals light physical damage on a hit and slides 1 square as an effect. They can cast Darkfire Bolts that do fire and necrotic damage. Unlike magic missiles, these require an attack roll but crit on a roll of 18-20, weakening the target when they do so (save ends). Their big spell is a Corrupting Ray that deals heavy necrotic damage and blinds (save ends). It does half damage on a miss and recharges when the adept is first bloodied.

  They can also cast Force Shield as a minor action, becoming immune to ranged and area attacks for a turn. This recharges when they take damage from one of those attacks.

  Warped Mage of Saruun

  A mage who dug too greedily, and too deep. The order sees this as a fail state and is usually careful to avoid such a fate. When it does happen, they try to deal with the result, which might involve discreetly asking for outside help. Warped mages are Medium Aberrant Humanoids and Level 14 Elite Brutes with 346 HP.

  Their basic attack is a Reach 3 Shadow Tentacle that deals physical damage and grabs on a hit (escape DC 21). When a creature fails to escape the grab it takes 10 damage.

  They can also use at-will Tentacle Lashes to attack enemies in a Close Blast 3, damaging and knocking them prone on a hit. Once per encounter they can use a Psychic Burst to attack enemies in a Close Burst 2, dealing psychic damage and dazing on a hit (save ends). A good power for when they’re surrounded.

  When a warped mage is stunned or defeated, they undergo a process of Arcane Release. The energies attack a Close Burst 2 deal damage with four types: cold, fire, lightning and thunder. They also deal half damage on a miss.

  Final Impressions

  As mentioned above, the mages’ damage on their at-wills is a bit on the low side, so they really need some beefy bodyguards.

  Thunderspire Labyrinth has plenty of details about stories that can happen in the Seven-Pillared Hall and the subterranean complexes that link to it. The Blackfang gnolls feature prominently there as well. The mages from this entry would probably be a distant and vaguely threatening presence until the PCs reach their power level.

  And of course, things would get mighty interesting around the Hall if the Hunter Spiders ever learned that it leads to a reliable route into the Underdark.

• Feb 1, 2023

  Let's Read Threats to the Nentir Vale: Iron Circle

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the others.

  This is another Vale-specific faction, one with strong ties to a published adventure.

  The Lore

  

  The Iron Circle is a large band of evil mercenaries whose main base operation lies south of the Nentir Vale in the city of Sarthel. They’re led by a man named Lord Vhennyk and are faithful worshipers of Asmodeus. As an organization their ultimate goal is to conquer the world in the name of Hell. Given what we’ve read about devils and Hell in past projects, that likely makes them the militarized faction in the Vale most deserving of the label “fascist”.

  Vhennyk wishes to conquer the Vale as part of his overall world domination goal, and has begun sending his forces to the barony of Harkenwold, near the Vale’s southern border, likely because he believes it to be especially vulnerable.

  Vhennyk himself remains far away in Sarthel. He’s delegating this invasion to Nazin Redthorn, one of his captains. Redthorn is recently arrived at the Vale and has been tasked with stepping up operations and upgrading the espionage campaign the Circle has on Harkenwold into an overt invasion. Val Esed is the spymaster in charge of the current efforts, and she’s been feeding information on the Vale’s inhabitants and defenses to the Circle for a while now.

  The Iron Circle is the major antagonist in the Reavers of Harkenwold two-part adventure that comes with the Dungeon Master’s Kit boxed set. The Kit was the main GMing aid for the Essentials line, and was sold at the same time as Threats. This book really wants you to get that box, so it avoids spoilers for Reavers and recommends you to leave the named leaders out of any home-grown adventures until you can buy and read it (cha-ching!).

  The Iron Circle is shown here as it was shortly before the start of Reavers, so they’re still mostly focused on spying and reconnaissance, moving discreetly in small groups and avoiding openly showing their symbols. Soldiers openly wearing their colors are known mostly as slightly creepy foreign mercenaries. Their spying does not restrict itself to Harkenwold, but also touches upon the elves of Harken forest (whether they belong to Harken’s Heart or not) and on the Daggerburg Goblins.

  The Circle’s spellcasters all use infernal magic, and have a particular affinity for summoning Tar Devils. These creatures are so named because they constantly secrete tar from their skins, and they love acting as guards and extra muscle for Circle detachments. They usually wear little clothing and use exotic weapons.

  The Numbers

  We get stats here for all the types of unit that make up the Iron Circle’s roster, but as mentioned before the book avoids statting up important named NPCs that have roles in Reavers.

  The majority of the Circle’s mortal agents are human, but sympathetic people from other races are also accepted as members. You can use any other stat blocks from the MMs (humans, elves, dwarves, other species) as members of the circle. Circle members have no common traits, so you don’t need to do much reskinning for them.

  Tar Devils are Medium Immortal Humanoids with Fire Resistance 10 and Acid Vulnerability 5. Maybe acid interacts badly with the tar?

  Iron Circle Brigand

  

  The most basic and numerous soldier of the Circle uses this stat block. As the name implies, they’re definitely not above engaging in a little banditry. These are Level 1 Soldiers with 28 HP. They’re well-equipped with scale armor, shield, mace, crossbow and a fancy black cloak with the Circle’s emblem (a circle made of chains) embroidered on it.

  The mace and crossbow provide the soldier with basic melee and ranged attacks. They can also use the mace to Drive Back an enemy, dealing the same damage as a basic attack, pushing the target 1 square, and shifting 1 square to follow. Their Relentless Assault trait acts as an aura (1) that deals 3 damage to any enemy inside that makes an attack that doesn’t target the brigand.

  Brigands probably like to gang up on defenders and melee strikers, since most of those PCs’ attacks are single-target and will trigger Relentless Assault on all the other brigands not targeted.

  Iron Circle Dark Adept

  This infernalist spellcaster is a Level 3 Controller with the Leader keyword and 46 HP. They fight in melee with a Dark Dagger that deals fire damage and slides 3 squares on a hit. At range they can use an area attack named Dark Tendrils that deals fire damage, slows, and makes targets grant combat advantage for a turn. It’s not selective, so it can cause friendly fire incidents.

  The adept’s leaderly power is Dark Imperative, a minor action that recharges when they’re first bloodied. It targets an ally and lets them slide that ally 3 squares. The ally gains 10 temporary HP, and while those last their attacks all deal an extra 3 necrotic damage. Great to place skirmishers behind PC lines.

  Tar Devil Harrier

  These tar devils are Level 3 Artillery with 36 HP. They fight with a Kukri up close but prefer to hang back and throw tar balls that deal fire damage, slow and deal 2 ongoing damage (save ends both). If surrounded they can produce a Fuming Cloud (encounter) that deals fire damage and creates a zone that lasts the rest of the encounter. The zone provides concealment and deals 2 fire damage to any creature ending their turn inside.

  Tar Devil Brawler

  This one likes to fight with using its secreted tar as a weapon. It’s a Level 3 Brute with 53 HP. Its Tar Splatter acts like an aura (1) that prevents enemies who start their turns inside from shifting that turn. It attacks with slams that deal fire damage, and with Tar Strikes (recharge 5+) that deals heavy fire damage, immobilizes, and inflicts ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends both).

  Tar Devil Guard

  This Level 4 Soldier has 53 HP and wields a khopesh in combat. The hot reek of its tar acts as an aura (1) that deals 2 fire damage to any enemy that starts their turn inside, and also prevents them from shifting that turn. It can also toss a tar net out to Range 5, targeting Reflex. A hit deals fire damage, restrains (save ends), and lets the devil pull the target up to 4 squares to a square adjacent to it.

  Iron Circle Spy

  

  Spies are among the most well-trained mortal agents of the Circle current in the area. They wear no identifying marks, and pose as normal travelers or inhabitants of Harkenwold’s many small communities. Spies are Level 4 Lurkers with 44 HP. When pressed into a fight, they use short swords in melee and blasts of infernal fire at range. Both are basic attacks.

  Spies can cloak themselves in a Veil of Shadows, creating a zone that lasts for a turn and blocks line of sight for everyone except for the spy. They can also imbue their swords with flame for an Infernal Strike. This is twice as strong as a basic strike and deals fire damage, half on a miss. Using one of these two powers recharges the other, so there’s your lurker loop.

  If an enemy uses a power that inflicts forced movement on the spy while it’s inside the Veil of Shadows, the spy can use Diabolical Dodge to make a free basic attack against that enemy and shift up to 2 squares to another square inside the zone, all as an interrupt.

  Iron Circle Commander

  This might apply to Nazin Redthorn, or it might be one of the officers under his command. I haven’t read Reavers yet! Anyway, commanders are Level 5 Elite Soldiers with the Leader tag and 126 HP. They wield flails with great skill.

  Aside from basic attacks, they can use a Devil’s Tactics at-will maneuver that does the same damage, makes the target grant combat advantage for a turn on a hit, and lets an enemy within 5 squares make a free basic attack against the target as an effect. If an enemy leaves a square adjacent to the commander, it can use Tripping Flail as an opportunity action to attack their Reflex and knock them prone on a hit.

  Once per encounter the commander can unleash a selective blast of Infernal Flames, which deal fire damage and daze on a hit (save ends). Allies in the blast gain 5 temporary HP.

  Final Impression

  Unlike Dythan’s Legion or the Gray Company, which can take a while to become active, the Iron Circle is poised to be an immediate threat to starting characters and to the Vale, which is exactly what happens in Reavers of Harkenwold.

  If left unopposed, they might end up pressganging the Daggerburg Goblins (as someone in the RPG.net thread mentioned shortly before I wrote this), and might even link up with the Shadow Court over in Fallcrest to grab information about the city before moving against it in force. The Shadow Court entry gave me the impression the Circle wouldn’t have a use for the tiefling gang, but it turns out they would neatly slot into each other’s plans.

  It was pointed out to me that the Shadow Court could be seen as embodying several unfortunate antisemitic tropes. One way to avoid that would be to not make them a spy ring working for the Iron Circle from the start, to have a more diverse membership than just tieflings, and to completely remove all the text about their recruiting practices.

  Of the groups we saw so far, the druids of Harkens Heart would have cause to oppose the Circle’s advances into their woods, but would have little ability or desire to fight them outside. The Daggerburg goblins would of course resist being pressed into service to them, and might either have a good shot at succeeding, or might need PC help depending on your campaign goals.

  The Gravelstokes might work for the Circle if the money is right, but if you keep the level disparity they’ll most likely adopt a wait and see approach before deigning to offer their services. PCs who can scrape together their ruinous fees might turn things around and hire the assassin family to strike the Iron Circle’s leadership instead!

  The Hunter Spiders would ignore all of these surfacer conflicts unless they give them more opportunities to grab slaves to aid in their search.

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