Duergar Quartermaster

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Duergar Quartermaster (CR 16)

Duergar would tell you that they are the first Dwarves, and the race calling itself Dwarves are actually a heretical offshoot which is so inbred and simple-minded that it will willingly leave the dark comforts of the earth and venture into the Void (where the sky is). Clearly, this is textbook madness. Duergar suffer no such dementia, and never wander above ground for any reason whatsoever. In fact, venturing into the Void is considered so sinful as to permanently render a Duergar unclean and unfit to interact with other Duergar.

Duergar are much swarthier than traditional dwarves, though they carry the same solid, wide frames, and stout, but not tall, statures. Their skin tones vary from a ruddy maroon-brown into bluish greys and even a chalky black. Their eyes are frequently pale pastels of nearly any color, and keen observers would notice that their irises have only a pinprick dot of a pupil. Duergar, like dwarves, tend to be hirsute, and prize long braids, bushy beards, and untamed pates. Their language is harsh-sounding and full of consonants, and the Duergar dialect demands that most things be said with great emphasis, almost like they are angry all the time, contrary to the way other denizens of the Unterwelt would speak the tongue.

Duergar are perhaps most famous for their religious zealotry, and their penchant for forcible conversion, proselytizing, and the wildly creative tortures they employ against non-believers. Duergar appear to adhere to a rigorous religious code, but those who interact with them are seldom convinced the race shares any ethical values. Despite being devout adherents to their Book of Silence, a holy book that every Duergar carries with them at all times, all Duergar tend to be rapaciously cruel, even during diplomatic conversations. They will take every opportunity to verbally abuse non-believers they are forced to interact with, and then, only if they can't get away with physically torturing or slowly killing the unbelievers on the spot.

The Duergar Quartermaster is a high-ranking member of the Duergar Prelate, and is responsible for ensuring that the many required daily rituals of the Ecclesiasts are properly performed and attended. The Quartermaster is a leadership position, giving him authority of many of the lesser adherents, as well as responsibility for those in his charge. As with any Duergar, groups of Quartermasters can often be found together, both because they have formed a sort of sadistic kinship with their peers, and to spy and keep tabs on those peers to look for opportunities to rise further in the Prelate. Quartermasters are experienced politicians and spies, and will often employ subterfuge, trickery and diversions, before deigning to engage an opponent directly.

GENERAL

CR 16 Hit Dice 24

XP 76,800

LE Medium Humanoid (Duergar)

Init +7; Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Perception +24

DEFENSE

AC 39, touch 28, flat-footed 33 (+10 armor, +6 dex, +6 natural, +7 deflection)

hp 374

Fort +15, Ref +15, Will +19

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses:

• ER 20/Fire
• ER 20/Psychic
• Reduce any forced movement by 2 squares

Immunities: -

Weaknesses:

• Any spell or effect which successfully targets the Duergar and has the Light descriptor inflicts the Dazzled condition on the Duergar for 1 minute.
• Duergars are also Dazzled if they are in an area with natural daylight.

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Heavy Mace +26 (3d8+10/19-20x2)

Full Melee 3x Heavy Mace +26 (3d8+10/19-20x2)

Ranged Kinetic Blast +26 (3d8+10/x2) psychic damage, max range 300 feet

Special Attacks Channel Righteousness, Scourge, Catharsis

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 25, Cha 18

Base Atk +16; CMB +26; CMD 34

Feats -

Skills Bluff +24, Diplomacy +26, Sense Motive +26

Languages Undercommon, Fuligin

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Channel Righteousness (Su)

Once per encounter, as a standard action, the Duergar Quartermaster can Channel Righteousness upon all creatures within 30 feet of the Duergar. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Enemy creatures (those who do not believe in the Book of Silence) suffer 8d6+1 points of fire damage, but may make a Will save, DC 24, for half. Those who are believers in the Book of Silence are instead Healed for 8d6+1 points of damage. This is done as a single damage roll, with the results applied as either damage or healing to all creatures in the area.

Scourge (Su)

Once per encounter as an immediate action, a Duergar Quartermaster may proclaim a scourge on an ally within 50 feet of himself, or even upon himself. That ally has a single status condition immediately removed. If more than one status condition is present on the target, the Duergar Quartermaster may choose which condition is removed by Scourge.

Catharsis (Sp)

• Concentration: d20 + 19 with a DC of 31 (12 needed on the die)

As a standard action, the Duergar can cast Catharsis on a 20-foot diameter area within 150 feet. Creatures in the area take 10d6+7 points of Fire damage and become Shaken until the end of the encounter. The target creatures may make a Reflex save, DC 24, to reduce the damage by half and avoid the Shaken condition.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 23,750 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Duergar Quartermasters prefer not to dirty their hands in a straight-up fight, preferring instead to lead their enemies into other enemies to wear themselves down, or into traps or other obstacles. However, this does not mean that the Quartermasters are poor fighters. Indeed, they are quite powerful opponents when pressed.

If a Duergar is at range, he will usually make use of Catharsis. However, the concentration check is too difficult to ever try using this spell while threatened. In this case, the Duergar will either use his mace to melee, or if he and his allies have started to take damage, he will use Channel Righteousness.

The Duergar can use Scourge on himself or an ally to immediately clear a status condition, but only once per encounter. This makes the Duergar Quartermaster surprisingly resilient to attacks that might otherwise disable him.

Duergar will flee a fight they clearly cannot win, but only if they believe doing so will not be observed by Duergar more highly placed in the Prelate. If only other Quartermasters or lower ranked Duergar are present, the Quartermaster will strive for self-preservation. Even better, if he can do so by putting one of his fellow Quartermasters in the way, he'll eagerly do so.