Vampire Thrall Sycophant

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Vampire Thrall Sycophant (Heavy Role, CR 14)

Vampires are one of the great nations of Undeath. Vampires are Emptied Undead, meaning they have been cored out of life. Unlike most of the Emptied, they do not noticeably decay, although during battle their disgusting nature is amply evident in the mess they leave behind. Vampires are the greatest representatives of the Corrupting Undead, those undead who seek the preservation and continuation of life, so that they may corrupt it into ever more Undeath. As a result, the motivations of Vampires are more complex than the Destroying Undead or the Eaters.

Vampires like people. They like the trappings of civilization, they like the happy whirl of social life, they enjoy the company of others, both undead and living alike. Vampires want to make more Vampires, it is an erotic part of their existence that they would be greatly diminished by losing.

Vampires get along well with most other Undead, even though relations often involve the Vampires using their domination abilities or simply persuading the other Undead to be patient. It is not unusual for Vampires to be encountered with powerful Skeletons, Wights, Death Knights, Liches, and other mighty Undead, even including the Lost Ones, who make terrifying allies indeed.

On top of this, Vampires are unique among Undeath in that they create living allies, their Vampiric Thralls. The existence of Vampiric Thralls makes finding a Vampire nest immeasurably more difficult, because Vampire Thralls are alive. Thralls are mortals who admire and envy the Vampires for their abilities, and whom the Vampires have fed their blood to. Vampire Blood can create new Vampires, or, in lesser doses, a living human becomes addicted to it, as if it were strong drink, or some horrifyingly strong opiate.

Vampire thralls are the first rank of Vampire culture, the eternally obedient and awfully empowered servants whom the Vampires use to interact with the daytime world. Their regular small doses of vampire blood keep thralls in a constant state of ecstatic empowerment, nearly immune to pain and injury, utterly and fanatically loyal to their dark masters, and nearly impossible to put down cleanly.

Most thralls are willing, but not all. It is not unheard of for Vampires to punish their living foes by attacking their loved ones, and in especially cruel cases, turning them into thralls. Sycophants are more advanced thralls, more valued for their skills and weaseling praise than other thralls. In a fight, though, sycophants are just meat to their undead masters, disposable and easily replaced slaves.

Such a fate is to be avoided. Vampires must be rooted out everywhere they are discovered, without pause or hesitation.

General

CR 14 Hit Dice 20

XP 76,800, (Heavy Role included)

NE, Medium, Humanoid

Init +6; Senses Keen Scent, Perception +21

Defense

AC 36, touch 25, flat-footed 32 (+9 armor, +4 dex, +6 natural, +7 deflection)

hp 630 (Heavy Role included)

Fort +17, Ref +13, Will +15

Aura -

SR 24

Special Defenses DR 14/Good

Immunities -

Weaknesses -

Offense

Speed 50 ft, Greater Climb 30 ft

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Wrenching Grasp +23 (3d8+25/x2) + Vicious Backhand

Full Melee 2x Wrenching Grasp +23 (3d8+25/x2), Surprise Headbutt +23 (2d6+3/x2), + Vicious Backhand

Ranged none, but see Raving Spray and Horrible Pounce

Special Attacks Raving Spray, Vicious Backhand, Eager To Die, Horrible Pounce, Live to Serve

Action Points 1 (Heavy Role included)

Statistics

Str 46, Dex 20, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 24

Base Atk +14; CMB +23; Maneuver Defense: 31

Feats Antagonize: Make an Intimidate check as a standard action against a target in sight. The DC is 10+ Character Level(CR) + Wisdom. If successful the target takes -2 to hit on any attacks that do not target the thrall who Antagonized it, and a ten percent spell failure chance on any spells that do not target the thrall who Antagonized them, until the end of the encounter.

Urban Forager: Thralls are exceptionally adept at surviving in cities, which is useful for when their dead masters neglect things like feeding and housing them.

Skills Intimidate +21, Knowledge (Local) +21, Bluff +21, Survival +21

Languages Common, Necril

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Vicious Backhand (Su)

Once per round, as a swift action, a Vampiric Thrall may lash out with a savage backhanded blow on a target within reach. This is treated as a melee touch attack with a +18 to-hit. If the Thrall hits, the victim takes 3d6+3 points of bludgeoning damage and is Pushed up to five squares, where they fall Prone. Creatures struck may make a Reflex save, DC 22, to avoid being knocked Prone, though they are still subject to the forced movement.

Horrible Pounce (Su)

Thralls are supernaturally strong and quick, and can move in flickering bursts of speed that have to be seen to be believed. Once per round, as a standard action, the Thrall may Slide up to five squares and at the end of the Slide make two Wrenching Grasp attacks upon an unfortunate victim within their reach. As forced movement, this does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Raving Spray (Su)

As a standard action a Vampire Thrall may declaim ecstatically upon the glories of its undead Masters. This causes the thrall to literally froth at the mouth as it screams nigh-incoherently about the most maddening gibberish. Raving Spray causes the Thrall to splatter flecks of spittle laced with Vampire Blood upon all creatures in a thirty foot cone adjacent to its square. All enemy creatures in the area of effect take 7d6+1 points of acid damage from the bloody spray, and may make a reflex save versus a DC of 22 for half damage. Even worse, all enemy creatures in the area of effect are Dazzled, regardless if the save is made or not.

Eager to Die (Su)

Once per encounter, as a swift action, a Vampire Thrall may declare their willingness to die in service to their horrid masters. This worshipful declaration affects any vampire within 50 feet of the thrall who can hear the declaration (requires line of effect, but not line of sight). All vampires and thralls that hear the declaration are heartened by the faithful devotion of their fanatical ally, remove any conditions they may be suffering from, and may take an immediate standard action usable as an interrupt.

Note: A thrall that hears this declaration MAY degrade the granted standard action to a swift action and use their own Vampire-buffing power as well! In this case, the Vampires can gain several standard actions, and usually use them in succession to break off a losing combat, or, try to turn around a losing fight.

Live To Serve (Ex)

When a Vampire Thrall is first reduced to zero hit points, it collapses in a heap but does not die. Instead, all the Vampire Blood in their system is suddenly consumed by their raging metabolism, healing them and driving them into a frenzy of agonized rage. From the time they are reduced to zero hitpoints until their next initiative count, they lay un-moving, to all appearances dead. Upon their next action, they gain a +4 bonus to-hit on all melee attacks and can now perform their Horrible Pounce ability even while prone, grappled, or entangled. In addition, they are healed up to half their full hit points, and all conditions they may have been suffering from are removed. Unfortunately, while under the effects of Live To Serve, they may use no feats or their Eager to Die ability, their mouth being occupied with incoherent screams of agonized rage as they suffer withdrawal. As an unfortunate effect of this painful frenzy, a Thrall may use Raving Spray as a move action after Live To Serve has triggered.

Treasure

sell value of approximately 27,500 gp (Heavy Role Included)

COMBAT TACTICS

Vampire thrall Sycophant (Heavy; CR 14)

Neutral Evil - Medium - Humanoid

Lore:	Know (Local)
27		45
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

24

Perception:
33	+23
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses

Movement Types:

Defense

AC

36

Man Def

35

Monster Health
764	382	27
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+16
Refl:	+11
Will:	+13

Strong Against:

• DR 14/Good
• (Heavy Role) Immunity (partial 3): Heavies are immune to the first three conditions applied to them during an encounter. If a fourth condition is applied to a heavy, it is resolved normally. A 'condition' is defined as any non-instantaneous harmful effect applied to the monster, other than damage, but is most commonly one of the defined Status Conditions (but it doesn't have to be). Statuses related to damage (such as injured, bloodied, staggered, dying, or dead) are not 'conditions', and cannot be negated or avoided with this ability.

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Medium
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+21

Man Off

+24

Action

1

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Wrenching Grasp +21 (4d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as undefined damage type
  plus Vicious Backhand (see below)
• 1x Surprise Headbutt +21 (4d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as undefined damage type
  plus Vicious Backhand

Full Attack (Melee):

• 2x Wrenching Grasp +21 (4d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as undefined damage type
  plus Vicious Backhand (see below)
• 2x Surprise Headbutt +21 (4d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as undefined damage type
  plus Vicious Backhand

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 2x None, but see Raving Spray and Horrible Pounce +21 (4d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as undefined damage type
  

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

46

STR

20

DEX

26

CON

18

INT

20

WIS

24

CHA

Skills:

• Bluff: 23
• Intimidate: 23
• Knowledge (Local): 23
• Perception: 23
• Survival: 23
• All other skills: 18 (no ranks)

Languages: Common, Necril

Feats:

• Antagonize (EFFECT: Use Diplomacy or Intimidate to goad creatures.)
• Urban Forager (EFFECT: You may use the Survival skill to forage and track in urban locations)

Special Abilities

Vicious Backhand (Su)

Once per round, as a swift action, a Vampiric Thrall may lash out with a savage backhanded blow on a target within reach. This is treated as a melee touch attack with a plus to-hit. If the Thrall hits, the victim takes points of bludgeoning damage and is Pushed up to five squares, where they fall Prone. Creatures struck may make a Reflex save, DC , to avoid being knocked Prone, though they are still subject to the forced movement.

Horrible Pounce (Su)

Thralls are supernaturally strong and quick, and can move in flickering bursts of speed that have to be seen to be believed. Once per round, as a standard action, the Thrall may Slide up to five squares and at the end of the Slide make two Wrenching Grasp attacks upon an unfortunate victim within their reach. As forced movement, this does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Raving Spray (Su)

As a standard action, a Vampire Thrall may declaim ecstatically upon the glories of its undead Masters. This causes the thrall to literally froth at the mouth as it screams nigh-incoherently about the most maddening gibberish. Raving Spray causes the Thrall to splatter flecks of spittle laced with Vampire Blood upon all creatures in a thirty foot cone adjacent to its square. All enemy creatures in the area of effect take points of acid damage from the bloody spray, and may make a reflex save versus a DC of for half damage. Even worse, all enemy creatures in the area of effect are Dazzled, regardless if the save is made or not.

Eager To Die (Su)

Once per encounter, as a swift action, a Vampire Thrall may declare their willingness to die in service to their horrid masters. This worshipful declaration affects any vampire within 50 feet of the thrall who can hear the declaration (requires line of effect, but not line of sight). All vampires and thralls that hear the declaration are heartened by the faithful devotion of their fanatical ally, remove any conditions they may be suffering from, and may take an immediate standard action usable as an interrupt. Note: A thrall that hears this declaration MAY degrade the granted standard action to a swift action and use their own Vampire-buffing power as well! In this case, the Vampires can gain several standard actions, and usually use them in succession to break off a losing combat, or, try to turn around a losing fight.

Live to Serve (Ex)

When a Vampire Thrall is first reduced to zero hit points, it collapses in a heap but does not die. Instead, all the Vampire Blood in their system is suddenly consumed by their raging metabolism, healing them and driving them into a frenzy of agonized rage. From the time they are reduced to zero hitpoints until their next initiative count, they lay un-moving, to all appearances dead. Upon their next action, they gain a +4 bonus to-hit on all melee attacks and can now perform their Horrible Pounce ability even while prone, grappled, or entangled. In addition, they are healed up to half their full hit points, and all conditions they may have been suffering from are removed. Unfortunately, while under the effects of Live To Serve, they may use no feats or their Eager to Die ability, their mouth being occupied with incoherent screams of agonized rage as they suffer withdrawal. As an unfortunate effect of this painful frenzy, a Thrall may use Raving Spray as a move action after Live To Serve has triggered.

Reversal of Fortune (Ex; Heavy Role) Auto Upon Death

The first time in an encounter that a Heavy is reduced to zero or fewer hit points, it falls prone, apparently dead. But this is a ruse. When this occurs, the Heavy becomes immune to all damage and effects. However, it may not perform any actions (such as attacks of opportunity) until this immunity expires. At the beginning of its next turn, any conditions the Heavy is currently suffering under (such as Prone) are immediately cleared, and its hit points are set to half its normal maximum (382 hit points). Furthermore, the Heavy may immediately Slide up to 8 squares (40 feet) as a free action, after which its immunity to damage expires. As forced movement, this Slide does not provoke attacks of opportunity, but even if it did, the Heavy is immune to all damage and effects until after the slide is completed. It must perform this Slide before any other actions during its turn, and the immunity expires at the beginning of its turn even if it chooses not to Slide first. The Heavy is killed for good the second time its hit points are reduced to zero or less.

Vampire thrall Sycophant

This creature possesses the Heavy role, and therefore counts as 2 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure.

Vampires are one of the great nations of Undeath. Vampires are Emptied Undead, meaning they have been cored out of life. Unlike most of the Emptied, they do not noticeably decay, although during battle their disgusting nature is amply evident in the mess they leave behind. Vampires are the greatest representatives of the Corrupting Undead, those undead who seek the preservation and continuation of life, so that they may corrupt it into ever more Undeath. As a result, the motivations of Vampires are more complex than the Destroying Undead or the Eaters.

Vampires like people. They like the trappings of civilization, they like the happy whirl of social life, they enjoy the company of others, both undead and living alike. Vampires want to make more Vampires, it is an erotic part of their existence that they would be greatly diminished by losing.

Vampires get along well with most other Undead, even though relations often involve the Vampires using their domination abilities or simply persuading the other Undead to be patient. It is not unusual for Vampires to be encountered with powerful Skeletons, Wights, Death Knights, Liches, and other mighty Undead, even including the Lost Ones, who make terrifying allies indeed.

On top of this, Vampires are unique among Undeath in that they create living allies, their Vampiric Thralls. The existence of Vampiric Thralls makes finding a Vampire nest immeasurably more difficult, because Vampire Thralls are alive. Thralls are mortals who admire and envy the Vampires for their abilities, and whom the Vampires have fed their blood to. Vampire Blood can create new Vampires, or, in lesser doses, a living human becomes addicted to it, as if it were strong drink, or some horrifyingly strong opiate.

Vampire thralls are the first rank of Vampire culture, the eternally obedient and awfully empowered servants whom the Vampires use to interact with the daytime world. Their regular small doses of vampire blood keep thralls in a constant state of ecstatic empowerment, nearly immune to pain and injury, utterly and fanatically loyal to their dark masters, and nearly impossible to put down cleanly.

Most thralls are willing, but not all. It is not unheard of for Vampires to punish their living foes by attacking their loved ones, and in especially cruel cases, turning them into thralls. Sycophants are more advanced thralls, more valued for their skills and weaseling praise than other thralls. In a fight, though, sycophants are just meat to their undead masters, disposable and easily replaced slaves.

Such a fate is to be avoided. Vampires must be rooted out everywhere they are discovered, without pause or hesitation.

Combat Tactics

Vampire Thralls are the ultimate faithful groupies, completely besotted by the 'glories' of their undead masters and willing to do anything, anything at all, to please the monsters they are in service too. Most thralls chose this life willingly, but by no means all. Vampire Blood is a horrifying thing, a dark elixir that breeds mind-boggling glories of pleasure and terrible agonies if it is withheld.

Thralls are unfortunately well-equipped to serve as lackeys to their monstrous masters. They are nearly un-killable, supernaturally strong and fast, and their besotted minds fester with madness and cravings that they can use to infuse their voices with powerful effects.

In combat, a Thrall will first attack, using Vicious Backhand upon a foe and then Horrible Pounce to close and attack their now-Prone foe. If the combat begins at range, a Vampire Thrall will close the distance, hands empty and looking like they wish to surrender or beg for rescue, and will then use their terrible Raving Spray in order to damage and inflict Dazzled upon as many foes as possible, in the hopes this will allow them and their Masters to get into melee range.

Once in combat, Thralls wade in with a will, heedless of danger. Thralls are not savvy combatants, but they hardly need to be: Staggering Blow combined with Horrible Pounce is brutally effective.

If any Vampire takes damage, the closest Thrall will use their Action Point to make an Antagonize roll against the attacker or biggest threat, to draw attacks away from the Master. If more than one Vampire and Thrall is present, they will make Antagonize rolls against as many targets as they can.

Vampire Thralls will sacrifice themselves without hesitation, take hostages, threaten innocents, set fires, and generally do anything at all to protect the precious existence of their masters. Just because they are alive and started out as human does not make them any less a monster.

Out of Combat

Vampire Thralls look exactly like the humans they once were, at least, until the battle damage starts to mount up. Once their terrible 'Live To Serve' power has activated a few times, if they survive, thralls begin to look positively horrific, terrible scars and disfigurements being common. Mounting battle damage is a constant reason for Vampires to be looking for new Thralls.

Thralls have the Urban Forager feat to emulate their uncanny ability to live and thrive despite the utter neglect of their undead patrons. Thralls can and do live with no homes, no jobs, no money, and no hope, only their addled devotion to their Masters. That said, Thralls can 'clean up' and pass for normal with appalling ease, and frequently do so.

Thralls in service to an established nest of Vampires will go out during the day, scouting likely victims for their Masters, keeping an eye out for the Watch, holy warriors, doppelgangers, and especially heroic adventurers. At night, the Thralls report to their Masters and venture forth with them, in eager service to their dreadful hunts.

Thralls can be anybody, and worse, a thrall can be turned and broken by a Vampire at any time. A kindly innkeep might have been perfectly human when night fell, and a secret monster the next morning.

Thralls make excellent urban threats, when literally anyone can become a raging beast. The fear and paranoia this breeds in a town can lead to many tense and exciting adventures, as the monsters are rooted out and destroyed.

A note on Strength: Thralls have a Str of 46, regardless of their size or muscle. This means a Thrall has a Light load of about 4896 pounds! This Str is quite intentional: Thralls are supernatural things that look totally human: The sweet little barmaid who suddenly goes into a rage, babbling crazily about 'the masters' as she casually tears the massive locked doors out of the wall to get at you is every bit the image of the Vampire Thrall. GM's are encouraged to play up the ease with which a thrall lifts and carries things around, contrasted with their completely normal appearance.

Rewards

XP: 76,800 (Heavy role included.)

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 47,250 gp.

Weight: 280 lbs.     Volume: 11.2 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 8	Nothing Found
9 - 12	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
13 - 15	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
16 - 18	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
4 - 7	4 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
8 - 11	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
12 - 15	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
16 - 18	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
4 - 5	4 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
6 - 8	4 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
9 - 11	4 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
12 - 15	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
16 - 18	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
19 - 20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)