The Temple of the Rats was originally constructed in the name of the ancient goddess Inaenu (pron. in-NAY-new)—a goddess of fire and war whose followers and cults have long since disappeared. (The original name of the temple has also long been forgotten, for it was not “the Temple of the Rats”).
It is held that the temple was once a place of great dignity, for the followers of Inaenu were stout warriors who feared little and killed many in her name. These warriors met their undoing, however, when they faced the armies of an evil leader known as “The Red Lord.” The Red Lord enlisted the aid of a powerful wizard who spread a fog of fear over the battlefield. The followers of Inaenu deserted the battle and came running back to the temple.
Such a sin against Inaenu was punishable by death. She chose to spare their lives, however, but turned them into rats, and offered the temple as a future place to stay. They expressed their gratitude and pledged their undying allegiance to Inaenu. The goddess had no need of such cowards among her followers, so she left the temple to the abandon of its residents and it fell into disrepair.
It was no wonder that Dabothuda, the demon prince of rats took the temple under his watch. And so, it became of place of evil. A fair number of adventurers have tried to rid the temple of its evil, but it is said that many of them were turned into wererats and now call the temple their home.
In recent weeks, there has been a growing number of wererat raids on local villages near the temple. Given that so many of the villagers are being wounded by the wererats (and becoming lycanthropes themselves), it is likely that the creatures are growing in number and the temple is the center of this growing problem.
Dabothuda*
(demon prince of rats and wererats)
Titles: Lord of Secret & Hidden Places, Master of the Wandering Mind, Destroyer of Obstacles
ARMOR CLASS: 0
HIT DICE: 12 (66 hp)
MOVE: 180'(60')
ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite
DAMAGE: 2-12/2-12/2-12+disease
NO. APPEARING: 1 (unique)
SAVE AS: Dwarf:12
MORALE: 11
TREASURE TYPE: 5,000,000 cp
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic
PSIONIC ABILITIES (see the Basic Psionics Handbook)
PSIONIC LEVEL: 12 (60 PSPs)
Attack modes: ego whip, id insinuation, mind thrust, psionic blast, psychic crush
Defense modes: intellect fortress, mental barrier, mind blank, thought shield, tower of iron will
Psychometabolism: D) complete healing; S) cell adjustment, chameleon ability
Clairsentience: D) aura sight, catacognition, hypercognition, precognition, psionic divination, psionic true seeing* (always on), sensitivy to psionic impressions; S) 360° vision* (always on), clairvoyance, danger sense, detection of good/evil, detection of magic* (always on), know direction, know location, piercing vision* (see below)
Psychokinesis: S) control light, control sound
Telepathy: S) mind link* (wererats only), D) animal telepathy* (rats and wererats only), conceal thoughts
Psychoportative: D) probability travel
Dabothuda, the demon prince of rats, resides on the 15th level of the Abyss—Choohon, a writhing and tunneled place of ruin populated by vermin of all types, but which is particular rife with rodents. It is rumored that Dabothuda keeps as many as 500 different lairs, each of which contains a chest holding 10,000 cp, and all of which are nearly impossible to find.
Dabothuda has two different forms, either of which he may assume at will: 1) a giant black rat that walks erect, or 2) a massive black wererat (both forms stand approximately 10' tall). In either form, Dabothuda’s claw and bite attacks do the same damage. On any successful bite attack, Dabothuda’s victim must save vs. paralysis or contract lycanthropy; unless cured, human victims will become a wererat in 2d12 days, and non-humans will die.
In either form, and in lieu of a physical attack, Dabothuda may opt to use a psionic ability or attack. Additionally, once per day, Dabothuda may summon up to 8 wererats to serve him.
Dabouthuda is always surrounding by a sphere of darkness that extends to a radius of 15'. This darkness may not be dispelled by any magical or psionic means, nor may a light of any type (normal, magical, psionic or otherwise) even penetrate it. Additionally, the darkness effect negates all special vision abilities (e.g., infravision and ultravision), except for darkvision. Dabothuda, however, possesses a unique clairsentient minor devotion known as piercing vision; this ability allows Dabothuda to see in under any light condition to 120', as if there was no impediment whatsoever (including the interior of his own sphere of darkness). This ability is always on and costs no PSPs to use. Additionally, Dabothuda possesses the clairsentient major science psionic true seeing to a range of 120'; this ability is always on and costs no PSPs to use.
Dabothuda is immune to poison, disease, and cold, and takes only half damage from acid, electricity, fire and gas. A magical weapon of +1 or greater is required "to hit" him, but Dabothuda is affected normally by iron weapons, silver weapons and magic missiles.
No comments:
Post a Comment