Orseus
Mercenary turned vampire crime lord, Orseus Qrang has gone
far in his unnaturally long life. Still
a thug at heart, Orseus has benefited from his centuries of experience, but he
still uses force and intimidation as often as possible. The main thing he has learned over the
decades is that force and intimidation work better the more you know about your
target. Now Orseus goes into every situation looking to learn as much about it
as possible before the first move is made.
Once the fight is joined, Orseus fights tooth and nail to win, having no
qualms about fighting dirty or hurting innocents.
Orseus has little interest in material goods or wealth, only
valuing power and freewill. Orseus
values both power over others and personal strength, such as the growing power
he has received from his undead transformation.
His quest to consume the blood of the descendants of the Bone Cabal has
been his main goal for centuries, and he is willing to make any sacrifice short
of his own life and freedom to reach
that goal. Money, land, and followers
mean nothing to him compared to his quest for power. More than anything else in the world Orseus
hates not being in control of his destiny, as was the case in his service of
Rothjur the Foul and Lord Vostrag. He
puts a high value on being able to set his own course in life and receiving
orders from others is a sure way to raise his ire. Among his own lieutenants, he is sensitive to
any comment that seems like an order and has killed more than one follower for
pushing him too hard.
Since his discovery of the secret of the Bone Cabal, Orseus
has grown in power, but why or how he is not completely sure. Orseus seeks the blood of the Bone Cabal to
increase his strength, but is beginning to think this drive may not be simply
his desire for power. Orseus is starting
to believe that the Carrion Lords are getting some sort of hold on him,
applying subtle pressure on him to
attain the rest of the power of the Bone Cabal.
The appearance of Blight has only reinforced this idea. Soon Orseus may be forced into a position
where his two main drives, lust for power and a desire to remain free, come
into direct confrontation.
With the increasing size of the Red Brotherhood Orseus
spends most of his time seeing to the needs of his people, not out of any sense
of loyalty but to ensure they remain useful tools to him. Orseus prefers to operate through his people,
only taking a personal role in events when one of the descendants of the Bone
Cabal is likely to be captured. Because
of this, it is easy to encounter the Red
Brotherhood without meeting Orseus directly.
While Orseus is power hungry and will do almost anything in
pursuit of his goal, he is not needlessly or capriciously cruel. He never goes out of his way to cause
suffering unless he thinks it will help him accomplish his goals or increase
his reputation, and usually refrains from needless violence to avoid attracting
attention to his operations. While
violence is one of his favored tools, he is willing to talk and can on occasion
be bargained with. As long as he is
respected and any deals struck are adhered to, he can be counted on to keep his
side of any bargain.
Orseus Qrang, Vampire Warlord Level 10 Elite Soldier
Medium natural animate (undead) XP 1,000
Initiative +10 Senses Perception
+8; darkvision
HP 212 Bloodied 106
Regeneration 5 (regeneration does not
function while Orseus is exposed to direct sunlight)
AC 28; Fort 24, Ref 22, Will 22
Immune disease,
poison; Resist necrotic 10; Vulnerable 5 radiant
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points 1
[Melee Basic] +2
Lifedrinker Longsword (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+17 vs. AC; 2d8+5
damage. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points Orseus gains 5 temporary hit
points.
[Melee] Curtain of Steel (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+17 vs. AC; 2d8+5
damage, and the target is marked until the end of its next turn. If the target
is reduced to 0 hit points Orseus gains 5 temporary hit points.
[Melee] Blood Siphon (standard; encounter,
recharge when an Orseus bloodies an target) * Necrotic, Healing
+17 vs. AC; 3d8+4
damage and make a secondary attack against the target.
Secondary Attack: +15 Fortitude;
2d8+8 necrotic damage and Orseus regains 62 hit points.
[Ranged]Mists of the Carrion Lords
(standard; encounter) * Necrotic
Close burst 3; +13
vs. Fortitude; 2d6+4 necrotic damage and
ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends).
[Ranged]Imperious Gaze (minor; recharge
6)
Ranged 5; +15 vs.
Will; the target is dazed (save ends). Aftereffect:
the target is slowed (save ends).
Unfettered (immediate reaction when
Orseus is dazed, dominated, marked or stunned; recharge 5 6)
Orseus removes all
marks and can make a saving throw against any ongoing dominate, dazed, or stun
effects.
Amulet of Scorn (immediate reaction,
when Orseus is bloodied; encounter) * Healing, Necrotic
+9 vs. Will; the
creature that bloodied Orseus loses a healing surge and Orseus gains 62 hit
points.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills Intimidate
+14, Stealth +13, Nature +13
Str 21 (+10)
Dex 16 (+8) Wis 16 (+8)
Con 18 (+9) Int 12 (+6) Cha 18 (+9)
Equipment chainmail,
traveling clothes, amulet of scorn, heavy shield, +2 lifedrinker
longsword, amulet of scorn
Orseus Tactics
In combat, Orseus tries to engage the most powerful
combatant on the field in single combat, only moving against any carriers of
the blood of the Bone Cabal after all threats have been neutralized. Orseus attempts to engage the most powerful
opponent he can find, using his imperious gaze to keep the target
off-balance while attacking with curtain of steel. If Orseus becomes bloodied, he uses blood
siphon and switches to an easier target if he needs to recharge that
power. Orseus uses blood siphon on his own allies if it is the only way he can win a
fight. Orseus only uses mists of the
Carrion Lords when Blight and Gunther are the only allies in range. He uses unfettered as soon as a mark
gets in his way or he becomes stunned, dazed, or dominated.
Blight, Servant of Orseus
The undead wolf-creature known as Blight
joined the Red Brotherhood six months ago after Orseus drank the blood of Arjin
Flamewright, an obscure bastard of the Flamewright family. Blight walked into the Brotherhood camp
shortly after the death of Arjin Flamewright and laid down at Orseus' feet like
an obedient hound. Blight has been at
Orseus' side ever since, carrying out its master’s every command, though
sometimes with a extra dash of needless cruelty. On the surface, Blight looks like the perfect
minion for Orseus: loyal, strong, and deadly.
Unfortunately, even though Orseus has begun to suspect Blight is more
than he appears, no one has any idea of the creature's true intentions.
Blight is the embodiment of the will of the
Carrion Lords. These decaying
primordials finally had enough influence in the mortal world to create a minion
apart from Orseus. Once he consumed Arjin Flamewright's tainted blood, the Carrion Lords created Blight to serve as
a guide for Orseus. Blight is primarily
tasked with guarding Orseus and carrying out his will, but his secret goal to
hone Orseus into a proper agent of the Carrion Lords. The Carrion Lords have grandiose plans for
Orseus, including reforming the Bone Cabal.However, first, all Orseus’
remaining humanity must be excised: his lust for freedom, his willingness to
honor agreements, and his comfort with the living. Slowly, Blight is working to turn Orseus into
a completely inhuman killing machine in the service of the Carrion Lords.
Blight twists all the orders he receives from
Orseus to his own ends; killing unless specifically ordered not to, encouraging
disagreements among the Brotherhood, and pushing Orseus ever forward and under
the sway of the Carrion Lords. While he
never disobeys Orseus, Blight shows far more initiative and forethought than
most undead. None of the living members
of the Brotherhood trust Blight a and more than a few have looked to arrange
unfortunate “accidents” to get rid of the undead beast. Those who tried to slay
Blight were all eliminated in one way or another, but never in such fashion to
draw blame back to Orseus’ faithful hound.
In combat, Blight watches Orseus, striking
from the shadows against any who would attack his undead master. Blight keeps moving throughout the fight to
make use of shroud of the dead and prefers to use hit-and-run tactics to
gain combat advantage against his enemies.
When he can assist in flanking or keep Orseus from being flanked, Blight
uses call of the master to aid Orseus and immediately goes to Orseus if
he is bloodied.
Blight, the Undead
Wolf Level
8 Lurker
Medium natural animate (undead) XP 350
Initiative +13; Senses Perception +11;
darkvision
HP 72; Bloodied 36
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflexes 22, Will 18
Immune
disease, poison; Resist necrotic 10 ;
Vulnerable 5 radiant
Spd 8
[Melee Basic] Bite (standard; at-will)
+13 vs. AC; 1d6+8
damage, or 2d6+8 damage against prone targets.
[Melee] Maul of
the Grave (standard; encounter)
+13 vs. AC; 2d6+8 damage and make a secondary
attack.
Secondary Attack: +11 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+6
necrotic damage.
Call of the
Master (standard; recharge when
Orseus is bloodied) * Teleport
Blight teleports to a square adjacent to
Orseus and may make a basic melee attack against one target.
Shroud of the
Dead
Blight gains concealment when he moves at
least four squares during his turn.
While he has concealment he gains combat advantage against adjacent
enemies.
Combat Advantage
Blight deals an extra 2d6 damage against
targets he has combat advantage against.
Alignment
Evil Languages –
Skills Insight +11, Intimidate +7, Perception +11,
Stealth +14, Nature +11
Str 18 (+8) Dex
20 (+9) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 18 (+8) Int
14 (+6) Cha 6 (+2)
Blight Tactics
In combat, Blight watches Orseus, striking
from the shadows against any who would attack his undead master. Blight keeps moving throughout the fight to
make use of shroud of the dead and prefers to use hit-and-run tactics to
gain combat advantage against his enemies.
When he can assist in flanking or keep Orseus from being flanked, Blight
uses call of the master to aid Orseus and immediately goes to Orseus if
he is bloodied.
Batia Kaan, the Right Hand Woman
Having spent most of
her life among criminals and bandits, Batia Kaan is finally getting tired of
the outlaw's life. Batia grew up as a
street urchin in the massive metropolis of Irondowns, earning her keep as a pickpocket
and lookout until she was old enough to hold a dagger. Then, she began working as a thug, using her
small size and sex to encourage others to underestimate her. Many made that mistake and paid a severe
price. By the time she was twenty, Batia
Kaan, or Batia the Blade as some called her, was one of the most respected
bladesmen in the city. By age thirty,
Batia was running her own gang, the Blade Dancers, and had successfully carved
a third of the city into her own criminal empire. Unfortunately, the Blade Dancers did not last
long in the face of an alliance against them formed by the other criminals in
the city, fearful that the Blade Dancers would eventually force them all
out. Batia was about to be run out of
the city when Orseus found her and offered her and her surviving men a place in
the Red Brotherhood. Having no other
option, Batia Kaan accepted, and her men now form the core of the current Red
Brotherhood.
Over the next five
years, she worked her way up to being Orseus' second in command, leading the
group in his absence. Batia has put up
with what she sees as Orseus' stupid obsession with certain noble families,
which she assumes is revenge driven, but is growing increasingly tired of
Orseus' methods. Batia would prefer a
more wealth-driven criminal enterprise, and as she is getting into her middle
years, she is beginning to think about retirement. So far, Batia has kept her thoughts to
herself except for the occasional suggestion of hitting wealthy targets of
opportunity, but she is biding her time.
Batia is aware that a mutiny is unlikely to succeed against Orseus, if
for no other reason that Orseus and Blight alone could kill a good part of the
Brotherhood, so she does not plan to openly fight Orseus for control of the
group. Instead, she hopes to betray the
whole group to the law, to one of the noble houses they have attacked, or those
who hunt vampires in exchange for clemency and enough of a warning to make off
with a sizeable chunk of the Brotherhood's wealth before any attack is made. Batia knows her days are numbered if she
stays in the Red Brotherhood, so she dearly wants to get out while she
can. She has concealed this from Orseus,
but Old Tessers has begun to suspect her intentions.
Despite Batia's
doubts and plans for betrayal, she is nigh indispensible in the day-to-day
operation of the Red Brotherhood. She
has the best leadership skills of anyone in the group and has far more
experience running a criminal enterprise than Orseus. Her network of fences and contacts has helped
the band locate their targets and increase their profits, all the while earning
her a fearsome reputation within criminal circles.
Batia Kaan is a
professional through and through, having little personal attachment to anyone
or anything. Revenge is the only
emotional reaction she commonly allows herself to suffer; any who cross her are
likely to end up dead, and she still holds a grudge against those who forced
her out of Irondowns all those years ago.
She puts on a show of caring for her men and their wellbeing, but that
is only to keep morale up. She is
interested only in getting what's hers; though, she recognizes keeping her
allies alive and on her side is a good way to accomplish this. Once people have outlived their usefulness,
however, she gives them precious little thought. Batia has cultivated a personality of being a
whip-smart wisecracker, always ready with a quip or insult, often playing that
role in contrast to Orseus' cold nature.
Batia Kaan Level
9 Skirmisher (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 400
Initiative +11;
Senses Perception +11;
HP 94; Bloodied 47
AC 23; Fortitude 19, Reflexes 23, Will 21
Spd 6
[Melee Basic] +2
duelist's rapier (standard;
at-will) * Weapon
+14 vs. AC; 1d6+4
damage.
[Ranged] Thrown
Dagger (standard; at-will) * Weapon
Ranged 5; +14 vs.
AC; 1d4+8 damage
[Ranged] Feint (minor;
recharges when Batia hits a target with a melee attack) * Weapon
+12 vs. Will;
target grants Batia and her adjacent allies combat advantage until the end of
her next turn.
Distraction in
Numbers (minor; at-will)
Batia may shift one
square when she has an adjacent ally.
Rally the
Brotherhood (minor; recharge when she is bloodied)
All non-minion
allies gain 4 temporary hit points.
Duelist's Rapier
(minor; daily)
Batia has combat
advantage against the next creature she attacks with her rapier.
Combat Advantage
Batia deals an
additional 1d6 against targets she has combat advantage against.
Alignment
Unaligned Languages –
Skills Bluff
+13, Insight +11, Intimidate +13, Perception +11, Thievery +14
Str 14 (+6) Dex
20 (+9) Wis 14 (+6)
Con 14 (+6) Int 16 (+7) Cha
18 (+8)
Equipment: hide armor, throwing daggers, +2
deulist's rapier
Batia Kaan Tactics
In combat, Batia
tries to stay with her allies, working to use them as shields while she moves
to strike leaders and particularly troublesome combatants. She usually attacks magicians first, knowing
they can devastate her troops in short order.
Batia tries to keep some of her allies adjacent to her, so she can use distraction
in numbers. Once Batia engages a target, she uses her rapier and feint together
to keep the target under constant attack.
Old Tessers, the Fence
Aside from Orseus, Old Tessers has been with
the Red Brotherhood longer than anyone.
He claims to be over a hundred years old but never admits to his exact
age. Betting on his age has become a common pastime among the Red Brotherhood,
with the current payout on a correct guess sitting at 500 gp. Old Tessers uses different stories to
explaining his longevity, usually blaming it on alchemical elixirs consumed
during an earlier career as an adventurer or a magical fountain he found long
ago. More than any such mystical
influence, his cunning and intelligence have kept him alive through his long
and sordid criminal career. Old Tessers
comes across to most as a slimy old man, always looking for the angle and how
he can benefit in every situation.
In his many years in crime, Old Tessers has
been a burglar, a mastermind, a thug, a counterfeiter, and a fence; the last is
the role he fills currently for the Red Brotherhood. With his advanced age, Old Tessers has moved
toward the more cerebral aspects of crime and now handles all the financial
matters for the Red Brotherhood. He is
not above fighting when pressed but prefers to do so at range, using an array
of alchemical elixirs he has collected over his many years. Old Tessers only leaves the main camp of the
Red Brotherhood when selling goods to outsiders, which is always done away from
the main camp to avoid outsiders learning of its location. Old Tessers never goes anywhere without an
escort of several bandits and is often accompanied by Gunther when outside the
camp.
Old Tessers has been working with the Red
Brotherhood for more than two decades and has learned more of the group's
secrets than anyone apart from Orseus.
He knows what Orseus is really after and what happens to those who try
to leave the group, but remains loyal because he believes that eventually
Orseus will give him what he truly wants: immortality. Old Tessers assumes that at some point in
Orseus’ consumption of the blood of the Bone Cabal he will gain the ability to
create new vampires and Old Tessers hopes to be the first in line. Because of this, Old Tessers is one of the
most loyal members of the Red Brotherhood and has informed on more than one
traitor in the group in the hopes of currying Orseus' favor.
Old Tessers Level
6 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid XP 250
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +12
HP 52;
Bloodied 26
AC 18; Fortitude 17, Reflexes 17, Will 20
Spd 6
[Melee Basic] Short sword (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d6+4
damage.
[Area] Firebomb (standard; at-will) * Fire
Area burst 1 within 10; +11 vs. Reflex; 1d6+5
fire damage.
[Ranged] Venom
on the Wind (standard; encounter) *
Weapon, Poison
Ranged 5; +13 vs. AC; 1d4+4 damage and make a
secondary attack.
Secondary Attack: +11 vs. Fortitude; ongoing
5 poison damage (save ends).
[Area] Old
Tesser's Special (standard;
encounter) * Fire
Area burst 1 within 10; +11 vs. Reflex; 2d8+5
fire damage.
Alignment
Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven
Skills Arcana +14, Bluff +13, Insight +12, Perception
+12, Thievery +9
Str 10 (+3) Dex
12 (+4) Wis 16 (+6)
Con 10 (+3) Int
19 (+8) Cha 18 (+7)
Equipment: Daggers, firebombs, leather armor
Old Tessers Tactics
Old Tessers avoids melee combat as much as
possible, knowing he is far too old for such things. Instead, he works to keep his distance while
pelting his enemies with firebombs.
Targets that close on him are attcked with venom on the wind,
while particularly stubborn clumps of enemies are targeted with Old Tessers’
special.
Portia Otten, the Spy
Orseus long ago accepted that to reach his goal he needed
agents that could operate within the teeming masses of humanity without raising
suspicion. He has used these agents both
to find the descendants of the Bone Cabal and to find suitable targets for the
Red Brotherhood to rob. These agents
have a longer life expectancy than the thugs in Orseus' employ, but not by
much. Most are discovered while engaged
in subterfuge, and once their true allegiance is discovered, many were executed
in short order. Orseus tries to depict
the role of the spy as being more glamorous and pampered than most in the Red
Brotherhood, but warns that it also involves spending time among those who would
kill you if they knew your true goals.
Portia Otten is the latest to take up the role of the
spy. A conwoman of no small skill before
joining the Red Brotherhood, she was captured by the group while running a con
by pretending to be Baroness Marela Narika, one of the descendants of the Bone
Cabal. Luckily for Portia, she was able
to convince Orseus of her real identity before he killed her. The depth of the deception she had created,
and the fact the Brotherhood's previous spy had been killed while gathering
information on the fake Baroness Narika, moved Orseus to offer her the spy
position within the Brotherhood. Having
nowhere else to go and a number of bounty hunters on her trail, Portia
accepted, thinking that a bandit gang is a good place to lie low and wait for
the law to give up hunting her.
Ever since taking up the role of spy, Portia has been
instrumental in Red Brotherhood operations.
She travels ahead of the group when it is on the move, investigating
settlements and roads to get the lay of the land and spread the fearsome
reputation of the Red Brotherhood ahead of their arrival. She usually does this under the guise of an
adventurer or bounty hunter looking for work so she can find out who is hiring
muscle, major criminal groups, and so on.
Once the Red Brotherhood catches up to her, she spends her time in the
taverns, merchant houses, and the social hubs of the region, gathering
information on when caravans are leaving, their defenses, and what nobles in
the region are doing. Portia is very
skilled at playing any role, from a ruffian raised in the sewers to a
noble-born lady, and has a wardrobe that runs the gamut. Even among the Red Brotherhood, few know much
about her or what her real personality is, with most assuming she is always
running a confidence scam of some sort.
Obviously, she is not well trusted in the Red Brotherhood.
Portia's efforts are helped by the fact she is stunningly
beautiful, possessed of striking red hair and statuesque form. She has used this to Orseus' advantage on
many occasions, going so far as to have affairs with descendants of the Bone
Cabal so they can be easily led to secluded locations and murdered. Portia has used similar tactics to get close
to those Orseus suspects of disloyalty.
If Portia gets into a fight, she has done something
wrong. She tries to get away from fights
as quickly as possible and is more than willing to sacrifice others to secure
her escape. She tries to use fast-talk
to keep herself from being attacked, resorting to scream and run if she
is actually attacked. If she has a
significant number of allies, Portia will use fast-talk to confuse her
enemies while peppering them with thrown daggers.
Portia Otten Level
8 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid XP 350
Initiative +11; Senses Perception +13
HP 70; Bloodied 35
AC 22; Fortitude 19, Reflexes 20, Will 21
Spd 6
[Melee Basic] Dagger (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d4+6
damage.
[Ranged] Thrown
Dagger (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d4+6
damage
[Ranged]
Fast-Talk (standard; at-will)
Ranged 3; +11 vs.
Will; target is stunned until the end of Portia's next turn. This effect ends if the target takes
damage.
[Immediate
Interrupt]Scream and Run (free action when Portia takes damage; recharge 5
6)
Portia shifts 3
squares but is considered stunned until the end of her next turn.
Combat Advantage
Portia dazes any
targets she hits that she has combat advantage against until the end of her
next turn.
Alignment
Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Draconic, Giant
Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +14, Insight +13,
Streetwise +14
Str 14 (+6)
Dex 17 (+7) Wis 18 (+8)
Con 16 (+7) Int
16 (+7) Cha 20 (+9)
Equipment: Daggers, leather armor
Portia Otten Tactics
If Portia gets into a fight, she has done something
wrong. She tries to get away from fights
as quickly as possible and is more than willing to sacrifice others to secure
her escape. She tries to use fast-talk
to keep herself from being attacked, resorting to scream and run if she
is actually attacked. If she has a
significant number of allies, Portia will use fast-talk to confuse her
enemies while peppering them with thrown daggers.
Alia Tyy, the Wizard
One of the more recent recruits to the Red
Brotherhood, Alia Tyy is a wizard who was forced from the Astar Arcane Academy,
where she had spent most her life, when she was discovered to have more than a
theoretical interest in necromancy. Alia
had uncovered many of the journals of Rothjur the Foul in the dark recesses of
the school's library and was working to recreate his work when she was
discovered. She managed to escape
capture and set out into the world to find artifacts that remained from
Rothjur's abbreviated reign.
Using scrying magic, she eventually found the
amulet of scorn in the possession of Orseus, one of the few material
reminders of his past undead servitude.
Alia had expected to find such items in tombs or dungeons and was most
surprised when she stumbled into the camp of the Red Brotherhood shortly after
it had suffered one of its few defeats at the hand of a local lord's household
guard. Orseus quickly set to questioning
Alia, and once he learned her goal, recruited her into the Brotherhood to
provide some much-needed magical firepower in exchange for his knowledge of
Rothjur the Foul. While Orseus knows
little aside from the location of Rothjur's various haunts, he has convinced
Alia that he knows much of Rothjur's magical lore in order to better secure her
loyalty. So far, Alia has remained loyal
despite receiving little information for her efforts, but her patience grows
short as Orseus continually puts off giving her information in favor of his own
goals.
Alia sees the Brotherhood as a temporary
unpleasantness that must be endured for her to reach her real goal of mastery
of the necromantic arts. She does not
socialize with anyone but Jannio, considering the rest beneath her. Alia is interested in and spends time with
Gunther, but this is only scholarly interest to find out more about his
quasi-undead state. For the most part,
the other members of the Red Brotherhood are fine with Alia avoiding them,
finding her more than a bit creepy. Alia
spends most of her time reading books on necromancy and history that the
Brotherhood steals or she purchases with her share of the spoils. She is little interested in the alcohol and
cheap entertainments the others in the group partake in.
A young woman with dark hair and pale
features, Alia is slowly losing her soft scholar's body for the lean strength
of a woodsman. She still wears the robes
of her school, but they are faded, badly patched, and stained in a variety of
earthen colors. She is almost always in
the camp of the Red Brotherhood, having no interest in patrols or small scale
operations. In addition, she remains within the camp to provide some extra
magical firepower if the camp is ever discovered. Alia only takes the field during major
operations.
Alia Tyy Level
9 Controller
Medium natural humanoid XP 400
Initiative +7; Senses Perception +7,
HP 94; Bloodied 47
AC 23; Fortitude 20, Reflexes 22, Will 21
Spd 6
[Melee Basic] Staff (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+14 vs. AC; 1d6+5
damage.
[Ranged] Carrion
Wrath (standard; at-will) *
Necrotic
Ranged 20; +13 vs. Fortitude; 2d4+5 necrotic
damage.
[Area] Storm of
the Graveborn (standard; encounter)
* Necrotic
Area burst 3 within 10; +13 vs. Fortitude;
2d6+5 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends).
Gravedancer's
Escape (immediate interrupt when
attacked; encounter) * Necrotic, Teleport
When attacked the attacker takes 2d6+5
necrotic damage and Alia may teleport 6 squares.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin, Abyssal
Skills: Arcana +14, History +14, Dungeoneering +14
Str 12 (+5) Dex
16 (+7) Wis 17 (+7)
Con 14 (+6) Int
20 (+9) Cha 12 (+5)
Equipment: +2 magic staff. wand
Alia Tyy Tactics
In combat, Alia prefers to stay back from the
fight, often using storm of the graveborn as her opening salvo before
her allies get too close to the enemy.
Once the fight has devolved into a melee, she uses carrion wrath
to pick off obvious leaders or healers.
She uses gravedancer's escape to get away from attackers who do
manage to close with her.
Gunther, the Muscle
Gunther is the third longest surviving member
of the Red Brotherhood behind Orseus and Old Tessers. He had been Orseus' right-hand man for many
years before Batia Kaan, but met an untimely end while the Red Brotherhood
ambushed Lord Staghorn, a descendant of the Bone Cabal, and his hunting
party. Gunther was slain by Lord
Staghorn, his chest cleaved open, but in the aftermath of the battle, the
necromantic power that Orseus absorbed somehow raised Gunther to walk again. Gunther was not alive but also was not
completely undead, leaving his mind a confused mess of its former self. Orseus immediately set about retraining
Gunther to be muscle for the Red Brotherhood, seeing little difference in the
life or death of his followers. This
event was the first time Orseus' power would act without his explicit wish, but
it would not be the last.
Since his return, Gunther has become a
simpleton, capable of only monosyllabic conversation and able to follow only
basic instructions. He is extremely
resilient and a powerful combatant, so Orseus primarily uses him for heavy
labor and straight-up fights. When not
engaged in a task, Gunther sits alone in Orseus' tent, doing nothing. He has no interest in interacting with others,
and most members of the Brotherhood avoid him save Alia, who sees him as a
magical experiment to poke and prod.
More than anything, Gunther just wants to be left alone and allowed to
die in peace, but he is compelled to follow Orseus' orders and Orseus sees
Gunther as being far too useful to let go.
Unlike Blight, Gunther is not an agent of the
Carrion Lords and instead is the product of random uncontrolled necrotic energy
spilling out of Orseus. Thus, the
Carrion Lords have no direct control over Gunther, though Orseus does. Gunther does not trust Blight, and Blight
considers Gunther to be something of a threat.
The two have not come to blows yet, but will do so if given any
excuse.
Gunther Level
7 Brute
Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 300
Initiative +5;
Senses Perception +3; darkvision
HP 100; Bloodied 50
AC 19; Fortitude 21, Reflexes 17, Will 16
Resist
necrotic 5, poison and disease 15
Spd 5
[Melee Basic] Great Axe (standard; at-will)
+10 vs. AC; 2d6+8
damage.
[Melee] Spinning
Splinter Strike (standard;
encounter)
Close burst 1; +10 vs. AC; 2d6+8 damage and
the target is pushed 1 square.
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills: Athletics
+13, Intimidate +6, Nature +8
Str 21 (+8) Dex
14 (+5) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 20 (+8) Int
6 (+1) Cha 6 (+1)
Equipment: Great axe, hide armor
Gunther Tactics
In combat, Gunther prefers to hack his way
through weaker opponents and deep into the enemy ranks, using spinning
splintering strike once he is surrounded.
If no such opponents present themselves he works with his allies to
flank more powerful targets and uses his greataxe to put them down as quickly
as possible.
Lorca Jannio, the
Scholar
One of the newest recruits of the Red
Brotherhood, Lorca Jannio is the latest in a long line of scholars, who Orseus
forcibly recruited to help him find the heirs of the Bone Cabal. Lorca was kidnapped from his studies at the
Library of Rockholm, where he was following the Jannio family tradition of
becoming the foremost expert in the genealogy of noble families in the realm. It was this reputation that attracted the
attention of Orseus, who arranged to have Lorca kidnapped while he was doing
field research among the graves of the Stone Hill Barrows. Orseus killed all of Lorca's guard and made
it abundantly clear that the same would happen to him if he ever became more
trouble than he was worth.
Having no martial training to speak of and
never having been threatened with violence before, Lorca gave into Orseus'
demands and has remained with the Red Brotherhood for the last six months. In that time, Lorca has not even tried to
escape, such is his fear of Orseus.
Lorca has no knowledge of woodcraft, fighting, or subterfuge, making it
unlikely he could escape on his own, even if he wanted to. Instead, Lorca has tried to stay in Orseus'
good graces in the hopes that eventually the Brotherhood will bite off more
than it can chew, and he can escape in the confusion. In an effort to alienate Lorca from his past,
Orseus has forced him to take an active part in the group's activities,
including killing prisoners who outlive their usefulness. So far, Lorca has gone along with this due to
threat of death and has learned something of fighting in the process, but he
still remains hopeful he can escape, return home, and forget this entire
nightmarish chapter in his life. With
this goal in mind, he will readily work with outsiders against Orseus if they
can guarantee his safety.
A scholar through and through, Lorca is
always getting lost, complaining about the rough conditions the Red Brotherhood
lives in, and is foten mocked by the Brotherhood for his soft ways. Only Alia and Portia actually socialize with
him, most other members of the group only deigning to converse with him when
mocking him. This works well for Lorca,
considering the thugs that surround him on a daily basis terrify him. Lorca spends most of the time in the camp,
since Orseus considers him too valuable to risk. To support Lorca's work, Orseus has stolen a
wide array of books and documents regarding the descendants of the Bone Cabal
and their bloodlines. Lorca spends most of his days pouring over them. If he doesn't find a new candidate for Orseus
to hunt down every week or two, Orseus begins threatening physical violence as
punishment for his laziness. Thus far,
Lorca has managed to find someone soon after these physical punishments begin.
Unfortunately for Lorca, he made a recent
discovery that has made it much more necessary for him to escape the Red
Brotherhood: Lorca is a descendant of the Bone Cabal. Apparently, Piero Jannio, Scourge of the Bone
Legion, is a distant ancestor of Lorca, and the Jannio family’s obsession with
genealogy led them to keep a watchful eye on other descendants of the Bone
Cabal. Lorca has hidden his ancestry
from Orseus so far, but is fearful that if Orseus inspects his notes, the
vampire warlord may discover the truth.
Thus, Lorca has become very paranoid about keeping his books and papers
hidden away from anyone who could puzzle them out.
Lorca Jannio Level
5 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid XP 200
Initiative +4;
Senses Perception +5
HP 48; Bloodied 24
AC 17; Fortitude 16, Reflexes 18, Will 17
Spd 6
[Melee Basic] Dagger (standard;
at-will) * Weapon
+12 vs. AC; 1d4+6
damage.
[Ranged]
Crossbow (standard; at-will) * Weapon
Ranged 10; +12 vs.
AC; 1d8+6 damage.
[Ranged]
Calculated Attack (standard;
encounter) * Weapon
Ranged 10; +12 vs. AC; 2d8+6 damage and the
target dazed until the end of Lorca's next turn.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Draconic
Skills: Arcana +11, History +14
Str 10 (+2) Dex
14 (+4) Wis 16 (+5)
Con 12 (+3) Int
18 (+6) Cha 12 (+3)
Equipment: Clothes, dagger, crossbow, bolts
Lorca Jannio Tactics
Lorca is rarely taken into combat situations by Orseus to
avoid giving him any unnecessary opportunities to escape. The Lorca is taken out into the field he
stays with Alia and has at least one of the veterans or leaders assigned to
keep him in line. For now he stays near
those assigned to guard him, fearful to run unless the battle turns against the
Brotherhood. He hangs in the back of
such battles, attacking with his crossbow against weaker targets. He will use calculated attack against
targets that attack him directly, his own sense of self preservation overriding
his desire to not kill anyone. If more
than two thirds of the Brotherhood are defeated Lorca will make a run for it or
try and switch sides to if he thinks they will listen to him.
Lackeys and Henchmen
The rank and file members of the Red Brotherhood are a
ragged band pack of career criminals, desperate farmers, down on their luck
mercenaries, and professional brigands.
They have been recruited across the hundreds of miles the Red
Brotherhood has wandered and include a wide variety of cultures, languages, and
ethnicities. All speak Common, but other
than that and greed there are few commonalities between them. These differences sometimes flare up into
violence as ancient rivalries reappear, but Orseus puts a quick end to such
conflicts.
Red Brotherhood
Veteran
The veteran members of the Red Brotherhood
are a motley collection of mercenaries, thieves, and bandits united in the
pursuit of wealth under Orseus' direction.
Most worked their way up from the mob that is the lower ranks of the Red
Brotherhood, but some are more experienced recruits who have seen a good share
of combat and banditry before joining the Brotherhood. They do not know anything of Orseus' real
plans, Batia's possible betrayal, or any of the other secrets the leaders of
the group possess. Their concerns are
more immediate, with most hoping to make some big score and get out before they
get killed. Orseus works to encourage
this idea when he can. These veterans
spend most of their time keeping the newer recruits in line, making sure the
camp is organized, scouting possible marks, and striking when directed.
Red Brotherhood Veteran Level
6 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 250
Initiative +8;
Senses Perception +0; darkvision
HP 75; Bloodied 37
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflexes 18, Will 16
Spd 6
[M] Cutlass (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+13 vs. AC; 1d8+5
damage.
[r] Shortbow (standard;
at-will) * Weapon
Ranged 10; +13 vs.
AC; 1d6+5 damage.
Fighting Dirty
When the Veteran
has combat advantage against a target he gains a +4 bonus to attacks instead of
the normal +2.
Easy Kill
Veterans gain a +2
bonus to damage against bloodied targets.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Nature +8, Stealth +11
Str 16 (+6) Dex
16(+6) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 19 (+7) Int
10 (+3) Cha 10 (+3)
Red Brotherhood
Veteran Tactics
The veterans of the Red Brotherhood follow their leaders
into battle, working to support them by flanking enemies, cutting off retreats,
etc. The veterans know that Orseus,
Batia, or Alia have a far greater impact on the course of a battle than
they. Veterans always work to flank
their enemies so they can take advantage of fighting dirty and tend to
concentrate on one target at a time, hoping to use easy kill as they
whittle down their enemy.
Red Brotherhood
Bandit
Making up the bulk of the ranks of the Red
Brotherhood, these thugs are mostly new recruits who have only been with the
group for a few months. While some have
martial training, most are whatever riffraff the Brotherhood has recruited from
local criminal circles and taverns.
These bandits have little loyalty to the Red Brotherhood, many seeing it
as nothing more than a job. Those that
survive and prove their loyalty are eventually given more respect within the
Brotherhood, but it is a case of survival of the fittest.
Red Brotherhood Bandit Level
6 Minion
Medium natural humanoid XP 63
Initiative +6; Senses Perception +3
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a
minion
AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflexes 18, Will 16
Spd 6
[M] Cutlass (standard; at-will)
* Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 5
damage.
[r] Shortbow (standard;
at-will) * Weapon
+11 vs. AC; 5
damage
Easy Kill
Bandits gain a +2
bonus to damage against bloodied targets.
Alignment
Unaligned Languages –
Str 14 (+5) Dex
16 (+6) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 16 (+6) Int
8 (+2) Cha 8 (+2)
Red Brotherhood
Bandit Tactics
While Orseus and Batia are not cruel, they are more than
willing to use the bandits as a shield for the leaders and veterans of the Red
Brotherhood. Thus the bandits usually
make up the front line of any Red Brotherhood formation and work to overwhelm
their enemies with numbers. Like the
veterans, the bandits work to flank enemies so the leaders of the Red
Brotherhood can gain combat advantage against them.
