GitP Monster Competition LIII - The Hunt

[Debihuman]

Soldier of Misfortune
The prey of Widow's Weed
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +1 padded armor +1 light wooden shield), Touch 12, Flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Rusty longsword +7 melee (1d8+5 plus disease)
Full Attack: Rusty longsword +7 melee (1d8+5 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Qualities: Aura of Unluck, Darkvision 60 ft., Nocturnal, Rejuvenation, Undead Traits, Vulnerability to Mind-Affecting Magic
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 16, Con —, Dex 14, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 13
Skills: Balance +11, Listen +9, Move Silently +11, Spot +9
Feats: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, Squad (2-4) or Company (11-20)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: ½ Standard
Alignment: Always Evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd ?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & die,
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
-- from Charge of the Light Brigade, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Soldiers of misfortune are created when a company or larger group of soldiers is slaughtered on the battlefield due to an egregious error that led to their death. During the day, they appear in their graves as normal corpses. They are only active at night. However, it is a foolish adventurer who thinks they are easy targets during the day....

Soldiers of misfortune appear as the ruined remains of soldiers ravaged by time and decay. Their rusted weapons and tattered clothing only reflect the horror that lies in their war-weary eyes. A rusted weapon is worth half the value of a normal weapon, carries the disease red ache, and cannot be a masterwork or magical weapon. Removing the disease or cleaning the weapon causes it to break, no save.

Soldiers of misfortune are proficient with weapons that they were in life generally, simple weapons, one-handed melee weapons, and shield. The most common weapons used by a soldier of misfortune are longsword and light wooden shield as noted above.

The blood-soaked battlefield where they died is barren, save for the widow’s weed that grows in abundance and hides the gravestones. It is a stark reminder of the tragedy that resulted in catastrophic loss of life.

When not engaged in battle, they spend most of their time pruning back the widow's weeds that choke their graves. Otherwise, they will reenact the last orders of their commander to the best of their ability. Only those soldiers of misfortune that are so commanded by the widow's weeds will take other actions.

Soldiers of misfortune speak Common but rarely converse, preferring battle to discourse.

Combat

Soldiers of misfortune attack with the same weapons that they used on the battlefield. Their swords may be rusted and wooden weapons may be broken (treat as clubs), but they attack any living creature that comes into their battlefield with sheer ruthlessness and abandon. Their favorite tactic is to lie low, using the widow's weed as cover, to ambush their targets.

Aura of Unluck (Su): Once per day, a soldier of misfortune can create a baleful aura of misfortune. Any melee or ranged attack made against the soldier of misfortune while this aura of unluck is active has a 20% miss chance (similar to the effect on concealment.) Activating the aura is a swift action, and the aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the soldier of misfortune’s Charisma bonus (if any.)

Disease (Ex): Anyone who takes damage from a soldier of fortune’s rusty weapon must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or contract Red Ache, injury, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d6 Str. The save is Strength-based.

Nocturnal (Ex): Soldiers of misfortune usually appear as normal corpses during the day and are only active at night when they emerge from their burial mounds and graves. It takes a successful DC 15 Spot check to notice that the body is not a normal corpse. However, an undead soldier that is commanded by a widow's weed can be active during the day with no adverse consequences.

Rejuvenation (Su): It is difficult to destroy a solider of misfortune through simple combat. The "destroyed" corpse will restore itself in 24 hours. Even the most powerful spells are temporary solutions. A soldier of misfortune that would otherwise be destroyed reappears in its grave with a successful level check (1d20 + soldier's HD) against DC 16. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a soldier of misfortune is to bury its body in cloth made from the widow's weed.

Vulnerable to Mind-Affecting Magic (Su): Because they were used to taking orders, soldiers of misfortune are not immune to all mind affecting effects. They take a -2 penalty to saves against compulsions and morale effects, although they are still immune to charms, phantasms and patterns.

Lore: A successful Knowledge (Religion) check reveals the following information.

{table=head]DC | Result

16 | Soldiers of misfortune are undead soldiers whose rusty weapons carry disease. This reveals undead traits and disease.

21 | Soldiers of misfortune are generally only active at night. This reveals the Nocturnal special quality.

26 | Soldiers of misfortune are aptly named. This reveals the Aura of Unluck ability.

31 | Soldiers of misfortune are susceptible to mind controlling magic. This reveals the Vulnerability to Mind-Affecting Magic ability.

36 |Soldiers of misfortune are difficult to eradicate. This reveals the Rejuvenation ability. [/table]

Debby