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[Bhu]

ELDER ORB (Epic PrC) (Faerun)



"Why is this person here? No one is supposed t know I run the Guild. Dammit, now we have to kill everyone."

"Weren't we doing that already?"

"...fair enough."

An Elder Orb is a Beholder Mage that somehow managed to achieve old age. Possibly because they decided to study Arcane spellcasting in order to ensure their survival. Many run Thieve's Guilds, or cults, or find themselves in positions of power behind the throne.

BECOMING AN ELDER ORB
Older Beholders who are dedicated to developing arcane spellcasting..

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Race: Beholder
Age: Old or older
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast Arcane spells of at least 7th Level.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 15 ranks
Feats: Any Metamagic Feat


Class Skills
The Elder Orb's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis) and Survival (Wis).
Skills Points at Each Level : 4 + int

Hit Dice: d6
1. Control Death Tyrant
2. Create Death Tyrant
3. Spell Resistance, +1 Level of Arcane casting class
4. Control Death Tyrant
5. Create Death Tyrant
6. Immunities, +1 Level of Arcane casting class
7. Control Death Tyrant
8. Create Death Tyrant
9. Improved Spell Resistance, +1 Level of Arcane casting class
10. True Sight, +1 Level of Arcane casting class

Weapon Proficiencies: An Elder Orb gains no new Weapon or Armor Proficiencies.

Control Death Tyrant (Sp): At 1st Level you may use this ability at will. It is identical to the Control Undead spell, with the following exceptions: It can only be used to control Death Tyrants, and the duration is 1/day level. At 4th Level the number of Hit Dice you can control doubles. At 7th Level the range increases to Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level).

Create Death Tyrant (Sp): At 3rd Level you may use this ability at will, so long as you have enough Beholder corpses to raise. This is identical to the Create Greater Undead spell, but it can only create a Death Tyrant. At 6th Level you can cast use this ability during the day, and may create 2 Death Tyrants at once if you have the bodies. At 9th Level you may raise every Beholder corpse within 30 ft. as a Death Tyrant.

Spell Resistance (Ex): You gain Spell Resistance equal to your (CR + 6)

Immunities (Ex): At 6th Level you become effectively immortal. You are immune to poison, disease and aging effects. You also get a +2 Resistance Bonus on all Saving Throws.

Improved Spell Resistance (Ex): Your Spell Resistance increases to (CR + 11)

True Sight (Su): At 10yh Level you permanently gain the benefits of the True Seeing spell.

PLAYING AN ELDER ORB
You have acquired more power than most any other mortal being. With a little luck some day you'll be able to challenge the Gods. At least, this is what you believe...
Combat: You prefer to fight using Death Tyrants or other minions as proxies. People should never know you are the true enemy.
Advancement: You prefer to gain more use of your magical talents, and try to exceed the limitations of your physical form.
Resources: Pretty much whatever you want. You're usually the head of a Hive or international organization.

ELDER ORBS IN THE WORLD
"Stop looking into the Guild's business. You don't want it's attention."!
The world doesn't know you exist, and you intend to keep it that way.
Daily Life: Magical study and the business of ruing an empire take up most of your time.
Notables: Xixuxukluth (LE Beholder/Beholder Mage 9/Elder Orb 3) runs the Chichester Fellowship Club (i.e. the head of a massive crime empire).
Organizations: Generally you are the head of you're own organization.

NPC Reaction
NPC's react to you pretty much the same as they would any other Beholder. Screaming mostly. Loooots of screaming.

ELDER ORBS IN THE GAME
Elder Orbs are phenomenally Evil, and as such should be NPC's.
Adaptation: This is pretty much only for Epic Evil campaigns..
Encounters: PC's are never meant to encounter an Elder Orb. They aren't even supposed to know such a thing exists.

Sample Encounter
EL 25: The PC's round the bend in the insanely stupid volcano lair they've been exploring, only to find a large Beholder reclining on a throne being washed and fed grapes by Kobold servants.

"You weren't supposed to see this."

The PC's don't answer back. Non of them are quite sure what the social protocol for this is.

Note: In 3.5 and previous editions the Death Tyrant was a mindless undead controlled by an Elder Orb or Necromancer. Here after I will be referring to them as Death Tyrant, Zombie.

Xixuxukluth (Beholder/Beholder Mage 9/Elder Orb 3
Lawful Evil Aberration
Init +6, Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Listen +18, Spot +22
Languages Beholder, Undercommon
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AC 26, touch 11, flat-footed 24 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +15 Natural)
hp 174 (23 HD)
Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +18
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Speed 5 ft. (1 square), Fly 20 ft. (Good)
Melee Bite +7 melee (2d4)
Base Atk +12, Grp +16
Atk Options Spells
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared (CL 21st)
0(6/day): Detect Magic, Mage, Message, Read Magic
1st (6/day): Cause Fear, Charm Person, Shield, Sleep
2nd (6/day): Detect Thoughts, Command Undead, Daze Monster, Invisibility
3rd (6/day): Arcane Sight, Dispel Magic, Haste, Slow
4th (6/day): Arcane Eye, Charm Monster, Enervation, Fear
5th (6/day) Dominate Person, Hold Monster, Prying Eyes, Teleport
6th (6/day): Create Undead, Disintegrate, Flesh to Stone, Greater Dispel Magic
7th (6/day): Control Undead, Finger of Death, Greater Teleport, Plane Shift
8th (5/day): Clone, Create Greater Undead, Dimensional Lock, Mass Charm Monster
9th (3/day): Dominate Monster, Mass Hold Monster, Mage's Disjunction, Wish
Spell-Like Abilities Control Death Tyrant, Create Death Tyrant
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Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 20, Wis 15, Cha 15
SQ All-Around Vision, Central Eye, Flight, Summon Familiar
Feats Flyby Attack, Greater Spell Penetration, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Silent Spell, Spell Penetration, Alertness (B)
Skills Bluff +14, Concentration +24, Diplomacy +14, Hide +11, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (Arcana) +20, Listen +18, Search +21, Spellcraft +25, Spot +22, Survival +10, Use Magic Device +22
Bling +1 Everdancing Heavy Crossbow





Elder Orb
"Okay, let's try this again. We asked for flora and fauna, and thusly far you've shown us your military, and failed experimental quests for power. So this time, pretty please, with cherries on top. Show us some animals."

"Very well, try this address."

Just Get Moe Powerful With Age
"If we actually get fauna native to the area, next vacation is on me."

later

"Can I help you?"

Masters of the Death Tyrants
"We're a palantir documentary crew filming the local wildlife, One of your petty bureaucrats sent us here."

"She must be very petty. This is the Old Ghosts home."

"The what?"

"It's an undead retirement home. Xixuxukluth! Follow Xix, he's our security guard and staff."