Duermar Encounter Creation Contest
Duke Solitude
Background
He used to be a duke over a small region before the corruption hit. He became scared of it, then his people became scared of it. They were afraid he couldn't protect them. There were only a few people who truly wanted to stay in his duchy. Many farmers simply stayed there because they had vowed to stay or simply could not afford to give up their farms. Attacks from Fay became more frequent, starting at once every few months to once every two weeks or so and even if the number of causalities wasn't high, people grew more and more afraid and so did the duke. His fear of being left behind alone grew with every passing second. Then, one evening during a Fay attack it consumed him. The people close to him simply perished, got twisted and turned. Those a little further away were suddenly isolated from anyone else. Darkness fell over the small manor. It mainly stays there, but every now and then, the twisted creatures it creates roam the fields and paths of the duchy, spreading their dread.
Appearence
Duke Solitude is but a husk of his former self. His skin has blackened and even turned slightly purple in some spots, his eyes and mouth have had skin grow over them and his physique is now very boney. His clothes have quickly rotten and become just as black as his skin, at some points even fusing with it. Not much is usually seen of him though, as an isolating darkness and dreadful winds surround him at all times. In it lie the remains of the duke's former servants and some adventurers who intended to put him to rest.
Encounter Behaviour
The Duke Solitude does not move but just sits in a chair in what used to be the dining hall of his manor. He will have the Aura of Dread active at all times. His next priority is getting up the Lonely World and then the Mist of Isolation. He will use Guidance from the Mist as a means to locate his attackers. Duke Solitude will try to keep attackers at a distance with the Unwillingness to Fight and the Whirling Dread. If an attacker gets too close (about 20'), he will inflict the Nausiating Dread and Awaken the Dreadful. When the duke has lost about 50 HP, he will attempt to use his Hurtless Sigh to protect himself and let his Dreadful wither.
Duke Solitude
Level 6 Boss, Medium Size, 30' speed, 3 Boss Edge
HP Guard Toughness Resolve 80 22 19 17
Attributes
Entropy 8 (3d8), Influence 6 (2d8), Might 6 (2d8), Learning 4 (1d10), Presence 3 (1d8)
Feats
Boon Focus III (Aura)
Boon Focus II (Barrier)
Boon Focus I (Darkness)
Superior Concentration III
Multi-Target Boon Specialist IX
Multi-Target Boon Expert
Favoured Actions
Aura of Dread (invoke Aura PL 8 of Persistent Damage PL4): Entropy vs Toughness. The winds close to Duke solitued are packed with dread which is unbearingly painful. (1d6 of damage)
Lonely World (invoke Darkness): Entropy. The mist around the duke is so thick, that one is unable to see through it in a 40' radius.
Mist of Isolation (invoke Barrier (Obscuring, Baneful: Deafened, Baneful: Silenced)) Entropy vs. Toughness, The dread spreading from the duke makes it hard to speak and hear as surrounds anyone in a 20' radius around the duke.
Whilrling Dread (damaging attack): Entropy vs. Toughness. The dreadful winds around the duke rob the target of their will to fight even to the point of inflicting pain.
Unwillingness to Fight (inflict Demoralized of PL6) Influence vs. Resolve. The dread eminnating from the duke robs the target of its will to fight and just give in to the dread.
Nausiating Dread (inflict Sickened) Entropy vs. Toughness. The mist fills the targets lungs, spreading a nausiating feeling through their body.
Awaken the Dreadful (invoke Summon Creature of PL8): Entropy. The Duke Solitude lets out a dreadful moan, mist enters one of the fallen people around him and awaken it to fight for the duke.
Hurtless Sigh (invoke Insubstantial): Entropy. The duke sighs in dread and the mist close to it gets more dense and deflects any physical attacks aimed at the duke. However, this is also something the duke has to focus on more closely on.
Guidance from the Mist (invoke Blindsight): Entropy. The duke will let the mist guide his attacks towards his enemies.
Awakened Dreadful
PL 8 Summon, Medium Size, 30' speed
HP Guard Toughness Resolve 8 15 15 15
Attributes
Might 6 (2d8), Perception 5 (2d6), Entropy 5 (2d6)
Favoured Actions
Claw Attack (damaging attack): Might vs. Guard. The Awakened Dreadful will attempt to strike its target using its claws.
Guidance from the Mist (invoke Blindsight): Entropy. The Dreadful will let the mist guide it towards its enemies.
Grab the weapon (inflict Disarmed of PL6): Might vs Guard. The monster will take its targets weapon and hold onto it. If it is a forceful weapon, it will use the weapon to attack from that point on until losing it again.
Guelsome Cry (inflict Fear): Entropy vs Resolve. The Awakened Dreadful releases a cry full of agony that sends shivers down its target's spine.
Encounter Behaviour (Awakened Dreadful)
The Awakened Dreadful will attack anyone within reach and target the attacker closest to the duke. If someone gets too close to the duke (about 10'), they will target them with their Gruelsome Cry.