BRCS:Chapter nine/Creatures/The Ghoul

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Medium-Size Humanoid (Awnshegh)

Hit Dice: 2d8+8d6+10 (47 hp)

Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 18 (+4 Dex, +1 padded armor, +3 natural)

Attacks: +1 dagger +11 melee or 2 claws +8 melee

Damage: +1 dagger 1d4+3 (19-20), Claw 1d4+2

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +5d6, Death Attack, Carrion Aura

Special Qualities: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Poison Use, +1 on all saves against Poison, Spells, Bloodline, Fast Healing 1, Fleshfeeding, Light Sensitivity, Low-light vision

Saves: Fort +3, Ref +11, Will +3

Abilities: Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 7, Cha 9, Bld 16

Skills: Bluff +10, Climb +13, Disguise +10, Hide +15, Jump +13, Listen +9, Move Silently +17, Open Lock +12, Search +11, Spot +9, Tumble +12, Use Magic Device +7

Feats: Improved Initiative, Run, Skill Focus (Move Silently), Weapon Finesse (Dagger)

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Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary (Unique)

Challenge Rating: 9

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Always neutral evil

Advancement: ?

The Ghoul was once the son of a minor Khinasi noble, a
pampered child with an insignificant bloodline. His entire
family was brutally slain by another noble, due to some palace
intrigue. The boy barely escaped with his life intact by hiding
underneath the corpse of his father. He then had to make his
living as a beggar upon the streets for many years ? until the
day the nobleman that had slain his father was parading
through the city, now appointed the lieutenant of the regent, in
charge of the army. The beggar, now a young adult, recognized
the slayer of his father from many years back. He quietly
took up pursuit, then, when night fell, slipped into the
palace of his father?s murderer and had his vengeance. When
dawn fell upon him, he found the light of the sun hideously
unbearable, and slipped into the old sewers beneath the city,
his transformation to awnshegh having begun already, at unusual
speed. After this deed was done, the Ghoul worked as an
assassin with the Society of the Serpent for a time before succumbing
completely to the curse of his dark blood. The Ghoul
now wanders the land at night, a lethal killer and plotter with
an insatiable lust for human flesh.
The Ghoul, today, appears human from a distance ? his
body has not changed much in form, though his skin has
grown leathery, taking on a sickly gray hue, his hair has
mostly fallen out, his teeth have grown long and sharp, and his
nails have hardened and blackened into iron-sharp talons. The
Ghoul generally dresses in rags, disguising a thicker layer of
padded armor underneath, as well as several vials of poison
sewn into his clothes.
Combat
The Ghoul generally shies away from melee combat; he will
almost always flee from any confrontation he did not himself
initiate; even in those situations, he will often try to escape if
his target does not quickly fall. If possible, the Ghoul will
combine one of his poisons with his Death Attack, then use his
Carrion Aura in fast sequence to carry on the assault.

Death Attack (Ex): If given at least three rounds to study
his opponent, the Ghoul may then, in any of the next three
rounds, use a special death attack. The victim is either killed
outright, or paralyzed, and completely helpless, for 1d6+3
rounds. The Ghoul selects either ability upon attacking; the
Fortitude save DC to avoid either effect is 16.

Evasion (Ex): The Ghoul takes no damage on a successful
save against any effect that allows a Reflex save for half damage.

Poison Use (Ex): The Ghoul can use poison with no risk of
poisoning himself.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The Ghoul has the Uncanny Dodge
ability of an 8th-level rogue. He retains his Dexterity bonus
against invisible opponents and when caught flat-footed, and
he can only be flanked by rogues of at least 12th level.

Carrion Aura (Su): The Ghoul does not reek of death; in
fact, from a distance, he does not exude any smell at all, leaving
him impossible to detect by scent alone. However, if the
Ghoul so wills it, he may, as a free action, create a nauseating
stench of death about himself. This affects any creature within
10 feet of the Ghoul, who must make a Fortitude save against
a DC of 15 or be nauseated, unable to take any action at all,
except for a single move each round. If a nauseated creature
leaves the Ghoul?s aura, the effect wears off after 1d4+1
rounds.

Fleshfeeding (Su): The Ghoul feasts upon the recently
dead. If he has fed upon a corpse within the last hour, the
Ghoul has a +2 enhancement bonus on Str, Dex, and Con, and
a +2 morale bonus on all saves. For every round the Ghoul is
able to feed upon flesh, he regains 5 hit points, if he has taken
any damage. Stats, where different from above: 57 hp, AC 19,
claws +8, dmg 1d4+4 (+1 dagger) 1d4+3 (claw), fort +6, ref
+14, will +5.

Light Sensitivity: The Ghoul suffers a -1 morale penalty to
any attack rolls, saving throws and checks while in bright
sunlight, or in the radius of a daylight spell or similar effect.

Bloodline: The Ghoul?s Major Azrai bloodline of 16 grants
him the following abilities: Minor ? alter appearance; Major ?
bloodform. These blood abilities are cast as by an 8th-level
sorcerer; the save DC, where appropriate, is 15 for minor
abilities and 18 for major abilities.

Spells: The Ghoul casts spells as a 3rd-level assassin. The
save DC, where applicable, is 13 + spell level. The Ghoul
commonly prepares these spells: Obscuring mist, spider climb;
pass without trace.

Possessions: The Ghoul wields a +1 dagger, and he has an
amulet of natural armor +3. He also carries within his rags
vials with several types of poisons, including several doses of
black adder venom, large scorpion venom, bloodroot, greenblood
oil and medium-size spider venom, and a single dose of
deathblade.