Demon Prince of Gnolls by Robert J
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Dragon™ Magazine Annual The Best of D&D Insider™ Sample file 01_Dragon_Annual.indd 1 6/10/09 5:11:11 PM CREDITS Design Cover Illustration Logan Bonner, Bruce R. Cordell, Brian R. James, Steve Argyle Ari Marmell, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson Graphic Designer Leon Cortez, Robert Jordan Development Mike Mearls, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Interior Illustrations Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Chris Sims Rob Alexander, Dave Allson, Ryan Barger, John Tyler Christopher, Stephen Crowe, Editing Eric Deschamps, Jason A. Engle, Gonzalo Miranda Horner Flores, David Griffith, Brian Hagan, Jim Nelson, William O’Connor, Steve Prescott, Chris Seaman, Additional Editing John Stanko, Anne Stokes, Eric Williams Jennifer Clarke Wilkes Cartographer Managing Editing Robert Lee Torah Cottrill Publishing Production Specialist Editor-in-Chief, Dragon™ Magazine Christopher Tardiff Chris Youngs Prepress Manager Director of D&D R&D and Book Publishing Jefferson Dunlap Bill Slavicsek Imaging Technician D&D Creative Manager Carmen Cheung Christopher Perkins Production Manager D&D Insider Team Cynda Callaway Bart Carroll, Chris Perkins, Jon Schindehette, Chris Sims, Steve Winter, Chris Youngs Game rules based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and Executive Producer, D&D Insider the later editions by David “Zeb” Cook (2nd Edition); KenSample Troop Jonathan file Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison (3rd Edition); and Art Director Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, and James Wyatt (4th Edition). Stacy Longstreet, Jon Schindehette 620-24207000-001 EN U.S., CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC, EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS WIZARDS OF THE COAST, BELGIUM 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 & LATIN AMERICA Hasbro UK Ltd Industrialaan 1 First Printing: August 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC Caswell Way 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden ISBN: 978-0-7869-5245-8 P.O. 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All Wizards characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events included herein is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.A. ©2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WIZARDS.COM/DND 01_Dragon_Annual.indd 2 6/22/09 2:19:06 PM DRAGON MAGAZINE ANNUAL Welcome to the first 4th Edition Dragon™ Magazine Dragon still pushes for these goals each month, Annual compilation! The work in this supplement rep- bringing a balanced blend of crunch and story, sup- resents the best content produced in nearly the first port for print product, and brand-new concepts. But full year of Dragon Magazine on D&D Insider™. We we know that many of our most dedicated players took a hard look at everything we did from June 2008 still aren’t aware that Dragon is such a tremendous through March 2009, and picked the best of the best. resource, that it’s still capable of making you sit up Coming up with the list of articles for this book and say, “Wow!” So here we are, ready to continue was a challenge. In fact, the first storyboard I built the tradition of past Dragon Magazine Annual supple- for the Dragon Magazine Annual had far more content ments. We will show you exactly what makes D&D that we could fit in the book. Trimming the list was Insider worth checking out each week. We will show tough, but I’m thrilled that not only is the concept of you ways to use the other D&D supplements in your a Dragon “best-of” compilation back, it’s stockpiled library in unique and creative ways. And we’ll give with innovative content that’s better balanced and you more resources to elevate your characters, your more polished than ever before. adventures, and your worlds. Dragon™ has long been the place where we dig Dragon represents the best of what the fans have deep into the heart of the D&D® game. It’s where we to offer the game. Certainly, you’ll see many familiar take a brief mention of some location or villain in a names in its pages. But these designers who work on print product and expand on it. It’s where we dive this and other products are fans, first and foremost— into the game world, and where we try to give you the fans like you and me. Enjoy it, and if you feel inspired, best possible ways to run your characters and your send us your own article idea at submissions@ campaigns. It’s also where we experiment, pushing wizards.com. Who knows? Maybe the next Dragon the rules to their limits to try new mechanical and Magazine Annual will have your name in it. story concepts. —Chris Youngs contents DEMONOMICON THE BLOODGHOST PLAYING DHAMPYR . 111 OF IGGWILV: YEENOGHU . 4 SYNDICATE . 57 Dhampyr Adventurers . 113 Aspect of Yeenoghu . 7 Notable Personalities . 58 Paragon Paths . 115 Yeenoghu’s Cult . 9 Story Ideas . 61 New Monsters . 116 Yeenoghu’s Realm . 14 BloodghostSample Warriors . file. 62 Bloodghost Hideout . 64 MASTERS OF THE PLANES . 118 CREATURE INCARNATIONS: Darklord . 119 KOBOLDS . 16 INTELLIGENT ITEMS: Keybearer . 120 SMART SWORDS . 66 Planeshaper . 121 THE ASHEN COVENANT . 22 Creating an Intelligent Item . 67 Prince of Hell . 122 Quests and Adventure Hooks . 26 Intelligent Items in Play . 69 Punisher of the Gods . 124 The Covenant’s Leaders. 28 Sample Intelligent Items . 70 Storm Sovereign . 125 New Magic Items . 31 Winter Sovereign . 126 New Monsters . 32 FIGHT! . 75 Arena Competitions . 76 PLAYING SHADAR-KAI . 128 MITHRENDAIN, CITADEL Victory Conditions . 79 Shadar-Kai Adventurers . 131 OF THE FEYWILD . 35 Arena Adventures . 80 Racial Feats . 132 The City . 36 Campaign . 82 Shadar-kai Origin . 135 Laws and Enforcement . 41 Crowds . 84 Paragon Paths . 136 Citizens and Denizens . 42 Tricks and Traps . 86 Epic Destiny . 138 Notable Inhabitants . 43 The Opposition . 89 Heroes of Mithrendain . 44 ART OF THE KILL . 140 New Magic Items . 46 WE WHO ARAREE ABOUT TTOO DIE... Murderous Backgrounds . 141 D&D GLADIATORS . 91 Feats . 145 WISH UPON A STAR . 47 Gladiator Concepts . 92 Paragon Paths . 156 Star Pact . 48 Arena Fighting Feats. 95 Killer’s Arsenal . 158 Warlock Feats . 50 Gladiators’ Arsenal . 101 Alchemical Items . .158 Warlock Powers . 50 Weapon Mastery Feats . 103 Paragon Path . 55 AUTHOR BIOS . 151599 Epic Destiny . 56 THE LONGEST NIGHT . 106 01_Dragon_Annual.indd 3 6/10/09 5:11:12 PM Sample file Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Yeenoghu Demon Prince of Gnolls by Robert J. Schwalb There is nothing unique about the wanton violence of He craves nothing more than the utter defeat of all the Destroyer. All demons hunger for slaughter, and those who stand against him and is relentless in his they all seek the end of all things. They all want to pursuit of feeding the emptiness of his existence with tear down the works of the gods and reduce all things the frantic screams of those he slays. Butchery is the to ruin. Where Yeenoghu differs, however, is in his provender of Yeenoghu, and his single-minded pur- ability to turn the business of killing into a breath- suit of annihilation makes him a dangerous force in taking spectacle. With him, it is a form of art—if you the infinite layers of the Abyss. can stomach the screams and noxious odors issu- On a throne of bone, in the dim light of smoke- ing from the dead. Yeenoghu is special because he filled hall, surrounded by the sounds of screams and embodies killing. He has few ambitions beyond the the endless grinding of the wheels far below, sits the visceral thrill of rending the soft flesh of his enemies Beast of Butchery. Yeenoghu is a demon prince of and drinking deep the hot blood from their bodies. the Abyss. As patron of the gnolls, he is worshiped JASON A. ENGLE 4 Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Yeenoghu 01_Dragon_Annual.indd 4 6/10/09 5:11:12 PM as a god. As kindred to other fiends who carve out flings the foe away. The Destroyer retreats when he their own kingdoms in the Abyss, he is a terrifying is injured, imprisoned, or otherwise trapped. Like scourge, a force of destruction, and a liability to the his rivals, he uses teleportation to escape—but retreat designs and ambitions of his rivals. Few aside from causes him to brood and plot. When he is ready, he other more powerful demon lords dare challenge draws up his vast armies to mount a new assault aug- him or the reckless legions clambering to his ban- mented by overwhelming numbers of demons, savage ners because his forces are nigh unstoppable, and if gnolls, and other bestial fiends.