Karosha, Lady of Fire and Ash
Karosha is a unique creature, destined to wander the world serving two masters for the remainder of her life. She is feared by the greatest heroes in the land, for she has personally killed hundreds of holy men and women, many of whom were thought to be invincible. There are many who say that she brings the end of the world, and that as long as she lives we are all living on borrowed time.
Karosha was born as a human female ages ago, and lived as one for fifteen years. It was on her fifteenth birthday that a cult attacked the village she lived in, capturing everyone who lived there and chaining them together. Then, they systematically killed each one, until they came to Karosha. When the warrior lifted his knife to kill her, the girl released an outbreak of magic, revealing herself to be a sorcerer. The cultists were pleased, took her into a luxurious tent, and killed the remaining villagers.
For the next two years the cultists trained her to use her magic, to fight, and most importantly in the teachings of their dark gods. These cultists worshipped two evil entities, a dark dragon god and a demonic prince, who had formed an alliance to spread into this world. As Karosha became more and more devoted to this faith her powers grew, until one night the cult leader revealed his plan to her. That day at the village was no accident, their lords had revealed that Karosha was the descendent of both a great red dragon and a powerful demon. She was the key to a dark experiment, being biologically unique, and the cult had come there looking for her, knowing that she would possess the powers of a sorceress due to her heritage. After hearing the great destiny the cultists had in mind for her, Karosha immediately and passionately agreed to participate in the ritual.
On Karosha’s seventeenth birthday, the ritual took place. With both dark gods present, Karosha was chained and ritualistically sacrificed to the dragon god. Then they brought her back to life, raised her from the dead, then sacrificed her again, this time to the demon prince. Twelve times they killed her, each time the god who they sacrificed her soul to would adjust her, make her more like himself. On the thirteenth and final time, during which Karosha’s soul would undergo the final transformation, overseen by both dark gods, the ritual was interrupted. A holy group of adventurers invaded the castle where the ritual was being held and killed the cultists.
That would have been the end of it right there, but the holy men did not understand the nature of the ritual that was taking place. All they saw was a poor young woman who had been tortured and sacrificed, and they did all that they could to help her. The holy men brought Karosha’s body back to their temple and had her raised from the dead, bringing back her now inhuman soul for the thirteenth time, thus completing the ritual. Karosha transformed into her current unnatural form upon being revived, slew all members of the clergy and left, full of demonic and draconic power.
However, things did not go as well for Karosha as she had hoped. Though the ritual had been successful, the cult was now destroyed, save for one member, and the two gods no longer had much of a reason to ally. As is common with unholy alliances, they split and went their separate ways, yet neither could bear to lose their precious prize, Karosha. As such, to this day Karosha is stuck between the wills of two masters, the draconic god and the demonic prince, trying to satisfy them both, ultimately unsuccessful.
Karosha’s goals are usually at the behest of one of her dark masters. Both have the ability to compel her, though she serves them both willingly. Ultimately, this tends to work out to be a sort of time-share servant, with Karosha serving one God at a time, performing one full task. Then, the two struggle for control of her next, and whoever comes out victorious has her complete another task for him. Personally, Karosha wishes for her two masters to stop bickering and work together. She is, after all, the only survivor of the cult, and she would love the chance to rebuild it. However, her masters do not consider the option, and instead have her kill, destroy or steal for them individually, rather than together. Karosha also constantly seeks for a way to make more like herself, the ritual has rendered her barren, though she has consulted many arcanists and healers for a remedy for this condition.
Physically, Karosha looks humanoid, from a distance. Her crimson skin is a mix of scales and leathery flesh. She has two short, black horns growing from her forehead. Her hands are clawed and her eyes are a mix of gray and red.
Karosha
Size/Type: Medium Sized Outsider/Dragon (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 70d10+140 (490)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 70 ft.
Armor Class: 28 (+8 Dex, +10 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+18
Attack: 2 Claws (+24) Greatsword “Faith”, 3 attacks (+30)
Full Attack: Claws(3d12+6) Greatsword (2d6+3d8(unholy)+13)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Crippling Touch, Breath Weapon, Fear Gaze
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 20/Holy Cold Iron, Spell Resistance 30, Fire Immunity, Transformation, Weapon Connection, Spell-Like Abilities, Warring Mind
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +28, Will +30
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 26, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 15, Cha 20
Skills: Diplomacy +24, Hide +30, Intimidate +22, Listen +24, Search +24, Sense Motive +23, Spot +24, Tumble +26
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Weapon Specialization (Greatsword)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 19
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: None
Crippling Touch: Once per a day, Karosha may make a touch attack to deliver her “Crippling Touch.” The receiver takes 8 points of strength damage and four points of constitution damage. A successful fortitude save (DC 35) cuts the damage in half. This lasts until the target sees the full moon, at which point the crippling touch ends. A Wish or Miracle allows for a second fortitude save, success in this case removes all ability damage.
Breath Weapon: Karosha may, once per a minute, release a fifty foot long cone of fire that deals 18d8 fire damage, reflex save (DC 35) for half.
Fear Gaze: As a full round action, Karosha may make a gaze attack to strike fear into the heart of a target. If the target fails (DC 35) he must run away for 3 rounds, trying to get as far away from Karosha as possible. Anyone who has failed a save against this attack before suffers a -4 against it in the future.
Fire Immunity: Karosha is takes no damage from non-holy fire or heat of any kind.
Transformation: During the full moon, Karosha is given the ability to take a human form, which is designed when she sees the full moon for the first time that month. During those days, Karosha may change between human form (which has no claw attack) or her normal form.
Weapon Connection: Karosha is magically linked with her greatsword “Faith.” So long as she lives, anyone else holding it takes two negative levels, and she may call it back to herself as a full round action. No mortal magic may separate her from this weapon, which was a gift from her gods.
Spell-Like Abilities: All spells are cast as an 18th level sorcerer. At Will: Fly, Pyrotechnics, Scare, Scrying. 3/per day: Fireball, Flame Strike, Unholy blight. 1/Day: Teleport Without Error.
Warring Mind: Karosha constantly has two entities in her mind, warring for control. This makes her very difficult to control (+10 to will saves, already calculated into her saves) and allows her a new will save every round if she does fail a will save.
Faith: Unique Enchanted Greatsword. +5, Unholy (3d8 instead of standard) Linked to Karosha. Faith, while not technically intelligent, will not allow a non-evil character to hold it. If Karosha is dead, any non-evil character holding it is dealt 3d8 unholy damage every round. So long as Karosha is alive, Faith cannot be destroyed, and she can always reclaim it. If Karosha is dead, only a mixture of celestial blood, angel tears and a “Miracle” performed by a good cleric can destroy it. If Karosha is destroyed, Faith seeks out a new master, preferably one that worships one of its two creators.