Drulins
Drulins were born out of a dark ritual by a cult that wished to summon an ancient, imprisoned entity from the negative energy plane. The ritual involved the sacrifice of hundreds of crows and a dozen humans. The ritual was interrupted, but the cave it was performed in was never cleansed. The negative energy that seeped from the negative energy plane stayed in the area, and began to take form. It clung to the human skeletons, and pulled in the flesh and feathers from the sacrificed birds, until an entirely new creature had been formed.
Drulins are creatures made from and maintained by negative energy. As such, they compulsively seek it out. They search for wells or springs of negative energy, places where it seeps through the planes. They gather around it, letting it sooth them like waves of warm water, and plot ways to add more places of negative energy to this plane.
Drulins exist in family-based, cell units. The oldest member is in charge, and studies some sort of magic, either divine or arcane. The lead Drulin then selects several favorites, who study the type of magic that the leader does not, so if the leader studies arcane magic his favorites study divine. The remainders study some form of physical combat. When one leader dies, one of his favorites takes his place, and he selects new favorites. As such, all levels of the cell can have any combination of classes.
Drulins look like humanoid, crow-like creatures, usually dressed in robes. Their hands are often folded, and they speak in a very calm manner. They enjoy wearing ornate, shiny items, like amulets and rings, some of which can be magical.
Drulins
Medium-Sized Aberration
Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (94)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: 25 (+2 dex, +13 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+11
Attack: 2 Slams +11
Damage: 2 Slams (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Spells, Gaze Attack, Negative Energy Ray
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 10/+4, Spell Resistance 24, Second Form, Special Magic Resistance, Evasion, Positive Energy Weakness
Saves: Fort +9, Will +16, Ref +10
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 17
Skills: Spellcraft +17, Knowledge (arcane) +17, Knowledge (divine) +17, Tumble +17
Feats: Quicken Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Power Attack, Lightning Reflexes
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, or with family
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: -
Spells: Drulins can cast spells as a 9th level sorcerer and a 7th level cleric (domains Death and Destruction).
Gaze Attack: A gaze attack, fortitude save DC 20, all affected creatures are paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Other Drulins are immune to this effect.
Negative Energy Ray: Once per a minute, a Drulin can release a ray attack of negative energy, up to 30 feet long. The affected creature is dealt 12d8 negative energy damage (this effect heals undead creatures.)
Second Form: A Drulin can take a second form as a standard action, see below for details.
Special Magic Resistance: Any ability that affects a Drulin that allows Spell Resistance must overcome a Drulin’s spell resistance twice. So if the caster overcomes the Drulin’s spell resistance, the caster must roll again and overcome the Drulin’s spell resistance again to affect the Drulin.
Evasion: As the rogue ability.
Positive Energy Weakness: Drulins are considered to be evil outsiders for the purposes of “Protection From Evil,” “Circle of Protection Against Evil,” and are considered to be undead for the purposes of Holy Water and “Cure” and “Inflict” spells.
Second Form
Drulins can take a second form as a standard action. When this form is taken, the Drulin grows wings and large, sword-like bones on its arms. The Drulin is affected in the following ways:
Initiative: Increases by +4
Speed: Gains a fly speed of 50
Attacks: Loses slam attacks and gains 2 bone slash attacks (+13, damage 2d8+4)
Special Attacks: Loses Spells and Negative Energy Ray. Gains Great Charge
Special Qualities: Loses Special Magic Resistance, gains Improved Evasion
Abilities: Strength increases by 2, Dexterity increases by 2
Great Charge: When a Drulin charges, its attack increases by 3 (in addition to the normal bonus it gains from charging) and can make three attacks, at its normal attack bonus.