GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE 13
These creatures are Kurtz’s former comrades. They have been turned into half-demonic creatures, all blindly loyal to him (though not necessarily to each other). If seriously wounded, they will generally seek to escape to fight another day.
These foes are inspired by the anime classic, Ninja Scroll. They are meant to be powerful, recurring villains. Killing any of them should be an accomplishment for the group. Stats are not given, only a list of possible abilities. DM’s are encouraged to make up their own. Each of the 13 should have at least two primary powers, and a special weakness.
Their personalities are also left to the DM’s discretion. Vivid, colorful, and extreme should be the guidelines, such as cowardly, fearless, honorable, clown-like, etc. They should also still bear their petty human grudges against one another. The players should have an opportunity to find out about them and exploit them.
POSSIBLE MEMBERS OF THE 13
Snake Woman: Commands numerous poisonous snake minions. Can shed her skin to create a decoy. No armor (naked).
Blind Swordsman: Master swordsman. Tremorsense. Can blind opponents with his sword. No armor and can’t actually see, so he can be tricked.
Rockman: Rock hard body, high AC. Has a double-bladed sword, which can be thrown in a powerful spinning attack. His eyes are his weak points.
Threadman: Can wrap near invisible threads around opponents to choke or electrocute. Threads can be wrapped surreptitiously and can stretch for miles. He is a lurker/shadowy assassin type.
Immortal: Can shapechange to mimic other humans. Unkillable. Can regenerate and reattach severed body parts. Master of combat. He will be temporarily helpless before he regenerates if brought to zero hp, and can be immobilized in that time.
Gunpowder: Can create small bombs. Must set up bombs in the area first and be in the area to trigger them. She is a lurker/shadowy assassin type.
Shadow Controller: Can hide directly in shadows. Can control captured victims by applying his spit to them. Can create illusion decoys of himself. He is a lurker/shadowy assassin type.
Insect Master: Can control swarms of ants, locusts, centipedes, and wasps. Can spit poisonous needles. There is a wasp hive in his body, on his back. The wasps that live there will attack him to get out if they are attacked inside the hive. This one has his own domain in the Interior, so don’t let him get killed early.
Undead Master: Can call or create various mindless undead, such as zombies, skeletons, and ghouls. Can create Darkness at will. He cannot be turned himself and his presence thwarts turning his minions. Powerless in sunlight and in magical light. He is a lurker/shadowy assassin type. This one has his own domain in the Interior, so don’t let him get killed early.
Killer Croc: Powerful tail slap, regenerates hp, high AC. Very vulnerable to cold.
Vermin Master: Controls bats and rats, and can shapechange into man-bat form. Afraid of silver weapons, objects, even just the color.
Porcupine Man: Fires quills and has heavy quilled armor. Water ruins his armor and quill attack.
Mucus: Can throw sickening slime. When weapons score a hit, there is a chance that the weapon will get stuck in him. He will disintegrate temporarily if heavily exerting in combat and then reform one round later. In his “pool” state, Mucus is vulnerable to being diluted or mixed with other materials: sand, water, oil, etc. and can be disrupted.
Gas: Can fire blasts of sleep, hallucinogenic, corrosive, and obscuring gasses. He’s highly flammable.
Speed: Always has the initiative and never surprised. Can attack multiple times per round. Can retreat without incurring a free attack. Can dodge collateral damage, area effect spells, and magic missiles. Very high AC. Made of glass (attacks with glass daggers), low hp.
Tarpit: Successful attacks automatically stick to him. Can envelop and trap opponents. Flings flaming tar. Carries internal furnace, which he has to keep constantly stoked and fed when exerting himself. If the fire goes out, he solidifies.
Armor: A spirit animated magic plate armor with a magic weapon. High AC. Immune to spells effecting living creatures. Cannot be turned. The weapon it carries is its bane if used against it. If a character decides to claim the armor, Armor is reactivated with the character inside.
Think: Psychic blast, psychic armor shield, flight, mind control. Insane. Likely to attack allies or go catatonic if seriously hurt.
Piper: Uses enchanted flute to deafen, stun, confuse, mind control, and kill. Can call various animals to his aid depending on the tune. He is a lurker/shadowy assassin type.
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
Of which, I’m not a fan of. However, here’s some encounter ideas for when the party is traveling in country or going off the beaten path.
The 13: Probably just to antagonize the group. They will not fight to the death in this sort of venue.
Colonists: Prospectors, foreign agents, bandits, soldiers, traders, caravans, missionaries. Bandits may be setting an ambush, but everyone else is passing through and of varying dispositions.
Natives: Friendly and unfriendly natives in hunting parties of warriors. Witch doctors and shamen may be leading them on some unfathomable task. Chiefs may be leading a retinue on a trip. A group of native assassins may be stalking the group.
Insects: The giant variety, of course: spiders, bees, centipedes. They will be encountered near their lair.
Vermin-ish: Bat swarms, giant frogs, giant leeches,
Animals: Crocodiles swarming from the riverbank. Hippopotami disturbed in the middle of the river. Stepping in a snake pit. Angry warthogs and rhinos. Rampaging elephant herd. A leopard strike at a separated character.
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