CYBER-PULP FANTASY CORE-Ophidian

CYBER-PULP FANTASY CORE

© Jerry Harris 2013

Published here as Open Game Content.

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Ophidian is an ancient Serpent Man, perhaps even the last of his kind.  The Serpent Men once ruled the world before the rise of Humanity.  Ophidian has hibernated on and off for centuries, amassing wealth and power by hoarding, investments, and blind proxies.  Fully awake here in the future, Ophidian is currently the mysterious chairman of several powerful corporations.  As the Serpent Men will never rise again and no one will accept him in his true form, his goals will be left undefined here.  Suffice it to say, they are not benevolent. 

The Serpent Men’s magical abilities may have rivaled that of the ancient Elves.  They specialized in what is now considered “Forbidden Magic.”  Ophidian’s archives contain a full listing of such spells.  Though he doesn’t have every forbidden spell committed to memory, Ophidian is still perhaps one of the most powerful spellcasters in the world.  He maintains several lesser clones of himself, some as proxies and fakes, others are hibernating as possible “escape hatches” for his consciousness, should his body be destroyed. 

Ophidian is able to psychically communicate with his clones and servants of other races via a drug-induced séance.  The drug is a special opiate made from lotus flowers.  It is highly addictive, and makes the users of the “lesser races” (Humanity) vulnerable to suggestion and control.  The opiate is used to condition Ophidian’s servants to serve him in his repulsive presence.  (DC 18 Will Sv if a full dose is ingested.  Three applications and save failures are necessary for someone to fall completely under Ophidian’s control.)   

He is magically powerful, but physically degenerated, even his clones.  Ophidian maintains several, luxurious underground lairs.  Travel between them is done in a highly secretive manner.  He is always attended by several well-conditioned servants and bodyguards, as well as several Trolls (a race originally created by the Serpent Men to guard their lairs while they were hibernating).  Ophidian is likely to have a summoned demon with him, if he is expecting trouble.  If in public, which is rare, he is likely Shapechanged into his human guise (or someone else and a decoy is taking the place of human form Ophidian).  If he suffers any damage in that form, it won’t change his appearance.  

HD 10 (d8), Hp 20 (physically weak), AC 18 (Natural, +4 Shield spell)

Fort Sv +3, Ref Sv +7, Will +7

Melee: Will not engage in melee

Ranged: None, only uses spells

Permanent Spells: Contingency (upon death, transfers consciousness into clone body), Advanced Shield (Special spell, +4 to AC immune to Magic Missiles and deflects all non-magical projectiles and melee attacks), Mind Blank (cannot be mind read).  (Note that these spells can be canceled out by an Anti-Magic Field or a Dispel Magic spell, DC 16 Caster Check)

Magic Item: Gem of Illusions.  Can change his appearance into his Human Chairman persona, Cameron O’Meara.  Takes one rd of concentration to activate.  Illusion drops if any physical damage is taken.  DC 19 Will Sv to see through it.  Psychics will immediately see through it.

Spells: Spellcheck +10 (+4 Int, +6 Level), Save Against DC 18, allowed 4 Failures in turn/encounter.  Will likely Teleport if low in hp or down to 1 failure.  Listed spells are just his typical spells.

1^st Level (DC 13 to Cast)

Magic Missile: 14 impact damage + Knocked down, Ref Sv all damage

Sleep: Up to 4 individuals, Fort Sv

3^rd Level (DC 15 to cast)

Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 10 rds. Will Sv

6^th Level (DC 18 to cast)

Chain Lightning: 20 electrical damage + Stun 1 rd + Knocked Down + Two secondary bolts 14 damage + Stun 1 rd.  Ref Sv ½ damage.

7^th Level (DC 19 to cast)

Finger of Death: Magically kills one subject. Must be of lower level or HD than caster. Will Sv

Teleport, Greater: As teleport, but no range limit.

8^th Level (DC 20 to cast)

Incendiary Cloud: 30' sq cloud deals 20 fire damage/round.  Lasts 1 turn.  Ref Sv ½ damage on initial casting

Sunburst: Blinds all within 10 ft, 1 turn, Fort Sv, and deals 20 fire damage + 1d8 continuing damage until extinguished.  Ref Sv ½ damage

Temporal Stasis: Puts subject into suspended animation. Permanent until dispelled or discharged. Will Sv

Trap the Soul: Imprisons subject within gem.  Permanent until dispelled or discharged. Will Sv to avoid, Caster Check (DC 16 Spell check) to release.

9^th Level (DC 21 to cast)

Meteor Swarm: Four targeted exploding spheres each deal 22 impact damage + Stun 1 rd. Ref Sv 1/2 damage

(Activated Clone duplicates have the same stats, but only up to 3^rd level spells, Advanced Shield, and Mind Blank.  They will not be Shapechanged, but will have a Gem of Illusions to mask their appearance.)