Dar'Tan
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Dar'Tan, Penumbral Lord and Master of the Shadow Fortress
Like a scary story told to frighten naughty children, Dar'Tan's threat is more imagined than real these days. He has not been seen in years - since his epic battle with Barconius that cost him his left arm. The ruined Penumbral Pentagon's fortress remains buried under Mithril, but few adventurers dare to enter it seeking abandoned treasure, and fewer still have returned from such a quest. Many people believe that the evil wizard died years ago, but a few - Barconius in particular - believe that Dar'Tan simply bides his time, waiting for the proper moment to overrun Mithril with an army of shadow creatures, dragging the city into eternal night.
Dar'Tan is a dark elf with perpetually shadowed features. Scholars and researchers enhance his mystique by claiming that dark elves are extinct, or nothing more than frightening legends or (at best) confined to their subterranean city Dier Drendal. Dar'Tan's existence proves them wrong, but modern authorities, far removed from the past and the ferocious battle fought beneath Mithril, continue to deny Dar'Tan's heritage and suggest that those who fought him were mistaken. Dar'Tan has only one arm of his own flesh; he replaced the one Barconius severed with a shadowy equivalent, made from a shade spirit that he has bound to his body.
Dar'Tan has, through intermediaries, incited Lindoros and other Cult of the Golem followers to greater heresy; he would like nothing better than to destroy the Corean temple from within, and the Cult presents him just such an opportunity. Dar'Tan's need for revenge against Barconius, who broke the Penumbral Pentagon, coincides with Lindoros' desire to be Corean's new high priest. Of course, should Lindoros place himself in the seat of Corean's anointed, removing him would be equally simple.
Since the disaster in the catacombs, the penumbral lord has relocated his operations outside Mithril to a new Shadow Fortress hidden in the Kelders. He has recruited a new Penumbral Pentagon, though its members are spread across Gheslpad. Dar'Gartal, a dark elven sorcerer and vampire, is closest in proximity to Dar'Tan, and given Dar'Gartal's hatred of Barconius, the vampire eagerly works with Dar'Tan to destroy Mithril.
Dar'Tan's Shadow Fortress is riddled with permanent shadow mazes and filled with servants - living, shadow golems - for his defense and comfort. His plans for the future remain unclear to his enemies, and while many in Mithril today deny his existence, the self-styled "Prince of Shadows" lurks in his mountain fortress, concocting elaborate and inscrutable plans to crush Mithril and hatching grand schemes that will affect all of Ghelspad.
Dar'Tan, Penumbral Lord and Master of the Shadow Fortress, Male Dark Elf, Wiz10/Pen10: CR 20; SZ Medium Humanoid (5 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 20d4+40; hp 82; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 30/31-35 (with Dex, +8 bracers, +5 ring, +5 amulet/with bonuses from +5 rapier of defending); SA Shade arm; SQ Improved darkvision, dark elven traits, shadow home, shadow strength, shadowcast IV, shadowcat form, shadowraven form; Atk +15 melee (1d6+5, +5 dancing rapier of defending); AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +16/18 (vs. spells and spell-like abilities); Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 12.
Skills: Alchemy +5, Concentration +19, Decipher Script +15, Hide +12, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (geography) +12, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +12, Listen +16*, Move Silently +6, Scry +20, Search +5*, Spellcraft +22, Spot +11*.
Feats: Combat Casting, Forge Ring, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (illusion), Weapon Proficiency (rapier).
Possessions: Robes, bracers of armor +8, ring of protection +5, amulet of natural armor +5, +5 dancing, defending rapier, cloak and boots of elvenkind, plus a variety of items he either constructs or has obtained. Some items he lends - sparingly - to useful servants for specific tasks, mostly for stealth, disguise and so on.
Wizard Spells per Day: 4/6/6/4/4/3.
Penumbral Lord Spells per Day: 5/7/6/5/3/3/3/2/1/1.
Spells: Dar'Tan has had centuries to compile arcane lore and thus has access to all penumbral lord spells (Relics & Rituals p. 17), all illusion school wizard spells of 5th level or lower, and the majority of other wizard spells of 5th level or lower. As such, listing his spell book here effectively duplicates the Relics & Rituals sorcerer/wizard spell list (p. 40-4).
Shade Arm (Ex): A greater shade, summoned and bound into service by Dar'Tan, functions as his left arm. Most of the time, the arm acts as a normal arm under Dar'Tan's mental control. However, in combat and under other rare circumstances, the penumbral lord allows the shade spirit to act or attack on its own. Dar'Tan is quite proficient at casting spells requiring somatic components using only his natural, right arm, leaving his shade arm free to act on its own accord. Dar'Tan can deliver touch attack spells through the shade arm.
Greater Shade: CR 8; SZ Small Outsider; HD 8d8; hp 36; Init +3; Spd 0 ft.; AC 30/31-35 (same as Dar'Tan); SA Strength damage (2d4 per melee touch); SQ Darkvision (60 ft.), malleable form, SR 31 (same as Dar'Tan); Atk + 18 (controlled by Dar'Tan) /+12 (self-controlled attacks) melee; Dam 1d6 and Strength damage; AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +6; Str 17, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 11.
Skills: Knowledge (the planes) +4, Listen +8, Spot +2. Feats: Cleave, Power Attack.
Malleable Form (Ex): The shade arm may extend or shrink its length, having a reach in combat of up to 15 feet. It can grow larger or smaller and fit through cracks and crevices as though it was a thick liquid. Whatever its form or shape, it retains its solidity and its strength. The arm may form itself into a shield and provide one-half cover and concealment for Dar'Tan, but the arm can take no other actions while shielding. While providing concealment, any blow that would have hit Dar'Tan and instead misses due to the shade's 20% concealment "miss chance" (see core rulebook I, p. 133), hits the shade instead.
(Excerpt from Mithril: City of the Golem, previously published to the web at swordsorcery.com)
