Uskwood DruidUskwood Druid CR 10Source Inner Sea NPC Codex pg. 60
XP 9,600
Elf druid of Zon-Kuthon 11
NE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +20DefenseAC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 shield)
hp 86 (11d8+33)
Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +13; +2 vs. enchantment, +4 vs. fey and plant–targeted effects
Immune poison, sleepOffenseSpeed 20 ft.
Melee +1 scimitar +11/+6 (1d6+3/18–20)
Ranged +1 composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+3/×3)
Special Attacks wild shape 4/day
Druid Spells Prepared (CL 11th; concentration +15)
6th—transport via plants
5th—phantasmal killer (DC 15), wall of thorns
4th—displacement, freedom of movement, ice storm, spike stones (DC 14)
3rd—cure moderate wounds, ghoul touch (DC 13), greater magic fang, poison (DC 13), sleet storm
2nd—barkskin (2), bear’s endurance, chill touch (DC 12), resist energy
1st—cure light wounds, entangle (DC 11), longstrider, obscuring mist, speak with animals
0 (at will)—detect magic, guidance, purify food and drink, ray of frostStatisticsStr 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 24
Feats Augment Summoning, Dodge, Natural Spell, Shade of the UskwoodISWG, Spell Focus (conjuration), Toughness
Skills Knowledge (nature) +16, Perception +20, Spellcraft +14 (+16 to identify magic item properties), Survival +20; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, +2 Spellcraft to identify magic item properties
Languages Druidic, Elven, Shadowtongue, Sylvan
SQ elven magic, nature bond (animal companion), nature sense, trackless step, weapon familiarity, wild empathy +11, woodland stride
Combat Gear scroll of cure serious wounds; Other Gear ironwood breastplate, +1 light wooden shield, +1 scimitar, +1 composite longbow (+1 Str) with 20 arrows, cloak of resistance +2, headband of inspired wisdom +2, ring of protection +1, spell component pouch, Umbrae-Token (acts as a wooden unholy symbol that radiates faint necromancy magic)Special AbilitiesShade of the Uskwood The Uskwood druid adds the following spells to his druid spell list: 0—disrupt undead, ray of frost; 1st—ghost sound, touch of fatigue; 2nd—chill touch, spectral hand; 3rd—ghoul touch, invisibility; 4th— displacement, ray of exhaustion; 5th—animate dead, phantasmal killer; 6th—nightmare, waves of fatigue; 7th—circle of death, shadow walk; 8th—mass invisibility, waves of exhaustion; 9th—horrid wilting, weird. His spell list doesn’t include spells with the fire descriptor, he can’t use spells with the fire descriptor from magic items, and he can’t use wild shape to take the form of a creature with the fire subtype. The druid’s Umbrae-Token ties his soul to the foul power of the Uskwood; if it’s ever destroyed, he loses all benefits of this feat.
Inside the shadowed, silent reaches of the Uskwood Forest in Nidal, albino druids watch for intruders and enforce the natural order as they see it. These “pale ones,” as those who live near the Uskwood all them, serve the majesty of the Midnight Lord, Zon-Kuthon. Sworn and bonded to the Uskwood’s bleak power, they celebrate the inevitable pain and death inherent to the natural order. To live is to know suffering, and the druids of the Uskwood ensure that any intruders in their forest know the full measure of pain.
Like many of the evil creatures of Nidal, the Uskwood druids come out after dusk, patrolling above and below the canopies. Because the forest is unnaturally dark, they often transform into animal forms that have darkvision so that they can watch over their home in the darkest hours of night. Under the fragile moonlight that manages to penetrate the Uskwood, the druids’ white skin shines like a beacon. They have no need for stealth on their patrols—their confidence as masters of the wood is absolute. Travelers who want to pass through the Uskwood can take their chances during the day, but to survive the crossing, they must hide themselves carefully once the sun sets, remaining as silent and concealed as possible throughout the night.
During the day, the druids meet secretly to share resources, initiate new members, and plan for the betterment of the forest. Though they all serve Zon- Kuthon and the Uskwood, the druids clash with each other regularly, especially when they catch sight of one another during their nightly patrols, becoming wild whenever one trespasses into another’s territory. Zon- Kuthon is, after all, the god of envy, and they believe it pleases him when they battle to claim what they can from one another. The druids wild shape into albino animal forms for their primordial battles, screaming and roaring as they crash through the underbrush and spill one another’s blood in unholy ritual combat. An Uskwood druid who wins such a battle captures and shackles the animal companion of his slain rival, keeping the creature alive for as long as possible but never freeing it or giving it any release from its suffering. By doing this, the victorious Uskwood druid can relive his triumph and savor over and over the defeat of his enemy, as the druids see that the connection between a slain druid and his orphaned animal companion is not entirely diminished when one dies; indeed, there remains a sliver of the bond between the two creatures’ souls. Despite this belief, it is not uncommon for Uskwood druids to sacrifice their own animal companions in somber rituals to the Midnight Lord, so that their own souls may suffer the pain of their bonded animals.
Umbrae-Tokens, grotesque effigies of hair, twigs, and clotted blood, symbolize Uskwood druids’ connection to the forest and their faith in Zon-Kuthon. The druids accept only albinos into their ranks (of any race, but most frequently humans, elves, and half-elves). Whether a potential initiate is already a druid or wishes to become one, he must gather the raw materials for his Umbrae-Token from different areas of the Uskwood without using any spells to procure them. This is a long, arduous process, and the suffering the initiate undergoes is absolutely the most essential part of it. This metaphysical link grants the druid some powers over necromancy and undeath, and forbids him from making use of flames that might set the forest ablaze. Even the light that fire brings to the forest is blasphemy to an Uskwood druid, and kindling a campfire within its reaches invites certain death.Dire Bat CompanionThis Uskwood druid’s animal companion is an immense, coal-black dire bat that sometimes carries the druid as a rider to scout stretches of the Uskwood from the air. The creature is carnivorous and vicious, and the druid has taught it to leave the gore on its body after it fights or feasts.
This dire bat resembles most predators of the Uskwood: cruel, feral, and unnerving. There’s no clear division between predator and prey in the forest. Even the smallest creatures, such as centipedes, insects, and arachnids, tend to be venomous, and the largest predators might be brought down by a group of other vicious beasts. Only the Uskwood druids and their magic can control these monsters. The albinos torture and retrain potential animal companions until they’re broken in rather than attempting to entice them into service or befriending them. Dire Bat Animal Companion N Large animal
Init +4; Senses blindsense 40 ft.; Perception +13 Defense AC 22, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +5 (+4 vs. enchantment)
Defensive Abilities devotion, evasion Offense Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee bite +11/+6 (2d6+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Statistics Str 21, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +6; CMB +12; CMD 26
Feats Improved Natural Attack (bite), Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Fly +10, Perception +13
SQ link, share spells, tricks (attack [any], come, defend, down, fetch, guard, seek, stay, work)
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