Epic Level Handbook

LEGENDARY ANIMAL CHAPTER 5:

Legendary animals are animals of historical strength, MONSTERS
speed, and power. According to some theories, they have
been imbued with power beyond all other animals to
serve as nature’s defenders. Whatever their origin, leg-
endary animals are extraordinarily rare.

Not every animal has a legendary counterpart—there
aren’t any legendary sparrows, for example. Generally
only the top predators and largest herbivores in a partic-
ular climate have legendary versions. Two examples are
provided here: the legendary bear and legendary tiger.

LEGENDARY BEAR

A legendary bear doesn’t usually attack humans despite
its great strength. Most of the bear’s diet consists of |
plants and fish.

COMBAT
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a legendary

bear must hit with a claw attack.

LEGENDARY TIGER

The legendary tiger is among the fiercest and
most dangerous land predators in the animal
kingdom, measuring 8 to 10 feet long
and weighing up to 600 pounds.

COMBAT
Pounce (Ex): If a legendary tiger leaps

upon a foe during the first round of combat, it
can make a full attack even if it has already
taken a move action.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability,
the legendary tiger must hit with a bite

attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A legendary tiger can make two

attacks (+30 melee) against a held creature
with its hind legs for 2d6 + 5 points of
damage each. If the legendary tiger pounces
on an opponent, it can also rake.
Skills: Legendary tigers receive a +8
racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently
checks. *In areas of tall grasses or heavy
undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves
to +16.

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CHAPTER 5: Hit Dice: Legendary Bear Legendary Tiger
Initiative: Large Animal
MONSTERS Speed: 20d8+140 (230 hp) Large Animal
AC: +2 (Dex)
Attacks: 50 ft. 26d8+182(299hp)
Damage: 21 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural) +4 (Dex)
Face/Reach: 2 claws +27 melee, bite +22 melee 50 ft.
Special Attacks: Claw 2d6+13, bite 4d6+6 23 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural)
Special Qualities: 5ft. by 10ft./5ft. 2 claws +29 melee, bite +24 melee
Saves: Improved grab Claw 2d6+11, bite 2d8+5
Abilities: Scent 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Skills: Fort +19, Ref +14, Will +9 Pounce, improved grab, rake 2d6+5
Str 36, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 12 Scent
Feats: Listen +8, Spot+8, Swim +18 Fort +22, Ref +19, Will +10
Climate/Terrain: Str 32, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10
— Hide +8*, Jump +15, Listen +5,
Organization: Any forest, hill, mountains,
Challenge Rating: plains, or underground Move Silently +12, Spot +7, Swim +14
Treasure: Solitary or pair —
Alignment: 9 Any forest, hill, mountains,
Advancement: None
Always neutral plains, and underground
21–40 HD (Large) Solitary or pair
10
None
Always neutral
27–48 HD (Large)

LESHAY Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 28
Medium-Size Fey Treasure: Standard
Hit Dice: 50d6+650+3 (828 hp) Alignment: Any
Initiative: +21 (+17 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Advancement: None
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 52 (+17 Dex, +20 insight, +5 natural armor) As elves are to humans, so are leShay to the elves (but more
Attacks: 2 +10 keen brilliant energy bastard swords so): a race immortal, enigmatic, and exceptionally powerful.

+53/+48/+43/+38 melee LeShay look like tall, thin, albino elves, except that
Damage: +10 keen brilliant energy bastard sword they lack the oversized ears of true elves (leShay ears
look more like half-elf ears) and, while they have the
1d10+15/15–20 glossy dead-white hair of true albinos, their eyes are pits
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. of darkness. Some affect a particular color or style,
Special Attacks: Gaze, spell-like abilities, leShay while others change their outfits from moment to
moment. All are deeply concerned with etiquette, deco-
weapons rum, and receiving the respect they feel due; failure to
Special Qualities: Superior two-weapon fighting, DR meet their standards of politeness, or simply crossing
one of their whims, can often be fatal.
30/+7, elf traits, immune to poison and disease, low-
light vision, SR 42, fast healing 10 LeShay never die from age or disease; they perish only if
Saves: Fort +29, Ref +44, Will +35 killed. LeShay are the mere remnant of a once-great race
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 45, Con 37, Int 33, Wis 23, Cha 47 whose origins are lost to history. They claim to predate the
Skills: Bluff +38, Concentration +33, Diplomacy +35, current multiverse and refer darkly to some catastrophe
Disguise +38, Escape Artist +37, Intimidate +20, that not only wiped out most of their people but changed
Knowledge (local) +31, Knowledge (nature) +31, time so that their era never existed, even in the remotest
Listen +30, Move Silently +37, Search +13, Speak past. Attempting to undo the catastrophe would apparently
Language (any five), Spot +27 result in another disaster even more terrible, so the deci-
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Casting, mated survivors—less than gods but more than mortals—
Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Endurance, Expertise, Great for the most part merely attempt to amuse them selves and
Cleave, Improved Critical (leShay weapon), Improved stave off ennui as they work out their individual destinies.
Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Quick
Draw, Spring Attack, Sunder, Toughness, Weapon LeShay have great facility at languages (as per the
Finesse (leShay weapon), Weapon Focus (leShay Polyglot epic feat) and can speak any language within
weapon), Whirlwind Attack seconds of hearing it spoken for the first time, right
Epic Feats: Blinding Speed, Polyglot, Spell Stowaway down to the most courtly or impressive accent thereof.
(heal)
Climate/Terrain: Any

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COMBAT teleport without error, water breathing. Caster level 28th; CHAPTER 5:
save DC 28 + spell level.
LeShay rarely initiate combat, since they prefer to re- MONSTERS
act rather than act. However, their vast experience LeShay Weapons (Su): Each leShay carries two per-
makes them shrewd judges of others’ capabilities and sonal melee weapons that she manifests from her own
killed tacticians. Their gaze ability, in addition to their life essence. The weapon can change form as she shifts
terrible weapons, make them feared opponents. from class to class, typically appearing as a bastard
LeShay are also quick to utilize their spell-like abilities sword (one in each hand). When not in combat, the
to prep for combat, or flee from it. No leShay hesitates weapons simply do not exist, but leShay can “draw”
to run away from a fight that is going against him or their weapons from nowhere as a free action. LeShay
her, only to return to the fray when the odds are more weapons are considered light weapons for a leShay,
favorable, possibly years or even decades later. regardless of their size.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—alter self, detect Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex): A leShay
thoughts, displacement, freedom, greater dispelling, heal, im- fights with a leShay weapon in each hand. Because these
weapons are extensions of its own body, the leShay does
proved invisibility, knock, speak with plants, spell turning, not take an attack or damage penalty for attacking with
two weapons.

Gaze (Su): All creatures within 30 feet who meet the
gaze of a leShay become affected as if by charm monster.
A Will save (DC 53) negates the effect. Each opponent
within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving
throw each round at the beginning of his or her turn in
the initiative order. A leShay can also actively gaze as an
attack action by choosing a target within range, who
must then attempt a saving throw. LeShay are immune
to their own gaze.

Elf Traits: Immune to magic sleep spells and effects;
+2 racial bonus on Will saves against enchantment
spells or effects; low-light vision (can see twice as far as
a human in low-light conditions); entitled to a Search
check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door
as though actively looking for it; Martial Weapon Profi-
ciency (composite longbow, composite shortbow, long-
bow, longsword, and rapier) as bonus feats; +2 racial
bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already fig-
ured into the statistics given above).

LIVING VAULT

Colossal Construct
Hit Dice: 96d10 (528 hp)
Initiative: –2 (Dex)
Speed: 10 ft. (can’t run)
AC: 60 (–8 size, –2 Dex, +60 natural)
Attacks: 2 slams +99 melee
Damage: Slam 10d6+35
Face/Reach: 40 ft. by 40 ft./25 ft.
Special Attacks: Imprisonment
Special Qualities: Recognition, safekeeping, construct
traits, magic immunity, DR 30/+7
Saves: Fort +32, Ref +30, Will +33
Abilities: Str 80, Dex 7, Con —, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 7
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 33
Treasure: Standard (see text)
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: None

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CHAPTER 5: A living vault is just that—a magically animated cham- creatures, and can distinguish between its true master
ber constructed by the most powerful epic wizards to and false duplicates, even penetrating disguises used
MONSTERS store and protect prized possessions. in conjunction with shapechange, alter self, change self,
polymorph, seeming, and simulacrum and similar effects
A living vault is primarily a defensive entity, designed The vault does, however, respond to the product of a
to guard treasures of all sorts, though it can attack as clone spell.
necessary. It has an array of powerful magical functions
that allow it to ward off even the most aggressive Safekeeping (Sp): At will, a living vault can use a
attempts to penetrate its interior. Even living creatures power that combines the effects of sequester and plane
can be stored in a living vault, carefully locked away for shift to render the vault invisible to any form of sight or
future interrogation. divination, and at the same time transfer it to a random
portion of the Astral Plane. When in safekeeping mode,
The default appearance of a living vault is a grayish the living vault responds to a sending by its master,
brown stone structure 50 feet by 50 feet that is 10 feet returning to the location from which it left and becom-
high, but once constructed, the living vault can ing tangible once again.
reshape itself into a variety of forms in order to fit within
particular dimensions, so long as the total amount of Creatures and objects that are stored within the vault
storage area it possesses is 25,000 cubic feet. Long and are treated as if under the effects of sequester, whether
narrow vaults are common, as are tall, skinny ones. The the vault itself is or not. Often, creatures are brought
final shape doesn’t matter so long as the volume into the vault via imprisonment, but sometimes uncon-
remains constant. Living vaults form stony feet as a free scious or otherwise subdued creatures are stored as an
action in order to move. object, in which case they receive no saving throw to
resist the effect.
To access a vault, its creator must call the vault from
where it is sequestered through the use of a sending Construct Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects
spell. The vault has no obvious opening; however, (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale
items can be stored and retrieved by naming them (the effects), and to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease,
living vault provides an inventory to its creator on death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that
request). The item to be stored appears to sink into the requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects.
living vault’s form as if made of mud. Likewise, items Cannot heal damage (though regeneration and fast
retrieved pop out of the living vault’s form. Storing healing still apply, if present). Not subject to critical
and retrieving items in this fashion takes one round hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or
per transaction. energy drain. Not at risk of death from massive damage,
but destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less;
Creatures other than the vault’s master who wish to cannot be raised or resurrected. Darkvision 60 ft.
access the inventory must destroy the vault to do so. If a
vault is destroyed, all the objects and creatures stored Magic Immunity (Ex): A living vault is immune to all
within immediately emerge. magical and supernatural effects, except as follows. A free-
dom spell cast on it causes it to defer the use of its own
COMBAT imprisonment power for 10 rounds.

The living vault has no melee attack forms, but it cer- MERCANE
tainly benefits from a variety of magical attacks and
defenses. Large Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 7d8+21 (52 hp)
Imprisonment (Sp): As a free action twice per day, a Initiative: +2 (Dex)
living vault can project a 60-foot cone. Creatures caught Speed: 30 ft.
in the cone must make a Will save (DC 58) or be AC: 15 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
affected as by the imprisonment spell, except creatures Attacks: Masterwork falchion +9/+4 melee
are stored within the vault’s interior. The living vault Damage: Falchion 2d4+3
can hold two Gargantuan creatures, eight Huge crea- Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
tures, thirty-two Large creatures, one hundred twenty- Special Qualities: SR 25, spell-like abilities, telepathy
eight Medium-size creatures, and so on. This assumes Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +8
that the rest of the vault is also relatively empty, so a Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 15
large hoard of treasure reduces the number of creatures Skills: Appraise +19, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +16, Gather
a living vault can hold at any one time.
Information +12, Innuendo +15, Intimidate +9, Knowl-
If freedom is later cast upon the very spot where the edge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (the planes) +13, Sense
victim of imprisonment disappeared, the victim is freed, Motive +13, Spot +9
though it doesn’t appear where it disappeared, but in a Feats: Expertise, Improved Disarm
space adjacent to wherever the living vault is currently Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
physically located. Organization: Company (1–4 mercanes and 3–18 5th-
level fighter bodyguards) or progression (1 mercane, 3
Recognition (Ex): Once made, a living vault
responds only to its owner; no other being can access
the vault’s interior. The vault is not fooled by disguised

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Members: 220+ (a few Union Sentinels have quit their RECRUITING

former organization, and now serve as powerful mem- The Order of the Shield selects its members carefully. It

bers of the Shield). wants to protect its own reputation for reliability, hon-

Hierarchy: Militaristic. The Order of the Shield main- esty, and effectiveness. Many common bodyguards have

tains a strict hierarchy, beginning with the Champions of the talent but not the scruples to make it as a member of

the Shield. Orders come down from on top, and members the Order of the Shield. The Champions of the Shield

obey their superiors. make all decisions about membership based on their

Religion: Various (but St. Cuthbert is a favorite). exacting standards.

Alignment: Any nonevil. Generally speaking, PCs interested in joining under-

Secrecy: Low. Members know most other members, take three simple trial protections of short-term clients.

and most nonmembers would recognize an Order of the If he or she succeeds in these efforts without sullying the CHAPTER 6:

Shield agent on the job, though sometimes efforts are name of the order, a PC can become a member.

made to hide security arrangements, so as not to draw The organization values all skill sets. While warriors

attention to a client. make a wonderful first line of defense, magical protec-

Symbol: A white tower shield on a blue background. tions are just as important. Rogues are always in demand

for scouting out threats and for consultation on potential

LEADERSHIP weakness in a defense. All classes have a job to do within

The original founders of the organization, now called the the order.

Champions of the Shield, rule the organization. They

live sole decision-making power on matters of member- MEMBER BENEFITS AND
ship, new clients, and other policies. They vote on every- RESPONSIBILITIES

thing themselves, and their word is law. They perform Both nonmember clients and members can gain benefits.

very little work themselves beyond administering the Client Services: Order of the Shield bodyguards will

organization, having moved well beyond their prime never take on a client who desires protection while con-

years of life. ducting an evil or unlawful activity—clients who lie

Fabulous Melorin (NG male half-elf Clr3/Wiz26) about their purposes can expect no mercy from their

provides the Champions with their wizardly firepower. former protectors once the deception is revealed. Clients

His comrades simply call him Fab. Fabulous Melorin seeking protection pay a straightforward fee, regardless

appears as a graying half-elf with a silken beard and an of the situation. The client can specify the desired power

elaborate costume consisting chiefly of glowing multi- level of their protector or protectors. Normally, a client

colored coats, scarves, boats, and ostentations staves. His prefers to choose a group whose average level is higher

power more than equals his appearance. than her own. The minimum daily fee for protection

Mazod Stonebreaker (N male dwarf Ftr29) hails from against all comers is equal to the average character level

the famous Stonebreaker clan, to which several famous of the client or clients × the average level of the body-

dwarves belong. Mazod is the eldest member of that clan, guard or bodyguards × 50 gp.

and at need he can call 2d6 Stonebreakers, each of level For instance, a 5th-level wizard who wants a single

1d10+10 (all fighters), to his aid via a special clan token hour of protection from a 10th-level fighter when enter-

he wears around his neck as an amulet. ing into a labyrinth pays the full day rate, which is 5 × 10

Sasa Fenar (CG female halfling Rog28) is a wizened × 50 = 2,500 gp. If the protection ends with the death of

creature, but her daily exercises keep her limber all the the client, the client’s designated heir receives double a

time. Of all the Champions, Sasa is the most vocal day’s fee. Thus, if the 5th-level wizard is slain despite the

about directly involving the Champions in protecting protection, a person designated by the wizard receives

serious clients, and often engages in extraorganiza- 5,000 gp in compensation.

tional escapades and adventures. Member Benefits: Membership in the order means

Hammish Lightbringer (LG male dwarf Clr27, having a reputation for reliability. It’s hard to make a

domains Good and Healing) is a devoted follower of better name for oneself than by being a part of such a

Pelor. The manor has a small chapel, and Hammish trustworthy company.

spends two hours every day there in prayer. He also con- Tangible benefits include lodging at the manor house,

ducts healing and other miracles for very important if desired, plus a 5% commission on all protection fees

clients of the organization. personally gathered. Bodyguards are also granted salvage

Marsale Minter Casal (CG female elf Brd10/Rgr18) rights concerning any threats they may overcome when

chronicles the exploits of Champions past and current, as defending a client (though a client who aids in her own

well as some of the more memorable exploits of the orga- defense with spells or combat is eligible for half the sal-

nization’s members. If the Order of the Shield has a vage, if any). It’s not easy to protect lives and valuables,

“font” person, it is Marsale. Likewise, she is called in to but if the job is done well, then every gold piece is well

negotiate tough contracts, since she has a wonderful way earned. The order keeps the bulk of protection fees,

with people of all races. dividing it evenly between upkeep, insurance, equip-

ment, and other general needs of the organization.

241

Members of the Order of the Shield are expected to already have gone. If you need a personal guide to help

uphold the high reputation of the group, doing their you find your way, you’ve come to the right place.

utmost to make sure their charges remain safe and sound, The Surveyors were founded by a mercane named

no matter what the opposition tries. There is no policy Khymez Ta’rol who sought to increase his business

against freelance work while one is a member of the dealings with the gnome petitioners of Dothion, part of

organization, but client stealing is frowned upon, and an outer plane called the Twin Paradises of Bytopia.

besides, most potential customers don’t believe they can Ta’rol wanted to know just who was making what, and

get the same level of security without the full backing of what kind of quality was available, so he hired a hand-

the order anyway. With the kind of financial support the ful of rangers to investigate for him, cataloging indus-

order provides, those clients may be right. try sites throughout the realm. The rangers’ report

CHAPTER 6: increased his business substantially. Ta’rol decided to

AN EPIC ENCOUNTERS expand into a new branch of business, convinced the
SETTING
Since the majority of campaigns revolve around good- scouts to work for him full time, and then contracted

aligned characters, it is a safe assumption that sooner or with other merchants to perform a similar service for

later the PCs’ goals and the Order of the Shield’s goals them. Eventually, the services offered by the Surveyors

may coincide. Whether they cooperate and actively expanded to include all sorts of scouting, guide work,

work together or just grudgingly agree to stay out of and mapping.

one another’s way is up to you and your players. The

heroes may eventually become a part of the Order of THE ORGANIZATION

the Shield, actively working to protect clients from The Planar Cartographic Society is run like a company,

harm, but even if they don’t, the order can become a complete with a president, directors, officers, and field

staunch ally for a number of endeavors during the agents.

course of epic play. Conversely, the characters may Headquarters: The headquarters of the Planar Carto-

work against the goals of the Order of the Shield. For graphic Society is located in the city of Union’s Com-

instance, the characters may find themselves in con- merce Quarter, where almost all their commercial busi-

tention with a individual or a group paying for Order of ness is negotiated. It is there that the Surveyors maintain

the Shield protection. In this situation, the Order can their records and build on their knowledge, and it is

be a potent adversary. there that interested employers go when they want to

Exceptional Shield Protection Team (EL 27): 2 contract the group’s services.

shields (Ftr16), 1 captain (Ftr22), 1 generalist (Clr8/ Members: 850+ (including several nonstandard races).

Wiz18). A shield protector team of this potency is some- Hierarchy: Loose. Leaders come and go every ten

thing only very rich clients can afford, and then only for years, based on internal elections. The current president,

a few days. Exceptional teams often hide their presence, Khymez Ta’rol, is the founding president, and cannot

preferring to strike at potential threats from an initial be voted out. Despite the fluidity of the lesser leader-

position of surprise. ship, orders come down from the top, and members

Typical Shield Protection Team (EL 15): 2 shields obey their superiors.

(Ftr8), 1 captain (Ftr12), 1 generalist (Rog3/Clr5/Wiz5). Religion: Various (Fharlanghn is the most popular).

Typical Shield protection teams visibly wear the symbol Alignment: Various.

of the Order of the Shield and walk the streets with their Secrecy: None. The Surveyors work entirely in the

client with obvious pride and vigilance. open and make no effort to conceal their works, head-

PLANAR CARTOGRAPHIC quarters, or operatives. Field agents are easily recognized
SOCIETY (at least by those who hail from Union). Of course, their
accumulated information requires fees from the general
public in order to be accessed.

If there’s a frontier still out there somewhere, chances are Symbol: A stylized compass.

the Planar Cartographic Society is pushing it farther and

farther from civilization. This group focuses on explo- LEADERSHIP

ration, and there’s no place members won’t go just to say Khymez Ta’rol still runs the company, but he delegates

they’ve been there. most business dealings to the officers below him,

because Khymez often serves as a field agent, doing the

OVERVIEW AND BRIEF HISTORY work he loves best. High-up officers run the map

Members of the Planar Cartographic Society, also called archives. Others formulate plans for new exploration,

Surveyors, walk to the ends of many earths and beyond, targeting stretches of uncharted regions that the society

literally. If you want to know what’s out there, ask the knows little about. Still others work with customers,

Surveyors. They’ve made maps of every place, and they determining specific needs and setting up special teams

can find out what’s just beyond the edge of reality. Folks to fulfill the terms of contracts.

from all backgrounds come to the Surveyors to help President Khymez Ta’rol (CG male mercane Wiz23/

them find where they need to go, or where they might Cosmic Descryer5) is the president of the Surveyors,

242