Realms Personalities : Dyrr, The Lichdrow
Dragon #312
Almost two thousand years of age, the creature known as Dyrr is a formidable drow sorcerer who achieved immortality (of a sort) by becoming a lich more than a millennium ago. In his true form, Dyrr is a skeletal creature without a scrap of flesh remaining on his old yellow bones. Emerald flames dance in his empty eye sockets, and his voice is little more than a cold rasp. However, Dyrr prefers to conceal his unliving condition with a variety of illusory guises. Most often, he chooses to take the appearance of an ancient nobleman, a drow of exceptional age who leans on a great staff and wears his years heavily.
Like many drow lords, Dyrr is clever, confident, and deceitful. He is absolutely without physical fear, since his undead body can feel no pain and is difficult indeed to harm. Even should an enemy succeed in destroying his body, his malignant spirit would simply form another physical vessel in a short time. To completely and forever destroy Dyrr, an enemy would have to unravel centuries of painstaking preparations, contingencies, and dark spells.
Dyrr has been around long enough to view even the most unpleasant developments in the endless House feuds as nothing more than minor twists in the course of history. Thus, he is quite patient and slow to confront his foes. He cultivates an urbane and unassuming manner, but beneath this veneer lies a masterful and arrogant creature that takes great umbrage at being thwarted.
For centuries, Dyrr has been the preeminent power in House Agrach Dyrr. He has raised and thrown down House matrons at his own pleasure and ensured the implementation of his will through those he has placed in power. Until recently, Dyrr was content to give Lolth her due and let the House Matrons conduct Agrach Dyrr's affairs with only a little behind-the-scenes guidance from him. But Lolth's silence - an event not even the ancient lich has seen before - has caused him to reevaluate the situation. Dyrr views Menzoberranzan's collapse as inevitable in the current circumstances, so the Lichdrow has decided to take active steps to ensure that Agrach Dyrr, the House he has guided for a thousand years, will survive the culling to come.
Dyrr: Male drow lich Sor22/Wiz3/Clr1 (Velsharoon); CR 29; Medium undead (elf); HD 22d12 plus 3d12 plus 1d12; hp 169; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; AC 42, touch 24, flat-footed 36; Base Atk +13; Grp +16; Atk +16 melee touch (1d8+5 plus paralysis, paralyzing touch) or +19 ranged touch (by spell) or +20 melee (1d6+8 plus 2d6 lawful, staff of mastery); Full Atk +16/+11/+6 melee touch (1d8+5 plus paralysis, paralyzing touch) or +19 ranged touch (by spell) or +20/+15/+10 melee (1d6+8 plus 2d6 lawful, staff of mastery); SA fear aura, paralyzing touch, rebuke undead (18/day, +11 damage), spell-like abilities; SQ. damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic, darkvision 120 ft., drow traits, immunities (ability damage to physical ability scores, ability drain, cold, critical hits, disease, death effects, death from massive damage, electricity, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, mind-affecting effects, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, stunning, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless), spell resistance 37, turn resistance +4, undead traits; AL NE; SV Fort +17, Ref +23, Will +26; Str 17, Dex 22, Con - , Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 32.
Skills and Feats: Appraise (alchemical items) +7, Balance +12, Bluff +21, Concentration +39, Craft (alchemy) +13, Diplomacy +28, Hide +28, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Listen +19, Move Silently +23, Search +19, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +34, Spot +16; Arcane Preparation, Combat Casting, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Greater Spell Penetration, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Spell Penetration.
Drow Traits: Dyrr is immune to magic sleep spells and effects. He gains a +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects, a +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells or spell-like abilities, and a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already figured into the statistics given above). He is entitled to a Search check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door as though actively looking for it. As a drow, Dyrr also has light blindness (blinded for 1 round by abrupt exposure to bright light; dazzled on each subsequent round that he remains in bright light).
Fear Aura (Su): Each creature with less than 5 Hit Dice within a 60-foot radius that looks at Dyrr must succeed on a DC 34 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 26th).
Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature Dyrr strikes with his touch attack must succeed on a DC 34 Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. The effect cannot be dispelled, but the victim can be freed by remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day - dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire. Caster level 26th.
Turn Resistance (Ex): Dyrr is treated as a 30-HD undead for the purpose of turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempts.
Undead Traits: Dyrr is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. He is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to his physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. He cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if he is willing.
Cleric Spells Prepared (3/3; save DC 13 + spell level or 15 + spell level for Necromancy spells): 0 - cure minor wounds, guidance, mending; 1st - death watch, detect undead*, sanctuary. Dyrr reserves most of his clerical spells for conversion to inflict spells to heal himself.
*Domain spell. Domains: Death (death touch 1/day), Undeath (free Extra Turning feat).
Sorcerer Spells Known (6/9/9/9/14/8/8/8/7/7; save DC 21 + spell level or 23 + spell level for Necromancy spells): 0 - acid splash, daze, detect magic, disrupt undead, ghost sound, light, mage hand, read magic, resistance; 1st - color spray, detect secret doors, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield; 2nd - alter self, invisibility, resist energy, scorching ray, see invisibility; 3rd - dispel magic, fly, haste, lightning bolt; 4th - detect scrying enervation, greater invisibility, polymorph; 5th - cone of cold, hold monster, summon monster V, teleport; 6th - analyze dweomer, circle of death, true seeing; 7th - finger of death, limited wish, plane shift; 8th - horrid wilting, mind blank, summon monster VIII; 9th - energy drain, imprisonment, wish.
Wizard Spells Prepared (4/4/2; save DC 15 + spell level or 17 + spell level for Necromancy spells): 0 - arcane mark, flare, open/close, prestidigitation; 1st - comprehend languages, disguise self; erase, protection from chaos; 2nd - detect thoughts, knock.
Spellbook: 0 - acid splash, arcane mark dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, launch bolt, light, mage hand, mending open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue; 1st - alarm, charm person, comprehend languages, disguise self; endure elements, erase, expeditious retreat, hold portal, identify, mage armor, Nystul's magic aura, protection from chaos, protection from evil, protection from good, protection from law, silent image, spirit worm, true strike; 2nd - arcane lock, detect thoughts, eagle's splendor, knock, levitate, locate object, minor image, misdirection, obscure object, shadow mask. Dyrr is studiously tracking down low-level arcane spells that he does not know as sorcerer spells in order to broaden his repertoire.
Languages Known: Abyssal, Common, Drow Sign Language, Elven, Undercommon.
Possessions: Dyrr's impervious vestment, crown of sorcerous terror, staff of mastery, spiteful imp, ring of protection +5, ring of wizardry IV, belt of giant strength +4, gloves of Dexterity +6, piwafwi of resistance +5, glove of storing, boots of elvenkind, drow house insignia, wand of inflict critical wounds, lich's phylactery, mirror of mental prowess, spellbook of copper sheet and bone leaves. Dyrr has also collected many other minor magic items in his long centuries of existence. The DM is free to assign these as desired.
Dyrr's Unique Items
Over dozens of centuries of life and unlife, Dyrr has amassed a number of powerful and useful magic items, several of which he crafted himself. His signature items include the crown of sorcerous terror (a device that enhances his Charisma and improves his defensive capability), Dyrr's impervious vestment (robes that protect him better than full plate armor), a spiteful imp (an animated buckler that can spit venom), and the staff of mastery, a mighty weapon of law with formidable powers.
Crown of Sorcerous Terror: Forged in the shape of a rearing serpentine dragon with its wings outspread, this adamantine circlet is imbued with powerful evil magic. It confers a +6 enhancement bonus to the wearer's Charisma and adds a +3 profane bonus to his Armor Class and saving throws.
The crown of sorcerous terror also possesses the ability to absorb single-target and ray effects in much the same fashion as the rod of absorption. However, this item stores captured spells intact instead of converting them into spell energy. The wearer of the crown may cast a captured spell from it as a standard action, exactly as if using a spell trigger device containing a spell on his spell list.
The crown can store ten captured spell levels at a time. It does not capture any portion of a spell that it does not have the capacity to absorb in full.
The crown of sorcerous terror is an intensely evil item, and any nonevil character who dons it gains four negative levels. While these negative levels never result in actual level loss, they remain in effect as long as the crown is worn and cannot be overcome in any way (including via restoration spells).
Strong abjuration, evocation, and transmutation; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, eagle's splendor, spell turning, unhallow; Price 200,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Piwafwi of Resistance +5: This black cloak grants the wearer a +5 resistance bonus on all saving throws and a +10 bonus on Hide checks.
Strong abjuration and illusion; CL 15th; Craft Wondrous Item, invisibility, resistance; Price 30,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Drow House Insignia: This brooch is worked in the design of a noble house's symbol. It allows the wearer to levitate as if she had cast levitate on herself. The house insignia may be worn anywhere and does not occupy an item slot.
Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, levitate; Price 15,000 gp.
Dyrr's Impervious Vestment: This black silk robe embroidered with dark-steel thread in an elegant waterfall pattern confers a +9 armor bonus on its wearer. Once per day as a full-round action, the vestment can be commanded to create a blade barrier effect (caster level 18th) that deals 15d6 points of damage. The spot where the vestment's wearer is standing becomes the central point of the effect. Once invoked, the barrier cannot be moved. The wearer may move about freely after the barrier is created and can even pass through it without harm, but the effect ends round after the wearer leaves the area it encompasses. Otherwise, the barrier lasts until the wearer dismisses it (a standard action) or for 180 minutes.
Strong conjuration and evocation; CL 18th; Craft Wondrous Item, blade barrier, mage armor; Price 120,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
Spiteful Imp: Forged in the shape of an imp's face grinning in malicious glee, this small mithral shield is a +4 animated buckler. Once per day, the wearer can command it to spit burning venom. The venomous spittle requires a ranged touch attack at the wielder's ranged attack bonus. Its range is 30 feet, and it deals 1d4+6 points of fire damage. Like a poison spell, the venom also deals 1d10 points of Constitution damage (Fort DC 17 negates) and an additional 1d10 points of Constitution damage 1 minute later. The spiteful imp also has an unusual tendency to titter in evil mirth whenever it deflects an opponent's weapon - a disquieting but otherwise harmless quality.
Strong evocation, necromancy, and transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects, poison, produce flame; Price 46,245 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
Staff of Mastery: Wrought from four twisted rods of adamantine, one end of this weapon functions as a +4 lawful staff of knockback. The other end of the staff is nonmagical.
In addition to its potent properties as a weapon, the staff of mastery allows the use of the following spells with the indicated charge expenditures.
- Hold person (1 charge)
- Dimensional anchor (1 charge)
- Repulsion (2 charges)
- Dominate monster (3 charges)
After all its charges have been used up, the staff of mastery remains a +4 lawful staff of knockback.
Strong abjuration, enchantment, and evocation; CL 17th; Craft Staff, dimensional anchor, dominate monster, hold person, order's wrath, repulsion, creator must be lawful; Price 275,000 gp.