VARAGS

Varags, also known as blood chasers, are goblinoids that are faster, stronger, and more primitive than their kin. Less intelligent than other goblinoids, varags have predatory cunning. They are vicious creatures, capable of taking opponents by surprise or by direct confrontation. Varags work as mercenary scouts and raiders for hobgoblin warbands.

Varags' behavior is distinctly canine, the result of special breeding. They are the magical product of commingling hobgoblins and dire wolves. The resulting race has bred true ever since. Varags stand approximately 7 feet tall when fighting and weigh 320 pounds on average. Varags move and run on all fours, in which posture they are 3 to 4 feet high at the shoulder. Females are smaller than males, but no less fleet of foot. Varag body language mimics the behavior of wolves.

Varags understand Goblin but are barely able to speak. Their primitive physiology makes forming complex words difficult, while their low intellects leave them unable to learn much. Many varags lack language altogether, communicating among themselves with hand gestures, howls, and shrieks.

In the wild, varags alternate between long periods of rest and brief, bloody spurts of violence. A pack might slowly cross a stretch of uninhabited wasteland until it nears a human settlement, then attack with murderous glee. Varags on the move are easy to track by the burning settlements, ravaged farms, and gnawed corpses they leave in their wake. Varags inhabit warm hills but can survive in colder regions with no difficulty. They also sleep comfortably in underground burrows, though they are not naturally equipped to dig out such dens.

Varags require three times the normal intake of food that other Medium creatures do, in order to maintain their great speed and stamina. Those that do not meet this nutritional requirement are less effective hunters. A varag that eats only twice the normal amount of a Medium creature must spend most of its time sleeping to conserve energy. One whose daily intake is only that of a Medium creature has its speed reduced to 30 feet until it can consume adequate food.

Varag females gestate for five to six months before giving birth to two or three children. A varag grows up quickly and is considered an adult by the age of eight. Mothers care for their children for half of this time. At one year of age, a young varag already consumes the same daily amount of food as an adult hobgoblin. Allowing male and female varags to freely interact can be dangerous. Left unchecked, they continually mate until their birth rates severely tax local resources.

Hobgoblins like to use these feral goblinoids to supplement their armies, but because of varags' high food demands, only the wealthy can support them. If not properly cared for, the weakened varags die off in battle or ally themselves with more powerful hobgoblin bands that can feed them regularly.

Hobgoblins employ varags as mercenaries. In exchange for high-quality weapons, armor, and other treasures, the varags serve as scouts and marauders. Varags' chaotic nature makes them difficult to control, so hobgoblin warlords simply allow them to run rampant. A varag pack that accepts payment to overrun a kingdom loots farms, burns settlements to the ground, and kills all in its path. Varags are highly valued members of any hobgoblin warband. They offer strong backup during battlefield engagements and ruthlessly pursue retreating enemies. Varags can also follow simple orders, such as the ferrying of healing potions to wounded soldiers. They naturally look for strong role models to guide them and offer encouragement.

Hobgoblins are exceedingly fond of varags. Every member of a warband knows that a varag could easily flatten him in combat without breaking a sweat, and none take for granted the dim-witted creatures' dependence. Varags receive generous praise for even the smallest accomplishments and always eat well. The creatures in turn have developed an instinctive affection for all hobgoblins, which they openly and unabashedly express. Varags protect hobgoblins at all costs. Whenever one witnesses a hobgoblin being attacked or in need of help, it immediately rushes to aid without the slightest concern for its safety. Varags' intense devotion wanes when food becomes scarce. The more they are forced to provide sustenance for themselves, the more restless they become, seeking out other hobgoblins who can feed them. If they become desperate enough, varags might even serve goblins and orcs. To control the creatures' population growth and avoid overtaxing food resources, one central and well-protected warband keeps a stable of only female varags. Breeding occurs only in controlled meetings when more varags are desired.

VARAG RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence.

• Humanoid (goblinoid): A varag is a humanoid that has the goblinoid subtype.

• Medium size: Varags have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Varag base land speed is 60 feet.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet.

• Racial Hit Dice: A varag begins with three levels of humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3, and Will +1.

• Racial Skills: A varag's humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 × (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Jump, Move Silently, and Survival. Varags gain a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks and a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. A varag can always choose to take 10 on Move Silently checks, even if rushed or threatened.

• Racial Feats: A varag's humanoid levels give it two feats. A varag gains Run and Spring Attack as bonus feats.

• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A varag is automatically proficient with simple weapons, martial weapons, light armor, and shields.

• +3 natural armor.

• Scent.

• Automatic Languages: Goblin. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Infernal, Giant, Orc.

• Favored Class: Scout.

• Level Adjustment: +2.

WINDRAZORS

In the windswept depths of Pandemonium, where icy gales scour the endless tunnels and create a constant howling, creatures known as windblades flit through the lightless labyrinths, committing murder and mayhem in the name of Erythnul, their lord and creator. Windscythes are the greater of the windblades; windrazors the lesser.

Windrazors are the scouts and hunters of the windblades. Vicious, bloodthirsty creatures, they travel in groups of up to a dozen, seeking prey for themselves or sport for their masters. Created by Erythnul, the god of slaughter, they revel in battle and blood, constantly seeking new thrills and levels of brutality.

Windrazors usually hunt in packs, sometimes led by windscythes or demons in the service of Erythnul. They are also occasionally sent to the Material Plane to guard temples of Erythnul, where they can be found in the company of mortal priests, bugbears, trolls, and other fell creatures. The windrazor flight is the most common encounter.

Windblades regard the entirety of Pandemonium as their domain and aggressively pursue intruders - everything from the Banished (humanoids, goblinoids, and giants who have been trapped in Pandemonium for ages) to the occasional slaadi or fiends that attempt to carve out some of Pandemonium's territory for themselves.

Windblades believe that they were the original manifestations of Erythnul's will, and that they were the first to serve his brutal whims. This belief fuels their philosophy that Pandemonium is theirs alone, provided they can drive out all invaders. When drawn to the mortal realm by the spells of Erythnul's servants, they find every excuse possible to shed mortal blood and cause death and mayhem.

In windblade society, windscythes are the lords and masters. Windrazors are treated as something between servants and pets. They care for the young of the windscythes, guard the communal lairs, and patrol the tunnels and caverns of Pandemonium against intruders and possible invaders. Windrazors are always second-class citizens, afforded few rights and considered of minor importance compared to their larger cousins. They allow this system to continue, despite their superior numbers, because they fear the power and spellcasting abilities of the windscythe clerics. Windrazor leaders tend to be rangers or rogues. Windrazor clerics are virtually unheard-of; windscythes jealously reserve for themselves the right to commune with the gods. Similarly, very few windrazors are wizards, though windrazor sorcerers are relatively common.

Windrazors range in height from 3 feet to 3 feet 10 inches, weighing 38 to 52 pounds. Though both genders possess the hornlike protrusions common to the race, male windrazors have four while females have only two.

WINDRAZOR RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma.

• Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.

• A windrazor's base land speed is 10 feet. It has a base climb speed of 10 feet and a base fly speed of 40 feet, with good maneuverability.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet. A windrazor can also see four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination.

• Racial Hit Dice: A windrazor begins with two levels of outsider, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +3, and Will +3.

• Racial Skills: A windrazor's outsider levels give it skill points equal to 5 × (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Climb, Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, and Tumble. Windrazors have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

• Racial Feats: A windrazor's outsider levels give it one feat. A windrazor receives Improved Critical (claw) and Improved Critical (bite) as bonus feats.

• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d6).

• Fearsome Critical (Ex): Whenever a windrazor scores a critical hit, all creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a Will saving throw or become shaken. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

• Rend (Ex) A windrazor that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d4 plus 1-1/2 Strength bonus points of damage.

• Automatic Languages: Auran, Windsong. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Common, Undercommon.

• Favored Class: Ranger.

• Level Adjustment: +2.

WINDSCYTHES

Windscythes are the warriors, nobles, tyrants, and priests of the windblades. Brutish, violent creatures with a voracious appetite for raw flesh, windscythes soar through their domain with the bearing of royalty. Like other windblades, they were created by Erythnul, god of slaughter, and they exult in fulfilling his brutal desires, spreading death and fear whenever they can.

Windscythes rarely hunt alone; they know that they are more dangerous in numbers and more vulnerable singly. A windscythe tries to travel with an escort of at least two windrazors. Windscythes are frequently found in the company of other creatures that serve Erythnul, and with them, windscythes find their way to the Material Plane.

Windscythe leaders tend to be fighters or clerics. Some are wizards, but these are exceedingly rare; the winds of Pandemonium make the required study nearly impossible. More windscythes become sorcerers, but that class is far more common among the windrazors.

Windscythes range in height from 10 to 12 feet, weighing from 550 to 800 pounds. Their tails add another 10 to 12 feet to their overall length. Both genders possess the hornlike protrusions common to the race, running the length of their skulls. The more such horns, the older the windscythe.

WINDSCYTHE RACIAL TRAITS

• +10 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.

• Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks.

• A windscythe's base land speed is 10 feet. It has a base climb speed of 10 feet and a base fly speed of 60 feet, with average maneuverability.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet. A windscythe can also see four times as well as a human in shadowy light.

• Racial Hit Dice: A windscythe begins with eight levels of outsider, which provide 8d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +8, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +6, Ref +6, and Will +6.

• Racial Skills: A windscythe's outsider levels give it skill points equal to 11 × (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, and Tumble. Windscythes have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

• Racial Feats: A windscythe's outsider levels give it three feats.

• +4 natural armor.

• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d6) and bite (1d8).

• Augmented Critical (Ex) A windscythe's claws are extraordinarily sharp. They threaten a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 18-20, dealing triple damage on a successful critical hit. A windscythe's claws are not subject to effects such as keen edge that would further improve their threat range.

• Fearsome Critical (Ex): Whenever a windscythe scores a critical hit, all creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a Will saving throw or become shaken. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

• Rend (Ex) A windscythe that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d6 plus 1-1/2 Strength bonus points of damage.

• Automatic Languages: Auran, Windsong. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Common, Undercommon.

• Favored Class: Fighter.

• Level Adjustment: +5.