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Perilous Gateways

By James Wyatt

Zstulkk Ssarmn, slave lord of Skullport

Zstulkk Ssarmn: Male yuan-ti abomination Clr5; CR 12; Large monstrous humanoid; HD 9d8+36 (yuan-ti) plus 5d8+20 (Clr); hp 119; Init +7; Spd 30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 23 (touch 13, flat-footed 20); Atk grapple +13 melee touch (+18 grapple check); SA constrict (1d6+7), psionics, rebuke undead 6/day, spell-like abilities; SQ darkvision 60 ft.; SR 16; AL NE; SV Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +13; Str 21, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 23, Wis 17, Cha 16. Length 10 ft.

 

Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Climb +13, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +17, Hide +9, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +16, Knowledge (local) +16, Listen +15, Spellcraft +19, Spot +15; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Dodge, Expertise, Great Cleave , Improved Initiative, Mobility, Power Attack.

Constrict (Ex): The creature crushes the opponent, dealing 1d6+7 of bludgeoning damage, after making a successful grapple check.

Psionics (Sp): Detect poison, alternate form (Tiny to Large viper, as shapechange), chameleon power (+8 to hide), produce acid (1d6 damage by touch), aversion (DC 17 Will save or avoid snakes for 10 minutes).

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day -- animal trance, cause fear, deeper darkness, entangle, neutralize poison, suggestion, and polymorph other. These abilities are as the spell cast by an 8th-level sorcerer (save DC = 13 + spell level).

Cleric Spells Prepared: (5/5/4/3; base DC = 13 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic (2), light, read magic; 1st -- cause fear, cure light wounds, divine favor, endure elements, protection from good*; 2nd -- cure moderate wounds, death knell, desecrate*, hold person; 3rd -- cure serious wounds, dispel magic, greater magic fang*.

*Domain spell. Deity: Sseth (Set). Domains: Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level), Scalykind (rebuke or command reptilian animals and snakes 6/day).

Possessions: Dusty rose ioun stone, brooch of shielding, circlet of persuasion.

Zstulkk Ssarmn hails from the city of Hlondeth, though he is not related to the ruling Extaminos family there. He is a slaver without peer, even in the cutthroat world of Skullport, and remains one of the strongest members of the Iron Ring consortium that he helped found. His packs of half- and pureblood yuan-ti "jailers" (what he calls his thugs and overseers) are a common sight throughout Skullport, stalking alleyways looking for easy marks or escorting chained slaves into the city.

As an abomination yuan-ti, Zstulkk Ssarmn looks like a 10-foot-long snake with mottled gray and black scales, topped by a handsome human head. His face is tanned and scarred, with dark hair and eyes. He has no arms.

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