Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:51 pm
by Hell_Born
Lets see here... I'll try to illuminate the situation a bit.
In American McGee's Alice, Wonderland is a sort of 'demiplane' created by the will of Alice. It is a reflection of her psyche, of her heart, mind and soul, it is her in a way. One fateful evening, whilst Alice was in Wonderland, a terrible fire broke out. Alice's room was shielded from the blaze, but her parents and sister were consumed. The Jabberwock accuses Alice of deliberately dawdling in Wonderland whilst her family roasted alive in a blazing inferno, and in the begin-game cut sequence she was rather slow in returning from Wonderland. The scene shows her approaching her parent's room, but we never see what's inside. All that's revealed is their pleas for help, Alice's scream, and then Alice is lying unconcious on the ground outside the window while the rest of the house burns to the ground.
Alice was 10 years old at the time, and has spent the past seven years in Rutledge's Asylum. One stormy night, her toy rabbit- a physcial manifestation in the real world of the White Rabbit- speaks to her, begging her to save Wonderland. After falling through the Rabbit Hole, Alice ends up in the Town of the Doomed, a dismal and decaying town of gutless, half-witted miners. Throughout the game, it is revealed that, because Wonderland is so connected to Alice, the trauma of what happened and her subsequent descent into madness is what has twisted the land so.
I can't really describe the game accurately, on the first page of this topic is a link to a site that helps, and on it are links to fan sites that are even better, but they don't work for me (a pity, I really enjoyed Alice's Asylum). Here's a link to an even greater collection of links, surely you'll find something here that's of help:
http://www.geocities.com/see_cheshire_c ... alice.html
I don't really think that Alice has enough... let's call it 'potential', to be a true Darklord, but she is tied to the land in a similar way. The twisted, maniacal Red Queen is also a bit two-dimensional too. My thoughts were to 'share' the Darklordship between them, I know that there are co-Darklords in canon domains, so I thought 'why the hell not?'.
Why Alice became a Darklord is something that's really giving me trouble, but I think I might have the very bare bones of a scenario forming: Alice was born, perhaps on Gothic Earth, with special, supernatural powers (can't really decide between born Psion and born Sorcerer, any suggestions? I'm personally leaning towards Psion with some stuff from Demented Dreamscapes), though the world she was born to didn't even recognize the existence of such powers. As she aged her powers increased- far beyond what could be considered 'safe'. Like all children, she found adults strange and bizarre, and constantly tried to illuminate them as to their strangeness. Her age simply meant she was never treated seriously, so she began is dislike seriousness. Eventually, her powers grew to such an extent that she spontaneously spawned her own 'dreamworld': Wonderland, a topsy-turvy, gloriously anarchic place where she could forget all about the stuffy existence of her mundane life. She began spending more and more time there, which alarmed her parents, who had no intention of raising a daydreamer.
How the fire started is anyone's guess. Maybe it was an accident, maybe not, whatever the cause Alice's parents and home were utterly destroyed one day. Whilst Alice lingered in Wonderland, enjoying the endless party with the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse, the fire broke out and began to hungrily devour her house. Alice's parents screamed for help, but no-one could hear them. No one... except Alice, who heard the faint pleas of her parents as they whispered into Wonderland. She ignored them for a time, but eventually the cries began to irritate her, so she reluctantly abandoned Wonderland... and awoke to an inferno. She fled up the stairs, to her parents room, where she could now hear the screams of her family. She could have saved them, even at this late point, had she been willing to risk her life.
She wasn't.
She flung herself from the window and fled into the night, eventually being found and taken to the nearby Rutledge's Asylum. For seven years she languished in that terrible place... and then he came. The White Rabbit. Begging Alice to return to the place of wonder and strange delight she ahd known what felt like so long ago. She eagerly followed him down the Rabbit Hole, only to discover that Wonderland was nothing like she remembered. Now a dark, decaying land of misery and torment, where insanity and twisted madness ruled over all, Alice had but two options: Die, or reclaim her rightful place as the true ruler of Wonderland by slaying the usurping Red Queen.
After numerous deadly battles, she fought her way through the twisted landscapes of Dark Wonderland and stood before the tyrannical Queen of Hearts, the monster who had taken her land of chaos and tried to transform it into the sort of world a grown-up wanted- raw, ruthless, ordered, predictable, careening on the jagged edge of reality. A world where dreams and imagination could not exist. Alice slew the Queen and retook the throne. She had the option to restore Dark Wonderland to its former glory, an act that would heal her and allow her to return to the world of the sane.
She refused, she refused to heal the wounds of Wonderland, she refused to return to the world of the adult, for she perferred even this twisted, rotting fascimile of childhood to ever becoming an adult and giving up her 'freedom'.
Back in Rutledge's, no one ever saw the cloud of mist that seeped into Alice's room. No one saw her body melt away with the mist. No one ever saw her again.
My idea for Dark Wonderland as a domain combines the more 'logical' version with a direct translation of the game. During the logical time, the Queen of Hearts is the Darklord. She alone can close the borders and she alone has access to the mystical powers of Darklordship, but her time is limited. Eventually comes "The Shifting", where the land roils and seeths and all pretence of normality dissolves under a heaving tide of chaos. During this time of anarchy and chaos, it is Alice who is the Darklord. This eternal shifting between the two sides (Order and Chaos) is a combined curse for both of them, but each has a unique curse of her own.
That's basically all I can think of right now, any suggestions or improvements then please let me know! I'd also really appreciate what the NPCs and enemies of the game might have stats, skills and feats wise if translated.
Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 12:36 pm
by Olly
OK, here we go... The Cheshire Cat's stats are courtesy of WotC's website. The living chess pieces' stats are courtesy of Matthew E. Kaiser. Flavour text is by me (although some of it may be cribbed wholesale from the script of American McGee's Alice!)
Forgive me if some of the flavour text seems a little 'setting specific' as these are drawn from my own, personal homebrewed world.
The Cheshire Cat
Small Fey
Hit Dice: 3d6 (10 hit points)
Initiative: +7.
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares).
Armour Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity), touch 14, flat-footed 11.
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7.
Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d2-4).
Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d2-4) and bite +0 melee (1d3-4).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: Spells.
Special Qualities: Controlled invisibility, damage reduction 5/cold iron, low-light vision.
Saves: Fortitude +1, Reflex +6, Will +4.
Abilities: Strength 3, Dexterity 17, Constitution 10, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, Charisma 15.
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +13, Diplomacy +12, Hide +11*, Jump +9, Listen +7, Move Silently +13, Spot +8.
Feats: Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse [bite], Weapon Finesse.
Environment: Temperate forests.
Organization: Solitary (unique).
Challenge Rating: 3.
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Chaotic neutral.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: +3.
The fabled Cheshire cat is a figure of legend and hearth stories. He has long been described in bard’s tales but is rarely seen because of his unusual invisibility power. The Cheshire cat is a strange, fey creature that appears to be a larger-than-ordinary house cat weighing between twenty and forty pounds with a rather unnerving smile frozen on it’s face. He often lurks in trees, waiting for the gullible and unwary to pass by so that he can tease them. The Cheshire cat enjoys using his controlled invisibility ability and spells to create mischief.
The Cheshire cat has little patience for fools, and he has lured many to their deaths by offering counterfeit treasure maps, false testimony and spiteful gossip about a region or person for hundreds of years. No one knows the true purpose of his actions but he always seems to come out ahead.
PCs are advised to keep a vigilant eye on the resourceful cat, for, despite a taste for display, he is discreet and clever. Sometimes his advice will be helpful, if cryptic, but sometimes his madness makes for nonsensical quandaries that have no solution.
There is a bounty placed on his head, but no one has yet claimed it since he is able to vanish without a trace at will.
Combat
Bravery and the Cheshire cat are not on intimate terms; his natural curiosity is tempered with caution, thus, he’s lived long. The Cheshire cat usually endeavours to avoid physical combat, preferring to solve conflicts diplomatically or through the judicious use of his spells.
Spells: The Cheshire cat casts spells as a 3rd level sorcerer. It prefers illusions and enchantments but avoids necromancy spells.
Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6; save DC 12 + spell level):
0 – daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, resistance.
1st – hypnotism, mage armour, ventriloquism.
Controlled Invisibility (Su): The Cheshire cat can become wholly or partially invisible at will. Whenever he uses this ability, he can choose the precise portions of its body that become invisible. If the Cheshire cat chooses to leave any portion of his body visible, he gains partial concealment (20% miss chance); otherwise he has total concealment (50% miss chance). Activating this ability or changing the degree of concealment it grants is a standard action. A Cheshire cat often chooses to leave only his smile, which is unusually wide and rather unfeline, visible.
Skills: The Cheshire cat receives a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently checks.
Feats: The Cheshire cat gains feats as though he were a humanoid.
The Pale Realm
The demiplane known as The Pale Realm is perhaps one of the most bizarre Planes in the Multiverse.
The whole plane is, basically, a gigantic game of chess, with the earth and sky covered in the chequered black and white pattern of a chessboard. Living chess pieces, divided into two noble houses, the lawful good, House White, and the lawful evil, House Black, populate the land. As one might expect, those from House White are white, and those from House Black are black, but apart from that minor difference in colour, they are physically identical in every way. The two houses are constantly at a state of highly organised, formalised warfare with one another, adhering to a strict set of rules governing military manoeuvres and tactics. For some reason, however, the Whites always seem to move first.
House White is headed by the White King, a mild-mannered, even-handed king, beloved by his subjects. He is married to the fair White Queen, who is bold and pure of heart, if a bit vain. It is they that command the white army, with it’s chivalrous, horse-headed white knights, wise and pious bishops, burly, muscular rooks, and the loyal, if a bit cowardly pawns.
The Black King, a ferocious and calculating tyrant, who rules with an iron fist, heads House Black. He is trapped in a loveless marriage to a woman who he cannot stand, the Black Queen, a cold and wicked woman, who loathes him just as much as he does her. From their gothic citadel, they command their minions, the ruthlessly efficient, zealously loyal black knights, the cunning and sadistic bishops, the brutish, ignorant rooks, and the backstabbing, thuggish pawns.
The war is at a constant state of stalemate, since both armies are equally powerful. There are plots on both sides of the conflict to capture the king or queen of the rival army, but so far, all attempts, by both armies, have proved fruitless. Knotted in this bloody endgame, no quarter is asked for. None is given.
The Pale Realm is almost certainly magical in nature, with some saying that the gods created the entire demiplane for the sole purpose of allowing the forces of good and evil to prove their skill in a game of wits.
For their part, the folk of the Pale Realm do not have the time or inclination to contemplate their origins. Not when there is war to fight.
Pawn
Small Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hit points)
Initiative: +1.
Speed: 10 feet (2 squares)
Armour Class: 18 (+1 size, +1 Dexterity, +6 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 17.
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+2.
Attack: Longsword +8 melee (1d6+2).
Full Attack: Longsword +8 melee (1d6+2).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: Diagonal strike.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/anarcic, darkvision 60 feet, immunities, spell resistance 15, fire resistance 10, white-goes-first.
Saves: Fortitude +6, Reflex +5, Will +4.
Abilities: Strength 15, Dexterity 12, Constitution 14, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 11, Charisma 9.
Skills: Craft [metalworking] +8, Jump +9, Knowledge [the Planes], Listen +9, Profession [farmer] +7, Ride +8, Search +7, Spot +9.
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus [longsword].
Environment: The Pale Realm.
Organization: Solitary, pair or warband (8 ).
Challenge Rating: 3.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always lawful good (White) or lawful evil (Black)
Advancement: 5-19 Hit Dice (Small)*.
A small, cycloptic creature hops across the chequered ground towards you, a longsword held by its side. It looks like nothing more than a giant chess piece, come to life.
Pawns are the smallest and lowliest of all the inhabitants of the Pale Realm, and also the most numerous. They serve as the frontline soldiers in the unending war between the noble houses of Black and White, as well as the most lowly serfs and indentured servants.
The pawns of House White are loyal and kind-hearted creatures, if a bit cowardly. The pawns of House Black, however, are vicious, opportunistic sadists, prone to bickering amongst themselves behind the backs of their superiors.
Pawns speak Common, but seldom speak to outsiders at all, without the permission of their superiors.
Combat
Since their numbers are so great, pawns are most often employed as front-line cannon fodder. Because they are likely to be in the thick of fighting, most pawns have a strong sense of self-preservation.
Diagonal Strike (Ex): When attacking a creature in a square diagonal to itself, a pawn gains +1 to hit and damage.
Forward Thinking (Ex): When in battle, a pawn may only move towards an opponent. This is usually the nearest enemy, though they may be commanded to attack a different target if a higher ranking piece is present to command them. Pawns may never move away.
Immunities (Ex): Pawns are immune to sleep, charm, fear, paralysis and mind influencing effects as well as critical hits, poison, and cold damage.
White-Goes-First (Ex): In any combat involving both white and black pieces, all black pieces must hold their actions until all of the white pieces have moved. White pieces may never hold an action when facing black pieces in combat.
* A pawn that reaches 20 Hit Dice immediately becomes a Queen.
Bishop
Medium-sized Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 12d8-12 (42 hit points)
Initiative: +7.
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armour Class: 25 (+3 Dexterity, +10 natural, +2 deflection) touch 15, flat-footed 22.
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+10.
Attack: Quarterstaff +11 melee (1d6-2).
Full Attack: Quarterstaff +11/+6/+1 melee (1d6-2).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: Diagonal smite, spellcasting.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/anarcic, darkvision 60 feet, immunities, spell resistance 23, fire resistance 10, spellcasting, summon pieces, white-goes-first.
Saves: Fortitude +7, Reflex +11, Will +13.
Abilities: Strength 6, Dexterity 16, Constitution 8, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 20, Charisma 16.
Skills: Concentration +14, Knowledge [military tactics] +17, Knowledge [the Planes] +17, Knowledge [religion] +17, Listen +22, Ride +18, Search +20, Spellcraft +17, Spot +22.
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus [quarterstaff].
Environment: The Pale Realm.
Organization: Solitary, or pair.
Challenge Rating: 12.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always lawful good (White) or lawful evil (Black).
Advancement: 13-24 Hit Dice (Medium-sized).
This creature bears the vestments of a bishop. In one hand it holds a quarterstaff, which it leans on as if it were a walking stick, and in the other it holds a small, but thick volume of holy lore. It looks like nothing more than a giant chess piece, come to life.
The bishops are the spellcasters and healers in the armies of the Pale Realm, accompanying the knights, rooks and pawns into combat, and unleashing their magical powers to aid their cause.
White bishops are pious and wise, offering sage advice to any allies who would ask. Black bishops, on the other hand, are cunning and devious, using trickery and guile to overcome their foes.
Bishops speak Common, but may speak other languages as well, most likely Celestial (if of House White) or Infernal (if of House Black).
Combat
Bishops are clever opponents, circling the fray as the pawns, knights and rooks do battle and unleashing their magical powers at the opportune moment. They will also attempt to heal the wounds of their comrades, using their divine powers to ease their aches and pains.
In melee, bishops fight with their quarterstaffs. If outnumbered, bishops summon reinforcements to back them up as soon as possible, since, despite their high status, physically, they are even weaker than pawns, and thus, prefer to leave the actual fighting to them.
Diagonal Smite (Su): When a bishop attacks an opponent in a square diagonal to their own, they may add their Charisma bonus to hit, and their total Hit Dice to damage. Thus a normal bishop gains +3 to hit, and +12 to damage when performing a diagonal smite. A bishop can perform a diagonal smite up to three times a day.
Spellcasting: A bishop has the spellcasting ability of a 10th Level cleric with the Law and Healing domains.
Summon Pieces (Sp): Once per day, a bishop can attempt to summon either two knights or eight pawns, with a 30% chance of success. This is the equivalent of a 7th Level spell.
Immunities (Ex): Bishops are immune to sleep, charm, fear, paralysis and mind influencing effects as well as critical hits, poison, and cold damage.
White-Goes-First (Ex): In any combat involving both white and black pieces, all black pieces must hold their actions until all of the white pieces have moved. White pieces may never hold an action when facing black pieces in combat.
Knight
Medium-sized Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 8d8+40 (76 hit points)
Initiative: +2.
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares).
Armour Class: 24 (+2 Dexterity, +10 natural, +2 large shield) touch 12, flat-footed 20.
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+13.
Attack: Longsword +14 melee (1d8+7).
Full Attack: Longsword +14/+9 melee (1d8+7).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: ‘L’ shaped charge.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/anarcic, darkvision 60 feet, immunities, spell resistance 19, fire resistance 10, summon pieces, white-goes-first.
Saves: Fortitude +11, Reflex +8, Will +7.
Abilities: Strength 20, Dexterity 15, Constitution 21, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 13, Charisma 12.
Skills: Jump +16, Intimidate + 12, Knowledge [military tactics] +11, Knowledge [the Planes] +11, Listen +14, Ride +13, Search +12, Spot +14.
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus [longsword], Weapon Specialization [longsword].
Environment: The Pale Realm.
Organization: Solitary or pair.
Challenge Rating: 8.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always lawful good (White) or lawful evil (Black).
Advancement: 9-16 Hit Dice (Medium-sized).
This creature has a large, horse-like head, and carries a large, well-crafted longsword in one hand, and a large, ornately decorated shield in the other. It looks like nothing more than a giant chess piece, come to life.
The knights are the heroes of the army. Stronger than pawns, but weaker than rooks, the knights combine combat prowess with keen, tactical minds.
White knights have the heads of proud, handsome warhorses, and are clad in gleaming white armour. They carry beautifully crafted weaponry, and fight with honour and chivalry. Black knights also have the heads of warhorses, but their features of grotesquely warped and twisted, and bloodlust sparkles in their cruel eyes. They wear armour of black iron, which is often rusted and blood-covered, covered in spikes and hooks. Their equipment, though well-made, is cruel-looking and seldom well-maintained.
Knights speak Common in deep and proud, if slightly arrogant, tones.
Combat
Knights are deadly, fearless warriors and consider it a great honour to lay down their lives for the glory of their king and queen. A cunning foe, the knight slips through enemy lines to attack with his sword in baffling patterns.
White knights command white pawns as benevolent, honourable captains, whereas, black knights command black pawns through intimidation and shows of strength.
Knights prefer death to dishonour and, regardless of their own personal safety, they always fight to the death.
‘L’ Shaped Charge (Ex): When a knight charges an opponent that is 15 feet (3 squares) away and 5 feet (1 square) to the side then they gain +1 to hit and deal double damage if they succeed in striking their opponent.
Summon Pieces (Sp): Once per day a knight, can attempt to summon eight pawns, with a 30% chance of success. This is the equivalent of a 6th Level spell.
Immunities (Ex): Knights are immune to sleep, charm, fear, paralysis and mind influencing effects as well as critical hits, poison, and cold damage.
White-Goes-First (Ex): In any combat involving both white and black pieces, all black pieces must hold their actions until all of the white pieces have moved. White pieces may never hold an action when facing black pieces in combat.
Rook
Medium-sized Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 16d8+96 (168 hit points)
Initiative: +3.
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares).
Armour Class: 25 (-1 Dexterity, +25 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 25.
Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+23.
Attack: Slam +24 melee (2d6+7).
Full Attack: 2 slams +24 melee (2d6+7).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: Adjacent strike.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/anarcic, darkvision 60 feet, immunities, spell resistance 25, fire resistance 15, castle the king, summon pieces, white-goes-first.
Saves: Fortitude +16, Reflex +9, Will +15.
Abilities: Strength 25, Dexterity 8, Constitution 22, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 9.
Skills: Intimidate +18, Knowledge [military tactics] +17, Knowledge [the Planes] +17, Listen +23, Search +17, Spot +23.
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus [slam].
Environment: The Pale Realm.
Organization: Solitary or pair.
Challenge Rating: 15.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always lawful good (White) or lawful evil (Black)
Advancement: 17-24 Hit Dice (Medium-sized), 25-32 Hit Dice (Large).
This beefy creature is put together like a brick wall. It sports a strange helmet on its head, decorated in a manner reminiscent of the battlements of a castle. It eyes you warily, and folds its brawny, muscular arms across its chest, as if awaiting instruction from its superiors. It looks like nothing more than a giant chess piece, come to life.
Rooks are hulking, square-jawed musclemen, that more than makes up for what they lack brainpower with their immense physical strength.
White rooks are gentle giants, simple-minded but good-natured creatures, eagerly following the orders of their idolised captains, the white knights, lending their muscle to whatever role they are called upon to fulfil. Black rooks on the other hand, are brutish and ignorant thugs, who use their muscle to intimidate others into subservience. While they recognise the intellectual powers of their captains, the black knights, outstrips their own stunted minds by far, they loath being ordered around by them, considering them puny and weak.
Rooks attempt to speak Common.
Combat
Rooks are powerhouses when it comes to combat, hammering on foes with their stone-like fists, their great strength lending well to unarmed combat. However, despite their immense strength, rooks are dim-witted and easily tricked by a canny opponent.
Adjacent Strike (Ex): When a rook attacks an opponent in an adjacent square, they gain +1 to hit and damage.
Summon Pieces (Sp): Once per day, a rook can attempt to summon either two bishops or two knights and eight pawns, with a 30% chance of success. This is the equivalent of an 8th Level spell.
Immunities (Ex): Rooks are immune to sleep, charm, fear, paralysis and mind influencing effects as well as critical hits, poison, and cold damage.
Castle The King (Ex): Whenever a rook is adjacent to the king of the same colour; the king receives an additional +4 deflection bonus to his Armour Class. Effects for multiple rooks do not stack.
White-Goes-First (Ex): In any combat involving both white and black pieces, all black pieces must hold their actions until all of the white pieces have moved. White pieces may never hold an action when facing black pieces in combat.
King
Medium-sized Outsider (Lawful)
Hit Dice: 20d8+120 (210 hit points)
Initiative: +7.
Speed: 5 feet (1 square).
Armour Class: 31 (+3 Dexterity, +16 natural, +2 deflection) touch 13, flat-footed 28.
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+26.
Attack: +5 longsword +32 melee (1d8+12).
Full Attack: +5 longsword +32/+27/+22/+17 melee (1d8+12).
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/anarcic, darkvision 60 feet, immunities, spell resistance 30, fire resistance 20, checkmate, spell-like abilities, summon pieces, White-Goes-First.
Saves: Fortitude +18, Reflex +15, Will +19.
Abilities: Strength 23, Dexterity 17, Constitution 22, Intelligence 19, Wisdom 24, Charisma 23.
Skills: Bluff +29, Diplomacy +29, Intimidate +29, Knowledge [military tactics] +27, Knowledge [nobility] +27, Knowledge [the Planes] +27, Knowledge [religion] +27, Listen +32, Ride +25, Search +27, Sense Motive +30, Spot +32.
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Endurance, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus [longsword], Weapon Specialization [longsword].
Environment: The Pale Realm.
Organization: Solitary (unique).
Challenge Rating: 18.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always lawful good (White) or lawful evil (Black)
Advancement: 21-40 Hit Dice (Medium-sized)
With a fanfare, the king enters, a rook bodyguard on either side of him. He carries himself with an imperial bearing befitting of his station. He has a long, thick beard and moustache, and he wears long robes, trimmed with the finest furs. In one hand, he holds a sceptre; a symbol of his office, and in the other, he wields a finely tempered longsword, a symbol of his might.
The two kings that command the armies of the Pale Realm are the beloved White King and the tyrannous Black King.
The White King is kind and humble, the sort of ruler that inspires confidence in his men by his mere presence. A giant of a man, the White King stands over six feet tall, his great height only adding to his elegant, noble appearance. He has a long, white beard and a thick moustache, and his features are almost always calm and jovial, even in the heat of a crisis. He dresses in fine white linen, not unlike the vestments of a priest, over which he wears a fine, white cape, which is trimmed with white mink’s fur. The White King is beloved by all his subjects, who would willingly lay down their lives to defend him and his noble house.
By contrast, his treacherous foe, the Black King, is a deranged, despotic maniac, feared even by his own men. Standing a full six feet tall, his shoulders are slightly hunched, indicating that he could, if he straightened up to his full height, be much taller. He has a thick, bristly black beard, matted with the blood of those who have ‘displeased’ him, and a thick, black moustache, which he is known to twiddle as he plots his evil machinations against the White King. He dresses in black plate armour at all times, over which he wears a black cape, trimmed with dark ermine. The Black King is a terrifying figure indeed, and his subjects fight with unparalleled ferocity, far more afraid of their liege’s terrible wroth than death at the hands of their enemies.
Though neither of them have ever left the Pale Realm, both kings speak a wide variety of languages. The White King speaks Common, Celestial, Dwarven and Elvish, whereas the Black King speaks Common, Infernal, Goblin and Orc.
Combat
Despite being formidable fighters, neither king is willing to risk his life on the battlefield without good reason. If they must fight, they do so indirectly, through their seemingly inexhaustible minions.
Should a PC ever earn the enmity of one of the kings, they should expect to be harried day and night by pawns, bishops, knights and rooks loyal to that king.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): The king can cast, at will, charm monster, detect chaos, detect thoughts and suggestion.
Caster level 16th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Immunities (Ex): The kings are immune to sleep, charm, fear, paralysis and mind influencing effects as well as critical hits, poison, and cold damage.
Summon Pieces (Sp): Once per day, a king can attempt to summon eight pawns, two rooks, two knights and two bishops with a 30% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th Level spell.
Checkmate (Ex): If the square the king is standing in and any square he could move to in the same round are all part of an enemies’ threatened area, then the king instantly falls down and becomes incapacitated for 3d4 rounds.
White-Goes-First (Ex): In any combat involving both white and black pieces, all black pieces must hold their actions until all of the white pieces have moved. White pieces may never hold an action when facing black pieces in combat.
