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Moredwraith

Appearance

"Dark as the shadows, silent as the Fogs of Doom, fearful and evil such that even the champions of good feel the cold sweat of doom upon their backs, urging them to flee..."
    The Moredwraith is a creature of evil, created in the days when the Dark One breathed its destruction across the face of the world. The creature stands like a man, but seven to eight feet tall so that it looms over its opponents like a black reaper. Moredwraiths are always cloaked in deep, black robes. Their hands, those which have hands, are skeletal and emaciated. Those without them simply hold their possessions in mid air as if they still possessed hands, but invisible. Held in their possession is often a long wooden staff of charred, black wood. The staff radiates heat and appears to have dying, burning embers across its length, deep within it. At the tip of this staff is a great, blood red ruby-like crystal the size of a human fist. It is with this staff that Moredwraiths channel their supernatural magic. What the face of a Moredwraith looks like is not known, perhaps they possess no real body and only inhabit the cloaks like some illusion or covering. Instead of a face, only two dark, small eyes of flame can be seen glimmering in the deep hoods of the creatures cloak.

Combat

Though their incorporeal touch is dangerous to mortal foes, a Moredwraith prefers to keep its distance from its foes and use its supernatural magical powers, letting its minions engage in melee for it.
    Supernatural Magic (Su): A Moredwraith manifests powers similar to spells but which are actually supernatural abilities. This means that these abilities are not subject to spell-resistance, cannot be dispelled (as by a dispel magic), they cannot be counter spelled (nor can they be used to counterspell), and their use neither provokes an attack or opportunity nor requires concentration on behalf of the Moredwraith. An antimagic field affects the magic of a Moredwraith as normal. (Note: This also means that dwarves do not gain a racial bonus to their saves vs the powers of a Moredwraith.) Since a Moredwraiths magical powers are supernatural in nature, all saving throws against them are the same (10 + ½ HD + Charisma modifier).
    A Moredwraith has a number of supernatural magical abilities as a sorcerer of similar Hit Dice has spells. Unlike a sorcerer, Moredwraiths are not limited to a particular spell list when choosing their powers, however they are unable to channel positive energy (such as cure light wounds or restoration). Their magic tends to be combat oriented and also containing a couple useful divination powers. Each Moredwraith has a slightly different compliment of magical powers, an example 9 HD Moredwraith invokes its magic as a 9th level sorcerer.
    Powers per day (by spell level) 6/8/8/7/5; powers known (by spell level) 8/5/4/3/2; save DC 21. A typical powers known list: 0 - arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, flare, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost; 1st - cause fear, charm person, expeditious retreat, ray of enfeeblement, shield; 2nd - blindness/deafness, blur, electrical ward, hold person; 3rd - dispel magic, lightning bolt, slow; 4th - dimension door, shadow conjuration.
    Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a Moredwraith's incorporeal touch attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 21) or suffer 1d6 points of permanent Constitution drain. A Moredwraith's staff is effective at draining the health of creatures as any other incorporeal touch attack.
    Retributive Strike (Su): A Moredwraith, when only given the option of defeat, may break its staff causing a powerful retributive strike. Doing so releases a powerful explosion of evil in a 30 foot radius spread. The area immediately becomes under the effect of a doubly powerful desecrate and a bane (as spell) effect. Good creatures within the area of effect must make a Fortitude save (DC 21) or gain 2 negative levels and suffer 1d10 damage per 2 HD possessed by the Moredwraith. Neutral creatures must make a Fortitude save of suffer 1d10 damage per 2 HD possessed by the Moredwraith. A successful save reduces the damage by half and eliminates the threat of negative levels. A Moredwraith without it's staff cannot make use of its supernatural magic.
    Tainted Immolation (Su): Upon its death, the form of a Moredwraith becomes corporeal and crumbles to the ground as ash. One to four (1d4) rounds later the ashes burst into a poisonous cloud, filling a 10 foot radiance. All living creatures within the burst area of effect must save vs poison (Fortitude DC 21) or suffer 1d6 Constitution damage as part of their essence is drained into the nether-realms that consume the spirit of the Moredwraith. There is no secondary damage effect. Creatures reduced to 0 Constitution are instantly slain and crumble to ash.
    Unholy Radiance (Su): Evil creatures within 30 feet of a Moredwraith gain a +2 Moral bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, checks, and saves. A Moredwraith does not benefit from its own unholy radiance, but does benefit from that of other Moredwraiths.
    Unnatural Aura (Su): Both wild and domesticated animals can sense the unnatural presence of a Moredwraith at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
    Sacred Forbiddance: A Moredwraith cannot enter within any area under the influence of the following spells (spells which do not have the good descriptor must be cast by a good creature to have effect): consecrate, circle of protection from evil, forbiddance, glyph of warding, hallow, holy aura or prayer. A Moredwraith cannot enter a temple dedicated to any good deity. Presentation of a holy symbol will prevent a Moredwraith from physically attacking its bearer.
    Incorporeal: Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armor. Always moves silently.
    Undead Traits: Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal dmage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points of less, it is immediately destroyed. Undead do not breath, eat, or sleep.

Habitat/Society

Moredwraiths were the generals and special forces of the Dark One's hordes. Typically they would lead units of crack troops or carry out assassinations where Shadowmen were not powerful enough. Moredwraiths do seem to be able to telepathically communicate with each other and their servants, but there are no recorded cases of them speaking to a potential opponent. Moredwraiths rarely travel alone, but often in the company of their own kind or with Moredhel and Skull Bearers.

Ecology

The Moredwraith is a raised creation of the Dark One. It is theorized that the creature's power is directly linked to its staff and some speculate to its robes as well. Lore describes these creatures as the risen spirits of sorcerers who wielded the One Power of ancient times, before its disappearance into obscurity and the rise of arcane casters and the appearance of the gods. Tainted with the bleak and evil essence of the Dark One, they are bent to the purpose of bringing evil into the world. Those which still exist still pursue this task without rest.

History

It was thought for a long time that all the Moredwraiths perished with the banishing of the Dark One from the Prime. It appears though that a few have still survived without their masters power to fuel their existence. These creatures martial groups of the Dark One's destroyed armies and still wreak destruction against mortal-kind. Some Moredwraiths which survived reportedly work under the guidance of a Dark Incarnate, an even more vile creature of nearly unparalleled power.