Minion of the Lost

More than two millennia ago, even before the first Adurian tribes fled to Cerilia's shores, Azrai hand-picked twelve vile humans and instructed them in the arts of dark sorcery. These most exalted of the Evil One's servants fought on his side in the battle at Mount Deismaar. The forceof that cataclysm blasted the sorcerers into the Shadow World. In Cerilia, where no one knew what had happened to them, these wizards became known as the Lost.

The minions of the Lost are former humans, humanoids, and demihumans transformed into new races. These races exist solely to serve their evil creators.

While each race of minions has its own unique appearance, all minions retain characteristics of their former races (human, elven, goblin, giant, etc.). Some of these attributes are physical, such as build or acute senses. Some are mental, such as intelligence. All minions speak the language of their race of origin.

The minion races are too numerous to list here in full, but they include the following:

Halfling Spawn

Many evil denizens of the Shadow World have enslaved the native halflings, but only the Lost have monstrously mutated the race. Several members of the Lost have created their own unique breeds of halfling spawn. Those of Macchius sport monkey tails, unusually long and sinuous arms, and clawed paws that allow the halfling spawn to swing from trees and move quickly through the dense, gnarled forests of the Shadow World.

Masetian Spawn

The Mount Deismaar cataclysm obliterated most Masetians from the face of Cerilia, but some found themselves in the Shadow World. One member of the Lost found this race ideal as servants—with a few adjustments. Masetian spawn retain their human bodies and swarthy coloring but bear the heads, agility, and senses of Siamese cats. (Ironically, these minions came into being accidently when their creator's familiar strayed into a magical experiment the spellcaster was conducting on a Masetian. The resulting feline humanoid exhibited such superior senses and stealth that the wizard bred dozens of litters to serve as spies.) Masetian spawn can sneak through the Shadow World's murky twilight better than many native races.

Orog Spawn

When a raiding party of Cerilian orogs charged right through a portal and into the Shadow World, several members of the Lost found the vicious, battle-minded race worth studying. In the years since, several varieties of orog minions have evolved, including one that crosses the orogs with their signature mounts. These centaurlike spawn have the upper torsos of orogs and the bodies of giant lizards.

The Lost are among the strongest and most important denizens of the Shadow World. They have had 2,000 years to amass power, knowledge, and followers. The first, they seized; the second, they researched. The third, they created for themselves.

The minions of the Lost are those creatures who—willingly or unwillingly— serve the twelve evil wizards. A part y might encounter them on their own as they complete a task for their master, or characters might have to battle their way through the minions to get to the master.

Combat: Encounters with minions of the Lost vary depending on the type of minion involved.

Halfling spawn wear leather armor to provide enough freedom of movement to swing from tree branches. This choice of a rmor also enables them to gain the advantage of surprise in many encounters: Opponents suffer a -4 penalty to surprise ro l l s

These minions attack with slings and thrown missiles from a distance, and with their claws at close range. Like ordinary halflings, the spawn gain a +1 bonus to attacks with missiles. In melee, these minions swipe with their claws for 1d4 points of damage each.

During hand-to-hand combat, halfling spawn attempt to strangle their opponents with their long, muscular tails. A successful “hit” means the minion has wrapped its tail around a victim's throat. Each round that the choke hold remains in effect, the victim suffers 1d8 points of damage and must succeed at a saving throw vs. paralyzation or lose consciousness for 1d4 turns.

Halfling spawn enjoy a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. poison, wands, staves, rods, and spells.

Masetian spawn have acute senses that allow them to be surprised on only a 1 or 2. In addition, opponents suffer a -3 penalty to surprise rolls. These minions can use any missile or melee weapon ordinary Cerilian humans do. They can also bite for 1d6 points of damage.

The natural agility of Masetian spawn enables them to move silently (50%), hide in shadows (45%), detect noise (45%), and climb walls (90%) per the thief abilities.

Orog spawn have thick, hairy hide instead of ordinary skin on their torsos, which grants them an Armor Class of 5 on their upper bodies that matches the AC 5 of their lizard lower bodies. Most orog spawn wear armor, however, to bring their upper body Armor Class to 3.

These minions favor axes, crossbows, heavy long swords, maces, and polearms. Their strength grants them a +2 damage bonus to attacks made with these weapons. Bright sunlight blinds and nauseates orog spawn, inflicting a -3 penalty to attack and saving throws.

Other types of minions can enjoy a range of special abilities and defenses, depending on the type of acts their creator wishes them to perform. Such attributes can include character-class-specific abilities such as spellcasting, thief skills, or weapon specialization. They can also include special attack and defense modes (poison, paralyzation, regeneration, etc.).

Because minions of the Lost tend to be intelligent creatures, it is possible to converse with them. Minions, however, know little of their masters' plans beyond the immediate task assigned to them.

Minions of the Lost generally develop at least some ability to penetrate the Seeming. Only minions based on native Shadow World races, however, have any ability to manipulate it.

Habitat/Society: Minions live in small communities, usually within their masters' compounds (as some of the Lost have found their way back into Cerilia, they have brought their minions with them). They are monitored by an overseer or warden; sometimes this individual is a member of the minions' own race who has gained the trust of the wizard.

An individual member of the Lost may have multiple races of minions as servants. Occasionally, fights break out among the different races—but punishment is swift and memorable enough that such incidents are rare.

Ecology: The first minions were the result of magical experimentation. Each member of the Lost sought to create his or her own followers, and tried different approaches on different creatures until each developed the “perfect” minion to suit individual taste.

Once a significant number of minions of each race were created, they began to breed. Each race's population now supports itself, under the watchful eye of its creator. Like any slavemaster, the wizard encourages enough reproduction to provide a steady supply of servants, but keeps the population small enough to prevent uprisings. The harsh life of enslavement to an evil master serves as its own population check, as it results in a low life expectancy: about one-fifth that of the minion's race of origin.

Most minions are omnivores. Those generated from races that have more limited diets (such as vegetarian elves or carnivorous goblins) retain those dietary restrictions.

Shades (see separate entry) are another type of Lost minion. Unlike the “spawn” minions, shades may be used by any member of the Lost, and cannot reproduce. The Lost also summon monsters from this plane and beyond to do their bidding.