Servants of the Dread Lords, Dread Servants come to the Material plane to gather power.

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This monster resembles a large humanoid more or less. It has long, black wings on its back that are similar to bat's wings. On its bald head are two very long horns, similar to those of rams. Its eyes are very large, perhaps two or three times the size or a normal human. Its hands are also overly large, ending in sharp and wicked claws dripping with poison.

Dread Servants are the lower end in the hierarchy of the Legions of Chaos. Dread Servants mostly come to the Material Plane to absorb life so they may grow stronger, and thus metamorphosis into the very evil Dread Lord.

Dread Servants appear to be very tall (9-10 feet tall) humanoids that have large, leathery bat wings on their backs. They also have small, curved, ram-like horns that grow from the sides of their heads. Their eyes are overly large for their heads and they have two, long fangs that grow from their upper jaws. Their skin ranges from a pale white, to a light gray color. Their hands are overly large, sometimes triple the size of a normal human hand, with long sharp talons extending from each finger. Their ears are long and pointed like those of elves.

Dread servants are normally dressed in long flowing black robes, concealing most of their abnormalities.

Dread servants speak abyssal and common, as well as elven and dwarven.

Combat
Dread servants love to enter melee, using their overly large claws as their main weapons. However, Dread servants are not stupid and will not enter combat in which they have no hope in winning. In this case, they will use their spell like abilities and their Gaze attack to change the odds. There natural attacks, as well as those with weapons, are treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Dread Servants love to use their Fly By attack. Swooping in on enemies to make an attack and then get out of range.

Dread servants are not honorable. They will flee combat if necessary. They hold no devotion except to themselves.

Gaze (Su): Using their overly large eyes, the Dread servant may target one enemy to gaze at. If the victim fails a will save (DC 17), the victim is under the effects of a Charm Person spell, as cast by an 8th level sorcerer. This is usable as many times per day as the Dread servant needs it, but if an enemy makes the will save, they can never be targeted again by the effects of the Gaze. This save is Charisma based.

Poison (Ex): The Dread servant's claws constantly drip a viral poison. Anytime someone is hit successfully in combat by a Claw attack of the Dread Servant, the victim must make a Fortitude save (DC 17) or suffer 1d6 temporary Dex damage. Secondary damage is 1d4 temporary Dex damage. The Dread Servant is immune to its own poison. This save is Constituion based.

Spells (Sp): Cast as if an 8th level sorcerer. Magic Missile (3/day); Invisibility (2/day); Fireball (1/day) (DC 17)

Damage Reduction (Su): Due to it's tough natural armor born of chaos, Dread servants have DR 10/magic.

Spell Resistance (Ex): Due to their Chaotic energies, Dread servants have SR 14.

Absorb Essence (Su): This is the Dread servant's most powerful ability. After it has slain and enemy (-10 or fewer HP), it may absorb the soul of its victim. This grants it no immediate power, but after the servant has absorbed 50 souls, it goes back to the Abyss and enters a Metamorphic state. During this time (approximately 50 years), the servant is in a coccoon like phase and it emerges, after the allowed time, as a Dread Lord.

After a victim's soul has been absorbed, they cannot be raised from the dead except by a Wish spell. If this happens, the Dread servant looses the sould and must replace it.

This would seem to make several Dread Lords, which would upset the hierarchy of Chaos. Unfortuneately (for the Dread servant) it is incapable to defend itself during this peroid, so many other Dread Lords or servants take this time to slay any servants that are trying to attain Lordship. Servants must find a safe place to hide in the Abyss to use this power. It cannot be done on any other plane except the Abyss.

Darkvision (Ex): Due to their large eyes, Dread servants can see clearly in the dark up to 90 ft.

Society
Dread Servants, although powerful compared to mortal races, are nothing compared to the Legion of Chaos. They are mostly used to keep lesser, mortal pawns in place. Dread Lords have thier own company of Dread servants.

Dread Servants are vile and wicked in the most. They constantly war with eachother for power issues, often slaying eachother and saving the mortal races any trouble. However, they are very loyal to their Lords.

A Dread Servant's favored class is sorcerer.

This creature has not yet been play tested.
This is not a kender type creature.