Aradin the Witchblade
Aradin the Witchblade
A dark figure with a shadowy past, Aradin the Witchblade seeks to undermine the legitimacy of Bridgemoor, Nalathesh, and Kendaria. With a powerful personal charisma and strong political connections, it proved relatively easy for Aradin to found the Underbridge Cult and cultivate it into a legitimate threat to the three nations.
Aradin is a terrifying figure to behold. He is a fiendblood with dark, smoky purple skin. He stands taller than most and has a muscular, intimidating physique. His green irises stand out from his otherwise pitch black eyes and glow faintly in the dark. Aradin has large, batlike wings and his head is encircled with small, curved horns that resemble a crown.
Rise to Power
From his conception, Aradin was destined for greatness… and for darkness. He was born from the consummated pact of an occult witch and a fiend from Cholereth. He was trained to be skilled in the arts of both blade and magic from a young age, and trained specifically to enact vengeance upon those who destroyed his mother’s coven.
He completed this dark task, and his violent quest caught the eye of a dark benefactor. Impressed with Aradin’s work, his benefactor tasked Aradin with creating an army to spread the tides of war and chaos across the lands to the south, starting with the pivotal city-state of Bridgemoor.
A Dark Alliance
When he ventured south to Bridgemoor, Aradin spent many months lurking in the shadows prodding at the edges of society, making connections wherever he was able to. By forming mutually beneficial alliances, bribing city officials or merchants, and when necessary blackmailing or threatening isolated individuals, Aradin expanded his influence.
Fatefully, he came into contact with Ser Kellion Blacksky, who at the time was just a Bridge Captain. The two shared a common vision, even if they had different ideas for the eventual fate of Bridgemoor and its neighbors. Both Aradin and Kellion want to see a change in the governance of the regional powers, and believe that the best way to ensure this is by weakening the current regimes so that a new power can rise.
Kellion intends to take this power for himself, while Aradin intends to weaken the region so that his benefactor can sweep down from the north and conquer the land.
While they both distrust one another, they believe they can work together on their shared visions, at least for a time. Aradin’s charismatic persona enabled him to start the Underbridge Cult and quickly spread its reach to western Nalathesh and eastern Kendaria. Aradin handed over his least devout cultists to Captain Kellion; as Kellion’s success at rooting out cultists became apparent, he was a natural choice to become the new Bridge Commander after Aradin orchestrated a fateful accident that claimed the life of the former Commander.
In Part One of The Cloven Lands, Aradin and Kellion are still cooperating as allies. By Part Three, if Aradin is still alive, then he has largely withdrawn from the region due to Kellion’s totalitarian power.
Aradin’s True Master
Aradin may be a compelling figure, and the Underbridge Cult views him as their leader, but in truth Aradin responds to someone else. A dark lord adopted him in his teenage years after he completed his vengeance-fueled quest. This benefactor twisted Aradin’s considerable talents and nurtured his loyalty. Aradin now sees his benefactor as a surrogate father and would do anything to please him. Aradin’s master, who dwells in a forlorn castle to the north of the Great Chasm, is named Dracula.
Fighting Aradin
Aradin has the Spear of Proclamation in his possession at the start of the campaign, so it is included in his stats below. When the heroes confront Aradin, it should be a deadly encounter. The total ML = (½ the party’s level) + 4. Aradin keeps Skeletons (CC chapter 2) in his attendance, along with Underbridge Initiates and Underbridge Cultists (Appendix C). For a particularly difficult challenge, if Druvesk the Bonewraith survives Chapter 3, then he might fight with Aradin as well.
| Aradin the Witchblade | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Level: 7 | |||||
| Medium. Humanoid (Fiendblood) | |||||
| STR | DEX | END | AWR | INT | CHA |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Ref: 13 | Fort: 12 | Ant: 10 | Log: 12 | Will: 13 | |
| Resist Necrotic 3 | |||||
| Armor Rating 13 (lamellar, buckler) | Immune Fire | ||||
| Hit Points 50 | Vulnerable Radiant 1 | ||||
| Speed 30 ft, Fly 20 ft | Traits Iron Will, Steel Mind | ||||
| Skills (AWR) Eavesdropping +6, Intuiting +6; (INT) Appraising +2, Disguising +8, Evading +6, Jeweling +2; (CHA) Intimidating +8, Leadership +4 | |||||
| Features | |||||
| Pact Maker. If a creature makes a willing bargain with Aradin and exchanges either oath or blood, they become bound to the terms indefinitely (or for a set amount of time specified in the pact). If a creature breaks the terms of its agreement, Aradin immediately attacks their WILL with his CHA, provided that they are currently on the same plane of existence. On a hit, the creature becomes Sickened for the next 24 hours, takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage, and the pact ends. Aradin can have up to 3 active pacts at a time using this feature. You may end a pact in order to make a new one; if you do, the creature that was released from your pact immediately knows that the pact has ended.
Many Faces (1/Rest). Aradin can polymorph into another Medium humanoid for 10 minutes. Initiate of the Occult. Using CHA, Aradin knows the following occult chants, rituals, and spells. He has 20 SP, which he regains when he Takes a Rest.
Auras (3/Rest). Using CHA, Aradin can cast the following auras. Only one aura may be active at a time. Auras extend in a 10 ft radius and last for 10 minutes once active (or until another aura is cast).
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| Actions | |||||
| Aradin can MOVE and take TWO of the following actions, or take the same action twice. | |||||
| Move. Aradin can move up to his speed.
Spear of Proclamation. Thrown (20 ft) Hand-and-a-Half Weapon. +4 vs AR. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) physical. Chant. Aradin can cast one of his chants. | |||||
| OR Aradin can take ONE of the following actions... | |||||
| Move. Aradin can move up to his speed.
Spear of Proclamation. Aradin can attack using his Spear of Proclamation. Chant. Aradin can cast one of his chants. | |||||
| ...AND take ONE of the following actions. | |||||
| Aura. Aradin can cast one of his available auras.
Spell. Aradin can cast one of his spells, provided that he has enough SP. War Bringer (1/Recoup). Two of Aradin’s allies within 30 ft of him gain +2 to damage rolls for the next 40 seconds. | |||||
| Reactions | |||||
| Preempt (1/Round). When a creature moves into reach of the Spear of Proclamation, Aradin can make an attack against that creature. | |||||