Shuresska
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Author: Stephen Kenson
Homepage: http://members.aol.com/talonmail
System: d20 Dungeons and Dragons
Type: NPC
Category: Fantasy
Requirements:

Background:

Shuresska spoke out against this needless warfare. Didn’t nature provide for all that the lizardfolk needed? Their home swamp had bountiful hunting and ample room for egg clutches and hatchlings. What did they need human trinkets and shiny metals for? But his words fell on deaf ears, because the lizardfolk were drunk with battle lust and the success of their initial raids. The shamans were also growing suspicious of Shuresska’s objections, and he began to fear for his life. So he chose to leave his tribe and set out into the wilderness alone, where few could follow him, trusting nature to protect and sustain him.

For the past weeks, Shuresska has been qui-etly observing humans and other folk living near his home swamp. He has learned that they are mostly peaceful people that mean his own tribe no harm. This has only strengthened his resolve to see an end to the pointless raids and the evil plans of the shamans. Unfortunately, because of the raids, few people in the area trust any lizardfolk, instead driving them away or attacking on sight. Shuresska has been unable to find allies in his cause, and he knows he is no match for his enemies alone.

Stats:

Shuresska, a male lizardfolk 4th-level druid: CR 6; Medium Humanoid (reptilian) (6 1/2 ft. tall); HD 2d8+4 (lizardfolk) 4d8+8 (druid); hp 39; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+5 natural, +1 small shield); Atk +4 melee (1d8+2, shortspear), +3 ranged (1d8+1, shortspear); SA spells; SQ nature sense, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 10.

Skills:Animal Empathy +7, Concentra-tion +5, Intuit Direction +6, Handle Animal +7, Wilderness Lore +10.

Feats:Brew Potion, Combat Casting

Special Qualities:

Nature Sense: Shuresska can identify plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy.

Woodland Stride: Shuresska can move through thorns, briar, and other undergrowth at his normal movement rate without suffer-ing damage or other impairment.

Trackless Step: The lizard druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked.

Resist Nature’s Lure: +4 competence bonus to saves against the spell-like effects of feys.

Possessions:three shortspears (in back-quiver), small wooden shield, bone knife, necklace of teeth and shells, spell component pouch, 20 gp.

Spells Prepared (5/4/3):0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, know direction, light, purify food and drink; 1st— calm animals, cure light wounds, entangle, obscuring mist; 2nd— slow poison, speak with animals, tree shape.

Animal Companion (Giant Crocodile): CR 4; Huge animal (aquatic) (20 ft. long); HD 7d8+28; hp 59; Init +1 (Dex); Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC 16 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural); Atk +11 melee (2d8+12, bite) or +11 melee (1d12+12, tail slap); SA improved grab; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 27, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.

Adventure Seeds:

The party likely would encounter Shuresska looking for potential allies to help him over-throw the evil clerics that have seized control of his tribe. Together, they could hope to put an end to the raids by the lizardfolk so that peace can reign over the area once more. The lizard druid remains understandably cautious in approaching any nonlizardfolk, since few people trust his kind.

If discussions with the party seem to be turning hostile, Shuresska uses spells like entangleand obscuring mistto escape back into the swamp without harming anyone. Once there his druid abilities allow him to practically vanish (he can also use his tree shapespell if pursuers are close at hand, reassuming his normal form once they have passed). If the party includes a druid, Shuresska might contact them, appealing to his fellow druid for aid against this threat to the balance. In fact, Shuresska might send word (via an animal messengerspell) to a local circle of druids to ask their aid, in which case the party might be hirelings or followers of the druids, assigned to aid him.

Adventurers might come to a town where Shuresska tried to find help, only to be met by a hostile lynch mob, angry over the raids con-ducted by his fellow lizardfolk. The party can arrive just as the townsfolk are about to execute the lizard druid as an example, allowing them to intervene and hear Shuresska’s side of things. Finally, officials from a local town might ask the party to put an end to the lizardfolk raids, in which case they may encounter Shuresska in the swamp while seeking his tribe. He’ll try to approach them to talk, telling them that most of his people are not evil, merely the dupes of a few evil lizardfolk. He offers to help the characters if they agree not to harm any lizardfolk other than the shamans that must be overthrown.