Demon Lord, Sonechard (3pp; General of Orcus)

This ram-headed humanoid appears to be at least as twice as tall as a human and has leathery gray skin. Large, curved horns,—the left one broken off midway from its starting point—jut from its head. Two large bat-like wings spread from his shoulders. The creature’s body is covered in thick, dark hair. Portions of the hair are torn away in areas revealing masses of battle-born scars and damage.

Sonechard (General of Orcus) CR 21

XP 409,600
CE Large outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +41; Aura unholy aura (DC 27), stench (20 ft., DC 32, nauseated, 10 rounds)

DEFENSE

AC 46, touch 24, flat-footed 40 (+6 Dex, +22 natural, –1 size, +9 profane)
hp 385 (22d10+264)
Fort +25, Ref +13, Will +21
DR 20/cold iron and good; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 32

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee +4 unholy wounding heavy pick +39/+34/+29/+24 (1d8+17/19–20/x4 plus 1 bleed) or 2 claws +34 (1d8+13)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks control undead, undead master
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th)

Constantunholy aura (DC 27)
At willanimate dead, blasphemy (DC 26), create undead, death knell (DC 21), detect magic, detect good, desecrate, greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), power word stun, suggestion (DC 22), telekinesis (DC 24), tongues (self only), unhallow, unholy blight (DC 23), wall of fire
3/daycreate greater undead, fireball (DC 22)
1/daycircle of death (DC 25), destruction (DC 26), summon (level 9, 4d10 dretches, 1d4 hezrous, or 1 nalfeshnee, 1 glabrezu, 1 marilith, or 1 balor 100%), summon (level 9, 4d10 zombies or skeletons, 2d8 shadows, wights, or wraiths, 2d4 greater shadows or spectres, or 1d4 dread wraiths 100%)

STATISTICS

Str 37, Dex 23, Con 34, Int 26, Wis 26, Cha 28
Base Atk +22; CMB +36; CMD 61
Feats Bleeding Critical, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Critical Focus, Deceitful, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (heavy pick), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy pick)
Skills Acrobatics +17, Bluff +38, Diplomacy +34, Disguise +35, Escape Artist +28, Fly +22, Intimidate +34, Knowledge (arcana) +30, Knowledge (history) +30, Knowledge (nobility) +33, Knowledge (planes) +33, Perception +41, Sense Motive +33, Stealth +27, Survival +33; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Terran; telepathy 100 ft.
Gear Fool’s Errand

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Control Undead (Su)

This ability functions as the spell of the same name (CL 20th), except that Sonechard maintains control for 200 minutes. Sonechard can take control of undead creatures controlled by another creature whose caster level is 19 or less by making a successful opposed Charisma check against the opponent’s Charisma check.

Undead Master (Ex)

This ability allows Sonechard to create a maximum of 50 HD of undead with a single use of animate dead. If used in conjunction with desecrate, he can create 100 HD of undead with a single use.

Gear

Unique Item: Fool’s Errand: Sonechard’s unique weapon is a +4 unholy wounding heavy pick.

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Abyss)
Organization solitary or troupe (Sonechard plus 1–4 wraiths or spectres, 2–16 shadows and 2–20 skeletons or zombies)
Treasure double standard

Sonechard is a General in the infernal armies of Orcus and serves him at least to all onlookers with unswerving loyalty. He has countless numbers of demons and undead at his command. Though his true loyalty lies only to himself, he would never openly refuse a request by Orcus nor challenge his position as Prince of the Undead. Should the day come when Orcus weakens, Sonechard plans to be there to claim what he believes is rightfully his.

Sonechard makes his home in a large castle called Chillhall that sits atop a plateau of scorched earth surrounded by a moat of blood. The walls are constructed of bone and sinew, and it is said that the souls of those who cross him are entombed within.

Sonechard stands 14 feet tall and weighs about 3,500 pounds.

Sonechard is almost always encountered with a large number of demons or undead at his side. When he enters battle, he usually unleashes a fireball at his foes immediately, and then follows it up with a circle of death effect or a suggestion. Dying creatures are subjected to his death knell spell-like ability and then raised via animate dead.

Should Sonechard find himself on the losing end of a battle, he does not hesitate to retreat, covering his escape with summoned or created undead and demons. A defeat is not forgotten—or forgiven. He remembers his opponents, and sends his troops to exterminate them at first chance, bringing their carcasses to his keep where he grinds their remains into a fine powder and gives it to his servants to be used to spice up the keep’s foodstuffs.

Sonechard’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Sonechard from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.

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