The Shadow GladeBy Jesse Decker

The Shadow Glade
By Jesse Decker

Adepts of the Shadow Glade

In the heart of the Shadow Glade, a small cabal of shadar-kai wizards seek to bring yet more of the forest and its denizens under their sway. As the characters near the center of the glade, the wizards send more scouts and shadow creatures against them. At least six powerful wizards inhabit the center of glade, although it is up to you to determine how many confront the characters should they attempt to enter the area.

Although they are evil, the shadar-kai realize that the ritual that they have used to create the Shadow Glade is not powerful enough to encompass an area much bigger than the one that they already dominate. If the characters are careful and make contact with the shadar-kai before killing large numbers of the scouts or shadow creatures, the shadow fey might be willing to interact peacefully with neighboring communities.

Shadow Glade Arcanist: Male shadar-kai Wizard 10; CR 11; Medium fey (extraplanar); HD 3d6+3 plus 10d4+10; hp 48; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 17, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +6; Grp +6; Atk +12 melee (2d4+1, +1 spiked chain); Fuill Atk +12/+7 melee (2d4+1, +1 spiked chain); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ hide in plain sight, shadow curse, summon familiar, superior low-light vision, wild empathy; AL NE; SV Fort +10, Ref +18, Will +16; Str 10, Dex 20, Con 13, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Concentration +17, Hide +11, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (nature) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +15, Listen +9, Move Silently +11, Search +11, Spellcraft +21, Spot +9, Survival +7; Alertness, Empower Spell, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Spell Penetration, Weapon Finesse.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A shadow glade scout can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is not illuminated by natural daylight, the daylight spell, or a similar magical light, he can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.

Shadow Curse (Su): While within the limits of the Shadow Glade, a shadow glade arcanist does not suffer the effects of the shadow curse. See the Fiend Folio for more information on the shadow curse.

Summon Familiar: The shadow glade arcanist can summon an owl familiar. Such familiars typically scout the forest around the Glade of Shadows, but they do not take part in combat.

Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex): A shadow glade arcanist has extraordinary vision in low-light conditions. He can see four times as far as a human in low-light conditions.

Wizard Spells Prepared (4/6/5/4/4/3; save DC 15 + spell level): 0 -- dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand; 1st -- disguise self, mage armor, magic missile (2), ray of enfeeblement, shield; 2nd -- cat's grace, invisibility, scorching ray, spider climb, web; 3rd -- dispel magic, fly, lightning bolt (2); 4th -- charm monster, Evard's black tentacles, greater invisibility, summon monster IV; 5th -- cloudkill, dominate person, teleport.

Spellbook: 0 -- acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue; 1st -- alarm, disguise self, identify, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield; 2nd -- cat's grace, invisibility, knock, scorching ray, spider climb, web, whispering wind; 3rd -- dispel magic, fly, hold person, lightning bolt, phantom steed; 4th -- animate dead, charm monster, Evard's black tentacles, greater invisibility, summon monster IV; 5th -- cloudkill, dominate person, Mordenkainen's private sanctum, teleport.

Skills: *Shadar-kai have a +10 racial bonus on Hide checks made in dark or shadowy conditions (anything other than daylight or the area of a daylight spell).

Possessions: +1 spiked chain, potions of cure moderate wounds (2), ring of protection +2, wand of magic missiles (5th level, 50 charges), amulet of natural armor +2, circlet of Intelligence +2, cloak of resistance +4, elemental gem (earth), 75 gp.

Notes: One of the arcanists casts Mordenainen's private sanctum on the heart of the glade each day and therefore has one less 5th-level spell available.