Nils

Size/Type: Medium Magical Humanoid

Hit Dice: 10

Initiative: +2

Speed: 30 feet

AC: 25 (+2 Dex) (+13 natural)

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1-8 (plus special drain-see below)

Face/Reach: 6ft. by 6 ft.

Special Attacks: Level Drain / Magic Drain

Special Qualities: Immune to Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, and Poison.

Unaffected by Normal or Magical Weapons

Can sense and detect magical items

Darkvision -- 60 feet.

Saves: Automatically makes all saves except as described below.

Abilities: STR:10 DEX:14 CON:18 INT:15 WIS:15 CHA:6

Skills: Hide +1, Search +5, Spot +4, Move Silently +1

Feats: Magic Sense

Climate/Terrain: Desert or Dry Wasteland

Organization: Small groups (1-6)

Challenge Rating: 9

Treasure: Double Normal (no magic except as described below)

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Advancement: none

Description: They do not speak but appear to communicate with each other by some form of telepathy. They speak only their language and will not speak any other.

Combat: Nil are stealthy and silent creatures who prefer to attack by surprise rather than by a frontal assault. They will watch a group of adventurers for quite some time before they will attack. They will use their magical sense to detect what possessions on a character are the most magical. They will then plan a surprise attack, attempting to drain the most powerful items first. Their touch acts as a Rod of Cancellation against magical items. If the Nil feel the characters are too big of a threat, they will use their power to drain the life energy of their prey (1 level drained per hit).

Characters who foolishly stay in hand-to-hand combat with the Nil run the risk of losing their most valued magical weapons, or risk losing their very souls. Once the prey is killed or captured the Nil will drain several magic items of their power, and then store the rest for later “meals”. Any character captured by the Nil will suffer a long and horrid death as their life force is slowly drained away by the hungry Nil. A character completely drained of life by a Nil can NEVER be raised or resurrected.

As stated above, the Nil are completely immune to fire, cold, lightning, acid, and poison. Normal or Magical Weapons simply skitter off their parched grey hides. The only thing that will harm a Nil is water. It need not be holy water, as any water will do. The Nil will take 4D8 worth of damage every round they are exposed to water, until they “dissolve”. At the first sign of water the Nil will flee in panic. If by chance a Nil is captured, it will fight vigorously to the very end.

Magically created snowstorms will do only half damage as the Nils will absorb some of the conjuration energies, but magically created rain will effect them like an acid spray.

Society: The Nil are a selfish and magic hungry race that looks on all other races as a source of food. They will not negotiate or surrender in a battle, nor will they attempt to plead for their own life. If faced with certain death, the Nil will go out fighting. They have no other concerns apart from their own survival.

The Nil, long ago known as the Nilihites, were once a proud and vital race who sought knowledge and the source of all true magic. They had a society that spanned many continents, and were the envy of many other races. For centuries they searched for the Ultimate Source, an unending wellspring of magical power. Unfortunately, they would regret their lust for power. A group of Nilihite wizards stumbled on the Source by accident and caused a backlash of power which transformed their entire race. Now the Nil are but shadows of their former selves. Their frail looking out forms are but shells that contain their now limitless need for magic energy and living life-force. In truth, the Nil are composed of almost pure magic. But the magic is tainted, and drains away with the passage of time. The Nil must renew their power often or they will pass away without a trace, into non-existence.

The Nil now gather together in small, tight-knit groups. Each group will be found in areas where the climate is dry and arid. Often they will find a magical cache or artifact and slowly drain the power away to sustain them. If threatened with starvation the Nil will begin draining the life-force from any creature they can find. If energy becomes too scarce, they will turn on each other.

Nils reproduce through an odd form cloning. When a Nil drains the last bits of life-force from a sentient prey, the Nil will go thru a transformation where it will divide itself into two identical Nil. This process takes about a minute to complete, during which a Nil is completely unable to defend itself. Nil like to avoid this situation in combat, but will willingly do it after a battle to it’s captured or fallen foes.

© 2004 Sean P. Kennedy

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