Gorbrakul,
Slayer King
We’ve been experimenting this year with providing some NPCs to round out our Exotic Encounters, and today we have the latest result: a mighty orcish war chieftain ready to put adventurers of just about any level to the test. Whether you use him as Gorbrakul, or just as any powerful orcish warlord, he’s sure to make for a memorable opponent.
Gorbrakul, Slayer King
This massive orc is covered in scars. His greenish skin is darker than that of most orcs, with a more earthy tone, and his tusks are enormous. He has an eyepatch over his left eye, and his right hand ends in a stump, to which a razor-sharp stiletto has been attached.
GORBRAKUL, SLAYER KING CR 18
XP 153,600
Male orc bloodragerACG 10/brawlerACG 8
CE Medium humanoid (orc)
Init +6; Senses darkvision; Perception +20
DEFENSE
AC 29, touch 13, flat-footed 26 (+9 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 luck, -2 rage, +7 shield)
hp 203 (18d10+100)
Fort +22, Ref +16, Will +13; +6 vs. compulsion
DR 2/—; Defensive Abilities blood sanctuary, embedded weapon, ferocity, improved uncanny dodge
Weaknesses light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 vicious frost punching dagger +29/+24/+19/+14 (1d8+11 plus 1d6 cold plus 2d6 vicious/19–20 x3) or +1 vicious frost punching dagger brawler’s flurry +27/+27/+22/+22/+17/+12 (1d8+11 plus 1d6 cold plus 2d6 vicious/19–20 x3)
Special Attacks bloodrage (24 rounds/day), brawler’s flurry, brawler’s strike (magic), certain strike, destined strike (3/day; +5), knockout (1/day; DC 22), merciless
Bloodrager Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +13)
3rd (2/day)—fly, haste, protection from energy
2nd (2/day)—acid arrow, blur, bull’s strength, mirror image, protection from arrows
1st (3/day)—enlarge person, jump, mount, protection from law, ray of enfeeblement, shield
Bloodline destined
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +18; CMB +26; CMD 39
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Eschew MaterialsB, Greater Shield Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Critical (punching dagger), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Power Attack, Shield Focus, Toughness, Weapon Focus (punching dagger), Weapon Specialization (punching dagger)
Skills Intimidate +32, Perception +20
Languages Common, Orc
SQ blood casting, brawler’s cunning, close weapon mastery, fast movement, free spirit, maneuver training (grapple +1, sunder +2), martial flexibility (7/day; swift action), martial training, weapon familiarity
ENCOUNTERS
Entourage solitary, procession (Gorbrakul plus 2–6 14th-level orc barbarians), raiding party (Gorbrakul plus 4–12 14th-level orc barbarians plus 1 18th-level orc oracle)
Gear +1 vicious frost punching dagger, +3 heavy steel shield, +5 chain shirt, belt of mighty constitution +2, cloak of resistance +5, headband of alluring charisma +4
Boon Gorbrakul can induct the PCs into the Skullspitter tribe, making them honorary members and allowing them to barter and trade with tribe members, as well as call upon them for aid in hunting or battle. Gorbrakul can also provide a handful of his finest orc warriors (14th-level barbarians) to aid the PCs as escorts, guides, trackers, and so on.
BASE STATISTICS
When not raging, Gorbrakul’s statistics are AC 31, touch 15, flat-footed 28; hp 167; Fort +20, Will +11; Melee +1 vicious frost punching dagger +27/+22/+17/+12 (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold plus 2d6 vicious/19–20 x3) or +1 vicious frost punching dagger brawler’s flurry +25/+25/+20/+20/+15/+10 (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold plus 2d6 vicious/19–20 x3); Str 22; Con 14; CMB +26; CMD 39; Skills Intimidate +30
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Embedded Weapon (Ex): Gorbrakul’s +1 vicious frost punching dagger is embedded in his arm. It cannot be targeted by spells or abilities, and he cannot be disarmed of it, nor can it be sundered or stolen. If Gorbrakul is slain or rendered helpless, his weapon can be removed from the stump of his arm with a successful Heal check (DC 15).
Free Spirit (Ex): Gorbrakul strongly resists any attempt to control him. He gains a +6 bonus on Will saves made to resist compulsion effects. Additionally, whenever he succeeds on a saving throw to resist a compulsion effect while bloodraging, the morale bonus to Strength granted by the bloodrage increases by +4 for the remainder of that bloodrage. This ability does not stack with itself.
Merciless (Ex): Gorbrakul gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures that are shaken. This bonus increases to +4 against creatures that are frightened or panicked.
Background
Gorbrakul, the Slayer King of the Skullspitter tribe, earned his name the hard way. Many of those not familiar with the Skullspitter tribe, and their naming conventions, assume that the moniker “slayer king” is a mix-up of the phrase “king slayer,” and that he earned the title by killing his predecessor, or perhaps some important human king. In fact, the name actually translates more literally from orcish as “the most deadly,” and it represents the belief of his clan that he is the most lethal combatant currently alive today. Gorbrakul’s victims in single combat include a marilith, an ancient red dragon, and a kraken. He has slain no less than 3,000 humanoids throughout his lifetime, some in single combat, and others on the field of battle.
Gorbrakul rules his clan with a fair, if somewhat harsh, hand. He is not particularly cruel or controlling, and allows the Skullspitters a fair deal of personal freedoms, provided that they are able to keep up with his fairly demanding expectations when it comes to their performance as warriors. Members of the tribe are expected to train rigorously for warfare and combat, including the elderly and the young (starting at age 4). The definition of “rigorous” training varies depending on the individual’s age, and whether they are fulfilling other roles for the clan, but none avoid it entirely. All members of the clan are included in fighting and warfare to some degree, as well.
Gorbrakul has led the Skullspitters on a campaign of subjugation, and for the last fifteen or twenty years, the Skullspitters have been systematically killing off and enslaving rival orc tribes. Those who are enslaved are eventually adopted into the Skullspitters after one to five years of slavery, provided they perform well. The rest are slain. With the recent fall of the Blind Raven clan, the Skullspitters are largely unopposed, and, with an army of enslaved warriors and their own mighty forces, they have begun to look a bit further from their harsh, mountainous home to the regions beyond.