Neidra, The Serpent Queen

Legend tells how the fortress of Kerow Du was once the domain of a powerful warlord. His queen, Neidra, was sister to the Warlord, Vortgern.  When her brother forged the crown of the five jewels, and made his bid for power, her husband refused to pay homage, and instead took up arms against the tyrant.  But Neidra’s marriage had been a union of politics; she never loved her husband, and so she murdered him by placing a viper in the bed he shared with his mistress.   

Neidra allied with her brother as he crushed and cowed those that would stand against him.  But the crown of five jewels corrupted all who bowed before it, and Neidra became known for her cruelty and malice; often throwing captives and slaves, including children, into pits filled with vipers for her own amusement…and through the screams of the tormented, Kerow Du became a place of fear, pain and suffering.

Following the defeat of Vortigern by the hand of Derwen at the Battle of Carolan, Neidra fled back to Kerow Du, and it was here, with her enemies closing in, that Neidra offered her soul to powers of darkness and in return for protection.
And darkness answered her call, for the surrounding land became a blighted and desolate place, attracting all manner of fell creatures to protect her domain.

Neidra herself was in turn transformed into a twisted parody of the serpents that she kept, as her legs melded into a serpent's tail…and as a final gift, the darkness bestowed upon her a deadly power to petrify those whose eyes met hers, with the pure malevolence of her gaze.

Neidra, The Serpent Queen
FREQUENCY:	Rare
NO. APPEARING:	1
ARMOR CLASS:	7 (12)
MOVE:	90' (30')
HIT DICE:	6HD
TREASURE TYPE:	B
THAC0	13 [+6]
NO. OF ATTACKS:	1x weapon (Serpent Headed Staff 1D6) or 1-2 x Claw attack (1D4) or Paralysing Gaze or spells
SPECIAL ATTACKS:	See Below
SPECIAL DEFENSES:	Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE:	As per below
STRENGTH	12
INTELLIGENCE:	15 (+1)
WIDSOM	9
DEXTERITY	13 (+1)
CONSTITUTION	12
CHARISMA	15 (+1)
ALIGNMENT:	CHAOTIC
MORALE	9
SIZE:	Normal
SAVES:	as per HD
Death	10
Wand	11
Paralysis	12
Breath	13
Spells	14
Special Rules:	Neidra can use her petrifying gaze as her action. The target must look Neidra directly in the eyes, this is determined through a normal attack roll against the targets base armour class (i.e. discounting armour but including Dexterity bonus'). If the attack roll is successful, the target must make a successful save v paralysis or be turned to stone.  A successful save also means the target cannot be affected again for the duration of the encounter. Characters that are blindfolded or is otherwise blind are unaffected by Neidra's petrifying gaze  Neidra is also a powerful sorceress with the spellcasting capability of a 5th level magic user.  As such, she knows the following spells Level 1 - Lure, Push Level 2 - Wrack, Serpent Staff Level 3 - Clairvoyance, Lightning Bolt  New Spells: Name: Lure Discipline: Sorcery  Duration: 1 Turn Range: 120' Description: The caster compels 1D4 targets per level of the caster to move to a specific location in range.  The targets maintain all other aspects of free-will but the overwhelming desire to move to the location cannot be ignored.  If restrained, the target will attempt to continue, but not act with hostility to those attempting the restraint.  Line of sight is not required, but an awareness of the target's presence and location is. Targets may attempt a save v spell to resist the effects. Name: Wrack Range: 60' Duration: up to 1 round per level of the caster Description: The caster bends their will to cause the target to be wracked with pain throughout their entire body, suffering 1d4 points of damage for each round the caster concentrates on the target.  The target may neither move nor take any action whilst this happen.  A Save vs Spell may be attempted in the first round to resist the effects.  If successful, the spell ends.  The caster may also choose to end the spell at any time, and equally the spell ends if the caster's concentration is interrupted e.g. should they suffer any damage Name: Serpent Staff Range: Touch Duration: 1 round per level of the caster Description: The caster's staff turns into a live snake.  If the snake is killed, the staff is destroyed, otherwise it returns to its normal state at the end of the spell. AC 6 [13], HD2 (9hp), Att 1x Bite (1D4 + Poison), THACO 18 [+1], MV 90' (30'), SV D12 W13 B15 S16. Poison - Save v Death or take 1D6 wounds for 6 Turns Neidra's staff is a 5ft rod of bronze, tipped with a serpent's head.  As such, it deals the same damage as a mace (1D6) :