Cloven Hoof Syndicate Guildmaster, Varon the Twisted, Satyr Piper
Male unique half-fiend satyr bard (celebrity) 9
NE Medium outsider (fey, native)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22
AC 29, touch 19, flat-footed 24 (+4 armor, +6 natural, +3 deflection, +1 dodge, +4 Dex)
HP 119 (9d8+8d6+51)
Fort +8, Ref +16, Will +18
DR 10/magic or silver, 5/cold iron; Immune death and necromancy effects, disease, poison; SR 26; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee +2 human bane dueling rapier +15/+10 (1d6+5/18-20), bite +9 (1d6+1), claw +9 (1d4+1), horns +9 (1d6+1) or bite +14 (1d6+3), 2 claws +14 (1d4+3), horns +14 (1d6+3)
Ranged +2 returning silver dagger +16/+11 (1d4+2/19-20)
Special Attacks bardic performance 26 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 20], inspire competence +3, inspire greatness, suggestion [DC 20]), breath of flies 1/minute (DC 21), smite good 1/day
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th, concentration +14) At will—charm person (DC 18), dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 16), sleep (DC 18), suggestion (DC 19), 3/day—darkness, poison (DC 18), unholy aura 1/day—blasphemy (DC 21), contagion (DC 20), desecrate, fear (DC 20), summon monster IX (fiends only), summon nature's ally III, unhallow, unholy blight (DC 18)
Spells Known (CL 9th)
3rd (4/day)-Charm Monster (DC 20), Glibness (DC 19), Lesser Geas (DC 20), Scrying (DC 19)
2nd (6/day)-Blistering Invective (DC 18), Cacophonous Call (DC 19), Reckless Infatuation (DC 19), Sound Burst (DC 18)
1st (7/day)-Ear-Piercing Scream (DC 17), Hideous Laughter (DC 18), Innocence, Unnatural Lust (DC 18), Youthful Appearance
0th-Daze (DC 17), Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Message, Sift, Unwitting Ally (DC 17)
Str 16, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 23
Base Atk +10; CMB +13; CMD 31
Feats Ability Focus (pipes), Deceitful, Dodge, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill Focus (Perception), Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Specialization (Charm Monster), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +16, Appraise +15, Bluff +28, Escape Artist +17, Fly +8, Handle Animal +30, Heal +9, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (nature) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Linguistics +9, Perception +22, Perform (oratory) +28, Perform (string instruments) +23, Perform (wind instruments) +30, Sense Motive +28, Sleight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +20, Survival +7, Use Magic Device +19
Racial Modifiers bardic knowledge +4
Languages common, draconic, daemonic, elven, sacaen, sylvan, undercommon
Gear +2 human bane rapier, +2 returning silver dagger
Other Gear amulet of proof against detection and location, bracers of armor +4, hat of disguise, masterwork musical instrument (pipes), masterwork musical instrument (lute), masterwork thieves' tools, pipes of sounding, potion of bear's endurance (3), potion of blur, potion of cure serious wounds (3), potion of haste, potion of resist energy (sonic) 10 (3), ring of mind shielding, ring of protection +2, wand of ear-piercing scream (CL 8 [25 charges]), wand of seek thoughts (15 charges)
Bardic Performance (Gather Crowd) (Ex) Varon is skilled at drawing an audience to his performances. If he is in a settlement or populated area, he can shout, sing, or otherwise make himself noticed in order to attract an audience to his impromptu stage. The size of the crowd depends on the local population, but typically is a number of people equal to 1/2 the bard's class level × the result of Varon's Perform check. The crowd gathers over the next 1d10 rounds. If Varon fails to engage the crowd (such as by performing, kissing babies, trying to use fascinate, and so on), it disperses over the next 1d10 rounds. This ability replaces lore master.
Bardic Performance (Shining Star) (Ex) Varon has learned how to focus attention on himself so thoroughly that even the presence of danger does not distract his adoring crowd. When using fascinate, a target making a save to break the effect because of a potential threat takes a –4 penalty on that save, and even obvious threats require a save rather than automatically breaking the effect. Creatures affected by Varon's fascinate ability ignore the shaken condition. The ability replaces dirge of doom.
Breath of Flies (Su) Granted by Varon's daemonic heritage. Once per minute as a standard action, Varon can unleash a cloud of corpse-bloated, biting black flies in a 20-foot cone. Those caught in the cone take 9d6 points of slashing damage. A DC 21 Reflex save halves this damage. Those who take any damage are also sickened for 1 minute. In addition, the flies linger for 1d4+1 rounds, congealing into a buzzing 20-foot square cloud centered on the cone's original point of origin. Any creature that ends its turn in this cloud must make a DC 21 Reflex save to avoid taking 4d6 points of damage and becoming sickened for 1 minute. This cloud of flies may be dispersed by any area effect that does damage or creates wind of at least strong wind force. Daemons are immune to this effect. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
Famous (Egorian) (Ex) +3 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks in Egorian and to influence people from Egorian. This ability replaces inspire courage.
Pipes (Su) Varon can focus and empower his magic by playing haunting melodies on his panpipes. When he plays, all creatures within a 60-foot radius must make a DC 18 Will save or be affected by charm person, fear, sleep, or suggestion, depending on what tune Varon chooses. A creature that successfully saves against any of the pipes' effects cannot be affected by the same set of pipes for 24 hours. Varon's use of his pipes does not count toward his uses per day of his spell-like abilities, and if separated from them he may continue to use his standard abilities. The pipes themselves are masterwork, and Varon can craft a replacement with 1 week of labor. The save DC is Charisma-- based.
"There was a time when life was simple. Days and nights were filled with the pursuit of pleasure. I knew the pleasant company of mortal and fey alike, and we reveled in the eternal twilight of our Realm. We knew nothing of the darkness that would fall over us. Some resisted the changes, but I saw how fruitless it was to fight them. Instead, I embraced them, opened myself to them. I discovered that there were pleasures to be found there – new experiences and surprising sensations. I reveled in them; and I was rewarded for my boldness. Alas, you will not be so fortunate. Existence holds nothing more for you. We will destroy all that your kind has built. All will fall to nothing. You won’t see it, of course. We have had our fun, you and I, but my masters hunger for something more. It’s all right with me if you want to start screaming now."
In his true form Varon is still a satyr, but the forces that imbued him with the powers of Abaddon wrought such havoc on his body that some might question that fact. From the waist up he still has the near-perfect physique of his untainted fey kin, but Varon’s flesh is sallow and, in the right light, seems to have a reddish tint. Small sores occasionally erupt in his flesh, especially around his armpits, and weep blood-tinged fluids almost like sweat. His horns, growing out from under wiry black hair, are cracked and dun-colored, appearing more like the fingernails of a dead man than the magnificent antlers for which satyrs are so well known. While his upper body is at least normal in shape, the satyr’s legs yield clear evidence of the daemonic influences that changed him. The hair on his goat-like legs is coarse and black, more like the bristles on a fly’s back than actual hair. His right knee actually bends backward, as though the entire leg had been removed and reattached without regard for correct anatomy. This backward leg does not slow Varon down, but it does cause him to move awkwardly, even in his human disguise – a problem he hides with his modified gate. Like his horns, Varon’s hooves are cracked and grey. It is almost as though his feet and horns were subjected to immense heat and never healed.
Although his leg and other deformities could easily be the reasons for his nickname, Varon is mainly called “The Twisted” because he revels in the pain, torture and destruction of the pure fey and anyone else he can get his clawed hands on. He is a sadist in the truest sense of the word.
Like most of the creatures of the Faerie Realms, Varon the Twisted has existed for a very long time. The satyr was born from the essence of Faerie in a dominion whose original name was lost in the midst of a great catastrophe. Now the place is known only as the Hollow of Shrieking Laughter.
Even before the dominion’s passage into Abaddon, Varon was a selfish creature whose dalliances with others were not limited by species and had everything to do with taking pleasure for himself. All satyrs are lusty and self-centered, but Varon’s egotism was always tinged with a hint of malice; he was convinced that his pleasure was far more important than anything else. With such a powerful focus on his own desires, the satyr was not about to allow himself to be destroyed with his fey brothers and sisters who fought the daemonic tide that suddenly rose up to claim them.
The forces that looked into that lost dominion saw something within the satyr that they could use. Varon will tell those who ask that the sheer power of his will was too much for the daemons to resist and they were forced to accept him as one of their own. The outsiders from Abaddon who have remained in the Hollow merely snicker at this, for most of them can see through his disguises and know what horrors were wrought upon the satyr’s once perfect form.
Varon is quite well known throughout Egorian, especially among the rich and influential members of society. To them, he is a talented musician and witty speaker whose performances leave one breathless. When among his most devoted fans, Varon frequently lets slip that his talent may come from “a bit of fey blood” in his background, but refrains from saying more.
To the general public, Varon appears as a human male, though his ethnicity is a matter of debate among even his most ardent supporters. His high cheekbones, slicked-back blonde hair, and angular beard certainly give him a fey aspect, but could also be attributed to devilish influences. In this guise, Varon wears tightly fitting doublets that accentuate his broad muscular chest and well-toned arms.
When he walks, Varon the bard moves slowly and carefully, a mannerism that makes it look like he is stalking prey as he moves through a crowd. Indeed, there are
many who hope to become the quarry in such a hunt. They might feel differently if they were to learn the truth of Varon’s existence. In the rare instances that he removes his magical disguise, the reason he is known as Varon the Twisted becomes undeniably clear.
Charged with furthering the cause of the four Horsemen and bringing the horrors of death upon the mortal world, Varon takes his duties very seriously. The fact that he can derive such perverse pleasures while carrying out his mission actually helps to keep him focused. At his core he is still a satyr, and such creatures cannot deny their lusty natures for very long. Unfortunately, while his untainted brethren’s revelry tend to have only embarrassing results, Varon’s indulgences usually have far more serious consequences for his partners. Varon rarely spends intimate time with the same person twice.
Ultimately, Varon views his mission in the city as a vast and complex game – one that he loves to play. He enjoys toying with his wealthy patrons in much the same way a cat will play with a mouse, but he does so in a way that many find absolutely charming. His charm is undeniable, even to those few minions who know what he truly is. Those who see only the rakish human bard simply cannot resist his lure and demand his attendance at their lavish parties. They have no idea that he seeks to claim their lives and give their souls over to creatures who will subject them to unimaginable tortures and eventually consume them.
As the mastermind of the Cloven Hoof Syndicate’s operations, Varon avoids direct confrontation with his foes as much as possible. He prefers to manipulate others into achieving his goals for him and has honed his abilities to control the thoughts and feelings of other creatures. If he is forced to engage in combat, Varon will use his abilities to confuse foes and keep them off balance until he can gain the upper hand or get reinforcements. He is a skilled duelist, however, and puts his rapier to good use when necessary.
Although his deformed legs do not actually slow him down, they do cause him some discomfort. Therefore, he relies on his ability to fly whenever possible, even if he remains only a few feet off the ground. If he determines that his enemies are susceptible to his blasphemy spell-like ability, he will use it to quickly knock out as many foes as possible.
Varon is by no means too proud to flee combat. His primary goal is the degradation and ultimate destruction of Egorian's social structure, leading to as much misery and death as possible. He has no illusions that this goal can be achieved immediately and prefers to escape, regroup, and deal with his enemies at a time and place of his choosing.
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