Fiend Knight

This elite corps was forged from ordinary men by the mad overking of a now-fallen empire and his court sorcerer, using mind-binding magic from baatezu relics. The knights are mindlessly loyal to him.

A fiend knight's Hit Dice equal its old fighter level, so a 5th-level fighter becomes a 5 HD knight. Nearly every knight is 10th level or below. The exceptions are three commanders, at 15, 12 and 11 HD, who along with roughly twelve more knights wear +3 fiend plate. Others have a 5% chance per level of enchanted plate (roll 1d10: +1 on 1-8, +2 on 9, +3 on 10), or else wear ordinary plate.

Their arms are always composite long bows and two-handers, most often greatswords, with the same 5% per level chance, rolled separately for each weapon, that it is magical on the same table. Every leader's weapons are magical, and the three senior commanders bear potent blades: a +3 giant slayer greatsword and a +3 greatsword of cold.

Their ability scores are high. Strength is never below 18/01, Dexterity and Constitution never below 15, and no score falls under 9.

Beyond the leaders, the corps numbers roughly 80 cavalry and 120 heavy infantry. Of the riders, 20 sit on undead steeds, which are heavy warhorses immune to sleep, charm and hold, and 60 on ordinary heavy warhorses. Cavalry carry heavy lances, magical at 5% per level, plus footman's flails and their two-handers. Each infantryman bears a long spear and assorted polearms on top of his other arms, with a 2% chance per level of a magical polearm.

All wear gold visors and an emblem etched over the heart, a tan horse for riders and a bronze baboon for foot soldiers. The infantry, nicknamed the Howlers, shriek and howl as they charge to unnerve the enemy.

Not being undead, they share none of the undead's weaknesses; they cannot be turned or harmed by holy water. They are simply humans under total control, created by an early form of the vile rites that later spawned the overking's undead lieutenants. Their machine-like obedience terrifies everyone, including the overking's other troops, who hate serving beside them.