Shadow Warrior

A shadow warrior looks just as it did in life, and since many fell long ago their armor and clothes are often centuries out of date. In the shadowy faerie realm they are see-through until battle begins, when they turn partly solid. At portals on the mortal continent they are invisible; only someone with middling perception or better can see or hear them, and even then they look transparent. Each keeps every skill, language and memory it had while alive.

Player characters rarely have to fight these spirits, which is lucky, because they are fearsome. More often they show up as passing allies when good forces in a realm battle are losing, or at a mortal portal to give a warning. They will speak with good characters, but briefly, and they never form lasting pacts; treat them as a moment's aid or information, not extra party members. They will not help any group that includes even one evil character. After a fight they may question those they saved or simply fade into the twilight.

Translucent and silent, they surprise foes 90% of the time. Long experience means they often see through a monster's fey glamour or already know its weakness, and they may shout tactics to their allies. Most bear magical weapons; roll 1d10 or choose: 1, short sword of quickness; 2, long sword +2; 3-4, long sword +1; 5-6, long bow +1; 7-8, ordinary long bow; 9-10, ordinary sword. Each lieutenant has a 66% chance of bearing a sword of sharpness; otherwise (34%) it carries a crossbow of accuracy +3. Of the three captains, one wields a sword +4 defender, one a two-handed sword +3, and the last a long sword that is +2 against spellcasters and +3 against enchanted creatures.

Only silver or magical weapons hit them. Poison, paralyzation, sleep and charm fail against them, as does any illusion below 6th level. Ages of twilight have left them fragile against the sun sphere and necromancy. Light and continual light from any caster and sunray blind them automatically with no save, and sunray also deals damage as against undead. Necromancy spells deal double damage and give them a -2 penalty on saves, on top of any other modifiers.

Their commander is Prince Elvarion, a 15 Hit Die elf of an ancient forest's royal line. Centuries ago he died chasing a lich-lord back through a portal into the shadowy realm; when the gate closed, he and 50 other spirits were stranded on the far side and swore to fight for the light there. Humans and demihumans have joined them since. Small bands roam the realm helping where they can and gathering news; a 12 HD lieutenant leads any band numbering 10 or more, and three 13 HD captains serve directly under the prince. The bands sometimes unite for a major strike, but the prince knows they are too few for an all-out war and favors smaller fights they can actually win.

Their hidden headquarters lies deep in one of the realm's forests. Each band checks in there once in two to four months to report and get orders. The prince is there only 25% of the time, usually out on patrol, and a captain holds command in his absence. To signal across distances they use high whistles mortal ears cannot hear. A band that trusts a party's good nature may warn of danger ahead or ask what is happening in the realm. Their perception is high, a few (the prince among them) have extraordinary perception, but they oppose glamour so completely that they cannot wield it themselves.

The first 50 began as ghosts trapped in the mortal world until the prince, aided by his son, freed them at a portal battle and they followed him across. A new shadow warrior arises only when a champion of strong character dies defending the homeland against an incursion from the realm, and chooses to go on fighting; most were once elves or blooded heroes, and though their bloodlines ended at death, their tie to the land did not. A destroyed shadow warrior finally passes to the afterlife its culture promises.

The prince wields Gloomdrinker, a vorpal sword +6 forged by the gods before a cataclysmic battle on a mountain. Once used against him for evil, it is neutral in his hand. It is a bastard sword etched with wicked runes that try to corrupt whoever holds it; only the prince has resisted. Its edge cuts through glamour, showing foes, events and terrain as they truly are, and can slice open a portal between the realm and the mortal world at will, closed again with a single word. In evil hands it also gains the powers of a sword of wounding and of life stealing, adds 20 to its bearer's glamour score in combat, and gives a blooded wielder one more major blood ability. It was forged together with a holy twin, Dawnbrand, once carried by the prince's adopted human son and now lost.