Rilmani

Some say the universe is composed of opposing forces, elements, and ideas: good and evil, light and darkness, heat and cold. Supposedly, the interaction between these forces and concepts defines everything.

The rilmani would be quick to disagree with that contention.

Between all these forces and ideas, they say, exists a middle ground⁠—​neutrality, shrouding shadow, comfort. The rilmani argue that these phenomena and concepts are at the heart of the nature of existence, and conflict between opposing forces such as good and evil threatens this existence.

The rilmani exist to protect that middle ground and to correct any imbalances that would compromise or destroy it. When the forces of evil⁠—​or good⁠—​threaten to overwhelm a world, the rilmani step in to set things right.

Rilmani speak their own tongue, Common, and Undercommon.

Combat

Rilmani prefer not to involve themselves in any kind of conflict until the ramifications of that conflict can be ascertained. If aiding or hindering one side will preserve the balance of power and the existence of a middle ground, rilmani are quick to act or to advise.

Rilmani use their polymorph ability to disguise themselves while they determine the alignments and motivations of those around them. If an imbalance is detected, rilmani often insert themselves into the conflict in the guise of some type ofcreature already involved.

Summon Rilmani (Sp): Rilmani can summon other rilmani as though casting a summon monster spell, but they have varying degrees of success. Roll 1d100 and compare the result to the die range given in the rilmani’s specific description (if the summoning is not automatic): On a failure, no rilmani answer the summons. Summoned creatures automatically return whence they came after 1 hour.

A summoned rilmani cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour.

Rilmani Characters

Most rilmani advance by increasing their Hit Dice, but some choose to advance as characters. The favored class of an aurumach is cleric. A cuprilach’s favored class is rogue. A ferrumach’s favored class is fighter. A rilmani PC’s effective character level (ECL) is its class level plus the appropriate modifier: aurumach +25, cuprilach +17, ferrumach +13. Thus, a 1st-level ferrumach fighter has an ECL of 14 and is the equivalent of a 14th-level character.

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Aurumach • Cuprilach • Ferrumach

Aurumach ⬆️

Aurumachs are the most powerful rilmani and the de facto leaders of the race. Some cuprilachs and ferrumachs chafe under this rule since the aurumachs sometimes use the lesser rilmani as expendable pawns in their larger plans, and their ability to block thought reading foils the lesser rilmani’s means of divining their ultimate purpose.

When aurumachs appear in their natural forms, they resemble powerfully muscled, golden-skinned humanoids the size of ogres. Unlike those foul creatures, aurumachs are hairless and smooth-skinned. Their immaculate beauty and calming presence puts most creatures at ease.

Aurumachs are the diplomats and strategists of the rilmani. When they become personally involved in an affair of balance, it is because all covert means at their disposal have failed. They appear unarmed and unarmored, openly welcoming individuals to speak about the issues at hand and resolve a way to find a middle ground. Should such tactics fail, the aurumachs’ armor and weapons appear in a scintillating flash, and the rilmani achieve with violence what words failed to accomplish.

In addition to Rilmani, Common, and Undercommon, aurumachs speak Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, and Sylvan.

Combat

An aurumach rarely initiates combat, since it prefers to use physical confrontation as a last resort. When it does enter melee, it is a formidable foe that is capable of dealing great damage with each deadly swing of its halberd. An aurumach often flies above a foe and makes trip attempts, and it withholds the use ofits antithesis ability and the full fury of its attacks until it becomes clear the foe wont relent.

Antithesis (Su): Any creature that is hit by the aurumach’s melee attack or that touches it with a natural weapon or unarmed attack takes a certain kind of damage depending on how its alignment varies from neutral. Chaotic creatures take 2d6 points of lawful damage. Lawful creatures take 2d6 points of chaotic damage. Evil creatures take 2d6 points of holy damage. Good creatures take 2d6 points of unholy damage. Thus, a creature of chaotic good alignment would take an extra 4d6 points of damage (2d6 lawful, 2d6 unholy) each time it was struck by the aurumach. An aurumach can suppress or resume the use of this ability as a free action.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​ charm monster, comprehend languages, cone of cold, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts, feather fall, greater dispel magic, sanctuary, tongues; 3/day⁠—​ dismissal, fly, forbiddance, heal, greater teleport (self plus maximum load of objects only); magic circle against chaos, magic circle against evil, magic circle against good, magic circle against law, magic missile, mass suggestion, mind blank, polymorph prismatic spray, true seeing. Caster level 17th; save DC 18 + spell level.

Summon Rilmani (Sp): Once per day, an aurumach can automatically summon 2d4 ferrumachs or 1d2 cuprilachs (aurumach’s choice).

Summon Armor (Su): An aurumach rilmani wears no armor, but when threatened by any attack, a semitranslucent suit of golden +4 full plate appears on its body just in time to help defend against the attack and then vanishes immediately after. The appearance of this armor cannot be prevented, but it can be suppressed in an antimagic field. The armor never affects an aurumach’s speed, weight carried, or skill checks.

Summon Weapon (Su): An aurumach can be armed in an instant by magically summoning a golden +3 halberd. When separated from the aurumach, the weapon vanishes. An aurumach can summon or dispel its own weapon as a free action.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 141. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update.

Cuprilach ⬆️

Cuprilachs are the spies and assassins of the rilmani. When an imbalance can be corrected by the “removal” of specific individual or small group, cuprilachs are sent in to take care of it.

Hairless like an aurumach, a cuprilach in its natural form looks like a lithe and somewhat gaunt person with copper skin, but few creatures ever get to see this form. A cuprilach rarely travels without wearing layers of disguises.

Cuprilachs spin webs of lies and deceit like master bards improvising great music. Confident and charismatic, cuprilachs use their skills to infiltrate foes’ forces and impersonate enemies. Individuals of unbalancing power are sometimes shocked to discover that their most trusted confidant or cherished loved one was replaced by a cuprilach years before the rilmani was given the order to strike.

In addition to Rilmani, Common, and Undercommon, cuprilachs speak Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal.

Combat

Cuprilachs vary what tactics they use depending upon the nature and urgency of their mission. Most cuprilachs prefer simple “seek and destroy” missions that allow them to use their magic to locate a target and get close before unleashing a deadly hail of arrows. At other times cuprilachs use their skills to infiltrate an organization or an individual’s life, and then they ply their victims with lies to lure the rilmani’s foes into a dangerous situation that eliminates them.

A cuprilach can be summoned using a summon monster IX spell.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​ acid arrow, comprehend languages, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts, feather fall, knock, locate creature, misdirection, sanctuary, see invisibility, tongues; 3/day⁠—​ dimension door, enervation, mislead, poison, polymorph. Caster level 12th; save DC 16 + spell level.

Summon Rilmani (Sp): Once per day, a cuprilach can summon 1d3 ferrumachs with a 75% chance of success (result of 26–100 on 1d100).

Swift Strikes (Ex): A cuprilach can use a standard action to make a full attack, firing all its arrows for the round before the first hits its mark or stabbing several times with its rapier before a foe has time to recognize it has been struck. This ability makes the cuprilach fiendishly effective in a surprise situation or when it strikes first in a combat, since it can reveal itself and execute a full attack, dealing sneak attack damage with each hit.

A cuprilach is fatigued for 1d4 rounds after using the swift strikes ability, and it cannot use the swift strikes ability while fatigued.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): As long as a cuprilach is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, it can hide itself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. It cannot, however, hide in its own shadow.

Skills: Cuprilachs have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 142. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed uncanny dodge special quality to improved uncanny dodge.

Ferrumach ⬆️

Ferrumachs are the countless minions of the rilmani. They serve as the foot soldiers in the never-ending battle to protect neutrality, the balance, and creatures’ rights not to choose a side.

Ferrumachs look like powerfully muscled men made of iron. They wear heavy full plate armor of a color similar to their skin and wield shields and deadly lances. A ferrumach is almost never encountered on foot. Each rides a kuldurath or a phantom steed conjured by magic. They charge into battle astride these terrible creatures and strike fear into their foes.

Ferrumachs appear on great battlefields, sometimes in the guise of participants already involved in the conflict. Sent there by aurumachs with an interest in the battles outcome, the ferrumachs form a phalanx of their own and make certain the war ends the way the rilmani want or that it continues for as long as the aurumachs wish.

In addition to Rilmani, Common, and Undercommon, ferrumachs speak Sylvan.

Combat

Although the most martial and aggressive of the rilmani, ferrumachs would rather have creatures obey their commands and observe rilmani ideals than fight them. Ferrumachs often attempt to intimidate and frighten away foes before resorting to violence. Even so, ferrumachs are well equipped to use force to carry out the aurumachs’ orders.

A ferrumach can be summoned using a summon monster VII spell.

Fear Aura (Su): As a free action, a ferrumach can produce a fear effect. This ability functions like a fear spell (caster level 10th; save DC 19), except that it affects all creatures within a 15-foot radius around the ferrumach. Any creature that makes a successful saving throw against the effect cannot be affected again by that ferrumach’s fear aura for one day. All rilmani and any creatures the ferrumach chooses are immune to its fear aura.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​ blur, command, comprehend languages, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, detect thoughts, feather fall, obscuring mist, sanctuary, see invisibility, silence, tongues; 3/day⁠—​ cure moderate wounds, dispel magic, ice storm, phantom steed, polymorph. Caster level 9th; save DC 15 + spell level.

Summon Rilmani (Sp): Once per day, a ferrumach can summon 1d2 ferrumachs with a 35% chance of success (result of 66–100 on 1d100).

Source: Fiend Folio, page 143. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update.