At the start of the Great Patriotic War, the Volksreich juggernaut under the command of the genocidal madman, Krieger, was plunging ever deeper into the heartland of the URRS.
Geared as they were for an overwhelming but quick strike, stalling their advance until the coming winter would bring the Red Army the chance to regroup and counterattack. But even a normal winter, cold as they got in the Lands of the Red Star, was no guarantee of stopping the invaders’ krawls and sorcerers.
Imbohl knew first hand the destructive force of winter bent to war. Only a year before, the mighty forces of the URRS had been frustrated, grinding to a halt trying in vain to break through the winter-wrought defenses of their Daneland neighbours. Defenses erected on command of the ice skalds of the defiant country, who went on to wreak terrible havoc upon the Red soldiers and their weapons.
Imbohl needed a winter like this, a winter so harsh and brutal as to freeze his enemies dead in their tracks. Weather and winter however, were perhaps amongst the few things beyond his control in the state he had created. He might have at his disposal vast armies of soldiers and krawls and mighty battle trains, he might control legions of summoners and great sorceries, he might command his comrades, both living and dead, but all of that would not be enough. He needed control of the elements and that was beyond his grasp.
In his desperation, he warily turned to the one power within the borders of his realm that had so far resisted him. As a sign of his good will, he sent his single most trusted agent as an ambassador. Two weeks later, Commissar Three returned from the Icewall. In his company was a stranger wearing a crisp new general’s uniform. The ice demons had agreed to Imbohl’s bargain.
General Winter; CR 21; Large outsider (cold); HD 25d8+125; hp 237; Mas 20; Init +9; Spd 12 m; Defense 27, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+9 Dex, +9 natural armor, -1 size); BAB +25; Grap +34; Atk +33 melee (1d6+5 plus 1d6 cold, claw); Full Atk +33/+28/+23/+18/+13 melee (1d6+5 plus 1d6 cold, claw); FS 4 m by 4 m; Reach 4 m; SQ Chiseled from ice, cold immunity, cold warrior, Damage Reduction 5/-, fire vulnerability, outsider qualities, tomb of ice, winter’s heart; AL the demons of the Ice Wall, Imbohl; SV Fort +19, Ref +28, Will +17; AP 0; Rep +6; Str 20, Dex 29, Con 20, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 19.
Skills: Bluff +34, Concentration +33, Craft (structural) +12, Decipher Script +12, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +27, Intimidate +32, Knowledge (arcane lore) +33, Knowledge (history) +33, Knowledge (tactics) +26, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) +33, Listen +31, Move Silently +25, Navigate +19, Profession +10, Read/Write Language (Red, Völkisch), Sense Motive +31, Speak Language (Red, Völkisch), Spot +31.
Feats: Agile Riposte, Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light), Combat Reflexes, Deceptive, Dodge, Frightful Presence, Iron Will, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Finesse (claw).
Possessions: Officer greatcoat, dress uniform.
Breath Weapon: 12 m cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 18d6 cold, Reflex DC 27 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Chiseled from Ice: General Winter is a denizen of the Spirit Realm and as such he is normally treated as if he possessed an Immortal’s Out of Phase special quality. He can take physical form as per the rules of the Mortal Coil feat, however he can only use this ability while in an environment with conditions of cold or extreme cold. Maintaining his physical form does not cost him P.H.E. as long as he remains in an environment with conditions of cold or extreme cold.
Cold Warrior: General Winter holds the rank of General in the Red Fleet and benefits from all effects that this rank normally entails. He may use both Tactical Aid and Tactical Superiority as if he were a Red Fleet Officer of 20th level.
Tomb of Ice: General Winter does not possess an P.H.E. pool, but he may use P.H.E. from bonds. The soul of any creature killed by General Winter’s breath weapon or Winter’s Heart ability is immediately placed in a simple bond to General Winter.
Winter’s Heart: Any creature or object forced to take a Fortitude save to resist the effects of cold environments in an area centered on General Winter suffers a -8 penalty to the save and takes an additional 1d6 of cold damage if the save is failed. The diameter of the affected area is determined at the start of each day and is equal to 1000 m x the number of P.H.E. points spent by General Winter on this effect.
Each day, General Winter may exempt creatures with a specific allegiance of his choice from the effects of Winter’s Heart.
The artwork is taken from the cover of TIME Magazine: Joseph Stalin, Man of the Year – Jan. 4, 1943, original artist Boris Artzybasheff. Used without permission.
The Red Star and all related characters are ™ and © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission.
The Red Star Campaign Setting is © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Die Titelgrafik stammt aus dem Titelbild von TIME Magazine: Joseph Stalin, Man of the Year – Jan. 4, 1943, Künstler Boris Artzybasheff.
The Red Star und alle verwandten Charaktere sind ™ und © Christian Gossett. Verwendet mit freundlicher Genehmigung.
The Red Star Campaign Setting ist © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.