(circa "Black Colossus")
Medium Undead
20th Level
Wizard
Hit Dice: 20d12 (126 Hit Points)
Initiative: +0 (dex)
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 10 (Dex)
Attacks: +10/+5 melee
Damage: Staff 1d6 melee
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Arcane Spells, Fear Aura
Special Qualities: Summon Familiar, Scribe Scroll, Undead, +4 Turn Resistance, Immunities
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +16
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 11, Con -, Int 25, Wis 17, Cha 19
Skills: Alchemy + 32, Concentration +28, Knowledge (Arcana) +32, Knowledge (Religion) +30, Knowledge (Planes) +30, Spell Craft +32, Scry +30, Intimidation +12, Diplomacy +8
Feats: Iron Will, Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Empower Spell, Leadership, Skill Focus (Knowledge [Arcana]), Maximize Spell, Spell Penetration, Enlarge Spell, Silent Spell, Skill Focus (Alchemy), Spell Focus (Illusion), Spell Mastery (Illusion)
Climate/Terrain: Shem, Khoraja
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: by Character class
Yasmela
Natohk's Steed
~Black Colossus, Robert E. Howard.
Thugra Khotan was a dark sorcerer who had reigned in Kuthchemes three thousand years ago, making him a contemporary of Xaltotun and Thothmekri. During the reign of Thugra Khotan, the last magician of Kuthchemes, the Hyborians conquered Acheron. While the barbarians were shattering the streets of Kuthchemes, Thugra Khotan had swallowed a terrible poison, and his masked priests had locked him into the tomb he himself had prepared.
Three thousand years later, Thugra Khotan had awoken and had become a prophet of the desert tribes of Khoraja under the name of Natohk the Veiled One, for he always wore a hood to hide his undead features. He is described by Howard as having skull-like features and a mummy-like grin. He either retains human eyes and skin, or uses illusion to mask his lich eyes.
Natohk lusted after Yasmela, the sister of the King of Khoraja and who ruled while her brother was a captive in Ophir. He sent evil dreams to Yasmela, enticing her to give up and surrender herself to him. He learns his spells by talking to Outsiders that he summons each night.
Combat:
He prefers to fight with his magical spells.
Currently in print is the British volume "The Conan Chronicles Volume I : The People of the Black Circle" which is part of Millennium's "Fantasy Masterworks" series. ISBN: 1-85798-996-1. It is available off of Amazon.com
To the left is the original cover of Weird Tales, June 1933, featuring a nude Yasmela appealing to a statue representing Mitra in idealized human form. Art is by Margaret Brundage.
This is one of my favorite Conan stories.
