Zeleta the Witch

Zelata the Witch
(circa "The Hour of the Dragon")

Medium Female Human
14th Level Druid

Hit Dice: 14d8 (70 Hit Points)
Initiative: +2 (dex)
Speed: 30 ft
AC: 10 (-1 Dex, +1 Dodge)
Attacks: Dagger +8/+3 melee
Damage: Dagger 1d4 -1 melee
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Divine spells
Special Qualities: Nature Sense, Animal Companion, Woodland Stride, Trackless Step, Resist Nature's Lure, Wild Shape, Venom immunity, A thousand faces
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +11
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 22, Cha 15
Skills: Animal Empathy +17, Concentrate +17, Craft +17, Diplomacy +16, Handle Animal +16, Move Silently +8, Heal +16, Listen +8, Wilderness Lore +12
Feats: Dodge, Combat Casting, Iron Will, Spell Penetration, Alertness, Maximize Spell

Climate/Terrain: Aquilonia
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Good
Advancement: by Character class

"I am Zelata," she said. "The people of the valleys call me a witch."

~Robert E. Howard, "The Hour of the Dragon"

Zelata is a powerful druid of Aquilonia. She has three animal companions, a wolf, a white horse, and an eagle. She stands straight and tall despite her advanced age, her features clear-cut and aquiline. She often wears ragged garb, but she is no peasant woman. She lives in a half hut-half cave hidden among the gorges and crags of the mountains.

She was rescued by Conan when a bunch of Nemedians were going to hang her. She often speaks in riddles. The gods speak through her, thus she can cast divine spells.

Combat

Albiona
Princess Akivasha
Publio
Tarascas
Thutothmes
Demetrio

She usually casts spells to increase her own strength. She also relies upon her animal friends, whom she calls her "children."

Wild Shape: She can use this ability 5 times per day and can change into large, tiny, or dire animals.

Howard wrote The Hour of the Dragon in four months at the behest of a British publishing house, in hopes he could finally become a full fledged novelist. Unfortunately, as described in the afterword, the publisher went under and Howard ended up selling the story to Weird Tales instead. The magazine published it in five issues, the last issue coming out only two months before Howard died. It was thus the last Conan story which he saw published.

Robert E. Howard's story, "The Hour of the Dragon," was first published in Weird Tales as a five part serial, beginning in December of 1935 and ending in April 1936. It is Robert E. Howard's only Conan full length novel. The story can also be found in the Ace/Lancer paperback "Conan the Conquerer"; and the Gnome Press collection "Conan the Conquerer". It is also available in the Burkley/Putnam edition, "The Hour of the Dragon". This is easily my second favorite Conan tale of all time (following "The People of the Black Circle")

Karl Edward Wagner called it "one of the best novels ever written in the epic fantasy genre" and I certainly agree.

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