Luthax the Fiery

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As the Scourge of Smoke, Luthax the Fiery resembles an ashen gargoyle. His skin is powdery gray and prone to billowing off in acrid puffs, while his wings are made of living smoke and constantly trail long wisps. He is large and broad-shouldered, with a sizable paunch and underdeveloped legs that can barely hold his weight. (Even when running, he uses his wings to support and propel himself; if this is impossible, his ground movement is reduced to 5.) Luthax has a craggy face with bushy brows, scintillating scarlet eyes, and an over large crimson nose. He wears his beard long and his scalp shaved.
The High Castellan of Cormyr's War Wizards during the reign of King Draxius, Luthax was forced to leave the kingdom when a young mage exposed his plot to replace the royal government with an oligarchy of magic. It is not known when he became a ghazneth, but records suggest he made the transformation before the great Battle of the Witch Lords (900 DR).
==Combat==
Luthax prefers to attack with spells and his ghazneth powers. He receives a —3 initiative bonus during any round he is not surprised, and his uncanny Strength (18/65) gives him a +3 damage bonus. He suffers damage only from weapons of cold-forged iron, regenerates up to 7 hp per round, and absorbs any magic used against him. (See the introduction for details.)
Luthax casts spells as an 18th-1evel wizard, provided he has at least 375 levels of magic stored. Casting spells does not expend stored magic, but if he has less than 375 levels, the spell is absorbed and fails. After centuries of study, Luthax can call upon nearly any wizard spell except: limited wish, wish, astral spell, gate, and spells that involve leaving the Prime Material
Luthax' spell progression is 5/5/5/5/5/3/3/2/1. Typically, he has the following spells available:
#light, magic missile (x3), sleep;
#darkness 15' radius, deafness, invisibility, knock, locate object; 
#blink, haste, hold person, invisibility 10' radius, wind wall;
#charm monster, confusion, dimension door, solid fog, vacancy;
#passwall, stone shape, telekinesis, teleport, transmute rock to mud; 
#enchant an item, part water, transmute water to dust;;
#mass invisibility, phase door, vanish;
#binding, sink;
#time stop.
See Ecology for details on Luthax's power of fire
==Habitat/Society==
Luthax resents Lady Merendil's leadership role and can prove reluctant to cooperate with her.
==Ecology==
Because Luthax requires magic to cast spells, he is vigilant about finding magic to absorb. At approximately 741 years of age, he can store 741 levels. He must maintain about half this amount, 375 levels, to cast his spells.
For each level Luthax expends, he can:
# Detect magic up to 74 miles away for one day; or
# For one turn, cause tiny fissures to open anywhere he steps that emit a steady flow of sulfurous gases that, over a period of 24 hours, kills all plantlife within 74 yards; or
# Regenerate 7 hit points; or 
# Cause a 74 yard-long earthquake, toppling any tree or structure within 74 feet; or
# Create a 70' flame barrier 7 yards long from any fissure within 70 feet that inflicts 7dS points of fire damage to any creature touched. (A successful saving throw vs. spell reduces damage by half.) By expending more levels, he can increase the length, height, or damage of the barrier.
Category:Creatures
Category:Dragon Magazine Creatures