Xanthon the Baneful

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A slender shadowy figure that can easily be mistaken for a man—at least until his clothes rot and reveal the tiny wings sprouting between his shoulder blades — Xanthon the Baneful is the Scourge of Swarms, the youngest of the ghazneths. In illumination, his face turns mantislike and skeletal, with hollow cheeks and ovoid eyes tinged the color of blood. 
Xanthon became a ghazneth less than a year ago, after swearing vengeance on King Azoun IV. Although his transformation is far from complete, Xanthon is the eager instigator behind Cormyr's current troubles. 
==Combat==
Young and reckless, Xanthon is spoiling for a fight. Xanthon enjoys a —2 initiative bonus during any round he is not surprised, while his Strength (18/45) gives him a +3 damage bonus. Xanthon suffers damage only from weapons made of cold-forged iron, regenerates 6 hp per round, and absorbs any magic used against him. (See the Introduction for details.)
Xanthon cannot hide behind his wings, so he suffers the full effects of any spell striking his body, though only for as long as it takes to absorb the spell levels. Should he be killed, he instantly becomes undead and rises the following round, after he has used the magic to regenerate.
Xanthon's primary weapon is the power of swarms. See Ecology for more details on this power.
==Habitat/Society==
As the "scourge of the day," Xanthon is the only living ghazneth. His fellow ghazneths view him as an annoying younger brother, though they are grateful to him for digging them out of their tombs, and tolerate his presence, as long as he doesn't presume to offer suggestions.
==Ecology==
Having been a ghazneth for less than a year, Xanthon can store only one magic level at a time. His life is a constant search for magic, which he expends as quickly as he absorbs it to make room for more.
For each level he expends, he can: 
# Detect magic up to 1 mile away for one day; or
# For one turn, automatically cause all poisonous, stinging, disease-bearing, and blood-sucking creatures within 1 yard of him to multiply 1d1O x 10 times; or 
# Regenerate 6 hit points; or
# Infest any single building, campsite, field, copse„ or similar area with a swarm of reptiles, rodents, insects, or arachnids (any species he chooses). This infestation requires I round per square yard of area. If Xanthon is forced to leave before the infestation is complete, only the vicinity around him is infested.
# He may Summon a Swarm Of 2d10 x 10 rodents and direct their actions in a general manner; there is 25% chance thal such swarms bear a contagious and deadly disease.
# He can imprint instructions on any single poisonous, disease-bearing, stinging; or blood-sucking creature he touches; such instructions are subject to mistakes and misinterpretations, and can never consist of more than fifteen words.
Category:Creatures
Category:Dragon Magazine Creatures