Direguard

* 4e
* 3e
* 2e

A **direguard** was a more powerful version of a baneguard created by clerics of Cyric (and later, Iyachtu Xvim, Velsharoon, and others), liches, and death knights. After the Spellplague, there were two known varieties: the **direguard deathbringer** and the **direguard assassin**.

## Description

While baneguards looked like normal undead skeletons, direguards had flames of red burning in their eye sockets and shadowy black armor through which their bones could be seen. Direguard deathbringers had glowing claws that crackled with force. Direguard assassins were shrouded in shadow and manifested a glowing red blade in their hand.

## Personality

Direguards were of average intelligence and capable of creative, independent thought and actions that did not contradict the orders given to them by their creator. They were not able to speak and were wholly evil.

## Combat

Direguards had all the abilities of a baneguard (able to shoot *magic missiles* and *blink*) plus they could *see invisible and ethereal* creatures. The shadowy aura that surrounded them gave them extra armor in combat. Direguards could use any normal weapon or attack barehanded. They could also use any magic item that did not require a verbal command or a body of flesh, blood, and organs.

Because they were undead, they could be *turned* by any priest able to turn a wraith.

After the Spellplague, the *missiles* became blasts (deathbringers) or blades (assassins) of force.

## Habitat/Society

These undead creatures were created for a purpose and only did what they were commanded; there was no societal organization. They also did not have a habitat; they went where they were told and followed orders without the need for food or water. Cyricists used them primarily to guard their temples and other places of significance to their faith.

## History

The church of Bane developed the *create baneguard* ritual that created baneguards and, after the fall of Bane, other evil- and neutral-aligned faiths acquired the technique. After the ascension of Cyric, his clergy researched the improved *create direguard* spell and kept it a closely guarded secret for as long as they could. The Thayans were also known to have developed a way to create direguards.

After the Spellplague, direguards were created from live volunteers rather than inanimate skeletons. Evil religions often transformed warriors into direguard deathbringers, while liches and death knights favored turning their allies into direguard assassins. Deathbringers had to fill a quota of deaths or be destroyed by the powers that transformed them.

## Appendix

### See also

* *Create direguard*
* *Create undead*
* Baneguard

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Rob Heinsoo, Stephen Schubert (May 19, 2009). *Monster Manual 2 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0786995101.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). *Lost Empires of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:162–163|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Greenwood, Martin, Grubb (1993). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Monstrous Compendium*. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
5. ↑ James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). *Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
6. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). *Faiths & Avatars*. (TSR, Inc), p. 54. ISBN 978-0786903849.