Zuk, Dread Necromancer and Disciple of the Immortal Arts

# Zuk, Dread Necromancer

 **Race** | [[   female dökkálfar blooded dread neceromancer 1NE medium humanoid (human, fey)**Init** +4; **Senses** low-light vision, darkvision 120 ft., Auto-Search; listen +2, spot +2**Languages** common, ancient

**AC** 17 (+4 dex, +3 studded leather) touch 14, flat-footed 13**HP** 8/8 (1d6+2)**Fort** +2, **Ref** +4, **Will** +2**SR** 11**Immune** sleep spells and effects

**Speed** 30 feet.**Melee** **Melee** **Ranged** **Base Atk** +0; **Grapple** +0**Special Actions** Rebuke Undead, Charnel Touch**Dread Necromancer Spells Known** (CL 1st):      1st (4/day)— *bane*, *bestow wound*, *cause fear*, *chill touch*, *detect magic*, *detect undead*, *doom*, *hide from undead*, *inflict light wounds*, *ray of enfeeblement*, *summon undead I*, *undetectable alignment***Spell-like Abilities** (CL 1st):      1/day—*darkness*, *detect magic*,*divination*

**Abilities** Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 18**Feats** Tomb Tainted Soul**Skills** Bluff +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Religion) +5**Possessions** **Mythweaver Sheet**

 **Levels** | Dread Necromancer 4

## Personality

A natural leader, with his keen intellect and persuasive personality the other orcs tended to heed his words. However he knows himself to be almost completely unaware of the nuances of social interactions and has a complete inability to read people. Because of this he often times relies on Krunc and Gorm to assist him. Has a general dislike for Grutt as his abilities stem from an unknown source and Zuk is reluctant to admit that Gruumsh actually speaks to Grutt. However he knows that for the mission to be successful that each one of them will play a vital role. If one should fall in battle there are ways of bringing someone back to life. Usually an orc views the life of allies as an expendable resource, however with only four of them left each one of them is vital to the mission at hand. Death will only be a minor setback; nothing will stop their mission. Zuk knows that for them to continue following him, he must project the illusion that his goals are aligned with the goals of the other three. His obsession with avoiding the afterlife is paramount to everything he does.

## History

Zuk was born from common birth in the tribe. An unknown warrior bred with one of the ugliest orcs in the tribe. Six month's later Zuk was born. At an early age it was noticed that he was more personable and attractive than most orcs and when the tribes powerful and evil dread necromancer died, seven were selected from the males in the tribe to become apprentices to the green dragon. None wanted this role as it was well known that 6 of the 7 would be consumed well before the 12th birthday.

Life was tough in the cave; those who could not muster the innate power required to master the necromantic arts were eaten. Four were eaten the first year, one the second, and since there could only be one, to determine which one would live a battle to the death was conducted with the dragon eating the loser. Zuk won handily due to the poison he slipped into the orc's food earlier that day. Sure Zuk believes he could have won easily fairly but since when do orcs act fairly? The Green Dragon was a fanatic about the afterlife and was on the verge of achieving immortality while Zuk was there. The Dragon rarely actually taught them anything, instead he expected them to learn themselves by reading tomes. Occasionally when the dragon was feeling in a good mood he would aid their learing and inspire them to greatness. The best way to harness the powers of the undead was to become undead he would often say. The path is slow, and because of your orcish handicap probably impossible. At the dragon's request he forced them all to become proficient with a scythe, he would often tell them that it is a fitting weapon for a necromancer. No one has any idea why he thought it was a fitting weapon, but none of them ever dared ask.

He had irregular contact with his tribe while growing up. As most wizards he rarely exercises and is quite weak physically. However he is naturally strong which is due to his mother's father who was an exceptionally strong warrior. Most in the tribe feared him, not knowing what he was capable of. The previous necromancer was capable of killing people with a mere touch and summoning undead to do his bidding. Even the tribe's leader feared him. Zuk believed that he was a more capable leader and it was time that the one with the true power run the tribe. Unfortunately the night that he believed he would assume the role of tribal leader the green dragon decimated the tribe killing all before flying off to his cave.

In the two years after Zuk's tribe was destroyed has allowed him to contemplate. He knows that by himself he is a single weak orc. He also knows that his desire to be the tribes leader was foolish and shortsighted. What he really desires is to raise a massive undead army, achieve immortality, and wage war against anyone he wants for all eternity. Ruling a tribe of orcs is dangerous and unpredictable. Ruling over the undead was simple. He follows his comrades to seek revenge merely to gain power and understanding of what it means to become undead. He will run if things turn bad, but will easily charge into battle; it is in his blood. However he has noticed in the past year or so that when the four of them do battle that they have developed an unusually powerful synergy. He truly believes that if anyone will be able to kill a dracolich, it is the four of them. Even though he does not care about revenge, he does have one reason to meet the dragon...a question: Why is a scythe a fitting weapon for a necromancer?