Creature Stats:
Tadulos
Medium Outsider (Incorporeal, Trapped Spirit)
Hit Dice: 9d8+27 (68 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 50 ft. (perfect) (10 squares)
AC: 13 (+2 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack Bonus: +9
Grapple: —
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Howl, possession, trip (wolf form only)
Special Qualities: Bodiless, cold iron vulnerability, damage
reduction 5/cold iron, sense death, soul ward, superior
invisibility, world-sense (Dornish souls)
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills: Hide +14, Listen +15, Move Silently +14, Search +12,
Sense Motive +13, Spot +15, Survival +13 (+15 when following
tracks)
Feats: Ability Focus (howl),
Alertness,
Improved
Initiative, Track
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pack (1d4+2), or reaping (2d10 plus
2d4 Meruros)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful neutral
Advancement: 10-15 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustsment: —
| Wolf Form Manifested Tadulos: CR 5; Medium outsider (trapped spirit); HD 9d8+27; hp 68; Init +6; Spd 50 ft.; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +9; Grp +16; Atk +16 melee (1d6+10, bite); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Howl, possession, trip; SQ Cold iron vulnerability, damage reduction 5/cold iron, low-light vision, scent, sense death, soul ward; AL LN; SV Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12 Skills and Feats: Hide +14, Listen +15, Move Silently +14, Search +12, Sense Motive +13, Spot +15, Survival +13 (+15 when following tracks); Ability Focus (howl); Alertness, Improved Initiative, TrackB |
| Dire Wolf Form Manifested Tadulos: CR 5; Large outsider (trapped spirit); HD 9d8+27; hp 68; Init +6; Spd 50 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, -1 size), touch 11, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +9; Grp +20; Atk +15 melee (1d8+10, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA Howl, possession, trip; SQ Cold iron vulnerability, damage reduction 5/cold iron, low-light vision, scent, sense death, soul ward; AL LN; SV Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12 Skills and Feats: Hide +10, Listen +15, Move Silently +14, Search +12, Sense Motive +13, Spot +15, Survival +13 (+15 when following tracks); Ability Focus (howl); Alertness, Improved Initiative, TrackB |
The Tadulos are the guardians of the dead, and they are charged with defending the bodies of fallen Dorns until the Meruros can claim their souls. The Tadulos are also responsible for making certain that the dead are found by their fellow Dorns or, if none are nearby, by those who seem likely to give the fallen an appropriate burial. They can only possess the bodies of wolves, and can only do so when they sense the body of a fallen Dorn.
The Tadulos are fierce enemies of the Fell. Since their return to the world, they have made it their mission to eradicate the Fell wherever they find them. The presence of the undead sends them into a fury that leads them even to abandon their duty in order to destroy the dark god's blasphemies.
Those who can perceive spirits in their bodiless forms see the Tadulos as bold Dorn warrior women, proudly standing guard over fallen knsmen with blades drawn.
Tadulos do not speak.
Combat (Bodiless)
Tadulos have few abilities in their spirit form, and are rarely encountered as such. A Tadulos driven out of its wolf body immediately seeks a new one.
Possession (Su): Wolves and dire wolves only, save DC equal to 10 + one-half of the Tadulos' HD + the Tadulos' Cha modifier. When a Tadulos possesses a normal wolf, its transformation eventually alters its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution) and natural armor to match those of a dire wolf.
Combat (Taking Form)
Howl (Su): As a full-round action at will, a Tadulos can emit a soulful howl. Undead within 100 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or suffer penalties as if shaken. Dorns who hear the howl receive a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against fear and enchantment effects. This is a sonic effect. The saving throw is Charisma-based.
Additionally, once per day when guarding a fallen Dorn, a Tadulos can emit a howl that is heard for miles around (10 miles per HD of the Tadulos). This howl has two effects. First, it summons a Meruros, should one be within range. Second, any Dorn who hears the call will instinctively know that it bodes ill for one of his kinsmen, and that the kinsman in question can be found near the howl's source. How the character interprets this feeling can vary; he may assume that the howling creature is hunting the fellow Dorn and means it ill, particularly when he finds the Dorn's dead body.
Sense Death (Su): Tadulos are drawn to the moment of a Dorn's death. They can sense it from great distances, and come as quickly as they are able to prevent the dead rising as Fell. The Tadulos can sense the death of any Dorn from a number of miles away equal to 10 times the HD of teh dying character. For example, a 3rd-level Dornish warrior is slain by an orc patrol. If there is a Tadulos within 30 miles, it will come. The Tadulos then guards the body and waits for the arrival of the Meruros.
If a Tadulos finds other, non-Dornish bodies near the fallen Dorn, it mutilates them to such an extent that they cannot rise as Fell or be made into some other form of corporeal undead (though they may still become one of the Lost). Tadulos have been known to range around the bodies of their charges for many miles in search of other bodies to mutilate or corporeal undead to destroy.
Soul Ward (Su): So long as a Tadulos remains within a certain radius of a fallen body, it cannot rise as Fell or be made into a corporeal undead creature. The radius is equal to 5 feet per HD of the Tadulos. This ability does not protect a creature from ever rising, but merely suppresses the effect. So for instance, if a fallen character failed his save against rising as a Fell, or is animated as a zombie by a legate, it would remain inanimate as long as an unadvanced (9 HD) Tadulos was within 45 feet. As soon as the Tadulos moved away, however, the character would rise as one of the undead.