Fiend Knight DRAGON® #206

©1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ORGANIZATION: Group
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Constant (do not need rest)
DIET: None
INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12), rarely higher
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Any evil
NO. APPEARING: Variable
ARMOR CLASS: 10 (unarmored), see below
MOVEMENT: 12, 24 mounted
HIT DICE: 4d10 to 10d10 +
THAC0: Variable
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3 or better
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to sleep, charm, hold
spells and illusion/phantasm spells
below fourth level
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (6’+)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: Variable

The Fiend Knights of Doom are an elite squad of warriors cre-

ated from normal men by spellcraft on the part of both Ivid V
himself, and Xaene, and also using mind-controlling magics
crafted from baatezu relics. These servants are utterly, mind-
lessly loyal to the overking.

Combat: Fiend knights have the same number of hit dice as

they had levels when mortal fighters. For example, a 5th-level
fighter would become a 5-HD fiend knight. Nearly all fiend Ecology: Fiend knights are not undead, and have none of
knights are 10th level or below, with three exceptions—leaders their weaknesses: they cannot be turned, harmed by holy wa-
of 11, 12, and 15 HD. These three leaders, and some dozen oth- ter, and so on. They are simply wholly controlled humans loyal
ers, wear fiend plate mail +3. Others are 5% per level likely to to Ivid, created by a precursor of the malign rituals that
wear magical plate mail (roll 1d10: 1-8 plate mail +1, 9 plate brought the animus to Oerth. The unfeeling, “programmed" na-
mail +2, 10 plate mail +3), else nonmagical plate mail. Fiend ture of the fiend knights, make them feared by all. Even Ivid’s
knights always employ two-handed weapons, usually two- other troops hate and fear them, and loathe having to serve
handed swords, and composite long bows. Again, they are 5% with them.
per level likely to have magical weapons (use the table above,
independently for each weapon type). Leaders are always
armed with magical weapons, and the 11 + HD leaders all pos-
sess powerful ones: a two-handed sword of cold +3 and a two-
handed sword +3, giant slayer.
The fiend knights have high ability scores. All possess
Strengths of 18/01 or better, and have minimum Dexterity and
Constitution scores of 15. No ability ever has a score below 9.

Habitat/Society: The current composition of the fiend

knights, in addition to their leaders, is approximately 80 cavalry,
20 of whom ride undead steeds, the other 60 riding normal
heavy warhorses. Treat the undead steeds as heavy warhorses
with immunity to sleep, charm and hold spells. These troops
have heavy lances, again with a 5% chance per level for a magi-
cal lance, and they employ footman’s flails in addition to two-
handed weapons.
The 120 heavy infantry each carry a long spear and a variety
of polearms in addition to other weaponry. They have a 2%
chance per level for a magical polearm.
As currently organized, the fiend knights wear gold visors
and bear a heraldic emblem etched on their armor over the
heart. For cavalry, the emblem is a tan horse, and for infantry, it
is a bronze baboon. The infantry are known as “The Howlers,”
for when they go into combat they howl and scream, hoping to
strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.

46 JUNE 1994