Uss-rahass

Uss-rahass has met traders from House Azeth, and she knows that Kurn lies to the north, but since Kurn seems to be a poor market for slaves (and a vengeful one when its own citizens are enslaved), so Uss-rahass avoids taking her caravan in that direction. Uss-rahass herself is not welcome in Azeth’s Rest, but other nikaal - even other members of the Crisisss caravan - are allowed entry, and a few have even earned Azeth trust tokens.

Meanspirited and ambitious, Uss-rahass has focused her caravan on trading in arms, poisons, and slaves. Since she assumed leadership of the Crisisss, Uss-rahass has encouraged many members of the Caravan to choose long-term brumation for the benefit of the caravan. The caverns where these nikaal have chosen to brumate are often inexplicably lost, however, and any who join the caravan meet with ‘an accident’ if they aren’t amenable to Uss-rahass’ plans.
### Society
The Crisisss operate largely as slavers, traveling between the Forgotten North, Urik, and Draj, and procuring captives along the way. They used to visit Raam as well, but after the devastating attack against their caravan just outside the city, they have adjusted their routes to avoid Raam and now travel to Draj instead. It has been less than 10 years since Uss-rahass has come to lead the Crisisss, but the caravan has grown brutal, devious, and strangely sedentary in that time.

The Crisisss now number 98, including Uss-rahass, her students, and her lieutenants, though they aren’t usually seen in groups of more than 20-30. This is due to Uss-rahass’ exposure to Houses Stel and Tsalaxa, and their practices of housing slaves to produce trade goods. Crisisss hunters now seek out venomous prey and poisonous flora while hunting prey (including mekillots) for their bones, all to serve as fodder for the caravan’s trade. The caravan has grown dramatically in size and wealth since Uss-rahass has taken the lead, and though there are rumblings of a return to Raam among some of the more vengeance-minded members, most are content with the convenience of slave trading.
### Environment
The Crisisss roam the wastes from Azeth’s Rest to as far west as Spoil in the Bandit Kingdoms, as far south as Urik, and as far east as Draj. The nikaal often camp near Watch Rock (a place once known as Durzghab), sending lookouts to the summit to scan the desert for potential captives, and they often stop to water at Rocklips Gulp. The caravan usually travels in a counterclockwise circuit, visiting several well-hidden refuges along the way: the Tambrak Mountains north of Dry Spring, the eastern ridge of the Smoking Crown mountains north of Urik, and the southernmost tip of the Kreegill mountains north of Raam. The Crisisss steer clear of Yaramuke and Raam along the way, being suspicious of the ruins of Yaramuke and wary of the continuing chaos in Raam.

Once only used for brumination and spawning, the caverns at each of the refuges have been expanded by Crisisss Earth shamans to also accommodate slaves. Now the nikaal keep captive dwarves, humans, and muls there, working them to produce trade goods. The slaves knap flint for arrow and spearheads, tend fungal gardens to produce both nutritious and poisonous fungi, and weave slings from hemp acquired in Draj. The nikaal keep their captives deep in caves with specially carved passages which collect and direct sounds, using their musical skills to keep their slaves from escaping. The work chambers are kept dimly lit and isolated from outside noises, and the exit passages are constantly filled with the hypnotic sounds of nikaal music. Slaves who try to escape become entranced and immobile, and can then easily be led back to their workstation. The Crisisss keep more than 100 slaves in each of their cave complexes, and work to procure additional slaves for sale. They prefer subterfuge in their efforts, using poison, music, and trickery to capture slaves, thereby saving their warriors for the trade hunts and defense of their cave complexes. The more mercantile-minded members of the caravan move products to markets in Fort Courage, Urik, Fort Xalis, Draj, Azeth’s Rest, and Spoil.

Important Caravan Locations:

The Spawning Grounds (eastern Smoking Crown Mountains north of Urik): The Crisisss have been spawning in these caverns for as long as they can remember - every nikaal born into the caravan was born here. These caverns have historically been devoted to the young of the caravan and the cavern walls bear pictograms indicating this focus. In the 10 years since she’s become chieftess, Uss-rahass has spawned a brood of 8 daughters (so far). Crisisss shamans and astrologers have assisted her in her efforts to bear daughters to only the strongest warriors of the caravan, while other females who wish to prosper among the caravan work to only bear sons, all in service to Uss-rahass’ goal of transforming the Crisisss into a dynastic Merchant House.

Crisisss Earth shamans have carved deeper into the earth here in the past decade, tripling the size of the area historically used by the caravan. The caravan has put this added space to good use, housing dwarven and mul slaves to mine flint and knap it to make arrowheads, maces, and spears, as well as shaping bone into shafts for arrows, spears, staves, and mace handles. All of the Crisisss cavern complexes have armories stocked with weapons such as these for the tribe’s defense, but this one is especially well stocked. There was a time when these caverns only saw use during the months of Sun Descending, but now they house a year-round garrison of around 20 nikaal who manage a population of over 100 slaves. These slaves are surprisingly complacent for being captive laborers, as Uss-rahass has turned a small number of them using her psionics; now several of the slaves promote the belief that “the Crisisss are feeding us and sheltering us from the harsh sun, and we should be grateful for the easy labor to pass the otherwise idle time in the dark.” The other slaves are more than a little dubious of this opinion, but between the guards, the entrancing music, and the charmed dwarves, the slave population is easily kept in line.

The Caravan Grounds (southern Kreegill Mountains north of Raam): There was once another caravan of nikaal whose migration routes would overlap with those of the Crisisss. The slaver raid that brought Uss-rahass to power among the Crisisss also saw the other nikaal caravan eradicated. The Caravan Grounds remain as a testament to the size of the gatherings that once occurred here - even before the Earth shamans began carving out expansions, there was enough space to accommodate more than 400 nikaal. This site served an important role for both caravans during Sun Ascending, representing a crossroads of commerce and community - themes ascendant in the adult lives of all nikaal. The Crisisss now use these caverns for year-round combat drills to “better safeguard commerce and community for all nikaal”, with caverns that once resonated with community symphonies now being filled with the sounds of combat training. There are typically around 20 nikaal stationed here to manage two separate populations of humans and muls, with one group of 50 tending a subterranean fungi farm, and the other group of 90 weaving Draji hemp into slings and rope.

The Crisisss Catacombs (Tambrak Mountains north of Dry Spring): These caverns have historically been the resting place for the Crisisss dead. They’ve long been a solemn place used for mourning and reflection throughout the heat of High Sun. In recent years, however, these caverns have seen the most expansion of the three Crisisss refuges. Crisisss Earth shamans have been secretly tasked with carving new vaults into the bedrock, where Uss-rahass hoards her material wealth and plots the trajectory of her dynastic Merchant House. These caverns are different from the others in that they are not carved to amplify the sounds of nikaal music but to instead deaden all sounds. The passages are unnerving to be in for long periods, and they are deliberately constructed to hide materials and training facilities. This is where Uss-rahass retires for meditation, though recently she has begun to house and train her students here as well.

This labyrinthine complex houses a brutal school of nikaal telepathic infiltrators and influence peddlers that number 19 in total (3x 2nd level and 16x 1st level). Here, Uss-rahass teaches her students the ape mind power to accelerate their ascendance among the humans and other races of the Merchant Houses. The slaves housed here exist more for the convenience of Uss-rahass and her chosen minions than for hard labor like in the other complexes, though there are a small number of slaves who are kept to assist in producing poisons.

Uss-rahass of The Crisisss

Alignment: Neutral Evil
Class/Level: Bard10/Psionicist9/Trader10
Race: kraskaal Nikaal

Strength: 13
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 18
Wisdom: 18
Charisma: 19

Armor Class: 0
Hit Points: 60
PSPs: 123
Thac0: 16
PPDM: 11
RSW: 10
PP: 8
BW: 13
S: 11 (+2 to saving throws vs Enchantment/Charm spells)

Nikaal Abilities: Acidic Spit (Melee attack for 2d4, once per three rounds), Heat Tolerance (Nikaal halve water requirements and damage from heat stroke or cold. This is negated if they wear non-metal armor and increased to 2 gallons if they wear metal armor), Natural Armor (AC: 8), Natural Weapons (Claws; 2/round; 1d4/1d4), Nikaal Music (Hypnotizes all non-nikaal in earshot who do not actively resist the hypnosis effect of hearing nikaal music if Uss-rahass succeeds on a Charisma check. She gets +1 per additional nikaal musician playing to a maximum of +3)

Bard Abilities: Influence Reactions (Uss-rahass can influence crowds of listeners with her singing. If they fail a save vs paralyzation with a -3 penalty, they have their reaction shifted one level in the direction that Uss-rahass chooses), Inspire Allies (After 3 rounds of singing, Uss-rahass can grant allies within 100’ with a +1 bonus to attack rolls or a +1 bonus to saving throws or a +2 bonus to morale for 10 rounds), Learn a Little Bit of Everything (Uss-rahass has a 50% chance to identify the general purpose and function of any magical item she can examine closely), Master Poisoner (Uss-rahass can make poison types: A, B, D, F, G (two methods), I (two methods), J, L), Thief Skills (see Trader abilities below)

Psionicist Abilities: Followers (gained at 9th Level), Saving Throw Bonus (+2 to saving throws vs Enchantment/Charm spells)

Trader Abilities: Communication (Extra Language every 3rd level: Common, Dwarven, Elven), Fast Talk (see the Dark Sun Revised Boxed Set, Age of Heroes pg 37 for details), Master Poisoner (Uss-rahass can make poison types: C, D, F (two methods), H, I, J (three methods), L), Thief Skills (Pick Pockets 5%, Open Locks 20%, Find/Remove Traps 10%, Move Silently 5%, Hide in Shadows 0%, Detect Noise 90%, Climb Walls 65%, Read Languages 90%, Forge Documents 70%, Bribe Officials 75%, Escape Bonds 75%), Trader Agent (Lieth: female Ssurran Trader 5, LE; Lieth is a painfully honest ssurran trader who has earned an Azeth trust token and has chosen to represent the Crisisss in Azeth’s Rest)

Languages Known: Native: Nikaal; Extra from Intelligence: Aarakocra, Halfling, Jozhal, Silt Runner, Ssurran, Thri-Kreen, Yuan-ti

Proficiencies:
Non-Weapon: Animal Handling (17), Bargain (16), Brewing (18), Endurance (16), Herbalism (16), Hypnosis (17), Information Gathering (Special), Intimidation (19), Local History (Trembling Plains; 19), Meditative Focus (19), Musical Instrument (Lyre; 15), Reading/Writing (Yuan-ti; 19), Singing (19), Teaching (18), Venom Handling (16)
Weapon: Dagger, Missile Weapon Fighting Style, Staff-Sling, Tkaesali

Carried Inventory: +4 Steel Dagger (in a concealed sheath), Bracers of Defense AC:2, Flint slingstones (x50), Jewelry of Gold and Silver (500 coins worth of each metal turned into custom necklaces, rings, scales, torcs as well as a tiara mounted with the following jewels: Jacinth worth 112gp, Star Ruby worth 98gp, Diamond worth 90gp, Fire Opal worth 75gp, Ruby worth 75gp. A silver necklace carries a pendant of Deep Blue Spinel worth 15gp), Lyre of Building, Obsidian Throwing Daggers (x6), Poisons (Uss-rahass carries 3d4 doses each of a variety of poisons. DM’s should choose 1d2 of each method of delivery from those available to her), Ring of Regeneration, Ring of Shooting Stars, Robes (imagine a gauze sheet), Tkaesali-Sling

Physical Description: Uss-rahass is of average height for a nikaal with a slight build. She is a red scale (kraskaal) nikaal with a growth of prominent bristles on her head. The bristles are of a darker shade of red than her scales, with some being nearly purple (such as her brow-bristles). She keeps her hair-bristles center parted and down behind her ears but in front of her shoulders. She has her ear fins pierced and wears a custom tiara. The tiara and ear piercings hold up a veil, over which her green slitted eyes stare. Overall, she dresses very typically for a nikaal, aside from the near complete gilding with gold and silver. If she stands in the open sunlight without anything covering her personal gilding, she becomes harder to hit per Robe of Scintillating Colors (see DMG Revised pg 236 for details). She does not get the built in hypnosis effect, however.

Tactics: Manipulate, do not engage when a minion can engage instead. Personal melee is to be avoided at all costs, that’s what minions are for. Sensitivity to Observation means you’re aware when people are looking at you, whether that is directly or via scrying. Danger Sense should be the follow up activation. Nikaal Music should be the immediate go-to on contact with outsiders, if that fails, Chameleon Power to hide; Mindlink to issue directives to minions; Mind Thrust active threats and stay mobile, Impossible Task to encourage opponents to give up, ESP to learn their next moves. Unless you can corner your prey for Acceptance, flee melee if at all possible, leading pursuers into ambushes and traps if you can. Use carried poisons liberally, they have a purpose, and it isn’t to enjoy their weight.

Quote: “Claim all that you desssire; dessstroy all you cannot claim; poissson all you cannot dessstroy. Ssset your enemiesss againssst each other and sssell armsss to all of them!” –Ussrahass, educating her daughters.

Primary Discipline: Telepathy
Secondary Disciplines: Clairsentience, Psychometabolism
Attack Modes: Ego Whip, Id Insinuation, Mind Thrust, Psionic Blast, Psychic Crush
Defense Modes: Intellect Fortress, Mental Barrier, Mind Blank, Thought Shield, Tower of Iron Will
Sciences: Mindlink, Mindwipe, Nerve Manipulation, Precognition, Probe
Devotions: Acceptance, Ape Mind (Ape mind is a reptilian analogue to the reptile mind Devotion, see details below), Attraction, Chameleon Power, Contact, Danger Sense, Double Pain, ESP, Impossible Task, Inflict Pain, Life Detection, Photosynthesis, Sensitivity to Observation, Watcher’s Ward
Meditative Enhancements Achieved: +1 to Intelligence & Wisdom for Psionic Purposes Only, 50% discount to Initial and Maintenance costs for the Acceptance Devotion, Maintenance Interval for Acceptance lengthened to /hour

Horde stashed in The Catacombs: 12300 bits, 3800 ceramic, 1080 silver, 100 gold, 51 gems (12 Ornamental Stones (Banded Agate worth 30cp, Lapis Lazuli worth 30cp, Moss Agate worth 30cp, Rhodochrosite worth 30cp, Hematite worth 23cp, Jasper worth 15cp, Blue Quartz worth 12cp, Hematite worth 8cp, Moss Agate worth 8cp, Tiger Eye Agate worth 8cp, Hematite worth 7cp, Tiger Eye Agate worth 7cp), 19 Semi Precious Stones (Chalcedony worth 150cp, Citrine worth 150cp, Onyx worth 150cp, Sardonyx worth 150cp, Smoky Quartz worth 150cp, Bloodstone worth 112cp, Star Rose Quartz worth 112cp, Chrysoprase worth 98cp, Guthaystone worth 90cp, Amber worth 75cp, Azurite worth 75cp, Jade worth 75cp, Malachite worth 75cp, Topaz worth 75cp, Smoky Quartz 68cp, Guthaystone worth 60cp, Ralstone worth 60cp, Bloodstone worth 53cp, Ralstone worth 53cp, Sardonyx worth 45cp, Star Rose Quartz worth 38cp), 12 Fancy Stones (Amethyst worth 30sp, Garnet worth 30sp, Topaz worth 30sp, Aquamarine worth 21sp, Amethyst worth 18sp, Amber worth 15sp, Carnelian worth 15sp, Jade worth 15sp, Peridot worth 15sp, Jade worth 12sp, Amber worth 9sp, Topaz worth 9sp), 13 Precious Stones (Peridot worth 150sp, Rose Pearl worth 150sp, Amethyst worth 105sp, Aquamarine worth 98sp, Amber worth 75sp, Amethyst worth 75sp, Emerald worth 75sp, Garnet worth 75sp, Jade worth 75sp, Topaz worth 75sp, Peridot worth 68sp, Topaz worth 68sp, Jade worth 60sp)

Henchmen/Minions:

Mutasis ‘Shaper of Earth & Futures’ (Male fyolokaal Nikaal Earth Cleric 7, LE): Mutasis is the elder Earth shaman of the caravan. He is aware that these new ways Uss-rahass has taught are not the old ways, but the old ways saw the caravan brought low and handed to her. The newfound prosperity of this decade has cemented his support of Uss-rahass in all her endeavors. He tends to the education of Uss-rahass’ brood in the Catacombs when he is not helping tote trade goods to market in Azeth’s Rest.

Tethka One-Eye, Elder of the Kreegill Plainshawks (Male Aarakocra Fighter 9, N): Tethka has soared over the Hammer’s Head for more than 30 years now, and is the eldest warrior of the Kreegill Plainshawks - the flock of aarakocra raiders who roost in the central Kreegill Mountains. Prior to Uss-rahass’ ascension to chieftess, the Plainshawks had a tribute arrangement with the Crisisss, receiving livestock in return for allowing the Crisisss access to the nearby Boiling Springs and all the water they need, but the tributes have only increased since Uss-rahass took power (though the aarakocra are only getting a fraction of what the nikaals have been earning). The Crisisss have been good enough to the Plainshawks that Tethka is even willing to deal with the House M’ke apes on behalf of them: he feeds M’ke info on the despised Eloy herders in Hammer’s Head so that Crisisss hunters can observe House M’ke’s hunting ways. Uss-rahass has guaranteed Tethka that if only he follows her plan, he will live to see House M’ke fall and all the Eloy enslaved or on spits.

Teakul of the Smokewood (Male Dwarf Fire Cleric 7, LE): Teakul was once a Fire-worshipping pilgrim who regularly visited the lands near the Crisisss spawning grounds. Before Uss-rahass came to power, the nikaal and the pilgrims wouldn’t cross paths since they were using the area in different seasons, but after Uss-rahass became chieftess and the nikaal moved to occupy the caverns year-round, the arriving pilgrims were conscripted as miners. Since then, Teakul has proved an invaluable tool, both personally teaching Uss-rahass to speak Dwarven and killing a fellow slave who was fomenting revolt during the early days in the flint mines (charmed from many exposures to her ape mind power). It wasn’t long after this killing that Uss-rahass granted Teakul permission to come and go as he pleased. Today, he and his kip herd act as a first line of contact for most of those who wander too close to the Spawning Grounds. Teakul welcomes incoming Crisisss hunters and merchants and gives any new pilgrims an indulgence, but he leads all others into the capture tunnels.

Alos Sandstrider (Male Jozhal Preserver 3/Thief 4, CN): Alos’ activity is restricted to Urik and watching Stel assets. He is wholly unaware of Uss-rahass’ dealings with Densis, bandit leader of Spoil.

Miklaas ‘Hunter of Mastyrial & Zhackal’ (Male fyolokaal Nikaal Barbarian 5, CE): Miklaas was born Crisisss and had only come of age when he lost both his parents in the slaver raid that elevated Uss-rahass to leadership. Since then, she has actively worked to cultivate him as an asset. He wears gauntlets of braxat power (as gauntlets of ogre power) and carries a +1 flint mace and a +1 tortle shell shield, +4 vs. missiles proudly as status symbols of his position as the caravan’s lead hunter. The flint mace he carries is the very same weapon that inspired Uss-rahass to begin using slaves to mine flint to make weapons in the first place.

Taron of Crisisss (Male Mul Fighter 5, LE): Recently acquired through House Stel as a military advisor, Taron is Uss-rahass’ pet ‘ape’ and works to forge the nomadic hunters into soldier-skirmishers. He is deadly even without the +2 bone spear he carries. Born and raised by Stel to be an overseer among slave-soldiers, he received a formal education in organized warfare and personal combat. Taron is highly disciplined and has an interest in crossbows and strategic formations.

Parek Preciousfingers (Male Dwarf Thief 5, LN): A slave of the nikaal, Parek made the mistake of mentioning that he had experience working softer metals in front of Uss-rahass. Now he serves Uss-rahass exclusively, adorning her in precious metalwork. He is unbothered by his servitude, considering Uss-rahass, his living work of art, keeps him well-fed and safe. Parek feels that the catacombs where he works are a better place to live than either that Eldaarish crafting village or Spoil had been. He appears to have developed crippling agoraphobia in the few years since Uss-rahass brought him here, and is now only content when keeping busy in his workshop. A trained mind might be able to tell that his personality and goals have been manipulated over the years through an induced attraction to his workstation.

Ape Mind

Power Score: Int -1
Initial Cost: 5
Maintenance Cost: 1/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: Personal
Prerequisite: None

This power lets a reptilian psionicist create a facsimile of the higher brain functions attributed to the ape brain, allowing them to facilitate mental contact with non-reptilians.

While this power is maintained, the psionicist does not suffer the -4 penalty for contacting a non-reptilian mind. They do, however, suffer a -4 penalty when trying to contact reptilian minds, as do reptilians when trying to contact the psionicist’s mind.

The psionicist’s overall demeanor is altered while employing this power. They will be warmer socially and more empathetic in general. This power doesn’t cause an alignment shift in the user but it does make them feel ‘less of a social island’. To reptilian observers, the user becomes needy and passionate while the power is in effect. To non-reptilian, non-insect observers, the user seems unusually familiar and ‘in need’ (though how observers react to those ‘in need’ is still up to them). This power doesn’t grant any ability to communicate with non-reptilians; that still requires other powers or abilities. This power can be maintained while other powers are used.

Power Score: A random non-reptilian observer subject to Charms will be Charmed per the Charm Person spell.

20: The psionicist is automatically noticed by every non-reptilian in the area, regardless of species, and who view the psionicist as an intruder.