ECOLOGY

Environment any land
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–12), or cult (13–30 plus 2–6 fighters of 2nd–4th level, 1–4 wizard necromancers of 3rd–6th level, 1 cleric high priest of 5th–9th level, 8–12 skavelings, and 1–3 ceustodaemons)
Treasure NPC gear (studded leather, rhoka sword, composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 arrows, other treasure)

Infused with fell energies, urdefhans are an unsightly race dedicated to war. They have developed many strange weapons, but none are more iconic than the two-bladed rhoka sword. Rhoka swords are exotic one-handed melee weapons—all urdefhans are proficient in their use. With such weapons, an urdefhan seeks to inflict as much death as possible upon the world before it perishes, so that its daemonic lords are pleased. Most male urdefhans are sterile—as a result, the women often turn to conjured daemons for mates. The products of such unions are usually typical urdefhans, but sometimes result in half-fiend urdefhans—these monsters usually rise to positions of great power in their violent society.

Urdefhan Encounters

Source PCS:ISMC

Travellers most often encounter urdefhans in patrols seeking slaves and food—these terms are synonymous to urdefhans. Surface dwellers might also come across a group of a few urdefhan merchants en route to one of the prominent underground hubs to trade for supplies, but these merchants are always accompanied by a squad of 8–10 guards, who seize every opportunity to gather more flesh. Hunting patrols usually consist of four to eight soldiers. If the terrain allows, one to three skaveling riders and their mounts accompany the soldiers.

In and around their fortresses, which are built from scavenged materials or usurped from previous inhabitants, urdefhans appear in smaller groups of two to three soldiers while skaveling riders patrol the air in pairs. They are often bolstered by nearby reinforcements, especially if the fortress hosts a powerful half-daemon.

Urdefhans are much more furtive aboveground, keeping to shadows not because they fear the light (though they shy away from fire), but because the darkness maximizes their victims' fear.

Urdefhans are vicious combatants who surround their enemies and deliver jagged, painful wounds that kill victims slowly with their signature dual-bladed rhoka swords. Even when faced with tougher opponents, urdefhans use their savagery to their advantage in hopes that the terrible, bloody death of a strong foe will demoralize its weaker allies. Unless the urdefhans are looking for slaves, they don't wait for their defeated victims to die before they begin feasting. Urdefhan spellcasters use magic to cause as much pain, fear, and destruction as possible; whether they do this with directly offensive spells or by calling up undead or otherworldly minions is simply a matter of ghoulish taste.