DEADBORN VULTURE Single Actions Only (Ex) A deadborn vulture zombie can

perform only a single move action or standard action

This gigantic bird has black feathers, but like a vulture, its plum- each round. It can still charge.
age doesn’t cover the ebony skin of its head. Its wings shine with Disease (Ex) Claw, Fort DC 19 negates, incubation period 1
an oily substance. A pair of glowing red eyes peers out from above day, damage 1d4 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
a jagged beak.
Necromancers create deadborn vultures from the eggs of
Deadborn Vulture CR 8 giant eagles and giant owls. Once grown, the resulting black
Always NE Large magical beast birds make excellent mounts that become undead creatures
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +11, when they die.
Spot +15
DEADBORN

Languages understands Common; cannot speak

VULTURE

AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15

STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
(–1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural) A deadborn vulture attacks from above by making a diving
hp 67 (9 HD); deadborn charge. It prefers to take out flying opponents first, using its
Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +4 claws in a Flyby Attack. It does the same to earthbound foes,
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (poor); Flyby Attack maintaining the advantage of airborne assaults. When it fears
Melee 2 claws +14 each (1d6+6 plus disease) and for its life, a deadborn vulture uses its foul breath, catching
bite +12 (1d8+3) as many enemies in the cone as possible.
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +9; Grp +19 After death, a deadborn vulture becomes a zombie. It
Special Actions foul breath continues to attack, but in its mindless state, it might land
Abilities Str 22, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10 and attack from the ground.
SA disease, foul breath
Feats Alertness, Flyby Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack SAMPLE ENCOUNTERS
Skills Intimidate +8, Listen +11, Spot +15 Deadborn vultures are most often encountered in the service
Advancement 10–16 HD (Large); 17–27 HD (Huge)
of powerful necromancers or influential blackguards. In
Deadborn (Su) When a deadborn vulture is reduced to 0 such servitude, they might congregate in large numbers.
hit points, it immediately dies and becomes a deadborn
vulture zombie that retains the vulture’s disease ability. Left on their own, they are loners that occasionally form
This transformation does not cause a flying deadborn pair bonds.
vulture to fall. When a live deadborn vulture becomes a zombie during
Disease (Ex) Claw, Fort DC 16 negates, incubation period 1 an encounter, the zombie’s Challenge Rating is not consid-
day, damage 1d4 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. ered as part of the Encounter Level. However, a deadborn
Foul Breath (Ex) 30-foot cone, 1/day, nauseated 1d6 rounds,
Fort DC 16 negates. The save DC is Constitution-based. vulture zombie has a CR of 6 when encountered solely in
Skills Deadborn vultures have a +4 racial bonus on Spot that form.
checks. Dark Wings (EL 8–10): From a crooked tower in the
center of an ancient forest, a wizard named Zeluzuss (NE
Deadborn Vulture Zombie CR — male human necromancer 10) plots his revenge against
Always NE Large undead the kingdom whose people drove him from his home and
Init +2, single actions only; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; killed his wife and servants. He has slain a few giant eagles
Listen +0, Spot +0
Languages — pqqqqqqqqqrs
AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18
(–1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural) DEADBORN VULTURE LORE
hp 120 (18 HD); DR 5/slashing Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn
Immune undead immunities more about deadborn vultures. When a character makes a
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +11 successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (clumsy) the information from lower DCs.
Melee claw +15 (1d6+7 plus disease) or
Melee bite +15 (1d8+7) or Knowledge (Arcana)
Melee slam +15 (1d8+7) DC Result
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 18 This creature is a deadborn vulture, a magical
Base Atk +9; Grp +20 beast that has two lives. It reanimates as a zombie
after it dies.
Abilities Str 24, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1 23 A deadborn vulture carries disease and can
SA disease breathe out a foul, nauseating cloud.
SQ undead traits 28 Those who know the proper formulas can make
Skills Listen +0, Spot +0 deadborn vultures from the eggs of giant eagles or
Feats Toughness giant owls. This result reveals those formulas.
Advancement 19–32 HD (Large); 33–54 HD (Huge) pqqqqqqqqqrs

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 DEADBORN
VULTURE
in the nearby mountains normal, but its
and collected their eggs, flesh rapidly rots.
which he uses to main- In either form, a dead-
tain a small clutch of born vulture weighs
deadborn vultures. about 450 pounds.
Zeluzuss has released Alignment: All its
a few of them into the nobility stripped from it, a
wild to harry other deadborn vulture is a rapa-
giant birds and spread cious creature that thrives
the pestilence of his new breed of on death. Deadborn vultures
raptor. Even the wild vultures return to Deadborn vulture are always neutral evil.
Zeluzuss’s tower bearing the corpses of
those they’ve slain. One or two of the vile birds might TYPICAL TREASURE
be encountered in the wilderness or in settlements near Deadborn vultures don’t value treasure and have none. Their

Illus. by Daarken
Zeluzuss’s tower. masters are often wealthier for having such mighty raptors
Darker Rider (EL 12): Zeluzuss sometimes wings about in their service.
the area on the back of one of his deadborn vultures, gather-
ing fresh corpses for his work and terrorizing any who carry FOR PLAYER CHARACTERS
the banner of his hated homeland. A second deadborn vulture Deadborn vultures can’t be trained unless they are willing,
accompanies him on these forays. requiring one to be reared to the saddle or influenced to a
friendly attitude with a successful Diplomacy check. Training
ECOLOGY a deadborn vulture requires four weeks of work and a DC 25
Deadborn vultures are loathsome, murderous creatures, cor- Handle Animal check. Riding a deadborn vulture requires
rupted by the process that makes them. Unlike the mundane an exotic saddle. A deadborn vulture can fight when carrying
vultures they resemble, deadborn vultures prefer live and a rider, but the rider must succeed on a Ride check to attack
intelligent prey. They especially enjoy killing and feasting while the vulture does so.
upon other giant birds, a task they are well suited to. A giant eagle egg or giant owl egg is worth 2,500 gp, and the
Deadborn vultures are sterile. One reason they seek out formulas and components necessary to make the egg hatch
other giant birds is that a giant eagle or giant owl egg brooded a deadborn vulture cost 5,000 gp. Few trainers are willing
over by a deadborn vulture is corrupted, and the chick is born to rear or train a deadborn vulture, but those that are charge
a deadborn vulture. 2,000 gp to do so.
After being reanimated as zombies, deadborn vultures do Carrying Capacity: A light load for a deadborn vulture is
not eat, sleep, or reproduce. Unlike most other zombies, they up to 520 pounds; a medium load, 521–1,040 pounds; and a
remain loyal to creatures they were friendly with in life. heavy load, 1,041–1,560 pounds. A light load for a deadborn
Environment: As created creatures, deadborn vultures vulture zombie is up to 700 pounds; a medium load, 701–1,400
can be found anywhere, but they are usually found near pounds; and a heavy load, 1,401–2,100 pounds.
the temperate habitats of other giant raptors—forests or
mountains. DEADBORN VULTURES IN FAERÛN
Typical Physical Characteristics: A deadborn vulture The drow of Cormanthor, who desire the corruption of all
stands just over 9 feet tall, has a 20-foot wingspan, and re- the elves hold dear, created deadborn vultures. House Jaelre’s
sembles a giant vulture. Its oily black feathers, disheveled necromancers devised these raptors, and the formulas have
appearance, and glowing red eyes identify it as something far spread to other drow houses. Now, a few deadborn vultures
more sinister. After death, a deadborn vulture zombie looks live in the wilds of the ancient forest.

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