Bloodguard
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Climate/Terrain | Unknown |
| Frequency | Very rare |
| Organization | Band |
| Activity Cycle | Day |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Intelligence | High to Genius (13-18) |
| Treasure | Unknown |
| Alignment | Any good |
| No. of Appearing | 1-4 |
| Armor Class | 3 |
| Move | 12 |
| Hit Dice | 8 |
| THAC0 | 13 |
| No. of Attacks | 2 |
| Damage/Attack | 1-12/1-12 |
| Special Attacks | See below |
| Special Defenses | See below |
| Magic Resistance | See below |
| Size | M (5'-6') |
| Morale | Champion (15-16) |
| XP Value | 3,000 |
Description
I've tried to describe the Bloodguard as best I can from the Thomas Covenant Series by Steven R. Donaldson. They are the race of men who have taken a vow to protect the Lords of RevelStone. This vow is so profound that it gives these men some unique and astonishing powers.
The Bloodguard are nearly ageless, living for centuries beyond that of normal men and even outlasting the elves in their longevity. Any one of them you happen to meet could be thousands of years old. You will never meet a young one, however, for they've lost their women and no young have been born for over 2,000 years. Sure evidence of the existence of a female Bloodguard is the sole thing that can disuade one from his task. The Bloodguard do not sleep, their senses are incredibly acute, the Bloodguard can communicate in a telepathic manner over short distances (one or two miles) and when fighting together they do not talk but work as a unit. Bloodguard do not have infra or ultravision but are proficient night/blind fighters and only suffer a -1 penalty when fighting blind. This is partially due to their excellent senses. Bloodguard are solitary and do not speak often, never laughing or joining in idle conversation. The Bloodguard have incredible reflexes and will make all but the most impossible saving throws. When attacking, the Bloodguard take and expect no quarter. They will kill if they believe that their charge is in jeopardy and do so without a second thought. The Bloodguard have absolute confidence in themselves and their kind and they never make moral checks. Due to the combination of reflexes, senses (including a kind of sixth sense for danger) the Bloodguard are never surprised. They are the ultimate guardian.
If a Bloodguard is encountered, he will be with or near one of the Lords or Ladies of RevelStone or some other important charge (be it a letter, item, or person). If the charge is a Lord or Lady of RevelStone, he or she will be a mage of middle to high levels and always of good alignment. No harm can befall the charge of a Bloodguard while he lives.
If a one of the Bloodguard is killed (and they can be killed), his fellows know it and will recover his body. This is necessary because this is the only way a replacement will be sent from their home country.