Ebon Hegemon
Fiend · Crown of Domination
T5d12Sovereign
Appearing as whatever each viewer most associates with absolute authority, the Ebon Hegemon's true form is pure seamless black with two points of cold white light for eyes. It builds empires through total subsumption of will - its victims fight and die for it, believing with sincere devotion that they chose this.
Tier 5 · Role Sovereign · Pool Vigor 10 / Vitality 30 · AC 14 · ATK +9 · Save DC 19 · Dmg d12
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 18 | +4 | d8 |
| Mind | 20 | +5 | d10 |
| Sense | 22 | +6 | d12 |
| Heart | 20 | +5 | d10 |
| Cunning | 22 | +6 | d12 |
| Fate | 8 | -1 | -d3 |
Passives
Form of Authority
Appears to each viewer as whatever they most associate with absolute authority. Its true form, seamless black with two cold white eyes, shows only when its Rod of Command is threatened; destroying the rod ends every domination at once.
Undefeatable
In one-on-one melee the Hegemon gains +4 to attack rolls and AC. The bonus vanishes against two or more opponents; it must be overwhelmed, never dueled.
Maneuvers
Absolute Command
Every creature it has dominated within 120 ft acts at once, each making one attack or taking one action as commanded.
Declarations
Declared in the enemy tactical window and resolved at the start of its next turn. Any Vitality it loses first forces the disruption roll: on a 1 the telegraph is lost.
Total Domination
Fixes its white eyes on one creature within 60 ft and rewrites its wants. Heart save (DC 19): on a failure the target takes 5 damage as its will is scoured out and becomes dominated, serving the Hegemon with sincere devotion until the Hegemon dies or releases it; on a success the target takes 1 Vigor damage. It can hold up to 11 dominated creatures at once.
Reactions
Loyal Interception
When the Hegemon is targeted by an attack, the nearest dominated creature within 30 ft throws itself in the way and takes the hit instead, willingly and with love.
Tactics
GM tactics
The Ebon Hegemon uses Total Domination on the strongest party member first, then turns them against the group. It uses Absolute Command to coordinate dominated forces while fighting personally only when outnumbered (negating Undefeatable). The Rod of Command is the key: it is AC 21, immune to non-magical damage, and breaks after two hits. Shattering it ends every domination at once. But reaching the rod requires fighting through an army of people who love their captor.
Running it
Rules
- Shield of Tier + Heart mod over a Vitality pool of 10 + 4 x Tier. Full Vigor at combat start; at the start of its turn it rolls 5 exploding d4s and regains 1 Vigor per 4. Dead at 0 Vigor and 0 Vitality.
- A hit rolls d12. A crit rolls two: 2d12.
- Crits on a natural 14+ (Cunning 22).
- Two or three attacks in a normal turn: multiattack is the threat scaler, and one swing a round makes it a mook.
- Sovereign: 2 Sovereign Actions a round, spent after other combatants' turns, on top of its attacks.
- Any Vitality lost while a telegraph is pending forces its disruption roll; on a 1 the telegraph is lost.
- Never checks morale: it fights to 0 Vitality or to the exit written into its lowest phase.
- NPCs never take wounds.