Perception +13; echolocation 60 feet, no vision
Languages Caligni, Undercommon
Skills Athletics +14, Stealth +8
Str +5, Dex –1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +1
Items composite longbow (40 arrows), full plate (see death blaze), greatsword
Echolocation A caligni vanguard can use their hearing as a precise sense at the listed range.
AC 24 Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +11
HP 50; Immunities visual; Weaknesses sonic 5; Resistances slashing 5
Attack of Opportunity
Death Blaze When the vanguard dies, their body combusts in a blaze of fire and armor shrapnel. All creatures within a 10-foot emanation take 3d6 fire damage and 3d6 piercing damage (DC 19 basic Reflex save). The vanguard’s armor is destroyed in the blaze, but their other gear is unaffected and left in a pile where they died.
Speed 25 feet
Melee greatsword +16 (versatile P), Damage 1d12+8 slashing
Ranged composite longbow +10 (deadly d10, range increment 100 feet, volley), Damage 1d8+5 piercing
Call to Arms (auditory, mental) Each caligni within 30 feet of the vanguard gains the Attack of Opportunity reaction until the end of the vanguard’s next turn. Once a caligni has used this Attack of Opportunity, that caligni is temporarily immune to the same vanguard’s Call to Arms for 10 minutes.
Shadowed Blade (darkness) The vanguard makes a melee Strike, channeling shadowy essence into their weapon or unarmed attack to envelop the target. If the Strike hits, the target must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become blinded until the end of its next turn.
Caligni Vanguard
Caligni children born without eyes—an extremely rare occurrence—are considered sacred to their communities. From a young age, they’re set aside and groomed to become caligni vanguards, dedicated to rigorous martial training and mental strictures. Other calignis revere vanguards’ discipline and combat skill, but wary caution always tinges such respect, as they often have inscrutable motives. Vanguards almost never rebel against their duties or their established role in the community; some claim that those who do are taken by the
.A vanguard’s armor is fused to their body in pieces, and they rarely remove those elements that aren’t. This armor plating and vanguards’ keen sense of hearing render them particularly sensitive to sonic vibrations, which serves as both an asset and a vulnerability.
Vanguard Training
As soon as a caligni vanguard is old enough to hold a weapon, they’re immersed in an intensive training regimen that emphasizes austerity, asceticism, and heavy armor prowess. Though initially painful, the fusion of their armor to their bodies serves as a reminder of their responsibilities, and they eventually grow accustomed to the sensation.