Darklord Conversions...

[Spiteful Crow]

Is there a place where I can find 3E conversions of all the darklords that weren't officially covered in SDR and the Gazetteers?

[Catman Jim]

Many have been posted here:

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=398039

[Jasper]

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.p ... 394&page=1

Fan made convesions.

[Undead Cabbage]

Question.

I've made a 3.0 conversation for the Headless Horsemen, albeit with a few differences. A little lost on his creature type, I made him a 4th magnitude ghost, as well as gave him a vorpal, keen weapon.

Should I/could I post his stats here for review? I've also got a description, background, and character sketch, however the background strictly states that the exact cause of his curse is unknown, and therefore up to the GM.

[Jester of the FoS]

Answer.

The Headless Horseman, or at least the Ravenloft verion of, is a copyrighted of WotC/Hasbro and illegal public conversions cannot be hosted on this board.

However, if you want to post the stats of a 4th Magnitude ghost who is sans head, perhaps one based on a public domain folk tale or Tim Burton movie, then there is no problem.
Wink, wink.

[Undead Cabbage]

Right, well in that case. Here are some stats for a character based off of a public domain tale, the Decapitated Horseman.

The Decapitated Horseman, Mill Road's Demon, Darklord of the Winding Road
Male human rank four ghost Ftr10: CR 14; SZ M Undead (Incorporeal) (6ft. 7in. tall) HD 10d12; hp 71; Init +8; Spd (see cursed stead); AC 18; Atk +17/+12 (Sickle, 1d4+6, Crit 12-20); SA Commanding Appearance, Paralyzing Sickle, Dream Walk; SQ Darkvision 60ft., incorporeal, rejuvenation, spell immunity, turn resistance (8 ), undead, cursed stead, true seeing; AL CE; SV Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 17, Con--, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Ride (horse) +15; Weapon Focus (Sickle), Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Weapon Specialization (Sickle), Mounted Combat, Ride-by-Attack, Trample, Improved Initiative, Improved Critical (Sickle), Skill Focus (Ride),
Languages: Mordentish* (cannot speak)
Signature Possessions: +2 Ghost Touch, Keen, Vorpal Sickle, Masterwork Chainshirt,

From a distance, the Decapitated Horseman might appear as an average man, riding an ebony stead. Within one round (when it is too late to escape) he speeds up towards you, and his true nature is revealed. The Decapitated Horseman is a tall, humanoid figure which (as the name would suggest) does not have a head. He is dressed in solemn, black clothing with a white collar that shines in the moon light. His opaque cape whistles behind him. One of his tight, black gloves grasps the reigns of his stead, while the other wields a wicked looking Sickle. The Horseman himself never says a word (for obvious reasons).
His stead, like the rider, only shows its true nature seconds before the kill. It's eyes burn like hot coals while its hooves spew fire, burning leaves and other combustibles along the path. Its nostrils shoot out a cloud of choking, thick smoke that obscures sight. It's skin, like the Horseman's collar and sickle, gleam with the moonlight. The only sounds that the victims of the Decapitated Horseman ever hear are the haunting stride of his stead, and the hiss of his sickle as he decapitates them.
Background
It would seem that every domain has its own story about the Decapitated Horseman. In Borca, they claim that the Horseman was a bard who was called to one of Ivana Boritsi's private baths. By their story, the Horseman could not entertain Ivana, and so she decapitated him in a fickle mood, bathing in his blood. In Tepest, they claim that the Horseman is the victim of a cruel prank played by the fey. By their story, the Horseman was a Vaasan horseman who was promised eternal life by a band of sprites, only to find himself playing one of their wicked games as he desperately tries to find his own head for the rest of eternity. The only domain that does not have an elaborate story about the Decapited Horseman is, surprisingly, Mordent. In Mordent, the Horseman is a demonic spirit that haunts Mill Road; nothing more, nothing less. Other than that, the Mordentish either don’t believe in his existence, or would rather not talk about him. Coincidently, however he can be spotted in other realms, the Horseman seems to show a personal affinity for Mill Road in Mordent. An easy answer for this is that Mill Road in Mordent provides a mistway of excellent reliance to his domain during the Nocturne.
As a rule, the Mordentish try and avoid Mill Road during the Nocturne as much as possible. On the full moon of October the Decapitated Horseman supposedly goes into a killing spree. This story is more factual than superstition, since every year several headless bodies are reported on Mill Road on the morning after the Nocturne, despite the locals avoiding it. It is as if the road itself went looking for them.
The absolute truth about the Decapitated Horseman's past may never be known since he himself does not remember it, and all who were witness to it have either died or were killed by his blood lust. There are, however, some parallels between different folktales about the Horseman that might suggest why he is what he is. First, all stories seem to point to some sort of higher power removing his head for some whimsical reason, such as for entertainment or personal enjoyment. Second, the removal of his head was due to his mingling with some being or beings that was beyond him either in power, political status, or wit (most likely a Darklord, but not necessarily). Third, the incident has resulted in him eternally searching for both his head and the one who removed it. And finally, that he will never find his head until someone of pure heart presents it to him; only then can his spirit find rest. All other details of each story seem to be due to the moral and ethical biases of each society (i.e. In Darkon the Horseman is evidence of the day of judgement, in Nova Vaasa the Horseman cuts the head of only those who are disloyal to the Lawgiver).
Since the Decapitated Horseman seems tied to both Mordent and the Nocturne, it may be reasonable to say that his death might be related to both the realm and date. Take note that these conclusions are strictly speculation, and the true details of the Decapitated Horseman's death are left to the DM's imagination. The Horsemen is by no means restricted to Mordent, and a GM could potentially insert him into any realm he or she wishes.
Character Sketch
The Decapitated Horseman's blood lust will not end until he finds both his head and the being who killed him. Unfortunately, since he is the darklord of a domain, he will never find either one himself. Also, he is unable to speak, and therefore cannot tell anyone how to put his spirit to rest. This angers him to no end, and causes him to have periodic, jealous rages against the living.
In realms other than Mordent, he typically strikes on nights when the moon is in a sickle shape. In Mordent, his strikes peak during the Nocturne. He is not happy until he has slain at least a dozen people on this night. If enough people do not willing walk on Mill road that night, random people who walk alone on a street suddenly find themselves in his domain.
For all of his strengths and abilities in combat, the Decapitated Horseman has one weakness. He is physically incapable of damaging an innocent. He dreams of the day when a true innocent presents him with his head, thus meaning that the nightmare he lives in can finally end. Until then, he refrains from killing any, in hopes that he is sparring someone who might one day help him.
Combat
An encounter with the Decapitated Horseman begins with his victims finding themselves isolated on the Winding Road. During the first round they hear the sound of a horse riding in the distance. On the second round, they see a common man riding towards them. At this point, he attempts to use his Commanding Appearance ability to keep his victims standing where they are. During the third round, as the Horseman reaches them, his true nature is revealed as he makes his first attack. The Horseman always counts as having a surprise round on his victims, regardless of any actions that the victims may take.
The Horseman takes full advantage of his greater cleave and ride-by-attack feats, as well as is impressive critical range and his vorpal weapon. It is not unheard of him to decapitate multiple people in one swing. Ideally, if he doesn't score a critical hit, each strike he makes could potentially paralyze his victim. If his victim fails the save, he turns around to finish the job. If his victim succeeds the save, he chases after him, trying again and again until his head is removed.
The Decapitated Horseman does not stop attacking his victims until he has decapitated at least one person. If there is only a true innocent in his path he rides up, waits one round, and then rides past without making an attack. If there is more than one person in the road, he has been known to leave a few of them alive. However, anyone who is left alive by the Horseman succumbs to his Dream Walk ability, where they re-live the events of the encounter night after night. This usually results in the witness giving into insanity.
Closing Borders
The Horseman cannot stop anyone from entering his domain from Mill Road in Mordent during the Nocturne. He can, however, trap people once they are inside of his domain. When the Horseman decides to close his domain thick, impenetrable vines close off the sides of the road. These vines have an AC of 14, 30 hp, and regrow instantly. They cannot be climbed over, nor can anyone squeeze through them. An attempt to touch the vines causes the character to become entangled in them, thus leaving them helpless to a coup de grace from the Horseman.
If the players run either forwards or backwards, they find themselves running down an endless stretch of road. If they are slower than the Horseman's stead, the Horseman chases after them from behind. If their speed is greater, the Decapitated Horseman appears on the road infront from them as if he had effectively teleported there.
Special Attacks: the save DC against the Decapitated Horseman's ghostly abilities is 17
Paralyzing Sickle: As with Paralyzing touch, only instead his enemies make the save against paralyzation whenever they take damage from his sickle.
Special Qualities:
Rejuvenation: If destroyed, the Horseman reforms completely in one day. The Horseman cannot be permanently destroyed unless his head is given to him, or who ever removed it is killed.
Spell Immunity: The Decapitated Horseman is unaffected by all arcane and divine spells.
Cursed Stead: The Horseman is forever bound to his stead, and is unable to step off it, even to retrieve his own head. It has the same game statistics as a Nightmare (see Monster Manual), but has all of the special qualities, saves, and hit points of the Horseman. It cannot use its Astral Projection or Etherealness abilities, nor does it have a fly speed. Destroying the stead destroys the Decapitated Horseman, and the same goes Vice Versa. Rumor has it that this steed is the spirit of the stallion that Wilfred Godefroy shot to prove his innocence in life. This, once again, is mere speculation.
True Seeing: At all times, the Decapitated Horseman counts as having the True Seeing spell (see Player's Hand Guide) cast upon it.

Let it be known that this text pertains to the Decapitated Horseman, and Not the Headless Horseman in the 'Darklords' book for 2e Ravenloft

[The Giamarga]

Here's tidbit of info I found on the 1993 TSR Trading card #177:

Background: Legend says that the Headless Horseman was a bard who was invited to share the private baths of Ivana Boritsi. She was apparently in a fickle mood, and when he could not enteretain her, she took a cue from the sickle-shaped moon and had him beheaded. She continued her bath in his blood, then had the body thrown into the river. It now rises to ride under the sickle shaped moon.

Is this the same background as in Darklords???

[ScS of the Fraternity]

Yep, though in Darklords that story was only considered a possibility - the true story is not known.

[Undead Cabbage]

I've written a little text on different stories about the Headless Horseman in different realms. Borca's is the most elaborate. Each story has a habit of relfecting either the values of the realm, or past actions of the realm's respective darklord. But really, the background of this Character is best left to the GMs devices.