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ANDREW MURRAYNefermandias LoreA character knows the following information with asuccessful Arcana or History check.DC 20: The last ruler of the draconic nation ofMaru-Qet was a great brown dragon called Nefermandias.He is called the Forsaken Pharaoh, for hereigned even as his nation was torn asunder, andsome believe he lives still.DC 25: Nefermandias indeed lives, ruling a clutchof offspring and devoted servants that, in turn, lord itover the few remaining city-states and tribes of whatwas once grand Maru-Qet. Desperate to restore hiskingdom to its former glory, Nefermandias attemptsto enslave any humanoid creatures who draw near.Slaves of the Forsaken Pharaoh can expect short,miserable lives; in his frustration, Nefermandias hasgrown cruel and vicious.DC 30: Although it is a brutal wasteland, andthose who survive its dangers might wind up as slavesor worse, Maru-Qet is also a land of forgotten treasuresand ancient secrets that even Ioun or Vecnamight covet. Nefermandias and his brood hold manyof these, but others still remain hidden in the ruins orburied beneath the desert sands.DC 35: Nefermandias and his offspring dwell ingreat pyramidal tombs, intended to serve as theirhomes both before and after death. These complexesare filled with traps of lethal power and intricacy.TacticsThe draconic pharaoh uses his breath weapon andhorrid wilting from a safe distance, blinding hisenemies and draining the moisture from their flesh.The swirling barriers of his wall of sand and sandstormpowers control the battlefield and keep foes at a distance.If foes manage to close, he stuns them withfrightful presence, then spends an action point to moveout of melee range. He reserves his majestic presencefor protection while retreating or to support his allieswhen not fighting alone.Blades of thePharaohAt the height of his reign over Maru-Qet, Nefermandias created theseentities to serve as soldiers and tombguardians. With humanoid bodiesbut draconic heads to match thepharaoh’s own, these constructs aremade of sandstone frames wrappedin desiccated human flesh, withcastoff brown dragon scales laidover all. These were once among theregion’s mightiest soldiers, and theyare still quite dangerous, but theages have taken their toll; the bladesof the pharaoh have crumbled, their insides made upnot of stone anymore but merely sand, and the pharaohhas either forgotten how to create them anew, orhasn’t felt the need to bother.Blade of the PharaohLevel 28 MinionLarge natural animate (construct) XP 3,250Initiative +20 Senses Perception +20; darkvisionHP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.AC 42; Fortitude 41; Reflex 38; Will 38Immune disease, poison, sleepSpeed 6m Bronze Pike (standard; at-will) ✦ WeaponReach 3; +33 vs. AC; 11 damage.C Breath of Sand (standard; encounter) ✦ FireClose blast 5; +31 vs. Reflex; 6 fire damage.Special: If a target takes breath of sand damage from multipleblades in the same round, this attack has additional effects.These effects are cumulative, and each requires a separate save.Two Blades: Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends).Three Blades: Slowed (save ends).Four or More Blades: Blinded (save ends).Alignment Unaligned Languages —Str 30 (+24) Dex 23 (+20) Wis 23 (+20)Con 27 (+22) Int 3 (+10) Cha 3 (+10)Blades of the Pharaoh TacticsBlades begin combat with their breath of sand, thenfinish off enemies with their pikes.Encounter GroupsNefermandias rarely leaves his lair, other than tooversee his offspring and subordinates or when hefeels the need to conduct his own hunt.Level 33 Encounter (XP 140,000)✦ Nefermandias (level 31 solo artillery)✦ Sin-Hingh and Ephalses, dragonborn champions(level 26 soldier, MM 87)✦ Rahemhotep, efreeti pyresinger (level 25 controller,MM 99)CHAPTER 4 | New MonstersNEFERMANDIAS241