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By F. Wesley Schneider
By Wayne Reynolds

Born of a union between the chieftain of her tribe and a human captive, Girddrez only survived infancy because she looked just like an orc. Raised within her father’s brutal society, she suffered little prejudice due to her station as the chief’s kin and because her strength and heartiness rivaled all of her peers. Many in the tribe still considered her a freak, however, and Girddrez was taught the fast-paced, animalistic dances of her people rather than the ways of war, forced into a fool’s life as the tribe’s entertainer.

As she grew, Girddrez often faced the lustful advances of her father’s lieutenants as she entertained them in his war hall. Finally, one drunken war chief pursued his intentions too forcefully. Girddrez savaged his throat and hefted his blade to defend herself against his allies. Shocked and enraged as they were, the orc leaders dared not attack their chieftain’s daughter in his presence. To the amazement and fury of all assembled, the chieftain decreed that Girddrez had proven more competent than the previous lieutenant and had taken up his blade, making his station and possessions hers to claim. None of the orcs argued with the chieftain, nor did any of them seek to face the one-time dancer while her enemy’s blood still dripped from her face. Thus Girddrez became a commander in her father’s horde.

Taking her predecessor’s station, Girddrez found among his possessions a glimmering torque, a powerful symbol given to the mightiest leaders of her people. Donning this mind-clearing talisman, Girddrez combined her skill as a dancer with her talent for brutal killing and created a savage fighting style. Although many rival warchiefs have tried to assassinate Girddrez or disgrace her in combat, her unorthodox methods and keen mind have seen each of their tusks added to her armor as bloody symbols of prowess, pride, and victory.

APPEARANCE

Strongly favoring her orc ancestry in appearance, Girddrez emphasizes her savage heritage with numerous piercings, ritual scarring, and a complex series of interwoven full-body tattoos. Favoring furs and leathers, often still sporting the bones, teeth, and scales of the creatures that provided them, Girddrez’s clothing further accentuates her ferocity. Along with her mane of wild dark hair, small black eyes, and prominent fangs, Girddrez strikes a frighteningly brutal figure. Perhaps the only adornment that hints at her more refined tastes is the ever-present gold torque she wears around her neck.

TACTICS

Girddrez favors dynamic ambushes to all other forms of attack. Lacking much in the way of stealth, she eagerly rushes into combat from behind cover—often tumbling and making daring leaps—and rages just before engaging her target. Holding tactics in mind as she rages, Girddrez often attacks the weakest-looking or least ready opponent first, dancing past better-prepared enemies using her Tumble skill and enhanced mobility. Knowing that her survival relies on mobility and brute force, Girddrez often makes use of items like potions of cat’s grace or potions of bull’s strength before entering combat.

Once engaged, Girddrez makes competent use of her +2 gyrspike to disarm and trip opponents. So disabled, her opponents can rarely withstand the flurry of decisively savage attacks the half-orc unleashes round after round. When possible, Girddrez enters combat surrounded by orc and goblinoid allies, cooperating with them to flank opponents and commanding them as best she can.

DEVELOPMENT

Whether she serves as the champion of a band of orcs or the leader of a legion of barbarians, PCs could encounter Girddrez’s unique brand of savagery wherever brutal humanoids reign. Aside from the untamed wilds, such a quick-thinking ravager could easily rise to stardom in a city’s gladiatorial pits or provide some muscle to a local thieves’ guild.

In Greyhawk, Girddrez might reside within the land of the savage Frost Barbarians. If Girddrez hails from the Forgotten Realms, she could make her home among the Stonelands, Thar, or even among the hordes of the Spine of the World Mountains. If from the latter, she might be a cunning child of King Obould Many-Arrows himself, providing his other eight children with significant competition for his throne.

In Eberron, Girddrez probably comes from western Khorvaire or either the Ironroot or Endworld Mountains. Seeing her race in decline, Girddrez might attempt to civilize her people, using her keen mind and physical prowess as examples to her race in hopes of uniting them with the other cultured races of the world.

GIRDDREZ (CR 10)

Female half-orc barbarian 7/duelist 3
Medium humanoid (orc)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +7, Spot +4

Languages Common, Goblin, Orc, Undercommon

AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 11; enhanced mobility, improved uncanny dodge, uncanny dodge
hp 77 (10 HD); DR 1/—
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +2

Spd 40 ft.

Melee +2 gyrspike +14 (1d8+3/19–20) or
+2 gyrspike +12/+7/+2 (1d8+3/19–20) and
+2 gyrspike +12/+7 (1d8+2/19–20)

Base Atk +10; Grp +11
Special Atk rage 2/day

Combat Gear potion of bull’s strength

Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 10

SQ uncanny defense, fast movement, illiteracy, trap sense +2

Feats Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (gyrspike)

Skills Balance +8, Bluff +2, Climb +10, Intimidate +10, Jump +13, Listen +7, Perform (dance) +3, Spot +4, Survival +5, Tumble +14

Possessions combat gear, +2 gyrspike, masterwork short sword, torque of lucid raging

Rage (Ex)

When Girddrez rages, her statistics change as follows:

AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 9
hp 97
Melee +2 gyrspike +16 (1d8+6/19–20) or
+2 gyrspike +14/+9/+4 (1d8+5/19–20) and
+2 gyrspike +14/+9 (1d8+3/19–20)
Abilities Str 16, Con 17

Torque of Lucid Raging

Crafted by savage shamans for use by barbarian commanders, these thick metal chokers allow raging wearers to retain a measure of control despite their battle frenzy. This magic item only aids characters with the rage extraordinary ability. Those that rage while wearing this item are not restricted in the use of skills, feats, or abilities they possess. Thus, a barbarian who rages while wearing a torque of lucid raging can use all skills, any feat, and any ability requiring patience or concentration, as well as can cast any spell and activate any magic item (as long as he possesses such skills, feats, or abilities) as if he were not raging. A torque of lucid raging uses the same space as a magic necklace.

Moderate enchantment; CL 7; Craft Wondrous Item, calm emotions; Price 9,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Gyrspike

A gyrspike is a double weapon. A stout shaft holds a flail on one end and a longsword on the other. You can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties for two-weapon fighting, as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

You get a +2 bonus on your opposed attack roll when attempting to disarm an enemy with a gyrspike (including the opposed attack roll to avoid being disarmed yourself if you fail to disarm your enemy).

You can also use this weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the gyrspike to avoid being tripped.

A gyrspike is a two-handed exotic melee weapon.