Einherjar

Medium humanoid (extraplanar), chaotic neutral

Armor Class 18 (chain mail and shield)
Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)

Skills Animal Handling +5, Intimidation +6, Perception +5
Damage Resistances piercing weapons that are nonmagical
Senses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Celestial, Common
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Special Traits

  • Asgardian Battleaxes. Made in Valhalla and kept keen with runic magic, Asgardian axes have a +2 enchantment and add a second die of weapon damage. Their magic must be renewed each week by a valkyrie or Odin’s own hand.
  • Battle Loving. Einherjars relish combat and never turn down a challenge to single combat or shirk a fight, even if the odds are hopeless. After all, Valhalla awaits them.
  • Battle Frenzy. Once reduced to 30 hp or less, einherjar make all attacks with advantage.
  • Fearsome Gaze. The stare of an einherjar is especially piercing and intimidating. They make Intimidation checks with advantage.
  • Innate Spellcasting. The einherjar’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

Actions

  • Multiattack. An einherjar makes three attacks with its Asgardian battleaxe or one with its handaxe.
  • Asgardian Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage when used one handed or 17 (2d10 + 6) when used two-handed.
  • Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.

About

About

Stout bearded warriors with golden auras, the einherjar wear chain mail and carry two-handed battle axes and oaken shields- their badges and symbols are all different, and it is said no two braid their beards quite alike.

As the spirits of warriors chosen by the valkyries and brought to Valhalla to fight for the gods against the giants, the einherjar are great warriors who eat and drink their fill of boar and mead each night, then spend their days preparing for Ragnarok. Some of this is combat training, and other portions are raids against the Jotun giants and thursir giants, to try their strength. Regardless of how often they are slain, the einherjar reappear each morning in Odin’s hall, so they have no fear of death, and their courage shames others into greater bravery.

Defenders of the Mortal World. From time to time, the ravenfolk guide a troop of the einherjar against some of Loki’s minions or the servants of Boreas. These raids are often small battles, but the einherjar know they are only delaying the inevitable rise of the world serpent and its many evil spawn. This drives them to greater efforts against giants, demons, lindwurms, and other evil creatures, but the einherjar themselves are not exactly saintly. They drink, they carouse, they slap and tickle and brag and boast and fart with the loudest and most boastful of Asgardians. Unlike most extraplanar creatures, they are very human, if somewhat larger than life.

Fear Dragons. The einherjar have a notable soft spot for the ratatosk and the ravenfolk, but they are superstitiously fearful of dragons of all kinds. They sometimes hunt or ride or carouse with the fey lords and ladies, especially the Bear King, the Snow Queen, and the Lord of the Hunt.

Never Speak to the Living. In theory, the einherjar are forbidden from speaking with the living: they must pass their words through a valkyrie, a ratatosk, one of the ravenfolk, or other races allied with Asgard. In practice, this rule is often flouted, though if Loki’s servants notice it, they can dismiss any einherjar back to Valhalla for a day.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts. Copyright 2016, Open Design; Authors Chris Harris, Dan Dillon, Rodrigo Garcia Carmona, and Wolfgang Baur.

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