Herkufolk Noble

Medium humanoid (herkufolk, ozian), lawful evil

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 28 (8d8 – 8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	12 (+1)	9 (-1)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)

Skills Arcana +3, Deception +3, History +3, Insight +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Siege Monster. The herku noble deals double damage to objects and structures.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The herku noble makes two attacks with its fists.
• Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
• Crushing Hug. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the target takes 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the hag’s turns. The herku can’t make attacks while grappling a creature in this way.
• Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, the noble can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the noble. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if the noble is incapacitated.

ABOUT

These people are of ordinary size and the only remarkable thing about them is the fact that they are dreadfully lean and thin. Between their skin and their bones there seems to be little or no flesh, and they are mostly stoop-shouldered and weary looking, even to the little children.

Herku society is based off of a peculiar caste system in which enslaved giants serve every herku’s whim. Herkus themselves are deceptively strong, thanks to a legendary compound known as zosozo. Once a year, the herkus are fed a teaspoonful of it to each of their people-men, women and children-so every one of them is strong as a giant.

Shaky Rulership. Herku society is predicated on might-makes right, which is ironic given that the herkufolk themselves are physically weak. And yet judicious application of zosozo gives them enough strength to keep their giants in line, and in turn the czarover uses zosozo to control his subjects. Shows of physical force are rare but considered a necessary reminder to demonstrate who’s in charge.

Herkus are ruled by a czarover, who is even stronger than the herkus themselves. The czarover takes additional doses of zosozo so he can be more powerful than the herkus and their giants.