The Court of Entropy is a group of extradimensional entities forming the demonic royalty of their home realm. Each is a unique horror but they all work together to expand their domain and increase their power by collecting the souls of mortals. Encountering them on Earth (or even on Earth's dimensional plane) would be the result of a major summoning ritual or a catastrophic dimensional breach, the kind of thing that might draw the attention of Johnny Crisis. They're more likely to be met in their own hell-plane by mystical or dimension-hopping heroes.
Facing all of them at once is a challenge for a full team of heroes, and likely to be a climactic battle for a whole story arc. Using only two or three of them in a scene augmented by lieutenants and a dangerous environment will be more manageable while retaining some of their team synergies.
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Yan-Gannoth the Nadir King
Monarch of the Court of Entropy, Yan-Gannoth is an ageless inhuman entity who embodies the principle of entropy, decay and mortality. Mortals and their world interest him only as potential sources of subsistence, and he has no fear of any mere human no matter their powers. That may not work out well for him when confronted by superheroes who can punch a mountain into rubble and resist even the will of a demon lord.
Description: A towering skeletally-thin giant, garbed in rusted, tattered plate and chain armor and bearing a high-spiked crown of gray metal on its brow. It radiates an overwhelming aura of despair and dull pain. Rust, rot and mold form a spreading blight wherever it goes. It rarely uses its echoing sepulchral voice with mortals. Most commonly encountered seated upon its Throne of Entropy (see below).
Gender: Male? Age: Immortal Height: Usually 20' Eyes: Gray
Hair: Gray Skin: Gray Build: Horrifically Gaunt
Approach: Ancient Archetype: Squad
Health: 35 + (5 x H)
Powers: Suggestion d12, Infernal d10, Strength d10, Size-Changing d8
Qualities: Conviction d12, Magical Lore d12, Persuasion d10, Demonic Royalty d8, Otherworldly Mythos d8
Status: (# of other Villains) 3+ - d10 / 1-2 - d8 / 0 - d6
Abilities:
Demonic Supremacy (A) Hinder multiple targets using Suggestion. Use your Max die. Attack each target using your Mid + Min dice.
Entropy Is Eternal (I) If you would be reduced to zero Health and you don't have a penalty, roll your single Strength die and your Health becomes the value rolled.
My Servants Are Sacrosanct (R) When another villain is Attacked, Defend them by rolling your single status die. Boost yourself using the amount of damage reduced.
The Court Empowers Me (I) Increase damage you deal by the number of nearby non-minion allies.
Upgrades & Masteries (usually in effect):
Defense Shield (I) You cannot be damaged by anything except yourself until the defense shield is destroyed. The shield has 40 Health, or can be deactivated with three Overcome successes. If a hero takes a minor twist working on the shield, you can use a Reaction to Attack that hero by rolling your single Infernal die. Gain Reestablish Shield (A) Overcome using Infernal. Use your Max die. On a success remove one success from the deactivation challenge. Alternatively, instead of an Overcome, use your Max die to Recover that much of the shield's Health. This ability cannot be used if the shield has been completely removed.
Master of Superiority (I) As long as you are manifesting an effect related to a power you have at d12, automatically succeed at an Overcome involving usage of those powers.
Tactics
Yan-Gannoth is demonic royalty and rarely deigns to acknowledge any single foe, leaving that to his court and lesser followers. Instead he remains seated on his Throne of Entropy and uses Demonic Supremacy to grind all opposition into surrender with sheer psychic pressure, augmented by The Court Empowers Me. His Defense Shield upgrade makes him very hard to harm, and if he is somehow reduced to zero Health Entropy Is Eternal will keep him in the fight unless he's been Hindered beforehand. While he cares little for his minor servants he will respond to assaults on his courtiers with My Servants Are Sacrosanct. Yan-Gannoth's mastery is extremely easy to use with the number of Suggestion-based penalties he spreads around.
He prefers to remain at his full twenty foot height but may diminish himself to more modest proportions if need be. Doing so in response to something a mere mortal has done is a sign of grudging respect - or seething fury if his courtiers have been defeated and his Throne broken.
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Throne of Entropy
The Throne of Entropy is a construct rather than a creature. It exists solely to serve the Court of Entropy, and will obey any instruction form Yan-Gannoth without hesitation. If left without guidance, it will attempt to withdraw to its own dimension, bearing any defeated allies with it if possible. It's probably the most dangerous piece of furniture the heroes will ever encounter, or at least the biggest.
Description: A massive platform made of tarnished gold inscribed with countless arcane runes, roughly circular with hundreds of multicolored stylized eyes around its rim. A huge high-backed throne scaled for a 20' tall occupant is centered on it, and the whole apparatus is borne on four thick, columnar legs which fold beneath it when its rider wishes to dismount.
Gender: None Age: Unknown Height: 45' Eyes: Polychromatic
Build: Gigantic Ambulatory Dais Bearing A Huge Throne
Approach: Specialized
Archetype: Titan (Status Challenge: Deface Runes 00 Crack Hellcrystal Core 0)
Health: 50 + (5 x H)
Powers: Strength d8, Presence d10
Qualities: Imposing d12, Close Combat d8, Demonic Construct d8
Status: Titan Challenge Start - d12 / Stage 1 Completed - d10 / Stage 2 Completed - d8
Abilities:
All-Seeing Eyes (I) Whenever you Attack a target that you have already dealt damage to at least once already in this scene, gain a +1 persistent and exclusive bonus against that target.
Eye of Terror (A) Hinder one target using Imposing. Use your Max die. Attack that target using your Mid die.
Invulnerable Demonic Construct (I) Reduce all damage you take by 6 (at d12 status), 4 (at d10 status), or 2 (at d8 or less status).
Layered Defenses (R) When Attacked by a roll that includes doubles, remove one success from the Titan's Challenge.
Looming Behemoth (A) Attack multiple targets using Strength. Hinder those targets using your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of the Unfathomable (I) If you are in a situation involving eldritch forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to do the bidding of eldritch entities beyond human concerns.
Tactics
The Throne of Entropy primarily exists to carry Yan-Gannoth in style, but it will take an active part in a battle to defend its rider or itself. Looming Behemoth lets it literally put its foot down, producing devastating shockwaves and getting the bonus from All-Seeing Eyes started on multiple targets at once. Eye of Terror is a single-beam attack that terrifies a foe with supernatural energy. Invulnerable Demonic Construct and Layered Defenses combine to make it quite hard to hurt. It frequently uses a basic action to Defend its rider rather than other abilities.
Its upgrade improves its damage a fair bit, while its mastery applies when following orders from Yan-Gannoth or any other demon lords that might be present. Of all the Court members the Throne of Entropy is least likely to have an upgrade, as it's mostly a gigantic piece of animated furniture.
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Urakk the Unmaker
Urakk is the most learned member of the Court of Entropy, and is usually the first entity Yan-Gannoth will consult when in need of information. He has great power over the tools of mortal beings, manifesting the entropic principle in the form of failing machinery, broken tools, rusting weapons and similar technological decay. Vindictive in the extreme, Urakk prefers to work with an ally to drag down whichever foe has angered him most, greedily pursuing any who flee so that he can take them as a specimen for his collection of bottled mortals back in his home dimension.
Description: In its natural form, a tall, narrow-shoulder humanoid with an oversized head sporting half a dozen staring eyes beneath a mane of long squirming tentacles in place of hair. It wears tattered, mold-stained robes of gray and white that mostly conceal its scaly green skin, digitigrade legs and taloned feet. Its voice is high and strained, with a deathly rattle to its breathing.
Gender: Male? Age: Immortal Height: 6'9" Eyes: Jade Green
Hair: Coiling Gray Tendrils Skin: Dull Green, Scaled Build: Macrocephalic
Approach: Relentless Archetype: Inhibitor
Health: 30 + (5 x H)
Powers: Transmutation d10, Infernal d8, Awareness d6
Qualities: Magical Lore d10, Demonic Sage d8, Otherworldly Mythos d8, History d6
Status: (# of heroes with penalties) 0 - d6 / 1-2 - d8 / 3+ - d10
Abilities:
Accelerated Decay (R) When Attacked by someone with a penalty you created, Defend by rolling your single status die. The Attacker also suffers that much damage.
Augment Harm (R) When one of your allies Attacks an opponent, roll your single Magical Lore die and add that amount of damage to the Attack.
Entropic Evocation (A) Hinder multiple targets using Transmutation. Use your Max die. Attack one of those targets using your Mid die.
Fearsome Pursuit (R) When an opponent moves away from you, you may follow them and Hinder them by rolling your single status die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of Annihilation (I) If you can cause massive collateral damage without regard for casualties, automatically succeed at an Overcome in a situation where a show of overwhelming force would help.
Tactics
Urakk despises the tools of science and technology above all else, and prefers to use Entropic Evocation to spread "creeping decay" penalties around multiple targets. He has a number of reactions to choose from each turn, and will usually employ one at the first opportunity. Fearsome Pursuit lets him chase down fleeing foes and interfere with tactical repositioning, Augment Harm lets him add significant damage to an ally's Attack, and Accelerated Decay gives him a strong response to Attackers suffering one of his penalties.
His upgrade doubles the amount of raw damage he hands out with his sole offensive ability, and his mastery lets him revel in the destruction of man-made structures and items while intimidating and distracting foes.
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Shaggom the Unyielding
Shaggom is the guardian of the Court, focused narrowly on preventing harm to his king and his fellow courtiers. If he has motivations or interests beyond that it doesn't show. If he fails in his duties he'll fight till destroyed, and will gladly remain behind to cover any retreat. Yan-Gannoth treats his Throne with more respect than Shaggom and will sacrifice him without a second thought..
Description: A powerfully built humanoid in heavy plated armor covered in rust. Its head is a featureless ovoid but it still seems preternaturally alert to its surroundings. It "speaks" inside your head in a lifeless monotone.
Gender: Male? Age: Immortal Height: 8'10" Eyes: None
Hair: None Skin: Dull Black Stained The Color Of Dried Blood Build: Hulking
Approach: Dampening Archetype: Bruiser
Health: 45 + (5 x H)
Powers: Infernal d10, Strength d8, Vitality d8
Qualities: Imposing d10, Alertness d8, Close Combat d8, Demonic Warden d8
Status: Green Zone Health - d6 / Yellow Zone Health - d8 / Red Zone Health - d10
Abilities:
Curse of Terror (A) Hinder using Infernal. Use your Max die. This penalty is persistent and exclusive. As long as this penalty is on the target, reduce their highest power die of your choice by one die size. Attack using your Mid die.
Entropic Invincibility (R) When Attacked by a hero with a penalty, ignore their damage and remove a penalty on that hero.
Seize and Slam (A) Attack one target using Strength. Use your Max die. Either Hinder that target using your Mid die or Attack another nearby target using your Mid die.
Warden of the Court (A) When a nearby ally would be Attacked, you may become the target of that Attack instead. You may use this reaction any number of times in a round by taking one irreducible damage for each time past the first.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of the Unfathomable (I) If you are in a situation involving eldritch forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to do the bidding of eldritch entities beyond human concerns.
Tactics
Shaggom is the most militant member of the Court and focuses on defending his allies with judicious use of Warden of the Court. Spreading lasting penalties around with Curse of Terror also helps limit incoming damage, and Entropic Invincibility blocks damage from anyone with a penalty from any source, something the whole Court hands out plenty of. Once he's got enough penalties out he'll switch to Seize and Slam for more damage output, either throwing heroes around in melee or hurling battlefield debris at a distance.
His upgrade further ramps up his damage, and his mastery reflects his absolute loyalty to the royalty of his hell-dimension.
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Vorrin the Frozen-Hearted
Vorrin is the Court's spymaster and assassin, and frequently has his own schemes in progress either with or without Yan-Gannoth's knowledge. His shape-changing powers let him infiltrate the mortal world, where he's most likely encountered in the company of demonic cultists. Vorrin's entropic powers manifest as freezing cold and stillness, the ultimate inertia on the molecular level. He and Urakk are sometimes at odds due to Vorrin's secretive nature and Urakk's endless curiosity.
Description: Tall, rail-thin figure with a prominent hunched back that bears a second, distorted face looking backward from the hump. It wears nothing but checkerboard leggings in rusty orange and brownish black. Its main head speaks only in a whisper, trying not to disturb its secondary head which roars and bellows nonsense when annoyed. It exudes a chilling aura of bitter cold and muted sounds, and is often coated in a layer of peeling frost when employing its powers.
Gender: Male? Age: Immortal Height: 6'7" Eyes: Saffron Yellow
Hair: Long Bleached White Skin: Eggshell White Build: Scarecrow Thin Hunchback
Approach: Leech
Archetype: Formidable (Weakness: Heat, Radiant)
Health: 40 + (5 x H)
Powers: Cold d10, Absorption d8, Shape-Shifting d6
Qualities: Demonic Spymaster d8, Finesse d8, Magical Lore d8, Otherworldly Mythos d8
Status: No Weakness Penalties - d12 / Both Bonuses and Penalties - d8 / Only Weakness Penalties - d4
Abilities:
Feast On Your Power (R) When a bonus is used against you on an Attack or Hinder, you may first destroy that bonus. If you do so, roll your single Absorption die and recover Health equal to the roll plus the value of the destroyed bonus.
Frozen Shroud (A) Hinder multiple targets using Cold. Recover Health equal to your Min die. If you roll doubles, also Attack one of those targets using your Max die.
Mantle of Ice (A) Boost using Cold. Use your Max + Min dice. Remove all penalties on yourself.
Unnatural Talent (A) Take any basic action using your Max die.
Upgrades & Masteries:
Power Dampening Field (I) +10 Health. While the scene is in the green zone, all heroes' powers of d8 or higher are reduced by one die size. In the Yellow zone all of the heroes' powers of d10 or higher are reduced by one additional step (two die sizes total). In the Red zone, all heroes' power dice are treated as d4. Heroes can remove this upgrade with three overcome successes. If a hero takes a minor twist while taking these Overcomes, they lose access to a power until this upgrade is removed.
Master of Mysticism (I) If you have access to proper materials, automatically succeed at an Overcome in a situation involving harnessing magical forces.
Tactics
Vorrin is a cautious but versatile fighter thanks to Unnatural Talent, but will usually rely on Frozen Shroud to pile on penalties and heal a bit when damaged. Feast On Your Power makes it hard to use bonuses against him and works even when the ability targets multiple villains, so it can be a group defense as well as a personal one. If Hindered with heat or radiance-based penalties he'll resort to Mantle of Ice as soon as possible to keep his status die up.
His upgrade gives him a strong passive debuff that will require serious effort to remove and his magical talents are reflected in his mastery.
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The Court of Entropy is often accompanied by a few lesser servants, most commonly demonic mockeries of human knights of old.
Knight of Ruin d10 lieutenant
Description: Demonic entities that usually manifest as bloodstained medieval knights in rusting, decayed armor with battered and chipped blades. Some may be mounted on swaybacked steeds in equally decrepit barding but these are just for show, part of the knight itself. They can appear as something else at their master's whim, but always display the marks of entropy in some way.
Drawn To Weakness: You gain a +1 bonus to Attack actions for each penalty on your target.
Entropic Contagion: When rolling to save against damage from Attacks you automatically fail. Hinder the Attacker using the result of your save.
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