Iron Maiden's Eddie For First Edition AD&D

Now this iconic metal mascot has a home in Dungeons & Dragons.

By R. Nelson Bailey

Recently, knowledge of a heretofore unknown power native to the Lower Planes has come to light, discovered within the musty journals of Pluffet Smedger, the Elder, sage of the Royal University at Relmord. The sage spent many years unearthing information on the being he named “Eddie.” He had intended for him to be included in his masterwork, The Monster Manual, that ponderous catalog of strange and dreadful creatures. Unfortunately, the printer’s devil intervened, leaving Eddie’s entry missing. From his prodigious notes, we have reconstructed it here.

Among the stranger revelations concerning the demonling Eddie is that, on one distant world, he is celebrated in image and song. A group of bards who call themselves Iron Maiden are said to be devotees who actively worship him.

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Below are the statistics for Iron Maiden's iconic Eddie for First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Use this malevolent trickster to shake up and surprise the adventurers in your campaign.

EDDIE (The Seventh Son)

FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)

NO. APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: –3

MOVE: 12”

HIT DICE: 166 hp

% IN LAIR: 20%

TREASURE TYPE: U, X, Z

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +7 (x2)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Strangulation attack,

see below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better weapon to hit, regeneration, see below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%

INTELLIGENCE: Genius

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil (Neutral)

SIZE: M (6’ tall)

PSIONIC ABILITY: 266

Attack/Defense Modes: All/all

LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X/50,000 (material form)

Also known as the Drifter from Purgatory or the Pharaoh of Madness, Eddie is a powerful and enigmatic being who may be a type of demon lord or a godling. He typically appears as a dreadful, lich-like figure, though his garb shifts to match his surroundings. Eddie uses his ability to polymorph at will to assume a variety of grotesque forms and guises as whim dictates. In any form, a malevolent and inscrutable grin alights his face.

Rarely found in his lair, Eddie can travel freely through the Astral, Ethereal, and Outer planes. He also frequently roams numerous Prime Material Planes, spreading chaos and evil wherever he wanders.

In combat, Eddie has a 40% chance to employ a weapon—typically a dagger, hand axe, or katana—with which he attacks twice per round. His katana functions as a sword of sharpness. With the strength of a hill giant (19 Strength), he inflicts an additional +7 points of damage when attacking with a weapon.

When unarmed, Eddie uses a strangulation attack. A successful attack roll indicates that he has seized his opponent’s throat, inflicting 2d10 points of damage each round. A victim who succeeds at a bend bars/lift gates roll can break free of his powerful grip.

In addition to the abilities above, Eddie can use the following spell-like powers, one at a time, once per round, as a 20th-level caster: affect normal fires, cause fear in a 10’ radius, chaos thrice per day, clairvoyance, comprehend languages, create illusion as wand, detect good, detect invisibility, emotion, ESP, etherealness, fascinate twice per day, flame strike twice per day, assume gaseous form, symbol of insanity, and telekinesis (10,000 gp weight). Once per day with a sneer, he can deliver an unholy word.

Fire-based attacks and poison cannot harm Eddie, nor can necromantic or mind-affecting magics. Cold- and electrical-based attacks inflict half damage. He regenerates 3 hit points per round.

Eddie dwells in a region of the Plane of Pandemonium known as Gangland, a vast flame-filled cavern near the Sea of Madness. On occasion (10% chance), he is accompanied by a succubus named Charlotte.

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