Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Lugul had drawn the short lot. Again. The other Adepts of Marduk ribbed him mercilessly as he headed down the temple steps to join the caravan. In these harsh times the priests cheerfully sent along an Adept with any merchant who made a proper donation to the temple. To protect their spirts, my son. Arsaces had reminded him. Yes, yes. Their spirits.

Now, three days later their jibes still rang in his ears as the camel beneath him grew restless, tossing its head from side to side. The sand in his mouth tasted slightly better than the stale barley bread the merchants shared with him. The sand in his beard was slightly less annoying than their banter. The sand in his…

“Look above, young priest!” called out Margagu the Caravan Master. “See the vultures circling so high. It will be another hot one today.”

Suddenly the circling specks broke their kettle and began to dive towards the caravan.

“Those are no vultures, Margagu. Quick! Alert your archers! Nergal sends his Saam Ursag Mul against us!”

Damn you and your shortcut across the ancient battlefields, you greedy old fool, Lugul thought as he took his holy symbol from its chain about his neck and prepared to call upon the light of his god to drive these wingéd demons back to the hells from which they came.

Saam Ursag Mul (Lower Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 2d4 (2d4)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 30’ (10’)
Fly: 180’ (60’)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 2 (talons)
Damage: 1d4/1d4
Save: F1
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None
XP: 31

When summoned from the darkest hells, Saam Ursag Mul take the form of cat-headed vultures. They attack with their talons while airborne, swooping in to strike and then flying away rapidly. On any turn that an attacking Saam Ursag Mul has initiative over its opponents, those opponents suffer a -3 penalty to hit it that turn.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Lower Order Demon:

• Infravision (90’)
• Half damage from cold-based attacks
• Half damage from electrical-based attacks
• Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
• Half damage from gas-type attacks
• Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)

Further, these creatures are:

• Susceptible to damage from “cold iron” weapons – hits from such weapons do an additional 1d4 damage.
• Highly vulnerable to Holy Water, taking 1d8 damage per thrown vial that hits or an additional 1d4 damage from weapons doused in such a fluid.
• Able to be turned (as creatures of 3HD) by Clerics of the gods of Umaab.

Saam Ursag Mul are typically found in graveyards as well as circling above places of great slaughter, such as battlefields and sites of terrible atrocities.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Saam Ursag Mul are the souls of craftsmen who knowingly sold shoddy merchandise.