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The Vorpal Tribble
2009-02-01, 09:39 AM
Paragons of Passion

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c273/AwakenedDreamer/Monster%20Comp/DragonPassion.jpg

“Who is so firm that can't be seduced?” - William Shakespeare

The heart is a wondrous, fickle thing. It is the source of strength, of courage and of compassion. Yet it is so easily broken, so wont to be used, and with the right tugs can be lead astray or asunder. Neither the brightest mind cannot or most hardened body make a difference in it's defense. It is through this weakness that many slip through one's guards. It may be a harpist of the emotions, playing upon your heartstrings or an assassin of the spirit whom with seduction and honeyed words pierce deeper than any dagger. What are the sweet nothings they whisper in your ear?


_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until Midnight of February 20th (EST).

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until the last day of the month.



Rules

1. You will be creating an 'original' D&D monster. Beings of great charm and allure, romance and cozentry.

Note: Despite the theme all content must keep within the rules of the forums and note if it may Not Be Safe For Work (NSFW).

Example
Dark Bedfellow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10748)
Woman In Black (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-574958)
Guible (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35219)

2. The entry must include name, complete stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similar in addition is optional. Incomplete entries will be disqualified upon the deadline.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one seen in the Monster Manual IV, except for a lore section which is encouraged).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do not post conversation here. Any and All Comments and discussions will take place on a separate thread here (this is a link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5578957#post5578957).

5. One entry per participant. No double-teaming.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Merely adding class levels or templates to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to have the basic beast already done.

The Vorpal Tribble
2009-02-01, 09:40 AM
Vorpal Tribble's Guide To Making Monsters (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43009)

As well, here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the GITP Contest Chat Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5578957#post5578957).

-=-=-=-

Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities: Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

Athaniar
2009-02-04, 07:08 AM
“The Negative Energy Plane hath no fury like a woman scorned"

Vaincloak

Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Fly 60 ft. (perfect) (12 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +6 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d10 plus energy drain)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d8 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Energy drain, bond, Dominate Person, create spawn
Special Qualities: Undead traits, incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, telepathy, darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 0, Dex 17, Con 0 Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 22
Skills: Diplomacy +12 (20), Hide +5 (8), Bluff +10 (18), Sense Motive +5 (9), Intimidate +5 (13), Listen +3 (5), Spot +4 (6), Search +4 (6)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Negotiator, PersuasiveB
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or coven (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 7 (the CR of a host bonded with a vaincloak increases by 2)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: 6-10 Hit Dice (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

A vaincloak appears as incorporeal pieces of grey, flayed skin from a humanoid female organized into a crude humanoid shape and pulsating with a red light. Two (number may vary depending of original form) eyes, glowing with the same energy, float around, viewing its surroundings with the malevolence of the undead. In life, it was a female (of any type and race) who died with unanswered desires or simply a sense of physical inadequacy. In death, it is a cunning spirit, seeking agreements with humanoid females who share the same problems that drove the vaincloak into undeath: if it is allowed to bond, they can both experience their desires come true. But be not fooled, for the vaincloak is an evil being, and cares not for the well-being of its host.

A vaincloak does not speak except telepathically.

Combat
If caught in battle without a host body or just expelled from it, the vaincloak’s primary method of defence is to attempt to dominate her foe using Dominate Person. If this does not work, she will send her zombie minions (if any) into the fray. If these methods of defence are unsuccessful, the vaincloak will assault the weakest opponent with her draining touch attack, hoping to turn it into one of her undead. If the vaincloak is bonded, she will combine these tactics with tactics appropriate for her host’s powers. As a last resort, if she thinks her host is too weak, she will distract her enemies long enough for her to leave the host body, and will then attempt to dominate any nearby female and bond with her, unless there happens to be more willing hosts in the vicinity.

A vaincloak has the following abilities:

Telepathy (Su)
A vaincloak can communicate telepathically with any creature within 90 feet that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the vaincloak if it wishes—no common language is needed.

Energy Drain (Su)
Living creatures hit by a vaincloak’s incorporeal touch attack gain two negative levels. The DC is 15 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the vaincloak gains 5 temporary hit points. When the vaincloak is attached to a host, the energy drain is used as a touch attack.

Bond (Su)
Whenever it is in its “natural” state, the vaincloak may attach itself to any willing humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant female of small to large size with a Charisma score lower than that of the vaincloak, more than 1/3 of her original hp remaining, and not under the effect of an anti-possession spell such as Protection from Evil as a full-round action (It may also detach itself from said humanoid female as a full-round action). If either the host or the vaincloak take damage during the bonding, it is interrupted and cannot be attempted again for 1d4 rounds, and likewise, if the vaincloak is interrupted when attempting to leave the host, she stays. When attached, the vaincloak provides the host with incredible physical attractiveness, according to the mind of the host. Also, when attached, the vaincloak functions as an incorporeal voice in the host’s head, guiding her actions. The vaincloak has access to all the host’s thoughts, and it needs not reveal that it has this ability.

While both entities seem to have equal control at first, the vaincloak’s control gradually increases, until the host is nothing more than a vehicle for the vaincloak. The special attacks, abilities, and qualities of both vaincloak and host (except for the vaincloak’s undead and incorporeal traits, and its turn resistance, and, of course, bond) can be used in this state, but otherwise it uses the statistics of the host, with some exception: it uses the vaincloak’s Charisma score and whatever Intelligence score that is the highest (but any increase to these scores, such as from a spell or magic item, increases the stats of the host unless they are granted before the vaincloak merges. In order to spot the occasional red tinge that reveals an attached vaincloak, a character needs to succeed on a DC 20 Spot check. A character that succeeds on a DC 25 Sense Motive check also discerns that something is not quite right. However, a character would not usually know what the tinges or feeling indicate unless he (or she) possesses the necessary knowledge (see section Vaincloak Lore). A vaincloak can be forcefully driven out by either the appropriate spells or by reducing the host to 1/3 of its original hitpoints. When forcefully expelled, the vaincloak immediately leaves the host, as opposed to the full-round action it takes when the vaincloak herself decides to leave. The former host is stunned for 1d4 rounds when the vaincloak is forcefully expelled, and then may or may not be hostile to the vaincloak, depending on how she was treated and how big her desires really are.

Although it usually refrains from doing so, the vaincloak can choose to bond with a dominated creature (see below). If the mental dominion ends while the vaincloak is bonded to her (unwilling) host, the vaincloak is forcefully expelled from the host after 2d4 rounds, during which it loses control of the host, but can still use her telepathy and Dominate Person. While free of control but still bonded, the host can use all the vaincloak’s abilities for herself (as per the Bond description), and if the host has more Hit Dice than the vaincloak, she controls all zombies created by the vaincloak’s create spawn ability. The zombies return to the vaincloak’s control when she is expelled. The host still uses the vaincloak’s Charisma and Intelligence (if higher than her own) scores, although she has full control of them. If the host already has control when the vaincloak is expelled, she is not stunned.

Dominate Person (Sp)
The vaincloak can use Dominate Person as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to its Charisma modifier (caster level 15) -1, usable not only on humanoids, but also on giants and monstrous humanoids. This ability can also be cast on the vaincloak’s host while she is bonded, although this is only used in cases of emergency. A vaincloak cannot force its host to fail its save against the domination.

Create Spawn (Su)
Any non-undead corporeal creature in possession of a skeletal system slain by a vaincloak rises again as a zombie in 1d4 rounds. The zombies remain under the vaincloak’s control at all times, but a vaincloak can only control a number of zombies equal to her Hit Dice at any one time. When bonded, the Hit Dice used is that of the vaincloak or the host, whichever is higher. If the vaincloak already controls the maximum amount of zombies, no additional ones are created. Zombies animated by this ability appear with rose-colored flesh and utterly featureless faces, but their stats are indistinguishable from normal zombies.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Vaincloak Lore
Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (religion) can learn more about vaincloaks. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

{table] DC | Lore
16 | This creature is an evil undead called a vaincloak, the spirit of a woman who died with unanswered desires or a sense of physical inadequacy. It is most known for its ability to possess a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant female of small to large size with desires similar to those of the vaincloak, in order to make that creature incredibly physically attractive.
18 | A creature bonded with a vaincloak can be noted by the occasional reddish tinges that appear on its body. It takes a sharp eye to spot such tinges, however.
21 | A vaincloak can be forcefully extracted from its host by either reducing the host to one-third of its health or by antimagic spell such as Antimagic Field (which also winks it out) or spells that would increase the host’s Charisma score so it becomes greater than that of the vaincloak itself. A vaincloak also possesses the abilities to communicate telepathically, drain energy, and dominate the minds of humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and giants and shares these abilities with its host when it is bonded.
26 | Non-undead corporeal creatures slain by the vaincloak or its host rise again as zombies not long after. These zombies, who appear rose-colored and faceless, are under the vaincloak’s command, although it can only command a limited amount of undead at any one time.[/table]

Plot Hooks
*A beautiful woman has entranced the mayor of a small town, and he has begun to make some strange decisions. The woman is really the vaincloak of his dead wife, whom he really never loved and killed in a fit of rage, fused with a town girl with a crush on the mayor. The town girl has no idea of the real identity of her “benefactor”.

*Numerous influential people have been found slain in their homes. The traces lead to local brothel, holding dark secrets…

*As part of a cold case investigation concerning a murder, the body of a woman is exhumed from her grave. Soon, however, the (female) lead investigator begins acting strange, and has suddenly turned very attractive…

*Similarly to the hook above, a female grave-robber exhumes the body of a woman from her grave for nefarious purposes. It turns out to be a life-changing experience…

*The heroes stumble upon a village populated entirely by beautiful women! While it may seem like a dream come true, something deadly is abound. And where exactly did all the men go?

*Two vaincloaks, rivals in both life and death, decide to play out two armies against each other.

*Legends speak of a great wyrm black dragon who tried and failed to get the attention of a famous dwarven hero. Some time after she perished at the hands of adventurers, her spirit was shocked to discover that the woman who had led the adventuring party and finished her off had married the same hero she had loved! Her rage turned her spirit into the first vaincloak, and she convinced a female ogre mage whose family had been slain by the dwarven hero to bond with her in order to extract revenge. It did not go well for the dwarf and his wife. What may the Scorned Queen be up to these days? Ruling from a dark castle? Seducing and slaying foolish adventurers? Masterminding some or all of the above hooks? All of the above?

Bhu
2009-02-09, 05:20 AM
work in progress

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc70/bhutastan/monsters/motherofteeth.jpg

The Mother of Teeth
Large Outsider (Extraplanar, Chaotic, Evil, Shapeshifter, Water), Psion (Telepath) 10, Wizard 10
Hit Dice: 30d8+10d4+10d4+500 (685 hp)
Initiative: +13
Speed: 50 ft (10 squares), Swim 150 ft.
Armor Class: 43 (-1 Size, +9 Dex, +15 Natural, +12 Profane), touch 29, flat-footed 34
Base Attack/Grapple: +40/+51
Attack: Tentacle +46 melee (1d6+7+2d6 Profane)
Full Attack: 8 Tentacles +46 melee (1d6+7+2d6 Profane)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Aura of Madness, Frightening Presence, Manifest, Improved Grab, Caress, Sinful Touch
Special Qualities: Immunities, Dark Vision 60’, Bargain, Forbidden Knowledge, Unearthly Grace, Immortal, Telepathy, SR 45, Damage Reduction 25/Epic, Fast Healing 20
Saves: Fort +45, Ref +44, Will +52
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 28, Con 30, Int 25, Wis 28, Cha 35
Skills: Autohypnosis +28, Bluff +42, Concentration +44, Diplomacy +31, Gather Information +31, Hide +24, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Geography, Local, Nature, Psionics, Religion, The Planes, Things Man Was Not Meant To Know) +41, Listen +28, Move Silently +28, Perform (Sing, Dance) +31, Psicraft +26, Search +26, Sense Motive +38, Spellcraft +26, Spot +28, Swim +34
Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Manifestation, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Sweep, Improved Combat Casting*, Improved Combat Reflexes*, Improved Initiative, Master Manipulator, Mobile Spellcasting, Multigrab, Greater Multigrab, Power Penetration, Greater Power Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Spell Penetration, Swim-By Attack, Enlarge Power (B), Extend Power (B), Quicken Power (B), Chain Spell (B), Scribe Scroll (B), Transdimensional Spell (B)
* Epic Feats
Environment: Any
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 30
Treasure: Triple Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 31+ HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -----

”I know what you’ve been up to with that book Daniel. I tried it once meself when I was younger. She always makes fine promises, but those promises don’t mean much when she comes for you. I had someone who helped me once. I’d return the favor if I could, but I’m no Wizard. Quit what you’re up to now boy, or lose your soul. And maybe this world along with it. I…I don’t want to hurt you. I’ve looked after you since you’re momma passed away. You’re like my own son.”

“But I’ll kill you if I have to…”

The Mother of Teeth’s origin is unknown. Locked away on a watery Demiplane meant to be her prison she eternally schemes to one day escape out into the world again. Who locked her away is unknown (although the Gods are a safe bet). Not many beings even know she exists. Her Demiplane is all but inaccessible to anyone, and she can only leave it temporarily if someone has bargained with her, and even then she only leaves long enough to devour them and wreak some local havoc.

Her appearance varies significantly. She has been depicted as a greenish woman with tentacled hair and mouths in her hands (or other places). She has been shown as a mermaid with long tentacles instead of a fishes tail. There are hundreds of other variations, but they all include tentacles, fanged mouths, and the face of a woman of unearthly beauty. It is said anyone looking at her will fall in love with her, or at least lust for her. Many go mad upon seeing her, and are locked away for the rest of their days, or commit horrible acts to weaken the bonds of her prison to be with her. If they manage to do so, she devours them body and soul, and they forever remain a part of her (or so she claims). Despite this, there are no shortage of volunteers once they have found out she exists. Someone always seems to have problems, and she is always to willing to lend a sympathetic ear.

Her cult (such as it is) actively works to create items that will let her communicate outside of her prison, or to print books that detail how to summon her if one is worthy. Many wonder why she never consumes these cultists. Some believe it's because they're of more use to her working for her outside, because she can gain far more victims this way than she would by people stumbling on her by blind chance. Some think it's because she doesn't truly love them, so she doesn't devour their soul. She has been very particular, never devouring anyone she didn't claim to love. of course it's easy to be cynical about this once you know more about her.

It isn’t known exactly what kind of being she is. A prominent necromancer once referred to her as a parasite who fed on the Gods, and her power seems to be dwarfed only by such beings and the most powerful Demon or Devil Lords. Most go quiet when asked about her, and tell their worshipers it’s better off if they forget her name. Many look towards the Far Realms when researching her, as she seems to have much in common with the inhabitants there, despite her extensive knowledge of humanity, and similar beings. The possibility that an alien being of the Far Realms has a perfect understanding of people, while they have no understanding of her makes her even more frightening as she knows exactly how to manipulate mortals, but no one really understands her motives for doing so. The Mother of Teeth speaks and understands all known languages.

Spells: The Mother of Teeth may cast spells as a Wizard of 10th level. She can cast this many spells per day:

0: 6 (DC 17)
1: 6 (DC 18)
2: 6 (DC 19)
3: 4 (DC 20)
4: 4 (DC 21)
5: 3 (DC 22)
She knows most Divination, Enchantment, and Illusion spells, as well as any spells with the Chaotic, Evil or Water descriptors.

Psionics: The Mother of Teeth may Manifest powers as a 10th level Psion with the Telepath Discipline:

1: (DC 18) Mindlink, Missive, Psionic Charm, Sense Link, Telempathic Projection
2: (DC 19) Aversion, Brain Lock, Psionic Suggestion, Read Thoughts
3: (DC 20) Dispel Psionics, False Sensory Input, Mind Trap, Psychic Containment
4: (DC 21) Correspond, Implanted Suggestion, Psionic Dominate, Psionic Modify Memory
5: (DC 22) Cranial Deluge, Mind Probe, Psychic Crush, Shatter Mind Blank
She has 123 power points

Manifest (Su): If the correct sacrifices and rituals are performed the Mother of Teeth can physically Manifest in the Plane of her Summoner. She is, of course, ever eager to teach these rituals. She can Manifest for a period of 1 hour per point of Constitution possessed by the beings sacrificed to her in the final ritual. If any of the rituals are interrupted, they must be begun again. Each one requires the sacrifice of an intelligent victim of varying genders, certain magical materials of 1000 GP, and takes at least 1 hour. At least 1 ritual must be performed every month for 1 year for her to Manifest.

Improved Grab (Ex): If the Mother of Teeth successfully hits with her Caress attack, she may immediately make a Grapple Check without provoking an Attack of Opportunity as a Free Action. If successful she does her Caress damage each round.

Caress (Ex): The tentacles (and most of her bodily surface really) of the Mother of Teeth can sprout lamprey like mouths at will, doing massive trauma to victims. With a successful Grapple Check the Mother of Teeth begins to erode away her victims life, doing 1d6 Constitution Drain. If her opponent has no Constitution, she Drains 1d6 Charisma instead. If her opponent is immune to Ability Drain (for example Deities or Undead) she instead does 3d6 Vile damage. Every round she successfully Drains a victim she temporarily gains a +1 to all rolls for 1 week. This effect is cumulative.

Sinful Touch (Su): All Natural Weapon attacks, grapple checks, or unarmed strikes made by the Mother of Teeth do an additional 2d6 profane Damage.

Aura of Madness (Ex): Any creature seeing the Mother of Teeth (living, dead, mindless, or otherwise) must make a DC 47 Willpower Save, or go insane. At first it begins to show as mild nervousness and paranoia (-1 on all rolls), and an obsession with the Mother of Teeth. Eventually the victim believes he is in love with her, although this usually comes after events of severe mental stress (possibly even orchestrated by her through her cultists), or a second exposure to her. Eventually it will blossom into suicidal depression, and the desire to be with the Mother of Teeth. Sometimes other forms of insanity occur (see Unearthed Arcana and Cthulhu d20 for ideas), but usually the victim becomes very obsessive compulsive, paranoid, and sees the Mother as the only being who truly understands him, or that he can relate too. The idea of being removed from her presence forever causes suicidal depression. With the exception of Miracle or Wish this effect cannot be cured. Virtually all beings seeing her either summon her within a few years or die by their own hand.

Frightening Presence (Ex): Any living creature within 120' seeing the Mother of Teeth attack must make a DC 47 Willpower Save or end up Cowering for 2d6 rounds if they have fewer Hit Dice than her, or Shaken for 2d6 rounds if they have more Hit Dice. If the Save is successful opponents with half her Hit Dice or less are still Shaken for the encounter.

Immunities (Ex): The Mother of Teeth is immune to damage from electricity, cold, and acid. She is also immune to disease, poison, stunning, death effects, sleep effects, paralysis, petrification, polymorph, energy drain, ability drain or damage, critical hits, nonlethal damage, and Mind-Affecting effects. She does not eat, sleep, drink, age, or breathe.

Bargain (Su): The Mother of Teeth makes a Bargain with her would be lovers. She grants them a Wish (as per the spell), if they contract with her. She may only perform one Wish per Bargain. In return they must perform a series of sacrificial rituals that will open the Gates of her prison long enough to be with them. Usually she mates with them, and devours them afterwards before returning to exile. She devours them for a reason: they become a part of her, and worship her forevermore. Eventually when she gains enough worshipers over the eons, she will gain Divine Rank. This is important to her, as only a being with Divine Ranks can permanently release her from her prison, and no God will willingly do so. She may cast spells or manifest psionic powers or use any Special Attacks she has on bargainers regardless of distance once they have committed their first sacrifice in her name. She uses this to enforce the Bargain after she has granted her Bargainers wish. A Bargain can be broken by a Miracle or Wish spell, leaving the victim free of her influence, but he loses the benefits of whatever wish she previously granted him.

Forbidden Knowledge (Su): The Mother of Teeth has immense knowledge of things unknown to many, and is willing to share it for a price. This is similar to the bardic Knowledge ability listed on page 28 of the PHB, but the Mother can be questioned on just about anything (she rolls 1d20+60). If she can't get someone petitioning her for knowledge to agree to a Bargain (if they know enough to ask her questions, they know enough to avoid looking at her and contact her in another way), she will demand that they assist her cult in her plans in some way. Usually helping craft or rescue some item or steal an artifact of some significance, or assist in the rituals to summon her.

Unearthly Grace (Su): The Mother of Teeth adds her Charisma Modifier as a Profane Bonus to Saving Throws and to Armor Class.

Immortal (Ex): The Mother of Teeth is older than the current universe, and cannot be destroyed permanently by any being who does not have Divine Rank. Should she be destroyed she will regenerate to full power inside her prison over a period of several decades. Beings who temporarily destroy her still gain full XP, but have made a very powerful, and very permanent enemy.

Telepathy (Su): The Mother of Teeth has Telepathy 1 Mile. If someone has entered into a Bargain with her, her range is nigh well infinite. She can contact him from virtually any distance, and even across dimensions from her prison. She may also telepathically contact anyone who fails a Save against her Aura of Madness once per month for up to 5 minutes at any range as well, usually in the form of a dream. She uses this ability to prod people into further insanity, and to eventually Bargain with her.

Skills: The Mother of Teeth has a +8 Racial Bonus to Swim Checks, and can always Take 10 on a Swim Check. She may use the Run action while swimming in a straight line.

Combat: The Mother of Teeth usually attempts to Grab and finish off opponents. Her spells and Psionics are occasionally used in combat, but she prefers to use them to intimidate and terrify. Unless she's vastly outnumbered or outpowered she really does prefer the physical approach.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (The Planes) or Knowledge (Things Man Was Not Meant To Know) can learn more about the Mother of Teeth. When the character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

{table]DC|Lore
60|The Mother of Teeth is a rarely encountered being of vast power, neither God nor Demon, who seduces men and eats them. She is unsafe to look upon. Her cult is small, but significantly more decadent than even the worst demon worshipers.
65|She claims to love all her victims, and the ones who she devours forever remain a part of her. She will bargain with anyone, and give them power in exchange for them letting her out of her prison some day. She contacts people through artifacts created by her cult. Usually crystals, gems, or mirrors. Any kind of reflective surface. Any being looking upon her risks madness and permanent obsession with the Mother of Teeth.
70|The Mothers ultimate goal is to leave her prison and she requires a certain number of souls to do this. How many exactly isn’t known, maybe not even to her. Making a Bargain with her leaves you vulnerable to her powers until the Bargain is filled, at which point you will be eaten.[/table]

Plot Hook
A local noble has begun acting oddly after finding an artifact of some kind in ruins during his travels, demanding odd things of his retainers who have asked the PC’s to intervene behind the scenes because they think he may have been possessed. The truth is of course, far worse. He has fallen in love with the Mother of Teeth, and has begun the Rites necessary to let her enter our world.
The PC's come across a city that appears to have been in the midst of some sort of strange apocalyptic event. Bodies line the streets with strange marks on them, and the flies and other insects won’t touch them. Slime seems to cover them and much of the area, and it sticks to the PC’s if they touch it for days. In a few hours the bodies begin to rot and crumble away, and many of the buildings begin to decay too. It’s like something just sucked the life from the place. Sitting in the middle of the city is a crystal sphere perfectly unblemished. People in the next city refuse to talk about it, and they appear to be packing up and fleeing. No one will talk to or associate with the PC’s if they mention they came through the city, and many make signs against evil towards them.
One of the PC’s has some major problems he can’t solve, and is starting to crumble emotionally. A beggar covered in lesions offers him a book, and upon opening it he discovers that it’s a text about a legendary creature from outside our reality called the Mother of Teeth. A creature who will solve any problem, for a price. If the PC has any paranoia at all, he’ll know something is very, very wrong about this.
A brutal Orc warlord is ravaging the land, leading an army of horrifying monstrosities against everyone, even other tribes of his own people. Hired to investigate, the other Orcs tell them he’s gone mad, and fallen in love with a demon who supplies him with magical powers and armies of things from other worlds. But why she is doing it, or chose him they don’t know. They do know she contacts him through a mirror of some kind.

DracoDei
2009-02-09, 11:24 AM
Long version of main entry:

A Very Young pair of wing dragons (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3788332&postcount=9) once carved their names on the trunk of a pine tree, symbolizing their devotion in a fashion time honored by many of the humanoid species around them. The male sought out the powers of nature initially, while the female started her search for a higher purpose by entering the service of Allurehn, goddess of romance, lineage, heritage, child-rearing, fertility, and really great sex. They were not very far into these pursuits when their continuing devotion to each-other lead them to take an interest in each-other's pursuits to the point where they each joined the other's order, maintaining dual memberships. Realizing in chargrined retrospect that a comparatively short lived pine-tree makes a singularly POOR symbol of undying devotion for a couple looking forward to spending over 2 millennia with each-other, they applied many spells to the tree in a continuing attempt to extend its lifespan, as well as making the furrows left by their claws into permanent features of the trees natural growth that required no renewal (which would injure the tree, potentially shortening its lifespan). Turning up their snouts in utter contempt at the possibility of engaging in the Wing Dragon practice of "training spouses" they focused only on each-other. Forced by their families to wait two full decades after they both had achieved Young Adult status before marrying, when they finally did come together their union was joyous, enthusiastic, and, if the legends are true, loud enough to turn the ears of every prudish person for miles around flaming red. Their Love only grew as the centuries passed, and with it their powers, both clerical and druidic. They transplanted the pine tree to the entrance of their lair and continued to enchant it, protecting it against both forest-fires and lightning strikes, as well as continuing to extend its lifespan, even fueling it with a small measure of their own life-forces to the point where its bark took on a texture similar to their own scales and would alter its hue slightly at random, much like their own chameleon-like abilities. But even as clutch after clutch of wyrmlings frolicked around its branches, Allurehn put her own touch into the spells the pair wove, such that the tree itself ceased to produce cones. The Wing Dragons found this most odd, and did much prayer and searching their own hearts (both of these with the council of others that they trusted )to know if they had done something to earn this warning sign from Allurehn, either of some imperfection in their relationship, or of some threat that would destroy all their progeny. In the end, however, they came (correctly) to the conclusion that Allurehn simply had some mysterious plan for the symbol of their devotion.

As their power grew still further, they relocated once again to a tremendous disk of force, which was and is the popular style of residence for the more mighty members of their kind... their's however was modified to include a very large depression into which the pine tree, which now stood over 100 feet tall, could be once again transplanted. Beneath its towering limbs was their favored location to activate a magical item they had commissioned that performed Mage's Magnificent Mansion for when they need some time alone, away from visiting relatives or friends. Never did rot nor boring insect touch that tree until the moment two Great Wyrms breathed their last in the same moment while inter-twined with each-other around its trunk. As per their wishes the bodies of the two dragons were reverently crafted into armor and weapons for the most honored of the champions of Allurehn, and the remainder mixed together and entombed in a sphere of pure force, set to drift endlessly through the elemental plane of air. The tree however was nowhere to be found, having been taken at the moment of the dragons' deaths to grow forever in the personal garden of Allurehn herself. But where it stood was left a small pile of pine cones... one seed for each egg that devoted lady of the sky had laid.

At the direction of the clerics of Allurehn their decedents flew across the world, planting these seeds, in many places near to, but not actually in various settlements. Although most bear no physical resemblance to that legendary pine, still they are its children, havens for those whose so called "betters" look down on their devotion to eachother, and still untouched by tongue of natural flame, nor storm-born bolt from above. Even if felled by axe or mighty spell, their message that True Love, Love that can not be quenched, whether it sprang up rapidly from the first meeting of eyes, or or ever so slowly, growing over half a lifetime before it is recognized for what it really is, THAT Love will not be silenced though a million voices rail against it in unison.

Devotion Bower
Small Plant
HD: 2d8+2 (11 hp)*
Speed: 0 ft. (0 squares)
Init: +3 (+3 Dex)
AC: 16; touch 6; flat-footed 16
(-5 Immobility, +1 size, +10 Natural)
BAB: +1; Grp: -2
Attack:** 1+ Thorny slam +3 melee (1d4+1) OR Launch Major Thorn +5 Ranged (1d4+1 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
(damage, critical range/critical multiplier + additional damage)
Full-Attack:** 2+ Thorny slams +3 melee (1d4=1) OR 2+ Launch Major Thorn +5 Ranged (1d4+1 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
Space: 5 ft.; Reach: 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Resident Reinforcements
Special Qualities: Bastion of Faithfulness, Blossom in the Wasteland, Electricity Resistance 20, Fire Resistance 20, DR 5/Slashing, Immobility, Lovers' Rescue, Lovers' Paradise, Rejuvenation, Telepathy, Haven's Truth
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +3 Will +9***
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +7 , Sense Motive +7 , Spot +6 , Knowledge(Religion) +7 , Listen +6 , Survival +7
Feats: Iron Will
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2 (normally count residents as half their CR and seperate creatures for determining encounter level)
Treasure: (As per contained creatures)
Alignment: Always Good, Usually Non-Lawful
Advancement*: by class and/or 3 HD Small, 4-7 HD Medium, 8-15 Large, 16-31 Huge, 32-63 Gargantuan, 64+ Colossal Favored Class Cleric of Allurehn
Level Adjustment: +1 (Cohort of a cleric of Allurehn who serves at a temple of Allurehn that the Devotion bower is planted on the grounds of ONLY)
* 2 HD is just the youngest Devotion Bower that can contain a couple, 10 HD is actually the most common size.
** The numbers of attacks and the attacks bonuses given are those the tree directs itself, see Resident Reinforcements below for details on other possible attacks.
***See Bastion of Faithfulness below

This looks like a normal tree for the area, except that the branches are now in motion, and you note thorns whose placement and size are inconstant with this type of tree.

Bastion of Faithfulness (Ex): As champions of true devotion and activists against oppressive isolationism Devotion Bowers are blessed with strong minds by Allurehn. They receive good will-save progression for their racial hit-dice.

Blossom in the Wasteland (Su): Infused with a tiny spark of Allurehn's power, channeled into the patterns of the original spell that was laid on the pine that now stands in the goddesses garden, Devotion Bowers grow as quickly as pines, but have the lifespan of oaks, even when not inhabited, and can reach the size of an oak. A devotion bower gains no bonuses or penalities for aging (beyond probably adding hit-dice) and can never die of old age while it contains at least one being inside it who was brought in for the appropriate reason. In addition, even where sun and rain and good soil are not available a Devotion Bower will yet grow and if the need is great enough, can even thrive. A Devotion Bower can grow anywhere up to and including solid rock in a bone-dry lightless cave rich in minerals that are generally considered to be highly herbicidal. However such a Devotion Bower may never have more than a certain number of hit-dice. The base amount is 2, and is increased by 1 for each inhabitant of the extradimensional space of between 1 and 9 hit-dice (racial + class derived), 2 for each inhabitant of between 10 and 19 hit-dice, 3 for each of between 20 and 29 hit-dice, and so on. Growth to add hit-dice is at the same rate as a pine-tree. If inhabitants die or leave and the Devotion Bower has more hit-dice than it should be allowed to according to this calculation, then it loses 1 hit-die per week until it is once again within the limit.

Haven's Truth (Sp): A Devotion Bower's may use an effect similar to Charm Monster a number of times per day equal to its Charisma bonus, except that this only works on those who would benefit from its services and who it is willing to help, allows no saving throw, and only causes them to be willing to listen and to believe it as long as it speaks the truth (and isn't being boring).

Immobility(Ex): Because it is firmly rooted can't move its trunk or roots (other than by altering its shape and that requires days per inch moved), only its vines and branches, a Devotion Bower is treated as having a Dexterity of 1 for the purposes of its armor class until and unless it somehow gains a movement speed. This same restriction also prevents it from taking movement based feats including but not limited to the following: Acrobatic, Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack. Devotion Bowers do not derive any benefit from class features, feats or spells that improve movement speed.

Lovers' Rescue (Su): Individuals a devotion bower truly beleives to be dedicated to lifelong romance1 can touch and have their minds and spirits enter the Lover's Paradise within that tree. This is a full round action for both the tree and the individual or individuals in question. Being more than fully authorized by Allurehn to perform marriages, the tree will perform a ceremony unless pursuit is growing near or the individuals are already married and do not wish to commemorate the occasion before entering the pocket dimension. Upon entry individuals are treated as if they were subject to Break Enchantment, Heal, Regenerate, and Greater Restoration, all at caster level 20, and any genetic defects are repaired (So someone born without arms would have arms in the space). As long as the Devotion Bower is alive and has this ability an inhabitant never loses levels, hit-dice, or permanent constitution when being returned to life outside the tree and if returned to life via Reincarnation or similar magic the resultant form will always be physically (and sexually compatible with their spouse's current form (keep re-rolling until you get something that is), and, if necessary, will be supernaturally enabled to reproduce with their spouse (provided they could before hand). This means, for instance, that if a pair of gnomes are taken into a Devotion Bower and one of them successful subject of Raise Dead and the other is Reincarnate-ed into a kobold that some half-gnome kobold eggs could theoretically be in the future. If the GM was feeling silly and rewrote the tables such that the Reincarnate instead resulted in a half-dragon(silver) whippet, then half-gnome dragonkin puppies with cute little reflective noses are possible.
(1) Which can mean three if you have triploid races on your planet, however narcissism does not qualify members of races that reproduce asexually. :smalltongue:

Lovers' Paradise (Su): The interior of a Lover's Bower contains a quasi-real extradimenional space where the people it has taken in reside. While idyllic in many respects, there are limits, for example, aging does still occurs as usual. Mundane objects that a creature is familiar with can be created as per True Creation but without experience point cost. Waste materials and trash may be similarly Disintegrated at will. The tree is always aware of events within this space without needing to make spot or listen checks. The devotion bower may evict anyone it wishes as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity and allows neither save nor spell resistance. Since their bodies are dead, this kills those it previously rescued in all but the most unusual cases. Persons who fall into violence or unfaithfulness are the major reasons why this authority is used. Magical objects buried among the roots of the tree (including on the corpse of someone taken within it) appear in some appropriate location within the pocket dimension. The curative benefits of Lover's Rescue are reversed if one that entered via that method exits by any means. Inhabitants can be returned to life outside the tree with the normal restrictions about amount of time dead, condition of the body, and willingness if the tree lose the Lover's Rescue ability, this may not be as happy as if it still had had it since loss of levels, HD, and/or Constitution points may result, and Reincarnation type spells may result in incompatible species within a couple.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a Devotion Bower or Undying Devotion through simple combat: The "destroyed" tree and spirits within it will often restore themselves (as an Undying devotion) in 3d6 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A Devotion Bower (and the spirits within it) that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its either its old location or to a random location within 5 miles of its old location on a successful level check by the tree or any one of its inhabitants (roll a separate check for each) (1d20 + HD) against DC 18. Can be destroyed permanently by a Succubus, Incubus, Erinyes or other such evil outsider with a similar sexual focus performing a ritual within 1 mile of the tree. This ritual requires 8 hour to complete and the tree must have been destroyed and not rejuvenated yet, 300 gp worth of materials, and involves the sadistic sexual murder of at least 3 sentient creatures. The target must be uniquely specified but neither line of sight or line of effect are required. If the Lover's Rescue ability is negated by the Devotion bower becoming an Undying Devotion then any Love Buds are immediately seperated and may die and all inhabitants become infertile.

Resident Reinforcements (Su): Inhabitants of a Devotion Bower's extra-dimensional space may each take control of a number of limbs (vines or branches) equal to the number of manipulative appendages they have or the number of natural weapons they have, whichever is greater. They may attack (thorny slams with branches or grappling with all the vines they control, or trips or disarms with either) with these limbs, using the tree's strength score and damage die, but their own base attack bonus and dexterity. Each controlling intelligence is entitled to a separate attack of opportunity each round (or more than one in the case of Combat Reflexes or similar ability) provided it is not performing a maneuver with those limbs that would normally disallow such (such as grappling). A controlling intelligence may also forgo the normal attacks (but not attacks of opportunity) to use the limbs to cast spells. Note that if there is more than one spellcaster within, the tree may appear to have the Quicken Spell feat, or an Epic version there-of, even if this is not the case. Because the tree and/or other inhabitants can cover for the casting limbs such spellcasting never provokes attacks of opportunity or requires a concentration check to cast on the defensive.

Telepathy (Su): A devotion bower can communicate telepathically with any creature within 500 feet that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the devotion bower if it wishes—no common language is needed.


Short Version of main entry(Amoung other things, details of how rescuees get inside omitted, and justifications for some of the stat tweaks):

Created by Allurehn, goddess of the hearth Devotion Bowers are havens for those whose so called "betters" look down on their devotion to eachother. Even if felled by axe or mighty spell, their message is that True Love, Love that can not be quenched, whether it sprang up rapidly from the first meeting of eyes, or ever so slowly, growing over half a lifetime before it is recognized for what it really is, THAT Love will not be silenced though a million voices rail against it in unison.


Devotion Bower
Small Plant
HD: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Speed: 0 ft. (0 squares)
Init: +3 (+3 Dex)
AC: 16; touch 6; flat-footed 16
(-5 Immobility, +1 size, +10 Natural)
BAB: +1; Grp: -2
Attack:* 1+ Thorny slam +3 melee (1d4+1) OR Launch Major Thorn +5 Ranged (1d4+1 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
(damage, critical range/critical multiplier + additional damage)
Full-Attack:* 2+ Thorny slams +3 melee (1d4=1) OR 2+ Launch Major Thorn +5 Ranged (1d4+1 Range Increment 40 max range 400)
Space: 5 ft.; Reach: 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Resident Reinforcements
Special Qualities: Bastion of Faithfulness, Blossom in the Wasteland, Electricity Resistance 20, Fire Resistance 20, DR 5/Slashing, Immobility, Lovers' Rescue, Lovers' Paradise, Rejuvenation, Telepathy, Haven's Truth
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +3 Will +9
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +7 , Sense Motive +7 , Spot +6 , Knowledge(Religion) +7 , Listen +6 , Survival +7
Feats: Iron Will
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2 (normally count residents as half their CR and seperate creatures for determining encounter level)
Treasure: (As per contained creatures)
Alignment: Always Good, Usually Non-Lawful
Advancement: by class and/or 3 HD Small, 4-7 HD Medium, 8-15 Large, 16-31 Huge, 32-63 Gargantuan, 64+ Colossal Favored Class Cleric of Allurehn
Level Adjustment: +1 (Cohort only)
* The numbers of attacks and the attacks bonuses given are those the tree directs itself, see Resident Reinforcements below for details on other possible attacks.

This looks like a normal tree for the area, except that the branches are now in motion, and you note thorns whose placement and size are inconstant with this type of tree.

Blossom in the Wasteland (Su): Even where sun and rain and good soil are not available a Devotion Bower will yet grow and if the need is great enough, can even thrive. A Devotion Bower can grow ANYWHERE. However in places that could not normally support it a Devotion Bower may never have more than a certain number of hit-dice. The base amount is 2, and is increased by 1 for each inhabitant of the extradimensional space of between 1 and 9 hit-dice (racial + class derived), 2 for each inhabitant of between 10 and 19 hit-dice, 3 for each of between 20 and 29 hit-dice, and so on. Growth to add hit-dice is at the same rate as a pine-tree. If inhabitants die or leave and the Devotion Bower has more hit-dice than it should be allowed to according to this calculation, then it loses 1 hit-die per week until it is once again within the limit.

Immobility(Ex): Because it is firmly rooted can't move its trunk or roots (other than by altering its shape and that requires days per inch moved), only its vines and branches it can not take movement based feats including but not limited to the following: Acrobatic, Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack. Devotion Bowers do not derive any benefit from class features, feats or spells that improve movement speed.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a Devotion Bower or Undying Devotion through simple combat: The "destroyed" tree and spirits within it will often restore themselves (as an Undying devotion) in 3d6 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A Devotion Bower (and the spirits within it) that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its either its old location or to a random location within 5 miles of its old location on a successful level check by the tree or any one of its inhabitants (roll a separate check for each) (1d20 + HD) against DC 18. Can be destroyed permanently by a Succubus, Incubus, Erinyes or other such evil outsider with a similar sexual focus performing a ritual within 1 mile of the tree. This ritual requires 8 hour to complete and the tree must have been destroyed and not rejuvenated yet, 300 gp worth of materials, and involves the sadistic sexual murder of at least 3 sentient creatures. The target must be uniquely specified but neither line of sight or line of effect are required. If the Lover's Rescue ability is negated by the Devotion bower becoming an Undying Devotion then any Love Buds are immediately seperated and may die and all inhabitants become infertile.

Resident Reinforcements (Su): Inhabitants of a Devotion Bower's extra-dimensional space may each take control of a number of limbs (vines or branches) equal to the number of manipulative appendages they have or the number of natural weapons they have, whichever is greater. They may attack (thorny slams with branches or grappling with all the vines they control, or trips or disarms with either) with these limbs, using the tree's strength score and damage die, but their own base attack bonus and dexterity. Each controlling intelligence is entitled to a separate attack of opportunity each round (or more than one in the case of Combat Reflexes or similar ability) provided it is not performing a maneuver with those limbs that would normally disallow such (such as grappling). A controlling intelligence may also forgo the normal attacks (but not attacks of opportunity) to use the limbs to cast spells. Note that if there is more than one spellcaster within, the tree may appear to have the Quicken Spell feat, or an Epic version there-of, even if this is not the case. Because the tree and/or other inhabitants can cover for the casting limbs such spellcasting never provokes attacks of opportunity or requires a concentration check to cast on the defensive.

Telepathy (Su): A devotion bower can communicate telepathically with any creature within 500 feet that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the devotion bower if it wishes—no common language is needed.


"If you strike me down, i shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Obi Wan Kenobi Star Wars: A New Hope (It simply had to be said).

Example Undying Devotion
Small Deathless (Augmented Plant, Incorporeal)
HD: 2d12 (13)
Speed: 0 ft. (0 squares)
Init: +3 (+3 Dex)
AC: 8; touch 8; flat-footed 8
(-5 Immobility, +1 size, +2 Deflection)
BAB: +1; Grp: -
Attack:* 1+ Incorporeal Touch(es) +5 melee touch (1d2* Wisdom damage and 1d2* Charisma Damage) OR 1+ Incorporeal Thorn(s) +5 ranged touch (1d2* Wisdom Damage and 1d2* Charisma Damage, Range Increment 40 max range 400)
Full-Attack:* 2+ Incorporeal Touches +5 melee touch (1d2* Wisdom Damage and 1d2** Charisma Damage) OR 2+ Incorporeal Thorns +5 ranged touch (1d2* Wisdom Damage and 1d2* Charisma Damage, Range Increment 40 max range 400)
Space: 5 ft.; Reach: 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Resident Reinforcements
Special Qualities: Blossom in the Wasteland, Immune to Electricity and Fire, DR 5/Slashing and Evil, Immobility, Lovers' Rescue, Lovers' Paradise, Rejuvenation, Telepathy,
Saves: Fort +0 Ref +3 Will +9
Abilities: Str -, Dex 17, Con -, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +7 , Sense Motive +7 , Spot +6 , Knowledge(Religion) +7 , Listen +6 , Survival +7
Feats: Iron Will
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3 (normally count residents as half their CR and seperate creatures for determining encounter level)
Treasure: 25% Chance of as per contained creatures.
Alignment: Always Good, Usually Non-Lawful
Advancement: by class and/or 3 HD Small, 4-7 HD Medium, 8-15 Large, 16-31 Huge, 32-63 Gargantuan, 64+ Colossal Favored Class Cleric of Allurehn
Level Adjustment: +1 (Cohort of a cleric of Allurehn who serves at a temple of Allurehn that the Devotion bower is planted on the grounds of ONLY)
* The numbers of attacks and the attacks bonuses given are those the tree directs itself, see Resident Reinforcements below for details on other possible attacks.
**This damage scales with size as if it was hit-point damage from a natural attack. The Improved Natural Attack feat can also increase the die size and the effect stacks with that of size increases.

This looks like a normal tree for the area, but it is translucent, the branches are now in motion, and you note thorns whose placement and size are inconstant with this type of tree.

Blossom in the Wasteland (Su): Infused with a tiny spark of Allurehn's power, channeled into the patterns of the original spell that was laid on the pine that now stands in the goddesses garden, Devotion Bowers grow as quickly as pines, but have the lifespan of oaks, even when not inhabited, and can reach the size of an oak. A devotion bower gains no bonuses or penalties for aging (beyond probably adding hit-dice) and can never die of old age while it contains at least one being inside it who was brought in for the appropriate reason. In addition, even where sun and rain and good soil are not available a Devotion Bower will yet grow and if the need is great enough, can even thrive. A Devotion Bower can grow anywhere up to and including solid rock in a bone-dry lightless cave rich in minerals that are generally considered to be highly herbicidal. However such a Devotion Bower may never have more than a certain number of hit-dice. The base amount is 2, and is increased by 1 for each inhabitant of the extradimensional space of between 1 and 9 hit-dice (racial + class derived), 2 for each inhabitant of between 10 and 19 hit-dice, 3 for each of between 20 and 29 hit-dice, and so on. Growth to add hit-dice is at the same rate as a pine-tree. If inhabitants die or leave and the Devotion Bower has more hit-dice than it should be allowed to according to this calculation, then it loses 1 hit-die per week until it is once again within the limit.

Immobility(Ex): Because it is firmly rooted can't move its trunk or roots (other than by altering its shape and that requires days per inch moved), only its vines and branches, a Devotion Bower is treated as having a Dexterity of 1 for the purposes of its armor class until and unless it somehow gains a movement speed. This same restriction also prevents it from taking movement based feats including but not limited to the following: Acrobatic, Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack. Devotion Bowers do not derive any benefit from class features, feats or spells that improve movement speed.

Lovers' Paradise (Su): The interior of a Lover's Bower contains a quasi-real extradimenional space where the people it has taken in reside. While idyllic in many respects, there are limits, for example, aging does still occurs as usual. Mundane objects that a creature is familiar with can be created as per True Creation but without experience point cost. Waste materials and trash may be similarly Disintegrated at will. The tree is always aware of events within this space without needing to make spot or listen checks. The devotion bower may evict anyone it wishes as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity and allows neither save nor spell resistance. Since their bodies are dead, this kills those it previously rescued in all but the most unusual cases. Persons who fall into violence or unfaithfulness are the major reasons why this authority is used. Magical objects buried among the roots of the tree (including on the corpse of someone taken within it) appear in some appropriate location within the pocket dimension. The curative benefits of Lover's Rescue are reversed if one that entered via that method exits by any means. Inhabitants can be returned to life outside the tree with the normal restrictions about amount of time dead, condition of the body, and willingness if the tree lose the Lover's Rescue ability, this may not be as happy as if it still had had it since loss of levels, HD, and/or Constitution points may result, and Reincarnation type spells may result in incompatible species within a couple.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a Devotion Bower or Undying Devotion through simple combat: The "destroyed" tree and spirits within it will often restore themselves (as an Undying devotion) in 3d6 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A Devotion Bower (and the spirits within it) that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its either its old location or to a random location within 5 miles of its old location on a successful level check by the tree or any one of its inhabitants (roll a separate check for each) (1d20 + HD) against DC 18. Can be destroyed permanently by a Succubus, Incubus, Erinyes or other such evil outsider with a similar sexual focus performing a ritual within 1 mile of the tree. This ritual requires 8 hour to complete and the tree must have been destroyed and not rejuvenated yet, 300 gp worth of materials, and involves the sadistic sexual murder of at least 3 sentient creatures. The target must be uniquely specified but neither line of sight or line of effect are required. If the Lover's Rescue ability is negated by the Devotion bower becoming an Undying Devotion then any Love Buds are immediately separated and may die and all inhabitants become infertile.

Resident Reinforcements (Su): Inhabitants of a Devotion Bower's extra-dimensional space may each take control of a number of limbs (vines or branches) equal to the number of manipulative appendages they have or the number of natural weapons they have, whichever is greater. They may attack (thorny slams with branches or grappling with all the vines they control, or trips or disarms with either) with these limbs, using the tree's strength score and damage die, but their own base attack bonus and dexterity. Each controlling intelligence is entitled to a separate attack of opportunity each round (or more than one in the case of Combat Reflexes or similar ability) provided it is not performing a maneuver with those limbs that would normally disallow such (such as grappling). A controlling intelligence may also forgo the normal attacks (but not attacks of opportunity) to use the limbs to cast spells. Note that if there is more than one spellcaster within, the tree may appear to have the Quicken Spell feat, or an Epic version there-of, even if this is not the case. Because the tree and/or other inhabitants can cover for the casting limbs such spellcasting never provokes attacks of opportunity or requires a concentration check to cast on the defensive.

Telepathy (Su): A devotion bower can communicate telepathically with any creature within 500 feet that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the devotion bower if it wishes—no common language is needed.

Incorporeal Subtype

An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all non-magical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects such as magic missile, or attacks made with ghost touch weapons). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead, but a hit with holy water has a 50% chance of not affecting an incorporeal creature.

An incorporeal creature has no natural armor bonus but has a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma bonus (always at least +1, even if the creature’s Charisma score does not normally provide a bonus).

An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid objects, but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior, and so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger than its own. It can sense the presence of creatures or objects within a square adjacent to its current location, but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance) from an incorporeal creature that is inside an object. In order to see farther from the object it is in and attack normally, the incorporeal creature must emerge. An incorporeal creature inside an object has total cover, but when it attacks a creature outside the object it only has cover, so a creature outside with a readied action could strike at it as it attacks. An incorporeal creature cannot pass through a force effect.

An incorporeal creature’s attacks pass through (ignore) natural armor, armor, and shields, although deflection bonuses and force effects (such as mage armor) work normally against it. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as they do in air. Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or take falling damage. Incorporeal creatures cannot make trip or grapple attacks, nor can they be tripped or grappled. In fact, they cannot take any physical action that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, nor are they subject to such actions. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight.

An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn’t wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to both its melee attacks and its ranged attacks. Non-visual senses, such as scent and blindsight, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures. Incorporeal creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.


Lore
Characters who have ranks in Knowledge(Nature) or Knowledge(Religion) can recall information about devotion bowers with a successful knowledge check. When a character makes a successful skill check, the lore in the appropriate following table is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. Note that due to the wide variety of ways a Devotion Bower can choose to grow, the DCs to recognize it in the first place are increased, but the gaps to get further information are reduced once this level is reached.
Knowledge(Nature)
17 | This is a Devotion Bower, it is intelligent, but generally not aggressive. When threatened, however, it can attack with its limbs or throw its larger thorns like javelins even at very great ranges. This reveals all plant traits.
20 | Devotion Bowers are resistant to fire and lightning, but are rooted to the spot. They sometimes appear to slay intelligent creatures with a touch, but this is, in fact, not the case and they are good aligned. edged weapons are the more effective than blunt or piercing ones against their tough bark and wood.
23 | Devotion Bowers take in creatures who are deeply in love into an extra-dimensional space within themselves, leaving the creatures flesh behind. The creatures can each take over control any of the limbs and thorns of the tree, enabling it to attack more rapidly, and can communicate with people nearby via the tree's telepathy. Devotion Bowers can grow even in conditions where it should be utterly impossible for any plant to grow, sustained by the power of the souls living happily inside them, and the power of a deity flowing into them.


Knowledge(Religion)
17 | This is a Devotion Bower, a protector and champion of those whose devoted love is interfered with by societal factors, or whose lives are marred by physical deformities or illness.
20 | Devotion Bowers are sacred servants of the goddess Allurehn, and are fully authorized by her to perform marriages. They usually use this authority to wed those they champion, before taking their minds and spirits to a quasi-real pocket dimension within themselves, safe from all threat, and healed of all but the most supernaturally evil of curses and diseases, even deformities present from birth. Those residing within this blessed place can communicate with those outside it using the tree's telepathy, and any children born in there emerge as half-plant creatures from the side of the trunk after a time, their-after to be raised by their parents, using the tree's branches and vines as their hands.
23 | Devotion Bowers often return as Deathless versions of themselves, and can come back time and again unless destroyed permanently by a ritual performed by a sexually focused fiendish being while the Devotion Bower is recovering from being temporarily destroyed. (A separate DC 20 Knowledge(Arcana) or Spellcraft check allows successful research of the specifics of the ritual, in case one can't find a succubus etc who already knows the ritual to summon.)



Undying Devotion Template
Type:
Changes to Deathless, Gains the Augmented Plant and Incorporeal Subtypes
Hit-Dice:
All present and future change to d12 and are re-rolled.
AC:
Loses Natural Armor Bonus, Gains a deflection bonus equal to its charisma bonus, minimum one.
Attacks/Damage:
Instead of hitpoint damage the Undying Devotion's attacks now do wisdom and charisma drain, as per the following table.
Size|Drain to each (roll separately)
Small | 1d2
Medium | 1d3
Large | 1d4
Huge | 1d6
Gargantuan | 1d8
Colossal | 1d10

Special Abilities: Loses the Lovers' Rescue, and Haven's Truth
abilities. Electricity and Fire Resistances change to immunity. Bastion of Faithfulness is lost since it is rendered irrelevant. Damage reduction changes from /slashing to /slashing and evil.
Saves:
Fortitude Save progression for racial (but NOT class) hit-dice changes to Poor (and remember to allow for the +0 Constitution modifier).
Ability Scores:
As an Incorporeal Deathless Strength and Constitution change to -.
Challenge Rating:
+1
Treasure:
Usually the treasure of those inside it is lost in the relocation process following the last time the tree was destroyed. There is only a 25% chance that this wealth will have been replaced for a randomly encountered Undying Devotion.



Love Bud Template
Love Bud is an inherited template that may be added to any non-evil creature of intelligence 3 or greater capable of sexual reproduction.
Type:
Type is unchanged. Gains the Augmented Plant subtype
AC:
Natural Armor Bonus increases by +1 or gains +1 natural armor bonus if it has none.
Attacks/Damage:
A Love Bud's woody flesh grants it the option of dealing lethal damage with its unarmed strike.
Special Abilities:
A Love Bud gains the Heat Tolerance and Cold Tolerance special abilities, allowing it to exist comfortably in temperatures between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Saves:
A Love-Bud's semi-plant nature grants it a +4 racial bonus against poison and disease.
Ability Scores:
Stiff but sturdy a Love Bud receives the following adjustments: -2 Dex., +2 Con.
Challenge Rating:
+1??
Feats:
A Love Bud's woody flesh grants it Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. This feat may not serve as a pre-requisite for anything, including prestige classes or other feats, however the Love Bud may take the feat in the normal way to gain access to such things.

Lappy9000
2009-02-11, 01:05 AM
http://www.redsmartie.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/weighted-companion-cube.png
-A typical companion cube (Actual Size)

Companion Cube
Size/Type: Diminutive Construct (psionic)
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Fly 10 ft. (perfect) (2 squares)
Armor Class: 16, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 size, +2 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-11
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Bond, construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., heartbroken, low-light vision, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +1
Abilities: Str —, Dex 10, Con —, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +17, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Great Fortitude
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or Partnership (1 companion cube and partner)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This small box-like object appears to be a miniscule construct. Pink hearts dot the sides of the construct's otherwise grey outer shell, emitting a soft and inviting glow.

Playful and friendly, the origins of the companion cubes are something of a mystery. Whether they were designed as company for a lonely wizard or as a device to bring happiness to others is unknown. Regardless companion cubes as a whole have proven to be loyal and worthy partners of any willing subject.

Seeking only to form a bond with a living creature, companion cubes will drift around lazily and seemingly without purpose, until they find a suitable charge with which to bond to. Once a cohort is found, a companion cube will form a nigh-unseperable relationship from the individual. Such unions tend to be beneficial to both members, as the companion cube prospers from the feelings of its charge and will defend and assist its partner as much it is able.

Companion cubes never speak, but can understand their partner through their bond. Often, a companion cube will purr complacently in the presence of its partner, and emit a shrill squeak when frightened.

Combat

Companion cubes never enter combat alone if they can avoid it. If confronted by a hostile creature, a companion will attempt to run away and hide until the danger has passed. However, if a companion cube has formed a bond with a partner, it will never leave its partner's side unless ordered to do so. Since a companion cube's combat ability is rather limited, it will instead attempt to charm enemies and enhance the abilities of its partner.

Psi-like Abilities: At will—empathy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/empathy.htm), mindlink (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm), psionic charm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/charmPsionic.htm) (DC 14); 3/day—force screen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/forceScreen.htm), vigor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/vigor.htm). Manifester level 1st. The save DCs are Charisma based.

Bond (Su): Companion cubes seek nothing more than company and can form special relationships with willing subjects. After spending one hour with such an individual (referred to as the partner), a companion cube will bond with them, providing a number of useful effects to both parties. Any effects of the bond end if the partner and the companion cube are separated more than 30 feet of each other for longer than one hour.

Shared Body (Su): The companion cube always acts on its partner's turn each round, regardless of its own initiative modifier. Additionally, the companion cube gains any deflection bonus to AC that the host has, and vice versa.

Shared Mind (Su): The partner and companion cube are continually affected by a mindlink (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm) power.

Shared Powers (Su): Any spell or psionic power the partner casts on itself also immediately affects the companion cube. Also, the partner can cast a spell with a tartet of "You" on its companion cube instead of itself. Likewise, any spell or psionic power the companion cube casts on itself also immediately affects its partner instead of itself. However, either the partner or the companion cube can choose not to be affected by any spell or power that the other casts upon itself.

Heartbroken (Ex): Relying so strongly on relationship, losing such a union is devastating to the companion cube. If the bond formed between a partner and a companion cube is intentionally ended by the partner, or if the companion cube is left alone outside the 30 foot radius for longer than one hour, the companion cube will disengage and shut itself out to the world. A companion cube will not responding to anything during this time, even direct attacks. The former bond is lost as the companion remains disengaged for 2d20 days. After this time has passed, the companion cube will return to its search for a new partner.

Vulnerability to Fire: In addition to the normal adverse effects created from vulnerability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm) to an energy type, if a companion cube comes in contact with any form of fire while bonded to a partner, it will disengage as if it had become Heartbroken.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Construction

A companion cube is made from a tiny cube of metal which weighs 1 pound and costs 10 gp. Special alchemic substances are also required for the interior of the companion cube's "heart." The overall design of the companion cube is essential and requires a DC 20 Craft (armorsmith) check or a DC 20 Craft (weaponsmith) check.

Once the metal cube is developed, it can become animated through a psionic ritual that lasts 8 hours and requires a DC 20 Concentration check. If the check fails, the ritual must begin anew. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and ritual can be performed together.

A companion cube with more than 2 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds +1,000 gp to the cost to create.

Craft Psionic Construct, empathy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/empathy.htm), mindlink (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm), psionic charm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/charmPsionic.htm), vigor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/vigor.htm); Price—(never sold); Cost 550gp + 75 XP.

Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can learn more about companion cubes. When the character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

{table=head]DC | Lore
12 | This is a companion cube. It is a small, friendly construct often found with adventurers. This result reveals all construct traits.
17 | Companion cubes are able to form a powerful bond with a ready individual and can share thoughts and emotions with their charge and others. This result reveals all psionic traits.
22 | Companion cubes are susceptible to heartbreak. They will completely shut off from the world if their bond with their partner is broken. Curiously, contact with fire will also cause the companion cube to withdraw.[/table]

BisectedBrioche
2009-02-17, 12:46 PM
Psions haven't always been so disciplined. Many former schools and colleges devoted to the subject now lie in ruins. They are not discouraged from relationships because of the distraction, but because of the risks.
-Rotten Minds: A Treatise on Psionic Undead

Clone Couple
Size/Type: Medium Undead (psionic)
Hit Points: 112
Initiative: 0
Speed: 30ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (2 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+6
Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+6) melee
Full Attack: 2 Slams +6/+4 (1d6+6) melee
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Undead Traits, Psion Like Abilities, Lovers' Pain, Charm Person, Lover's Seed
Special Qualities: Reshape, Create Spawn
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +10
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 15
Skills: Concentration (13), Knowledge (Psionics, 13), Autohypnosis (13), Psicraft (13), Use Psionic Device (13), Speak Language (any 13), Move Silently (13)
Feats: Hostile Mind, Psionic Hole, Scribe Tattoo, Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organization: Lone, Couple (2), Haunting (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Clone couples are the undead forms of lovers with strong psionic powers. When they return from the grave their love has been twisted, they can't stand the idea of being apart but nor can they form a social bond. As a result they tend to quickly go their separate ways to walk the earth, futilely trying to recreate the love they once had in life. Despite their name they tend to be solitary, only rarely being found with clone couples. A clone couple looks as it did in life, but decayed with more pronounced eyes and teeth.

Undead Traits
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.

Features
An undead creature has the following features.

12-sided Hit Dice.
Base attack bonus equal to ˝ total Hit Dice (as wizard).
Good Will saves.
Skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the undead creature has an Intelligence score. However, many undead are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.
Traits
An undead creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

No Constitution score.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects.
Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature’s Intelligence score.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.
Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.


Psion Like Abilities (Su) A Clone Couple may manifest psionic abilities as a psion of equal level to its HD.

Lovers' Pain (Su) A number of times to day equal to its charisma modifier, a couple may force a target it hits with a slam attack. The victim must make a DC 12 (charisma based) will save or take a -1 moral penalty on all dice rolls for the next 1d6 rounds.

Charm Person (Psi) As per the charm, psionic power, usable a number of times a day equal to their charisma modifier. The couple may spend an additional use to get the effect of spending 2 extra pp.

Lover's Seed (Psi) As a full round action against a helpless or charmed target the couple may cast Mind Seed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindSeed.htm) (as per the psionic power) with the following differences;

The mind of the target is replaced by the lover the couple had in life.
The subject retains their own abilities, instead gaining only the lover's personality, memories and int, cha and wis scores.
It only works on targets the same sex as the former lover.
The victim's memories can be restored by a wish spell. Their original personality, however, only has a 50% chance of being restored and is otherwise lost forever (see The Creation of Clone Couples section below).
If the Mind Seed has not taken full effect then Remove Curse cures it.

The couple will usually have to keep the victim around (at least until after the victim's mind has been replaced, although due to their undead nature its usually necessary for them to continue) through enchantments (often scribing psionic tattoos to them to prevent them from leaving them).

Reshape (Su) Once a day, on a creature afflicted by Lover's Seed, may change 1 minor aspect of them to be more in line with their lover's appearance (hair/skin colour, height/weight, etc). It cannot change non-cosmetic factors such as age and race but it can give the appearance of having done so through other changes. The victim is essentially given the appearance of the Clone Couple's former lover. It takes up to 2 weeks (depending on how close the initial resemblance was) to completely change the victim's appearance. The change is permanent but the original appearance of the victim can be restored (see The Creation of Clone Couples section below).

Create Spawn (Su) Some time within a week after the Lover's Seed has ran its course the couple will realise that they cannot recreate the bond, and kill their victim. Anyone killed in this way will rise as a new Clone Couple, with the characteristics and (subject to the extent of their sire's use of reshape) appearance of the couple that their killer rose from the dead with 24 hours later. The newly formed couple's victims will be transformed into copies of the couple which spawned them.

Combat

Despite their high intelligence Clone Couples are single minded in their attempt to create new partners, they never "plan" to attack anyone, however they are hostile to members of their former sex (viewing them as rivals). If they encounter someone who reminds them of their former love, they will try to kill off their companions and Charm them. If they already have a partner who is still alive they will make them fight along side them through enchantments, a partner which has become another Clone Couple will fight willingly (and be immune to enchantments anyway, due to their undead nature).

The couple will try to charm their potential victim (if their is one) to take them out of the fight (they will avoid attacking them unless they can't charm them). They will attack the rest with their Lovers' Pain and Psionic abilities, favouring powers which cause them to flee (as it re-enforces the idea in the couples mind that their victim was "abandoned" by their comrades and they are giving them a new life).

The Creation of Clone Couples

Clone Couples can be split into two groups; "naturally" formed clone couples (known as "True Couples") and those that created from humanoids which fall victim to another couple (Known as "Rebound Couples"). Other than this distinction there is little difference between the two.

Naturally formed couples are always rise in pairs. They are the restless corpses of two lovers with strong psionic abilities (many naturally psionic races have burial rites designed specifically to stop Clone Couples from forming). Upon rising the two will stay together, however within a month or so the relationship will break down (due to factors such as a lack of emotions and...well general undeadness). At this point the Couples have no connection to each other and wonder the earth as separate entities.

A lone couple will seek to use its Lover's Seed and Reshape abilities to turn a living humanoid into a replacement for their lover. Inevitably some time after the victim's mind has been replaced the Couple will realise that their victim is not truly attracted to them (due to them being undead, and their victim still having their lover's mind from when they were alive), and kills them. The victim will rise as a new Clone Couple. At this point the couple of Couples will continue (this time the relationship will be reciprocated, as the clone of the original lover is now, more or less, a copy of the couple which rose with their creator) until it breaks down as with the couple the True Couple rose from the dead with.

The newly created "rebound" couple will then wonder the earth as any other couple would. Transforming its victims into copies of their progenitor couple.

Destroying and resurrecting a rebound couple will turn it into the living creature it was before (as with any other undead). It will not undo the effects of Lover's Seed and reshape (see the descriptions for those abilities) however the mental clone's personality will be aware that they are not the original. A lesser wish spell will restore their memories but only has a 50% chance of restoring their personality, a separate wish spell is needed to restore their ability scores. A wish spell will restore both their memories and ability scores and has a 75% chance of restoring their original personality. Their original appearance is lost, however the effects of Reshape can be undone through lesser wish or using another spell to change their appearance back to how it originally was.

Lore

{TABLE= head]DC|Lore

15|This is a Clone Couple, an undead creature formed from the remains of one of two lovers who had strong psionic powers in life (reveals undead traits and psionic powers).

20|It can channel its feelings into anyone it strikes (reveals Lovers' Pain ability and its effects).

30|It looks for individuals who resemble its former lover to transform into a copy of them, and later another Clone Couple (reveals all other abilities, plus the means by which they are created).[/TABLE]

Plot Hooks


The PCs are sent to recover some books from the library of an abandoned school which taught psions. They are warned that it is haunted by some sort of psionic undead (see Sample Encounter below).
The PCs are attacked by a Clone Couple and one of their number is Charmed and flees with it. Can they rescue them before its too late?
At the height of an epidemic, a gravely ill Elan couple ask the PCs to find a way to ensure they don't rise as a Clone Couple.


Sample Encounter

Gwen Mindcrush
Clone Couple
Size/Type: Medium Undead (psionic)
Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 30ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (2 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+6
Attack: Slam +6 (1d6+6) melee
Full Attack: 2 Slams +6/+4 (1d6+6) melee
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Undead Traits, Psion Like Abilities, Lovers' Pain, Charm Person, Lover's Seed
Special Qualities: Reshape, Create Spawn
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +10
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 15
Skills: Concentration (13), Knowledge (Psionics, 13), Autohypnosis (13), Psicraft (13), Use Psionic Device (13), Speak Language (Common, Elven, Halfling, Draconic, Dwarven, Undercommon, Terran, Sylvan, Giant, Gnoll, Auran, Abyssal, Orc), Move Silently (13)
Feats: Hostile Mind, Psionic Hole, Scribe Tattoo, Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organization: Lone, Couple (2), Haunting (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Gwen Mindcrush was a female human student at the now abandoned "Academy of Psionics", where she trained as a psion. While there she became besotted with a fellow student, an elven soulknife named Leafins Heartblade. Her feelings were reciprocated, despite resistance from his family (as his father had gone mad, after the passing of Heartblade's own human mother). Despite the best attempts of Leaf's family, he and Gwen were married 2 years later, having graduated, and took jobs as tutors. Unhappy with this turn of events, Leafin's cousin, a shadowdancer who's name has been lost, decided to murder his new family member (reasoning it would be better if Leaf got over it then, rather than when he inevitably outlived her).

Unfortunately this cousin was none to competent, forgetting to take appropriate precautions he stabbed Leaf to death rather than Gwen. Despite the shock of what he had done he was able to silence Gwen, but not before she screamed. In the ensuing battle the shadowdancer perished, but not before fatally wounding and poisoning well over half the staff. With no way of replacing them, the college was closed and the dead were buried outside.

1 month later Gwen and Leafin Mindcrush rose from the grave as Clone Couples. Leafin chose to wander the earth while Gwen began haunting the halls of the former institution, looking for someone to remold in the shape of her lost love.

Gwen resembles the corpse of a female human. In life she had long strawberry blond hair which was styled in a practical bun. She still wears the tattered remains of the nightgown she was buried in.

Combat

Gwen will immediatly attack any female humanoids she comes across. If a party without any females comes across her, she will remain hidden. Should said party happen to have a male half-elf with them, she will attempt to charm him and slay his fellows, before beginning the process of reshaping him into a copy of Leafin Mindcrush.

She prefers to attack from the shadows (in a similar manner to her murder), opening with a Psychic Crush, and using control light to create some cover if need be.

If any female combatants attempt to flee she will try to chase them and finish them off (up to and including stalking them with Trace Teleport). She will not chase male retreatees unless she intends to Charm them. If she successfully charms her target, she will trap them in some area of the ruins of the college with Psionic Lock "for their own protection".

Powers

Gwen knows the following Psionic powers, with a pool of 103 power points to manifest from; Attraction, Catfall, Control Flames, Control Light, Déjŕ Vu, Deceleration, Mind Thrust, Concealing Amorpha, Cloud Mind, Psionic Lock, Inflict Pain, Share Pain, Swarm of Crystals, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Time Hop, Touchsight, Death Urge, Trace Teleport, Psychic Crush.

adanedhel9
2009-02-22, 12:13 AM
Cohocubus
(deriv. of L cohortor to encourage + L cubare to lie; cf incubus, succubus)

Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 20 (+1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+9
Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, strength from turmoil, summon demon
Special Qualities: Aura of attraction, damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 19, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +14, Climb +3 (+5 with a rope), Concentration +11, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +14 (+16 when acting), Heal +11, Hide +10, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (the planes) +11, Listen +19, Move Silently +10, Sense Motive +11, Spot +19
Feats: Ability Focus (Aura of Attraction), Dodge, Mobility
Environment: A chaotic evil-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: +8

A slim humanoid, with short-cropped dark hair suddenly appears amidst the crowd. A slender, spiked tail and large, bat-like wings reveal its demonic heritage. As madness erupts around it, a wide smile erupts on its angular face.

Cohocubi are the rare genderless children of succubi and incubi. Incapable of seduction, they have developed other methods of destroying mortals' souls.

Cohocubi do not tempt individuals. Rather, they inspire groups of humanoids to tempt each other; a cohocubus then feeds off the resulting emotions. As a cohocubus travels through mortal lands, it leaves behind masses of ashamed and emotionally damaged persons. Often the affects of a cohocubus's visit linger for years afterwards.

Some demons admire the ability of a cohocubus to corrupt so many people at once. Others find their methods distasteful, preferring the one-on-one approach more common among succubi and glabrezu. Cohocubi do tend to be loners, as their abilities affect demons equally as well as they do mortals.

Combat
When fighting alone, a cohocubus uses its Aura of Attraction to incapacitate its foes, and then picks them off one by one as their attention lies elsewhere. When fighting alongside other demons, they are more judicious about when they use the aura, as even demons are not immune to its effects. Whenever possible, a cohocubus arranges for a fight to take place in a crowd of common folk, so as to maximize its Strength from Turmoil ability.

If reduced to one-third of its original hp, a cohocubus attempts to use its spell-like abilities to flee.

A cohocubus’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Aura of Attraction (Su): Creatures which approach a cohocubus find themselves overcome with emotions — specifically, attraction towards nearby creatures. All creatures who come within 30 ft. of a cohocubus must make a Will save (DC 20) or come under this influence. The effect lasts for as long as the creature is within 30 ft. of the cohocubus and for 2d6 rounds thereafter.

Any affected creature immediately moves to grapple the nearest available creature of appropriate gender and species; the creature takes the most direct route, though it may avoid obstacles or enemies. Grapple checks against a mutually compatible, affected creature automatically succeed; otherwise resolve the grapple as normal.

Creatures that make their saves are generally immune to the aura of attraction from this cohocubus for the next 24 hours. However, if an affected creature successfully grapples a mutually-compatible, unaffected creature while in range of the cohocubus, the unaffected creature must make another save.

If an affected creature is unaware of any nearby compatible creature, that creature may act normally. However, such a creature immediately abandons its current course of action to pursue a newly-arrived, compatible creature.

The cohocubus can activate or deactivate this aura as a swift action. The save DC is Charisma–based and includes a +2 bonus from Ability Focus.

Spell-Like-Abilities (Sp): Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
At will — detect good, detect thoughts (DC 17), ethereal jaunt (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only).

Strength from Turmoil (Su): The cohocubus can draw strength from nearby creatures experiencing strong emotion. At the beginning of its turn, for every creature within 30 ft. of the cohocubus experiencing strong emotion, the cohocubus gains 5 temporary hp. These temporary hp last for one round.

Eligible creatures include, but are not limited to: confused, cowering, frightened, nauseated, panicked, shaken, sickened, and stunned creatures; creatures with an unconditional morale bonus; creatures in a rage or frenzy; and creatures under the affect of Aura of Attraction.

Once per round, a cohocubus can steal the emotions of one eligible creature to gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls for one minute (this bonus stacks with itself). This immediately calms the emotions of that creature, removing all of the described effects, and making it immune to further effects for 24 hours.

Summon Demon (Sp): Once per day a cohocubus can attempt to summon 1 vrock with a 30% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

Skills: Cohocubi have a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can research cohocubi to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from the lower DCs.

DC 16: A cohocubus is a rare demon. It shares most of the common demonic traits, such as energy resistance and telepathy.

DC 21: Cohocubi are related to succubi and incubi. However, instead of affected individuals, a cohocubus can inspire madness in large groups.

DC 26: Cohocubi feed off the emotions of others. Keeping calm may be the key to defeating such a creature.

Plot Hooks
A succubus hunting a particularly willful general has enlisted the aid of a cohocubus to help break her prey.

The socially awkward son of a wealthy merchant is willing to pay handsomely for a captured cohocubus.

The untimely arrival of a cohocubus at a royal wedding has ruined the reputation of many members of the court. Several are looking to hire adventurers to get revenge.

The Vorpal Tribble
2009-02-22, 07:06 AM
This month's contest has come to a close. A voting thread has been posted here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5804853#post5804853).

Good luck!