Leperflesh
2006-09-10, 06:09 AM
Description:
Chittermonks are small, furry woodland creatures which climb trees, gather nuts and berries, frolic in sunbeams, and otherwise act in a gregarious and generally cute manner. They have short brown fur with two black stripes running down their backs, and a short stubby tail which may be wiggled cutely. They weigh less than a pound and, while they taste fine, are usually far more trouble than they are worth, to hunt.
Chittermonks have an infuriating habit of chattering loudly and incessantly at one another, in a seemingly endless tirade of essentially meaningless noise.
A lone Chittermonk usually remains silent, or may chatter for a few seconds at most. However, any time there are at least two Chittermonks within 60 feet, there is a 20% chance every 10 minutes that they will begin a bout of Irritating Chittering with each other. Such sessions last for 1d8x10 minutes. Chittermonks rest for short periods and then awake and engage in activity throughout the day and night, and may be heard Irritating Chittering at each other potentially at any time. However, inclement weather such as heavy rain, snow, or cold will drive them into their nests and burrows.
Chittermonks which are harassed or attacked in any way do not stop their Irritating Chittering according to the above roll. See Combat for details, below.
Stats:
Chittermonk
Diminutive Animal
Hit Dice: žd8 (1 hp)
Initiative: + 2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 dex), touch 16, flatfooted 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0 (size)/-12
Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Irritating Chittering
Special Qualities: -
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +15, Hide +16, Move Silently +4, Jump +10,
Feats: Stealthy, Skill focus (Climb)
Environment: any Forest
Organization: single, pair, troop (3-9), plague (10-100), apocalypse (100-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: none
Alignment: always N
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Animal traits (low-light vision)
Irritating Chittering (Ex)
One or more Chittermonks may engage in Irritating Chittering at will. The Chittermonk produces a constant, noisy chattering, shifting in pitch and frequency just enough to really get into your head. Anyone within 60 of a Chittermonk engaging in Irritating Chittering must make a Will save, DC 10 + 1 additional for each additional Chittermonk within earshot (max DC=26), or be Irritated. (This save is CHA-based). If this save is successful, the creature gains immunity from Irritating Chittering for a period of 1d6x10 minutes (or until the number of Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering within 60 increases by 4 or more, at which point a new check must be made).
Creatures which posess the Rage ability are forced to begin a Rage if they become Irritated, and fail an additional Will save at the same DC. They must remain in Rage until either the Irritation expires, or, their maximum rage duration is completed.
Irritated creatures receive a -2 Irritation penalty against all skill checks they attempt, and in addition suffer -1 Irritation penalties to charisma, wisdom, and intelligence modifiers. The creature remains Irritated for as long as he continues to hear Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering; or until 1d6x10 minutes pass, at which time he may attempt a new Will save.
If an Irritated creature attempts to rest, sleep, trance, or study, an additional Will check, with a DC equal to the first Will save +4, must be made or all such activities are impossible. If this check is successful, the character may perform such activities (but still retains the base -2 penalty to skills). If the check fails, the creature is unable to perform that activity for 10 minutes (or until out of earshot of Irritating Chittering Chittermonks), after which he can attempt another save.
Irritated creatures attempting to cast any spell which would require a Concentration check if the character took damage in combat, must make a Concentration check vs. the DC of the base Irritating Chittering Will check, or suffer spell failure.
Creatures can avoid having to take Will saves or any penalties from Irritating Chittering by muffling their ears or blocking out sound, sufficient that they can no longer hear the Irritating Chittering.
Constructs, mindless creatures, and creatures immune to sonic affects are also immune to Irritating Chittering.
Combat
Chittermonks are completely herbivorous and essentially harmless, and will quickly scamper away from any threat. Their instinct is to climb a tree to gain safety if persued into the tree branches, they will attempt to hide. Only if cornered or caught will they then attempt to use their sharp little rodent teeth to bite their way to freedom. A chittermonk actively being persued always begins Irritating Chittering, and if able to escape, will usually perch from its inaccessibly high branch or knothole and scold its harasser relentlessly. If other Chittermonks witness such a chase, they will always also join in the scolding. If an enemy then attempts to leave the area, chittermonks will attempt to persue, jumping from limb to limb in the forest canopy. They will persue for a few hundred feet, before giving up and returning to their own home trees. However, additional chittermonks may be encountered along the way, and these may take up the chase in this way, carrying on the harassment for possibly miles and hours after an incident.
Skills
Chittermonks have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Chittermonks use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.
[hr]
I think I got the calculations right on this one. As always your feedback is requested, negative or positive. Thanks
-Lep
[hr]
This is a submission for the Monster in the Playground (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11557461 87) project.
[hr]
Edits made 9.12.2006 based on feedback. Also fixed the rule about attempting to sleep/trance/etc., because I had made an error (it should be, you can't do it for 10 minutes. It was, you are irritated for 10 minutes, which didn't make sense).
Chittermonks are small, furry woodland creatures which climb trees, gather nuts and berries, frolic in sunbeams, and otherwise act in a gregarious and generally cute manner. They have short brown fur with two black stripes running down their backs, and a short stubby tail which may be wiggled cutely. They weigh less than a pound and, while they taste fine, are usually far more trouble than they are worth, to hunt.
Chittermonks have an infuriating habit of chattering loudly and incessantly at one another, in a seemingly endless tirade of essentially meaningless noise.
A lone Chittermonk usually remains silent, or may chatter for a few seconds at most. However, any time there are at least two Chittermonks within 60 feet, there is a 20% chance every 10 minutes that they will begin a bout of Irritating Chittering with each other. Such sessions last for 1d8x10 minutes. Chittermonks rest for short periods and then awake and engage in activity throughout the day and night, and may be heard Irritating Chittering at each other potentially at any time. However, inclement weather such as heavy rain, snow, or cold will drive them into their nests and burrows.
Chittermonks which are harassed or attacked in any way do not stop their Irritating Chittering according to the above roll. See Combat for details, below.
Stats:
Chittermonk
Diminutive Animal
Hit Dice: žd8 (1 hp)
Initiative: + 2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 dex), touch 16, flatfooted 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0 (size)/-12
Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Irritating Chittering
Special Qualities: -
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +15, Hide +16, Move Silently +4, Jump +10,
Feats: Stealthy, Skill focus (Climb)
Environment: any Forest
Organization: single, pair, troop (3-9), plague (10-100), apocalypse (100-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: none
Alignment: always N
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Animal traits (low-light vision)
Irritating Chittering (Ex)
One or more Chittermonks may engage in Irritating Chittering at will. The Chittermonk produces a constant, noisy chattering, shifting in pitch and frequency just enough to really get into your head. Anyone within 60 of a Chittermonk engaging in Irritating Chittering must make a Will save, DC 10 + 1 additional for each additional Chittermonk within earshot (max DC=26), or be Irritated. (This save is CHA-based). If this save is successful, the creature gains immunity from Irritating Chittering for a period of 1d6x10 minutes (or until the number of Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering within 60 increases by 4 or more, at which point a new check must be made).
Creatures which posess the Rage ability are forced to begin a Rage if they become Irritated, and fail an additional Will save at the same DC. They must remain in Rage until either the Irritation expires, or, their maximum rage duration is completed.
Irritated creatures receive a -2 Irritation penalty against all skill checks they attempt, and in addition suffer -1 Irritation penalties to charisma, wisdom, and intelligence modifiers. The creature remains Irritated for as long as he continues to hear Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering; or until 1d6x10 minutes pass, at which time he may attempt a new Will save.
If an Irritated creature attempts to rest, sleep, trance, or study, an additional Will check, with a DC equal to the first Will save +4, must be made or all such activities are impossible. If this check is successful, the character may perform such activities (but still retains the base -2 penalty to skills). If the check fails, the creature is unable to perform that activity for 10 minutes (or until out of earshot of Irritating Chittering Chittermonks), after which he can attempt another save.
Irritated creatures attempting to cast any spell which would require a Concentration check if the character took damage in combat, must make a Concentration check vs. the DC of the base Irritating Chittering Will check, or suffer spell failure.
Creatures can avoid having to take Will saves or any penalties from Irritating Chittering by muffling their ears or blocking out sound, sufficient that they can no longer hear the Irritating Chittering.
Constructs, mindless creatures, and creatures immune to sonic affects are also immune to Irritating Chittering.
Combat
Chittermonks are completely herbivorous and essentially harmless, and will quickly scamper away from any threat. Their instinct is to climb a tree to gain safety if persued into the tree branches, they will attempt to hide. Only if cornered or caught will they then attempt to use their sharp little rodent teeth to bite their way to freedom. A chittermonk actively being persued always begins Irritating Chittering, and if able to escape, will usually perch from its inaccessibly high branch or knothole and scold its harasser relentlessly. If other Chittermonks witness such a chase, they will always also join in the scolding. If an enemy then attempts to leave the area, chittermonks will attempt to persue, jumping from limb to limb in the forest canopy. They will persue for a few hundred feet, before giving up and returning to their own home trees. However, additional chittermonks may be encountered along the way, and these may take up the chase in this way, carrying on the harassment for possibly miles and hours after an incident.
Skills
Chittermonks have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Chittermonks use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.
[hr]
I think I got the calculations right on this one. As always your feedback is requested, negative or positive. Thanks
-Lep
[hr]
This is a submission for the Monster in the Playground (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11557461 87) project.
[hr]
Edits made 9.12.2006 based on feedback. Also fixed the rule about attempting to sleep/trance/etc., because I had made an error (it should be, you can't do it for 10 minutes. It was, you are irritated for 10 minutes, which didn't make sense).