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The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-15, 03:04 PM
Somnambul

http://bluepoppy.omworks.com/photos/drowsy.jpg

"Dreams are real, and real are dreams!" - Timothae the Awakened Dreamer, somnambul psion

Somnambuls are dream affected beings born to human parents. Sometimes a child is born to a mother in a coma or whom suffers terrible nightmares during their pregnancy. This somehow alters the mental and physical state of the child which forms partially within the region of dreams. This phantamagorical womb never seems to give birth, continuing to both curse and gift the individual their entire lives.

The first sign of the difference in the child is its extensive sleeping time. They slumber so often and so deep that they are often malnourished, resulting in thin, weak adults. As they grow their oddness increases as they develop advanced somnambulism, the condition known as sleepwalking. Parents tend to spend much of their nights sleeping nearby their child after locking doors and windows in an attempt to prevent their child from wandering off and possibly injuring themselves. As they reach adulthood many teach themselves to remain still, or develop subconscious instincts that keep them from harm.

Somnambul's are known for their incredible creativity and imagination, and many become famous painters or writers. A large minority however suffer more and intense dreams as they age until they finally succumb to insanity. Either way somnambuls are always fascinating individuals with a unique view of the world, though a bit odd and often exceedingly absent minded. In fact, many Somnambuls consider themselves to have two lives, the waking and the dreaming, each state seeming as real to them as the other.
Generally only Somnambul woman give birth to other somnambuls, otherwise the child is often quite normal.

Somnambul Traits
Somnambul's resemble their human parents in most respects, including the familial similiarty that any human child would share with his or her parents. The one exception to this is that a somnambul tends to have red-rimmed eyes even when completely rested that possess a strangely unnerving gaze.

* -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence: Though quick learners and imaginative, a somnambul is in a constant state of mild fatigue.
* Medium: As Medium Creatures, somnambuls have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Somnambul's land speed is 30 feet.
* Humanoid (Human): Somnambuls are of human descent and are affected by spells and the like as if they were purely human.
* Unstable: Somnambuls are not known for the stability of their minds and take a -2 penalty to saves against insanity.
* Naturally Psionic: Somnambuls gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
* Dream Telling: A Somnambul with 5 or more hit dice has aquired extensive insight into their subconscious and Dream, gaining the benefits of the Dreamtelling feat (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Dreamtelling,HH) (Heroes of Horror).
* Lucid Dreamer: A Somnambul may always use Lucid Dreaming (Manual of the Planes, p. 203) as a trained skill and gains a +4 bonus on such checks.
* Gentle Mind (Su): A Somnambul's mind-affecting powers or spells do not automatically awaken unconscious beings they are directed at unless they deal damage.
* Sleepwalker: A somnambul's subconscious mind becomes so hyperactive while unconscious that its body responds to the cerebral activity. Before going to sleep each night a somnambul must make a DC 20 Autohypnosis check or spend the night sleepwalking. A sleepwalker can take simple actions such as moving his base speed in a random direction or picking up objects. He is considered flat-footed, and takes a -20 penalty on spot checks so that though he is unlikely to walk off a cliff, he may not be able to find a doorknob to let himself out of a room. He is not consciously aware of his actions. The sleepwalker can be awakened with a swift shaking or sudden loud noise, though awakes automatically if he sustains any damage.
* Up the Walls (Su): Somnambul's difficulty in distinguishing between dream and reality allow them to move in strange, surreal ways. They gain the benefits of the Up the Walls feat while psionic focused.
* Psi-Like Abilitites: 1/day Demoralize, Empathy. Manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st). The save DC is Charisma-based.
* Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
* Favored Class: Psion.
* Level Adjustment: +0

Telonius
2006-05-15, 03:15 PM
I like the concept. It sounds like there should be a restriction on sleep time (10 hours instead of 8 per night?), and anything that would normally make them fatigued, exhausts them. Also, maybe some sort of bonus, or extra-cool thing they can do when they're actually asleep. Otherwise I can see this really slowing down a group of adventurers. ("Yawn. Sorry guys, gotta take another nap. Can we rest now?")

Ing
2006-05-15, 03:31 PM
y not make them physicly VERY weak, but give them a Dream form that they can project? form takes their CHA or INT for use on physical stats instead of normal STR and CON, and maybe give it some spell like ability, of coure thise only happens when they're asleep and if they are awoken or damaged the projection ends. if the projection is defeated they slip into a coma.

Don Beegles
2006-05-15, 03:37 PM
The trouble is that he seems to want a LA+) race, and that would be too powerful, Ing.

I'm not a great judge, but it seems overpowered for +1 LA. Human skills, two feats, and a mental stat bonus for the cost of an easily avoided drawback-"just tie me up, guys". Point it out if I'm missing something, but it seems too good, maybe +1 LA instead.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-15, 03:46 PM
I like the concept. It sounds like there should be a restriction on sleep time (10 hours instead of 8 per night?), and anything that would normally make them fatigued, exhausts them. Also, maybe some sort of bonus, or extra-cool thing they can do when they're actually asleep. Otherwise I can see this really slowing down a group of adventurers. ("Yawn. Sorry guys, gotta take another nap. Can we rest now?")
Naw, I think I'll let them keep their normal sleepage. They are just tired the rest of the day.

As for special stuff to do while they sleep, was thinking of letting them be able to enter the dreams of any nearby sleeping person if they sat and meditated.


The trouble is that he seems to want a LA+) race, and that would be too powerful, Ing.
Yeah, I'm going for a player race. I could make a template though with some of your suggestions.


I'm not a great judge, but it seems overpowered for +1 LA. Human skills, two feats, and a mental stat bonus for the cost of an easily avoided drawback-"just tie me up, guys". Point it out if I'm missing something, but it seems too good, maybe +1 LA instead.
Well, they do get a -2 to saves against insanity, and really sleepwalking would be rather annoying. I'll think on it.

But also, their abilities really aren't much of a much. Even their feats are a bit hard to use. You can't use Up the Walls unless you can make a DC 20 concentration skill check. So unless they really pump up their concentration they won't be able to use it much until higher levels. Likewise, dreamtelling requires extensive knowledge (the planes) checks.

Lucid Dreaming isn't all that useful except while asleep, and Gentle Mind only works if your opponent happens to be asleep (at which point most would just go and slit their throat.)

So to me it seems more like a .5 LA ;)

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-15, 07:10 PM
Oh, and another thing. Would you really say these guys are more powerful than a gnome? Egads. I was looking over one (never having played one) and was realizing just how much they got going for them.

Spells, resistances, low-light vision, AC bonuses to certain creatures, bonus skills, etc etc.

Sophistemon
2006-05-15, 09:13 PM
Oh, Magoo (er, Tirbble), you've done it again!

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-16, 11:38 AM
Heh, naw. Just took out the bonus skill points, as the +2 int basically does it already, and adjusted a few other small things.

Btw, this race is part of my entry in the new Psionic Contest (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Contests) in the Contest forum. Everyone be sure to go and post an entry :)

Dalcassius
2006-05-16, 12:09 PM
I was thinking the other day, I'd like to see what VT would do with a Somnambulist. I don't know if anyone is familiar with the 1919 German film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" A surealist film about murder in a small town. There is a carnival in town and the suspect is the Somnambulist of the derange Dr. Caligari. The entire thing ends up being a dream and the main character is in an insane asylum. Most people would be familiar with it in its modernized form as the music video for Rob Zombies "Living Dead Girl." Although I was at first annoyed by Rob taking this film and trying to do.... whatever with it, after watching the video in ernest, he did a really good job portraying the film. Anywho, I'm on a tangent and have almost lost the topic altogether. Great job VT. I originally looked at it and thought +1 LA but after going over the thread again, I agree with the +0 LA.

Also, There has been a 2005 remake of the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I don't readily recognize any of the actor or cast save for Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager's Tuvok) who has a minor part unfortunately. If you can find it, give it a try. I'm looking for it myself.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-16, 12:28 PM
Hrmmm, does sound interesting. I'm actually writing a novel about a somnambulist with strange power over dream, which is where alot of my dream-based psionics are coming from. Just adapting them to D&D style.

Dalcassius
2006-05-16, 12:32 PM
In that case, if your anything like me, stay away from the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. When I write, I try to stay away from similar texts, so I don't accidently write soemthing a little too close to what I've been reading/watching/etc.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-05-16, 12:35 PM
In that case, if your anything like me, stay away from the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. When I write, I try to stay away from similar texts, so I don't accidently write soemthing a little too close to what I've been reading/watching/etc.
lol, aye, that may be the case as well. I've also been pointed out to Neil Gaiman I think he's called, writer of a series called the Sandman or somesuch. Also the Dream Cycle by Lovecraft. I'm mainly interested in just taking a look and making sure I'm not doing something thats been done to death.

Dalcassius
2006-05-16, 12:57 PM
Neil Gaiman I think he's called, writer of a series called the Sandman or somesuch. Are you being sarcastic? I can't tell.
Yeah, Nail Gaimen is really good at what he does. So good infact that Jim Henson's family put him up in the Henson mansion alone, so he could write the screen play to "Mirror Mask," the sequal to "Labyrinth." Its supposed to be really really great.
He also did the foreward for the graphic novel "The Watchmen" which was more than enough for me to read it. The sandman graphic novels always get rave reviews. If you were to say you wanted to check out anything by Gaimen, I'd give you thumbs up. His novel American Gods I'm told also deserves great honors.

snowfox090
2006-06-01, 10:25 PM
I hope you don't mind, my DM agreed to let me play this race in his Illithid campaign. :) Fit the concept perfectly, and just an all-around awesome idea.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-01, 11:09 PM
Are you being sarcastic? I can't tell.
Nope, no sarcasm. Ignorant of most of those guys.


I hope you don't mind, my DM agreed to let me play this race in his Illithid campaign. :) Fit the concept perfectly, and just an all-around awesome idea.
Nope, don't mind a bit. Let me know how it goes, alright?

Thats all I ask of folks who use my stuff ;)

snowfox090
2006-06-02, 12:12 AM
Nope, don't mind a bit. Let me know how it goes, alright?

Thats all I ask of folks who use my stuff ;)
Sure thing!

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-16, 08:55 PM
And to go with it...

-=-=-=--=-

The Somnambul Paragon

Somnambul paragons are often wonderous folk, though all the more strange for this. They learn to accept and use their link to both states of consciousness for their own advantage and gain mental stability. Thus they combine human potential with the inpiration of Dream.

Characteristics
Somnambul paragons tend to be the most famous, or infamous, of somnambuls, producing some of the the greatest works of art, be it in story and song or on canvas and crafts. Others go another route, seeking to learn of their link to dream and what awaits them in the land of the unwaking, thus becoming powerful psionicists.

Alignment: Somnambul paragons are as varied in their alignments as normal humans, some finding the underlying law of dreams, others embracing the chaos of the unexpected.

Religion: Somnambul paragons tend to not be particularly religious unless they come to revere the godminds of Dream.

Background: Often having to flee from their homes, or asylums as is not uncommon, most somnambul paragons are feared for their strangeness of mind, many thinking they are nothing short of mad, and indeed this is not without precedent. They must thus find themselves, often in hiding which brings their special potential to the surface. Though sharing humanity's traits, they also represent the depths of the human psyche. Its dreamselves so to speak.

Other Classes: Psionicists are best able to share similiar experiences and desires of the somnambul paragon, though most other classes cannot help but feel extremely uncomfortable around their madcap ways.



Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Powers Known
Save Save Save
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Human Soul, Steadied Mind +1 level of existing manifesting class

2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Dream Innured -
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Ability Boost (Int, Wis, or Cha +2) +1 level of existing manifesting class.

Abilities
A vestle of imagination and inspiration, somnambuls tend to have high intelligence and charisma scores. They also learn many a discipline to steady themselves and gain insight into the combined nature of Dream and Waking, and benefit from Wisdom as well.

Alignment
Any

Hit Dice
d4

Class Skills
The somnambul paragon's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (any) (Int), Lucid Dreaming (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level
4 + Int modifier.

Human Soul (Ex):
Unlike other racial paragons, somnambuls can take levels in more than one racial paragon class. After gaining at least one level as a somnambul paragon, a character can take human paragon levels.

Steadied Mind (Ex):
A somnambul paragon loses his race's instability at 1st level.

Dream Innured (Ex):
At 2nd level a somnambul comes to terms and hardens himself to the nightmares of dreaming and can apply this discipline to the waking, gaining immunity to any kind of fear effect.

Ability Boost (Ex):
At 3rd level, one of the somnambul paragon's mental scores (Int, Wis, or Cha) increases by 2 points.

-=-=-=-=-

Edit: Y'know, why does OOTS even HAVE a code function? ::)

Abd al-Azrad
2006-06-17, 12:00 AM
You can't use Up the Walls unless you can make a DC 20 concentration skill check.

Don't you mean, until they make the DC 20 check? From my understanding, you remain focused until you expend the focus, and you can retry the check. 2 minutes when you (finally) wake up, and you can walk walls all day.

The paragon levels seem pretty balanced against the other racial paragons, and cover quite a few of the race's weaknesses while- I assume intentionally- focusing them heavily towards their favoured class. Pretty straightforward... although for some reason I liked your addition (and, particularly, description) of the acquired immunity to fear.

Read Gaiman. Seriously. You'll like it.

"...we're off to Never-never-land."

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-17, 07:01 AM
Don't you mean, until they make the DC 20 check? From my understanding, you remain focused until you expend the focus, and you can retry the check. 2 minutes when you (finally) wake up, and you can walk walls all day.
Aye, though if you take any other psionic feats you may have to expend that focus. Its a nice feat, but no spider climb.



Read Gaiman. Seriously. You'll like it.
Trying to get my library to get a few in ;)

Falrin
2006-06-17, 08:59 AM
Just a question on the side.

Do you have a place where you keep your work? It would be very handy to have a SRD-like Tribble monster archive.

Edit : BTW, keep up the good work.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-17, 09:33 AM
Sure do:

VT's Creation Page (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=4932488&postcount=142).

Alot of the stuff is old and not updated, so if its not been done in the last year, its probably not up to snuff.