Realms of Chaos
2010-01-11, 06:54 AM
Tall Man
Large Undead
HD 8d12 (52 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +1
AC 20; touch 10; flat-footed 19
(+10 Natural, +1 Dex, -1 Size)
BAB +4; Grp +9
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d8+1 plus desperate contact/moment of freedom)
Full-Attack Slam +4 melee (1d8+1 plus desperate contact/moment of freedom)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Desperate Contact, Haunting Moan, Moment of Freedom, Produce Holy Water
Special Qualities Absolute Obedience, Damage Reduction 10/bludgeoning, Darkvision 60 ft., Fast Healing 6, Immunity to Cold, Sense Life, Structural Instability, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +2 Ref +3 Will +6
Abilities Str 12, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills -
Feats -
Environment Any and underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure None
Alignment Always Neutral
Advancement -
Level Adjustment -
A skeleton stands before you, mutilated into a thing of nightmares. Each bone has been cut lengthwise, hallowed out, and tied back together with wires to make each bone nearly twice as long. Many of the bones are covered in grooves and riddled with small holes.
The skull of this being lacks a lower jaw and a wicked smile is carved into it, leaving one more hole. Perhaps the most haunting detail is the eyes, a deep shade of saphire that glow with intelligence. As you look closer, you see that each eye is crying, silvery tears falling down its bony face.
As the thing moves, a low moan seems to issue from its body. Its movements are jerky with joints bending in odd ways and threatening to break free from their man-made joints.
There are many tales out there of necromancers who reanimate their sworn foes, using their once great nemeses as personal servants. Though this is enough for many, some necromancers crave more. Some necromancers seek to put their foes through eternal torment, or the nearest that they can muster. The end results for such ambitions are the Tall Men, among the most reprehensive of all known necromantic arts.
Unlike most undead, Tall Men retain their soul. Although it is prevented from controlling their bodies, a Tall Man`s creator uses this soul to lock out others who would claim it for themselves. Of course, this is just a happy side-effect. The true meaning of their souls is so that the Tall Man may truly anguish every moment of their tortured existence.
So far, only humanoid tall men have been found, with both small and medium humanoids being "stretched" to similar sizes. Though it is theoretical that other races could be used, such Tall Men are currently unknown of.
Combat If controlled, Tall Men are relatively clumsy combatants, relying on the fear and despair they encourage to keep things under control. If uncontrolled, however, Tall Men are locked in a state between innate mindlessness, only slightly altered by their soul`s influence. Such Tall Men wander mindlessly until they find a living being, at which point they attack until they hit their foe once. After this point, they wander onwards, neglecting to even defend themselves against their previous foes.
Absolute Obedience (Ex): thanks to the presence of a Tall Man`s soul, it recieves a buffer of sorts against outside influence. Tall Men can`t be turned or rebuked by any creature. Furthermore, necromantic spells or effects that control undead fail to function on Tall Men.
However, a Tall Man`s creator, having sealed its soul, can use a bit of his or her own life force to bypass their seal and gain control. Each night at midnight, a Tall Man`s creator can choose to take 3 damage, damage which cannot be healed for 24 hours. If they do so, they gain absolute control over the Tall Man during that time. Otherwise, the Tall Man becomes uncontrolled (or remains uncontrolled). If the creator possesses multiple Tall Men, they must take 3 damage for each one that they wish to control.
Desperate Contact (Su): Though concentrated within their skull, a Tall Man`s soul flows through their entire body, much as blood through a living creature. Whenever they make contact with another being, it is assaulted by bits of memory, thought, and emotion, desperate to communicate with another individual. Considering what Tall Men are put through, this is almost always an unpleasant experience.
Whenever a Tall Man makes a successful melee touch attack or slam attack, the target must make a DC 16 Will Save as they are assaulted by brief recollections of the Tall Man`s endless torment and bottomless grief. If they fail, they take a-2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until the end of the encounter. If they succeed, these penalties are halved. These penalties do not stack with themselves.
Furthermore, the Tall Man`s fractured psyche often tries to contact the touched creature for some cause. If the target failed their Will save, the mental cacophany is meaningless and dazes the target for 1 round. If the target succeeded, however, the Tall Men deliver a clear mental message up to 1d4 words long. Such messages may be warnings, clues, bits of insane rants, or simply moans and sobs.
This is a mind-affecting effect that does not function against the Tall Man`s creator. The Saving Throw is Charisma-based.
Haunting Moan (Ex): As a Tall Man moves, air is channeled through the many grooves and holes in their body, making an eerie moan that unsettles others. Whenever a Tall Man moves or attacks, all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 16 will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to that Tall Man`s haunting moan for 24 hours.
Moment of Freedom (Su): When a Tall Man`s creator dies, they become uncontrolled, seeking the nearest living thing as normal. When they hit their foe with an attack, however, this ability activates in place of their normal desperate contact. Moment of freedom has 5 effects.
1. The target learns the basic course of the Tall Man`s life, imparted via memories.
2. The target learns the answer to one question they may mentally pose the Tall Man. If they ask a question that the Tall Man cannot answer, the question is wasted.
3. The Tall Man may deliver a single message, up to 25 words in length, to the target, imparted to the target`s mind.
4. The target takes 1d6 points of Wisdom Damage due to the massive influx of information.
5. the Tall Man is destroyed and its soul is snuffed out, incapable of being restored via means short of divine intevention. The Tall Man provides no XP if it is destroyed in such a way.
If the Tall Man is destroyed normally, it provides identical benefits if its remains are touched within 5 rounds of its destruction. Otherwise, its soul similarly fades into nothingness.
There is no saving throw to negate this effect. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Produce Holy Water (Su): As part of a Tall Man`s eternal torture, their body constantly tears itself apart. From its eyes weep tears of holy water, dealing the tall man 1d6 damage each round. Due to the Tall Man`s fast healing, this damage need not be tracked outside of combat. The Tall Man produces a full dose of holy water every other round (if somehow collected) but such holy water lasts for 10 minutes before drying into nothing.
Sense Life (Su): A Tall Man instinctively senses life in the surrounding area, making them a useful guard for necromancers. A Tall Man automatically pinpoints the location of all living creatures within 100 feet, even if hidden or invisible.
Structural Instability (Ex): Despite their magically reinhanced form, Tall Men are still more vulnerable and unstable than many other undead. The carrying capacity of Tall Men is calculated as if they were Small In size. Furthermore, Tall Men are vulnerable to critical hits, sneak attacks, and similar effects.
Large Undead
HD 8d12 (52 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +1
AC 20; touch 10; flat-footed 19
(+10 Natural, +1 Dex, -1 Size)
BAB +4; Grp +9
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d8+1 plus desperate contact/moment of freedom)
Full-Attack Slam +4 melee (1d8+1 plus desperate contact/moment of freedom)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Desperate Contact, Haunting Moan, Moment of Freedom, Produce Holy Water
Special Qualities Absolute Obedience, Damage Reduction 10/bludgeoning, Darkvision 60 ft., Fast Healing 6, Immunity to Cold, Sense Life, Structural Instability, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +2 Ref +3 Will +6
Abilities Str 12, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills -
Feats -
Environment Any and underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure None
Alignment Always Neutral
Advancement -
Level Adjustment -
A skeleton stands before you, mutilated into a thing of nightmares. Each bone has been cut lengthwise, hallowed out, and tied back together with wires to make each bone nearly twice as long. Many of the bones are covered in grooves and riddled with small holes.
The skull of this being lacks a lower jaw and a wicked smile is carved into it, leaving one more hole. Perhaps the most haunting detail is the eyes, a deep shade of saphire that glow with intelligence. As you look closer, you see that each eye is crying, silvery tears falling down its bony face.
As the thing moves, a low moan seems to issue from its body. Its movements are jerky with joints bending in odd ways and threatening to break free from their man-made joints.
There are many tales out there of necromancers who reanimate their sworn foes, using their once great nemeses as personal servants. Though this is enough for many, some necromancers crave more. Some necromancers seek to put their foes through eternal torment, or the nearest that they can muster. The end results for such ambitions are the Tall Men, among the most reprehensive of all known necromantic arts.
Unlike most undead, Tall Men retain their soul. Although it is prevented from controlling their bodies, a Tall Man`s creator uses this soul to lock out others who would claim it for themselves. Of course, this is just a happy side-effect. The true meaning of their souls is so that the Tall Man may truly anguish every moment of their tortured existence.
So far, only humanoid tall men have been found, with both small and medium humanoids being "stretched" to similar sizes. Though it is theoretical that other races could be used, such Tall Men are currently unknown of.
Combat If controlled, Tall Men are relatively clumsy combatants, relying on the fear and despair they encourage to keep things under control. If uncontrolled, however, Tall Men are locked in a state between innate mindlessness, only slightly altered by their soul`s influence. Such Tall Men wander mindlessly until they find a living being, at which point they attack until they hit their foe once. After this point, they wander onwards, neglecting to even defend themselves against their previous foes.
Absolute Obedience (Ex): thanks to the presence of a Tall Man`s soul, it recieves a buffer of sorts against outside influence. Tall Men can`t be turned or rebuked by any creature. Furthermore, necromantic spells or effects that control undead fail to function on Tall Men.
However, a Tall Man`s creator, having sealed its soul, can use a bit of his or her own life force to bypass their seal and gain control. Each night at midnight, a Tall Man`s creator can choose to take 3 damage, damage which cannot be healed for 24 hours. If they do so, they gain absolute control over the Tall Man during that time. Otherwise, the Tall Man becomes uncontrolled (or remains uncontrolled). If the creator possesses multiple Tall Men, they must take 3 damage for each one that they wish to control.
Desperate Contact (Su): Though concentrated within their skull, a Tall Man`s soul flows through their entire body, much as blood through a living creature. Whenever they make contact with another being, it is assaulted by bits of memory, thought, and emotion, desperate to communicate with another individual. Considering what Tall Men are put through, this is almost always an unpleasant experience.
Whenever a Tall Man makes a successful melee touch attack or slam attack, the target must make a DC 16 Will Save as they are assaulted by brief recollections of the Tall Man`s endless torment and bottomless grief. If they fail, they take a-2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until the end of the encounter. If they succeed, these penalties are halved. These penalties do not stack with themselves.
Furthermore, the Tall Man`s fractured psyche often tries to contact the touched creature for some cause. If the target failed their Will save, the mental cacophany is meaningless and dazes the target for 1 round. If the target succeeded, however, the Tall Men deliver a clear mental message up to 1d4 words long. Such messages may be warnings, clues, bits of insane rants, or simply moans and sobs.
This is a mind-affecting effect that does not function against the Tall Man`s creator. The Saving Throw is Charisma-based.
Haunting Moan (Ex): As a Tall Man moves, air is channeled through the many grooves and holes in their body, making an eerie moan that unsettles others. Whenever a Tall Man moves or attacks, all creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 16 will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to that Tall Man`s haunting moan for 24 hours.
Moment of Freedom (Su): When a Tall Man`s creator dies, they become uncontrolled, seeking the nearest living thing as normal. When they hit their foe with an attack, however, this ability activates in place of their normal desperate contact. Moment of freedom has 5 effects.
1. The target learns the basic course of the Tall Man`s life, imparted via memories.
2. The target learns the answer to one question they may mentally pose the Tall Man. If they ask a question that the Tall Man cannot answer, the question is wasted.
3. The Tall Man may deliver a single message, up to 25 words in length, to the target, imparted to the target`s mind.
4. The target takes 1d6 points of Wisdom Damage due to the massive influx of information.
5. the Tall Man is destroyed and its soul is snuffed out, incapable of being restored via means short of divine intevention. The Tall Man provides no XP if it is destroyed in such a way.
If the Tall Man is destroyed normally, it provides identical benefits if its remains are touched within 5 rounds of its destruction. Otherwise, its soul similarly fades into nothingness.
There is no saving throw to negate this effect. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Produce Holy Water (Su): As part of a Tall Man`s eternal torture, their body constantly tears itself apart. From its eyes weep tears of holy water, dealing the tall man 1d6 damage each round. Due to the Tall Man`s fast healing, this damage need not be tracked outside of combat. The Tall Man produces a full dose of holy water every other round (if somehow collected) but such holy water lasts for 10 minutes before drying into nothing.
Sense Life (Su): A Tall Man instinctively senses life in the surrounding area, making them a useful guard for necromancers. A Tall Man automatically pinpoints the location of all living creatures within 100 feet, even if hidden or invisible.
Structural Instability (Ex): Despite their magically reinhanced form, Tall Men are still more vulnerable and unstable than many other undead. The carrying capacity of Tall Men is calculated as if they were Small In size. Furthermore, Tall Men are vulnerable to critical hits, sneak attacks, and similar effects.