unosarta
2010-09-02, 05:35 PM
Xsoaetsziq (The Blind Ones)
http://mimg.ugo.com/200801/15854/brundlefly.jpg
Known as the Blind Ones to those in the Underdark who are unable, or who do not know, the Xsoaetsziq language, the Xsoaetsziq are strange, insect like beings that live almost entirely underground. They dig their hives around their Queen, and are located deep, deep underground. They go above ground for food, and are notorious scavengers, eating anything at all, as long as it is edible.
The hive is a giant mass of underground tunnels and twisting passages. They loop and turn, causing all but the most experienced to become infinitely lost. The hive has very few entrances to it that are on the surface, but usually has one, which appears as a giant dome, which several smallish holes all over it, roughly 20 feet wide.
The Sighted go out of the hive, and lead the Fanged to food, with powerful pheromones. The Fanged take the food back to the Hive, and present it to their Queen. At the end of the day, all of the Xsoaetsziq gather in the Queen’s birthing chamber, where she sits with her Water-Bearers, and gorges on the food. At this point, the hive is in the most danger that it could be in, and the Clawed usually take shifts between gorging and guarding.
The Gorge lasts about 2 hours. Afterwards, the Xsoaetsziq either sleep, or continue working. Usually the Sighted and Fanged sleep, and the Workers take shifts of working and sleeping. The Queen usually sleeps at this point, but even from her unconscious, she guides the Hive.
If the Hive becomes too big for the surrounding area to support it, the Queen will have the water-bearers hatch the Queen Egg, which holds a new Queen, and then the Queen teaches the new Queen all she knows, before the new Queen leaves with about half of the population.
If a Queen dies, then the Queen Egg is also hatched, but contains all of the old Queen’s memories. If the Queen Egg is hatched, and the Queen is still alive, she must immediately set out to make another, which is a process that takes several days. The Queen Egg is incredibly hard, and is actually stronger than many types of stone. Only the Water-Bearers have the right pheromones to be able to hatch the Queen Egg without hurting the Queen.
The Queen is able to change the type of Xsoaetsziq that any of her subjects are, by spending several hours in their presence, and concentrating on them. She usually likes to keep them around the same percentages. A normal hive’s makeup is usually as so:
{table=head]Position|Percent
Queen|Only 1
Worker|15%
Fanged|20%
Clawed|30%
Water-Bearers|5%
Sighted|30%[/table]
Workers maintain and construct the hive. They are low and menial, barely having any status at all within the hive.
Queens, obviously, bear children, and usually assign workers to take care of them. Queens also have a connection to the mind of every single bug in the hive.
Sighted are able to see above ground, and lay scent trails for the Fanged to follow. They are physically the weakest of the bunch, but are very quick, and agile.
Clawed stay in the hive and protect their Queen. They fight off predators, and anyone trying to hurt her. A full 25% of the hive might be Clawed at a time. If they need more, any non-Queen can be converted into another species, if the Queen wills it.
Fanged retrieve food for the hive. They are the most physically powerful, but also not very well equipped in a fight. They are slow and lumbering, but able to fend off usually anything that might attack them. They usually deposit food that the Sighted have found, for their Queen's inspection.
Water-Bearers are the mates of the Queen. Because she is almost constantly giving birth, they also function as the raisers of children, if there are enough, and as midwives to the Queen, as well has fertilizing her eggs. Water-Bearers have even less personality as the other jobs in the hive, their entire will and focus going to the Queen and her children. At least one is almost constantly in the process of fertilizing her eggs.
Hivemind (Ex): All Xsoaetsziq share one single mind. If one is aware of danger, they all are. As long as one Xsoaetsziq is not Flatfooted, none of them are. No Xsoaetsziq in a group is flanked unless they all are.
A group of Xsoaetsziq is any Xsoaetsziq from the same hive that are within 60 feet of each other.
Because Xsoaetsziq share information between them, the collective mind knows anything the individual does. Although the Clawed have a full understand and fluency with Undercommon, the other castes are unable to pronounce it, but still have full understanding of its meaning. The Queen does not need to understand a language (although she still does understand Undercommon, even if she cannot speak it) because she utilizes telepathy more often than not.
Darkvision: Unlike normal Aberrations, Xsoaetsziq do not have any Darkvision at all, most being blind, and those not being blind spending almost no time underground.
Worker
Worker
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares); 40 ft. Climb
Armor Class: 15 (10+3[Dex]+4[Nat]-2), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+2
Attack: Claw +3 Melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +3 Melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Blindsense, Blindness
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int --, Wis 8, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +11, Survival +8
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Desert, Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 1/2 CR
Treasure: ¼ Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: per Character class
Level Adjustment: +1
Workers maintain and construct the hive. They are low and menial, barely having any status at all within the hive. They appear as roughly human sized beetle men. They usually scuttle around on all six legs, and are constantly scanning with their multitude of ears and scent receptacles, which send information of the Hive’s condition to the Queen, constantly. If there is an invader in the Hive, the Workers are likely the first to know.
They do not spend any time outside the Hive, and only take breaks when it is gorging time, and to sometimes take care of the new hatchlings. They are constantly shaping and reshaping the sand and dirt around them with a fast drying, ultra strong Chitin that their mouths create, and then use that to create walls. They dig by using claws on every leg, and scratching at softer parts of the wall. They have a special secretor on their abdomen that creates a sort of antidote to the Chitin in their mouths, which softens the walls, and allows for digging.
The Workers have very little personality, although admittedly more than the Water-Bearers, and are constantly taking orders from the Queen. They follow her every want and whim.
[b]Combat
Workers almost never fight, spending little to no time outside of the hive, and when they do, they are woefully unprepared for it. Most often, since they are usually inside the hive, they climb the walls onto the ceiling, and hope that their attackers do not have any mode of attacking them that is ranged, and then run away, usually in order to find a Clawed, or in order to lose the attacker.
Blindness (Ex): Xsoaetsziq’s are completely unable to use their eyes (having none), and are constantly considered blind. They do not lose their dexterity bonus to Armor Class, unless they are not allowed a Listen or Survival check. The Xzoaetsziq is used to being blinded, though, and takes none of the penalties for being blind (normally half speed, -4 penalty to Strength and Dexterity based skill checks), except for taking a penalty to Armor Class, and a -4 penalty to Search checks.
Skills: Xsoaetsziq Workers gain a +8 bonus to Listen and Survival checks, and use their ears and noses (really just scent receptacles) to find things, rather than with sight.
Sighted
Sighted
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares); 20 ft. Climb
Armor Class: 16 (10+4[Dex]+4[Nat]-2), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Claw +7 Melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 Claw +7 Melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Sprint, Scent-Trails
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities Str 15, Dex 18, Con 12, Int --, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Survival +4, Listen +11, Spot +11, Search +8
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Run
Environment: Desert, Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: half standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: by Character class
Level Adjustment: +2
Sighted are able to see above ground, and lay scent trails for the Fanged to follow. They are physically the weakest of the bunch, but are very quick, and agile. Sighted are known to be able to run for incredibly long distances, and are very, very fast. They can sprint up to 40 miles per hour.
They are slightly slimmer than the Workers, and have fully functional eyes. They are not blind, like most of their below ground brethren, and spend almost all of their time outside of the Hive, looking for food, and laying scent trails for the Fanged.
They have a tiny fraction more personality than the Workers, but still do not have any intelligence, but are given pretty much free reign by the Queen in order to search out food. They rarely receive orders, but they follow the orders they do receive to the letter. They usually attempt to avoid combat, which all Xsoaetsziq do, and will more often than not simply run away from any danger.
[b]Combat
Sighted tend to act more like skirmishers, rather than full up combatants, if they are forced to fight. Most tend to run away instead. They leave a special pheromone if they come into contact with any danger, warning Fanged away from the spot.
Sprint (Ex): The Sighted can run and sprint incredibly fast. They can run, as a full action, at 8 times base land speed. They may only use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. If they use it more than 2 in an encounter, they become fatigued until they rest for 2 hours.
Scent-Trails (Ex): The Sighted leave scent trails wherever they go. Everything that attempts to track them via scent gains a +10 bonus to the Survival check. These Scent-Trails do not leave visibly residue, and do not show up as magical.
Skills: Xsoaetsziq Sighted takes no penalty to Search checks, and are not blind. They gain a bonus to all Search, Listen and Spot checks by +8.
Clawed
Clawed
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 7d8+14 (46 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares); 40 ft. Climb
Armor Class: 17 (10+3[Dex]+6[Nat]-2), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +11 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Blindness, Stone Claws, Blindsight
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities Str 18, Dex 17, Con 15, Int --, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +14, Survival +14
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush
Environment: Desert, Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 9 CR
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: None
The Clawed stay in the hive and protect their Queen. They fight off predators, and anyone trying to hurt her. A full 25% of the hive might be Clawed at a time. If they need more, any non-Queen can be converted into another species, if the Queen wills it. A Clawed is almost always stronger and swifter than the other Xsoaetsziq, and can cover their claws with a strong, fast hardening Chitin that can punch through most metals.
They appear taller and stronger than the other Hive members, but do not act superior to other Hive members. Xsoaetsziq have no understanding of what the word superior means. The Clawed are often hairier than the others, and have longer limbs.
They will not hesitate from a fight, but prefer group tactics to single combat. They are usually calm and collected and rarely fight with no provocation, but if their Queen is attacked, they will fight almost recklessly.
The Clawed are quite a bit more connected to their Queen than other Xsoaetsziq, being in her presence almost constantly. They have almost individual personalities (almost), and feel a fierce adulation towards their Queen.
[b]Combat
Clawed usually initiate combat with covering their claws with Chitin, and then charge in. If the target is close to a wall, they might bull rush to them, push them up against the wall, and then attack with their claws.
Blindness (Ex): Xsoaetsziq’s are completely unable to use their eyes (having none), and are constantly considered blind. They do not lose their dexterity bonus to Armor Class, unless they are not allowed a Listen or Survival check. The Xzoaetsziq is used to being blinded, though, and takes none of the penalties for being blind (normally half speed, -4 penalty to Strength and Dexterity based skill checks), except for taking a penalty to Armor Class, and a -4 penalty to Search checks.
Stone Claws (Ex): The Clawed are able to cover their claws with a strong, hard chitin, almost like stone, that is able to pierce even stronger metals. They gain a +2 bonus to damage and attack rolls, but are unable to use a skill that requires dexterous use of their hands. They may remove the Chitin as a standard action, and can recover their claws with chitin again as a swift action.
Skills: Xsoaetsziq Clawed gain a +8 bonus to Listen and Survival checks, and use their ears and noses (really just scent receptacles) to find things, rather than with sight.
Fanged
Fanged
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares); 30 ft. Climb
Armor Class: 13 (10-1[Dex]+4[Nat]), touch 9, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10
Attack: Claw +10 Melee (1d2+6), Bite +10 Melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d4+3), 2 Claws +10 melee (1d2+6) (secondary)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Scent, Heavy Load
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +7
Abilities Str 23, Dex 8, Con 14, Int --, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Survival +19, Spot +8, listen +8
Feats: Improved Initiative
Environment: Desert, Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None
Fanged retrieve food for the hive. They are the most physically powerful, but also not very well equipped in a fight. They are slow and lumbering, but able to fend off usually anything that might attack them. They usually deposit food that the Sighted have found, for their Queen's inspection, in order that they may be used at the Gorging.
Fanged have a lot more personality than Workers or Water-Bearers, but rarely employ it. They still seem almost unison to non-Xsoaetsziq, but it is almost easy for a fellow Xsoaetsziq to tell a Fanged apart from another. They appear as slightly hunch backed Clawed, but have stronger, more powerful arms, and rippling muscles, but their arms and legs tend to be short, and thick.
A Fanged spends most of its time away from the Hive, but do at least come back once every day, to drop off found food, and to Gorge.
Combat
Fanged usually use their Claws in combat, having almost no other ways to fight. If they have the chance, they will run away from any danger, usually back to the Hive, even if it leads attackers there. They always run away from danger if they have food to be taken back for the Gorge.
Heavy Load (Ex): The carrying capacity of the Fanged counts as if it had double the strength score (3200 light load, 3216-6400 medium load, 6416-9600 heavy load).
Skills: Xsoaetsziq Fanged gain a +8 bonus to Spot, Listen and Survival checks. The bonus to Survival checks increases to +10 when following a scent trail.
Water-Bearer
Water-Bearer
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares); 15 ft. Climb
Armor Class: 11 (10+1[Dex]+2[Nat]-2[Blind), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+0
Attack: Claw +1 Melee (1d4-1)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +1 Melee (1d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Full Blindness
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
Abilities Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int --, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +16, Survival +8
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Desert, Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 1/2 CR
Treasure: None
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None
Water-Bearers are the mates of the Queen. Because she is almost constantly giving birth, they also function as the raisers of children, if there are enough, and as midwives to the Queen, as well has fertilizing her eggs. Water-Bearers have even less personality as the other jobs in the hive, their entire will and focus going to the Queen and her children. At least one is almost constantly in the process of fertilizing her eggs.
Water-Bearers appear to be smaller weaker Workers, but actually have less personality, or at least never get the chance to express it. They are constantly working, and rarely stop even to Gorge. They show the children what to do, how to do it, and everything else a young Xsoaetsziq might need.
Water-Bearers spend all of their time in the hive, and all of them are constantly within at least hearing distance of the Queen, although they would rarely ever need to hear her. They are completely blind, and cannot function at all, anywhere. They constantly hobble and scuttle very slowly.
Combat
Water-Bearers are mostly cowards in combat, unless their Queen is in danger, in which case they would be certainly willing to take her life. They rarely do anything in combat other than function as cannon fodder. Usually, however, they simply take any young Xsoaetsziq, and run away, deep into the hive.
Full Blindness: The Water-Bearers are constantly blinded, and take all penalties from blindness.
Skills: Xsoaetsziq Water-Bearers gain a +8 bonus to Listen and Survival checks, and use their ears and noses (really just scent receptacles) to find things, rather than with sight.
Queen
Queen
Huge Aberration
Hit Dice: 15d8+15 (83 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: 0 (immobile)
Armor Class: 16 (10+8[Nat]-2[Blind]), touch 8, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+10
Attack: +10 Slam Melee (1d8-1)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +10 Melee (1d8-1)
Space/Reach: 15 ft. / 15 ft.
Special Attacks: Contact the Mind, Spell-Like abilities
Special Qualities: Blindness, SR 18, Telepathy 120 ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities Str 8, Dex --, Con 12, Int 24, Wis 18, Cha 12
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) +25, Knowledge (History) +25, Knowledge (Religion) +25, Listen +35, Survival +32, Knowledge (Nature) +25, Diplomacy +19, Knowledge (the Planes) +25, Sense Motive +22
Feats: Lifesense, Improved Initiative,
Environment: Underground
Organization: Hive
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: HD 18-22 Gargantuan; 23-26 Colossal
Level Adjustment: None
Queens, obviously, bear children, and usually assign workers to take care of them. Queens also have a connection to the mind of every single bug in the hive. They constantly manage the thoughts of the usually 5,000+ hive, and still bear children at the same time. They are often susceptible to mind controlling and other such enchanter devices, and thusly are protected at almost all times by the Clawed. Before they were truly free, the Xsoaetsziq were a biomagical breakthrough having been created magically. They slaved for the ancient races, and built them great buildings and monuments. Eventually war started between two factions of the ancient races. They used the Xsoaetsziq as weapons, giant armies. They killed each other off, those civilizations, but left the Xsoaetsziq, alone and masterless. They had been so susceptible to the control of the ancient races because those races had access to their Queen, so it became a natural instinct for the Xsoaetsziq to protect their Queen.
The name Xsoaetsziq itself means “children of the mother,” and they view their Queen with adoring radiation, viewing her almost as a sort of god.
The Queen looks like a writhing mass of slimy flesh. It is a strange, pale green in color, and has no eyes whatsoever. Inside the Queen is her brain, which takes up roughly 1/3 of her body, and the Eggs that she carries, which she can create more of. She is incredibly intelligent, but cannot communicate, except via telepathy, but she usually just uses intermediary Xsoaetsziq, since no outsider is ever allowed to see the birthing chamber. Anyone who is not from the hive, and is found in the birthing chamber, must immediately be killed. The Queen cannot move at all.
The Queen is usually about 23 feet wide, and weighs roughly 5 tons. About one third of her body is brain, one sixth being her egg storage, and on full half of her body being her digestive tract. She absorbs oxygen directly from her surroundings, and can drown when fully submersed in water. She uses a vast amount of energy maintaining her thoughts, and her control on the Hive, and must be almost constantly eating or digesting food. If she is deprived of food for more than 72 hours, she starts to loose her mind, taking 1d4 intelligence damage per day that she doesn't receive food, and sending the hive into a frenzy. If the Queen dies in this way, she does not pass on her memories to the next Queen, and the Hive dies out. Her mouth is about 4 feet wide, and is almost always closed, unless she is Gorging. She never eats unless she is with her hive and is Gorging, or if she hasn't eaten in a long time.
Combat
The Queen generally starts out combat using her Contact the Mind ability to talk and reason with any attackers, and if that doesn’t work, she attempts to attack their minds with it, if they are completely immune to any reasoning. If they get close, and she cannot use her Contact the Mind, she will use her slam attacks.
Blindness (Ex): Xsoaetsziq’s are completely unable to use their eyes (having none), and are constantly considered blind. They do not lose their dexterity bonus to Armor Class, unless they are not allowed a Listen or Survival check. The Xzoaetsziq is used to being blinded, though, and takes none of the penalties for being blind (normally half speed, -4 penalty to Strength and Dexterity based skill checks), except for taking a penalty to Armor Class, and a -4 penalty to Search checks.
Contact the Mind (Su): The Queen is able to contact another beings mind as a full round action. She may either attack them, or attempt a discussion. If she attacks, they must make a will save (DC 24), or take 2d4 Charisma damage. If she attempts to negotiate, she gains a +6 bonus to all diplomacy checks against that target. Because she leaves her mind open, she takes a -4 penalty to all Will saves.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At-will – Dispel Magic, Soften Earth and Stone; 3/day – Wall of Stone, Spike Stones, Transmute Mud to Rock, Transmute Rock to Mud, Stoneskin; 1/day – Earthquake. Caster level 12, DC 17+Spell level.
Skills: The Queen gains a +10 bonus to Listen and Survival checks, but cannot move, or use any movement based skills (Tumble, Jump, Swim, Ride, Move Silently, Climb, and Balance).
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Lore
{table=head]Knowledge (Dungeoneering)|Result
25|These strange creatures are known as the Xsoaetsziq. This reveals all aberration traits.
30|The Xsoaetsziq are blind, and live underground, in large tunnels. Reveals Blindness ability. Does not reveal the existence of the Sighted and Fanged.
35|Xsoaetsziq have a hive mind, connected to their Queen. No intelligence is revealed.
40|The Xsoaetsziq live in underground caverns, which are dug by the workers. A few species come to the surface to hunt and gain food, and take it back to the hive. Reveals the hierarchy of the Hive. [/table]
This is for the GiantITP Worldbuilding Project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138726), as a possible race.
HalfTangible
2010-09-03, 08:30 AM
((The Vraal is NOT my original idea. It comes from the Deltora Quest books. However, this Underdark DnD adaptation of the beast is mine.))
((... i don't know much about CR and such so i kinda had to eyeball it =/))
http://www.picable.com/Art/Drawings/Vraal---Deltroa-Quest.370443
http://s3.amazonaws.com/picable/2008/11/30/495003_Vraal--Deltroa-Quest_620.jpg
"There are two creatures who, given magic and an ounce of intellect, could rule the world in less than a week. One is the ant. The other is the Vraal."
- Matriarch Aduna
Vraal
<Medium> <Magical Beast>
Hit Dice: 14d10+56 (133 hp)
Initiative: 5 (3 Dex + 2 Racial Bonus)
Speed: 50ft (10 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (3dex + 8natural)
............Touch: 13
.....Flatfooted: 18
Base Attack: +14/+9/+4
Grapple: +21
Attack: Claws + 21 melee (2d6+7)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +21 melee (4d6+7) and Bite +16 melee (3d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tail)
Special Attacks: An enemy attempting to flank the Vraal will automatically fail and be victim to a free attack of opportunity, which does 5d8 damage with a five foot reach. The attack sweeps three adjacent squares, with the same damage for each square.
Special Qualities:
Adrenaline: Immune to Sleep effects while fighting or aware of an enemy presence.
Darkvision 60ft.
Firehide: Immune to Fire damage.
Flowing Hide: Regeneration 14
Hellbent Hooves: Suffer no movement penalties due to terrain.
Light Sensitive: Dazzled by Light or Bright Light.
Saves: Fort +10 (4 Con +6 Racial), Ref +3, Will +5 (+1 Wis +4 Racial)
Abilities Str 24 (+7), Dex 17 (+3), Con 19 (+4), Int 8 (-1), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 12 (+1)
Skills: Survival +10, Spot +14 (-14 in natural daylight, -7 in any other light) Listen +11, Move Silently +15
Feats: Track, Toughness, Improved Toughness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical, Cleave, Great Cleave
Environment: Underdark
Organization: Solo. Vraal will occasionally fight each other before mating but otherwise two Vraal are unlikely to fight with each other.
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Vraal keep trophies from their most difficult battles, such as a weapon or armor, in the caves where they make their homes. The monster rarely has items of value on itself, but since it rarely hunts far from home the treasure should be easy to find. Since Vraal are notoriously difficult to take down, the item is usually of some value. (Double Standard)
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 9-30
Level Adjustment: +4
Description/background/characteristics
Combat
Lore version: Vraal are master tacticians. They manipulate their enviornment and their enemy's movements with a cold calculating logic that belies the creature's otherwise low intelligence. They fight with a ferocity only outmatched by their cruelty, driven only to kill their enemy. Defeat is not an option for either the Vraal or it's victim.
Mechanics: The Vraal will start by getting around the nearest enemy so that it's tail is between it's current victim and any reinforcements it might recieve. It then uses as many attacks as it can until the enemy goes down or recieves a healing spell. If the enemy is ever healed, the Vraal will focus on attacking the healer, except this time putting the healer between itself and the enemy ally. It's tactics may alter depending on the terrain (may attempt to throw the healer into a pit, if one is nearby, for example)
Ability descriptions
N/A
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
- Optional -
Lore
The Vraal was originally created as a pure fighting machine in gladiatorial arenas in a nation whose name has been lost to antiquity. They have been bred to be the ultimate melee warriors, in mind and body. They are intelligent in tactics and strategy but otherwise posses no known intelligence. When the empire that originally created them fell, the creatures chased the survivors into the underdark which they had fled as a last resort. The tunnel collapsed behind them, crushing many people and Vraal in the process and trapping the remaining beneath the earth, but the Vraal had plenty of food until they could find something else to eat.
Which they did.
The Vraal scattered after that, and adapted quickly to their new home. Now they roam the underdark in search of victims to feast upon. However, their numbers have dwindled so greatly that the Vraal are often considered nothing more than fairy tales by Drowkind.
The bred hunger for battle has never left or even weakened in the race, and the number of people slaughtered by them has begun to rise too high to count. Their few number is the most worrying of this - if the number were to rise higher, perhaps all of the underdark would be at risk.
Vraal only stop lusting for death and battle when they have found a mate, and the Vraal spends a year and a day with that mate, or until three weeks after the child is born, whichever comes first. The child is left to fend for itself, which is does succesfully 87% of the time.
{table=head]Knowledge (Dungeoneering)|Result
10|The Vraal are viscious killing machines, to be avoided at all costs. They live alone, and are unlikely to let anyone pass through their territory unchecked. No knowledge of it's form.
15| Knowledge of the Vraal's form, anatomy and magical origin but none of it's ordinary history. It will likely be found by what appears to be forgotten battlefields.
25|The Vraal's history is known to the player.
35|The Vraal are vulnerable to magic but have regenerative powers.
40| Vraal are immune to fire damage and are immune to sleep effects when fighting. Should posses a trophy from it's toughest kill that will be worth quite a bit.
45| The Vraal's main diet is actually insects. The corpses of people it kills are rarely eaten and are instead left to rot where they fall, which is why Vraal are found most often near unexplained piles of corpses.
50|There is a rumor that says Vraal were originally weaker than the ones currently roaming the underdark, though this has not been proven.[/table]
Zom B
2010-09-10, 08:59 AM
http://i56.tinypic.com/2le2zk9.png
http://i54.tinypic.com/mrhfq.jpg
Image by Ninjatic (http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=wolf%20creature&order=9&offset=96&offset=144#/d1xvg2g)
Medium Magical Beast
HD 5d10+10 (37 HP)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init +1
AC 15 (10 + 1 dex + 4 natural); touch 11; flat-footed 14
BAB +5; Grp +9
Attack Bite +9 melee (1d6+6)
Full-Attack Bite +9 melee (1d6+6)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Entrap
Special Qualities Mimicry, Radiosense 60 ft., Scent
Saves Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +2
Abilities Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills Bluff +8, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Spot +10, Survival +6*
Feats Ability Focus (Entrap), Track, Improved Trip (B)
Environment Underdark
Organization Solitary or Pack (1d4+1)
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure —
Alignment Neutral
Advancement 6-8 Medium, 9-11 Large; Favored Class —
Level Adjustment +3 (Cohort)
Looking something like a wolf, a kallth possesses crystalline patches on its skin and horn-like protrusions from its shoulders. These "horns" allow it to project illusory images onto the landscape in order to convince prey that it is trapped or to separate itself from danger. It can mimic sounds that it has heard before, which can help to lure in potential food or to scare away threats. A kallth can speak Common and Undercommon, although it usually only does so as part of its mimicry act.
Typically, these creatures are solitary hunters, as their Entrap ability makes it unnecessary to hunt in packs, although it is not uncommon for them to band together for a greater chance of success, particularly against more cunning opponents.
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Skills: A kallth has a +3 racial bonus to Survival checks made in the Underdark (not included in the creature's stat block), a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and a +6 racial bonus on Listen checks.
Entrap (Sp): At will, the kallth can create an effect similar to a Silent Image spell as cast by a 1st level sorcerer, except that the image must be stationary. Typically, the creature will use this to make its prey think that a corridor ends at a wall, or that more kallth are waiting in a corridor that may be too large otherwise for the kallth to block with an illusory wall. Creatures who interact with the illusion can attempt a Will save (DC 14) to disbelieve it. The DC is Charisma-based.
Mimicry (Ex): The kallth can imitate voices and sounds that it has heard before with near-perfect adroitness. A creature attempting to validate the sound or voice can attempt a Sense Motive check against the kallth's Bluff check in order to detect the ruse.
Radiosense (Ex): Rather than simply seeing as do other creatures, a creature with Radiosense views radiation (even small amounts emitted by materials such as natural stone) within a given radius as if it were light. Thus, objects that emit or reflect radiation appear bright, and objects that absorb it appear dark. (continued in spoiler)
In addition to the obvious benefits, the creature can take advantage of radiation's ability to penetrate some materials. Consult the charts below to find the background radiation level. Whenever a creature attempts to look through a material, they multiply its hardness times its inches in thickness, and subtract this total from the background radiation level. If the result is negative, they apply this result as a penalty on Spot checks made to see creatures and objects on the other side. The creature with radiosense still perceives the material that they are seeing through similarly to the way that a human sees the glass in a window through which they are looking. Objects that do not reflect, emit, or absorb any radiation at all (such as most vision-based illusions) are effectively invisible to the creature.
Because of the creature's sensitivity to radiation, they are dazzled in bright light or within the radius of a Daylight spell. Also, a creature with Radiosense is unable to perceive fine detail such as carvings on a wall or ink on a page, rendering them unable to read via this vision method unless the ink is specially crafted to reflect or absorb significantly more or less radiation than the medium on which it is placed.
When viewing another creature, the creature's exterior and innards appear fairly translucent, while its skeletal structure is easily viewable. Thus, a creature without any sort of skeletal structure is treated as having concealment against a creature using Radiosense, while against all other creatures the creature with Radiosense gains a +1 bonus on rolls to confirm a critical threat.
Table: Background Radiation Modifier
{table=head]Surroundings|Background Radiation
For each 10 miles underground|+1
Dirt|+1
Natural stone|+2
Formed stone (bricks, blocks)|+3
Presence of any significantly radioactive material*|+5[/table]
*Finding material with a good amount of radiation-emitting qualities requires one hour and a successful Knowledge (dungeoneering) check (DC 15 or DC 10 with the assistance of a creature with Radiosense). Possessing this material deals 1d6 nonlethal damage per hour of exposure.
[b]Table: Object Hardness*
{table=head]Substance| Hardness| Hit Points
Paper or cloth| 0| 2/inch of thickness
Rope| 0| 2/inch of thickness
Glass| 1| 1/inch of thickness
Ice| 0| 3/inch of thickness
Leather or hide| 2| 5/inch of thickness
Wood| 5| 10/inch of thickness
Stone| 8| 15/inch of thickness
Iron or steel| 10| 30/inch of thickness
Mithral| 15| 30/inch of thickness
Adamantine| 20| 40/inch of thickness[/table]
*An object lined with lead or similar radiation-absorbing material is treated as having a +10 modifier per quarter inch of lead to its hardness for the purpose of Radiosense.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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{table=head]Knowledge (Arcana)|Result
15|Kallth (sometimes called wallwolves) are vicious and undiscerning predators of the Underdark, possessing all of the sensory acuity of their above-world nick-namesakes.
20|They are sometimes kept as guardians or hunting companions by some Underdark races and possess a great measure of intelligence and cunning.
25|Their nickname stems from their ability to create illusionary walls that can fool even experienced explorers.
30|Kallth are somehow capable of seeing through less dense material and sometimes even thinner patches of stone. The presence of certain stones seems to enhance this ability. Despite their wolf-like appearance, they have more in common with displacer beasts than with any wolf-like creatures such as blink dogs.[/table]
The kallth as they are known today are said to originate with a pair of displacer beasts that made their way into the Underdark, possibly through their capture in a surface raid. It is theorized that somewhere along their lineage, the beasts were crossbred or somehow (likely through magic) fused with worg stock. Their vision method and shift from a Displacement effect to a similar illusory ability are theorized to have stemmed from attempts to further modify them via infusion with psionic crystals (probably by Illithids), a modification that shows up when the pups are roughly three weeks of age when the first crystalline patches begin to form.
A kallth will typically give birth to a litter of 2-4 pups, although up to 6 pups in a litter is not unheard of. Gestation lasts for about eighty days. The pups are ready to begin following along on hunts at about six to eight weeks old, and are ready to begin hunting in earnest at about five months.
LOTRfan
2010-09-10, 06:34 PM
Atroxasaurus
Colossal Aberration (Abomination)
Divine Rank: 0
Hit Dice: 75d8+1125+75+140 (1,940 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 60 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 62 (+60 natural, -8 size), touch 2, flat footed 62
Base Attack/Grapple: +56/+100
Attack: Claw +76 melee (8d8+28 damage)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +76 melee (8d8+28 damage) and Bite +71 melee (16d6+14 damage)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend, spell-like abilities, summon energon
Special Qualities: Hyper-Evolution, Fast Healing 30, Regeneration 15, spell resistance 52, imitate special ability, abomination immunities, fire resistance 20, cold resistance 20, damage reduction 10/epic, nondetection, blindsight 500 ft., immortality
Saves: Fort +40, Ref +25, Will +43
Abilities: Str 67, Dex 10, Con 41, Int 2, Wis 18, Cha 24
Skills: Climb +70, Spot +27, Listen +41,
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness*, Close Quarters Fighting**, Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Combat Brute**, Enduring Life***, Eviscerator***, Lasting Life***, Dark Stalker****, Improved Bullrush, Awesome Blow*****, Powerful Charge****, Blindfight, Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Weapon Focus (Claw), Weapon Focus (Bite)
Epic Feats: Epic Toughness** (x7)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary (Unique)
Challenge Rating: 40
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: By evolution (see text)
Level Adjustment: -----
This creature looks like a massive lizard, but this is obviously not the case. Within seconds of being exposed to you, minor changes in the creature can be seen as it adapts to be able to kill you as efficiently as possible.
Long ago, the world was inhabited by lizards of colossal size. These animals roamed the world for millions of years, but they were only a small part in a greater scheme. They were to be wiped out so that eventually the humanoids would take over as the dominant creatures. Ka the Preserver, a lesser god, had lived with the huge reptiles for millions of years, and grew attached to them. He did not want them to die, but he was powerless to stop the plans of the far more powerful Overdeity.
Still, he could not bear to watch these creatures die out, so he gathered up groups of these lizards, while also resurrecting earlier forms of prehistoric life, and placed them on a small group of islands. He warded the isles from the effects of the mass genocide, and their descendents have lived there ever since. Soon, he realized that despite his intervention, his beasts were slowly transforming into other animals (like the Bloodstrikers, Fleshrakers, and Swindlespitters). He realized that these new creatures, along with a group of newly evolved humanoid reptiles, would eventually take the isles from the descendents of the original inhabitants, so he took away their power to adapt.
He was working with a powerful form of positive energy, though, and couldn’t leave the power of evolution he had taken laying around, so he specifically bred a vessel to hold this power. He placed this power into this bred creature, but he didn’t believe the effect of his actions would be so large. The creature, once a small lizard, quickly mutated into a monster of colossal size with the ability to adapt to anything in a matter of seconds.
The monster started to ravage the main island, and the reptilian humanoids (the early Saurials) named this beast the Atroxasaurus, which meant “Cruel Lizard” in their tongue. Ka, disgusted with the creation, took the ever changing creature, and tried to remove the concentrated energy. He couldn’t. He finally realized that he had done the most terrible thing a deity could: he had created an Abomination. Ashamed at himself, he cast the Atroxasaurus into the labyrinth below the main island, so that it had nothing to imitate or adapt to.
It remains there to this very day, wondering through the underground caverns deep in the earth, below the rocks, below the fossils, even below the cores of the volcanoes.
Combat
Ka placed the Atroxasaurus deep underground so that it would avoid combat –and the hyper evolution that was bound to go along with it-, but if the creature was to ever enter combat, it would be difficult to kill, indeed. It adapts too quickly to be harmed with the same type of damage more than three times, and adventurers must refrain from using their best abilities, lest the “cruel lizard” use it against them.
Hyper Evolution (Su): If the Atroxasaurus is exposed to a harmful energy three times, or is placed in an environment that either harms or impairs it for three straight rounds, it becomes immune to that effect. For example, if it were to be damage with acid three times, it would be immune to acid forever afterwards. If it were to fall into lava or exposed to the void of space for three rounds straight and survive, it would now be fully capable of functioning in that environment without help. The rules are slightly different for epic weapons. If it is hit with an epic weapon three times, the magical effects of said weapon would be nullified when used against the Atroxasaurus, but it would still count as epic for the purpose for overcoming damage reduction. Keep in mind that this ability even works in non-harmful environments. For example, if the Atroxasaurus stays in an anti-magic field for three straight rounds, it can then use its magical abilities whenever it enters such a field.
Imitate Special Ability (Su): If the Atroxasaurus either watches something use a special ability (within a distance of 120 ft.) or is the target of a special ability, it can “copy” this ability and use it. The Atroxasaurus can only do it if it attempts to copy the ability within fives rounds after it was used. For example, if the Atroxasaurus was to be sneak attacked by a 20th level Rogue, it could in turn do a sneak attack that deals 10d6 damage. If it watches a 17th level wizard cast Fireball, it cast the spell too (caster level 17). This ability only works against creatures of non-divine nature and whose HD total equals 50 or less.
Regeneration (Ex): Atroxasaurus takes normal damage from sonic and electricity. The Atroxasaurus cannot become immune to these types of damage.
Nondetection (Sp): The Atroxasaurus is constantly under the effects of the nondetection spell, caster level 75.
Rend (Ex): When the Atroxasaurus attacks an opponent with both claw attacks, it automatically latches onto the enemy and tears the flesh, dealing 16d8+14 damage.
Abomination Immunities (Ex): Abominations are immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any form-altering attack. They are not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage. They are immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), and the Atroxasaurus specifically is immune to negative energy.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will- True seeing, cure serious wounds. Caster Level 75th.
Summon Energon (Sp): The Atroxasaurus can summon 2d8+4 Xag-yas once per day, with 80% chance of success.
Immortality: The Atroxasaurus is naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. It do not age. The only way for the Atroxasaurus to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.
*From Monster Manual III
**From Complete Warrior
***From Libris Mortis
****From Lords of Madness
*****From Monster Manual IV
******From Monster Manual VI
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