The Vorpal Tribble
2010-12-19, 12:59 AM
Alright, am currently working on a PrC that can basically call forth 'small gods' to guard households. They are generally invisible to all but those with 'second sight', a new feat I'm working on. They also cannot truly be killed or destroyed without special spells I'm also writing.
To summon a small god you must build a small altar or craft an idol of the spirit and place it in an open place of reverence.
You then leave an Offering. If the offering is accepted the household gains the Benefit. You can attempt to gain special favor from the 'god' by a Pleasantry. The latter can be an object of worth, a specific action, or similar.
Here is what I have so far. Am open to critiques, and especially suggestions on additional 'gods'.
Brownie
A tiny man in finely crafted brown clothes steps out of the wardrobe.
Offering: A bowl of porridge with honey each night.
Benefit: A home that has a brownie dwelling within will find that nearly nothing breaks. He will spend the night repairing and fortifying the home and its goods. Everything in the home has its hardness increased by 2 each night. Glass no longer breaks easily, nor do items rust or rot. Such spells as Wood Rot or Rusting Grasp, or any ability that degrades or decreases an object's hardness, automatically fail. They may also use Mending at will.
Pleasantry: If a chair is left unused by any house member or guest, specifically set out for the brownie to sit upon, it will weave an entire garment, stitch a pair of boots, or in some way craft an article of clothing. These are considered masterwork garments, and those that wear them gain a +2 bonus to Charisma-based checks. They do not stain or easily tear. They grant a +1 bonus to armor, though can be worn with other armor and the benefits stack.
Cronemother
A knock on the door and a wracking cough sounds outside and a tall, wrinkled woman with warts and a shawl asks if she can come in.
Offering: A warm place to sleep for the night.
Benefit: A cronemother allowed within will lend a hand within the home. For as long as she stays there is always enough clean water left to satisfy the household and just enough oats to make a nourishing gruel. If the excess gruel or water is sold it immediately turns to phlegm. However, if it is given to others in need, the one who gave up their share will find a tasty cake or bit of smoky meat in their pocket. Those that give away their meal for the treat however find the cronemother has spat within it instead.
Pleasantry: If one leaves tobacco for the cronemother's pipe each night for a week, at the end of that week the nightly meal acts and tastes as a Heroes Feast.
Dirwergen
Loud psalms and endless stomping and banging sounds from the darkest places of the home.
Offering: A bowl of strong ginger beer
Benefit: Dirwergens hate darkness and haunted silences. Shadows seems less dark and threatening with the dirwergen about. There is no true darkness, even the deepest shadows becoming as dim illumination. His voice dispels silence and darkness effects if he succeeds on an opposed caster level check. However, listen checks are made at a -4 penalty.
Pleasantry: A Dirwergen loves music or a good chat. If you spend an hour each day in conversation and/or performing the Dirwergen will ward the house against creatures from the Plane of Shadow. Outsiders with the evil alignment are deafened and may not possess any item or being. Nor may ghosts, who cannot manifest within such a home, being forced to remain within the Ethereal Plane.
Domovoi
A hairy man covered in ashes rises from the coals of the hearth.
Offering: Bread in a bowl of milk every morning.
Benefit: All within the home are effected as by an Endure Elements spell, which seems to be toasty warm year round, but never above or below comfort. Creatures with the cold subtype cannot enter a house tended by a domovoi. The Goodwife or owner of the home may lift the protection to allow such a creature within, but the domovoi will leave and cannot be enticed to return for 24 hours. Spells with the cold descriptor can be cast at only half caster level. As well, there is a 20% chance that any such spell fizzles uselessly.
Pleasantry: As long as no flame is ever extinguished in the house a Domovoi can be called to tell of an event destined to occur within the home, or to a resident or guest to the home, once a day by staring into the flames. This prediction is only good out to 1d4 days. If a specially seasoned log costing 50 gp is provided he may use Augery.
Dove of Peace
A small white doves flies out from amongst the rafters.
Offering: A mirror set high on the wall.
Benefit: Whenever an argument begins, or a fight starts all within the home are effected as by Calm Emotions. As well, if anything as loud as a shout occurs the individual is affect as by a silence spell until they lower their voice.
Pleasantry: A dove of peace dislikes even the hint of aggression or violence. If the inhabitants of the homes forgoes eating any meat they will guard the home from attack. Those that venture within with violent intent fall asleep. This sleep lasts as long as they are within the home. The sleeping individual is protected from harm as well.
Dreamcatcher
A monstrous weaver spider crawls out from under the bed and begins weaving a web.
Offering: A wedge of blue cheese every night.
Benefit: Fear effects do not function within a home guarded by a dreamcatcher. This does not include Intimidate checks. As well, creatures associated with bad dreams, such as a Night Hag or Quori are warded from entering. Unpleasant dream-based spells, such as Nightmare, cannot reach one sleeping beneath a dreamcatcher's web.
Pleasantry: If offered silver sand a dreamweaver will listen to your dreams and give you a prediction as if it had the Dreamtelling feat (Heroes of Horror, p. 122). A dreamweaver has ranks in the appropriate skill checks to make a prediction equal to 4 + Goodwife's HD.
Honeydew
There is the sound of droning bees and a nude woman large with child rises up from a patch of suddenly blooming wildflowers.
Offering: A window always left open and with a bowl of mead.
Benefit: Plants are effected as by the enrichment quality of the Plant Growth spell, except it only effects edible and fruit/vegetable producing plants within 10 feet of the home per Goodwife level. All animals, lifestock and similar have twice their normal litter size while a honeydew remains within.
Pleasantry: A solemn promise may be made with a honeydew who can grant a childless couple the ability to conceive. The honeydew must be allowed to be the midwife, for it is her influence that keeps the children from being stillborn. The first birth is always twins. The promise is that the second child born is granted to the honeydew to raise as her own child within the orchards of her home. This child is always female and grows to become a honeydew in its own right. If the parents will not release the child it will slowly grow sicker as it is unable to grow properly without the attention of the honeydew.
Wellspring Newt
A small white newt surfaces within the offering below.
Offering: A well, spring, washtub or similar offered as a resting place.
Benefit: All poisons brought within the home are nullified and lose their properties permanently. This includes vials, poisoned food or water, envenomed weapons and similar all become harmless, even if removed from the household. Even venomous creatures cannot inject poison, and even after leaving require 24 hours before they can poison again. All food and drink is affected as by Purify Food and Drink. Hard drinks however are rendered flat. They can be drank, but lose their alcoholic properties. Those currently taking damage from poison are also purified, though their damage is not healed.
Pleasantry: Each day lavender is added to a wellspring newt's water it may use Cure Critical Wounds once.
Zashiki-warashi
A laughing child with red face and bobbed hair runs in through the front door with delighted laughter.
Offering: A boiled sweet every night and a new toy each week.
Benefit: There is a feeling of camaraderie and holiday in the home where a zashiki-warashi lives. Diplomacy and Bluff checks are made with a +4 bonus.
Pleasantry: If you read a story or sing a lullaby every night, and scold the Zashiki-warashi every morning, it will show itself and charm any visitor to the home towards it, the house, and its inhabitants. The slightest hint of violence against the charmed visitor however breaks the effect. If the visitor has one on its person it will leave the Zashiki-warashi a copper or silver coin (whatever is lower). The spirit will then stick it under the pillow of the head of the family that night. However, if any should try to take the coin from the Zashiki-warashi before then, it will rebel, and refuse to give it, or charm future visitors, though it will steal from them the most valuable object or coin on their person and refuse to give it back. It will then horde coins, gems and any valuable object it finds within the house and hide it away until a special meal is made in its honor. It will then relent. Upon a second infraction against it it will leave the home and another Zashiki-warashi will not take its place for 24 hours.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Second Sight [General]
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Spot 8 ranks, *Spirit Sense
*Heroes of Horror, p. 124
Benefit: You can see things that are naturally unseen. For instance, creatures or objects with natural or inherent invisibility can now be seen by you normally. Such creatures include a Phantom Fungus or Invisible Stalker, as well as Teraphim. This does not apply to creatures with access to spell lists that grant them invisibility. If the creature is invisible by other means, such as spells and similar, or upon the ethereal plane, you automatically succeed on a Spot check to sense their presence, though cannot pinpoint their location through use of this feat.
Special: As long as you concentrate you automatically know when you are not seeing something real. For instance you know when something is an illusions or in an altered shape than its natural one. You sense the vague outline of the creature, object or landscape's true shape. It is too vague and shadowy to make out details however, and must still succeed on your save against illusions, but you know when it is a farce.
To summon a small god you must build a small altar or craft an idol of the spirit and place it in an open place of reverence.
You then leave an Offering. If the offering is accepted the household gains the Benefit. You can attempt to gain special favor from the 'god' by a Pleasantry. The latter can be an object of worth, a specific action, or similar.
Here is what I have so far. Am open to critiques, and especially suggestions on additional 'gods'.
Brownie
A tiny man in finely crafted brown clothes steps out of the wardrobe.
Offering: A bowl of porridge with honey each night.
Benefit: A home that has a brownie dwelling within will find that nearly nothing breaks. He will spend the night repairing and fortifying the home and its goods. Everything in the home has its hardness increased by 2 each night. Glass no longer breaks easily, nor do items rust or rot. Such spells as Wood Rot or Rusting Grasp, or any ability that degrades or decreases an object's hardness, automatically fail. They may also use Mending at will.
Pleasantry: If a chair is left unused by any house member or guest, specifically set out for the brownie to sit upon, it will weave an entire garment, stitch a pair of boots, or in some way craft an article of clothing. These are considered masterwork garments, and those that wear them gain a +2 bonus to Charisma-based checks. They do not stain or easily tear. They grant a +1 bonus to armor, though can be worn with other armor and the benefits stack.
Cronemother
A knock on the door and a wracking cough sounds outside and a tall, wrinkled woman with warts and a shawl asks if she can come in.
Offering: A warm place to sleep for the night.
Benefit: A cronemother allowed within will lend a hand within the home. For as long as she stays there is always enough clean water left to satisfy the household and just enough oats to make a nourishing gruel. If the excess gruel or water is sold it immediately turns to phlegm. However, if it is given to others in need, the one who gave up their share will find a tasty cake or bit of smoky meat in their pocket. Those that give away their meal for the treat however find the cronemother has spat within it instead.
Pleasantry: If one leaves tobacco for the cronemother's pipe each night for a week, at the end of that week the nightly meal acts and tastes as a Heroes Feast.
Dirwergen
Loud psalms and endless stomping and banging sounds from the darkest places of the home.
Offering: A bowl of strong ginger beer
Benefit: Dirwergens hate darkness and haunted silences. Shadows seems less dark and threatening with the dirwergen about. There is no true darkness, even the deepest shadows becoming as dim illumination. His voice dispels silence and darkness effects if he succeeds on an opposed caster level check. However, listen checks are made at a -4 penalty.
Pleasantry: A Dirwergen loves music or a good chat. If you spend an hour each day in conversation and/or performing the Dirwergen will ward the house against creatures from the Plane of Shadow. Outsiders with the evil alignment are deafened and may not possess any item or being. Nor may ghosts, who cannot manifest within such a home, being forced to remain within the Ethereal Plane.
Domovoi
A hairy man covered in ashes rises from the coals of the hearth.
Offering: Bread in a bowl of milk every morning.
Benefit: All within the home are effected as by an Endure Elements spell, which seems to be toasty warm year round, but never above or below comfort. Creatures with the cold subtype cannot enter a house tended by a domovoi. The Goodwife or owner of the home may lift the protection to allow such a creature within, but the domovoi will leave and cannot be enticed to return for 24 hours. Spells with the cold descriptor can be cast at only half caster level. As well, there is a 20% chance that any such spell fizzles uselessly.
Pleasantry: As long as no flame is ever extinguished in the house a Domovoi can be called to tell of an event destined to occur within the home, or to a resident or guest to the home, once a day by staring into the flames. This prediction is only good out to 1d4 days. If a specially seasoned log costing 50 gp is provided he may use Augery.
Dove of Peace
A small white doves flies out from amongst the rafters.
Offering: A mirror set high on the wall.
Benefit: Whenever an argument begins, or a fight starts all within the home are effected as by Calm Emotions. As well, if anything as loud as a shout occurs the individual is affect as by a silence spell until they lower their voice.
Pleasantry: A dove of peace dislikes even the hint of aggression or violence. If the inhabitants of the homes forgoes eating any meat they will guard the home from attack. Those that venture within with violent intent fall asleep. This sleep lasts as long as they are within the home. The sleeping individual is protected from harm as well.
Dreamcatcher
A monstrous weaver spider crawls out from under the bed and begins weaving a web.
Offering: A wedge of blue cheese every night.
Benefit: Fear effects do not function within a home guarded by a dreamcatcher. This does not include Intimidate checks. As well, creatures associated with bad dreams, such as a Night Hag or Quori are warded from entering. Unpleasant dream-based spells, such as Nightmare, cannot reach one sleeping beneath a dreamcatcher's web.
Pleasantry: If offered silver sand a dreamweaver will listen to your dreams and give you a prediction as if it had the Dreamtelling feat (Heroes of Horror, p. 122). A dreamweaver has ranks in the appropriate skill checks to make a prediction equal to 4 + Goodwife's HD.
Honeydew
There is the sound of droning bees and a nude woman large with child rises up from a patch of suddenly blooming wildflowers.
Offering: A window always left open and with a bowl of mead.
Benefit: Plants are effected as by the enrichment quality of the Plant Growth spell, except it only effects edible and fruit/vegetable producing plants within 10 feet of the home per Goodwife level. All animals, lifestock and similar have twice their normal litter size while a honeydew remains within.
Pleasantry: A solemn promise may be made with a honeydew who can grant a childless couple the ability to conceive. The honeydew must be allowed to be the midwife, for it is her influence that keeps the children from being stillborn. The first birth is always twins. The promise is that the second child born is granted to the honeydew to raise as her own child within the orchards of her home. This child is always female and grows to become a honeydew in its own right. If the parents will not release the child it will slowly grow sicker as it is unable to grow properly without the attention of the honeydew.
Wellspring Newt
A small white newt surfaces within the offering below.
Offering: A well, spring, washtub or similar offered as a resting place.
Benefit: All poisons brought within the home are nullified and lose their properties permanently. This includes vials, poisoned food or water, envenomed weapons and similar all become harmless, even if removed from the household. Even venomous creatures cannot inject poison, and even after leaving require 24 hours before they can poison again. All food and drink is affected as by Purify Food and Drink. Hard drinks however are rendered flat. They can be drank, but lose their alcoholic properties. Those currently taking damage from poison are also purified, though their damage is not healed.
Pleasantry: Each day lavender is added to a wellspring newt's water it may use Cure Critical Wounds once.
Zashiki-warashi
A laughing child with red face and bobbed hair runs in through the front door with delighted laughter.
Offering: A boiled sweet every night and a new toy each week.
Benefit: There is a feeling of camaraderie and holiday in the home where a zashiki-warashi lives. Diplomacy and Bluff checks are made with a +4 bonus.
Pleasantry: If you read a story or sing a lullaby every night, and scold the Zashiki-warashi every morning, it will show itself and charm any visitor to the home towards it, the house, and its inhabitants. The slightest hint of violence against the charmed visitor however breaks the effect. If the visitor has one on its person it will leave the Zashiki-warashi a copper or silver coin (whatever is lower). The spirit will then stick it under the pillow of the head of the family that night. However, if any should try to take the coin from the Zashiki-warashi before then, it will rebel, and refuse to give it, or charm future visitors, though it will steal from them the most valuable object or coin on their person and refuse to give it back. It will then horde coins, gems and any valuable object it finds within the house and hide it away until a special meal is made in its honor. It will then relent. Upon a second infraction against it it will leave the home and another Zashiki-warashi will not take its place for 24 hours.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Second Sight [General]
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Spot 8 ranks, *Spirit Sense
*Heroes of Horror, p. 124
Benefit: You can see things that are naturally unseen. For instance, creatures or objects with natural or inherent invisibility can now be seen by you normally. Such creatures include a Phantom Fungus or Invisible Stalker, as well as Teraphim. This does not apply to creatures with access to spell lists that grant them invisibility. If the creature is invisible by other means, such as spells and similar, or upon the ethereal plane, you automatically succeed on a Spot check to sense their presence, though cannot pinpoint their location through use of this feat.
Special: As long as you concentrate you automatically know when you are not seeing something real. For instance you know when something is an illusions or in an altered shape than its natural one. You sense the vague outline of the creature, object or landscape's true shape. It is too vague and shadowy to make out details however, and must still succeed on your save against illusions, but you know when it is a farce.