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The Vorpal Tribble
2006-11-01, 10:49 PM
Harvest Moon



http://my.photosleeve.com/TheVorpalTribble-albums/album03/aei.jpg


As the trees shed their summer apparel and don their autumnal finery, pumpkins are being harvested, corn shorn, and beans plucked. A time of abundance and the fruits of long laboring. Spirits of the crop and field, beings of vine and hay, gourd and kernel, that which brings to mind fiddle playing beneath the rounded fullness of the harvest moon. What dances within its rays?


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The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until midnight, November 20th (EST).

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until midnight of the 30th.



The Rules

1. You will be creating a unique D&D monster based around the autumn season or related to the harvest of field and farm.

Examples
- John Barleycorn (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1124169&postcount=2)
- Thistlehen (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1479917#post1479917)

2. The entry must include name, stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similiar in addition is optional.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Comments and discussions will take place on a seperate thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1499183).

5. One entry per participant.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Merely adding class levels or templates to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to at least have the basic beast already done.

-=-=-=-=-=-

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-11-01, 10:54 PM
Here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the contest chat thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1499183).


Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class:
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities: Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat


-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Plot Hook/Story if any

Reltzik
2006-11-03, 11:58 PM
Bad Harvest

Diminutive Plant (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 5d8 + 5
Initiative: +0
Speed: 0 (immobile)
Armor Class: 14 (+4 size)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3 / +8
Attack: (Swarm) Grapple: +6 (1d6 non-lethal)
Full Attack: (Swarm) Grapple: +6 (1d6 non-lethal)
Space/reach: 10x10 ft/5 ft.
Special attacks: Entangle (DC 15), Pollen
Special Qualities: Thresh for the Reaper, Grains, Kindling, Rooted, Camouflage, Pyrrhic Victory
Saves: Fort +1, Reflex (automatically fail), Will +0
Abilities: Str 6, Dex -, Con 12, Wis -, Int -, Cha -
Skills: None
Feats: Improved Grapple (innate)
Environment: Temperate plains, Farmlands
Organization: Crop
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
Least favorite thing: A farmer with a scythe.

Description: A field of grass, laden with grain and ready for the reaping.

Ecology: Bad Harvests are a bane to farmers anywhere, growing in patches of grass and in particular among the grasses of agriculture. As it grows, it takes on the appearance of the surrounding grass (wheat, rye, barley, etc). They are helpless until two weeks before they would be ready for harvest. At that time, they are fully mature, but still passive; one can walk through them without risk. When caused damage, it will activate, lashing out at anything within range, and continue doing so for the rest of its natural life.

Combat: When a mature Bad Harvest first takes damage, it becomes active, grappling anything and everything within its reach and automatically entangling anything in its area. It remains active for the rest of its natural life. It will always attempt to grapple an opponent until pinned, at which point it will start attempting to deal grapple damage. Whenever damaged, it will release a cloud of pollen unless its last cloud has yet to dissipate.

Size, Reach, and Grapple: Because the harvest's individual stems are extremely long for their size, it has a 5 foot reach and counts as a Large creature for purposes of grapple rolls and damage, despite being classified as diminutive. It may make grapple attempts and be grappled despite being a swarm. If it successfully grapples an opponent, the opponent is dragged into the Bad Harvest's square, rather than the Bad Harvest does not enter the opponent's square.

Camouflage: Bad Harvests appear almost identical to the grasses surrounding them. Telling the difference requires a DC 20 knowledge: nature check or a DC 15 Profession: farmer check. Taking 20 on these checks requires entering the Bad Harvest's square. Discerning normal grains from Bad Harvest grains requires a DC 15 Profession: Cook, Profession: Farmer, or Profession: Herbalist check. Unlike normal Profession checks, these cannot be made untrained.

Entangle: As a free action, may entangle any creature occupying the same square as it, as the spell, with a save DC of 15.

Rooted: Because they are firmly anchored to the earth, Bad Harvests take no damage from wind effects (as would be normal for the swarm subtype).

Thresh for the Reaper: Because they are comprised of grass, Bad Harvests take no damage from piercing attacks, half damage from bludgeoning attacks, and full damage from slashing attacks. This overrides the normal weapon type damage modifiers for swarms. Every three ranks of Profession: Farmer, or part thereof of, grants a +1 competence bonus to physical attack damage against a Bad Harvest.

Kindling: Bad Harvests are extremely flammable, taking double damage from fire. Any fire damage will cause them to catch on fire, even spells that normally don't carry that risk. A burning Bad Harvest creates a brushfire which functions as a forest fire in all respects (see DMG page 88).

Pollen: A Bad Harvest may release pollen up to twice a day as a free action. Doing so produces a continually-renewed cloud of pollen in the bad harvest's area for an hour. Treat this as an inhaled poison with a fort DC of 15 effective within the Bad Harvest's reach and a 30 foot cone downwind, On a failed test (either initial or secondary), the character is overtaken by a sneezing fit and falls prone, unable to take any actions, but is not considered helpless.

Grains: Bad Harvest grains are trouble to the endosperm. If successfully harvested and then sown, new Bad Harvests will grow from the grains. Bad Harvest grains are high in arsenic content, and it is not a good idea to consume them or their flour. Should the Bad Harvest be destroyed after reaching maturity, it will leave grains scattered where it grew, which unless removed (a painstaking and tedious undertaking), burned, or otherwise destroyed will grow into a new Bad Harvest next growing season occupying twice as many 10'x10' squares as those destroyed one. Should it catch fire, the Bad Harvest will instead release seeds to ride the fire's updraft, sowing 2d8-3 10'x10' fields at random locations within 2 miles, usually downwind.

Pyrrhic Victory: Should a 10'x10' patch of Bad Harvest succeed in propagating its seeds and creating more Bad Harvests the next growing season, it does not count as defeated and is worth no XP even if destroyed.

Domesticated Bad Harvests: There are (marginally) domesticated varieties of Bad Harvest. They are identical to normal Bad Harvests, save that a given 10'x10' patch can only activate on a d6 roll of 6 when damaged (roll only once) and their grains are not poisonous. Should a patch not activate, it counts as CR 0 as it is not a challenge.

[Hope I posted this in the right place]

belboz
2006-11-05, 01:56 AM
Ergotine
Medium Fey
Hit Dice: 9d6 + 18 (49 HP)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30' (6 squares), fly 30' (perfect)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 dex, +2 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Short sword +8 melee (1d6 +1), whip +8 melee (1d3 +1 non-lethal), or throwing axe +8 thrown (1d6 + 1)
Full attack: Short sword +8 melee (1d6 +1), whip +8 melee (1d3 +1 non-lethal), or throwing axe +8 thrown (1d6 + 1)
Space/Reach: 5'/5' (or by weapon type)
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Flight, Mad visions, Partial poison immunity, Ergot dependence, Damage reduction 10/cold iron, Low-light vision, Spell resistance 18
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15
Skills: Concentration +15, Escape artist +17, Hide +15, Move silently +16, Sense motive +11 , Spot +11, Bluff +15
Feats: Combat Casting, Weapon Finesse, Dodge, Mobility
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Band (3-12)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +5

Ergot is a fungal parasite affecting grains such as rye, wheat, barley, and occasionally oats. Although some alchemists use ergot to create hallucinogenic preparations prized by mysitcs, wise farmers generally seek out and immediately destroy ergot-infected plants. The reasons are threefold: Ergot reduces grain yield, bread made from ergot-infected grain is powerfully toxic, causing terrifying hallucinations, tremors, and occasionally convulsions and death (a condition called "St. Anthony's Fire"), and worst of all, ergot can attract the ergotine.

Ergotine (the term is both singular and plural) are malicious fairies attracted to ergot or ergot-infected plants. Ergotine, who are immune to the physically toxic effects of the fungus, travel in small caravans of brightly colored covered wagons to find and feast upon it. Inflamed with madness, they then go on the rampage, terrorizing and often killing any nearby.

An ergotine resembles an especially thin elf with very pale skin, hair the color and limp texture of corn silk, and bright yellow eyes. They dress in garishly bright clothing.

Ergotine speak common and sylvan.

Combat

Ergotine are swift and deadly fighters, usually preferring short swords, throwing axes, or whips (which they use to trip and disarm their opponents). Bands of ergotine will usually have a mix of weapons. Perhaps more dangerous than their fighting prowess, however, are the illusions that they draw from their ergot-maddened minds.

Spell-like abilities:
An Ergotine has the following spell-like abilities. Caster level 7, saves charisma-based.
At will: Ghost Sound (DC 12), Silent Image (DC 13), Ventriloquism (DC 13)
5x/day: Blur, Mirror Image, Hypnotic Pattern (DC 14), Minor Image (DC 14)
3x/day: Displacement, Major Image (DC 15)
1x/day: Hallucinatory Terrain (DC 16), Phantasmal Killer (DC 16), Rainbow Pattern (DC 16), Shadow Conjuration (DC 16) Ergot dependence (ex): The spell-like abilities of ergotine depend upon the madness they achieve through the consumption of ergot. A delay or neutralize poison spell, or a spell that cures insanity, will suppress their spell-like abilities until they consume more ergot. They will attempt to resist these spells, and do make saving throws even against those labeled "harmless." Being cured of the ergot madness gives the ergotine a -2 penalty to charisma and a +4 bonus to wisdom.

Partial poison immunity (ex): Ergotine are immune to the negative physical effects of poisons, such as HP loss or physical ability damage. They still take mental ability damage from poisons.

Flight (su): Ergotine have no wings; their flight is supernatural in nature.

Mad visions (ex): Ergotine live in a world of wildly distorted sensations and mad hallucinations. Because of this, they cannot be dazzled, dazed, confused, fascinated, stunned, shaken, frightened, panicked, driven insane, or made to cower.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Plot Hooks:

Forthcoming

Jimp
2006-11-05, 08:49 AM
Sorry, but whenever I see Harvest Moon all I can think of is that farming game on the GBA:smallbiggrin:

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-11-05, 10:02 AM
Sorry, but whenever I see Harvest Moon all I can think of is that farming game on the GBA:smallbiggrin:
No jibber jabber here. Please delete your message and go to the chat thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1499183). BEGONE!

The Demented One
2006-11-05, 12:07 PM
Autumnal Seer
Size/Type: Medium Fey
Hit Dice: 8d6+24 (52 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), touch 14, flatfooted 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Leaf Blade +8 melee or ranged (1d4+4/19-20)
Full Attack: Leaf Blade +8 melee or ranged (1d4+4/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Invocations, kiss of autumn, leaf blade
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron, form of autumn, low-light vision, soothsaying, sylvan insight
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +9
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +14, Knowledge (Any Four) +13, Listen +14, Sense Motive +14, Spot +14
Feats: Dodge, Ability Focus (Kiss of Autumn), Extra Invocation
Environment: Temperate Forests
Organization: Solitary or Retinue (1 Autumnal Seer plus 2-4 Dryads)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral (Any)
Advancement: By class level (Favored Class: Warlock)
Level Adjustment: –

Autumn is a time of transition, lying between the life-bringing Spring and Summer and the cold death of Winter. The Autumnal Seers are the heralds of this transition, peering in the future to see what faits Autumn brings. For most of the year, they are incorporeal spirits, even more insubstantial than the most lowly of ghosts. However, when Autumn comes, they take on incarnate forms, creating bodies from the fallen leaves. The Autumnal Seers are not greedy in their dealings, and will share their insights with any they see worthy. Like all fey, they prize nature, and use their foreknowledge to preserve it and aid their fellow guardians of the world. An Autumnal Seer resembles a beautiful, dryad-like woman made entirely of leaves, with glowing, wisp-like lights for eyes.

Combat
Autumnal Seers disdain combat, and usually try to escape it with their form of autumn ability. However, if forced into battle, they fight viciously, using their kiss of autumn ability to disable spellcasters and using their leaf blade or invocations to pick off other foes from a distance.
<hr>
Invocations (Sp)
A Autumnal Seer uses invocations as an 8th level Warlock. Because she lacks an eldritch blast ability, she can not learn blast shape or eldritch essence invocations. The DC of an Autumnal Seer’s invocations is 14 + the invocation’s level.

Typical Invocations Known
Least–call of the beast*, otherworldly whispers*, see the unseen, summon swarm; Lesser–charm, witchwood step*
From Complete Mage

Kiss of Autumn (Su)
Once per day as a standard action, an Autumnal Seer may trap a single creature within 30 ft. of it in the form of a cloud of leaves. If that creatures fails a DC 20 Will save, it becomes a cloud of leaves, as the seer’s form of autumn ability. However, it cannot return to its normal form, even if struck with cold iron. The seer may restore it to its true form as a swift action, as can a remove curse or break enchantment spell cast on it with a caster level of 10th or higher. There is no other way it can be returned to its normal form.

Leaf Blade (Ex)
As a swift action, an Autumnal Seer may produce a razor-sharp leaf from her body, known as a leaf blade. The leaf blade has the statistics of a dagger, and overcomes damage reduction as a magic weapon. An Autumnal Seer adds her Dex bonus in place of her Str bonus to all attack and damage rolls made with the leaf blade.

Form of Autumn (Su)
As a standard action, an Autumnal Seer may take on the form of a cloud of floating leaves. This functions similarly to the gaseous form spell, except that the seer becomes leaves, rather than vapor. She has a fly speed of 20 ft., rather than 10 ft., with perfect maneuverability while in this form. An Autumnal Seer can remain in this form indefinitely, taking a swift action to return to her true form. However, if it is damaged with a cold iron weapon while in form of autumn, she immediately reverts to her normal form and cannot use this ability again for 1d10 minutes.

Soothsaying (Su)
On rare occasion, an Autumnal Seer will slip into a trance or receive prophetic dreams, speaking or dreaming insights into the past, present, and future. She has no control over this ability–when she enters a trance and what they learn is entirely up to the DM. However, each Autumnal Seer enters this trance at least once in each autumn season.

Sylvan Insight (Su)
An Autumnal Seer sees the possible events of the future flurrying about her like leaves caught in a strong breeze, and can determine when she is in danger. She can act during the surprise round even if she would otherwise be surprised. In addition, it is never treated as being flatfooted unless it is immobilized.
[hr]
Plot Hooks

The player characters must seek the soothsaying of an Autumnal Seer in order to learn a crucial secret that has been obscured to other means of detection.
An Autumnal Seer has forseen the future actions of a player character leading to great destruction to nature, and will use any means necessary to stop him.
An evil druid has kidnapped a group of Autumnal Seers, and is using their prophecies to cause great destruction.

Bearofbadnews
2006-11-07, 06:24 AM
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Old Man of the Field
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http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2715/mypicturezu8.jpg
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Medium Fey (Earth)
Hit Dice: 10d6+20 (55 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural armor) touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
Attack: Touch +5 melee (1d8+5 Withertouch Fort.20 neg.)
Full attack: +5 melee (1d8+5 Withertouch Fort.20 neg.)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Summon Swarm (murder of crows) (Su), Withertouch (Su), Spiteful Earth (Su)
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 10/cold iron and fire, Immunity to sleep and charm effects, Earth glide (Su), Change Form (Su), Bountiful Harvest (Su)
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +15, Will +15
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +15, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +15, Handle Animal +13, Knowledge(arcana +12, history +14, local +15, nature +12), Perform +12, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +14, Spot +16
Feats: Alertness, Blind-fight, Negotiator, Dodge
Environment: Any cultivated
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Double items, goods
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
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The Old Man of the Field (also called Grandfather Crow) is an ancient earth spirit that can provide a bountiful harvest... for a price.

In his humanoid form, the Old Man appears as a human man in his late sixties. He has hair like bleached straw, a dark and creased earthy complexion, and eyes the gray of an autumn rain. He is dressed in the simple garb of a fieldworker, with a wide-brimmed straw hat. Unless he wills otherwise, he leaves clumps of dirt and dried leaves when where he goes.
Grandfather Crow is normally encountered by adventurers after being established in an area for several generations. When he first arrives in a village, he often approaches the townspeople during their harvest festival to present his offer. He proposes a contract with the citizens of the farming community: he will provide them with an abundant harvest unlike any they normally enjoy, and they will compensate him to his satisfaction. He usually demands golden objects, books or objects of interest, and a portion of the harvest. Every year the contract is fulfilled and renewed at the harvest festival. Some years his requests are bizarre, however, and he has in the past demanded a village child in return for the next year's harvest. Any failure on the part of the people to fulfill their half of a bargain once it has been agreed upon results in the Old Man's wrath-- usually in the form of his black-winged namesakes.

The Old Man is thousands of years old and thus has a distinctly different world view than most mortal beings. He is incapable of telling a lie, though he is very skilled at avoiding the whole truth. He will always carry through on a bargain if he is able. He considers the work he does in delivering the autumn harvest to be an honest trade for the compensation he demands. During autumn Grandfather Crow likes to wander the dirt roads in disguise, stopping at the farmhouses along the way to catch up on local gossip and observe the behaviors of mortals, who he finds fascinating.
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Combat
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The Old Man prefers to avoid combat, but will defend himself if he or his is attacked or if someone attempts to prevent him from exacting payment.

Summon Swarm (murder of crows) (Su)
Summons a swarm of around 1000 tiny creatures as described in the Tome of Magic. In addition, the swarm can destroy one acre of crops every half hour if directed to do so. Though the swarm is attacked and killed as normal, crows that are killed are revealed to be bunches of dried leaves covered in feathers. As such, they take 2x damage from fire and the swarm is immune to mind-altering effects. The Old Man can summon Swarms at will, for a maximum of 3 swarms at any time.
Withertouch (Su)
The Old Man can make a touch attack that deals 1d8+5 damage and 2d4 points of temporary strength damage with a DC17 Fortitude save to negate. The ability damage remains as long as the Grandfather Crow is within 200 feet, and returns at a rate of 1 point every half hour once the victim leaves this vicinity.
Spiteful Earth (Su)
The victim finds that they've won the ire of the land itself. Roots seem to rise to trip them, branches seem to grab and rake at them, and the very earth at times seems to shift beneath their feet. Once per day, the Old Man may select any target within line of sight and bestow the Spiteful Earth curse upon them. They receive a DC 20 Will save to negate. For a full day (or until the Grandfather Crow wills otherwise), the target takes a -4 to all skill checks, attacks, and saves in natural terrain. In addition, while moving through natural terrain, the target's movement rate is halved.
Bountiful Harvest (Su)
This operates as the Druid spell Plant Growth's "enrichment" option with an increased yield of 3x normal over a year, and the Old Man can it cast it once per day.

Grandfather Crow will respond to any threat of attack with the Spiteful Earth ability targeted at the ringleader. Any actual attacks will cause him to attempt to use his Withertouch ability to subdue his attackers. If this seems likely to fail, he will summon a swarm of crows and use his Earthglide ability to escape. He is willing to bargain with parties that have not broken pacts with him before. Anyone who breaks a contract with him will have him return to exact payment. In the case of his village pacts, he will send his feathered minions to destroy crops if the contract is not fulfilled. Interference in this will cause him to confront those interfering with demands for payment.
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Plot Hook
The players spot a small farmhouse as a blustery autumn storm blows in. If they decide to seek shelter, they are immediately invited in. They find their hosts to be overly gracious and desperately generous. When the family of farmers reach the conclusion that the adventurers are not Grandfather Crow in disguise, they inform the party of the long-standing contract. The land in the area has always been very bad for farming, but since the deal, the harvests been enough to provide everyone with plenty to eat and more besides. They confide that this year, however, the bargain will likely not be kept. Last year the Old Man requested the youngest son of a nearby family as his price. Unwilling to risk a famine given the naturally poor soil, the village agreed. The family begs the players to intercede on their behalf.
(In fact, Grandfather Crow is often quite lonely, and he wishes to raise the boy as a son and companion.)
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Khantalas
2006-11-07, 01:53 PM
Gluttonous Plague

Fine Outsider (Evil, Native, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 10d8 + 20 (65 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), fly 80 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 27 (+6 Dex, +8 size, +3 deflection), touch 27, flat footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus rotting (see below))
Full attack: Swarm (2d6 plus rotting (see below))
Space/Reach: 15 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, rotting
Special Qualities: Blessed scythe weakness, blindness, blindsense 240 ft., blindsight 120 ft., gluttonous rage, greater invisibility, immune to disease and poison, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +7
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: Listen +15, Spot +15, Move Silently +21, Hide +37, Search +11, Knowledge (the planes) +11
Feats: Ability Focus (rotting), Alertness, Improved Initiative, Stealthy
Environment: Temperate or warm plains and forests
Organization: Solitary, pair, plague (2-8 swarms), hunger (8-32 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 10 (?)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

At every harvest, the blessing and the protection of the gods are asked for. Rarely is such protection denied. When it is denied, or another divine figure bars such influence, the harvest only calls for gluttonous plagues -ravaging swarms of vile creatures that exist only to end the harvest.

A gluttonous plague is invisible to all forms of sight -even the most powerful magic cannot reveal their true form. They are identified by the unmistakable, shrill scream they make and the sound of wind and clicking their movement causes, although a plague can move silently if it wants to.

It is unknown why gluttonous plagues share more with demons and devils than with animals or vermin. One of the myths state that these creatures are the children of Ee'linith, the goddess of plagues and vermin, created to enforce her will on Neka-thorimi, where gods cannot act directly. Soon, these ever-hungry creatures spread to other lands, no longer bound by the principle of their creation. After a few harvests, all farmers learned to fear these monsters.

Combat

Although a gluttonous plague is intelligent, it shows none in combat, often heading for living creatures first and anything else that they can consume later. They avoid anything that may actually hurt them, while covering as many creatures as possible.

A gluttonous plague's swarm attack is treated as evil-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Blessed Scythe Weakness (Su): Although normal weapons cannot harm a gluttonous plague, a scythe that can overcome damage reduction as if it were a good-aligned weapon can normally inflict damage to it.

Blindness: Gluttonous plagues are sightless, which makes them immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions and any attack that relies on sight.

Distraction (Ex): Any creature that begins its turn with a gluttonous plague in its space must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or take only a single action that turn. If a particular creature is already limited to a single action, that creature may take no actions that turn. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Gluttonous Rage (Ex): A gluttonous plague gets stronger and tougher as it feeds and corrupts. When it inflicts 5 points of ability damage with its rotting special attack (see below), it gains the rage special ability automatically. It functions just as a barbarian's rage, except that it lasts 4 + Con Modifier (newly improved) and a plague can use any skills it has while in a rage. If it inflicts 10 more points of ability damage while already in rage, it gains greater rage. If it inflicts 15 more points of ability damage while already in greater rage, it gains mighty rage. A plague doesn't suffer any penalties when its rage ends.

Greater Invisibilty (Su): A gluttonous plague has no visible form, existing only as the physical fury of Ee'linith. They are invisible to normal and magical sight at all times. Even True Seeing cannot see them. Glitterdust or a similar effect, however, reveals their area, although not their form.

Rotting (Su): A gluttonous plague exists only to feed and rot. Everything they touch is corrupted and they decay quickly. This ability has three different effects:
* On living creatures, it acts like a poison (primary damage 1d3 Con, secondary damage 2d3 Con, Fort Save DC 19). The save DC is Constitution-based.
* On undead and constructs, it undermines their physical integrity, working much like a poison (primary damage 1d4 Str, Secondary Damage 2d4 Str, Fort Save DC 19). Although it is considered to be ability drain (it cannot be healed through natural means), it can be healed by magic that can heal ability damage. Any undead or construct brought down to 0 Strength is destroyed (unless it wouldn't be destroyed when brought to 0 or lower hit points). The save DC is Constitution-based.
* On materials subject to rot (subject to DM), it inflicts double the swarm damage and automatically overcomes hardness.

Outsider Traits: See Monster Manual, pg. 313.

Swarm Traits: See Monster Manual, pg. 315.

***

Plot Hook

When the PCs are preparing for a new adventure and off to buy some rations around the harvest season, they hear that all nearby towns are hit by a plague, as the crops quickly die, and some farmers are found in a state of advanced decay, eaten and shredded by something. After some investigation as to why, they are attacked by one of the gluttonous plagues in the middle of a dead field, hungry even after consuming all crops there.

***

Why post my first monster in a competition thread, I have no idea. I'll probably lose, anyway. But hey, it was fun.

LordOfNarf
2006-11-10, 03:55 PM
Blight Cow
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice 4d10+20 (42)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: -1
AC 17 (+5 Natural, -1 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Divine ) touch 12; flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple +4/+15
Attack Gore +11 melee (1d8+7)
Full-Attack Gore +11 melee (1d8+7) 2 Hooves +6 (1d6+3)
Space/Reach 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks Below of the Blight, Discorporate
Special Qualities Death Throes
Saves Fort +9 Ref +3 Will +1
Abilities Str 24, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills Spot +7
Feats Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush
Environment Fields
Organization Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Always TN
Advancement 5-10(Large) 11-15(Huge)
Level Adjustment -

A Huge thing approaches; it looks like a cow, but large and decayed black. It looks almost like it is composed of thousands of spores of black plant blight, it moos with a deep throaty sound that sets you off in a spasmodic fit of coughing.

Some Farmers and ranchers blaze unheedingly into the wilderness, cutting down and burning the forest every year for a few more Hectares of poor growing soil. Other Farmers are very careful to only cut if a tree is dead or a hazard to human of animal life, to not burn heedlessly, and to keep good relations with the druids of the surrounding wilderness. If a farmer has been very good, then under the Harvest moon the druids gather around the farmer’s field and dance all night in a ritual of harvest, health, and heat. In the morning after the farmer’s crops are completely free of any plant disease, and there is a Blight cow tied to his plow. The Blight cow is a condensed blight that aids the farmer in his harvest as a repayment for not harming nature. The Farmer must always be careful about the blight cow, though, for in the end it belongs to the druids who created it, and if the farmer is not courteous to it, it will not be courteous to the farmer in return. At the end of the Harvest, the blight cow burns itelf up, destroying the blight, and leaves a bag blessed seed from the druids, to help in the next spring's planting in its place.

Combat

The Blight Cow does not usually attack, and only does so if the farmer damages nature, or it is attacked first. If it is forced to fight, a Blight Cow charges into battle and pushes everyone innocent out, then kills the transgressor and exploded at the end of combat 9either willingly, or though the use of its Death Throes ability)

Bellow of Blight (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, a Blight Cow can bellow in a way that releases multitudes of dangerous blight spores into the air. The Bellow is a breath weapon that extends as a 15 ft cone from one corner of a blight cow’s space. All creatures caught in this cone must make a DC 15 Fort save or be restricted to only one action per round for 1d3 rounds, and also must make a second DC 15 Fort save or be infected with Airborne Wheat Blight. All Save DC's are Con Based.

Discorporate (Su) If a Blight Cow feels threatened, it can discorporate and turn into a swarm of airborne blight particles. When in this state, it can move at a speed of 30 ft per round, but must stay at ground level. A blight cow can remain in this state for 1d3 rounds before it must return to normal form. Once it has returned to normal form, it must remain in that form for at least 1d6 rounds before it can discorporate again. For all other purposes this ability is treated as the spell gaseous form. When a Blight cow is in this form, any creature in a square it passes though must make a DC 15 Fort save or be restricted to only one action per round for 1d3 rounds, and also must make a second DC 15 Fort save or be infected with Airborne Wheat Blight. All Save DC's are Con Based.

Death Throes (Su) If a Blight Cow is reduced to 0 hit Points, or is killed by any death effect; it explodes into a massive cloud of the blight particles that compose it. When a Blight Cow dies, it explodes in a 150ft radius spread. All creatures caught in this spread must make a DC 15 Fort save or be restricted to only one action per round for 1d3 rounds, and also must make a second DC 15 Fort save or be infected with Airborne Wheat Blight. All Save DC's are Con Based. If a Blight cow undergoes Death Throes, the bag of blessed seed is not left in its place.

Airborne Wheat Blight Originally a plant disease, it is only transmittable to humans if they are exposed to it through a creature or other ability. It is a disease that makes those infected feel weak and uncoordinated.
{table=head]Infection|DC|Incubation|Damage
Inhaled|15 or 10+Blight Cow’s Con Modifier|1d2 Days|1 Str, 1d2 Dex[/table]

[hr]

Plot Hook

PC's accidentally Kill a Good Farmer's Blight Cow, and now must go and make good with the druids to remove the blight.
A farmer has been good all year, and he didn't get a Blight Cow, he hires the PC's to find out why
The Druids like a particular farmer, but want to know more about him before giving him a blight cow, they hire to PC's to find out about him
One of the PC's inherits a farm, and is startled when a large black cow is standing in his feild one morning.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-11-24, 03:11 PM
And this month's contest is done. Be sure to give your vote!

A new contest will begin December 1st.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-12-01, 03:33 AM
Congrats Bearofbadnews! Sneak is currently working on a trophy for your win.

A new contest has now begun: Holly Jolly (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28603)